Author's Note: Yeah meant to have this up awhile ago... in my defense I was at a cabin without wifi last week. Enjoy Azaria.
Muntantur Cordibus Vestris (Changing Hearts)
"Trust is the first step to love." - Munshi Premchand
(Alternatively: Tales Told by Food)
Azaria gingerly bites the apple that Zelda forces into her empty palms. The sweetness bursts in her mouth, the juice dribbling and sticky against her chin. Small teeth lodge into the yellow flesh, apple piece giving way to her tongue. The child startles when a soft cloth brushes against the corner of her mouth, absorbing the juice flowing from the crease between her heart mouth.
Zelda laughs quietly to herself at the expression she receives. Small, pointed ears twitch at the harmonic sound, notes lingering and intertwining with the song of the wind chimes swaying outside Impa's house. Children teeth grind the soft pulp, muscles following its trail down the throat. Her gemstone eyes trail the head of Zelda's white mount as it stretches upward toward the arms of one of the apple tree. A red jewel is plucked from the fingers, blond mane swaying as the head drops suddenly. Zelda turns to the child, legs unfurling from their curled up position, and a hand reaches out to brush a strand of black hair away. The hand flinches back when the girl's head swirls away, small teeth bared slightly between pulled back lips. The small Cupid bow purses back together and her eyes slide away.
"It's alright Azaria," The princess reassured. The blond sits on her hands, removing the threat. "Beautiful day?"
The dark-haired child doesn't respond past a noncommitted shrug, eyes adverting to the sides as she feels the green gaze upon her, body twisting to the side away from the woman invading her space.
"Link and I have small errands to run. Impa says that you can entertain yourself amongst the town, just don't mess with the farmers' crops. Unless... would you like to come with us?"
Zelda's lips tip slightly into a rueful smile when the child focuses her attention onto the horse, fixated on the way the creature sways as it grazes amongst the grass. The priestess' chest falls with a muted sigh as she stands, fixing the sash that connects a simple Gerudo scimitar to her waist, as Link approaches with pack laden with materials newly acquired from the shops. His blue eyes clash with his princess' and nods a greeting.
"Already leaving?" Zelda's voice pitches at the notion as hands nervously fiddle with the handle of her small blade. "You will be alright? We'll be back before dusk, but-"
Azaria's black hair flows with her nods, rolling over her petite shoulders as her green eyes remained focused on the form of the skeletal apple, reduced to only to the core. Her body perks at the small clatter, eyes twisting toward the sound as a small wooden bowl is placed beside her.
"I- I wasn't sure what you'd prefer, but these rice balls will tide you over for a midday meal. We've left some baked apples in this cloth if you get peckish, alright?" The woman's face purses with anxiety, her hand lashes out to grip her knight's sleeve as she directs him a few paces away. "I'm not sure this is a good idea. What if something happens?"
Link raises one brow, unamused and weary of the continuous insecurities. His own blue orbs flash to the child who ran small fingers along the rim of the wooden bowl and leveled the blond before him with a look. Zelda huffs indignantly and crosses her arms over her chest.
"Don't give me that look. What if- what if she leaves?"
Link breathes deeply, eyes closing in thought and patience as his head shakes solemnly. A darkness swirls in his eyes as the blink open, mouth set into a firm line as he lifts his chin.
"No, I won't just let her leave. She's a little girl, and there are still bokoblins and maublins, all sorts of nastiness roaming around. I-"
"It's not your choice Zelda."
The woman silences at the words, mouth quivering and brow furrowed. Her lips part to parry.
"Her feelings matter as well." The knight places a hand on her shoulder, gently squeezes his reassurance. His head nods towards the village exit.
When they return, the bowl still holds two full rice balls. However the third had been nibbled through, the top hump grazed down in a line and only one of the apples glowed in the late day sun. When the princess casts her glance around, Azaria meets Zelda's eyes from her position on Impa's porch before bowing her head slightly in greeting.
…
Zelda watches the stew boil as she unclogs another milk bottle. A tenor gurgle sounds as it is added to the pot and a wooden spoon stirs the liquid to prevent burning. Her nostrils flare and she pokes a piece of radish buoying along the creamy surface. Lips stretch in satisfaction and eager hands ladle the soup into two bowls.
Link watches her as she eagerly stands and climbs to the platform where the timid child sits with her head pillowed by her arms. He smiles to himself when Zelda starts to ramble nervously, relaying an admission that she herself didn't qualify as a chef when the girl looks at her questionably. Azaria grasps the bowl at Zelda's flushed monologue and gives a toothy smile to ease the princess' furrowed brow and biting lip.
The woman mellows into a soft face as she sits on one of the wooden chairs, her own spoon falling into her dish. Her lips move with unheard words and quirk into a smile when Azaria's face scrunches in humor as her shoulders shake in quiet mirth.
The knight joins them, rolling his eyes at Zelda's biased story, as the trio enjoys the radish stew.
…
Gemstone eyes blink blearily, evasive of the morning sun and manage to filter through the inn. Azaria yawns and burrows into the soft bedding as her body accumulates energy, muscles tensing in a morning stretch before rising into a sitting position. With a heavy blink to clear her vision, the raven-haired child twists to look for the two adults, having grown accustomed to the woman waking her with a smile and a rambling about an old story or a piece of vegetation and its accompanying properties.
Her brow knits deeply when the two beds in their walled-off section are empty. Link's blankets are hastily pulled into a semblance of neatness and Zelda's spare blanket folded neatly at the foot of her bed. Small feet pad against the wooden floor as Azaria glances out from behind the privacy barriers, green eyes searching.
The grayed Shika notices her wandering eyes from her counter.
"They left a while ago, Impa asked them to go to Hateno for her. They said they'd be back around late day."
Azaria nods and paddles across the wooden paneling in bare feet. She searches the room, around the duo's beds for a tied cloth or a small dish. Her lips dip into a frown when she discovers the room barren.
The apple trees prove gargantuan, the bark slick and her hands clumsy. She huffs in aggravation as she lands on the ground. A cupid bow twists as the stomach grumbles in discontent.
Zelda and Link return with a high sun causing a sheen of perspiration across the brow. Link pulls his collar down, tempted to shoot an ice arrow to relieve the rising heat. Their two horses labor through the pathways, sides expanding with deep breaths and tails flicker to swat at the flies buzzing their flanks.
"Oy, Sir Link! That girl of yours, you better go get her. No one can get her to eat or drink anything, it's been hours. The lady's granddaughter is with her by the statue."
Zelda blinks at the clerk, the woman's name vague in her mind, but flickers her gaze to her knight before unmounting from her horse. A gentle pat steadies the neck muscles when a villager offers to take the duo's horses. Soft thuds follow hurrying feet as two legends whirl around the bend.
Link relieves Paya from her sentinel, giving her a comforting pat on the shoulder at her stuttered apologies as she anxiously admits any offered food was vehemently refused. The young woman's hands wave with her mumbled words as the knight subtly pushes her back towards Impa's porch, the old woman's voice calling both forward.
"Did you forget to leave her food?" The elder asks from her cushion as Paya scurries off to fetch her grandmother a cup of tea. Impa doesn't wait for a response and lifts a bony finger to motion to the two females. "Stubborn as a bull that one is," Impa notes as she is handed her tea. "Skittish as a horse as well. Help me up boy, I want to see this girl."
Zelda sighs as she brushes a piece of dark hair from the child's face and tucks it behind the shell of the ear. Gemstone eyes blink open from their lidded drowsiness and the girl's head shakes when one of the store clerks offer her a platter of roasted mushrooms. The princess' brows knit anxiously.
"Come on Azaria…"
"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink," Impa states as she grips Link's arm to keep balance. "It is better to trust the eyes rather than your ears, girl."
"Going a summer day such as today, and refusing to drink," Zelda scolds as she unties her water flask from her waist. "This is very daft of you Azaria. Drink this."
The girl shrinks between her shoulders at the priestess' scolding and brings the canteen to her mouth. The water is unpleasantly warm, uncomfortable as it slides down her throat even as it soothes the acidic burn. Her eyes slide over to Link when he pulls a few roasted chickaloo nuts out from a cloth bag and places them gently into the girl's hand.
"You can't do this again. We shouldn't have forgotten, but you can't just refuse nutrients. Goddess forbid you faint or-" Zelda quiets as Link places a hand on her shoulder. "Link, let's get her inside with a heat elixir. You, little miss, better drink all of it too. I don't care how bitter it tastes. Go with Link," The princess orders as she stands, pulling the child up by the armpits to her feet.
Impa's lips perk into a knowing smile when the blond woman heaves a sigh and pushes her locks into a crest with twitchy fingers. Her knobby knuckles tighten around her walking cane as her back hunches with her body weight.
"You seem irked, Princess."
Impa snickers when Zelda casts her a muted glare, face scrunched slightly in distaste at her companion's amusement at her adversity. The aged woman releases a final chuckle and bumps the princess in the ankle with her wooden staff.
"Prey animal, Princess," Impa reminds. " Prey mistrust before they trust. She barely nibbled the first meal you gave her, and you forced the water out of her lungs. Don't be disheartened, Princess Zelda."
"Lady Impa-" Zelda starts as her hand is given a soft pat as the elder turns around to hobble back into her house.
…
Link wakes to a harsh rustle of blankets. His body immediately flips toward the noise, blue eyes locking on the small figure gently kissing the flooring with bare feet as she stiffens at her noise, gaze fixating on Zelda anxiously. When the woman continues to sleep as if dead, the child rolls off the balls of her feet into a standing position. Azaria pauses by his lady's bed, eyes glancing away in guilt, before shuffling out of their enclosed area. Link waits in his bed and waits to hear the muted thud of the wooden door before pushing out of bed himself.
He is caught as she passes the Goddess' statue, the girl turning with a vicious scowl and what appeared to Link as glowing green eyes. His own flicker to the firelight, noticing its reflecting glow in the water and shrugs off his thoughts. He approaches slowly and motions with his empty hands at the girl. Silently, he settles by the dying embers of the fire, arms crossed at his chest. Azaria eyes him carefully, fingers rubbing the wrapping of the rope burns encircling her two wrists.
"Can't sleep?"
The child nods, mouth pursed together, fingers picking at the knots at her wrists. Her black brow furrows when the man just gives a knowledgeable nod and walks off, settling by the cooking pot outside the foods store. Azaria settles by the dying embers of the fire, taking entertainment in their orange illumination and their slight heat as a night wind chills her sweat-slicked torso, chest inhaling calming breaths. Small digits find their way back to the protective bindings, peeling at the knotted cloth with bored fingers.
Her green eyes blink with a haze of confusion as a cup is forced under her nose. The warmth fans across her face and her hands move to gingerly grasp the mug, fingers enclosing the cup of warm milk. Her nostrils flare for a moment, taking in the old scent, before her lips part. A comfortable sensation as it settles in the stomach. A heavy breath releases into the air and a thankful smile crosses her face before a yawn splits the lips apart. Green irises hide behind droopy eyelashes as the cup is slowly drained of the sweet milk. Azaria drowsy body complies when she is clumsily drawn to her feet and led back to the Shuteye Inn.
Zelda watches, eyes crusted with sleep delirium, as the child drops into the bed. Azaria rolls lazily as Link pulls the blanket out from beneath her to drape it over her form. They wait for the ribs to settle in steady breathing.
"Everything alright?"
Link nods as the dirty mug is dropped onto the bedside table. He slumps back into his bed, taken by sleep.
Next time: Mist learns to fly
