Work Text
Snort. Snort. *Picks nose* Snort. *Eats it* Snort.Link watches with narrowed eyes at the bokoblin right in front of him and he stays there silent as the piglike creature sniffs around at the ground. There are no sticks in the area and all the small Hylian is wearing is his boxers, still damp from the water from Lake Hylia. He bites down on his lip that is already bitten raw from his short encounters with odd creatures and he wills his brain cogs to work. Come on, hero. His head seems to say. You know what to do.He looks around again, blue eyes scanning the clearing, but for what? What would save him from this dangerous monster if there are no weapons?He bites his lip harder as an idea slowly starts to come to him and he nearly groans with frustration. It’s on the tip of his tongue but he can’t spit it out. C-mon Link. You’re better then this! He tells himself. He knows that deep inside him he has survival skills but he, in the moment doesn’t feel it. All he feels is afraid of being discovered. Oh yeah. He feels nauseated. The creature is disgusting. How he came to be in this situation, he doesn’t know. He can’t remember. All he knows is that he can’t remember things at all although it seems like he’s coming close to something. He releases his lip as an idea comes to him and he looks around for a tree. His idea is to run and climb up a tree and hide there until the bokoblin gets bored and runs away. It’s perfect!Except….Link doesn't know how to climb. The king of Hyrule hadn’t taught him, and he certainly can’t teach himself in under three seconds. He needs a better plan.
He chews on his lip again and all of a sudden he remembers why he is here. He was teasing bokoblins while wearing his bokoblin mask! That’s right. He feels his face to make sure he is still wearing it and when he gets a positive answer, he stands up and starts to walk away. The piglike monster lifts it’s head up and let’s out a happy squeal before it starts to follow him and Link frowns. Now I have to deal with a clingy beast. He thinks, looking the red thing up and down. This is not the day I had planned. Or maybe it was. Shoot. He can’t remember his day that he had planned. If he planned to visit Impa then she will get mad if he doesn't show, and if…. His thoughts get cut off as he suddenly slips into the water of Lake Hylia, and he resurfaces angrily. Really? He thinks, spitting the water out. My life sucks.-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Exactly one year later….“Link!” Zelda calls, her voice urgent. Link looks up from the picture he had been staring at as she swings into the room and she smiles at him. “I learned something about the guardians that no one has ever known.” She says, plopping on the bed beside him.
He looks at her to let her know he is listening and she continues. “It appears that they respond to emotions. When I was upset about my responsibilities they grew upset and when I grew curious, they seemed to watch me.” She takes one of his hands, unaware of how injured it is but pulls it back again to rejoice. “I love technology!” she sighs. Link winces at the pain in his hand and moves it slowly, grimacing more at the popping noises it makes and he suspects it to be broken. Zelda looks at him. “Did I hurt you, hero?” She asks, her voice dropping. Link places his hand back in his lap and shakes his head. She hadn’t hurt him, someone else had but he can’t remember who or why. The Queen looks at him inquiringly before smiling. “I wonder who you will marry.” She says. “Probably someone very noisy.” Link doesn’t know why but he feels hurt by those words and he nods dully, looking towards the corner of his blanket.Zelda pats his thigh comfortingly. “You know I’m joking.” She murmurs. Link makes a small sound of pain, hardly eligible but not because of what she said. The truth is really that his thigh is also very sore. The stinging kind of sore.
Zelda doesn’t notice and she smiles at him. “Would you like something to eat, hero?” She wonders and Link takes a deep breath. Food sounds amazing right now and he gives her a nod. She nods as well and kisses his cheek gently before walking away. Link watches her go and once he is sure she is gone, he gets up and limps to the door to close it. Once he does so, he sits back on his bed and eases his pants off to examine his thigh. Surprise courses through him at the sight. It’s claw marks for sure but whay creature made it, he’s not sure. He’s been scratched by many monsters and animals in his life but none of the marks looked like this. He bites his lip in thought as he opens his drawer for antibacterial and gauze and he let’s his mind wander as he tends to his injury..No one knows Link as well as he knows them and one of the things they don’t know about him is the fact that he loves to think. He likes to picture colors of flowers, different types of weather, his horses with a new mane style and just about any gentle thing you could think of.
Being a guard, he has to calm himself and what better way than to daydream happy thoughts.Now he imagines Zelda walking up the wedding isle and he smiles. If only he could tell her how he feels.
Once he is done mandating his leg and his pants are fully on again, Zelda opens the door without knocking and delivers a huge plate of all sorts of foods. Links excitedly looks it over as she sets it down and she laughs when he stuffs a roll into his mouth. “It’s always so fun to watch you eat, hero.” She admits. “You’re such a quiet person but you eat as much as two.”Link hardly pays attention to those words in order to fill his belly but he does look at her in acknowledgement. She goes on. “Sometimes I picture a life without you.” Link swallows the mouthful he has and sets the tray aside to look at her. He wants to say something but he just can’t bring himself to say the words. Zelda gives him a small smile and stands up. “Well.” She says, dusting off her dress. “I should go. Eat up, hero.”She leaves and Link finishes his meal alone..
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Link! Link!” Zeldas voice comes in the middle of the night. “Wake up hero!”Link sits up blinking in the dark and when his eyes focus, he jumps to see Zelda right in front of him. She grabs his hand. “Come quick! Vah Medoh is acting quire!” she cries and he quickly climbs out of his bed throwing on his clothes. As he grabs his sheikah slate from his desk and master sword from the closet, he gives the princess a look. “Quire?” he asks, his voice low, almost a whisper. Zelda doesn’t notice that the person who only speaks once or twice a month had spoken or she pretends not to and she taps her chin. “It’s flying really low in the sky. The Ritos say that it is starting to get dangerous. If it flies any lower, it could break the village.” She explains. He watches her while consulting with his thoughts. It must be something mechanic and that is not his thing. He likes to stick to nature, fencing and archery. Zelda brushes her hair out of her face and Link just them notices the fact that she hadn't clipped it back. It almost seems wrong to look at her when her hair is not done. Upon further inspection, Link sees that she is also wearing a flannel nightgown. A heavy blush spreads across his face and he respectfully turns away only to hear her laugh. “It is quite alright, Link.” She giggles, stifling it with her hand. “Yes it is true, not many see me in under clothes but I feel as if you earned the right to, wouldn’t you agree?” Link doesn’t agree after what she’s been saying about how they weren’t meant for each other but he gives her a nod of approval anyways. The more fondly she thinks of him, the better. She changes the subject. “Anyways, the Rito won’t wait forever. Once you are ready, come join me in the stalls for our horses.” She says. She then turns around and walks out the door, her nightgown gliding across the ground. The door clicks softly behind her. Link watches the door after she leaves for the hundredth time in his life, feeling lonely. Sure everyday he has his practice with the other guards, and he gets to spend time with Zelda, but he just can’t talk. Every time he tries, he hesitates too long and the chance is gone. This shouldn’t bother him, he’s a guard and guards have to be tough. Otherwise they’d panic on the battlefield. He sighs, dropping his head. This is just you, hero. His head purrs. You have to live with it and besides, what good does talking do? Zelda was shamed for it nearly every day by her father. Link snaps out of his self pity on that note and slips his sheikah slate into his champions tunic and searches around his room for his master swords belt. Once he finds that, he slides it into place and checks himself in the mirror. Okay. He makes sure he isn’t forgetting anything by looking in the mirror. There on the reflective surface he had drawn all of the proper clothing items and weapons he needed that didn’t fit in his sheikah inventory and as he looks over it all, he smiles, a small smile. He didn’t forget anything this time. Growing cheerful with this thought he heads out the door, reopening it and heads into the halls of the castle. He remembers the day when he came here to fight the calamity; how he hadn’t known where to go with fondness. He now knows every twist in turn like the palm of his hand. Funny because he normally can’t remember anything like the recipe to monster cake. Was it monster extract and flour? But what about sugar? It’s cake isn’t it? He shakes his head, following the same path he takes daily, his feet passing gently on the carpeted floor. He doesn’t want to wake anyone at this hour, they’d only keep him longer than the princess wanted. He doesn’t like to anger the princess. Once he had been punished really badly for following her around after she said not to. He still remembers the pain. Stepping outside, his thoughts shaken away from the sudden sharp wind, he makes his way to the stable wondering if he’ll finally be able to talk to Zelda about somethings. He wants to. Maybe Zelda actually liked him but tried to push it away because of fear of rejection. He shakes his head. Zelda is smarter than that and if she truly loved him, she would just tell him so. She loves to make people smile. He sighs and pulls the heavy wooden door of the stable open, stepping inside immediately engulfed in the warmer air. He relishes it for a moment.“There you are hero!” Zelda cries, cheerfully. She is already on top of her horse, a white mare with golden attire and she smiles down at him. “Get your horse and lets make our way out. The sooner we get there, the better.” Link nods and obeys. He rushes over to the stall where his horse is held; a brown mare with deep chestnut eyes, and quickly gears up his steed. He runs his hand along it’s muzzle instead of speaking to it before he swings onto its back. He gives it’s sides a slight squeeze to get it going. His horse is named Kytrae, a sudden name that popped into his head long ago as he was taming his soon-to-be-buddy and he stuck with it. He smiles and strokes it’s mane. The name is perfect and so is his horse. The kind-hearted animal has never let him down. He then nods to Zelda and follows her out of the stable wondering if their trip will be a short one. Hopefully she can figure out what exactly is wrong and fix it quick because the Rito village isn’t his favorite place in Hylia.There he is reminded of the Rito champion, Revali and it’s hard to think about him after being so hated. Whenever he is there it feels like the ghost of the birdlike creature is watching him. He shudders. It will most likely be okay and he is only over reacting. As he follows Zelda into the wind, he let’s his happy daydreams take over again and he relaxes into the saddle. It WILL be okay.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
There is silence as the two trudge slowly through the wind, their horses heads ducked. There are little words shared if any. Links nearly shoulder length hair slaps his face and he brushes it away irritably. He likes his hair for some reasons but it is definitely the worst for others and he catches Zelda watching him. He cocks his head and she laughs.“I’m sorry Link. It’s just that I never know what’s going through your mind.” She explains. He nods to her before turning forward again, a bit frustrated. He doesn’t like it when people can’t understand him but there really isn’t anything he can do. He can’t talk for himself. He shakes his head and continues scanning the area around them so he’s sure that the princess is safe. He nearly laughs as he realizes that he doesn’t care if he dies, but he cares if Zelda even gets close to harm. That’s why he hates these trips. So far the two of them have been to multiple places for all sorts of reasons, even to just take pictures with the sheikah slate. Every time Link is on edge ready to spring into action because although the calamity Ganon is gone, the monsters he created still roam around. Luckily, Link has treated most of them with a knuckle-sandwich and only a few survived. Mostly lynels are the problem now. Thank goodness there aren’t anymore blood moons huh, Link? His head seems to say as he reaches this thought. He ignores the boisterous thinking style and sighs. Zelda looks at him while pulling her small cloak around her shoulders. “Something wrong, hero?” She asks. Her eyes are sympathetic but Link shakes his head. There is no need to worry her. Instead he pulls his arms a little ways away from his chest, shaking a them a little; the sign for cold. Zelda nods with understanding and Link is relieved. Most of the time he ends up humiliating himself when he acts it out. She runs her fingers through her horse's mane before smiling faintly. “It is chilly indeed.” She says. “But I feel as if good things will happen.” She looks at him happily. “Do you agree?”He shrugs, finally speaking or showing the truth. He can never think that good things will happen because he is her guard. He never gets a break and he never lets his senses down. It’s part of his job. Zeldas expression is slightly discouraged and he looks at her, eyebrows up. “Guard.” He tells her, quietly.Zeldas confused look quickly changes and she smiles, surprised. Link realizes that he’s spoken two words and it hasn’t even been 24 hours between them. He ducks his head shyly as the princess speaks. “Yes I understand that, Link.” She informs. “You are merrily doing your job. I appreciate it by the way.” Now it is Links turn to be surprised and he looks up, his mouth opening to ask something, but he closes it again. He can’t find the right word to say that covers all his thoughts and he sighs. My life sucks. He thinks. Zelda then smiles shyly as if she didn’t notice that her guard is upset. “The day will soon come for our paths to split .” She says, softly. “We will both get married and start two new families.” She looks towards where the sun is rising. “I wonder who that special someone will be for you.” Link jerks his gaze away at that last part, eyes burning with the urge to cry. He can’t imagine any other life than this one with Zelda and he almost can’t believe how bluntly she is telling him her feelings. She doesn’t love him, she is eager to get away from him. He closes his eyes trying to shake away the grief. All his life of protecting her, all this time. You couldn’t help it. His head murmurs, sharing his sadness. Of course you were to fall in love, you couldn’t see the true one you were supposed to be with because you had a job. Link agrees with his head which confuses him. He should agree with his head, it’s his head, right? But it’s almost as if it’s not. It comforts him sometimes and it mocks him sometimes.He snaps out of his thoughts as Zelda points ahead of her. “Look, now isn’t that pretty?” She asks. Link looks towards what she is pointing to and nods. She is admiring the sunrise, a wash of orange and purple and blue that Link finds extraordinary. He always had and always will. Zelda clasps her hands together while holding the reigns to her horse. “I wish all things were as pretty as the sunrise.” She tells him. Link nods, although it doesn't really matter to him. Whenever he is alone in the wild it’s to hunt monsters and kill them, not to admire beauty. If anything, it’s the opposite of pretty when he is fighting, almost as if it is laughing at him. A sudden stench hits his nose as abrupt as daylight in Hylia, snapping him out of his thoughts and he narrows his eyes looking around. He knows this smell. It’s a lynel right after a kill.Looking around still, he slows his horse to a halt and signals for Zelda to do the same. The princess glances around, eyes wide. “What is it?” she wonders. Link rolls his eyes before turning to face her. “Lynel.” He whispers, irritated. “Quiet.” This is something he tells her all the time and it means ‘Stay well away and keep your mouth shut for goddess sake!’. Zelda made up the goddess sake part, Link doesn’t really curse, although he does do it in his head every now and then. In the present, he slowly slides of his horse, tuning out everything but his focus on the lynels scent. He follows it around for a while, his master sword clutches in his hand until he comes across a dead deer carcass.He immediately is well aware that this deer is long dead. Long slashes and teeth marks are patterned across it’s flank and neck and he shivers. Lynels kill ruthlessly. After finding out the facts he nods. Now Link. Go find Zelda but be careful and wary. His head orders. It’s a long way to the Rito village from here. Link listens closely, confused at the fact that he can’t remember even wanting to think things like that but he distracts himself with his goal. Find Zelda. He begins to walk for a while until horror strikes through him as burning hot as embers. He can’t remember where he left her. He snaps his fingers and bites his lip. Where did he come from? The rocks, the grass, the water? Where, where, where?Soon his horror turns to panic at the thought of losing the princess's trust and he wills his head to quite mocking him. Really Link? His head purrs in response. What makes you think you can possibly find Zelda now? You never were a good guard!Link gets angry at this and he narrows his eyes to slits gazing around through the now hazy vision. I can do it. He thinks right back to his old thoughts. Just watch me. At that he confidently looks around for any sign of his coming and he puts his hands on his hips as he sees faint marks in the ground leading to the trail. Take that. He thinks in victory. Yes yes, very good Link. His head sighs. -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-“Oh Link! I was beginning to worry!” Zelda cries as he makes his way over the crest. He smiles and runs into her embrace before pulling back and placing a finger to his lips. Zelda nods and pulls out a map from her cloak, pointing to the bird head landmark. “That is where we are going which means we have a couple miles to ride.” She says, quieter and Link nods also looking at the map. He points to the castle which originally had been drawn dark and covered in malace. Zelda laughs. “Great isn’t it? We got the royal artists to make new maps with a bright castle and it looks so much better.” She says and he nods in agreement. The dark castle was sad and the bright castle is happy. He then pushes the map down a little and points to their horses trying to get them going again. Who knows when the lynel would come back to finish his meal? Zelda purses her lips slightly before murmuring her agreements and folding the map, placing it into her cloak once more. She then let’s Link lead her to her horse. Link studies the white mare wondering what his name is. He can’t remember names very well but this time he knows that he was never told the cute creatures name and didn’t merrily forget it. Zelda notices his stare as she hoists herself into the saddle and she pats it’s flank, her eyes sparkling. “Isn’t he so pretty?” she asks. “People say he is a descendant of a royal horse but I don’t think so. I think he is the true royal horse back from the dead.” Link twitches his fingers at her belief before gesturing towards it and tapping two fingers on each hand together. Zelda shakes her head puzzled. “What does that mean, hero?” She wonders, quietly. Link rubs his forehead frustrated and his head jumps in. Link you can’t even ask what a horse is named? You can do better! It mocks, it’s tone stuck up.Link frowns. “Name?” he whispers finally. Zelda lights up at this and she kisses the horses ears lovingly. “Oh Link! I’m glad you’ve asked!” she cheers. When she doesn’t say anything more, he nods and climbs atop Kytrae, waiting patiently. He has learned from years around the princess that waiting is normal. She will talk when she wants. She continues. “I named him after the flower, you know, my favorite? His name is Silent.” She says. Link likes the name and he manages to smile before pointing to the trail again. If they leave now and continue at a steady place they might make it to the Rito village by dusk the next day. Zelda laughs.“Okay hero! I get it! You want to go now.” She laughs, squeezing Silent's flanks. “Is it to see Teba mayhap?” Link nods once again showing another lie only to have laughter interrupt him. He looks at the princess as he starts his horse up and gives her a stern look meaning, ‘what is so funny'. She wipes a tear off before she stops laughing and takes a deep breath to calm herself. Link waits impatiently this time. He hates it when people laugh at him. She puts her hands in her lap neatly and sighs. “Oh Link. You do know that Teba is married, correct?” She muses. Links cheeks flush at this and he glares at her, looking away quickly. How could she expect something so wrong of him like that? He’s been nothing but loyal to her and she goes and says that he is basically trying to take advantage of this trip to seduce Teba? For one, Teba is a Rito, a bird who has wings and can fly, for two, he is married and has a beautiful wife and a child, and for three, he is a HE! A HE! Whatever Zelda was thinking was literally stupid and rude. Luckily she seems to notice that she upset him and she moves their horses closer so that she can rest her hand on his knee. “I was only joking, hero.” She apologizes. “Someone like you deserves much more. Prince Sidon perhaps?” What little comfort she could've given him washes away with this, no pun intended and he steers Kytrae away, his lower lip sticking out in a pout. He doesn't pout often, but when he does, it’s because he is either extremely injured and can hardly move from the pain, or he is being mistreated poorly. In his case, Zeldas teasing is what’s getting him. “Link.” Zelda protests. “Link. You know I didn’t mean any of that. I’m sure you’ll find the perfect person soon and that he or she will be wonderful. I’m sure they'll fit your personality nicely. Link. Oh Link are you listening?”Link is in fact is listening but he doesn’t acknowledge it. He hates it when Zelda tries to soothe him after she’s hurt his feeling and he decides right then and there that he doesn’t love her anymore. Someone who can tease him this relentlessly doesn't deserve his love. He shakes his head. She can still have my protection. He thinks, sadly.Loving Zelda seemed like all he could look forward to and now that she’s out of the picture, what is there to look forward to? He pets Kytraes ears watching the area around the road they are following and his head decides to speak again. Bracing himself for the stinging words her hunches his shoulders but what his head says isn’t rude. Link it’s going to be alright. You know that bad times don’t last forever and you just have to hold on until the good things return. His head soothes. If it’s not Zelda, then what really, truly makes you feel like yourself? Makes you feel better about yourself? Link waits for more words and when none come, he sighs but feels better. It’s true. He will find something that makes him happy. When he didn’t have his memories before the calamity was beaten, he found his happiness in talking to strangers and helping them out.Well, he never exactly talked to them but vice-versa. They would talk to him and he would carry out there needs. He smiles and is about to thank his head for the comfort and hope when Zelda points.“An inn! We should stay there don’t you think?” she asks. When he doesn’t respond she goes on. “Look, I know you’re upset but think about our horses! They need a small break. They’re about to be moving through Rocky territory. Come on, hero!” Finally Link nods and they head over to the warm building. Link feels himself let go of his nagging worried as they draw nearer and nearer and he let’s his shoulders drop once the sweet music plays. “Hi!” a man’s voice says, cheerfully. “What can I do for you? Directions? Registering a horse? Boarding a horse? Taking one out?”There is a small hesitation and Link blinks as Zelda rides forward. “Boarding a horse, thank you. Two horses.” She replies giving Link a glare. It isn't until later that he realizes that being the guard, he has to speak for her. The man behind the counter nods and looks over the horses a small smile on his tan face. “What are their names, may I ask?” he wonders. Zelda nods to him, her blue eyes soft and she turns to Links horse. “Links horse there is named Kytrae and my royal mare is Silent. He is named after my favorite flower the silent princess.” She explains.The man writes those names down and gives her a friendly smile.“Don’t you just love flower names?” he asks, and Zelda nods eagerly. “I do indeed.” She says. Link sighs and boredly looks around the stable as the two continue chatting and he swings his arms before stretching lightly. Some sleeping might be good for him and he looks forward to it. Many a time he has had to wake up in the middle of the night and he can’t remember the last time he slept the whole night through. He chuckles inwardly at the thought of him curled up in bed, greedily. It just doesn’t seem like him. Yes just think about it. Link the lazy added onto Link the gluttony. His head teases then, sounding amused. Link smiles at the teasing about his eating habits. He loves just about anything you put in front of him and he always, ALWAYS, has room for seconds. It’s just part of the way he is, but he is most definitely not lazy. Maybe he was as a child, but not now. Now he is a light sleeper and will wake up if a single owl hoots in the night. His head seems to agree for it murmurs ‘Link, you’re such a unique person’ before falling silent for the rest of the night….Link misses it…
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Link sits up in his bed the next day, blinking away the sleep that lingers and he looks at Zelda who is still in the dream-world. He feels the corners of his lips start to tug up at the way her mouth splays open but he shakes his head deciding that it isn’t funny after a while. Instead he pulls his sheikah slate into his lap and checks his map, examining the route they have to take in order to be safe on the way to the Rito village. He nods to himself when he sees that the stable they are at is the Serenne stable and he traces the map to two more stables with relief. The path goes straight to where they want to go and no monsters stay too close to the trail if they know any better. By dusk they will have safely passed the Snowfield stable and would be halfway to the Rito stable which means they would have to travel through the night to reach it. With another nod, Link checks his inventory for an extra monster disguise for the princess and is awarded with not one but two. He then allows himself to smile with the success. There’s nothing better than keeping the princess safe. “Are you smiling, champion?” a voice then wonders, breaking him out of his thoughts and he freezes, his smile immediately dropping. He turns to where the voice came from, recognizing it with dread and he sighs as Beedle grins at him. “Hi!” He says, cheerfully! “Are you going to sit and stare or should we- woah….” He breaks off and blinks his oddly sized eyes at him. “Is that a new kind of beetle you got there? Give it to me! I love beetles and I’ll give you something in return! How about a fairy tonic?”Link watches Beedle’s face carefully as he slowly pulls out a couple bottles filled to the brim with a pinkish liquid and the big nosed persons expression drops. “Ohhhh.” He sighs. “That’s too bad. Well. What else would you like to sell? Or would you like to buy?” Link shrugs looking back at the princess who doesn't even stir and finally sighs before turning back to Beedle.“Sell.” He whispers. Beedle nods and pulls his huge backpack off, setting it down with as large thud, his big grin spreading wider across his face as if he's excited that he's about to get some new, but possibly useless stuff. Link doesn’t say anything and mutely pulls some items out of his sheikah slate. He puts the sheikah slate away after he grabs an harmful of things and he spreads it along the ground so that Beedle can see it, hoping he'll get enough rupees for warm clothes that Zelda can wear. He thinks with sudden fondness of the Rito's snowquill outfit and Beedle has to tap the side of his head to get his attention again. Link looks at the other to insure that he is paying attention this time and Beedle points to a pile of Hylian shrooms. “Those look gooooood!” He says. “I’ll take them for a daring price. Would 35 do?” Link does the quick math in his head to see if this is a fair deal and seeing nothing wrong with it, he nods giving Beedle permission. Beedle let’s out a loud noise of happiness and he claps his hands together spilling out a long and detailed thank you. Link ignores him and steals a glance at Zelda only to be let down. She is still sleeping. That princess sure can sleep for a long time, huh? His head says, sounding tired and Link nods as of to answer. So true. It’s a wonder how I can’t out sleep her. He think-replies. Beedle then finishes his thanking and hands off a handful of rupees which Link gratefully accepts and the short Hylian turns, walking slowly back to his bed. Before he can sit down, the man that had been talking to Zelda the night before comes over. “Hello.” He greets with a wave of his hand. “How was your rest here at Serenne stable?” Link sets the money inside his sheikah slate inventory before nodding to him. It was good and uninterrupted. The guy doesn't get it.“Was that a good or a bad?” he asks. “Or did you not answer at all?” Link frowns and puts his hand to his mouth before bringing it down his palm facing up, the sign for good but the man doesn't get it still. “Are you a mute?” he asks, politely, but it still hurts Links feelings so he glares. “No.” He replies. The guy nods. “Oooookay. I get it. You’re grumpy.” He says rudely and Link shakes his head, folding his arms. “No.” he says, louder this time and at this, Zelda sits up yawning, blinking her pretty blue eyes open. Link watches her, straight faced before noticing the way the man is staring at her, his expression tense but awestruck. A muscle in his jaw jumps as he realizes that the stable manager is suffering from a crush and he looks at Zelda who laughs at the stare, a light blush tinting her cheeks. “Why hello Galli.” She greets, sliding out of bed. “These beds were very comfortable, thank you.” The man, Galli, nods sheepishly and gestures towards outside.“It’s a fine day to travel isn’t it?” he asks, bringing up another conversation that excludes Link and the small, almost unnoticeable Hylian watches as they walk out together, completely engrossed in their conversation. He sighs, but packs up without a word to any of the other people in the inn. It’s okay. He tells himself, silently as he heads over to where Kytrae is held. I’m going to be just fine without her. He shivers at the thought but is relieved of the stress as soon as the familiar voice of his head steps in, it’s tone calms an sympathetic. You WILL be fine without her. Soon you will find a place where it feels just right and you are able to feel like yourself around the people. It says, softly. Link reaches Kytrae and lovingly stokes his brown muzzle as the voice continues. You liked Riju right? Maybe you can live in the Kara Kara Bazaar and have her visit? Link sighs and takes his hand away from Kytrae’s face feeling lonely but not lonely. The voice makes him feel like someone is actually talking to him but it’s his own self which confuses him. Is he that crazy or does it mean something?He can’t come up with an answer to that and to his disappointment, the voice doesn't come again, but Zeldas does. “Hero!” she calls running over. “Are you all ready to go?”She runs up beside him and begins to gear up her horse and Link bites his lip, letting it go only to concentrate on putting the bridal on Kytrae. There is silence as the two hylians climb aboard their horses and Link wonders when he’ll finally find a place that he can call his own. He shakes his head, his eyes glazing. It seems so far away. But maybe it is just around the corner. A very familiar corner.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Link rides silently and every time Zelda speaks, he ignores her. She mostly brings up dumb stuff like the flowers back at the castle or a book that she wants to read so why even bother? Besides, he doesn’t WANT to listen to her. After all she’s done to cast his emotions away like they’re worth nothing, he wishes that he can run away and find some other person to guard. Someone who cared about someone other than themselves. He sighs inwardly, staring out across the horizon. The mountains in the golden sunlight of noon looks pretty and he wonders if he should take his sheikah slate out to take a picture. He thinks the better of it. Zelda would probably speak. Instead a mental picture will have to do. Zelda interrupts him by pointing again, her face delighted and Link follows her finger. “Water wells!” she cries, excitedly. “We are almost to the stable!” Link nods to her although it isn’t true. There are at least twenty miles left to ride which is a lot on horseback and he strokes over Kytrae’s ears, smiling lightly at the snort from the mare. They will have to stop in a little while. It’s clear the horses are tired. He shakes his head as Zelda begins to speak. “I just hope that the stable is as good as the Serenne stable. The people were so nice to the horses there and the guy in charge was very---…”Link cuts her off, rudely. “Chatty.” He finishes. Zelda shoots a glare at him and folds her arms, clearly angry. “Oh look. The one who hasn't talked since we left the stable is now jumping in to say something rude about another.” She rolls her eyes with a scoff and looks away. “Well I liked him. You don’t have to. YOU just have to GUARD me.” Link owns his mouth to reply but instead of words, hurt spirals through him. The way she put the emphasis on the “Guard” means that she truly doesn't have any interest in him. He shakes his head. She isn’t the perfect match, no matter what he wants. Zelda continues. “And why do you even care? Haven’t you noticed that everyone back at the castle thinks of me as a goddess? I might have had the power of the goddess but I am not one myself and the power is long gone. It just means that no guy there will ever fall in love with me. A voice in my head told me to keep looking.”Link looks at her startled. A voice in her head? Is it like the voice in his head that fills him up with happiness?“Voice?” he asks her, quieter than ever. He doesn't feel like putting the spotlight on him but he knows he needs to in order to know more about the mysterious thing in his head. Zelda looks at him, surprised that he even has the nerve to talk and she nods. “Yes. It sounds an awful lot like Mipha. I like to think that it is the friendly zora herself watching over me. She’s really nice.” Link nods, numbly agreeing and he tries to think of who his voice reminds him of. It’s comforting, funny, and sort of hurtful but to the point where it makes him want to try harder to impress it. Once he does so, the voice praises him, filling him up with happiness. It truly makes him feel better. He cocks his head. The voice always said to find the person that made him feel better about himself. Did it mean the voice itself? He looks at Zelda and shrugs, pointing to himself.“Same.” He says. Zelda gives him a curious look, her blue eyes before so angry now softer as she leans forward. “Really?” she asks. “Is it Mipha too or Daruk mayhap?” Link shakes his head at both of those. They don’t sound fitting but he does remember how much he liked Daruk; although, he was a bit rough for the small hylians liking. Zelda taps her chin as he shakes his head, looking thoughtful. “Was it Urbosa?” She wonders, listing off all of the fallen champions. Link shakes his head to her as well. Zelda’s expression changes after a while and she stops her horse to give him an imploring look. She seems to know something that he doesn't and curiosity sparks inside him. Does she know who the voice is? He tries to think but he can’t remember anyone who acts like it.He shakes his head as Zelda starts to say something. “Hero?” she asks but she hesitates. “Link do you?”Link looks at her, waiting to hear her words and when she doesn't speak again he gestures with his hand for her to continue. She sighs. “You wouldn’t like it if I told you what I think.” She admits and he looks away, angrily. She was probably going to start talking about someone he could marry again and he clenches his fists. He doesn't need her badgering him about love! It isn't her place!He slowly breathes through the frustration, looming stubbornly at his feet in the handles of Kytraes saddle before looking at her again. She is so pretty, like she's always been and Link recalls the days when he used to be willing to do anything for her approval. The days when he thought she loved him too. He sighs and lowers his gaze. It’s time to tell her how he really feels. It must be done if he wants to get over her and he is also yearning to hear what she truly thinks of him. He remembers with guilt the day that he had read her journal but she never really said much in it. She mostly talked about the guardians and her power. She did call him a glutton though. Looking back at her, he opens his mouth. “Zelda, I-I-I have something to s-s-say.” He murmurs, slowly. Zeldas eyes widen and she must get that what he has to share is important because he never speaks full sentences. Since he fought Gannon the first time, he had developed a stutter that is left unhelped because of sone sprt of spell the evil pig cast on him and he prefers to stick to one word or sign language. Seeing that he has her full attention he continues. “S-s-since I was appointed y-y-your knight, I stud-d-died you.” He says, wincing at how hard it is to form the words. Zelda watches him, her eyes still wide and he continues. “I w-w-wanted to know who it w-w-was that I was guard-d-ding. Ever since a week in-n-nto my job, I realized that I had f-f-fallen in love w-w-with you and now it is v-v-very hard to let you g-g-go.” He looks away, ashamed for his announcement and how quickly it came upon them but when he looks back up, Zelda looks sad. “I’m so sorry.” She whispers, her eyes welling with tears. “I never knew you actually loved me. I thought you were just doing your job. There was a time, once, a while back, that I loved you too.”She blushes and stares at her hands. “I pushed it away to focus on my task and now…. Now I don’t think I feel the same.” She breaks off as he takes a sharp inhale of air and he turns away, biting his lip hard. Do not cry. Do not cry. Do not cry. He tells himself these words over and over again and the voice comes, sympathetically.Let it out. It murmurs. It won’t do you any good to hold it all in. Let it go, it helps. Link gulps back the urge, trying so hard to listen to the voice; he knows it wants him to, but he can’t cry in front of the princess. Not now, not ever. He takes a deep breath of air and holds it, relieved to find the crying sensation dying down and he blinks his eyes rapidly, breathing steadily. He turns back to Zelda who is watching him sympathetically and he nods to the trail. “Same.” He mumbles, referring to the part where she said she didn’t feel the same. He squeezes Kytraes flanks to get him going. “Continue.” Zelda follows, a little ways being him, seeming sad still. Maybe she does care about others for once. He thinks. Maybe she does care about me.He shakes his head. Of course she does. She let me know that she doesn't love me so that I don’t have to hurt anymore. The voice sighs, sounding like it agrees. You are getting stronger each breath you take. It points out. You’re stepping away from the pain of loving her and coming into reality of the real world. You’ll find your true person soon, guaranteed. Link nods in agreement. His head speaks no lies. -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-Later, as the sun sets in the North, Link stares ahead blankly, wrapped up in his own daydreams. He’s hardly taken any precautions since Zelda had told him about her feelings towards him and he has been feeling more and more trapped inside himself. The voice had left him alone which makes him feel hollow inside. Just having the voice speak, to insure that it is listening makes him happy. Zeldas voice drags him to the surface of his thoughts and he looks back at her, with a questioning look on his face. “We are approaching the mountain where large boulders fall!” she calls up to him. “Be alert at all times!” Link nods, surprised that he hadn't noticed that himself and as he faces forward once more, he realizes that they are a lot closer than he had thought. He sighs, wishing that he could just sleep for once. He remembers, half amused when the voice had said ‘Link the lazy’ and he smiles. Oh how he wishes the voice were with him all the time. As he thinks about missing the voice, they approach the mountain, their horses ears twitching nervously. It’s like they know that there is danger up ahead. Slowly the horses trek onwards and Link slumps into his hand, not paying attention. He is too distracted by his sadness to focus. Zeldas voice pipes up again right as a groan from the mountain draws out. “Hero please be careful! You’re riding to close to the mou----….”She gets cut off as a large grinding sound suddenly emerges from the cliff edge and a boulder rolls loose, quickly followed by two more. Kytrae suddenly bucks, whinnying with fear and Link flies off, landing on his face on the trail. He scrambles to his feet and ducks out of the way as the first boulder sails past him only to jump right into the second boulders path. He gets rammed hard in the lower half of him and the force of the boulder sends him into a soar. He hits the ground and immediately starts rolling only to be smacked on the bottom by the third boulder until at last he comes to a painful stop at Silent's hooves. Luckily, both the boulders had been sent flying the opposite way after their collision and they now settle into a small ditch near a tree. Links eyes are blurry and he can’t see anything but swirling colors. The order confuses him and he closes his eyes feeling like he is being spun as fast as something could be spun. He can tell Zelda is saying something to him as she jumps off of her horse but by this time he is blacking out. The pain in his lower half is unimaginable, even for someone like him, and he passes out, his head swimming. You’re going to make it. His head then says, it’s voice warm and comforting. You’re strong. The Rito will take care of you. As the last of his thoughts tick away, he manages to think. I hope so….
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
As Zelda reaches Link's side, her eyes stretch wide and she drops to her knees, quickly taking his pulse. When she feels the gentle drum against her deep pressing fingers, she sighs with relief; he isn't dead. “Oh hero.” She whispers as she strokes his cheek with a cupped hand. “This is all my fault. I wish I hadn’t told you the truth so harshly.” She looks then at his injured spot after saying these words and she holds her breath, horrified. His whole lower half of him from his belly button down is torn and crushed and a heavy trickle of blood comes from each wound. She flips him over to feel along his spine; she’s heard about peoples spines breaking and them being left paralyzed and she lays him across her knees. Gently but gingerly, she presses her fingers all along his spine, nauseated as he whimpers in unconscious pain but after a lot of probing, she is satisfied with the fact that he does not have a broken back but broken other things and many MANY bleeding wounds. She then blinks away the urge to cry and looks around, frantically searching for something to stop the bleeding. All she finds is his sheikah slate, tossed into the grass a ways away and she grasps it in her bloody fingers, checking it over once and then twice. How exactly do you work the inventory? She’s seen Link tap on its screen many times and pull something out of it such as an apple and although she knows how to do a lot of things on it, that’s one of the things she doesn't know. She frowns as she turns it over in her palm.Come on Zelda. Her head says, it’s voice soft and quiet. You can do this. You taught Link how to use it before. She nods at the words in her head, happy at the reminder of the zora champion Mipha and she turns it on, a simple button on the side. The screen lights up and a camera opens up. Before Zelda would've smiled at the fact that the silent Hylian had been taking pictures but right now, she is too worried for that silent Hylian to care. Instead she taps the screen, flipping through the map, the objectives, and finally she comes across the inventory. She smiles and searches his clothing part of it, feeling pride roll through her. It hadn’t been hard, all she had to do is press the button that said apps and click on the app labeled inventory. She had been silly. “Ah hah!” she says, interrupting her own prideful thoughts. “It appears that all I have to do is press and hold the object I want and it'll come through for me to take. “ She smiles as she does so with an outfit that is hardly a piece of clothing at all. She squints at the label. “Barbarian pants.” She murmurs, half-amused. “Classic.” She holds the barbarian clothes up to Link's limp body, trying to imagine him wearing them and she giggles. They’re so immodest. At that she shakes her head and focusses on her task. It’s getting dark and she can’t let the stalmonsters attack or any keese that decide they are eager for fun so she kneels down beside him again and presses the barbarian clothes into the places that are the most damp with blood. She winces as he groans but pushes harder, determined to stop the blood flow. There is no way that Link can die now, not on her watch. Once he is all bandaged up, she carefully lifts him into her arms which takes a lot of work. Link may be tiny compared to most hylians but he most certainly doesn't weigh any less and she grunts as she puts her right arm under his neck and the other under his legs. She then catches her breath and heaves upwards using all of her ladylike strength to hoist him into her arms. She drops him. After two more vain attempts, she lays him down and pouts at her arms, wishing that she had more strength and she gazes around, wondering what she should do next. She looks over at Kytrae who is still spooked from the encounter with the rocks and she ushers him over. “Come dear.” She says, pulling the sheikah slate out again. She takes out a fresh apple and holds it out to the brown horse, watching as its eyes grow wide and finally, Link's pet comes over. Zelda feeds it the apple and rubs it’s muzzle. “What a good boy.” She purrs as she glances back at the fallen hero. “Now will you help me get your owner onto your back?” Kytrae gives her a nod and she sets a determined face, ready to lift Link again and she orders the horse to duck down as she hoist the unconscious hylian into her arms again. She kisses his forehead lightly as she lifts him carefully onto his steeds back pulling the straps to secure him and she calls her own horse over. “Silent! Come here! We are leaving!” The white horse runs over from where he was grazing and Zelda swings herself on board, leading Kytrae away to the Rito stable, the path correcting itself once more and she keeps a wary eye on her surroundings, suddenly aware of how hard a guards life is. She doesn't speak for once in her life as she and the horses trek onwards and she hopes that no monsters get to them during the night. She sighs against her hand and looks back at Link, sadly. “I’m so sorry, Link.” She says, her eyes sad. “I’m so sorry.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Zelda rides as fast as she possibly can through the rocky clearing, her heart beating to the rhythm of Silent's hooves. Close behind, Kytrae follows with Link who doesn’t make a sound. Zelda had been sort of half hoping that he would wake up and say that everything is alright, or sign it rather, but in the past hour or so, he says nothing; he doesn’t even move an inch. She looks behind her for the thousandth time, her blue eyes sharp with worry but the small Hylian remains motionless. “Oh come on!” she cries, urging her horse to go faster. “He can’t leave us now! He’s got so much to do! Come on Silent! Faster Kytrae!” Silent pounds across the trail harder and faster, his breath coming out in pants and Zelda almost feels bad but she doesn't have time because she realizes that she can see his breath in the air. She blows out her own breath to confirm it and she looks ahead of her. Sure enough, they are approaching the snowy mountains. Worry flares up worse than before and she wonders how they are going to avoid all the monsters. Just beyond the Snowfield stable there are monsters galore including Lizalfos which are such a nuisance.You can do it, Zelda. The voice in her head murmurs. It will be fine. Zelda nods, confidently at the words, never doubting the truth in them. They are too Mipha-like to ignore. She will get through; for Link. -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-Miles are run, each one agonizingly slow and Zelda can sense Links energy slipping lower and lower. The poor Hylian isn’t used to tragic injuries such as the ones he suffers and he usually is conscious and heals himself right away. Zelda shivers as she imagines what would’ve happened if she wasn’t there. He wouldn’t have waken up. She thinks, anxiously looking back at him again. He would’ve bled to death, or worse. Got eaten!The voice in her head comes again, soft and pleasingly. You are a hero. You saved him twice now and he should know it. It says and Zelda feels warmth wash over as if the fallen champions had given her a big hug. She sighs, wondering if it really is Mipha talking to her or if she just misses the zora. That’s a confusing topic though because wouldn’t Urbosa be the one talking to her? She was the closest of the champions to her after all. She nearly laughs out loud at the thought of Links voice that he hears. If he is the same as her compared to the voice she hears, then he must be hearing one of them but he said that he didn’t hear any of the ones she pointed out except…. She shakes her head. There is no way that the last champion is the one talking to him. He and Link HATED each other and HE was a boisterous jerk to the young hylian. What power did he think he had over him? Link was the champion to kill Ganon and he controlled Medoh. Simple right? She shrugs. He must’ve been jealous because he liked Link or he was embarrassed about not being picked. Whatever the reason, Zelda had seen his weaknesses many a time while he trained on his archery back at the Flight zone, but still. She can’t imagine him EVER talking to Link in his head. The only one she can really imagine is Mipha but maybe that’s because she hears her? It must be. She grits her teeth as she thinks about Mipha talking to him and she cocks her head, confused with the sudden emotion that rolls over her. Is she, jealous???Why is she of all people jealous that Mipha might talk to other people in their heads other than hers? She’s normally not concerned what other people think or do but now it’s too hard to compress. She really wants Mipha to talk to only her. “Goddess.” She sighs, face planting into her palm. “What is up with me these days? It’s like I am----….” She breaks off as her eyes stretch side and she sits up, realizing the reason for her sudden emotions. She is 17, the age of which hylians begin to think about their life after childhood and she bites her lip, a habit she’s seen Link using. Is it possible that she is looking for love unintentionally? She almost let’s the nervous giggle loose before she clamps a hand over her mouth to stifle it and she looks behind her, resting an imploring gaze on Link. Could she learn to love him as he loves her? She shakes her head after a while of fantasizing. It would be an easy pick since he is already so into her; but she doesn’t find it right in her heart and honestly, she just isn’t into him anymore. He’s cute as always, but not romantic cute. Just cute, cute. She laughs then, amused with how little sense her mind is making but her head snaps up as Silent suddenly rares and she gasps. Without even realizing it, she had let the two horses run a little ways off the trail and there before them stands a lynel. It’s back is turned to them but she can see from where she is the rippling muscles underneath it’s thin pelt. The man/lion hybrid creature is massive, silverish white in color and she feels her heart throwing itself at her ribs as if it wants to run away. She places a hand over it and slowly leads the horses back to the trail, terrified that the lynel would spot them or hear them. If that happened, then who knows what he would do. She’s heard from many people that lynels run as fast as a horse and are as strong as three gorons put together. That’s something you do NOT want to mess with and she let’s her breath out in a woosh as they make it back to the trail, well away from the monster. She hardly realizes that she had been holding her breath but now she heaves for air, her hands shaking as they grasp tightly around the reigns. “Come on.” She whisper into Spirit's ear. “You were such a good boy, not continuing even though I didn’t stop you. I’ll get you something for that, don’t you worry.” After she murmurs those words, she sets them onto the correct course again and does not think about another thing for the rest of the trip. It’s too risky. -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-Zelda halts both horses as they approach a large camp full of monsters. Already they had encountered at least two, successfully going through both of them but this one is larger than the two of them combined and she has to plan out her course correctly or else they would be killed. Her blue eyes dart around the many Lizalfos and Bokoblins before she spots the perfect path. Its to the far right of the camp and if she looks close enough, she can see the Rito stable already in view. The right path she had chosen leads back to the original trail far away from this monster camp and by doing it this way, no monsters will even spot them; although it is longer. She shrugs then and tugs on the reigns, redirecting her horse without any hesitation. Link can survive five minutes extra. She thinks. He’s already survives this long, so I can’t see a reason why he would let go over five more minutes. With this thought in mind, she hurries her horse along, leading Kytrae and they soon reach a full gallop, clumps of snow getting caught under both horses hooves and flinging outwards. Poor Kytraes chest and muzzle are getting coated and Zelda makes herself a goal to wash it off, properly. These horses have done so much work today. She thinks, running her hand along Silent's neck, fondly. They’re such good boys. I’ll have to tell Link about Kytrae. She looks back at Link again, and hopes that he’ll make it with proper medical tools. She honestly doesn't know how bad his injuries are, and mayhap, she’ll never know but right now, she has full faith that the goddess above them is watching and does not want him to die. He is important and needed for more than defeating the calamity, but for what, she is uncertain of. All she knows is that he is special. She can feel it stirring something inside her and she wonders silently if her power hadn’t disappeared but merrily faded into her to keep her humble. Mayhap she would need it someday. She stops her thought process as she and the horses draw nearer and nearer to the stable and once the people at visible she lifts a hand to her mouth, crying, “Link, the hero of Hyrule is gravely injured! Please help!” before she breaks into the stables clearing, stopping her horse abruptly. “Please.” She begs. “He needs help!”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Link is in a dark void with something pressing into him on all sides. There is a burning tingle in his lower half and he furrows his eyebrows, a sloppy version off a grimace wondering what could bring him such feelings. He tries to open his eyes to see why he feels so uncomfortable but it’s like his eyes are glued shut and no matter how hard he tries, he can't. All he can see is blue-grey; the kind that is creature like, all he can feel is feathers; soft as a blanket, all he can hear is the whistle of arrows; comforting and protective, and all he can smell is the wind; clear and sharp. The feelings that engulf his head are warm and comfortable and they help take the edge off of the pain he feels below him. He feels, safe; almost as if he is in someone’s arms.Muffled voices suddenly sound, urgent and quick, and his head swims as he tries to decipher the words. Some of them speak familiar tones and some of them, harsh syllables that aren’t his language. He tries to understand them, but just like when he tried to open his eyes, he just can't. He almost sighs, exasperated, but nothing comes out. It seems like he is paralyzed from head to toe and he feels his blood freeze with terror. Is that what the pain is? The pain of being paralyzed? He pushes the thought away, immediately after it pops into his head. He can feel the broken bones in his lower half and it’s clear that if he is paralyzed, it would be from a broken spine, but with a broken spine, you can’t feel anything below the fractured spot. He is relieved to find out that he will be fine; if he is properly healed.The voices then continues, sharper than before and Link thinks he can recognize it. It’s unlike anyone's voice he has heard in the castle, but it is still familiar to him and he listens to it as the words get clearer and clearer. “Mazli! Do you even know what you are doing?” It growls, sounding annoyed and anxious and another voice pipes up, younger and less familiar. “Of course I do, Gesane! Don’t you have any faith in me? The princess said that he had broken bones and I know how to treat that! Who do you think healed Harth after he hurt his wing?” Mazli demands. Gesane speaks again. “I suppose you’re right but perhaps we should move him to a safer place before working on him.” He says, sounding tired. Link is hardly aware that they are talking about him, being so invested in the things his senses are picking up, and he wants to scream with frustration. It feels so, familiar…“Ah yes. Good idea.” Mazli then agrees, snapping him out of his thoughts and Gesane interrupts. “Don’t expect me to give up my roost for him.” He snaps, impatiently. “Sure he calmed Vah Medoh, and defeated Ganon, but he didn’t carry out my wish. Remember that Frost Talus I told you about? I asked him to find it but he didn't although he promised he would. What good is a person who won’t keep their promises?” There is a slight hesitation as if Mazli is trying to come up with an answer, and after a short time, he sighs. “Very well, Gesane. He can have mine for the moment.” Another pause draws out. “I assume that you want me to carry him?” Gesane doesn’t answer but the air stirs a little, signifying the fact that he had just nodded. Mazli sighs.“Very well.” -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-Days pass, every one of them feeling like minutes, and Link slips in and out of consciousness, the pain so bad that it eventually knocks him out. He has no dreams, and when he wakes up, it’s more like he is asleep than anything. He can’t open his eyes nor can he do anything. Every sense is broken; only seeming to pick up SOMETHING. That SOMETHING being very familiar as if he’s sensed it before, but he can’t think of it.No matter the familiar tinge, it still rings with safety and he doesn't exactly WANT to wake up. It’s much better than the pain he suffers. Suddenly a voice sounds, over to his right and he stiffens, surprised by the abruptness. “Cecili! Do you think some singing will soothe him? He looks agitated.” It says and another voice speaks up. “Hmmm. I’ve never thought of that, Verla. When Harth and Teba were injured they had their wives sing to them, so I don’t see why HE shouldn’t have a song.” The first voice, Verla let’s out a happy chirp and he stirs from beside Link, possibly standing up. “I’ll go get Laissa and Bedoli! They both sang to him when he came to fix Vah Medoh! Maybe they’d like to sing again!” He cheers, his voice growing distant. Link realizes that he is running out and Cecili calls after him. “Please do come back! It’s that time of year when travelers stop by and I need your amazing inn selling skills.” Verla laughs from far away.“It’s easy.” He says. “You just say welcome to Swallow Roost! You look tired from your long journey, why don’t you take a rest and then say your bed things with the rupees. I’ll be right back, don’t worry!” Cecili let’s out a sigh and falls silent and Link is once more plunged into the senseless void; but this time it’s warmer and he briefly smiles before falling asleep once more. The familiarity is welcomed.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Link opens his eyes and blinks, his mouth stretching wide in a yawn. He feels refreshed, as if he had slept for days and he is slightly aware of the same tingling pain, but it’s not as raging. He looks around to see that he is in an unfamiliar room completely emptied and he narrows his eyes trying to figure out how and why he is in here but he can’t remember. He can’t even remember why he was even near this room in the first place. It’s unlike any room from the castle and it’s slightly chilly; he must be far away from home. He examines the beds surrounding him, noticing just then that the room is completely open with no windows at all. The only thing blocking the wind are large pillars with lights in the middle. Link can see that it is night because of the open view and he finds himself admiring the mountains and treetops that show, feeling somewhat safe. He can tell that the place that he is at is a safe place where not much chaos happens. He doesn't remember how he knows that, he just does. He looks down at the floor, taking in the rug splayed over the hard wood floor and he sees that there is a table beside his bed.This place is so familiar but he can’t quite put his finger on it. Suddenly, someone runs into the room, or flies rather and lands beside a wooden desk, ruffling her feathers to keep out the cold. Link studies her and realizes that she is a Rito, mauve in color with white under-feathers and he gasps. He is in the Rito village!Upon hearing his gasp, the Rito looks over at him, her eyes stretching wide in surprise. “You’re awake!” she chirps, placing her wings together. “That must mean you’re feeling better, yeah?” When he doesn’t answer she smiles, her expression happy. “Well that’s all okay. The princess said you wouldn’t talk much. She’s up in Vah Medoh trying to fix it. So far she’s been doing a good job because the divine beast is pretty high up in the sky, no longer low.” She says, coming to his side. Link cocks his head, unable to remember what is wrong with the big bird creature and he looks up at the Rito trying to remember her name. He knows that he’s met her before at this place and suddenly the room is clear to him. It is an inn and this girl Rito is the innkeeper. Still, he can’t remember her name or the inns name and he bites his lip. “Name?” he asks, softly, his voice sounding sick. He is surprised. What got him sick? The Rito gives him a look before she smiles again, funny how she can with her beak and she spreads a wing, gesturing around the inn. “This lovely place's name is Swallow's Roost and my best friend Verla and I run it.” She pauses and blushes a little. “Were you asking what MY name is?”When Link nods, she continues. “My name is Cecili. Many a time I have invited injured travelers and Rito here as long as no other customers mind the interference. In fact, Teba came here shortly after you left. You went to Death mountain, was it? Anyways, he got better in a split thanks to Harth.” Link is confused again. Who is Harth? He feels like he should remember but he doesn't and he clenches his teeth with frustration. “Harth?” He asks. Cecili looks surprised that he doesn't know and she chuckles. “Harth is the Rito warrior who went with Teba to defeat Vah Medoh. He hurt his wing when you saw him last and he has a lovely daughter named Molli.” She trails off and fixes her spring green gaze on him looking confused. “You should remember him. You thought fondly of him and everyone knew it. You even said to Molli that she had a good dad and that she should be grateful. She was and is grateful.” She murmurs. She looks away. “I thought that once you got your memories back that you’d remember everything that happened but I guess things don’t always work out as expected, eh?” Link tries to understand her words. He remembers Molli; the little pink story teller would be hard to forget but he can’t remember her father or telling her to be grateful for him.Cecili sighs. “Mayhap you would like to know about how he is one of the two Rito who came to visit you?” She asks and Link stiffens. “What?” He asks. Harth visited HIM? Why? “He was very worried for you when Gesane let everyone know about your condition and he practically was a tornado as he flew in here!” Cecili gushes, her wings flapping for emphasis. Her tone then softens and she calls down a bit. “He has been coming in to check on you since. He and Mazli know about healing and they’ve been your doctors.”She looks at him imploringly.“How are they doing with their job?” She asks, suspiciously. Link wiggles his toes for any pain there and when he doesn't find any, he moves up and winces as he flexes his thighs. He then let’s his breath out carefully. “Good.” He then answers. “Little p-p-pain.” Cecili nods to him, looking relieved and she turns to leave, looking over her shoulder. “I’m going to go get Harth. I’ll also fetch Teba. He’ll want to see you too.” She calls to him. Link nods and watches her go, confused. How did he get injured in the first place and why would Teba and Harth want to see him? He hardly even remembers them, don’t they hardly remember him too? This thought confuses him further and he jumps as the voice in his head comes. They haven't forgotten you, Link. It says, honestly. Nobody can forget someone that huge in their life. Teba and Harth both owe you their life pretty much for many different reasons. They are both aware that you are the true champion and not a silly little descendant as the elder calls you. Link listens intently, surprised by how familiar the voice seems today. It’s like it has some relationship to the Rito village and he wills his brain cogs to work, trying to figure it out. Who are you? He then thinks to it, almost impatiently. There is a slight pause before the voice speaks up again. You will find out when you remember. It says, softly. It is promised that you will. Link frowns a little. Promised by who? He thinks. By who you are hearing. The voice replies, simply. Are you someone I knew? He questions. Possibly. The voice says. But there isn’t much more that can be shared on this matter. You will learn more in time.Links suddenly notices something and he needs to ask the voice even as Cecili returns with Harth and Teba. Are you one of the---- are you? “Link I’ve brought them!” Cecili interrupts, flapping her wings as she steps aside. Harth comes in first, his expression relieved and Teba comes after, worry ruffling his feathers.“Are you in any pain?” Teba asks, his eyes rounded. Link looks at the two Rito and he is flooded with memory all of a sudden, so strong that he can’t cast it away. He remembers these two and he is very happy to see them. He is confused though. Why did he forget them of he liked them so much? He shakes his head and smiles. “No.” He replies. He isn’t in much pain apart from the tingling and he is feeling much better now that he’s been awake for a while. Teba sighs with relief and Harth puts his wings together. “I’m glad.” He says, cheerfully. “I was worried that my remedies wouldn’t work but the princess showed me a recipe for a healing potion that worked well.”He fixes his green eyes on Link then, looking curious. “Cecili said you didn’t remember me. Is that true?” Link feels his heart begin to beat faster with the spiking adrenaline and he struggles for a word that would explain everything. He frowns as only one pops into mind. “Amnesia.” He murmurs, unhappily. The word sounds true, as if he is plagued with the condition and he watches as Teba and Harth exchange glances. Teba steps forward. “You aren’t serious when you say that?” He asks, his yellow eyes flinging with worry. “Did you really not remember me?” Harth gives Teba an elbow to the ribs, and turns to Link, brushing his swoop of hair out of his face with a black wing. “Listen Link,” he says, eyeing him. “No matter if you forgot us, we still remember you and we still value you. You’re the one who saved Vah Medoh and helped many other things.”He smiles, looking distant. “I haven’t seen the Rito village this happy in life.”Link feels warmed to the heart by these words and he opens his mouth to say that he DID in fact remember them, but only after he saw them but Teba interrupts. “Yes.” He sighs, agreeing with his friend. “I’m sorry for being selfish. You can’t help not remembering.”Link interrupts this time, hurriedly spilling the words out so that he isn’t as embarrassed.“I remembers y-y-y-you as soon a-a-as I s-s-saw you.” He stutters, once again so wincing at how terrible he sounds with a stutter over being sick. “I am s-s-sorry and I h-h-h-hope it doesn’t happen ag-g-g-gain.” Teba looks surprised while Harth looks relieved and Link blushes. He has to admit that it is a bit weird to not remember somebody at all until they actually come into the room. Now as he lays there with the two in the inn with him, he can recall all of the things they did together. He remembers the Flight range, how Teba got hurt in the leg, Tulin, Molli's story about the snow white birdie, Harth making him a new bow, Saki calling Teba bad things begins his back and then acting as if she loved him dearly, and many other things along those lines. He wishes with all of his heart that he didn’t forget things, but he knows it’s normal. People forget things from time to time. Zelda once told him that in able to think new thoughts, the brain will cast away anything else to empty it. This confuses Link though, because he rarely thinks about anything except survival and even that he forgets. He shakes his head realizing that Teba is talking. “….properly thanked you.” He finishes. Link blinks blankly before he pieces it together in a split second. Teba wants to thank him. The white and black Rito sighs and rubs the back of his neck before pulling out a small pouch. He hands it over. “I found this in a rare ore deposit and I thought you might like it. It reminds me of how set on helping me beat Medoh you were.” He says watching as Link opens the bag. Inside is a small crystalish thing that glitters slightly and he takes it out, admiring the cracks and crevices, shining with a sea green color. This is something he’s never seen before and because Teba gave it to him, he is going to treasure it forever and hopefully not forget the warrior Rito. Teba continues. “I never thought I would say this because of my stubbornness but…” he pauses and glances towards Cecili who is writing something at her desk, completely oblivious to what he is about to say and he laughs a little at his nervousness. Link gestures with his hand to continue, feeling sleep pulling at him and Harth points out the fact that he looks like his heads gonna fall off he’s so tired. Link gives him a look and Teba sighs. “It’s really hard to say this.” He admits. “I’m not very good at apologizing or saying thank you but in this case, I really want to.”Harth gives Link an amused look and Link shares it. He knows it is hard to speak and he knows how Teba is feeling so he doesn't try to rush him, but at the same time he cant help feeling impatient. It is true, hes exhausted and whenever he wants to say something, he does say it after a couple seconds. He just needs to plan out which words fit all. Teba interrupts him then, using one wing to punch himself. “Link I want to thank you. You’ve been nothing but kind to everyone here and now they all talk about you endlessly. Even the store owners know your story. Every Rito feels as if they are in you debt, including me and Harth and we accept that. We like being in your debt and we like it when you visit us. Link, you’re somebody else. You have many qualities to you that just sings champion and/or someone to be around. You are a true friend and I can tell that you really care about people and people really care about you. If anyone were to harm you, I would shoot them dead in an instant.”He trails off, noticing Links delighted expression and Harths prideful one before he laughs. “I guess I made a whole speech for you.” He admits. His yellow eyes grow soft and he ducks his head. “Thank you, Link.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Days have passed since Link had been visited by Harth and Teba, and yet, he is still injured. Cecili had told him an hour ago that he couldn’t get out of bed to see Zelda once he returned and he now pouts as he hears the crowds squabbling just outside his door with the princess. It’s just like his life to curse him with broken legs. He pricks his elvish ears trying to pick up a snippet of what they are saying but they are too far away and he is too tired to strain. Instead he glances around the room for goddess knows what time that day. He has been nearly bored to tears on this inn and he once tried to beg Teba to let him stay in the Flight range. Teba said no. He said that it was too dangerous to leave an injured Hylian all alone in the cold and open space and Link soon gave up on asking. What is the point if Teba is stubborn? He heaves a sigh. He knows that Teba is only trying to insure that he gets better while being safe and Harth does the same thing, but in a different way. Harth insists that he has to come and check Links injuries four times a day, which Link doesn't mind that much, he's mostly asleep for it and when he isn’t asleep, Harth'll tell him stories. The only thing that he dislikes about the whole arrangement is the customers at the inn staring at him all night. Other than that, it’s a pretty chill place. You’re a very content person. The voice in his head compliments. But please don’t let people trample all over you because of it. Link is confused by this statement. Trample all over him? Why would someone do something like that? The voice in his head comes again, clearer as if it thought about it more. Sorry. Trample over you, meaning taking your contentment for weakness in order to control you. It says. No one who loves you would want that to happen. “I” wouldn’t want that to happen. Link feels his blood turn to ice as he hears the voice in his head say “I”. All of a sudden a rush of SOMETHING rushes at him and he feels dizzy although he is in bed. He is suddenly aware of how breathless he is and struggling to regain his sense, he asks. You’re a real person aren’t you? I might be, might not. I’m not giving any clues. The voice replies. Link furrows his eyebrows at the statement but he notices that he isn’t bored anymore. Hoping to continue this conversation and find out a little bit more about the voice that is soooo familiar now, he pulls his arms out of the blanket. Alright. He thinks to it. I won’t ask who you are but you do have to answer these little questions. The voice laughs. Like a guess who game? It asks, sounding amused. Exactly. Link thinks back. The voice pauses as if thinking it over before chuckling. Already then. It says. I’m ready to be interrogated. Link doesn't reply to that sarcastic remark and quickly goes through the list he’s made of things to ask once the time came. He thinks a few of them over before deciding with a nod on one. Can you read my mind? He think-asks. If so, please continue. I can’t really get my thoughts straight on a daily bases. The voice in his head gasps softly, as if it’s surprised by the submission before it let’s out a hum. I CAN read your mind although I haven’t always been able to do so. It replies. Link nods, taking this in and suddenly he wishes he has a notepad. Looking around, he notices a stack of leaflets on the table beside him and a pen and ink, so as he asks the next question, he grabs it and pulls it into his lap. Are you a girl or a boy? The voice in his head snorts with laughter. I thought you would be able to tell by my voice, Link. It muses and Link stiffens, slightly embarrassed. Sorry. He thinks, apologetically as he scrapes the inked pen across the leaflet. So, a boy then? Yes. Link writes this down and sucks on the end of the pen, trying to come up with some thing that would give him a lot of information. He grins as he comes up with something. What’s your favorite place in Hylia? He asks. The voice in his head says, almost immediately, Rito village and Link writes it down. Are you a Rito or a goron? He asks, stifling a surge of laughter. The voice in his head gasps. That’s not fair! It exclaims and Link laughs. You HAVE to answer it! There is a long silence as the voice thinks it over before answering. I’m a Rito, but I’m assuming you knew that. He says. Link feels cheerful to know these two things about the special voice but then another question comes. Are you in any other people’s heads? He wonders, nervously. No. For real?Yes. Only yours. Why? I wanted to.Link is suddenly puzzled. How IS the voice able to talk to him? He’s only ever been talked to by Zelda but that is because she had magic at the time. Would that mean that the voice in his head was magic or...dead…“Y-y-you’re dead.” He breathes, his blue eyes rounding. “What k-k-killed you?”The voice hesitates for a while longer, out of fear, pain, or just plain thinking. Finally after that seems like centuries, he responds. The calamity. It’s a basic answer, one that could be easily shrugged off. Many people died when the calamity came, Including a few of the Rito but Link can’t remember ever meeting any of the fallen Rito’s, let alone grow attached to the sound of any's voice. He wrinkles his nose trying to make sense of this. He must be lying.Unless….Are you a champion? Link thinks, slightly horrified. He doesn't want the answer to come. He knows it’s true.Yes. The voice says. He sounds reluctant, as if he’s afraid of the rejection he is about to get but Link doesn’t care at this point.“Revali!” He yells, the name filling every sense in his body, flooding every pore. Memories begin to unfold and he collapses back into his bed as memory after memory attack him. Hate filled memories, with no regards for him in the slightest. -*-*-*-*-*-*-*“Wrenched your shoulder did you CHAMPION?” Revali mocked, his green eyes sparkling with amusement. “I guess you aren’t cut out to do anything but swing that darkness sealing sword you have there.”Link glared up at him, shock spiraling through him as well as the pain in his shoulder. How could Revali have said those words? Didn’t he care about his arm? Revali turned away, ruffling his blue-grey feathers. “Do you know why they picked you to be the champion?” He asked, sounding distant. Link hardly bothered to say what. He knew what Revali was going to say; he said it a lot.“Because they were thinking of your father…”Link was surprised by that comeback despite himself. It wasn’t the one he was used to but it hurt way more. He hardly even knew his father and yet everyone expected him to be the perfect replica of him. From all the stories he’s heard, he seemed like a rough man with a scruffy beard and a big frame. Self consciously, Link looked down at his own self, seeing his more feminine form and he touched his face where a beard should be starting to grow, but there was nothing. There was never something. Revali seemed to notice his discomfort and Link didn’t see the flash of shame in his eyes before the Rito hesitated, his wing half extended before he flew away leaving Link to cry in the dust. -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-Link smelled a clump of flowers growing nearby, admiring their sweet scent and he looked up at the sky seeing that it was near dawn. He should go home soon. Before he agreed with his common sense, he scooped up an harmful of the sweet flowers and headed back to the castle in hopes to bring the plant to the princess. Over time he had developed a little fancy for the pretty Hylian and he tried to do as much as possible to please her. It was tricky, but worth it. Now he headed back, staying on the trail. Being 16 and not very smart, he mostly traveled through the wilderness, but this time, he stuck to the trail. He didn’t want the flowers ruined. As he walked, he notices a foul stench that brought shivers down his back. Whatever it was, it was horrible and he didn’t want anything to do with it. Unfortunately, as he carried on down the trail, the stench got worse and stronger and subsequently he stumbled upon a dead deer carcass with off slash marks cut through it’s body. Link could tell it was just killed by the steaming of the flesh and the hairs on the back of his neck lifted up at a sound before him. His survival instincts told him all he needs to know and without looking, he realized what it was. A lynel. With loud roar, the large horselike creature tore at him, his sword swiping through the air and Link knew that he was going to get killed. There was no where to run this time and the lynel already was gaining on him. With a cry of terror, he lifted his hands over his eyes and held his breath, waiting for the stinging blows that would end his life. When nothing happened, he opened his eyes again and to his surprise, the lynel had an arrow sticking through it’s neck, and it’s eyed were wide and clouded with death. Someone had saved him. He looked around to find his hero but no one stepped out to declare there presence and Link cautiously approached the lynel to claim the arrow. He would look it over to see who it came from. Later he had found out that it was a feathered arrow, blue-grey in color just like Revali's handmade ones. -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-Link opens his eyes now after all the memories, each one almost exactly identical to each other and he tries to calm the soothing of his heart beat. He doesn’t exactly know how to handle the knowledge and as he looks around he’s relieved to see that no one had heard him yell Revali's name. Link sighs. Revali was the voice in his head this whole time. Had Zelda known? Is that why she said he wouldn’t like it? He sighs again, unsure what to do. One thing’s for sure, those memories did help. It seems to him that Revali liked him a lot back then but felt jealous about him being the champion for no reason except that the master sword chose him. Link cant blame him, he never intended to be the chosen one, nor did he feel the need to be, but he knows how bad Revali had wanted to he it. In fact, the Rito warrior would often mutter about it to himself. He seemed worried for Hyrule as well as himself. Link cocks his head. Revali in his alone time certainly wasn't like Revali surrounded by people. When he is alone he usually scolds himself, Link remembers so clearly, and he often gets hurt trying to push the limits of his skills. And for what? The Rito in his village already thought he was practically a God so what more did he need? Although this thought makes him sympathetic, he cant help feeling hurt. Revali had said some really hurtful things to him and never apologized. There were sometimes where he looked like he wanted to, but he always ran away. Maybe it was to rub it in more. Suddenly it comes to him. Revali was depressed. Frantically, Link tries to think of any friends that the Rito champion had but his memory slips as he covers all the people he remembers best. He gasps and places a hand over his mouth. Who were Revali's friends? Surely he had some? Or was he chasing one? One that wasn’t able to see…Link is no phycologist but he knows a thing or two about how people take out depression and insecurity and he feels horror flood through him as well as flattery They take it out on the people they feel closest to. “He liked me.” Link whispers, brushing his long bangs out of his face. He is astonished that someone like Revali could ever like someone as shy and silent as him and he immediately feels a jolt of uncertainty. He isn’t good enough to be friends with the Rito!He freezes then. Of course Revali never attempted to ask Link to be his friend or be nice! He thought he didn’t deserve to be his friend just as Link had thought just three seconds ago. Shaking his head, he heaves a sigh. Society. “You still i-i-in my head?” He asks, his voice low. He then sits listening to silence before the answer comes. Yes.Link sighs with relief and settles back against the pillows relieving the tension. “I'm sorry.” He murmurs. Revali sighs. Me too. He admits, quietly. Link is glad to hear Revali's voice again and the apology fills him up with a good feeling although he is still uncertain and hurt. “We certainly h-h-have a lot to c-c-cover before being n-n-normal again.” He informs. Although he wants to push everything aside, he knows that in order for their friendship thingy that was going on to continues going on, they needed to get on equal terms and hear each other’s stories.I agree. Revali says. But I do have to go now. I wish I could talk longer. Link is confused. Why do you have to go? He thinks before he realizes that Revali is dead. He is only a spirit. He shivers at the thought of a ghost being inside his head but he shakes the thought away. He sees Revali all the time when he uses Revali's gale. He gasps. We can meet when I fly, okay? Would you stay a little longer if I used all three for one visit? He thinks. Revali is quiet, thinking it over. Yeah I could try. He replies, sounding hesitant. I guess I’ll see you then.Link nods, mostly to himself. “Bye.” He murmurs. Bye. Revali departs.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Let me go…”“No.”“You will s-s-someday you know.”“True. But not today.”“Let m-m-me go.”“No.”“P-p-please Teba?”“No.”“Pretty p-p-please, with a ch-ch-cherry on top?”“No.”“You’ll live to r-r-regret it.”“At least then you’ll be safe.”“Please?”“No.”“I’ve b-b-been hurt b-b-before.”“You know you like it.”“Teeeeba please let me g-g-go?”“No. I will see you later Link.” -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-Link folds his arms across his chest, glaring at Teba, a challenge in his gaze. Since he and Revali had agreed to meet up, Revali hasn’t spoken to him and he made a lonely but sufficient recovery. Now, though, he does not want to stay cooped up in another’s home space and for hours on end he had begged Teba to take him out or he would manage to sneak away. In fact, he thinks he has a couple sneaky elixirs in his inventory and if he could just find the sheikah slate, then he’d be all set. Although he doesn't know where exactly his sheikah slate is…Teba heaves a sigh then, seeming to decide on something. “Link.” He says, fixing his yellow gaze on the small hylian. “I will take you out for a short time only and I have to ask Harth. He is your doctor and it would be silly to go without his permission.”Links ears perk up at this and he blinks hopefully up at the white and black Rito. “Okay.” He replies, happily. “Go.”Teba shakes his head. “Now now. Not so fast.” He scolds. “I want to know why exactly you want to go and you must know that I’m going to watch you at all times.”Link gulps but plunges into silence instead of answering the others questions. How would he be able to talk to the fallen champion with Teba watching over him like a hawk? And how would he make up an excuse for what he is going to do? Stuck with both thoughts and words he sits, blinking dumbly at the warrior in front of him, wishing Revali would speak to him. It comes to him.Just.Say. The.Truth.“I’ve b-b-been hearing a voice in m-m-my head ever s-s-s-since the Calgary was d-d-defeated and I found out wh-wh-who it was a week or s-s-so ago and it's Revali and h-h-he and I were never c-c-close and we need to get on equal t-t-terms and talk about what the hell we've d-d-done to each other!” he shouts, angrily. He is angry, and his fists are shaking.Teba looks surprised. “Revali speaks to you in your head?” he asks, his feathers lifting. Link knows that the Rito's feathers lift and ruffle depending on their mood and he eyes Teba carefully before continuing. “Yes.” He says, tapping his fingers together. “Mipha speaks to Z-z-zelda and Revali sp-sp-speaks to me.” Teba still looks surprised but less so and he stares off into the distance. “What does he say?” he wonders, his voice sounding thoughtful. Link shrugs. “Stuff.” He responds. This answer receives a glare from the warrior Rito but it’s quickly replaced by a look of understanding and Link is sort of confused by it. Why would Teba be understanding?Teba nods once his eyes sparkling and he points to Link with a grin, opening his beak to answer. “Your cheeks.” He explains as if its obvious. “They're flushed. You must really like Revali.”“What???” Link sits upright in his bed clutching the blanket tightly and he shakes his head, his shoulder length hair falling in front of his face. How could someone as smart as Teba say that he could possibly like Revali? Revali has been nothing but rude to him!Link collapses again, a wave of exhaustion crashing over him. He DOES like the champion although he doesn't know why. Maybe because when Revali was the voice in his head he was nice and comforting and funny. Maybe because he changed. But why would a person change so dramatically with an entire personality change? Why? Is it possible that Revali realized what things he had done in the past once he died and that in order to move on he has to right his wrongs? That would make sense but why would Mipha need to? Link sighs and turns his gaze back to Teba. “Yes.” He answers, uneasily. He then gestures towards the outside, making his face look urgent. “Go now?”Teba follows his gaze, sees the clouds darkening across the sky and let’s out his breath in a woosh.“Alright.” He says, turning to go. “Let me talk with Harth.”When Link nods hastily, Teba leaves, leaving silence behind him and Link sighs.He reeeeeaaaally needs to figure things out soon. -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*“You’re sure you want to risk undoing the stitches?” Harth asks. He is staring down at Link who leans against Teba as he climbs out of bed, trying to keep his balance. Link nods, his blue eyes glittering with confidence. He needs to do this and he feels like he cant wait any longer. Teba laughs. “Trust me, pal. He will not change his mind after getting this far.” He says, amused. Harth laughs too and pulls out a large swallow bow and a bundle of bomb arrows. “At least take these and make sure he doesn’t try to run or do anything dangerous.” He orders and Teba snatches them before helping Link to his feet. “Sure Harth. But do understand that I know how to do things. When Tulin and I used to go to the Flight range I was able to protect him from the bokoblins and Lizalfos that wandered around.”Harth nods, looking unmoved. “What about lynels?” he mutters under his breath. Teba notices and his feathers immediately begin to lift, the room hearing up with his anger. Link can see that this conversation is going to take a nauseating turn do he pulls away from the warrior Rito and catches his balance quickly, giving both of his friends a proud look before replacing it with his normal one.Harth smiles and Teba let’s his anger wash away. “You ready to go then?” he asks, his voice right but gradually loosening and Link nods. “Yes.” He replies.Teba then leads him out of the inn to a place that is safe to take flight on and Harth follows, his expression unreafable. If he accepts what Link wants to do, it is unclear and Link shivers. Hopefully nothing bad does happen as Harth anticipates. He feels a warm feeling of safety as he watches Teba duck down so that he can climb into his back and he carries out the movement, relishing the feeling of feathers on his bare legs. Mayhap he should've put on more clothes other than his work out clothes he had found in the shrine of resurrection but it’s too late now. Besides, they aren’t going to a place that is very close. It’s just over by the fairy fountain; hidden from the village. As Teba takes off, Link feels a jolt in his belly at the abrubtness but immediately gets over it and looks back at Harth with a slight wiggle of his hand, not expecting Harth to acknowledge it. He is surprised though and as he turns forward again to get a better grip, he smiles to himself. Harth had waved back.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The cold wind courses through Links hair, blowing it behind him and he feels tears start streaming down his face at the speed of the wind slapping him. He shutters from the cold but it’s sort of odd. He likes the feeling. From this height, perched carefully on the back of Teba he can see the distant mountains and all the towers he's unlocked in the past. Memories shift through him, each one of his discoveries in this world. Unlike most people, he has two versions of it. The view from birth and the one from resurrection. Both are very crucial to him and he can’t imagine not knowing what he knows now. It’s a part of him now, like an organ or a bone. Teba looks back at him then, his yellow eyes glistening with realization. “I didn’t get you warm clothes, did I?” he asks, sounding upset. Link glances down at his well worn clothes that he only wears if he is injured or sick and shrugs in reply. “Guess not.” He says, simply. It doesn't matter that much to him. He doesn't feel cold. Teba continues to look at him with a frown etching across his face. “You’re shivering.” He points out. Link glances at his arms and is surprised to see the goosebumps dotting his skin and he notices just then the shutters that rack his body. Not only is he cold, he’s freezing!“Sorry.” He mumbles and Teba sighs, shaking his head.“It’s alright. I’m going to dive down and warm you up, okay? Can you do your thing down there?” he asks. Link looks at where he is pointing, a small little ledge leading out to a huge body of water and he nods seeing nothing wrong with it. The Rito in the village probably can’t see anything that goes on over there. Teba listens to his answer and immediately dives down, his speed increasing rapidly and Link clutches onto his back, his teeth chattering from the cold. He’s never been in such a terrible moment of frigid air and he feels like he might pass out its so bad. Wave after wave of cold ice wind cuts through him until he can’t breath and just when he feels himself start to black out, Teba lands.The second he does so, he pulls Link off his back and holds him to his chest, rubbing his wings fiercely all along his body in rhythmic movements. “Come on Link.” He breathes as he tries to warm him up. “Pull your arms to your chest for me.” Link numbly obeys, slower than a snail and leans weakly into Tebas chest. It all happened so fast that he can’t even make any sense of it. One second he is completely fine, no cold and the next second he is nearly passing out from the chill. Now he just shutters weakly in the warriors grip, feeling a bit awkward. Never has anyone rubbed him so rapidly before. It’s almost, passionate.No. He thinks, rolling his eyes. That would be dumb. Teba is married to Saki and he has a kid and everything!“You getting warmer?” Teba wonders, not pausing his motions. Link nods briefly wanting so bad to snuggle into Tebas soft feathers. The black and white Rito isn’t wearing his armor and Link is surprised by just how soft his feathers are. Are all Riot feathers this soft, or just his? Getting intimate? Revali asks, breaking the warm silence. Link actually jumps in Tebas grip before relaxing again as he realizes who is talking. Don’t scare me, Revali. He think replies.Revali doesn't laugh or scoff as Link is used to but instead sighs. You’re cold. He points out. Link rolls his eyes, exasperated. You just now noticed? He asks and Revali coughs. No. I noticed five minutes ago, when you noticed.Link takes this statement in, slightly confused. Can you only tell what is going on by what I’m thinking? He asks, curious. Yes. Revali says. So you’re a spirit wandering? Link continues. Revali falls silent and let’s out a small hum of acknowledgment. Yes. He replies. “Link you have stopped your shuttering now. Should I let you go?” Teba asks, breaking the silence and Link looks up at him, surprise flashing across his face. He just then realizes that he isn’t as cold anymore and he nods. “Yes.” He replies giving him a grateful look. “Thanks.”Teba nods and spreads his wings letting Link out of his embrace and the small Hylian stumbles away from him.“Do you need to have privacy?” Teba wonders, folding his arms and looking down at him. Link thinks about it and nods, pointing a little ways away from where he is standing. “There?” he queries watching as Teba glances over. “Not far.”Teba nods, seeming comfortable with this arrangement and he walks over backwards. “This way I can still keep an eye on you but not be able to hear you.” He says. Link can tell he is happy about it which surprises him. He thought that for sure he would want to listen in on the conversation. “Well.” Link then murmurs once Teba is in his spot. “See ya.”Teba waves. “See ya.”Link then tries to push away the odd feeling of the Rito warrior watching and kneels down slowly on the ground. His legs feel shaky and he wobbles a little before he is able to crouch down proficiently and he pauses.Is he really going to see the only bully he’s ever faced in his life? For a second he is plagued with bad memories of gossip and harsh words and he thinks about possibly going back but he gives his head a hard shake. No. He had agreed to do this and he needs to do this no matter what he WANTS. With a sigh, he clenches his belly as he always does in order to summon Revali's gale and he holds his breath before letting it out in a quick whoosh, letting the spirit loose. His eyes are closed as he does this though; he is still extremely reluctant to speak with the champion. Too be continued…
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Link opens his eyes and all he sees is green; the color of spirits. It glides around him, nearly choking him with the thickness and he finds his heartbeat climbing. He isn’t used to this feeling and the only time he’s ever been around spirits is when they gave him their power, Urbosas fury, Miphas grace, Daruks protection, and Revali's gale, and they weren’t inside him.It’s a funny thought as well as horrifying, just imagining the spirit of Revali being inside him and he coughs, his chest burning.Literally.His blue eyes grow huge as he realizes that there is actual green fire licking at his skin and he scrambles backwards unaware of what to do. Is this normal? It can’t be because people don’t normally have spirits inside them! Right? He tries to put it out by rolling in the grass but it doesn't do anything but rage harder and he closes his eyes, awaiting death.Why goddess why? He thinks. Why now?Death doesn’t come. Instead the fire decreases leaving behind a slight tingle of warmth and Link opens his eyes confused.“Eh hem.” A voice says then, from behind him. Link whirls around and leaps to his feet at the sight.“Revali!” He cries, rushing forward but he skids to a halt with realization. Why is he happy to see him?Revali looks around, his wings on his hips and he blinks in the birdlike way that Link remembers, seeming to not realize the actions of the Hylian before him.“Well I’ll be plucked.” He murmurs, a common phrase he uses if he’s impressed or awestruck. “The lake Totori looks just as I remember. Smooth water as far as the eye can see.”He trails off and shrugs his feathered shoulders.“Sorry. I got sidetracked.” He chirps apologetically and Link bites his lip looking towards Teba. The black and white Rito is watching with wide eyes but he doesn't say anything, even when he notices Link's gaze. Revali looks over too and his expression turns suspicious.“Thought I would attack you, eh?” he says with a scoff. “At least you don’t underestimate me.”Link let’s out an annoyed huff at the usual boisterous and prideful tone of the fallen champion and Revali looks at him.“What?” he asks.Link looks away, shuffling his foot in the dirt.“Nothing.” He murmurs.It’s silent for a long time and Link refuses to meet Revali's gaze so the Rito champion begins to pace, the tension in the air heavy. Just hearing him walk around makes Links ears grow hot and he bites his lip. How can he talk to Revali now? After everything that has occurred it’s been quite obvious that he liked the voice in his head but now knowing who it is, he isn’t sure if he likes it our not.But that’s silly! Of course he still likes it! It is funny, and nice, and pressing, and encouraging, and CUTE.Link feels a blush spread across his cheeks, dusting his peachy face here and there and he shakes his head.Why in all of Hyrules kingdom did he think Revali’s voice is cute?“So…” Revali says in that cute voice of his. “I guess we oughta….well we should.”Link stiffens. What does Revali think they should do? Every thought that goes through his head terrify him to death but there are a few that sound tempting and he hopes that what the Rito has in mind is one of the more tempting thoughts.“Should what?” he asks, sounding nervous and his voice quivers but to his relief, Revali looks at him oddly.“Talk.” He replies as if it’s obvious. “What else would we do? That’s why you came here.”Link nods, trying to cover up his cheer and he rubs his arms noticing how cold he is.Again? He thinks, bad temperedly.Revali notices too and glances down at his own outfit before offering it to him.Link blinks slowly after agreeing, his mouth falling open as the Rito shrugs off his tight fitted snowquill outfit and he blushes when Revali catches his eye.“I hardly call this talking.” He says, sarcastically and Link gasps, covering his mouth with his hand.“S-sorry!” he stutters, looking away. Revali laughs and hands the clothes over, fluffing his feathers up to keep out the cold.“I was only joking hero.” He says.Link nods and takes the outfit, pulling it over his head and tightening the straps to fit his smaller form before he looks Revali up and down.“Aren’t you c-c-cold?” he asks, and the fallen champion shakes his head.“No. I have three layers of feathers. My outer layer is only for looks, the middle is for protecting from shards of any small thing like dirt, sand, glass and the last is for warmth.” He laughs as he finishes and looks towards the water of the lake. “We make beds out of the last layer and call them Rito down beds. Have you slept in one yet?”Link tries to recall ever sleeping in a bed made out of feathers and he assumes he had but he cant remember so instead of answering, he changes the subject.“Annoying?”Revali looks at him.“Are feathers annoying?” he asks and when Link nods he nods as well. “At times. If they get wet they are very irritable but I haven’t had to worry about that for a while.”Link asks why and he continues.“Have you ever heard the story of Tirip?”Link cocks his head. The name doesn't sound familiar but he’s sure he’s heard it sometime in his life. Zelda used to tell him all of the tales known in Hyrule but at this point, he cant remember any of them off the top of his head.“No.” He replies then. Even if he had, he would sort of like to hear it again. Revali is good at talking and sharing messages.Revali nods and rubs his arms, beginning the story.“Tirip was a selfish man, part rito, zora, goron, and gerudo. His parents were half and half, his mother a beautiful young zora/gerudo and his father, a big bulky Rito/goron. Tirip made it his lifelong goal to claim all of the rupees his father possessed, being a wealthy and formidable opponent to the young four part. Back then, four part was what you called a person of many different race's.” Revali pauses his story and sits down, facing the water and he picks up a rock, tossing it in his hand for a while.“Tirip never made his plans clear to his parents and began a weekly tradition. Every Friday when his father came home with his pay, he would sneak into his office and steal some of the rupees. He did this for several months without getting caught until one day, his mother noticed his pillow was harder than normal. She didn’t want him to get a kink in his neck so she took the pillow to her husband who worked for a living on making soft pillows and they both discovered that their son had been stealing from them. At first they didn’t know what to do, but they soon saw the behavior of Tirip was getting worse so they consulted their leader for help. The leader told them to throw him in jail until he died, a punishment well used back then and Tirip soon starved."Link interrupts the story with an odd look on his face and Revali looks at him.“What is it?” he asks and Link picks at the clothes of the other.“Why this st-st-story?” he asks, confused. It isn’t telling him anything about why Revali’s feather never get wet and if anything, it is making him even more stumped.Revali laughs.“Okay sorry. I’ll get to the point.” He says. “Tirip didn’t complete any life goal and never did anything good in his life so the goddess of Hylia who rules the afterlife and many other things asked him if he would rather go and complete his life with good or wonder around as a spirit for the rest of his life, unseen by everyone and completely alone. He refused to do good so she made him a spirit, forbidden to have a second chance.”Link now understands and he shivers at the thought of unseen spirits wandering around the world, evil to the core and Revali notices his nervousness.“They can’t haunt you or even see you. The only thing they are able to do is live in a world of darkness as if you are trapped in a blanket. It’s awfully scary.” He explains trailing off with a shutter.Link gives him a look.“You are one aren’t you?” he asks, goosebumps sprouting on his arms. Revali shakes his head.“I’m different.” he says. “But similar. I did good things in my life, probably more than bad, I’m not sure but I feel like I need to do more. I disagree with the Calamity that it was my time to die. I need to do more. I have not completed my own goal."Link nods but he can only guess what Revali's goal is and he clenches his hands into fists with curiosity.“Goal?” he asks.Revali sighs and looks at the water again.“It’s a silly goal. The goddess told me so.” He murmurs, slumping against his feathery hand. Link is surprised. The goddess told Revali that his lifelong goal is a silly one? What kind of goddess is she?He shakes his head and walks over to the fallen champion, resting a hand on his shoulder. The softness of his feathers is just like Tebas, maybe even softer and his hand lingers a little longer than he would’ve liked. Revali looks at him, inquiringly.“She said I could try if I did something first, though.” He says and Link feels a spark of hope in his chest. Would that mean that Revali could live again and that he could---…He tears away from his thoughts and sits down, pulling his hand away.“What?” he asks, referring to the something that had to be done. Revali shivers beside him.“Mayhap you’ll find out soon.” He suggests, sounding sick. “For now, we should talk about what we came here to talk about.”Link nods, slightly happy for the subject change, but he is still very curious about the whole spirit thing. He shakes his head and thinks about what they are here for.Oh right.Memories.“Um.” Link begins, glancing sideways at the Rito who looks equally as uncomfortable as he feels. “Master sword?"Revali gives a start beside him but then goes still, his feathers lifting in a startled manner.“Good start.” He says, his green eyes growing distant. “I uhh. Your feelings about it?”Link hates how he is put into the spotlight and he wiggles his toes, looking at his bare feet.“I was surprised wh-wh-when it called me. I didn’t want to b-b-be the champion but I knew th-th-that that’s what I’ve been trained t-t-to be. All my life I have b-been told that I would be a g-g-guard and swordsman so when this chance p-popped up I had to take it although I didn’t w-w-want to.” He says, truthfully, wincing at his stuttering.Revali looks thoughtful.“So you didn’t want to be the champion?” he asks. Link shrugs.“Guess not.” He replies simply. He really didn’t want to be the champion but he also didn’t know. What he wanted to be. Now he is just Zeldas guard, tied to her side by duty.As he thinks this over he tried to imagine the day that Zelda is old enough to rule Hyrule and what would become of him. Surely the princess would let him off after all he’s done? But is that really what he wants? If he didn’t have his guarding job what would he have? Would he be a gypsy?As all these questions hammer around in his head, Revali sighs.“I was selfish.” He admits, sounding dazed. “I, unlike you, wanted nothing more than to be the champion that would end Ganon's terrorizing but only after I learned that Zelda was calling people to her aid. Sometimes I wonder if it would’ve been better that I didn’t get called to control Medoh. I didn’t help until after I died.”Link nods recalling the power of all four champions combined that hit Ganon as he got ready to deliver his blows.“Weakened him.” He says, thinking about how Ganon had gotten halfway stopped and Revali shrugs.“Uh huh.”Link can tell that this conversation is going nowhere except downhill and he decides to change the subject.“Do you like me?” he asks watching the Rito's green gaze carefully.Revali notices and looks away but doesn't answer.Link waits.After a long time of sitting on silence, Revali sighs, turning back to his original position and he throws the rock he had been holding into the water, watching the ripples.“Yes Link.” He answers. “I like you.”Link feels happiness surge through him at this answer nut he remembers how he had been treated before by the fallen champion and he opens his mouth to ask why when Revali cuts him off.“I didn’t realize that it hurt you. I did it because I was jealous and I never believed that you should be put out there. I though that if I could make you feel bad about your skills then you wouldn’t have to be the champion and someone else could take your place.”“Why?” Link asks.Revali's feathers ruffle again and a flustered look crosses his face.“I thought you would be killed.” He murmurs. “Mixed with me wanting to be the hero.”Link thinks this over. Revali was actually partly worried that he would be killed and that spoke some reasoning for why he was so rude. He was trying to discourage him.Still, it wasn’t the best way to go.Revali sighs.“I was stupid. Clearly from how I died facing the Wind blight I wasn’t the one to defeat Ganon.”Link cocks his head.“Do you like Zelda?” he asks. Revali looks at him sideways.“She is dramatic when it comes to emotions and is a bit controlling, but she is awfully sweet and she still blames herself for the death of us champions. Mipha tells me so nearly every day but in different forms.” He says and Link tries to imagine Zelda talking to someone in her head.Suddenly he realizes something.“Is Mipha a wandering spirit too?” he asks and Revali nods.“She has something she wants to finish down here.” He says in reply.“What?” Link asks.Revali gives him a look.“That would be gossip, hero.” He dismisses. He then looks at the sky, his green eyes narrowing. “I’m afraid our time has come to an end but before I go I want to apologize.”He stands up and faces Link who stands up as well his eyes growing huge.They stand, awkwardly looking at each other until Revali begins to fade away. Surprised they both jump.“Okay I guess I oughta speak up.” Revali says, watching as his arms disappear slowly into the green fire.“Out of my past stupidity and harsh actions, out of my nearsightedness and narcissism, out of my longing and my jealousy, I am sorry. I hope that in time, all will be forgiven but for now, let’s leave this at the peace of an apology?”Link realizes that this is a question and he nods hastily as the green fire creeps it’s way up the fallen champion.“I’m sorry.” His voice lingers even as he faces from sight.I’m sorry.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Link walks over to Teba after Revali leaves and bites his lip upon seeing the appalled expression on the warriors face. He figured that this would happen but now that he has to explain it, he is a bit nervous. How do you explain a spirit visiting you? Teba clears his throat. “Honestly I thought you were making it all up.” He says rubbing his wing. “But you weren't. What did he say to you?” Link shrugs and glances away, feeling sick. The things that Revali had told him were very crucial to his decision making bit they were also sort of uncomfortable. For a conversation with a slightly prideful and super skilled warrior rito at least. Looking up at Tebas expectant face makes it worse. Try telling someone who practically looks up to you about your past rivals a hundred years ago! Awkward! “Go?” Link asks then, deciding to end the conversation all together. Sometime he’ll explain everything to his Rito friend, but right now doesn't seem appropriate. Teba will just have to wait in shock for a little while longer until he can find his voice. Link points towards the rito village, his blue eyes questioning and Teba sighs, forcing his ruffled feathers to lie flat once more before nodding. “Yes that’s probably best.” He says reluctantly. “Plus, Zelda said that she wanted to speak with you.”Link pricks his elvish ears up at the name of the princess and he instantly forgets all of his old worries, new ones about Zeldas speech flooding his mind. What could she have to tell him? Is she upset that he is injured? Is she going to flat out tell him about someone she fell in love with? Teba notices his discomfort and pats his shoulder. “You shouldn’t worry yourself. She said it was about Medoh.” He explains, reassuringly. Link forces a smile, not wanting to worry his friend but inside he is still unsure. Zelda doesn't normally want to just talk to him. If she wanted to talk to someone for just talking, she would chat with some random Rito in the village. He doesn’t know why, but he has a feeling that whatever she has to tell him, might actually change his life. Teba clears his throat. “You should probably take off those clothes.” He says, rubbing the back of his neck. “The elder knows what Revalis clothes look like and it wouldn’t be very wise.”Link nods and looks down at the loosely fitted clothes with hesitation. He doesn’t exactly want to take them off; they feel warm and smell like something that he can’t describe. Like wind but as deep as the morning air, but also sweet and thick. He shakes his head. It’s too hard to explain. A sigh escapes his lips as he begins to slowly obey Tebas suggestion and the black and white rito frowns with frustration. Or jealousy. Link can’t tell because as soon as the look appears, it disappears leaving annoyance in it’s place. “Hurry on up, champion.” He says, tapping his foot. “You can fold it up and put it in your pants pocket if it’s that valuable but we really must be going now.”Link sulks as he stuffs the garment into his pocket and he stands up, folding his arms. Keep your feathers on. He the is bitterly. It’s not like I’m doing any harm by liking the clothes. Teba looks satisfied at last and he crouches down, spreading his wings. “Climb on.” He says, looking back at him and Link runs forward, carefully crawling onto the other and gripping into his thick coat of feathers. As Teba takes off, propelling himself higher with his muscle power beating the air, Link finds himself smoothing the feathers out, curiously. How do feathers just grow right out of rito so easily and how do they stay in? He nearly laughs out loud at the thought of a rito hairbrush. It must be a featherbrush. He muses in his head. And most of the girl rito have lots and lots of feathers on their brushes just like girl hylians have lots of hair. He smiles at this thought and turns his face to the wind, soaking in the bitterness pressing into his face. He feels it bathe him with brittle cold and he feels the way Tebas shoulders rotate as he flies. He can smell the wind too; icy and pine scented, just like what he can see. Snow gathers in clumps along the grassy forests surrounding the village while huge pine trees shoot out of the ground, towering way up high and an occasional bird flies in and out of the upper branch’s. “Birds.” Link says then, to himself and Teba looks back at him. “Yes what about them?” he asks, his voice tight with the urge to argue and Link jolts in surprise. He hadn’t meant to say it out loud but now that he did, he can see that he possibly angered his friend so he ducks his head. “I was l-l-looking at the scenery, using my five senses and I accidentally said b-b-bird out loud. That was for sight. For smell I smelled the p-pine trees, for touch I f-f-felt the air and for sound I heard the w-w-way your wings caught the air.” He explains truthfully. Why else would he have said bird? “Oh.” Teba says, sounding thoughtful. “I thought you were referring to the comparison of ritos to birds and basically saying it went together as justice and equality do.”Link raises an eyebrow.“What out of ‘bird g-g-gave you all that? Even I’m n-n-not that complex!” He laughs and Teba chuckles as well.“It's good to hear you laugh, Link.” He says. Link smiles. “I guess.”Tebas expression rapidly changes into one of mist and he sighs, his intentions for his appearance unreadable.“I think I’ll miss you when you go back to the castle.” He says, his voice a notch higher than a whisper.Link nods, but feels his blood go colder at the expression on Tebas face, matching the way he spoke his sentence. Almost, dreamy… Dreamy? Lovestruck? LOVESTRUCK?Link looks away, feeling nervous butterflies fly around his belly and Teba looks away as well, probably just as uncomfortable. What in the goddess Hylia just happened? Link wonders, slightly horrified. The butterflies in his stomach now are doing cartwheels and he clutched his belly, nauseated. Its like he, he…He closes his eyes, unable to finish thinking and he doesn’t think about anything else for a while. He and Teba decide its best to both stay silent until they get back to the village. -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-Link bounces off Teba and lands at Harths feet before he tries to get away, but the black rito catches him. “Oh no you don't.” he says, sternly. “I don’t have all the time in the world now and I need to be able to check you over and make sure your injuries are doing fine.” Link wiggles in his grip.“I’m fine.” He squeaks, slipping under the archers wing only to fall down again. Harth grabs him. “So did you complete your side quest?” he asks. “Not side quest.” Link protests. “Meeting.”Harth nods. “Why yes of course.” He says as he glances amused at Teba who is standing behind Link. The expression on his face is unreadable as he purses his lips, looking away and Harth turns his attention back to the short hylian. “How was your meeting then? Successful I hope?” he continues, unfazed by his best friends behavior. Link shrugs while nodding. “Uncomfortable.” He replies, summing up the whole visit pretty well. The whole thing was, well, uncomfortable, just necessary. He tells Harth so. Harth seems very interested in this and he leans forward, eagerly. “What does Revali look like?” he asks. Link cocks his head, recalling the fallen champion. Green eyes always glittering with mischief, strong archer arms, blue-grey feathers soft to the touch. Oh how Link could just curl up on those warm, fluffy feathered arms and just be held. How he could stare into those green orbs and listen to the voice, superb perfection, great for stories and lullabies. Links eyes stretch wide. Can Revali sing? Harth clears his throat, drawing Link back to the present and he sheepishly replies. “Blue-grey, wh-white underfeathers, g-g-green eyes.”Harth nods, his eyes fogging a little.“Do you like him?” he asks, really pushing the word like out there. Link makes a face and looks towards Teba who avoids his gaze, causing frustration to pool in his belly. Sure the flight back had gotten a bit iffy, but is he now going to ignore him? Wouldn’t that be the opposite of what he wanted anyways? Link doesn’t get time to even ask what is wrong when Harth gasps.“Teba! Are you… sad?” he asks, clearly bewildered. His green eyes stretch wider as Teba spreads his wings and flies away, leaving silence in his wake, and Link sort of feels bad for some unknown reason. Teba is fine. Right?Harth frowns and folds his arms. “Teba isn’t ever upset, ever. He is normally content.” He mumbles to himself. Link taps his shoulder and he looks up. “He looked at me weirdly and spoke weirdly to me.” He suggests with a shrug and Harth gasps, stepping backwards. “No way.” He breathes. “What did he say?”Link shrugs again. “Good to h-h-hear me laugh. I will miss you when you go back to the castle.” He replies, gesturing with his hands for emphasis and Harth begins to pace, muttering some unheard words Link watches him confused. What could make him this agitated? Harth isn’t an agitated kind of a rito and isn’t easily stirred from things that go on around him, although Teba isn’t either, and now here he is upset while Harth is worried. Could this have something to do with his arrival? He shakes his head hard, dismissing that thought immediately. No way would they ever like me. He thinks. That’s just wrong. Isn’t it? Although it is silly, doubt still presses down on him and he turns away. He can figure this out later. Right now in the present, the rumble in his belly is telling him to eat.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
For the past few days since Link had talked to Revali, life around the Rito village has been slow. The elder, as always, sticks to his roost and Zelda spends her hours talking to him in peace while Harth and Teba get away from each other and Link as much as possible. The people in the stores talk about the skies and how there are going to he rough storms, the travelers left previously, and now all that’s left to do for the young hylian is wander around taking pictures of stuff. Link doesn’t mind and he smiles as he angles his sheikah slate just right to catch all of the brilliant features of the Goddess stone at the foot of the village. He is alone once again, for Revali had long since stopped talking to him and he tells himself over and over again that it’s because he is afraid of judgement or that the Goddess is holding him, but as time rolls by, he finds himself not so sure. What if Revali doesn’t like him? He shakes his head, standing up while pocketing the sheikah slate and chases the thought away. He should not ever think negatively, especially when he is alone with zero comfort. It’s not a very healthy thing to do.He sighs and turns to walk up the steps, curious about what the Rito village is doing now, but a young rito stands in his way, folding her arms. Link recognizes the sea green color of her, but can’t remember what he knows about her and although he knows he’s seen her somewhere, his excitement fades, replaced by realization. She is upset; meaning trouble. The rito sighs, glowering down at him. “Do you think it’s polite to take pictures of our goddess stone?” she snaps, her eyes sharp with anger. Link takes a step back surprised. So that’s what her anger is about. “Sorry.” He mumbles, glancing sheepishly at the floor. He hadn’t known that it is offensive to take pictures of ancient relics, but now that he does, he'll try not to. The rito still looks mad, though and he bites his lip, wracking his brain for a word that is better than sorry. When he comes up with nothing else, being under pressure, the rito scowls. “You're hardly a hero in social matters.” She tells him. “You don’t even talk. I know you saved the Rito Village and Hyrule but there were many things around this village that you didn’t attend to.”Link tries to understand what she is saying. Is she talking about the side quests, because if so, he didn’t need to do that. He just did a few for the sake of wanting to. He didn’t like the constant complaining of the two hylian on their honeymoon so he stuffed a baked apple and flint in their faces, he thought Molli was adorable so he listened to her story and helped her finish it by going to the shrine, and of course he found Teba for the elder. The elder is the elder. No point arguing. He tells her so which she shakes her head to. “My girls, yes all of them, were looking forward to your help. They talked about it endlessly.” She growls. Link shrugs. “They b-b-badgered me endlessly.” He says, sarcastically in reply. “I want th-this certain type of f-f-food, I want my sister’s to s-s-sing with me, go g-g-get my sisters, blah blah.” As soon as those words leave his mouth, he can tell it wasn’t the right thing to say, and he is right. The ritos feathers lift up and her eyes blaze with anger and protectiveness. “My daughter’s are perfectly normal rito babies and I am telling the elder that you said that! You haven’t done anything helpful this entire time! In fact, you ruined Harth and Tebas relationship! They were perfectly happy best friends but now you barge in and they are bickering starlings!”She turns away, and walks stiffly up the stairs, her feathers still rising. “Don’t even try beg your girlfriend to let you stay if the elder tells you to leave.” She hisses over her shoulder. At that, she runs off to tell. Link watches her go, a feeling of hurt corrupting his chest and he bites his lip, hopelessly. It is true that he ruined Teba and Harths friendship, but he doesn’t exactly know how. It was Teba who started acting weird, not him! And then Harth started to be weird because of Tebas weirdness. Its all too weird. Also, what if the elder really did throw him out for talking bad about the ritos babies? He inwardly curses himself, angry that he let himself say such things to the sea green rito. How could he be so stupid? Insulting a mother’s children is the worst thing you could possibly do and yet, he did it. It all happened so fast, she was here scolding him and the next, he’s in trouble because of calling out her children.He shivers. There’s also the fact that the Rito called Zelda his girlfriend that sticks to him like honey and he wishes he could fall to the floor. Zelda and him aren’t anything and never will be. Why can’t everyone else see that? Because they thought it was true, just as you did. The voice in his head replies and Link gives a start, surprised by the suddenness of his arrival. Revali! He cheers silently. Why have you left me? Did the Goddess keep you? Tell me something please, I’ve been so lonely!Question after question spill out of him, excited that he finally gets to talk to someone after so long. Revali laughs, sounding a bit flattered that Link missed him and he clears his throat. What do you want me to say? He asks and Link begins to walk away from the village so he can have privacy. He knows he makes weird faces when Revali talks to him, and he doesn’t really want to risk the chance of Teba seeing. Yikes…Revalis laughs at that thought as well. Link, do you know why Teba and Harth are acting that way? He wonders. Link could his head and lets the question sink in. Teba clearly was lovestruck up in the sky, Link knows that for sure. He’s seen many lovestruck people before and found them adorable, but if Teba is in love with him, then wouldn’t that cause a lot of trouble? Teba is married to Saki, isn’t he? He shrugs then. So Teba is in love with him, fine. He can work around that, but why did Harth act that way? He got mad every time Teba was around him and Teba the same so is it possible that….Link gasps. “Are they b-b-both in love with m-me?” he asks, out loud, hardly able to contain it. Luckily he had walked far enough away from the village to think with Revali in private, but he still flushes with shame. He should think his words over before he thinks them next time. Revali sighs at his conclusion and stays silent for a little while until Link probes him. What do you know? He think-probes and Revali sighs again. You’re right, you know. They’ve fallen head over heels for you. He says. Link tenses a little. Revalis voice had sounded, sad, almost hopeless and he wonders why? Does he think that Teba and Harth will get their way? Link shakes his head. I don’t like them back in that way. He reassures the fallen champion but then horror spirals through him. He doesn’t like them back, yet both of them are suffering from a crush and jealousy problem. What is he supposed to do now? Tell them the truth??Revali. He whines. What do I do now? How do you get someone to back off? Revali snorts at the “back off” part and lets out a hum of thought, his voice reassuring to listen to even if he’s just thinking. Finally he responds.Zelda told you the truth, did she not? You can tell Teba and Harth your truth. He murmurs and Link thinks it over. He could tell them, but would that result in complete peace? What if he found a way to pretend he loves them as well and just acts unattractive throughout the whole thing so that they lose interest? Revali gasps. Link that’s not a very good idea! He splutters and Link could his head. Why?Revali sounds appalled as he quickly tells him all the reasons that it could go wrong and Link listens, quietly. Once Revali finishes speaking, he calmly asks. Revali, are you jealous?Revali is silent for a long time, so long that Link thinks that he might’ve left when he replies. Not like they are of each other…Link is relieved by that and he glances around at the sun sinking in the distance and the tree tops towering way over him. It’s good that another one of his rito friends doesn’t love him too, but why does it feel so….disappointing? It’s almost like he wants Revali to love him. He shakes his head, trying to shut himself up. Revali can hear all of his thoughts and he can’t let him know that one specific thought. Instead he laughs. I’m going to carry out my plan. He tells him. And if it doesn’t work then, boo hoo. I’ll use the Zelda trick. Revali sounds confused.The Zelda trick? He asks. Link nods although he doesn’t think that Revali can see it and he puts his hand son his hips. I’ll sat that me and Zelda are together. He replies. Link, that’ll make you sad. Revali says, sympathetically. His voice is worried as if he knows that it will go wrong and Link stuffs his hand into his pocket, nervously fingering the crystal that Teba had given him earlier. What if Revali is right? What if all does go wrong? Revali sighs a long sigh. I came back to tell you something. He says, reluctantly and Link pricks his ears. What? He asks. Does it have to do with coming here? The way Revali laughs after he guesses that confirms that it does in fact have something to do with coming here and he gets excited. Will Revali join him here in Hyrule again? Dreamy thoughts cross his mind and he smiles listlessly until Revali clears his throat. As much as I want to stay here, I have to leave. He says, breaking the happiness. Links shoulders drop. “Oh.” He mumbles out loud. Revali coughs, then. I have to leave if I don’t complete my task. He corrects himself. I will try my best to, but if I don't, I will be a spirit wanderer. Link doesn’t like the sound of that and he claps his hands together. I’ll help you with your task! He decides. How long do you have here? Revali sounds delighted for help and he quickly tells him. I have approximately one and a half dozen sunrises until I go back and I can come here whenever I choose. He replies. Link nods. Yes. We can totally get you to the next life. He confidently cheers and Revali sheepishly giggles. Mayhap we can. He murmurs. Mayhap we can. (And then people, think about what Revalis task is. Will they be able to finish it in time? One and a half dozen sunrises is 18 days people. How long does love build? Also thank you so much for all the kudos and comments. It helps me keep writing!)
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Link sleeps in the inn, like always, but this time he has to pay. The word from the sea green rito quickly spread in the previous days and he hasn’t gotten an ounce of peace. All the mother’s are flocking around him, astonished that he could say such a thing while he tries to get around them and escape the horrors of his shame. Revali has been talking to him, luckily, saying things like “Don’t mind them” or “They’re just a bunch of stupid girls” but it’s still annoying. Now he ducks into a detailed pot and crouches down to hide from one particularly loud rito mother, shivering with adrenaline. He’s been saying sorry all day; why do they keep coming after him?The sea green rito also told him to fulfil the quests from her said children. Should he listen or continue to run? Boredly, trying to calm his racing heart, he traces the shape of the pot, wondering why they have these all over the village and leans back against it’s form. Those ritos sure love their children. He thinks, stubbornly. Revali speaks then, breaking the silence. It’s a part of our dynamics. The rito males are the protectors, the ones who gather food and keep the women alive and the females reproduce and raise our young to keep the chain going. Rito males are archers, and rito females are singers. It’s how it works. Link thinks over those words with curiosity. He sort of knows about religion and dynamics but when it comes to his own, he always draws a blank. He hasn’t really been able to make one up yet. Maybe soon he will look into it. He’ll have to see. Well. He thinks. I guess I should respect that, right?Revali sighs, exasperatedly. I get the pressure. I too hate it. He murmurs, sounding annoyed. But I am sure respecting it would be best. Link thinks over the words and slumps against the back of the vase. Yes. He thinks in reply. Revali goes quiet and Link does as well, both thinking about their own problems and after a small while, the fallen champion clears his throat. I am going to come back to Hyrule soon, and Mipha too. Turns out she overheard me and the goddess talking and wants to join me. He says. Link gets so excited that he actually kicks out and shatters the vase around him and clasps his hands without any regards to the ritos surprise. You mean I will get to see you soon? He asks, biting his lip. Revali hesitates before laughing slightly. Yeah I guess you will see me, huh? Link squeals with delight, imagining a life with Revali actually there, like right there instead of in his head. Sure the two hadn't exactly been close before, there always is the chance that they could be now! They did already make amends and apologized and it turns out they both like each other so what would get in the way of friendship? Plus, Revalis presence would allow Harth and Teba to back off!Revali laughs again, probably at the “back off” part and lets out a whistle of approval. Mayhap all our problems will be solved then, hmm? He asks, sounding uncertain. Link nods though, seeming to not notice the nervousness in the voice in his head. I can help you with your take and you can help me with mine! He cheers. He then notices something. Why is Mipha coming back with you? Revali snorts. Oh silly. Mipha is coming back with me but is departing to the Zoras domain. She’s getting to know her brother more after leaving him at such a young age. He explains and Link smiles. Cute. He thinks. But isn’t Sidon like, 104 or something like that? Revali lets out a hum of thought. Possibly. Even so, Mipha is older. Link realizes that this is true and finds himself marveling at how someone so old could find even a slightest attraction towards him, given that Mipha had an extreme crush on him and he cocks his head, sandy colored hair flopping in front of his face. How old are you, Revali? He asks. Revali gasps. You don’t know how old I am? Well, I shouldn’t get my feathers all in a knot, I presume you were never told. I am nearly 23, so that makes me 22. He says, cockily and Link feels somewhat comforted to hear the boisterous tone. I’m 17. He says, calculating the age difference quickly in his head. That would make them at least 5 years apart or more which is not bad given that Link has another 100 years on him and he suddenly blushes realizing what he is thinking about. Oops. He giggles, silently. Revali laughs too. It’s fine. I find myself calculating age differences to many people too. It’s more comforting, eh? Link nods at this and gets to his feet, brushing off the shards of broken vase from his clothes before heading to the inn once more. Luckily, the rito who had seen him burst the case open had left, bored of his odd expressions and he slips easily inside the small hutlike room. He places a handful of rupees onto the counter and Cecili hardly glances up as she takes them and points to an empty bed in the corner. Link thanks her and heads over to it, quietly unloading his belt full of stuff before sliding under the covers. Sorry. He tells Revali. I got tired. Revali sighs, sympathetically. Don’t you worry a wrinkle, as you hylians say. Get your beauty rest and I’ll see you tomorrow. He murmurs and Link nods, feeling the presence of the champion slowly fade away. He then curls into the comfy rito down bed, and closes his eyes. He feels so tired, so desperate for dreams and his mouth falls slightly open before his eyes pop open. Wait! He’ll SEE me tomorrow? Revali is coming TOMORROW?
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Isn’t it marvelous up here, champions?” Zelda speaks, her voice carrying that trace of guilt and anxiety as it always does as she gazes off into the sunset, her golden blond locks whipping around her. She is wearing a white robe worn only when she prays and Link can’t keep his eyes off her. She is like the goddess herself and he would never even for a second doubt that she was the one with power. If only she could understand that power. Then she would be unstoppable and oh so capable and…He nearly lets himself sigh out loud when a deep voice interrupts his thoughts. “Princess I think it is time you get down to the spring.” It says, gruffly. Zelda turns, her eyes sparkling with understanding and she nods to Link who grimaces slightly with the stare. “Daruk is right.” She murmurs and Daruk, the large goron champion rubs his neck sheepishly. “The goddess may not hear my prayers in the dark of dusk.”She then lifts up her skirts and trudges down the mountain side up into the gully beyond with Link on her heels. He never lets her go anywhere alone, not even to the stables where she most likely would be safe enough. He is that protective. And that in love. As he follows her, a hand, or wing rather, grabs his arm and pulls him around semi-roughly. Link stumbles against the intruder only to be caught and set upright. “Now Link.” It says and Link lifts his eyes up to meet the green ones of the rito. Revali doesn't seem mad, but sympathetic and almost envious. Link doesn’t have time to dwell on that thought because Revali begins to speak again. “The princess must pray alone. Some words might never be heard when there is a witness to hear them as well.” Link glares at the blue-grey feathered rito before attempting to stomp away after Zelda, only to be pulled back and turned around again. Link then gives up and glares up at him once more, anger in his blue eyes, sharpening them to make them look serious. Revali pauses and stares at them for a while longer than he should until Link turns away, cheeks growing hot. Is that how people are supposed to look at someone? The rito champion must realize the uncomfortable moment because he blinks and looks away again, although his hands still linger on Links arms. Shivers crawl their way down the hylians spine and he tells them to freeze up or else. If he shutters any harder, Revali might feel them. As he thinks this, his body convulses rather hard and Revali looks down startled. He opens his beak to speak but instead shakes his head, releasing the other. “Zelda needs to pray alone.” He repeats, his voice raspy. Link sighs and nods but notices where Revalis stare is directed towards. He self consciously brushes a hand across his lips wondering what could be so wrong with them that could lead his enemy's stare there. Or maybe it’s something so perfect about them. Just then, Link notices the sun soaking the clearing with its golden rays and hitting the mountain side with a wide arc, silhouetting both him and Revali and he blushes a dark red. It’s so… romantic. And he’s with a prideful numbskull. Stealing a glance at Revali he sees that the Rito too looks awkward and he inwardly wills him to leave before realizing that he has to agree first. He has to say that he won’t go after Zelda. But what if he WILL?He shakes his head feeling silly. Revali wouldn’t know or would likely be unable to stop him so what’s worse? Being stuck here awkwardly while a young adult fanaticizes about whatever romantic thing or lie and get to watch over Zelda? And even if what Revali said was true, he could stay out of earshot so that he can watch but not hear. He nods deciding on that. “I’m sorry.” He murmurs. “I didn’t realize the risks of following the princess. I just assumed that being a guard and all that I had to follow her EVERYWHERE. Thanks for the heads up.” Link grimaces as he finishes and looks away ashamed. He’s never been nice to Revali, let alone apologize to him and what if the smart champion will be able to tell that he is lying? What would become of him? Would he be vulture food?Revali looks surprised and he nods hastily before turning and heading back over the rise to where Mipha, Urbosa, and Daruk were chatting, leaving Link to his naughty foretelling. As he turns to leave, he practically collides face first into a solid being with golden blond locks and blue eyes who is wearing a white robe. His shoulders drop. He missed his chance. -*-*-*-*-*-*-*--*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*Link jolts awake to someone shaking him and he gasps, surprised. His whole body is full of large tremors and he is sweating all over the twisted bed sheets. His usually floppy hair is spiked up in every direction and his chest heaves for air as he drops into his pillows. Struggling to catch his breath, he looks up at who had shaken him awake, relieved to see it’s Zelda and not any of the love-struck rito. Zelda’s eyes are glittering with worry and although it’s comforting, he can’t help but feel sick from his dream and he bites his lip. “What happened?” he asks, looking around the inn. The sky is still dark, a clear sign that he had been asleep but that doesn’t explain it. Maybe it was just a nightmare. He shakes that thought away immediately because really? It didn’t seem like much of a nightmare. It seemed more like his memories he used to get back when Zelda was trapped in Ganon. Said Zelda also shakes her head. “You were having a seizure of some sort! When I called for help, Harth and Teba came running but when they spotted each other running for the same destination with equal urgency, they started to quarrel. They’re still out there, those featherbrains. They used to be best friends you know.” She explains, trailing off with a sad look put the door. Link shares her look missing the way those two shared enthusiasm just weeks before and wonders if there is any way to fix their relationship but Zelda turns back urgently. “Are you alright though? Like should I be worried?” she asks, stumbling over words. Link blinks at her and checks himself to find that he isn’t shaking anymore and he’s slowly cooling down so he gives her a nod. “Fine.” He replies, honestly. In fact, the memory of his dream is slowly slipping away. He does know what it was about, an awkward moment with Revali but he doesn't remember the details. Normal right? Zelda looks relieved as she clasps his hands in hers. “I’m glad.” She murmurs. Her blue eyes then glisten with nervousness and she looks away briefly. “Link I have something to tell you.” She says glancing back at him. He gestures for her to continue which she does. “Mipha speaks to me in my head you know? Well that shouldn’t be new and all but she said that she would come to Zoras domain and I want to go there and see her because she is my friend not anything more and her brother is there she wants to see him and I’m babbling and I don’t want you to come why am I saying this help me stop!” Link grabs her hair and gives it a sharp tug to shut her up and she rubs her head wincing. “Link you know I could stop with words and not pain, right?” she mumbles, moodily. Link shakes his head, ignoring her remark before giving her a pointed look. “Wanna go?” he asks, calmly. “Not me?” Zelda is gaping, unable to say anything and tears flood her eyes as she coughs and nods. “You are released from your guard duties.” She splutters. “I don’t need you anymore and I’m going to live in the Zoras domain for a while before heading back to the castle. I expect you to make your own life now?"Link cannot believe his ears and he gasps doubling back with a figurative knife stabbing in his chest, although it literally feels that way. It’s as if someone took your wallet and burned it right in front of you. No, no. Like someone stole your pet cat or dog! Your tiny cuddly dog or cat that you loved so much and named Whiskers or Floppy. Okay, too far. Zelda looks ashamed for how bluntly she said it and she pulls him into a hug but he jerks away, eyes wet. “Stop!” He yells, sliding out of bed. “You’ve d-done nothing but hurt me f-for as long as I’ve known you and all I’ve ever d-d-done is try to make you happy! Is that how b-badly you hate me? You just want m-me to be out of your life f-f-forever, huh? Well f-f-fine, PRINCESS. I’ll live here and c-c-complete all of th-the side quests so that the Rito will l-l-love me! I will probably get m-m-married to Harth or Teba or both and have b-b-babies out of my own belly and F-FUCK! Maybe that’s wh-what I want!”Zelda reaches a hand out for him. “Link…” she begs but the small, usually calm hylian is already running out the door. “No!” He screams back. “No! NO! NO! Y-you are too s-selfish! You n-never cared about m-me!” He then collapses into the arms of a rito, he doesn’t know who yet and sobs into it’s chest, his heart shattering as Zelda walks away also crying. She’s crying for a different reason though and it’s not from heartbreak, Link can immediately tell although he in the moment is just thinking of how much he hates himself. He hates his naïve personality, he hates his stutter, he hates his memory and heck. He can’t even spit out the word “Fuck” without stumbling over it.Once Zelda is gone, the rito lifts Link up as if he weighs nothing and takes him into one of the rooms before lying him down in a hammock. Link opens his eyes, his vision blurred from the tears and he can see Teba watching him sympathetically but silently. “I’m sorry, Link.” He murmurs. “You don’t deserve her. She’s so selfish that she can’t even see how much she's hurt you. She’s self absorbed and wrapped up on her own thoughts. You had a right to yell at her and leave.” Harth then flies in, the air from under his wings ruffling Links hair. “Yeah.” He says as he lands. “You need to rest now. It’s still late and you’re exhausted. We won’t let her in here.”Link sighs with relief and gives them a grateful smile before he settles into the hammock, surprised at the aroma coming off of it. It’s a nice smell, warm and refreshing and he breathes it in, slowly lulled into sleep.It isn’t until the next morning that he realizes that it is Tebas hammock and Teba smells like that. ;) ;) ;)
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“He’s so cute when he sleeps.” “Yeah I could just kiss him.”“Okay Teba that’s a little weird.”“Yes but it’s true.”“I sorta have to agree with you on that. Look at his soft cheeks.”“On which side? I know you saw him without clothes Harth.”“I meant his face and you know it.”“You’re blushing!” Link wakes up to these words and he sits up, stiffly to see Harth and Teba facing each other with shy expressions. He feels embarrassment course through him as he realizes how close they are and he pretends to be asleep still but Harth had already caught him.“Link!” He splutters. “Uh good morning.” Link can tell he is trying to change the subject in hopes that he hadn’t heard the previous words coming from their beaks so he folds his arms, stubbornly. “I heard.” He replies, bluntly. Teba and Harth exchange harsh glances and horror flashes in their gazes as they look away, suddenly fascinated in the ground. Link is having none of this. “Why?” he shoots at them, clearly annoyed. “Perverted!”Tebas feathers lift at the accusation of being perverted and he stands up abruptly. “We have NEVER by our down feathers called you perverted for taking a fancy on the princess!” He yells and Harth gets up too, but to calm Teba down. “Teba please! Link is still upset about Zelda leaving him cheekily and he needs some time to recover. He is right. It was perverted of us to talk so loudly in front of him like that and he might not even feel the same way. It might be unrequited. If that is the case, we should ask him the truth and not make assumptions.” He says in a rush. Link gives him a grateful look. “Yes.” He murmurs. “I hardly kn-know you. I’d like it if w-we kept our friendship n-n-normal until further n-notice.” As he says this, he can see that both the love-struck ritos are satisfied and he almost smiles as his plan is slowly starting to grab at a solid. If he can appear annoying but still normal Link, then they will hate him. Or just not love him anymore. Teba sighs, breaking the growing silence. “I would like to kiss you though.” He grumbles and Harth gives him a sharp elbow to the ribs making him shut up. “Rude.” He hisses. “Link said he wanted to wait! Respect is the first thing that comes to love and plus, you still have Saki to deal with! If she finds out, she'll freak!” Teba seems to make sense of what is spoken to him and he rubs the back of his neck, annoyed. It is as clear as the daylight that is not yet showing it’s face, that he still wants to. Link ponders this. Should he just kiss them both to get it over with and do it sloppily, or kiss them normally but wipe his mouth off rudely or not kiss them at all? He then let’s his thoughts drift to Revali and he instantly wonders what it would be like to kiss him. Mayhap he should have practice before trying it out on him? He freezes then. Why was he thinking that? He interrupts his own thoughts this time and gives off the appearance of being nervous and glances shyly towards Harth. “Actually,” he whispers. “We c-could try it.” Harths usually subtle green eyes light up with a figurative firework and he clenches his hands into fists to control himself. “You WANT to?” he asks, incredulously and when Link agrees Teba pulls him forward into his chest. Stifling the urge to gasp, Link sits up awkwardly and blinks at who holds him captive seeing the lust glistening in his yellow eyes. In Links, a nervous glitter dusts the blue and his cheeks grow hot with shame. He might be betraying someone in this moment, although he doesn't know who. He jerks with surprise as someone suddenly cradles him from behind but less possessively and he immediately recognizes the color of Harth as he uses his wings to stroke over Links bare arms. Teba watches him before lifting Links chin. “Someday you will be mine.” He growls and the small hylian forces a smile as he goes on. “One day you will be living in my room and you’ll be the mother to Tulin and Saki will be replaced forever. I will be able to kiss you whenever I want and wherever until you’re begging me to stop.”Link shakes his head.“Not if you can’t catch me.” He defiantly tells him. -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-Link awakens shivering in the soft lighting of dawn and he sits up in the hammock, looking frantically around for the black and white rito. He is so sure that what had happened earlier wasn’t a dream but he has to ask to be sure. He really doesn’t want it to be reality because what went down wasn’t so “loving”, so to speak and the only reason it was stopped was because Harth couldn’t take it. Being the gentle kind, he just could not watch the show before him and be okay with it. Link shivers at the idea of the show. Yes they all kissed like he had planned but Teba became a little too passionate and got aroused and his animal instincts took over. He, the alpha and Link the beta. Harth was an omega, he guesses. “Link!” a voice interrupts his thoughts and he looks over the hammock, eyes wide. Teba flies over and lands neatly on the hardwood floor. “How was your night? You tossed and turned like you were in pain and you whimpered too!” He spills. Link squares his shoulders and looks away. “What didja d-do with me l-last night?” he asks, stubbornly, almost unable to meet his gaze. It practically was rape that Teba had done because he had fought until he became over powered. When Link looks back to see the look on the ritos face, he sees confusion. Legitimate confusion. “I stroked your cheek when you cried my name.” He says, nervously. “Did you feel it?”Link didn’t feel it but right in the present he practically can. Soft feathers brushing against his face in a soothing fashion and he suppresses a sigh. “You’re s-sure? Did Harth c-come in here?” he asks. Teba laughs. “Yes I'm sure and no, Harth didn't. Tulin was getting woken up by our chatting so he left and Molli also wanted him. Why?” He replies. Link shrugs but leans forward. “What were you talking about?”Teba gives him another confused look and his face feathers dampen a little, a rito blush. He looks at his feet, fidgeting with his belt. “I told Harth that I was sorry for how I was ignoring him and starting up fights all the time.” He says sheepishly. “We both know something that we both like too much to share but now we are on equal pages and can cope better. The conversation helped.”Link notices that when Teba talks about Harth he is dampening even more and a nervous flick of his eyes tells the hylian all he needs to know. Teba has another crush, this time on someone more suited for him. Link smiles, his worries from before washing away. Now that he thinks about it, when he fought back in his memory/and/or/dream it was like his limbs were paralyzed and he couldn't fight as hard as he could. That’s a dream symptom.He suddenly feels a lot safer than before and he starts to settle back into the hammock when one of the guard ritos runs in, feathers lifted. “There is an unconscious rito in Bah Medoh!” it cries. “And he is badly wounded!”