Author's note:
Hello to you, the reader! This if the first fanfiction I've written in ages, so please excuse it if it's not that great. If you take the time to read it, I will be eternally grateful! Any constructive/polite criticism is welcome. Thanks and have a lovely day. :-)
Chapter 1 - An Unexpected Visitor
The Hylian hero way ventured his way across shrines, discovering new lands along the way.
He had a noble cause, and he had reawakened after 100 years to finally embark on this cause - to defeat Calamity Ganon.
It was a sunny and windy day in the Kingdom of Hyrule.
He scurried through the rolling hills of Lanayru Province, the wind gliding through his long, blonde hair. Determined, blue eyes raced forward on a sunny day.
Hours later, he glanced up at the darkening clouds in the sky. It was 10 PM.
'It's going to rain… I need to find an inn.'
—
Two hours later, the hero finally reached Kakariko village.
This happens to be the place where he had been sent to reach Impa, who has information regarding his heroic agenda.
By the time he had reached the village, there was still heavy downpour and it was nearly midnight. He did not have a place to stay, and had to find shelter to warm up and rest.
He approached the village, exhausted by the long trek across miles and miles and cold. His clothes were wet, and the temperature had already dropped rapidly, putting him at risk of catching hypothermia. He needed to find a warm place, and fast.
He hastily made his way down a grassy slope leading into the village. He observed the surroundings despite the dark, cloudy complexion of the weather. The village was beautiful - sleek, wooden houses painted in a fresh coat of bright red paint, narrow, curvature rooftops and robust trees all around.
In the distance, he saw a large, wooden house looming over all the others. It was spilling light, indicating someone was still awake.
'Could that be an inn?'
He made his way towards the inn-like house and ascended the steps. He stopped before the door and knocked somewhat hesitantly.
A moment passed by. Silence.
...
…
"…Come in!", a frail, soft and elderly voice chimed from inside.
Link blinked in startle. 'I guess that's my cue…'
He gently pushed open the wooden door and peeked inside. In the center of the room stood an elderly woman sitting upright in a meditation position. She observed Link closely and nodded. She radiated a power of authority.
"It is you… Link. I have been expecting your arrival. Please, come closer so we can speak."
Link nodded and approached the old lady. Age had reduced her height. She was very small, but robust.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Impa, chief of the Sheikah tribe. Your arrival here has been planned. I am here to tell you what you must do."
Link nodded attentively.
"One important duty of yours is to claim back the Divine Beasts… they have fallen under the control of Calamity Ganon and continue to spread havoc. They must be stopped, and you are the only one who can do this."
Link nodded. Being a hero certainly is a hefty profession.
"This may seem like a daunting responsibility, and it is… but we will help you. I, as well as many others, will guide you in conquering these evil forces."
Link nodded again.
Impa sighed.
"I would explain more… however, I can see how you are tired from your journey. Your clothes are also wet… You must rest. We will talk more about this tomorrow."
Link smiled and heaved a sigh of relief.
"Our village has an inn. However, I understand you are new here and might need a guide. My granddaughter, Paya, may be willing to guide you to the inn. If you're interested, please talk to her. She is upstairs, most likely still awake."
Link blinked, curiosity striking him. 'Paya…'
Impa smiled. "Go on, hero. Rest. You will hear more from this old lady tomorrow…"
Link smiled again and nodded, bowing to Impa before ascending stairs on the right of where she sat.
"…and I cleaned the shrine today…-oh!"
A young girl turned around in surprise as wooden floorboards creaking towards her caught her attention. She landed her attention on Link.
"Oh. W-who are you?" she asked bashfully, cheeks lighting up on her pale face. She had long, full white hair reaching her back with two locks of hair bundled up into buns and tied to the side with velvety, red ribbons. Sheikah art was branded onto her face. Her eyes were a deep, oak brown that glittered with confusion and excitement. She wore traditional Kakariko garb, making for a rather elegant and oriental appearance. Her top was a silky, white dress shirt that jutted out with a soft, fluffy frame, embroidered with beautiful silk ribbons. She wore a simple pants and comfortable pair of wool boots.
She was sitting at a small wooden desk situated in front of her bed. She stood up and approached Link.
Link's heart skipped upon taking a look at her ridiculously cute features, especially her almond-shaped eyes, doll-like lips, and soft, rosy cheeks. He nearly sunk into her gaze.
'She's really cute…'
Paya blushed. "I… I know who you are. Y-you're Link. My grandmother told me all about you… how you're the champion of Hyrule, and how are you going to defeat Calamity Ganon."
Link nodded. "That's me."
"Anyway, it's rather late, and your clothes are soaked! What are you going to do?"
He scratched his head. "Well… Impa told me that you would be kind enough to walk me to an inn."
"Oh! S-sure… But the inn is fully booked right now… a lot of travelers have been flooding into Kakariko village lately…"
'Wonderful.'
Link sighed. "Hmm… is that so? Well, I guess I don't have a choice. I'll keep looking for a pl-"
"W-wait! Perhaps you can… can stay with us," Paya suggested, blushing.
Link smiled at the kind gesture. "Thank you, but I don't want to intrude—"
"But you're not!" she immediately interjected, stubborn yet passionately.
The blonde Hylian chuckled at her giddy response. "Thank you so much, Paya. I owe you."
She shook her head. "D-don't mention it. Anyway, you can sleep on that extra bed over there. Impa usually sleeps on more traditional Kakariko wooden mattress… she is not a fan of these modern beds."
He glanced over at the empty, neat bed. His tired body almost seemed to gravitate towards it. He couldn't wait to throw himself into the comfort and sink into it.
"If you don't mind… I'll try not to disturb you," Link assured.
Paya smiled, blushing lightly. "I-I know, don't worry… Impa and I want to help you. It's our job."
The hero smiled. "I'm grateful for your help."
Link made his way to the bed and sat down, his body almost immediately reclining into the cushiony comfort. He heaved a sigh of relief.
'That's much better.'
His mind was overwhelmed from the sheer amount of work he had to do. Free the Divine Beasts, defeat Calamity Ganon, collect lost memories, discover shrines, and the shenanigans of the people in the villages he would encounter. He hadn't slept in a proper bed in days, and his exhaustion really proved it.
He began to undress, sliding off his soaked armor and top, then tossed it on the ground.
"M-Master Link! You must not undress here, it is disrespectful!" she exclaimed while covering her reddening face with her hands.
Link turned bright red, having completely forgotten about the presence of the young Sheikah maiden, within the same room. He covered his chest by crossing his arms. "I-I'm so sorry, I forgot! Please forgive me, I didn't mean to…"
Paya kept her hands over her face for a moment, then peeked through at Link by opening two of her fingers. She giggled.
"It's okay… I know you're very tired from your travels."
Link chuckled. "That I indeed am…"
Paya cleared her throat. "Anyway, I understand you must undress to sleep. I will fetch you some sleepwear… And you may undress and change while I'm facing the other direction."
The Hylian male nodded. "Okay."
The bashful Sheikah maiden made her way to a wooden dresser and opened it. She took out a long, dark purple robe with intricate Sheikah patterns on it. She made her way over to Link and handed him the neatly-folded robe and smiled. "Here, change into this. It's a comfortable Sheikah robe that is suitable for sleep."
Link took the robe and looked up at Paya, immediately catching her beautiful brown eyes. He continued staring into her eyes, eventually finding himself unable to look away.
Paya blushed, noticing Link's unwavering gaze. "A-anyway… I'm going back to my side of the room."
Link nodded, still looking deeply into her eyes, smiling.
Paya's cheeks reddened even more. She hastily turned around and scurried off to the other side of the room, and sat down at her tiny wooden desk.
"I am not looking - you may change now!"
Link chuckled. He stood up and stretched, then proceeded to undress. He slid out of his soaked trousers and undergarments and tossed them next to his top. He slid into the Sheikah robe, the comfortable, loose cloth resting on his body. It was indeed very comfortable.
He smiled. "I've changed, so you don't need to stay turned around anymore."
Paya peeked her head around, noticing that he was wearing the robe. She shifted herself 90 degrees and looked at Link. His golden, messy hair framed his entire face. It was messy and frizzy from weather and rain, and it clung to the skin on his neck. His pale skin looked milky smooth, and his golden locks against it… it was an entrancing sight for Paya.
She shook her head bashfully and covered her face again. 'What am I thinking, Paya!? You mustn't start liking this young man!'
Link looked over at Paya and smiled. "You and Impa are generous to help me. Thank you for letting me stay here. I'm exhausted, so I think I'll sleep now."
The Hylian male flipped open the blanket on the bed and climbed in, resting his head onto his pillow.
Paya turned around, having watched the tired hero climb into bed. She smiled. "Good night, Master Link. Sleep well."
The young Sheikah girl tried to sleep that night, but couldn't. She still couldn't process the sudden arrival of the Hero of Legends — She was in shock. Her heart raced, and her mind was dizzy.
'Why… do I feel this way? What is this strange feeling..?'
…
'I think I'm sick. I'll ask Impa for medicine tomorrow.'