a/n; Y'all's comments are always so lovely. Thank you so much! I appreciate them always. There's some suggestive content and sexual innuendos in this one, just as a minor warning. Happy reading!
x. In which Zelda sees a dragon, meets a Great Fairy, and Link learns the meaning to a song
Zelda falls asleep.
Link watches as it happens. She reads for a straight half-hour before her blinks start to last longer and longer. She catches herself a few times, her head jerking up when it begins to droop. It's not long after that when the clutches of sleep become too much for her. Her eyes close for longer, her head falls to the side, and her hands become lax against the Slate.
Her head lands gently on his shoulder. A lock of hair falls out of her ear and across her face, and Link takes it upon himself to move it back. A sweet sigh escapes her when he touches her, and Link supposes he would let her use his shoulder for as long as she'd want him to.
She wakes up when the rain begins to taper off. It's nearing eleven, and the moon is breaking through the clouds. He feels her stiffen for a moment, before she relaxes again. She sits up, rubbing her eyes.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Link, I didn't mean to use you. You should have told me to move," she says, smiling sleepily.
He smiles back. "I didn't mind," he says. "You looked comfortable."
She stretches out her arms. "Mm, I was. What time is it?"
"It's nearing eleven," he says. "The rain is stopping, too. I think it'll be perfect timing to sit near the cliff and keep watch."
"Perfect," she says. She reaches over the side of the bed to her pack, grabbing a brush. She begins detangling her hair, and then sets about weaving her hair into a braid. It's become one of her nightly rituals before they go to bed. It's odd how hypnotic the motion is. "I'm ready to go when you are."
They set out a few minutes later, walking the short distance to the cliff's edge beside the Tabantha Great Bridge. Link makes a small fire for them while they wait.
"Did you know that you can use the shards from the dragons in crafting?" Link asks her as they settle in.
"No, I didn't realize that," Zelda says. "What kind of crafting?" She thinks a moment. "And how in the world do you get the shards?"
"They're mainly for upgrading armor, like the star fragments I mentioned before," he says. "You get them from shooting arrows at the part of the dragon you want the shard from. Don't worry," he adds. "It doesn't hurt them."
"Wow," she says. "How do you shoot…" she trails. "I'm not sure I should ask."
"I can show you," he says, grinning at the thought. "Dinraal's flames create a lot of updrafts. I use them to get close, and then aim and shoot. I have to wear the flamebreaker armor, too, or the proximity causes you to catch on fire."
"Have you caught on fire before?"
"Once…or twice."
"Oh, Link," she says, shaking her head. Then she looks thoughtful for a moment. "Well, if you need a shard, then I'd suggest you get one tonight since we're close to one of the Great Fairies," she says.
Link muffles a groan. "You're right. I do need a piece of Dinraal's horn…" he trails. "Then I guess you'll get to see how it's done."
"You better not miss," she says.
"When do I ever?"
At midnight on the dot, Dinraal is seen coming over the mountain ridge and swooping down like a fiery snake into the line of the canyon. Zelda sharply inhales.
"Oh! He's here!" She takes the Slate and zooms in. She sees the pulses of fire that come off him in bright, bursting clouds. She sees the glowing of his fangs and the sharp turns of his horns. He is a ribbon of orange and red, a firestorm in the night. Zelda sighs. While she's distracted, Link changes into his armor.
"Beautiful," she says.
"He is," Link says behind her. "I wish we could ride them."
Zelda laughs. "Of course, you'd want to ride a dragon."
"You've got to admit, it would be fun."
"I'm sure it would be, albeit very dangerous." She looks back to him. "Oh. You changed…very quickly."
"I have a lot of practice," he says.
Dinraal is fast approaching, now. Link settles a few yards away from the edge of the cliff. Once he can feel the heat exuding off of Dinraal on his cheeks, Link says, "Be right back."
He sprints and jumps into the gaping cavity of the canyon. He flies up with the paraglider, so close to Dinraal that he can clearly make out all of the details, from the pink streaks of his underbelly, and the molten lining of his scales around his jaw and neck. He reminds him of the rock faces in Death Mountain, his horns radiant and shining like jagged points submerged in lava. Link feels the hum of his power—the energy almost orchestral as it passes into Link's bones.
Link is very small next to the monstrous width of the dragon. Once he's in position, his paraglider disappears, and he whips out his bow. When he releases the arrow, it strikes true on one of Dinraal's glowing horns. The shard gleams like a spotlight, falling away in an arch into the canyon below. It lands on a projecting ledge, approximately midway down the rock face. Link redirects himself and gently glides down towards it.
The night chill reappears against his skin once he's too far out of range to share Dinraal's warmth. Link appears minutes later, climbing over the edge of the cliff. He smiles when he sees her, pulling out the shard to show her.
"See?" he tells her, placing the small shard in her hand. It remains heated and lustrous, shining like a firefly, and the veins of orange in the black horn are dominant and striking.
"It's still warm," she says, her voice lilted in awe.
Link nods. "It stays warm. At least, no shard has ever cooled in my possession. Part of the soul lingers, I think."
Zelda admires it for a minute more before handing it back to Link. He stows it in his pack, and takes off his firebreaker helmet.
"I know you're somewhat rested from your nap earlier," Link says. "We could practice more archery within distance of the stable, or we can go inside and wait until dawn. There's also a shrine that we can explore. Your choice."
Zelda ends up deciding on reading Robbie's Journal inside the inn. "I think I'll be able to read more than a few pages without falling asleep again," she says blithely. Link takes up his roost beside her, once more, and he feels slightly more comfortable. Being in bed with a lady is improper if you're not married or, in less severe circumstances, courting. It's a value that he's sure has been ingrained into him since birth. But since Zelda doesn't mind in the least, Link allows himself to attempt not to care, either.
Besides, he thinks. Sharing her warmth is divine. It's so divine, in fact, that Link permits his eyes to close. Earlier, he was concerned with staying alert and being too alert. Now, he's letting himself enjoy their quiet company. Zelda hums the occasional noise of deliberation or mumbles an "interesting" every now and again. He didn't believe that he was tired from keeping watch—he's certainly stayed awake much longer—but when he closes his eyes, he keeps them closed, and he eventually he lets his guard down enough to doze.
He wakes what feels like a minute later to the distant, musical tones of his name. He jerks his eyes open to see Zelda's face in front of his, her hand on his shoulder. Her eyes are a shimmering teal, and she's smiling at him. He forgets where they are.
"Zelda," he says.
"You were sleeping so deeply, I had to shake you and say your name."
"Must've been too comfortable," he says, voice gravelly. He rubs the sleep from his eyes.
"Mm, now you know how I felt," she says, glancing over him. She has a peculiar look on her face.
"What?" he asks.
"Nothing," she says, quickly shaking her head. "It's just I haven't seen you so peaceful since…you know, before. I've forgotten what it looks like."
"I'm sure you'll get used to it. "
"I'd like to," she says. Then she glances away and ducks her head. "Well, now that you're awake, I'm ready to head out whenever you are."
They go to the Shae Loya shrine just off of the stables, first. It turns out to be a mix of exploring and dynamic archery practice all in one.
Like the last shrine they visited, there's a rising platform that pushes them into the air. This time, however, it's so they can aim at a crystal with a bow and arrow.
"Are you up to try it?" Link asks her, tone amused. Her face already shows the signs of defeat.
"Link," she emphasizes. "You know I can't even hit a small object without moving, much less flying up into the air."
"Never know until you try," he shrugs. "I didn't take you for a quitter."
She glares at him, scoffing. "Whatever, hero, you know I don't quit. And you're not going to rile me into doing it. I'm going to do it on my own authority." She lifts her head up, haughty and regal. "Which is what I'm about to do right now."
Link holds back a crooked smile. "Okay, Zelda."
He watches as she settles the bow in her hands, glancing at the rising platform with pursed lips. She takes a breath before walking up to it.
"Just concentrate," he tells her. "Don't be discouraged."
"Hm," is all she says. She's probably thinking it's easier said than done, he thinks. She gets on the platform when it lowers, then pulls back the arrow on her bow before it pushes her up the few feet into the air. When she shoots, it's wide and low, off to the side but in the general direction of the crystal.
"Hey, not bad," Link tells her truthfully. "Especially on your first—"
She stays on the platform, trying again. He doesn't think she's listening to a word he says, with her face puckered in intense concentration. The second arrow is less wide, still a little low. By the fifth time, it's much closer to the crystal, hitting the back wall that's encasing the crystal. And, miraculously, the seventh time she hits it. It changes from orange to blue, chiming with a victorious ping.
Link feels a prideful grin rip across his face.
"Zelda, that was fantastic."
She does a little hop off the platform before it throws her up again, her cheeks rosy from the intensity of her focus. She gives him a smug smirk, her fulsome confidence hitting him like a ton of bricks.
"I'd say it was from the help of your teaching," she says, "but I'd be lying."
"Oh, really? I haven't helped you at all?"
"You've helped, of course," she says, placing the hand that isn't holding the bow on her hip. "But I needed to shock you. That motivated me the most."
"I wouldn't say I'm shocked, because I knew you could do it," Link answers, and before she can reply, he says, "But I am shocked it only took you seven tries."
Her mouth closes, and she dazzles him with a smile.
"Now, if I could only hit that damn apple, I'd feel much better about my abilities."
"Your stubbornness alone will make it fall over, eventually."
They head out a few minutes later, after Zelda gets all of her pictures. They cross the Tabantha Great Bridge and follow the path in between the tall, surrounding cliffs. Link's always liked Tabantha. It holds a strange nostalgia for him, and though he's uncertain as to why, the passageway feels like an open welcoming. He glances to Zelda, and he's not sure he wants to ask why he feels this way.
Instead, he tilts his head to their left. "I can see your resentment from here," he says, light-hearted. Zelda furrows her brows before she glances up to see the shrine. Her face softens.
"Ah, yes, when all I wanted was to be alone," she says. "I was such a teenager back then."
"I think we're still teenagers, Zelda."
"You know what a mean," she says, giving him a look. "I was so petulant and thought only of myself."
"You were painfully unhappy," he says. "I guess I didn't know what else to do besides bring you cake and save you from certain death."
He surprises a laugh out of her. "By all accounts, you chose wisely."
He smiles. "You want to go see the shrine? There's not much to this one, but it's one you haven't seen before."
Zelda agrees readily, and they go around the cliff up the path to the landing.
"It's aptly called a Major Test of Strength, like you were back then," he tells her as they enter. She shoves him, and he chuckles. "There are several like these, but different levels. There are ones that are minor and medium tests of strength, as well."
"What differentiated them from major, medium, and minor?"
"The guardian opponent," he explains. "They would be different guardian scouts, with different amounts of strength and attacks. There would always only be one to defeat."
Zelda hums a noise, taking in the large expanse of the battlefield, glancing at the broken and still intact columns, the scorch marks along the floor. She takes a few pictures here and there, but is otherwise distracted by the debris littering the ground and the designs along the walls.
When they leave, they continue the path toward the fountain. Zelda consults the Slate when Link trudges past the cliffs leading to where they need to go.
"Link, where are you going?" she calls from behind him. "We need to start climbing here!"
Link looks over to her. "It's a difficult climb from here. It's actually much easier if we glide from the top of the Tower," he says, pointing. He is being truthful, he thinks, as he watches Zelda grow more and more suspicious.
"Are you sure you're not doing this just to get out of going to see her?"
Link sighs. He's only dreading the visit because Zelda will be right there, watching. "As much as I'd like to, no. It is an easier climb, though it's longer. But we can climb here, if you're up to it, Zelda."
"Oh," she says, grinning slyly. "I'm up to it."
By the time they get to the landing, the Great Fairy's open flower exuding beautiful aromas and surrounded by silent princesses and smaller fairies, Zelda has her hands on her knees, panting heavily.
"Okay, fine," she concedes, as if they had been arguing about something beforehand. "You were right. I'm sure the other climb was much easier."
"But we got here much faster, and the sooner we're here, the sooner we can leave." He looks at her. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, yes," she waves a hand, catching her breath. "I'm fine, just not as in shape as you, hero. Now," she continues, placing her hands on her hips and bounding past him up the small steps. "Let's meet the fairy!"
He follows behind her, coming to stand on the landing.
"How do we call her?" she asks, curiously trying to look into the pool. "Can she hear us, or do we throw something in there?"
Link shakes his head. "No, she'll come up on her own. I think she senses when a male is nearby."
As if on cue, the water in the pool ripples, increasing in waves and bubbles. Zelda grins widely, clasping her hands in front of her chest.
Kaysa then bursts out from the depths, splashing them both with an abundance water droplets.
"Ah-HAAAAAAAA!" she exclaims, flicking her pompadour of hair back from her face. Link has never gotten used to how blinding her jewels sparkle and how extravagant her appearance is.
"Well, if it isn't my favorite visitor!" she says, eying him without restraint or decorum. Link's always felt very, very small when under the Great Fairies' observations.
Her eyes alight on Zelda, and then she pouts. "You've brought a guest! And a pretty one, at that. Hm. You've given me some fair competition, haven't you?" Kaysa laughs as brightly as her jewels, and Link smiles uncomfortably, avoiding a glance at Zelda. "Oh, I'm kidding, of course!"
"Er, Kaysa, this is my friend, Zelda. She's been wanting to meet you," Link says.
"Oh! You've even told her stories about me! I knew you liked me, boy." She winks, then turns to Zelda. "Nice to meet you, dearie. You're the first Hylian woman I've seen in over a hundred years!"
Zelda bows her head. "It's a pleasure, Kaysa. I've always wondered if the legends were true about the Great Fairies' beauty and power."
"I'm sure you've seen my power in Link's upgraded armor," she says. "And don't tell my sister's, but I'm the most beautiful out of all of them." She laughs again, looking between the both of them. "I'm sure Link could vouch for me, couldn't you?"
He can't say that she isn't pretty. Just a bit…gaudy.
"Of course, I can, Kaysa," he says, trying to smile charmingly. She hums at him.
"Oh, I do love it when you smile. So easy on the eyes. He's such a handsome young man, isn't he, Zelda?"
Zelda seems caught off-guard at the question. "Oh, I—um—I suppose he is."
Link looks over at her, but she's glancing at the ground, tucking in a piece of her hair behind her ear. He wonders if she means it.
Kaysa purrs interestedly, placing her chin in her hand and looking down at Zelda. "My, my, you're blushing! You wouldn't have a crush on my Link, would you?"
Zelda freezes, her eyes wide. Link takes pity on her and intervenes.
"I brought a piece of armor for you to upgrade for me, Kaysa," Link says, rummaging through his pack to pull it out. "Along with the piece of Dinraal's horn."
Kaysa, her attention quickly diverted, smiles brightly at him.
"Perfect!" she cries. "After this upgrade, it will be at its full strength. Are you ready?"
Link swallows. As ready as he'd ever be. He turns to Zelda, saying, "This'll last just a minute or two." Then he faces Kaysa and nods.
"Wait," Zelda says, looking between them. "What exactly is going to happen?"
Link opens his mouth to say something like forcefully fondled, but that may leave more questions than answers for Zelda. He's not even sure he can breach the topic without choking on paralyzing humiliation.
Kaysa voices before he can. "Oh, that's between me and the boy," she titters, winking. She glances back to Link. "You know the drill. Close your eyes…"
Zelda seems a little concerned. Link shakes his head at her. "It's fine, don't worry."
"But—"
"I'll take good care of him," Kaysa smiles wildly, and then she grabs Link in a swift scoop, bringing him to the side of her face in a suffocating hug—he'll never get used to the feeling—and then taking him with her into her depthless pool. He holds back his shout for Zelda's sake as he's pulled into the abyss, the darkness consuming him, and he promptly goes unconscious.
Link is never quite sure what happens—he's not sure how he breathes (it's more than likely fairy magic), and he's not sure what the fairies really do with him. But they must have their way with him…somehow. He's never figured out the mechanics (though, he admits, he's spent substantial time on contemplation).
It always feels a bit traumatic when he wakes up, warm, spent, tingly, and euphoric, lying prone on the platform where he'd been taken.
"Link!" Zelda says, and he can detect fear in her voice. "Are you okay? What did she do to you?"
"'S fine," he slurs. He goes to stand up, and Zelda stands right next to him.
"You don't look fine, or sound fine," Zelda says, her brows falling over her eyes. She's very pretty when she's serious, he thinks. "You're all…sparkly. And," she says, raising the back of her hand to his forehead. "You're burning up." She looks to Kaysa. "What did you do?"
"Now, now little lioness," Kaysa says, giggling. "I didn't do anything you wouldn't do. Or should I say, I did everything you'd like to do." She gives Zelda a knowing look, and Zelda's cheeks heat up into a becoming shade of crimson. Link wonders if it's the wording that makes her blush, or if it's because Kaysa's words are correct. He is suddenly, endlessly curious.
"You mean—did you—you didn't—!" Zelda says, struggling to get any descriptive words out. Instead, she closes her mouth, and she seems to silently fume beside him. He wants to reach out to her to calm her down, but he's not sure if she'll take his arm off instead.
"Any other armor you'd like me to enhance?" she asks Link.
Thank Hylia that was the only piece he needed. He shakes his head.
"Oh, that's too bad," Kaysa says, frowning. "I'm sad to see you go. Come back soon, hm?" She lifts her arms up. "Ta-ta! Ah-hahaaaa!" she booms, twirling back into the pool in a spray of crystal droplets.
Link sighs. "So, uh…"
Zelda rounds on him, pointing an accusing finger at his face. "You didn't tell me she would take you in there, and…and…do things to you!"
He leans away from her finger, holding up his hands in a placating motion. "Uh…I told you they're handsy."
"Yes, but I didn't think they would…do that!" she says, her voice climbing in pitch.
"Well, I honestly don't know what they do," he tells her. "I blackout as soon as they take me into the pool."
Zelda scoffs, disbelieving. "That's convenient."
Link opens and closes his mouth. "It's true."
"Whatever."
"Zelda—"
"At least you've maximally upgraded your armor, though, right?"
Link furrows his brows at her. Her face is still flushed with anger.
"Why are you acting this way?" he asks. "It's not as though it's anything physically damaging." He looks down at himself, noticing the amplified radiance of his skin.
"Because they use your body as a toy," she says. "And you let them."
"Yeah, because I want great armor," he says. "And I think it's helpful to me, too. I always feel refreshed and clear-headed after, and look. I literally glow."
This does not do anything to calm Zelda like he thinks it will. In fact, it only seems to rile her more.
"Well, I'm glad it makes you happy," she says. It's so insincere, it's laughable, but Link's not sure what to do to handle it.
"I warned you," he says, deciding to take a lighter, teasing path. "Those Great Fairies are pretty demanding."
"Should've listened." She looks over to him. "Sorry."
He watches her as they walk away, back down the cliff and to the path. She's a little stiff and distracted and very unlike herself.
Once they're fixed on the path again, Link comes to the conclusion that she is not angry at all.
"Zelda…" he begins. "Are you jealous?"
"No," she says forcefully and immediately. Link smirks to himself. Zelda sees it. "I am not! There's no reason I can see that would make me, princess of Hyrule, jealous of an oversized, egotistical fairy."
"Okay," he says, and he lets it go. It'll be good ammunition for teasing later, but he doesn't want to keep needling at her when her face is so sour.
"What armor did you upgrade, by the way? I never asked," she says.
"It was for my barbarian head set," he says. "But I also want to upgrade new armor I found recently. Have you heard of Misko?"
Zelda thinks for a moment. "No, I don't believe I have. Who is he?"
"He's an infamous bandit," he explains. "He stole several sets of armor from Hyrule Castle, back in the day. He left behind notes with hints to where his stolen armor sets were located, so I went to find them."
Zelda is very curious—he can tell. "Did you find all of them?"
Link nods.
"You must tell me about them the next time we stop," she says. "I'd love to see them. I'm not sure I was even aware of historical armor sets being stolen."
"I'm sure King Rhoam kept it from you, to keep you from concerning yourself, princess."
"Hm," she says. "Perhaps you're right."
They continue along, making their way past Strock Lake, crossing the Kolami Bridge. The air gets chillier as they go, crisp and biting with the breezes. Along the ridge, the dark green forests dot the landscape, flourishing with color against the harsher, white backdrop of Hebra lingering along the edges of their vision.
Link gets the nostalgic feeling, again. Perhaps he lived here, once, he thinks, a home among the cliffs or the forests, with the chilly, gentle winds at his back. Or, maybe, he never lived here at all.
"Zelda," he says, deciding to ask her, looking off toward Strock Lake. "Did I come from Tabantha? I mean, did I grow up here?"
"No, you didn't," she says. "You grew up in Deya Village, in the Faron region, but spent a lot of time in Zora's Domain, as you know already. Your mother lived here for a while, though." She looks over to him. "Do you remember something?"
He frowns, and at the mention of his mother, he feels a gentle wave of sorrow. It fills his stomach like a bitter cake, coating his throat with the aftertaste. "No," he says. "I don't remember anything."
"Oh." Zelda smiles sadly. "I wish I could tell you about her. Unfortunately, I never got to meet her before…before she passed away. You got to see her one last time before taking up your position as my guard. You told me she was very proud of you, but then, how could she not be?"
He loved his mother very much. He knows it as naturally as the grass is green, and as the lakes are blue. Longing strikes him with a beautiful, powerful force.
"I wish I had a picture," he admits. "Something to illicit a memory, maybe, but mostly so I could see her."
Zelda inhales deeply. "I'm sorry, Link."
"No, thank you for telling me," he says, his voice a bit gruff. "Who knows. Maybe she'll visit me in a dream."
Zelda smiles at this. "That would be very nice, if she did."
They make it to Rito Stable in the afternoon. Link makes them lunch, and Zelda buys more arrows.
"Strange," Zelda says once they finish eating, consulting the Slate. "It seems as though this is one of the only stables without a shrine nearby."
"Not sure why that is," Link answers her. "There are two straight down the path if we continue to follow it. Otherwise, there's only one in Rito Village."
"I wouldn't mind exploring those."
"I know you wouldn't," Link says. "First, we can speak to the chieftain, Kaneli, before we check out Vah Medoh. I'd also like you to meet Teba and Kass, while we're here. Teba is very ambitious, and he may be a descendant to Revali. He's following his footsteps for the Rito's strongest warrior and leader. I'm not sure if Kass will be here—he travels a lot. But if he is, I think you'd like him."
Zelda beams. "I'm excited to meet all of them. Let's go."
They walk along all three bridges toward the mainland of Rito Village. Zelda makes vocal observations, like she always does.
"I've always thought every region was fascinating, but the freedom the Rito have in flying and without the whole burden of gravity is one of my favorite things, here. What is it like to soar, I wonder?"
"The paraglider is a poor man's substitute," Link says. "Maybe Teba will take you for a ride, if you tell him you've personally met Revali."
Zelda laughs. "I don't know if he'd believe me, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to try."
They climb the spiral of ramps up to the chieftain's small house. Kaneli is present, and he greets them with a surprised delightfulness.
"Hello again, Link. It's wonderful to see you! Calamity has been destroyed, and everything has become so peaceful around here." He glances behind him. "I see you've brought a lovely young lady, as well."
"That's great to hear," Link nods. "Yes, this is Zelda. Zelda, Rito chieftain Kaneli. He was a great help when I came to help out with Vah Medoh. Speaking of which, we've come by to check on Vah Medoh. Is he still in good standing?"
Kaneli gives a great nod of his head, his braided feathers reaching his feet. "Vah Medoh has not made a peep after sending the blast at Ganon."
"Would you allow us to visit him, just to check diagnostics and his condition?" Zelda says. Kaneli looks over her for a long moment, and Zelda shifts her weight.
"Forgive me for my curiosity, but if I'm correct with Hyrulean history, the princess was locked away with Ganon for one hundred years. You have…an aura about you, Zelda. I'm not sure it is possible for any Hylian to live that long in a battle, but if anyone could, it would be the heart of a princess sworn to protect her lands." Kaneli raises his eyebrows, and Link looks at Zelda, unsure what to say.
Zelda, unguarded, turns a little pale. She recovers nicely, straightening her back and opening her shoulders. She looks every bit a queen with the actions. Link doesn't think it's helping to dissuade Kaneli.
"I agree with you, chieftain," she says. "But who would believe such a story? A princess, living through a hundred year battle?" She shakes her head. "It would be myth or legend, written in history as a maybe. The Zorans would believe, I think, but the other species whose lives are shorter and the history scrambled and lost…" She looks at Kaneli and holds his eyes. "Perhaps this could be a secret between us, for now?"
Kaneli's eyes alight, looking at her more closely, observing her with his old wisdom. "Ah. I knew I saw royalty in you, Princess Zelda. What an honor to meet you." He bows his head deeply in reverence.
"Oh," Zelda says. "That is quite unnecessary, chieftain—"
"Kaneli, please."
"Then you must call me Zelda."
He comes to stand, smiling widely at her. "Of course. Then, Link, this must mean you braved the castle and saved her. I can only assume you are the hero's descendant?"
He blinks, looking to Zelda for confirmation. Zelda answers. "No, not the descendant. The hero."
Kaneli looks a bit shocked. "You must forgive me. This whole time I assumed who you were, and never once believed who you could be."
Link shakes his head. "No need to apologize, Kaneli. I wouldn't have been able to live up to the title back then, even if I tried."
Zelda sighs at him, shaking her head in exasperation. "Don't believe his modesty for one second, Kaneli. Once a hero, always a hero."
Kaneli's eyes sparkle. "Indeed. Well, consider me truly humbled. Thank you, you two. Without you, none of us would exist. And to answer your question, yes, of course, you can check on Vah Medoh."
Zelda bows her head politely, and Link follows her lead.
"Please, enjoy your stay here," Kaneli says. "I will waive the inn fee."
"We really appreciate that," Link answers. "Oh, and before we go, do you know if Kass and Teba are in town? I noticed Teba's house is vacant."
"Yes, Kass is on one of the fly landings with his children. Teba is at the Flight Range with his son. It seems he never tires of the place."
Link nods. "I might have guessed. Thank you."
As they leave, Link says to Zelda, "I'm surprised. I didn't think you'd tell him."
"I didn't think I would, either," she admits. "But…he seemed trustworthy, and he already believed. He brought it up on his own. If he didn't, I'm sure I would have denied it."
"I agree with you," he says. "I wouldn't worry much. There will be a day when everyone knows you're the princess, and you'll retake your throne."
"Yes…" Zelda says, but she does not look confident. "Someday. But, for now, I'm happy to spend the afternoon looking over the Divine Beast."
Link takes her to one of the fly landings to perform Revali's Gale. "This will be the easiest way to get up to Medoh," he explains. She climbs onto his back, and they are taken up very high on the cliff. Link lands on a ledge, and they climb the rest of the way.
"Phew, I forget how thin the air is here," Zelda says. It's the second time Link's seen her out of breath in the span of the day. He can't hide the amusement that appears on his face.
"I swear, Link," Zelda says, catching the look on his face. "Don't even think about teasing me. I'll push you off."
He laughs at this. "I wouldn't put it past you."
After running the preliminary diagnostics and overviewing the relevant data through the Slate, everything comes up just as it had for Vah Ruta, and, they assume, what it would have shown for Vah Rudania. All three in a seemingly peaceful, deep sleep.
As she ends her readings, she looks around them. She peeks her head over the cliff's edge, but comes back quickly. Link already has an arm there for her.
She glances at him. "Do you hear that?"
Link listens. He closes his eyes until he hears the delicate chorus of voices. He opens his eyes, giving Zelda a smile.
"Those are Kass' daughters. They're very talented singers."
Zelda beams. "Oh, it's lovely, even from up here."
"Then let's go listen to them up close," Link says, kneeling. Zelda hurriedly gets on his back again, and they paraglide down to the landing with the five brightly colored Rito children.
The girls continue their song even as Link and Zelda land near them. Zelda goes to sit a bit away and in front of them, acting as an audience. Link follows and sits beside her.
"They harmonize so well," she comments, soft and under her breath. "I wonder who taught them?"
"Their father is a musician. He plays very well."
"Kass?" she asks excitedly. Link nods.
"Yes. I'm sure he'll be here soon."
The girls fill the air up with joy and peace, the tone all at once soothing with the low notes and exhilarating with the high.
As the song comes to an end, a shadow flies above them. Kass, in his bright blue feathered glory, lands in front of the line of his daughters. He gestures to them with pride.
"Just beautiful, girls. It gets better and better each time I hear it."
The girls bounce with excitement. The blue one, Cree, if Link remembers correctly, makes a disgruntled noise.
"I messed up!" she cries.
"No, you didn't, Kheel did. She can't ever get the part in the middle," says Genli, the green one.
"Hey!" Kheel exclaims. "That's not true! I've been perfecting it for weeks!"
"Now, now children," Kass says, patting Kheel and Genli on their heads. "Perfection is impossible, but you all are sounding very close to it. You all have wonderful voices."
"Thanks, dad," they all coo in unison.
"Now, go play," he says, shooing them toward the village. "You've practiced all day. Go harass the other villagers."
They giggle, hopping over each other and rushing toward the ramps. Kass chuckles as they go, crossing his arms. They look empty without his accordion, Link thinks, even with it attached to his back.
Kass' eyes land on them, and he swivels toward them. Link goes to stand, and so does Zelda.
"Oh, Link!" Kass says, recognizing him right away. "We meet yet again. It's good to see you well after the defeat of Ganon. I must thank you," he says, bowing to him. "When I saw the Malice shroud surrounding the castle dissipate, I knew you had been successful."
Link grins. "Of course, Kass. You didn't doubt, did you?"
"I had a feeling you would defeat Ganon, so I could write a song specifically for you." His eyes rove over to Zelda. Kass blinks.
"Kass, this is Zelda. Zelda, Kass," Link says. Zelda walks up to him to shake his hand, but is stopped by his words.
"You wrested her from evil's den," he says in awe, quoting from his teacher's song. "I'm not surprised, but to see her in real time..." Kass drops to a kneel. "It's an honor to meet you, Princess Zelda."
"Oh, no, please, you must stand. I need none of your reverence. Call me Zelda," she says, and Kass hesitantly does as he's told, coming to stand. She beams at him. "It's such a pleasure to meet you," she says. "Link has told me you're a musician, and that your songs tell stories about Hyrule's history."
"Why, yes," Kass says, and he seems to be ridiculously flattered. "It is as though my reputation precedes me, and I didn't know I had a reputation."
"Well, I do love history, and I love music, too. I believe you know that already," she smiles. "It seemed destined that I would become your biggest fan."
Kass laughs heartily at that. "Then I must play you a song! What would you most like to hear? I have one about the past and present Calamity, mentioning you both, and one about each of the champions."
She nods, clasping her hands. "To know that my family's poet was your teacher makes me feel as though I know you already."
Kass nods happily. "My teacher told me many, many stories about the family, and even more about you. He even accompanied you to survey shrines and ancient technology, which I'm sure you remember. He was quite fond of you."
Link watches as Zelda glances to the wooden boards of the platform. "Yes...I was fond of him, as well, but I'm afraid I broke his heart."
"Not to worry. He understood, though if I'm bold enough to say, he loved you the rest of his life," he says, fanning some feathers on his wing. Kass reads her well, but Zelda doesn't do much to hide her conflicted feelings. "Please don't feel guilty, Zelda," Kass tells her. "He wouldn't want that."
"Oh," Zelda blinks. "Yes. You're quite right."
Link has an odd grip on his stomach. She was forced to ignore courtships, and she was denied the time to foster relationships. They were put together because they were duty-bound, not because they wanted to be. Their time together also forged their friendship, but it had been manufactured from their circumstances. It doesn't seem to bother her now—not any of it. But it saddens him how much of her life was stolen from her.
Kass bows his head. "What song would you like to hear?"
"All of them," Zelda answers, immediately, her hands still threaded together. "Please," she adds.
Kass almost preens with her attention. Link's never seen him act so happy to play for someone. The thought suddenly hits him that Zelda may have acted the same way towards her bard. His stomach nags.
"Alright. I'll start with the story of when Calamity occurred ten thousand years ago..."
Kass gently passes his feathers over his accordion keys. He plays the notes with finesse, the tones reverberating through them. Link always loved the songs—whenever he came upon Kass in his travels, he couldn't pass up the opportunity to hear him play.
The notes tell a story all their own, but the words he sings meld with the brassy tune of his accordion, and he watches Zelda close her eyes, transported back into the beating heart of history.
Zelda claps with vigor when the song is finished. Link smiles at her.
Kass moves into his teacher's song, continuing the story of the present Calamity. Link is sure to watch Zelda throughout the whole song, to observe all her reactions.
It begins with mentioning Link, and Zelda glances at him with a glint in her eye. "I didn't realize he had a song about both of us."
"I didn't want to spoil the surprise."
"An ancient hero," Kass sings, stroking the keys. "A Calamity appears,
Now resurrected after 10,000 years.
"Her appointed knight gives his life
Shields her figure, and pays the price.
"The princess's love for her fallen knight awakens her power,
And within the castle the Calamity is forced to cower."
Zelda's face pales instantaneously.
"But the knight survives! In the Shrine of Resurrection he sleeps,
Until from his healing dream he leaps!
"For Fierce and deadly trials await,
To regain his strength. Fulfill his fate.
"To become a hero once again!
To wrest the princess from evil's den.
"The hero, the princess–hand in hand–
Must bring the light back to this land."
Zelda claps at the end, with a notable, lessened vigor than the previous song. Her body has shrunk away from him in the last few verses, and she is so uncomfortable, Link can almost physically feel it. She avoids his stare, her face stone and inscrutable.
"Beautiful, Kass. That was…very good," she says slowly, as if thinking about her words.
"My teacher would be thrilled. He tried to keep the story as close to the true depiction as he could. Shall I carry on with the champions' ballads?" Kass asks, eager to continue.
Zelda smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "Actually, if you'll excuse me. I'll…just be a moment, and then I'll be back to listen to them all."
She goes to stand, and Link follows. She seems a little agitated, but she turns away from him. "Link," she says, cold and short. "Stay here. I won't be gone long, and I won't go far."
"Zelda—"
"Please," she says. It's the desperation in her voice that causes Link to take a step back, and he lets her walk away. He knew something like this might happen—Zelda, defenseless and unguarded, enjoying the music until suddenly jarred with the revealing nature of the song. He wasn't sure if it was an embellishment. After all, people love love. A love story within saving the world is even better.
By Zelda's reaction, the words are ringing truer and truer. Link suspected, but he didn't want to come to any assumptions where Zelda was concerned. Now that it is almost definitively true, however, Link can't pinpoint how he feels.
He sighs.
"Trouble?" Kass asks gently behind him. Link turns, realizing he must have witnessed the entire scene.
"Something like that," Link admits.
"Well, us Rito know a little about romance. We mate for life, you know," he winks. Link unconsciously rubs at the back of his neck. "Every day since Ganon's defeat, we celebrate with dancing, flying, and music beginning at sunset." Kass looks out to the horizon. "It won't be long before I begin playing songs, and the village dances. I'll be playing here on this platform where it projects through the village the best. The acoustics are marvelous. Find her and ask her to dance. She can dance beautifully—I've been told," he says, smiling. "Everything will fall into their places, if you let them."
Link nods to him, and Kass leaves him alone with his thoughts. He sits on the platform, watching the sun sink lower and lower in the sky, turning into the gorgeous orange and pink and purple of dusk.
When he can wait no longer, he stands to go and find his princess.