Well, it's been a while. My life is . . . interesting, right now, but I will persevere and make strides to finish this little story of mine. Also, drop a comment if you catch which LoZ game I reference in this chapter (Hint: It's about a goddess, and it's from a sort-of-spinoff-but-still-in-the-timeline LoZ game). Sorry if there are typos; I was trying to work fairly quickly to get this out for you guys. Thanks for reading!
Chapter XI
Zelda stood transfixed at the mouth of a dark triangular entrance. The solid dark marble of the temple radiated a suffocating heat, defining the contrast of the cold late-winter air against her back. She disliked patronizing hospitality. There was something about such welcoming behaviour as a wide-open door that made her skeptical. The Temple of Power was just sitting there and waiting for them.
Two pairs of blue eyes stared down the pitch-black tunnel with a nervous intensity. Zelda subconsciously tightened the shoulder strap holding her leather armour together as the nerves on the back of her neck bristled. Link was so close she could feel his uneasy breath against her skin. If Viven and Tsarien were anywhere, they were definitely here.
"So?" Link prompted, his voice low and somewhat controlled. It was a slight comfort to her that he was attempting to be strong on her behalf.
The princess resumed her commanding façade and clutched her bow to the at-the-ready position, her fingers skimming the edge of the quiver on her waist. "So, we go in."
Only a few steps in and she was stopped by his firm grasp on her arm. He had a strange look, but it was one she was familiar with. A mixture of concern and seriousness. A startling honesty.
"I will not stop you from anything you put your mind to," he told her firmly.
She couldn't help but smirk. "I can't imagine you'd be able to," she replied.
That seemed to cause a pleasant smile from him for a moment, bringing out his softer, more handsome features. "I mean it. I'll never try to get in your way unless I really thought you were misguided."
Zelda gently wiggled out of Link's hold to place her own fingers around his wrist. "That's what I like most; when someone treats me like a normal person."
Link nodded slightly once. "I'm glad you're doing the same for me."
Zelda's chest tightened with compassion. All the sudden, it was like he was that boy in the creek, bruised and beaten, his strong gaze of fear holding hers. "Let's go find them."
Boot scuffs were the only things that led Link behind Zelda in the uneasy darkness. The air was unbearably stagnant and humid, the temperature causing a slight sweat against his undershirt already. He had no idea how Zelda knew where she was going, but he guessed that the skimming sound he finally heard was her hand against the wall.
About twenty paces in, a deafening groan vibrated down the tunnel followed by the thud of heavy stone. The entrance had shut, cutting them off from any light, fresh air, and option of retreat. There was no going back. Link could've sworn he and Zelda had looked at each other for comfort, but it was impossible to tell. They could only go forward.
Breathing became heavy with both the heat and slight panic. After some time treading carefully, Link placed his hand on the wall in the same way as Zelda, perhaps more for balance than for guidance. Suddenly she halted, almost causing a collision between them.
"What's wrong?" Link asked quickly, the thick air making it difficult to form words.
"It's gone. There's a corner here. I think we're in a bigger room."
"Probably the centre of the temple like the last two," Link replied.
"But how big is it?" she asked, waving her hands out in front of her as she continued forward.
"Hey!" Link shouted out, startling her. His call returned to them after a small delay, and then again after another wait. "Pretty big," he said nonchalantly.
"Warn me next time you're going to make me jump out of my skin!" she huffed.
"Zelda?" a small voice called. "Link? Where are you? I can't see you."
The princess gasped. "Tsarien? Thank the goddesses, you're alright! Follow the sound of my voice."
Viven's voice came next. "You can't even tell the difference between our voices? I'm Tsarien."
"What? Of course I know the difference between your voices," Zelda exclaimed, flabbergasted. "This is no time for your games, Tsarien."
"Why do you always assume he's the one who comes up with pranks? I'm just as clever!" came the distinctly boyish tone.
"Alright, everyone, stop talking," Link announced forcefully, and everyone present obeyed. After a brief pause, he spoke slowly and clearly again. "Tsarien. Reach behind your head and tell me how your hair is."
"It's in a ponytail, everyone knows that," a young female voice snapped.
"Just do it," Link retorted.
A pause and the rustle of fabric hold suspense for a few moments as Zelda considered what was going on. It could've been an illusion, or they may have changed voices. A cruel joke if the temple was playing one.
"It's . . . a braid. Viven! Did you do this while I was sleeping again?"
Tsarien scoffed. "Only if you put my hair in a ponytail while I was."
"Why would I—"
"Shut up, both of you!" Link growled, ending the volley with revering silence. That was the first time they had ever seen him so frustrated, but Zelda simply stayed quiet and out of his way, curious of the direction these events would take. He stared at nothing in particular, but around the area of their voices. "Haven't you figured it out yet? The temple has switched your minds with your bodies."
At the moment he said it, the edges of the temple's main room ignited in warm red flame, illuminating the space with a crimson tint. Tsarien, or at least, his body, was spaced out next to Viven's form in such a way that all four of them were placed in a small square at the centre of the room. A medallion with one third of the Triforce installed was paved into the stone floor between them, the one gold triangle at the top glistening in the flickering light.
By reflex, Zelda reached for her arrows and Link for the sword at his back, but Tsarien and Viven simply turned their heads to look.
"How did we end up here?"
"We were with Epona just a moment ago."
"Had a weird dream, though."
"Me too! What was yours?"
Tsarien, in the voice and body of Viven, glanced nervously at Link and then at Zelda, shaking his head. "Doesn't matter."
"It does too!" Viven exclaimed in her brother's tone. "You always tell me, so why is this any different?"
Zelda laughed with unease at their frivolous conversation. "How can you two be so calm? You've in each other's bodies."
A deep, mature, female chuckle resounded throughout the room. It was playful and flirtatious, but also mocking. "That would be because they can barely tell the difference between each other themselves."
The Triforce medallion briefly erupted a tall flash of flame, and in its place stood a long, lithe young woman garbed in red. Her clothing reminded Zelda of the illustrations of the Gerudo women in her history books. It seemed a bit immodest for her taste, but she could not deny that it would be advantageous to flaunt such a comely figure. The woman tossed back her long, curly fiery hair, her gold eyes half-lidded and spiced with a sly smile.
Zelda bowed politely, perfectly understanding what was about to happen. Link followed her example as she spoke. "Goddess Din, apologies for the disturbance."
The woman in red giggled again. "Don't worry, love. I knew you were coming. That's why I brought them here." Her gaze slid to the twins.
"And subsequently switched their bodies?" Link asked, being careful not to sound too accusatory.
She popped her hip out and placed a hand there. "Yes, you were quick to figure that one. Brawn, beauty, and brains, it seems. Just like our young princess over there."
Zelda was appalled to see Link flush from such a compliment given by an attractive disguise. She supposed she wouldn't be any better in his place, and revised her opinion quickly. "Why have you done this?" she asked the goddess.
Din sighed. "Isn't it obvious? They need help. I decided I would assist."
"We can tell the difference between each other, by the way!" Tsarien hissed through Viven.
"Oh really?" Din asked, pacing over to the small boy in his sister's form, leaning over to look him in the face. "Both of you can only truly be yourselves when you forget the other exists. When you finally remember, all you can do is despair without one another. What do you think that says about it?"
Tsarien opened his mouth to protest, then shut it again. Din smirked and stood straight again, swaying her hips as she sauntered. "As I suspected. A boy who only wants to be the best fighter in Hyrule, and a girl whose sole desire is to be a respected herbalist. Both want their skills recognized by their beloved princess. Such strong wills and minds. If only they weren't holding each other back."
"We have not been holding each other back!" Tsarien cried out feverishly. "Right, Viven?"
The girl shifted uncomfortably in her brother's body. There was a very awkward pause as she avoided her own eyes. Zelda watch very closely, capturing every confused and offended expression exchanged between the siblings. Link's attention was on Din, who was looking very pleased with the mess she had created.
"Tsarien," Viven started meekly. "Whenever I try to ask Lileh for an apprenticeship you always talk me out of it."
"I'm just sayin' that Lileh will probably say no and I don't want you to get all depressed over it," Tsarien replied, somewhat uneasy.
"How do you know she wouldn't just love to teach me?" Viven cried, her voice stretching the upper limits of the male larynx. "The only thing you're concerned about is if you get annoyed by my distress."
Tsarien clicked his tongue. "You get all mopey and you never want to do anything."
"Including helping you train so you can ask Impa to train you?" Viven retorted.
"You should join me! We make such a good team."
"Only because I'm better at Druid magic."
"Well you're certainly not the stronger of the two of us! A team needs balance."
As the bickering continued and escalated in both volume, intensity, and speed, Zelda and Link viewed the feud from afar, Din joining the spectating with amusement. The young man leaned forward to hiss a whisper toward his equally silent friend.
"Do we just . . . let this happen?" he asked.
Zelda shrugged. "I think this is healthy."
Din turned her head over her shoulder to smile at the two of them. "It is, but only if they resolve it."
"How?" Link inquired.
Zelda sighed. "It's a family thing. Difficult to describe."
"You don't have any brothers or sisters," Link pointed out.
"True," the princess admitted, "But family can expand beyond blood."
"You've always exploited my abilities just because you're always trying to impress Zelda!" Viven accused her brother. "It's always 'I have to prove to her I deserve more, that I can protect her'."
Tsarien took a panicked side-ways glance at Zelda and blushed wildly. "Y-you're one to talk! All you've ever wanted is to be her best friend and her confident!"
The sister twin also turned a bit red, bit continued her verbal barrage. "Well, neither of us will get what we want since he's around!" An offensive and direct finger truck out in the direction of Link.
The young man bore a brief 'who, me?' expression before Din interjected. "Leave the two of them out of this. Don't blame your problems on other people." She crossed her arms and sighed. "This is worse than I thought. For being supposedly inseparable twins, you seem like you could spend some time apart."
"Gladly!" they both chimed together, shooting aggressive glances.
Din chuckled again, her musical laughter carrying into her words. "Remember what happened when I put you on your own. You were content for a while, until you recalled your true selves. You two can't even function without each other. Or at least, that's what you think."
Tsarien gave the goddess an innocently quizzical face. "What are you saying?"
Din frowned a bit with seriousness. "Tsarien, if I were to leave you in your sister's body for the rest of your lives, what would you do?"
The boy's nose flared and eyes opened wide at the horror of the idea at first, then relaxed slightly as he considered it. His voice became a bit somber. "Well . . . I wouldn't like it but . . . I suppose I would live out her life for her. Men can't study medicine under a female Sheikah mentor, so I'd have to do it."
Din blinked, seeming a bit disappointed. "And you, Viven?" she asked, her head turned to the other Druid.
Viven shifted her steps a bit. "Tsarien always wanted to be a prominent soldier, even part of the private guard. Wouldn't hurt to pursue such a career."
The goddess of Power clicked her tongue. "Tsarien, why do you want to be a fighter?"
"Well . . . to protect people," he replied.
"What's the real reason?" Din challenged. "You're old enough to know why you do things. Think about the illusion I built around you."
He opened his mouth to spit another thoughtless reply out, but stopped himself in his tracks to think critically. "I want to be a fighter because I'm good at it—It makes me feel good. Like I can make a difference; I can control my surroundings, command respect, and have strength."
"You think too much with your muscles instead of your brain," Viven hissed quietly.
Din was quick to pick up on it, an almost motherly look of discipline in her eyes as she nearly scowled at the young Druid. "And you, young lady? Why is it you want to become a herbalist?"
"Because I—" Viven rushed, also ceasing to give her mind the chance to catch up with the truthful question. "I want a purpose. For people to say 'thank you' when I do something. To help people heal, and for them to appreciate me for it. Healing, and Druid magic, makes me feel like I'm good at something, that I'm smart and special and—"
"And strong?" Din finished for her, anticipating the end of Viven's phrase. The girl simply nodded. "You both want similar things, just as I said before. You direct it at Zelda, but that's only because she represents the opinion of all your peers. Your entire community. The place you don't quite belong in. You think that achieving power in your own ways will give you comfort."
"What does this have to do with switching our bodies?" Tsarien inquired, his tone calm, but forced.
Din smirked again. "Everything, I'm afraid. Sibling rivalry is an interesting thing, really. It can be obvious, and other times, entirely silent. You two are so focused on this unified idea of claiming acceptance and control that you've forgotten to define yourselves as individuals."
"But we want to do completely different things!" Viven protested.
"Precisely!" Din cried. "Your individuality is there, you just won't allow it to grow. You're both too busy arguing over which path is best, clinging to the only stability and assurance you've ever know by limiting yourselves with petty feuds."
"What assurance?" Tsarien demanded.
Din uncrossed her arms and placed her hands on her hips again. "Each other's company," she returned somewhat sadly. "Too afraid to spread your wings from fear of separating. Tsarien, there is nothing holding you back from becoming a fighter in your sister's body; she is just as strong as you. Viven, you don't need to be female to learn the art and science of medicine."
"Are you telling us to split ways and go out on out own?" Viven whimpered, becoming a bit emotional over this realization.
Din shook her head, her long red curls flowing and bouncing. "No, child. I'm not saying that. I'm telling you that you should not be afraid to be your own people. Not to grow apart, but to grow together. You are stronger together, you have power together, but you can't be a pair until you are fully one of yourselves."
A silence distilled as the two siblings regarded each other with awkward smiles. They spoke the other's name at nearly the same time, and with their bodies and voices reversed, Zelda felt almost a bit dizzy with the confusion as she watched patiently. She had always suspected that there was something not quite right with them, despite their close kinship. Tsarien and Viven were the only ones they had in the world, and she suddenly felt very guilty that she hadn't done more over the years. Zelda shook the thought off. This wasn't about her. It was about them.
"Viven," Tsarien began uneasily, "I want you to ask Lileh to train you. There's no way she'd say no."
"Tsarien, you should ask Impa to train you. There's no way she'd say no," Viven replied, her smile growing wider. "You're strong and talented on your own. You don't need me around to prove everyone of that."
"Same goes for you. You've always been so smart and precise with everything, especially Druid magic."
"I won't stand in your way."
"I won't stand idle, either," Tsarien continued, already aware of his sister's thoughts. They stepped closer until only inches apart.
"I won't hurt you."
"I'll help you where I can."
"I won't be the same as you."
"I won't leave you all alone."
"We are strong by ourselves, aren't we? We'll show them how powerful we are."
The twins' gazes and similar features mirrored each other, but both were burning with their own harmonious light. Din seemed pleased, but Zelda and Link could only watch in awe.
"I know I can be selfish sometimes," Tsarien admitted, tears welling in his eyes.
"And I know I can be emotional," Viven added, laughing at herself slightly as she wiped moisture off her face with the back of her hand.
"But I'll never let my sister go," Tsarien pushed out, his voice twisted with confined grief, pulling her not-so-gently into a firm hug. "I'm sorry."
Viven clutched him tight, wondering when the last time they had embraced was. "I'm sorry, too." Her mind suddenly felt fluffy, perhaps with the emotion, and her words match her brother's in unison once more, nervous happiness curving their lips:
"I suppose Lileh told us that this is what love means, huh?"
Zelda froze to the spot at the sight of the two young Druids that had such an understanding of each other. She couldn't help but feel very jealous of their connection, but just as she turned her face away with somber reflection, a set of rough, calloused fingers laced with hers. Her startled blue eyes glanced up, but Link didn't meet her line of sight. He was watching carefully as Din's magic danced around their friends, returning them to their rightful bodies. He had grabbed her hand subconsciously, it seemed, but she intentionally did not let go. They were not so different in terms of loneliness. She ventured the possibility that they could fix such a thing together. In each other. Grow along side one another. But that was a thought to consider at a different time.
When Tsarien and Viven finally put a small bit of space between them, they were delighted to find themselves in the correct earthly vessel. This, of course, caused another joyous hug between them, leaving Zelda and Link to remember why they were in a goddess' temple in the first place.
"Din," Zelda asked, calling the beautiful form's attention towards her. "The heirloom predicted that the bearer of power would be in the temple already."
"Oh right," Tsarien agreed.
"We should be polite and say hello first," Viven added smartly.
Din threw back her head gracefully with a delighted laugh, then shot her striking eyes back to the princess with a cheeky smile. "There wasn't anyone in here besides me when you arrived?"
Zelda's lips parted slightly as it sunk in. Her head snapped towards the twins, then back at the goddess again. "You . . . mean to tell me . . . ?"
Viven grabbed Tsarien's arm in pure astonishment, her eyes refusing to move from Din's mischievous face. It was clear that they were both trying to find the words, but instead simply flapped their chins a bit in confusion.
"Can I just say I kind of saw that coming?" Link slipped in quickly.
"Unflappable, as usual," Zelda sighed, trying her best to process exactly what this meant. "Okay, so, yes or no: Tsarien and Viven are the bearers of the Triforce of Power . . . together?"
The goddess gave a sweet smile. "Yes, of course."