Not everything returned to normal after that fateful day. Vaati had slayed the resurrected demon king, doing so while madness had come over him, and he became a hero in the eyes of the citizens. Zelda and Link never mentioned to anyone else who Vaati really was, but at some point in time, everyone figured out Vaati's real identity. But they forgave him. He hadn't tried any attempts at the throne (at least to their knowledge), and he had saved the city as well as the princess and hero. In their mind, Vaati had redeemed himself from his past, and became a hero in his own right. The citizens celebrated his victory, but only once was he seen at these celebrations, and even then it was when he was forced to do so.
As said before, not everything returned to normal. Vaati was able to freely walk around in his own identity, but not once has someone seen him leave his house since the day. Not even a word has he spoken to anyone outside of his house. While the people were worried for their savior, they felt it wasn't in their place to pry. They knew something happened, but it wasn't in their place to ask, since it took such a hard toll on Vaati. They didn't even ask their princess, who started to check in on him after a week of his complete silence.
Tonight was just like any other night in the fair land of Hyrule. Not a demon was in sight after the great Vaati saved the land. The night sky glowed ever so beautifully with twinkling stars and a radiant full moon. Almost everyone was snuggled in peacefully in their bed, sound asleep. But like most stories, there is always that one who is troubled ever so as they slumber. In the heart of castle town, there lay a man inside a house too vast for one man, dreaming over and over again of one moment.
His pained groans and an occasional yell echoed throughout the halls of his larger home, but alas, he had no one to sooth his slumber but himself. He tossed and turned in his bed, rustling and wrinkling his previously made bed, a sheen layer of sheet covering him. His ruby red eyes shot open, and after a moment, he slowly sat up, his face holding a blank stare. Over and over he had this dream, and he could not rid it of his head, even after he awoke. He slowly brought his knees up to his chest, and placed his head on them so his faced was not shown. Ever so quietly, he sobbed to himself, drawing his arms around his knees tighter, trying to will the tears away, but to no avail. They just kept falling down his face.
He kept crying until the tears ceased, and he fell over, completely exhausted and tired. Tired of having these nightmares endlessly. Tired of being alone. Tired of this life without a certain someone at his side. He turned to his side, but didn't try sleeping, fearing the nightmare would return. He didn't even move when he heard his door open gently.
"Vaati, are you awake?" The voice of the princess of Hyrule echoed in the large room. Not like she was expecting a response, though. She never got a response from Vaati anymore, and if he didn't want to talk, she didn't push it. While she has never experienced the loss of someone close to her, she understood his pain, and let him take it out his way, as long as it wasn't a danger to himself. Silence, like she expected, was her answer, and she approached his bedside.
"Still having the nightmares?" Zelda asked gently when she saw his eyes open, still holding the blank stare. Slowly, he nodded, and he drew the blankets closer to him. Zelda pressed her lips into a frown. She had started to care for Vaati shortly after his act of heroism, realizing he wasn't all that evil. Zelda would even go as far to call him a friend, but she didn't expect the same out of him, at least not right now. She sighed, disappointed in the answer but expecting it anyways. Everyday she asked the question to get the exact same answer.
"Do you want to go out today? It is a beautiful day," Zelda asks. Once again, she knew the answer, having the same one every time she asked. Vaati shook his head no. He buried himself deeper in his blankets. Vaati would never admit it, but he felt ashamed of himself. He would never allow himself to feel so depressed had he been in his right mind, but currently, he wasn't. Even if he did want to go outside, his body didn't. There are times where he is so close to saying yes, but the thought of even leaving the house and seeing the area where he lost him, he felt nauseous, and said no.
Zelda took a seat at the chair she started to leave at his bedside, and asked him yet another question she knew the answer to, "Can I get you anything? Water? Food? More blankets?" Vaati, like she expected, shook his head no. To finish her daily routine of asking questions to meet with the same no, she asked, "Do you want me to stay with you today?" Zelda knew the question was in vain, but if she could do anything at all for Vaati, she would do it. She expected, like every other time and question she asked, a small shake of the head no. But to her surprise, that was not what she was meet with.
"Could you stay…?" Vaati asked. It was so quiet Zelda barely heard it. She sat there in shock at actually hearing his voice, as well as an unexpected answer, but she quickly recomposed herself.
"Of course I can. Why don't you tell me when you want to be alone, then?" Zelda said, and he shook his head yes. Vaati would never on his grave allow her to know this, but Vaati too thought of Zelda as a friend, and he cared for her as she did him. While she was no replacement for him, she was still welcome company, and he truly did appreciate her efforts day in and day out. He took miniscule comfort in her presence when she visited once in the morning and once at nightfall. But it was still comfort, and he clutched to it. Besides this, he hasn't felt much of anything besides depression since that fateful day.
"Are you sure I can't get you anything?" Zelda asked once again, hoping that since his answer was different for the last question this time, so to would it be for the other. To her surprise once again, he spoke, "Warmth…"
"Warmth? Do you mean more blankets?" she asked, not quite getting what he means. He shook his head no and quietly replied, "No…" She looked at him in confusion, but he didn't see it since his back was facing her.
"What do you mean?" Zelda asked, hoping he would continue talking to her.
"My being...my soul...is frozen. I'm so cold…" Vaati says, and Zelda understood.
"Give it time, and I am sure you will thaw, Vaati. I understand your loss, and I will do my best to help you through it," Zelda responds, and she smiles at him even though he can't see it.
"Thank you," he says, a little louder this time. She stays quiet, not quite sure what to say, but finding that she didn't need to say anything. She sat quietly for a little bit, not caring that she didn't have anything to do. If her being her helped Vaati even a little bit, then she would do it for him. She sat there for hours quietly, only making a noise when she shifted to a more comfortable position. It was well into the day when she heard Vaati speak again.
"Could you come outside with me?" Zelda was shocked at the request, considering he has always said no to her invitation. Nevertheless though, she said, "Of course I can. Where do you want to go?" she asked. At her acceptance, Vaati slowly sat up and weakly threw the blankets off of him.
"I don't care," he replies. To be honest, he didn't even want to get out from under the beds. But after consideration, he thought it wasn't fair to ask Zelda to stay with him, sitting in the same spot for hours doing nothing just for his sake. He would push away his discomfort for today at the thought of going outside. However, Zelda knew of his fear of seeing that certain area. She would never bring him there.
"How about we take a walk through the woods?" she offered, to which he nodded his head yes. She walked side by side with him as they exited, and lead him around the house so he wouldn't have to go through the town square. Vaati secretly was incredibly grateful she proposed the woods, and was just flat out relieved she took the back way around instead of cutting through. He stayed quiet, and squinted his eyes when they were met with the harsh sun, not seeing any of it in weeks beside through his balcony door. And even then, he was facing away from it, towards the wall.
Once they were at the start of the forest track, she once again stood at his side as they walked in silence, finding that no words were needed right now. Zelda was able to see he was still a little skittish about being out from under his sheets and blankets, and she didn't want to startle him. They walked for a while, just taking in the beautiful scenery that was the Hyrulian woods. Every once in awhile they would happen across a woodland creature, and to Zelda's surprise, each one approached them, well, more specifically Vaati. It was as if even the animals were trying to cheer him up, and Zelda smiled at the thought. Vaati did not look too surprised though, and almost took a face as if this was a very normal occurrence, which confused her a little bit.
"I'm a Minish, that is why they approach me," Vaati said suddenly, and Zelda took a moment to realize that he said something, and another to register it.
"A Minish? One of those tiny creatures only children see?" she asked. He nodded yes, and glanced at her.
"You seemed confused about all the animals. I thought I would help with that," he said, and continued onwards. Zelda continued with him, a little satisfied that she knew just a bit more about the mysterious man. She would have never in her entire life thought that the previously infamous sorcerer was once a Minish, a creature that thrived on helping human beings. The thought would have been funny if she was told when she still thought he was evil. She would have mocked him for it, in fact. But she was a little different now, and she would never do that to her new friend. Once again, quietness took place, but it was a sort of peaceful quietness, not at all awkward.
Out of the corner of her eye, suddenly, she saw movement. Vaati must have seen it too, for he stopped right in his tracks, and turned to face the place the movement was. They both let out a breath they didn't know they were holding when they saw a bird fly out from a nearby bush. Like all the other animals, this one too approached Vaati, and he held an arm out for it so it could land. Once it did, Zelda couldn't help but admire the beauty of this creature. While just looking at it briefly, it was just a simple white bird. But with a careful look, she could really see the beauty this bird held. Its feathers glistened with the whole rainbow faintly, and she could faintly make out spots of black here and there.
"Hey there, little one. Would you care to accompany us?" Vaati asked it in a gentle tone, one she has never heard from the man. The bird chirped happily, and Vaati, for the first time she has ever saw, smiled gently and genuinely. She could tell that Vaati had an affinity towards this creature, but she wasn't sure why. They once again continued with their stroll, the bird of beauty taking its place on Vaati's shoulder. Zelda couldn't help with her curiosity, and asked, "Do you like birds?" Vaati looked over at her, and replied, "I like anything animal that can fly, truthfully. As their place is in the sky, so is mine." Zelda was a little surprised at his answer. It seems this day is just full of surprises for Zelda. She didn't expect the answer, but she was happy she asked. She liked learning about her friend, as she currently knew little about his true self.
Suddenly, Vaati stopped walking. It took Zelda a short moment to realize she didn't have Vaati at her side, and she stopped and looked back. He was looking to the right, and seemed focused on something.
"Is something wrong? Did you see something?" Zelda asked, walking back to Vaati. He stood silent for a moment before he responded, "...No. It was just my imagination." He turned away from the scenery from his his gaze was at, and faced Zelda. The bird chirped its concern, and Vaati smiled at it gently and gently stroked the bird to let it know he was alright. Zelda smiled at the scene, forgetting what just happened. Vaati continued onwards once again, as did Zelda. However, he couldn't get it out of his head.
'I could have sworn I saw a flash of white...Must have been my imagination.'
