When Lin next opened her eyes, she was standing on the soft grass of the Sacred Realm. Nabooru released her gentle grip on the Hylian, settling her hands on her hips and inhaling deeply. After a few seconds, she turned to look at Linkali, who was standing beside her with drooping shoulders and one hand edging towards her wounded arm. The Gerudo woman's smile dimmed swiftly, and her crimson brows pushed together with concern. "We should let Ruto take a look at that," she said softly. The young Hylian nodded silently in agreement.
"Nabooru!"
The Spirit Sage's name carried through the calm, warm air. Nabooru whipped around to see Saria sprinting towards her at full tilt. The tiny Kokiri sprang like a pouncing fox kit into Nabooru's waiting arms; the tanned warrior held her close, embracing her just as tightly as Saria held her. "I missed you!" the Forest Sage cried.
"Saria, you miss everyone who isn't inside your hug radius," Nabooru teased. She looked up as the rest of the Sages approached, grinning broadly. Darunia offered the Gerudo a smile that was as warm as the fiery heart of Death Mountain. Impa was also smiling lightly in welcome, and Rauru pumped his arms happily at the sight of the sixth Sage.
Ruto, however, seemed to ignore Nabooru completely; she made a beeline for Linkali, grasping the girl's arm firmly to prevent escape as she unwound the bandage. Lin flinched and made a vain attempt to pull away until Ruto figured out how to handle her a little more gently. It didn't do her any good; the Water Sage's grip was like iron. She was forced to stand there, cringing as the strip of cloth pulled away from her skin. The Zora sighed softly at the sight of the raw wound, shaking her head. "Merciful Jabu-Jabu, child," she murmured as she studied the girl's arm. Linkali cringed impressively as Ruto laid a cool-scaled, webbed hand over the wound. She gritted her teeth against the impending pain of the finned woman's healing magic, but yelped anyway when it hit her. Ruto released her arm once the healing was completed, and her patient stumbled back unsteadily. Impa turned on her heel and caught the Hylian youth deftly, steadying her.
"You look rather pale," the Sheikah noted, though there was a deeper edge of concern to her voice than her calm face suggested. "Stretched a little thin, as they say."
"I haven't been getting much sleep," Linkali replied bluntly. She reached up and rubbed at her eyes, sighing as she stepped away from Impa's gentle hands. Her dark blue eyes were glazed with weariness; her head was still pounding dully from the fight with the Iron Knuckle, and from the sleepless nights she had spent in the Spirit Temple. Lin felt the Sage of Shadow rest a hand on her shoulder in comfort. "I got slammed around a bit more than I wanted to in that place."
"If I'd known who you were, I would never have sent you into the Spirit Temple, at least not alone," Nabooru muttered uncomfortably. "And even though I did send you in, I doubted my decision until I saw your face again. I'd already allowed enough of my sisters to put their lives at risk, and I had no right to put someone else's daughter in such danger, even if I thought she would come out safely again."
"You had no way of knowing who I was," Lin pointed out, one hand reaching up to rub the back of her head tenderly. "And I'm not about to hold it against you." She grinned weakly. "Besides…" Her hand went to her belt, and she undid the strap that held the now-empty pouch to it. With a grand gesture, the young woman opened the pouch and shook it out into her hand. Laughing, she tossed the small leather bag into the air. "I'm done! That was every last Sage!"
That was the relief that she had been holding out for. That was what she had been going on in the darkest of dungeons and Temples. This moment was what had kept her going through the Spirit Temple, despite being clawed and chased and thrown from wall to wall. It wasn't the end of the battle against the Evil King, but it was certainly the end of the first and longest part of her quest. With all the Sages' seals broken, the Master Sword could finally be restored. Linkali had gone to unbelievable lengths to seek out the Six Sages, return their Medallions, and gather them together. And now she was finished. She'd never have to go creeping through another Temple, risking life and limb with no one but a tiny fairy to aid her should the situation turn foul. She had awakened all of—
"No." Lin balked, turning to stare incredulously at Impa. "One more Sage remains." The Sage of Shadow didn't seem regretful, even though she had just told Hyrule's would-be liberator that she indeed had more work to complete…which bothered the young woman considerably.
A dark, smoldering burn glowed in her eyes as she glared at the Sheikah. One hand rose, pinching together its thumb and forefinger. "Oh, that's right," Linkali growled bitterly. "Silly me. I seem to have forgotten the Invisible and Intangible Medallion." Tearing her eyes from Impa, she glared at Nabooru, who took on an expression of startled concern. She thrust her pinched fingers towards the Sage of Spirit as if holding out a Medallion. "Here. Why don't you tell me where I should start looking for the real last Sage? Or are there six more who don't have Medallions that I need to bring here as well?"
"Calm down, daughter," Nabooru murmured, taking the youth's hand in her own. Gently, she moved Lin's fingers out of their tight, clenched positions and clasped her hand. "There's only one Sage left, and she doesn't need a Medallion to know the time has come."
"Just…tell me," Linkali begged softly. She was tired, drained emotionally and physically. She wanted nothing more than sleep. Her head was still pounding dully. She didn't want to have to go through the guesswork of figuring out what this Seventh Sage had become, or where to find them, or how to subdue them and tell them what was needed of them. "Or just send me to where I can find them."
Impa moved forward, laying a cool, gentle hand on Lin's bruised back. The red-eyed Sage offered the tired girl a rare smile. "The Seventh Sage is already awakened and ready—she is the woman who recognized your power and set you on this quest," she said.
Linkali looked up, recognition sparking in her tired blue eyes. "Zelda," she whispered. Impa nodded. "Zelda is the Seventh Sage."
"She's waiting for you." The soul-eyed youth looked down at Saria as the tiny Sage approached. "Back at your village. Once she's been brought here, we can finally start working on the Master Sword." The Kokiri child's eyes glittered excitedly at the thought, and Lin found it in herself to smile. Glancing around at the rest of the Sages standing there, she reached into her pack—she was still wearing her Gerudo attire, and her normal clothes were stored away—and pulled out the clay flute necklace. She played the song that repetition had made familiar, the song that would take her home again.
Remembering her promise to HyReCo that she would be there to lead them into battle once she showed her face in the village again, the tired Hylian youth opted to stay away from home for the time being. She wasn't too keen on telling them that she'd actually neglected a detail, and that there was still a bit more of a wait before she could take command. She knew that the wary Hylians would feel best if they were following a leader who was aware of every single detail and could anticipate everything that might come at them, and the fact that she hadn't been aware that there were actually seven Sages might not settle well with some. It wasn't so much lying to them as it was neglecting to tell them the full story. Linkali might not be afraid to take action like the rest of her people, but she could be just as secretive as they were, if she wanted to be.
Evening was starting to settle over the land, with the setting summer sun throwing a reddish glow over the land. (Red sky at night, herder's delight, Lin thought with a weary smile.) Once it was darker, she would slip back through the gates and find Zelda. For now, though, there wasn't much she could do other than wait for darkness to cover her. She shivered in the dimming sunlight, the short hairs all over her body standing up on end with the chill. It was a little colder out here than it had been in the desert, and frankly, she wasn't dressed for the weather. Part of her wanted to get somewhat washed up in the stream that was flowing not far from where she had touched down, but Linkali wasn't eager to expose her skin any further than she was. Stubbornly, she tugged on her shirt and mantle over the bloodied Gerudo uniform and huddled herself down to wait, arms wrapped tightly around her legs for warmth.
It wasn't more than an hour later than she pushed herself up stiffly from the ground. Her legs shrieked in protest, muscles aching from all the running, darting, and twisting she'd done in the Spirit Temple just earlier today; her head pounded dully, still throbbing from her collision with the wall when she had fought off the Iron Knuckle. She pushed the discomfort aside doggedly, lowering her head and pushing on despite the temptation to simply sleep where she fell now. The sooner she got in, the sooner she could speak with Zelda, and the sooner she could get the former monarch in tow and up to the Sacred Realm, the sooner she could rest. With Navi hovering just ahead to light her path, Lin started walking towards the village gates.
"It's finished."
Linkali had to wonder if Zelda had even heard her. The village founder was still staring in worried shock at the rough-looking youth who had come to be standing on her doorstep at this hour. Her dark eyes flitted over the dried smudges of blood on Lin's cheek and hands, the dusty, tangled hair that she hadn't had time to brush for days, the sharp edge of obvious pain in her tired eyes. One gloved hand rose, cupping the young woman's face tenderly; the other clasped in a loose fist that rested over her own heart. Lin, she mouthed silently. (Linkali was somewhat surprised. Zelda never shaped words with her mute lips, always preferring to speak with gestures or by writing.) The hand resting against the elder's chest moved away, gesturing for her two guests to come inside.
"I broke Nabooru's seal," Linkali said as she stepped into the smoky warmth of Zelda's home. The former monarch smiled warmly. "The other Sages need you before they can restore the Master Sword."
Zelda nodded, confirming that she had known this all along. However, she didn't make any move to take Lin's hand and transport them back to the Sacred Realm. She continued walking in towards the kitchen. The younger Hylian balked, not sure if there was something she herself had missed here. After a moment, she continued walking, coming up behind the Seventh Sage just as she was laying out a few things on the table. "So…we can go now, if you're ready," she hedged in slowly. "I mean, unless you've got something you need to take care of here first."
The village founder's quill pen scratched through the quiet air in the kitchen, and a moment later, Zelda had turned and handed a sheet of parchment with a hastily written message on it. I do have something here that must be cared for: You.
Lin set the paper down on the table, stepping around so that she was beside Zelda. The elderly woman smiled warmly over at her before settling into one of the chairs. After a moment, her young friend followed suit. "I'll be fine," the girl said wearily as she watched Zelda scribbling hastily. "I just want to get this over with. I just—"
She broke off as Zelda pushed the sheet of parchment over the table towards her, the mute woman's personal way of interrupting someone. Linkali read the graceful runes: Are you hungry? I would be happy to make you something to eat.
"I'm fine," the young woman replied. A bold-faced lie. Her stomach was roaring with hunger-cramps, so much so that at times she honestly felt as if she were about to be ill. "I just want—"
Lin was cut off again as Zelda pushed another sentence towards her. Are you certain, Lin? It really would be no trouble at all. A bit further down the page—the mute woman's way of pausing in her interruption, something that those who spoke aloud would have a difficult time with—she had written, Would you just like some tea, then? I have plenty more of the Gerudo blend that you're so fond of, and obtained a few different varieties while you were away from the village. Would you like to try one of them?
"I don't want tea," Linkali snapped, spitting out each of the consonants angrily. Zelda's quill fell remarkably still as she looked up at the young woman, her eyes a little wider than usual. Lin balked, realizing that she'd sounded rather harsh just then, far sharper than she had intended. "I'm sorry, I just…I appreciate the thought, Zelda, I really do, but…" She tapered off, one hand cradling her head tenderly. Goddess Din, this was making her head hurt even worse. She sat like that for a few moments before she felt a gentle hand come to rest on her shoulder. She looked up, and saw that the keeper of Wisdom had written something more for her.
I realize that you wish to get this part of your quest complete as soon as possible, but Lin, anyone with eyes can see that you are completely and utterly exhausted right now. I do not know what transpired in the Spirit Temple, nor do I need a full account at this moment, but clearly, whatever took place has drained you. You need to eat and rest—perhaps more so the latter than the former. I will take my place with the other Sages in the Sacred Realm in due time, but I will not do so until you are cared for.
"Then I'll head back home and get some sleep," Lin muttered. Zelda studied her for a few moments, then shook her head. "No, really, I'll be fine."
The elderly woman stepped back, motioning for Linkali to follow her. Lin, still cradling her head in one hand, obeyed without a word. Experience had taught her better than to try and push Zelda too far when the older Hylian was adamant on a point. Lin herself might be stubborn, but so was Zelda. In silence, she followed the village founder through the hall, and towards the back stairs. Dimly, she realized that this was the first time she had seen this particular part of Zelda's home. But why was she taking her there now? She's not…Is she?
The stairs led up to a loft that spanned about half the area of the house below it. Linkali climbed up the stairs, pausing at the top to glance around, her weariness and pain momentarily put aside by her curiosity. Here, the scent of incense was somewhat fainter, but it still hung in the air delicately, mingling with the scent of the woman who burned it. A few shelves of books stood against the sides of the room, a sight that was both somewhat startling and yet completely expected. (Lin was still surprised to see so many books, but as she'd gotten to know Zelda better, she'd found herself thinking that the village founder likely had more than just what was downstairs.) The youth's eyes roved away from the tomes—the thought of reading was making her headache intensify—and glanced back around.
There was a single window in the loft, but it was large enough that, in the daytime, it could shed light over the whole room. In the dim moonlight that filtered into the loft, Lin could see a few potted plants resting on the low, broad sill, which looked large enough to also accommodate Zelda, should she choose to sit there. Across the floor from the window was a rather ornate vanity, somewhat dusty from disuse, with a few pots of ink and quills lying atop what looked like an old sketchbook. There was also a small table, which had an old glass bottle sitting in the middle; there were a number of dried flowers arranged in the bottle as if it were a vase, and Linkali was pretty sure that they had stems made of metal needles, just like the ones in the kitchen did.
Lin spotted Zelda, who had grabbed a lantern on her way up and lit it, standing on the far side of the loft; the lantern was resting on a small table, and it cast a faint glow over the upper room. Zelda was standing beside a low bed, its sheets pulled up and tucked in neatly. A colorful quilt—a gift from someone in the village, no doubt—lay atop the bed, and as the young woman approached, the elder turned the top of it down and pulled back the sheets partway. She looked back at her young friend with a warm smile and patted the mattress invitingly. Linkali balked, shaking her head slightly and hanging back a bit more.
"Zelda, I'm not…I can't…" she began haltingly. I'm not going to sleep in your bed. Nayru knew, she would love nothing more than to sink into the mattress after the past few nights of sleeping on the cold, hard floor of the Spirit Temple. However, if she did that, she would be forcing Zelda to sleep somewhere less hospitable. The couch downstairs, maybe? The cushions looked soft enough, but wouldn't that hurt the older woman's joints? "I can't take your bed."
To her surprise, the former monarch actually seemed to contemplate that. After a moment, Zelda nodded slowly in agreement. Before Linkali could start to relax, though, the older woman grinned somewhat mischievously and bent at the waist to tap her own boots. She straightened up, pointing at Lin's feet, before making a motion that looked like she was removing something. She agreed that the young woman couldn't use her bed—not while she was still wearing shoes, at any rate.
Linkali sighed. Something told her it would probably be best if she just dropped the argument and did as she was told. As much as she hated the thought of forcing her friend to sleep somewhere that might be less than comfortable for her, she had to admit, she just wanted to lie down and sleep. She tugged off the slippers that Aliyah had leant her, setting them off to the side. Zelda nodded, grinning her approval, and patted the sheets again.
Still somewhat reluctantly, Lin moved towards the bed and settled down on the edge of it. She picked up her now-bare feet, sliding her legs under the cool, smooth sheets. Slowly, the young woman eased herself down onto the mattress, laying her tired head down on the pillow. Goddesses have mercy, this had to be the most comfortable bed she'd ever lain in! Linkali's eyes narrowed like a contented cat's as she snuggled her cheek down against the cool pillowcase. The fabric around her radiated Zelda's gentle scent, faintly sweet and spiced by her favorite incense. That scent had been one that Lin associated strongly with someone she had come to care deeply for, and she felt safe and secure to have it hang in the air all around her.
She felt herself beginning to slide back into sleep, but seconds before she could enter that state for herself, a chilliness descended over one of her hands. Goddesses, why now? she wondered. Couldn't he just let her sleep? Before she could grow too worked up over this, though, the heaviness of forced sleep fell over her mind, and she slipped away into blackness.
Zelda smiled gently as she pulled the covers up around the tired young woman's shoulders and settled down on the edge of the mattress. One gloved hand brushed Linkali's cheek, smoothing the hair away from it tenderly. The Triforce of Wisdom purred softly within her, resonating gently with the piece Linkali held in her own body. For a few moments, she let that gentle hum consume her world…until she felt a rather bizarre shift. It was impossible to describe it, really, but if she had to, the former Princess would have said that it felt like the Triforce of Wisdom had, for a moment, stopped resonating with Lin's piece, and had begun to resonate with another. The resonance was hollow, though, strangely distant—almost like a half-forgotten memory.
She sensed nothing worrying about it, though, and after a brief moment, the strange resonance was gone. At virtually the same time, the young woman under the covers sighed softly and relaxed into sleep. Zelda looked over at Navi, who was standing on the pillow, and after a silent exchange of glances, the fairy drifted up into the air and accompanied Zelda out of the room, leaving Lin to get her well-earned rest.
"Spirit, please don't make me hunt you down tonight," Linkali called out into the silent landscape. She had opened her eyes to find herself in the field once again, where the empty sky arched over her head and the grassland shimmered in the impossibly hot sunlight. Her voice faded from the dry air, and after a moment, the hawk she had never seen screeched in reply, its voice distant and strange.
To be honest, as much as she loved and respected the Warrior's Spirit, she wasn't really in the mood for seeing him right now. Even though she felt refreshed and rejuvenated here, Lin knew that, in reality, she wasn't. If she were to waken right now, she would be just as drained as she had been when she'd laid down to sleep. She wasn't the slightest bit tired in this dream, but that didn't change the fact that she wanted her mind to rest.
When the armored man failed to show his face, Linkali groaned under her breath and began to push her way through the high grass of the field. The cool stalks slid against her with the quiet whisper of rattling seedheads. She sighed, speaking to the Warrior's Spirit as she pressed forward, despite the fact that he was not around. "I don't mean to sound whiny." She pushed aside an armful of grass. "To be honest, I'm actually glad to be away from that headache." Another armful of long-stemmed grass. "Don't get me wrong, Spirit, I do like speaking with you, it's just that—" She snapped off as the third sweep of grass revealed the all-too-familiar clearing where she had always found the armored Spirit—and sure enough, there he stood, armor gleaming in the brilliant sunlight.
" 'It's just that', what, Lin?" he asked calmly.
"It's just that I've had a few very long days of late, and I was hoping to get some rest," the young woman managed to say after a moment. Confusion darted through her eyes. Why is it that any other night, I would have to spend hours tracking you down, and yet tonight, you appear so quickly? She shook her head. That wasn't what mattered. She focused her attention back on the man standing before her, and got the sense that beneath his visor, he was giving her the same gentle grin Zelda had earlier.
"That is why I brought you here tonight," the Warrior's Spirit explained, "that you might rest undisturbed. Surely you have, in the past, been told that at times you cannot be roused from sleep?" Linkali nodded. "And surely you know that during those instances, you and I were speaking." Again, she nodded. "I have it in my power to place you in a sleep from which you will not awaken until I allow it—that is how you and I have been able to speak without interruption, as light a sleeper as you are."
Lin took that in, nodding slowly. It made sense. She called to mind their brief conversation in the Rogons' Cavern, how she had slept through Navi screeching in her ear as the stone-skinned beasts dropped a barricade of rocks in front of her only escape. She brought her attention back to the plated warrior before her as he stepped forward and laid a hand on her shoulder. "If you like, I will do this for you now," he offered. "I will place you in the arms of sleep, and those arms will not release you until you have rested your mind and are ready to handle what lies before you." He held out his other hand palm up in a gesture of curiosity. "Do you wish for me to do that for you?"
Linkali stood in silence, looking up at the armored warrior. Somewhere in the grass behind her, the horse that she had seen as frequently as she'd seen the hawk snorted and pawed the ground. A weak smile started to curl across her face. Zelda's home was quiet, but it hardly took anything at all to bring Lin jolting out of her dreams; she didn't want to face the waking world until she honestly had to, and the Warrior's Spirit was giving her a chance to do just that. "I'd like that," she said softly. "Thank you, Spirit."
"Breaking the seals of the Six Sages took tremendous effort on your part, but you managed to complete the task beautifully," the man murmured. "You have more than earned the right to rest." He reached out, gold-plated gauntlet gleaming, and pressed his first two fingers to the center of the young woman's forehead.
Without warning, Linkali felt herself beginning to fall backwards, in much the same way as it felt when the Spirit released her into true sleep after their meetings; however, despite that sensation, the sun-soaked prairie around them did not fade into black. The feeling of falling continued, and Lin actually found herself reeling backwards, her eyelids suddenly growing heavier. Her body jerked slightly, like the massive twitch that shatters a thin sleep; she opened her eyes to see the golden visor of the Warrior's Spirit hovering over her. He had moved around to her side and caught her as she fell.
As she looked up at him through narrowed eyes, the grassland shimmered around them and began to change. The glaring sunlight softened into a much softer, greenish glow and the baking heat shifted to a pleasant coolness. The rich, fresh scent of growing plant life rose up around them as the air grew slightly humid and easier on the lungs. Linkali's eyes drooped a little more closed. The forest. Dimly, some part of her realized that there was something different about the forest this time. It was darker, cooler; the crickets in the undergrowth were more numerous, and the distant warblers steadily fell silent. Night was falling over the forest, a gentle evening perfect for rest.
Lin felt herself growing more and more tired with each second that passed. Her eyelids grew impossibly hard to lift, heavier than the Mirror Shield had been on her weary arm just earlier that day. She felt herself come to rest on a cool, springy patch of moss, smelled the warm scent of leather as the Warrior's Spirit rubbed the backs of his fingers against her cheek in a slow, smooth circle. "Sleep." His deep voice hummed through the air around her. She knew that tone of voice. It was the tone he used when he wanted her to obey him quickly, that strange way of speaking that felt as if her own spirit was speaking to her and telling her what to do. How could she resist? Settled on the ground, wrapped up safely with a guardian Spirit to watch over her, Linkali led herself slide back into a dark and wonderful sleep. Her last thought before she slipped away was how glad she was to have people who cared so deeply about her, both when she was awake and when she was asleep.
Linkali wasn't sure how much time had passed from the moment the Warrior's Spirit had taken her away to the moment her dark blue eyes flicked open, only that it had been enough time to quiet her throbbing head. For a few moments, she lay where she was, inhaling deeply and drawing in the spice of incense that hung faintly over the sheets. (Upon first opening her eyes, she'd momentarily forgotten where she was; the familiar scent of incense had been a gentle reminder.) She was warm and cozy under the blankets. True, she was still a little stiff and sore from her misadventures through the Spirit Temple, but she could tolerate that level of discomfort. Her head was clearer now than it had been in days, which was a blessing like no other for a young woman who preferred to go through life fully alert and aware. She didn't lie there long, though, before she realized how hungry she was. For the most part, the hunger cramps had the dull, aching edge to them that said her stomach was starting to wonder if she ever planned to eat again and was trying to resign itself to the answer being "no." Fortunately, if the smell in the air was any indication, she would get the chance to eat again fairly soon.
Lin sat up slowly, one hand massaging her belly. Her eyes fell to the small table by the bed, and she saw that there was a bowl of water with a few small towels there, as well as a long-handled brush. She reached out, dabbling her fingers curiously in the water, and was startled to discover that it was actually somewhat warm. Her best guess was that it had been much, much hotter when it was poured, and that it had been sitting there long enough to cool. Clearly, Zelda had anticipated that Linkali would want to wash up before anything else; the dust and dried blood from her time in the Spirit Temple was still caked all over. Smiling, the young woman picked up one of the towels and dipped it into the bowl. She started just by wiping off her face, though it wasn't long before she'd stripped off most of her clothing to get herself as clean as possible. Most of the blood from her former arm wound, as well as the numerous scrapes she'd accrued, had been rubbed off while she slept, but wiping down helped her remove at least the memory of the grime and pain. Once she was cleaner—and the towels showed that she had cleaned more than just memories from her skin—Lin reached for the brush and set to work pulling apart the tangled mess of her hair.
It wasn't much longer after that that she pulled on her familiar shirt, leggings, and mantle, tugged on her boots, and declared herself ready to eat. She paused for just a moment longer to straighten up the bed before gathering up her belongings and heading back downstairs. The closer she walked to the kitchen, the more she became aware of the tantalizing scents of food that had been teasing her since she awoke. She poked her head into the kitchen, grinning. "Good…evening, I suppose," she said, somewhat sheepishly. It had been dark in the loft, and while Lin had been willing to attribute a good bit of that to the fact that the curtains over the single window had been drawn, now that she was downstairs, she could tell that it truly was that dark.
"Lin!" Navi zipped away from her seat on Zelda's shoulder at the young woman's voice, darting up in front of her partner's face excitedly. "You're awake!"
Linkali nodded, glancing over towards Zelda. The village founder turned away from the stove, smiling warmly at her young friend. Her ocean-blue eyes glittered as she glided across the floor to embrace the younger woman. Lin returned the hug, feeling that soothing purr of her piece of the Triforce resonating with Zelda's. After a few moments, she pulled back, laughing sheepishly. "Did I really just sleep for an entire day?" she asked. Zelda nodded, looking somewhat amused. She glanced towards the table, which was already set for two, though the usual writing materials were there. Lin released her friend, and Zelda moved towards the table and began to write.
While you slept, Navi told me of the difficulties you faced in the Spirit Temple, she explained. She shook her head sympathetically. I will be honest, Lin: I never imagined your quest would do quite as much harm to you bodily as it has thus far.
"It has taught me a lot, though," the young woman admitted. "I've learned more about fighting by being thrown into the heat of battle than I ever would have learned if the quest were as simple as traveling to find the Sages and just giving back the Medallions."
Zelda nodded fairly. I do worry about when the time will come for you to face Ganon in the final battle, she confessed. I do not doubt your skills, but I believe that he will prove to be a far more challenging opponent than any you have faced thus far in your quest. Years of training might be the only thing that would ensure that we would still have you at the end of the day.
Linkali reached out, settling her steady hand over one that was beginning to tremble with fright. Zelda looked up at her, smiling weakly. "I'll admit, I could probably stand to have a bit more training under my belt before I went to take on the Evil King," she said. And Nayru knows, HyReCo could use some as well, just to make sure we come through with as few losses as possible. "I'll talk to Vantal tomorrow about taking a few more days to ensure that everything is ready. We were a little hasty to think that we could be ready to fight in such a short amount of time."
The former monarch huffed softly, her own silent laugh. You will find many people in the fighting force who will thank you for that decision, she wrote. Preparations have gone well thus far, but many still have their doubts. More time will help them to gain the confidence they need. She smiled. And, of course, seeing that their fearless leader is more confident will go miles towards helping them.
" 'Fearless leader'." Linkali snickered. "I'm anything but, Zelda." The older Hylian shook her head, shaking one finger playfully at Lin. She struck a brash pose, one hand clenched in a proud fist, body tilted slightly forward, eyes fixed fiercely on some imagined horde of enemies. She held the pose for a moment, then dropped it and pointed at Lin with a smirk that seemed to say That's you I was imitating just now. Before the youth could open her mouth to deride herself further, Zelda turned and strode towards the stove. Away from her writing tools, there was no way for her to counter anything Lin said about her own abilities—the argument, and the young woman's chance to say how lacking she was, was over.
Linkali smirked and settled down into one of the two chairs. "Did you head to the Sacred Realm while I was sleeping?" she asked. Zelda turned over one shoulder and shook her head. "You were waiting for me?" The woman nodded. Lin had to wonder why that was, whether she had some role to complete or if Zelda had just wanted the Sages to be able to see for themselves that the once-bedraggled girl was indeed rested and content once more. "I assume we'll be leaving after we eat, then?" Again, Zelda nodded. "I'm not complaining about that. I'm so hungry, I could eat an Octarok." (1) The woman at the stove huffed a laugh softly, shooting her young friend a fond look over one shoulder before returning to the meal she was preparing.
Fortunately for Lin, it wasn't much longer before the food was ready and on the table. The young woman couldn't help herself. She hadn't eaten much in the Spirit Temple to begin with, and now that she'd slept away an entire day, she was famished. She was glad that neither Zelda nor Navi saw fit to tease her about how much she was eating or how voraciously she ate it. After the meal, the three women sat around for a time, just relaxing and enjoying each others' company; then, after cleaning up the dishes and a few other things—such as the bowl of water that Lin had used to wash up—the time came for them to depart. Linkali reached for the flute under her mantle, but Zelda stopped her calmly. Setting one hand on the youth's upper arm, the Seventh Sage had closed her eyes and tilted her head back slightly. Lin let her own eyes close as well, knowing that before long, she would open them and find herself standing in the Sacred Realm.
(1) I really need to stop slipping in references to Zelda things that shouldn't have existed.