Authors note: See the bottom of this chapter for the translation and pronunciation of this chapter. It'll make more sense then.
Chapter thirty-six, Bra-tava, Elnd Viy
The open air outside of the city filled Link's lungs with serenity. The night before, after the funeral, he accompanied Zelda to the Library, where they scavenged any possibly helpful information about the task ahead of them, and Zelda asked more questions surrounding his capture months prior. The Phantom Realm, the Void, The Spirit of the Hero, all of it they discussed with painfully slow communication.
The topic of the reanimated Leviathan especially brought a rise of fearful excitement to Zelda.
Obviously, it did not bode well for them, but she simply could not deny her scientific mind from grasping at every little detail about the once extinct creature with childlike wonder. They had heard rumors from Gerudo Desert the last winter that the bones of a great creature seemingly disappeared, but until now, the notion had been cast aside as useless information. The War tore everyone's attention away from even the most bizarre occurrences across the land. They prayed the beast would not make a return, but only time would tell.
Another thing left to simmer on the back of their minds. They had more important things to worry about.
To his surprise, and joy, Dan and Liam found him not long after that, and practically begged for forgiveness. They felt ashamed that they had ever doubted him, but he swore on all that was holy he understood completely, and held no ill will against them. Only then had their hearts been put to rest. The two knights insisted that he allow them to buy him dinner and drink for him that night, which he gladly accepted, as long as their meal was held privately at his father's house. Given the tensions between him and the whole of Hyrule Castle and Town, he wanted to avoid public places as much as he could. Zelda seemed slightly disappointed that he was not going to accept her invitation to dinner, but after a silent and swift change of heart, she smiled brightly, and encouraged him to enjoy his well-deserved night of merriment with his few friends before the long trek that loomed over them began.
He had felt equal parts relieved, and disappointed for having to turn her down. He even briefly considered inviting her along, but one quick gut check of his sense of propriety quickly dissuaded that action. How stupid he thought he was to even consider such a foolish idea; the Princess Regent of Hyrule dining in a commoner's house? Friends or not, she was still the Princess.
Dan and Liam tried to persuade Link to eat at the Inn, but after some stern convincing, they had finally acquiesced, and the three set out to Castle Town that night to prepare a hearty meal, and drank together in his late father's shabby dining room. One could only imagine Link's surprise when a knock came at the door mid supper, and entered Eric ―who looked unbelievably older than he remembered― along with Ariel, Angela, and his old Sheikah neighbor, Mrs. Tamlin. Link had felt a little overwhelmed at first, but his heart overflowed with gratitude.
Rest assured, he still had some friends in Hyrule.
Ariel, who spoke to Link with ever graceful familiarity and kindness, keyed him in on Jonathan's wellbeing. Link smiled after hearing he had received another promotion for his brave efforts during the fall of the Citadel. A Staff-Sergeant he was now, leading a small platoon to the north in the Lanayru Wetlands. Ariel had already sent Jonathan a letter explaining that he had been cleared of his charges, and that he was safe.
Link ached to see his best friend once more.
Eric offered his own spouts of information, primarily about the booming blacksmiths trade, making swords and armor for the Crown. He worked day in, day out to help supply the Hyrulean army with sharp steel. Link also gleaned that things were going well between him and Ariel. In fact, they were courting, although they were still too young to marry for a few years longer. However, Eric beamed with happiness nonetheless. If the War did not disturb their lives too much, they would have a bright future to look forward to together.
It put Link's heart at ease.
It had been a good night. A wonderful relief for is ailed mind, until the night came to a close, and sleep beckoned to them all. He slept alone in his father's house that night, so that his night terrors would not disturb the servants. He would have to think of a more permanent solution later, now that he and the Princess were back out onto the road.
That was the new muse that held his attention; what could he do about it?
"That tunic was your ancestor's, correct?" Zelda asked, removing him from thought. Link glanced over to her, her golden hair shimmering in the morning sun, and nodded. He had opted to wear the forest green tunic his ancestor gifted him instead of his Champion's Tunic simply because he felt it helped him blend in with the environment better, and it was a much sturdier material. He left the stocking-like cap in his bag though. It still looked silly to him. He instead wore the hood and mask he bought off the Sheikah trader a nearly a week prior, although for the time being, both were pulled down, revealing his scarred face, and placid blue eyes.
"It suits you well," she added with a kind tone. Link thanked her with a bow of the head before returning his eyes to the road ahead, scanning for any signs of possible threats. Twenty Royal Guards in total surrounded the Princess and Queen. The Queen decided that they would ride together to the south until they would split at the Great Plateau to go their respective ways, Link and the Princess traveling to Damel Forest with a select few men, and the Queen would return to Fort Hateno with the rest.
Link was glad to find that the guards that accompanied them only seemed to despise him slightly.
Not a single word from their lips had been pointed towards him, which was a rather pleasant surprise. Link assumed the Queen had chosen them very specifically for that reason. Perhaps she even gave them a stern lecture. Link did not know quite how he felt about that idea, but he gladly accepted the results.
Drodvaltol, the Faronish prisoner of war, was also with them. He had been moved to the Castle Dungeons before the fall of the Citadel, and kept under careful watch. Link was surprised that Drod greeted him with a strangely friendly, and excited salutations in his native tongue. Apparently, Zelda had seen to it that Drod was beginning to be taught to speak the common language of Hyrule. He was kept at the very back of the convoy, under the strict eyes of the rear guard.
"Did that Gerudo woman ever tell you what the name of that horse is?" Zelda asked, pointing at the reddish-brown colored steed Link rode on. Link paused. Now that she mentioned it, he had no idea what the animal's name was. He decided to give her a nickname for the time being. His choice was a slight change to her namesake, the crimson Loftwing, Ephona.
'No. But I've decided to call her Epona.' Link let go his reins entirely to write his note, but Epona stayed on course without any guidance. That was something Link came to really appreciate about the magnificent beast in the few days he had ridden her. He practically did not even need reins. She always seemed to know exactly where he wanted to go. Despite being raised to pull wagons, she was the most well behaved, intelligent, and responsive mount he had ever ridden.
"She looks like a wonderful horse. I'm sure old Zeno would be jealous," Zelda commented with an easy grin. Link shrugged his shoulders amusedly, and lightly brushed Epona's neck. She nickered with satisfaction, as if to say, 'thank you.' Epona truly was a remarkable happenstance, and a blessing. He made sure to let her know that truth by sneaking her delectably crisp apples whenever he got the chance.
'Our secret,' he would hum internally. She of course could not hear him, but the way she nudged him with her snout after her treat signified her approval. Why he felt the need to keep it a secret, he could not say. Perhaps it was because he knew he was spoiling her, or perhaps he simply wanted something to dote on. Soon she would demand apples as payment just for doing her job, but part of Link found it hard to deny her such an innocent snack.
Do onto those that which you wish to be done to you, Link supposed. However, that was a silly sentiment. She was just a horse, after all. Then again, maybe she would repay him in loyal service.
Ah, he snapped at himself. Stay focused. No time for these silly, idle thoughts.
They rode for several hours more until the stopped at the Outpost Garrison for a quick rest. Link sighed with relief, since his thigh was throbbing with pain, but made no outward complaints. After their much-needed noon rest, and a few goodbyes, they split and went their different directions. As always, the Queen wished them the best of luck and encouragement before she remounted her horse gracefully, even despite her ever-advancing age, and rode of with her escorts. Eight knights stayed behind, and took their formation around the Princess. Link rode closely beside her, always keeping a free hand on his crossbow which hung loosely by a leather strap around the horn of his saddle. The further they rode away from civilization, the tenser Link became.
Nothing ever happened, though. They crossed the Bridge of Hylia with little effort, and set their course for the edge of Faron Forest. However, once they finally came within view of the tree line, Link did notice a strange occurrence on its border.
Great thorns blanketed the trees. And not just any old thorn branches. These were branches thicker than his arms and legs. They wove in and out of the trees in a mad sprawl of tangled greenery, bearing sharp red fangs, which looked vicious enough to kill a man. There was no way they could make it through, due to the sheer density of it all. No wonder the Horde had not tried to invade the forest.
"These were here last I came to place the barriers over this forest," Zelda explained. "I was in a rush, so I made no effort to enter, but I have no doubt this is the handiwork of MiarindÍl. I can sense the very magic that courses through their roots." Zelda glanced over to Link and nodded encouragingly. "I'm sure she will let us in."
They pressed on until they came within a few paces of the outermost wall of thorns, and dismounted. The guards set up a defensive formation around them, and awaited their orders. With a silent nod, Zelda stepped forward and placed her hand on one of the bare parts of a thorn branch and closed her eyes, making her presence known. A peace slowly settled over her, signaling that she was indeed in communication with the Care Taker, and by the smile that stretched across her lips, Link knew it was good news.
"Drodvaltol," Zelda said over her shoulder without withdrawing her hand. "Come." The guards in charge of his keeping shifted in their saddles uncomfortably before finally dismounting, and led Drodvaltol to the Princess. "You may let him go," Zelda ordered plainly.
"Princess Regent, are you certain?" one guard asked sternly.
"He will not run, I promise. Let him go." The guards looked to one another uneasily, calculating the risks, before they finally released their iron tight grip on Drod's arms. Zelda beckoned for the Faronite to step forward and place his hand on the thorn branch as she did, which he did with unthreatening gusto. A beaming smile stretched across his lips, and he offered a short snippet of dialog in his own tongue.
The moment his words were spoken, a narrow passageway began to open as the branches of thorns began to peel away through some magic. As if he did not have a worry or fear in the world, Drodvaltol marched into the forest, chains and all, giddy as a child on his birthday. The guards set to chase him down, but Zelda held out her hand, halting them in their tracks.
"It's quite all right," she reassured them. "I don't think he would run away from this forest. Nothing short of dragging him by his chains would get him out now. Leave him be." The guards clearly disagreed, but they did not voice their opposition. Zelda shot Link a smart glance, and then gestured for him to follow her in on foot. After a quick nod, Link grabbed his travel pack hanging on his saddle before obeying, nervous excitement surging through his body. He slung it over his shoulders, carefully avoiding the bruises under his tunic, and then set out to walk with the Princess in a wide gait, taking their first steps past the threshold of the thorn branch wall.
As anyone could expect, the Royal Guards that accompanied them dismounted and began to lead their horses to the forest, but the moment the Princess and her knight were well under the coverage of the trees, the thorns shot back together, closing off the only entry into the forest.
"Princess!" they collectively shouted, drawing their swords as they surged forward to begin hacking away at the overgrown branches. One especially audacious knight ran before the rest, sword raised high, and prepared to slash his way through, but Zelda immediately ordered them to cease.
"Stop!" she yelled with a commanding and confident voice, which was loud enough to make it through the impenetrable barrier between them. "Not a branch shall be harmed, do you understand!?" The contingency of guards screeched to a halt, and lowered their swords obediently, adrenaline still making their hearts beat wildly. "The Care Taker of this forest has seen fit not to trust you it seems. We will be safe in here. Perhaps even safer in here than in Hyrule Castle. Go ahead and make camp, and rest easy. We will return to you soon."
"Princess Regent," one guard pleaded. "Can you not convince this Care Taker that we are amiable knights? We are trustworthy, on our honor, my lady."
"That is not my decision," Zelda explained with a more soothing tone. "This is MiarndÍl's domain. We will do as she pleases. Now make camp, and await further orders. You can sleep easy tonight."
"But who will ensure you are kept safe, my lady?" the guard continued.
"Need I remind you that I have my own weapon, powers, and Appointed Knight with me?" she retorted with the faintest hint of harshness. Link felt a tinge of pride, and perhaps flattery, flare up in his chest as the Princess came to his defense, since his tongue could not do it for him.
"Of course, my lady… Its just that… How can he? He can barely wield a sword properly. I do not think he is capable of the job given to him."
Oh, you stupid oaf. You kicked the beehive.
If only they had seen the enraged expression shoot across the Princess' face. Despite his best efforts, Link found it difficult to ignore how amusing the whole situation was, in a strange way. Zelda was just about to open her mouth, no doubt to very sternly lecture the knight for his rather unsavory comment, but Link put a calming hand on her shoulder and shook his head as if to say, 'it's not worth it.' Zelda shot him a crooked brow, but held her tongue, and composed herself before continuing.
"I shall forget your misplaced comment, for your sake," she said forebodingly, biting back the bitterness in her tone. "Master Link is more than capable of keeping me safe. He did save me from the darkling, after all. Now I will hear no more of this." There was a long sigh.
"Yes, my lady. We will be here if you need us."
"Good. Thank you." Zelda glanced at Link and rolled her eyes with frustration before turning on her heel and began to march forward. If Link were honest with himself, the whole petty disagreement seemed to be just that; petty. After a lot of meditating in every moment of peace he had between his release and now, he found it much easier to deal with his shield-brothers sly comments, simply because he was learning to move on. There was no point in lingering on the unchangeable.
That was a lesson he was slowly, but readily learning.
"Come," an excited voice with thick accent called to them. Link turned away from the wall of thorns to see Drodvaltol waiting rather impatiently for them to follow. Link wondered what was the purpose of his shackles if he made no attempts to run, or do any harm. In fact, Drod seemed completely at ease there in Faron Forest, as if he were a free man.
Zelda seemed to trust him, so he let into the inclination.
Walking on foot made Link's thigh ache dully, but he hiked his travel pack further up onto his back and pushed on without showing his discomfort, confident that MiarindÍl could heal it easily soon enough. The trio of travelers made their way through the forest unhindered, crossing over the various rivers, and delved deeper into the damp flora, passing dilapidated ruins of a bygone age, being quite familiar with the area now. Link drew in deep breaths of warm, calming air through his nose, which was tingling with the sensation of what he could only describe as magic. It must have been the magic Zelda spoke of. MiarindÍl must have been hard at work fortifying her domain. He could feel the blanket of security in the very atmosphere in the light of the setting sun.
"Come to my spring," he heard the Care Takers sweet voice whisper to him on the breeze, filling his soul with peace. "You are all weary from travel. I will care for you." Link looked over to Zelda and Drod, and judging by their tranquil expressions, they had heard it too.
Both the Princess and her knight had to kick up their knees just to keep up with the enamored Farontie, who took the lead, and enthusiastically urged them to follow quicker. Luckily, before long they finally reached their destination just outside the entry way to the cavern spring, glad to find that the stone doorway was already open.
Link glanced one last time at his princess, a suppressed grin on his face, and dove into the dark entryway.
Zelda's heart beat with joy. After so much trial and tribulation, they were finally on the road to Link's recovery. She trailed him and Drod down the stone staircase that bore into the mountainside, keeping one hand on the wall to steady herself, and the other holding onto a leather drawstring that hung from Link's travel pack so that she had something to follow in the pitch-black tunnel.
The further they descended, the quicker her heart beat.
Pale blue light began to dance on the walls and floor, and soon they finally broke through the dark, stepping into the open and inviting cavern. Link dropped his pack onto the soft ground with a satisfied sigh, and proceeded to the clear water of the spring.
"Long I have waited to see your dear faces," the Care Taker's voice beckoned to them as her body materialized in a beautiful show of flashing green light and swarming petals. "Forgive me for my slumber during the winter. Never before has my domain been succumb to such weather. I slept as my forest did, but I felt your presence nonetheless. Ever since I awoke, I have waited for you." Drodvaltol immediately dropped to his knees, mouth agape, and greeted his mythical deity in his own tongue.
"Anwinduhin, MiarindÍl," he gasped. "Velontir sitvviyata." The Care Taker stepped forward as graceful as a spring wind, and placed her hand on the side of his face, becoming locked into a telepathic trance. They stood in silence for a long pause, until MiarindÍl's cyan eyes blinked as she drew her attention to Link and Zelda, still holding her hand against Drod's cheek.
"Great horrors I see in his mind," she whispered, voice brimming with emotion and pain in a way that reminded Zelda of her mother when she was wrought with grief. "Horrors that have befallen my people. There are so many questions I must ask." She paused for a beat, and focused on Link. "But there is a more pressing matter at hand. Great horrors have befallen on you as well, young savior, have they not?"
"MiarindÍl," Zelda began, answering for Link, throat tight with nervousness. "He needs your healing. Desperately. The horror that has afflicted you people, is the same that has harmed him." The Care Taker nodded slowly, and tilted her head down to Drod, whispering something to him in Faronish. Drod's eyes opened, and he stood slowly before stepping to the side with newfound melancholy.
"Come, Link," she said, extending her hand out to him. "Tell me what ails you." Link took one last deep breath, then stepped forward into the spring, allowing MiarindÍl to cup his cheek with her oaken fingers. The moment her hand came into contact with his skin, both of their expressions darkened. The deep green color of MiarindÍl's aura began to pulsate randomly, and her eyes and mouth closed tighter. Their connection lasted far longer than one she shared with Drod, but after a few minutes, she finally withdrew her hand, almost as if his skin had burned her fingers, and her eyes shot open. The green light of her aura finally settled back down, and assumed his normal pace of fluctuation. Zelda waited with anxious anticipation to hear what she would say.
"Truly, you are made of something stronger, Chosen One," she finally said in a voice that Zelda swore was on the verge of shuddering with tears. Her usually calm and soothing voice had vanished, and in its place, was a much more strained, and sad whisper-like tone. "I am so sorry these things have happened to you."
"Can you heal him?" Zelda finally blurted out, unable to hold it in any longer.
"Many things I can. Others I cannot." A long silence hitched onto the end of her sentence, accompanying her distant and ponderous eyes. Link shifted uncomfortably before he finally turned around to face Zelda. Her heart seized up when she saw the wetness in his eyes. He was on the verge of tears, and yet his expression remained utterly stoic. He looked away a second after his gaze met hers.
There was more to MiarindÍl's words, but Zelda could not put her finger on it.
"It won't be pleasant," the Care Taker finally said. "But he will suffer no more pain. I will see to that."
"So, what is the first step?" Zelda asked, trying to push past the overwhelming sense of discomfort that coiled up inside her chest. The sense that something was horribly wrong, but she could not name exactly what it was.
"I will put him to sleep. A deep sleep. From there I will begin the healing process."
"Okay," Zelda said, trying to sound positive. "Let's begin then."
"While I put him to rest, I will need you go and gather something for me, please," MiarindÍil said as she gestured for Link to step further into the spring.
"Of course," Zelda chimed. "What do you need?"
"There are wildflowers in the meadow above. A blue flower called a Safflina."
"Ah yes, I know what those look like," Zelda replied, although she thought she recalled that blue Safflinas only grew in cold climates. Then again, perhaps she was wrong.
"Good. If you wouldn't mind gathering a plentiful handful of those. I will need to make a poultice from their petals to help the healing process."
"Right, I will be back as soon as I can." Zelda looked at Link one last time before she left, and smiled encouragingly. He did not return the favor, but he nodded politely. His response was odd, but not unwarranted given MiarndÍl's foreboding tone. Zelda pressed the thought from her mind as she strode up the stairs alone, still fumbling in the dark. However, she finally reached the top, and took long desperate breaths in the open air.
Zelda scanned the nearby grassy knolls for the Safflinas MiarindÍl spoke of, but did not spot any immediately. So, after tightening her sword belt, she set out on her scavenger hunt, allowing herself to become completely engulfed by her task to distract her uneasy mind.
Something was off down there. Zelda could feel it. Focus on the task at hand, she reminded herself again.
Starting from the west wall of the ruined colosseum, Zelda tracked her way around along the small moats of water, carefully searching every patch of grass, and behind every tree. She found no luck on that side, so from there she proceeded to the eastern wall, and luckily stumbled upon a few short stalks of the blue Safflinas waving in the breeze, triumphantly snatching them up.
Zelda looked up to the amber sky, noting that she needed to hurry before she ran out of light.
With her few flowers in hand, Zelda pressed on, happening upon a few bushels here, and a few bushels there, until at last after nearly thirty minutes, she had a respectable fist full of the delicate earthy flower which smelled almost like lavender, although much more minty. Satisfied with her work, she jogged back to the entrance of the cavern, and descended the dark stairs once again.
The first person she saw was Drodvaltol, who was sitting on a nearby rock, gazing towards the spring with and entranced expression, absentmindedly stroking his beard, stuck deep in thought. He was a thoughtful man, Zelda had come to learn over the few months she worked with him trying to teach him to speak Hylian, and he was living up to that expectation. It seemed strange to her how he was always so calm and docile, yet every description she ever heard from her soldiers was how savage and vicious the Faronites were in battle. She had seen them too, of course, but not up close. Not like she had with Drod. And then there was the bizarre instance of wide spread cowardice among the Faronites' ranks at the first siege of the Citadel. It was an enigma to say the least.
MiarindÍl will know, she thought.
Zelda entered the cavern further, eventually coming upon the edge of the spring where she saw MiarindÍl kneeling beside Link, who was already fast asleep.
"Oh!" Zelda stammered when she realized he was in nothing more than a pair of loose undergarments that covered his modesty. MiarindÍl seemed unfazed by her alarm, and beckoned for Zelda to come closer. Zelda cleared her throat nervously before kicking her boots off, and stepped into the shallow spring.
Zelda froze when she saw innumerous purple bruises all across his body. She knew he had a few, which she assumed he just received from rough travel and fighting with his darkling several days earlier, but these; these were not the markings of a quick fight. He had been beaten, hard, and mercilessly. She wondered how, and when though? They looked far to fresh to have happened before he returned from the past.
"You know not how he came to bear these?" MiarindÍl asked as she examined him closer.
"No," Zelda aired worriedly. "Well, I knew he had some bruises, but I thought it was maybe two or three… But this… He never said a word."
"Old habits die hard, I suppose," MiarindÍl said sagely as her fingers drifted across his chest, a soft green light flowing out onto his skin, almost erasing the harsh purple and crimson color. Zelda swallowed the saliva in her throat as the pink scars that marred every inch of his skin became more visible and distinct.
Anger, pity, and sadness assaulted Zelda's heart as she came to realize the true extent of the scars he carried. Words on paper simply did not have to same affect as seeing the real aftermath before her eyes. She sniffled, and wiped away a single tear that trembled below her eyelid.
"How did he receive the bruises? I knew… About the scars… But these bruises are far to fresh to have happened during his torture."
"I had my suspicions about your guards when I felt your mind just outside the border of this forest. I saw through your mind's eye the way they mistrusted him, which is why I denied them entry… And now that I have seen that which has passed in Link's memory, my suspicion has been confirmed."
"They did this!?" Zelda gaped, the fringe of anger surging to her heart.
"No. Not them specifically, but others of their occupation. Twice he was beaten. Once when he was detained by your Legionaries in the Tabantha Frontier, and once when he was held prisoners in your castle's dungeons. They resorted to harsher tactics of interrogation before he was proven innocent."
Zelda stammered for words, being consumed by angry disbelief.
"How dare… I… How could they do this!? After everything he has been through! I specifically ordered them not to harm him! Oh, they will pay for this. Why didn't Link tell me!?"
"Because he knew you would react as such," MiarindÍl responded calmly. "He felt that bringing this to your attention would only upset you unnecessarily, which in his mind was a breach on propriety. As I said, old habits die hard." Her gentle hands moved further across his upper body, washing away the welting bumps with her healing power. Zelda, unknowing on how to react to what she had heard, knelt in the warm water, reaching out with her hand and gently touched some of the smooth scars that perpetrated his skin. Her anger melted away instantaneously, and was replaced with sorrow.
"His scars, I cannot heal," the Care Taker said. "Once the skin has healed, there is little I can do short of cutting it all over again and healing it, but that is not worth the energy and its far from perfect."
"What about his fingers? Can you fix them if they've already healed?" Zelda asked anxiously.
"As they are now, I cannot. But, there is a way. It is just very unpleasant, hence his magical sleep."
"How?" Zelda's voice was hoarse and wispy as she stroked the chin of her Appointed Knight. MiarindÍl took Link's right hand in his own and examined it closely.
"I must break them. Break them just as bad as they were the first time. Only then can I heal them, and restore them to their full strength and dexterity." Zelda's aghast expression caught MiarindÍl's attention, but her calm eyes glimmered kindly and reassuringly. "Don't worry. He will not feel the pain in his slumber. He is dreaming right now. Good dreams, full of light and life. I daresay he has not slept this well in months." Zelda sighed with relief. "Let us begin."
"What would you like me to do with the flowers?" Zelda asked. MiarindÍl chuckled lightly, as if there was some unspoken joke.
"I don't actually need them," she finally replied. With a twirl of her hand, a single stalk of a flower shot out from the ground nearby, and bloomed in brilliant shades of sky blue. Zelda furrowed her eyebrows with utter confusion. "Your task was a false one, I must admit."
"What? Why?" Zelda asked, perplexed. An impish smile stretched across MiarindÍl's lips.
"Link wanted you to be distracted while I did my work... Cold Safflinas don't grow here naturally. You would have been searching for hours fruitlessly, had I not grown some for you." Zelda did not really know what to say to that, so MiarindÍl explained further with an amused smile. "Don't tell him though. Hylia knows his little heart would give out if he learned that I allowed you to see him in such a state of undress and toil. Lucky for you, however, I have decided to ignore his wishes, because I do need your help."
This boy! I will never understand what goes on in that thick skull of his! "What do you need me to do?"
"While I work on his fingers, I need you retrieve a knife or dagger from your supplies. We'll need it to cut out that shard in his leg. That too, I will need an extra pair of hands for." Zelda quickly slipped away to complete her real task. On the edge of the spring, she found Link's clothes, boots, and weapons neatly stowed away, so she searched his belt and found his dagger.
His necklace was there too, which caught her attention for a moment, so she picked it up and held it in her palm. It was a simple little thing, nothing compared to the elaborate and elegant golden necklaces and jewelry she had worn before, but there was an unspoken value and beauty to it. It was something that he carried with him always, holding it near and dear to his heart, much like she held her own necklace that her father had given to her close to her own heart.
In that sense, Zelda related entirely. A necklace like that found value in sentiment, not riches.
Returning to the task at hand, Zelda clutched the dagger in her hand and returned to MiarindÍl, who was holding a number of Link's fingers tightly in her hands. Zelda was a few steps away when she suddenly twisted violently, bending his fingers unnaturally, resulting in an audible cracking noise. It took Zelda by surprise and she jumped back with a yelp. However, Link's calm face never changed, and his eyes lulled serenely rolled underneath his eyelids.
"Sorry," MiarindÍl said. "I should have warned you." She contorted again, breaking even more fingers, causing Zelda to cringe. It was too painful to watch, so she shuffled forward without looking directly at Link. It never dawned on her that MiarindÍl possessed such unhuman strength, that she could so easily shatter the bones beneath his skin like one would break a twig between their fingers. After a few more nauseating cracking noises, Zelda worked up the bravery to look, and saw his fingers all bent in all the wrong ways.
"Hylia alive," she gasped.
Luckily, MiarindÍl began to straighten them, as her healing glow wrapped around each finger, and restored them to their original position. After a few more minutes of this, his right hand was completely back to normal. "One down," she said with an encouraging smile before grabbing onto his left. Zelda held her breath as MiarindÍl began breaking every segment of his left hand's fingers with brutish strength. After a few cracks Zelda looked away, and instead focused on Link's calm and handsome face.
Sleep well, Link, she said in her mind as she stroked his forehead, and ruffled his short, but soft hair. You deserve it.
The soft green light from MiarindÍl's hands signified that she was finally healing his remaining fingers. Before long, she declared that his hands were whole, and should be just as strong as they were before, once he stretched them a little. MiarindÍl moved down to his thigh, and began to examine it closely with an intelligent eye before finally speaking.
"I need you to be brave for this next part. There will be a lot of blood. Are you ready?"
"No," Zelda said wearily. "But I will do it all the same."
"Good. Now, I will make an incision large enough for you to grab the shard while I hold the cut open. Once it's out, I will seal up the wound and heal it. The faster we can do this, the less blood there will be." Zelda closed her eyes and took a long breath to calm her rising nerves, and then nodded. She had seen blood before. And a lot of it. However, something about having to physically harm Link after the hell he had been through sent her skin crawling. Her stomach twisted and lurched as MiarindÍl prepared to drive the dagger into his leg, but steeled her nerves, determined to complete her task.
She could be strong for his sake.
With calm precision, the blade of the dagger slowly began to sink into his thigh, resulting in an immediate trail of blood spewing down his leg. MiarindÍl worked the knife along a few inches, coming into contact with the shard itself, and then cut around it completely. Blood was pouring out at an alarming rate. Zelda's heat beat harder in her chest at time went on.
"Its time," MiarindÍl said, dropping the dagger, and gripped onto opposite sides of the incision, pulling it open to expose tender muscles beneath. "It should be easy to grab from here," she said. With one last push of will power, Zelda's thin fingers delved into the wound and began to pry the glassy-black stone shard from its resting place. It took a few tries, since her fingers began to slip a little, but eventually it began to wiggle slightly, then quite suddenly wrenched free.
"Excellent work," MiarindÍl chimed, snapping into action. With a flash of green light, the incision pulled back together, leaving nothing more than a smooth patch of skin, as if nothing had ever happened. "That wasn't so bad was it?" MiarindÍl asked with a surprisingly chipper voice.
"Awful," Zelda retorted with a frown, washing her hands in the spring, marveling as the blood simply vanished the moment it came into contact with the water. Seeing this, she quickly splashed water onto Link's leg, and scrubbed away the remained of his blood. Oh, how he would squirm and protest if he was awake, and saw her ―the Princess of Hyrule― washing away his blood with gentle and caring hands.
If only he would see her as Zelda, and not the Princess.
"What's next?" Zelda asked as she rubbed the sweat away on her forehead. "Is there something we can do about his voice?"
"There is no more I can do…" MiarindÍl trailed off uncharacteristically. It was the same ominous tone Zelda had detected earlier before she left to find the Safflinas, but she did not inquire into it. "But, an idea came to me before we began. Might I observe your mind deeper?" she asked, extending her hand out to Zelda's cheek. Eager to find any solution to their predicament, Zelda readily nodded, and allowed MiarindÍl fingers to rest gently on the side of her face.
She felt MiarindÍl's soft presence travel up her cheek and into her brain, as she began to search for something very specific, something that she had never searched for before. At first, Zelda was unsure exactly what she was looking for, but after a minute of so, MiarindÍl brushed against something in her mind that sent energetic shivers down her spine.
My powers…
However, there was something deeper there, but Zelda could not see it. MiarindÍl lingered there for minutes longer, silently, and gently observing, questioning, and noting what she found. Zelda reached out with her mind and contacted the presence within, finding that MiarindÍl was rather enthralled with her discoveries.
"There is something… Incredible here," the Care Taker echoed from within. "There are the seedlings of magic in all living things, but in you… There is more. More strength and power lie beneath the surface than you realize, Princess."
Can you show me? I cannot feel it for myself.
"Some, yes… But the rest… Quite frankly, I barely understand it myself. I specialize in the magics of healing and protection, which I can easily understand, but that does not even scratch the surface of what you possess."
Zelda would have been flattered if that prospect had not terrified her. How could she not know of this great power? What could happen to her if she stumbled upon a power so strong, that it would consume her to use? Creating barriers and firing beams of energy drained her enough as it was, would she have enough strength to lock away Ganondorf and Demise?
"I think I have found a way to restore Link's voice," MiarindÍl said, breaking Zelda from her thoughts. "If it is magic that took his voice away, then it is magic, your magic, that can restore it. If all that I have seen is true, you are the light; the exact opposite of the Evil that haunts this world."
What do I do!? Zelda asked urgently. Desperately.
She awaited to hear what the Care Taker would say, but instead of a verbal answer, MiarindÍl's presence wrapped itself around her own, and began to feed her with a wealth of information. Unlike normal forms of communication that used words and expressions to convey meaning, MiarindÍl presented her with feelings, inclinations, and knowledge.
She did not tell Zelda what to do. She made her realize what she could have always done.
MiarindÍl was simply the catalyst of this event, which filled Zelda with the overwhelming sense of… Well, she could not describe it. Power? she thought at first, but that did not sound right. It was something simpler, and purer than that.
Wisdom.
Wisdom enough to make her truly grasp the depth of what she knew, and what she did not. Although she could not see exactly what MiarindÍl could see within her, she could feel its vastness. Her presence felt dwarfed before it, and yet she did not feel afraid, or intimidated. Awe was the purveying emotion. A great and mysterious puzzle laid before her, and her heart desired nothing more than to unlock its secrets, and harbor its wisdom.
Zelda opened her eyes, brimming with knowledge. Knowledge that was vast, yet as MiarindÍl had explained did not even scratch the surface. For the time being, however, Zelda knew what to do.
Shuffling on her knees over to Link's head, she leaned down and placed a soft hand under his chin where the skin was softest. A surge of power trickled down her arm and into her fingers, emanating with a bright golden light that outshone that of MiarindÍl's. The light leaked through his skin, and illuminated the inside of his mouth such that the thinnest parts of his cheeks glowed with a holy light, as if he had swallowed a golden flame.
He shifted gently in his slumber, but did not wake. In fact, he seemed ever more at peace than before.
Zelda grinned sweetly before she stooped down, and pressed her lips against his. The restorative power from Zelda's core traveled up her neck and out into her own mouth, before spilling into the mouth of her beloved knight, intensifying the illumination of golden light. She felt the air from his nose pass heavier against her skin, and his head began to turn his head slightly.
He was waking up, she realized.
She was not done yet, however, so she kept her lips against his, too focused on her task to notice how wonderful it felt, and then finally pulled away satisfied, releasing the last of her power.
"That felt to real to be a dream," a groggy and deep voice whispered. Zelda tried not to audibly gasp with disbelieving excitement. "Well don't stop now, might as well enjoy ̶ " Link's words caught in his mouth, and his eyes shot open. He scanned the roof of the cavern above, and then craned his head up slightly, listlessly blinking his blue eyes at Zelda, and then at MiarindÍl, before finally looking at his immodestly covered body.
"Holy shit!" he yelped as he shot up onto his elbows like he had the living daylights scared out of him, then realized his profanity, and clapped a hand over his mouth. "Hylia alive, am I still dreaming?" He looked down at his bare chest again, and then he really bolted up, stammering for words like an awkward, bumbling child.
"Link!" Zelda squealed. "It worked! You can talk!"
Link was at a loss for words, ironically, then glanced down at himself again, as if to note the absence of his bruises, then embarrassedly tried to lessen what they could see of his body, his face and chest turning a bright red color. "Please tell me I'm still dreaming!"
Zelda could not contain herself any longer, and burst into joyous laughter.
"No, Link, you are awake," MiarindÍl answered amusedly. "Your clothes are right over there," she said, pointing to the edge of the spring. Agile as a cat, Link splashed through the water, and in a mad sprawl of fabric, threw on his pants and tunic before rolling flat down onto the soft ground, breathing heavily. Drodvaltol, who had jumped out of his thoughtfulness at the sudden outburst, came to stand over Link and beamed.
"Link!" he said with an accent thicker than MiarindÍl's. "You wake! You Speak! This good!"
"Hylia alive, man," Link breathed. Having recovered from her fit of unabashed laughter, Zelda jogged out from the spring, and kneeled on the ground next to Link with a smile that stretched ear to ear on her face, flashing her bright white teeth.
"Link!" she declared. "It worked! It was incredible! MiarindÍl peered into my mind and found the source of my power, and showed me new abilities I didn't know I had. Since she was unable to restore your voice with her healing, she thought to suggest using mine, and low and behold, I was able to remove the curse that Ganondorf put on you!" Zelda waited a long while for a response.
"Sorry," Link aired, still looking up at the ceiling, short of breath. "I just need a moment to process this all."
"Please, take your time," Zelda teased. "I've only been waiting to hear your voice again for seven months, going on eight!" To her surprise, Link began to laugh. She had almost completely forgotten what his laughter sounded like. Goddess, it was a sweet as a jaunty melody.
"And you always were nagging me to speak more. But I'm thankful all the same, my lady."
'Zelda,' she wanted to correct him to say, instead of the formal 'my lady,' but he sat up with newfound indignation in his expression before she even opened her mouth.
"You couldn't have waited until I was dressed to let Zel ̶ I mean the Princess in, MiarindÍl?" Link asked loudly, not angry, but clearly irritated.
"What can I say, young savior? I needed her help with your leg, and you weren't being cooperative." Link turned his head to face Zelda, who was still beaming with an uncontrollable smile, and then back to MiarindÍl.
"You had her help!?" he asked as if he had been offended.
"Well yes! Who else would? Drodvaltol's hands are still chained, and the Princess is the only other pair of hands around."
"You could have let one of the Royal Guards in!" he retorted, his voice becoming increasingly irritated.
"I do not trust them for what their shield-brothers did," she replied sternly. "I saw the same anger in their faces." Link's eyes sharpened and he scowled at MiarindÍl as if to ask, 'why in the world would you say that?' MiarindÍl simply grunted. "She already knows."
"You told her that too!?" Now he really looked like he was offended. Borderline furious.
"Well I couldn't lie about it, now could I? I planned on keeping it a secret from you, but you woke up rather early, spoiling that plan." Link looked like he was about to explode, so Zelda intervened.
"Relax Link," she said coaxingly. "Honestly, there's no need to make such a big fuss over this."
Perhaps that was a lie, though. Internally, Zelda was already plotting how she would see the soldiers that beat him would be disciplined for their insubordination. However, seeing how much he was working himself up over it, she decided a more soothing and calm approach would do him best.
"No need to fuss?" he asked rather irately, bearing a mocking tone. He hesitated when he realized his misconduct, and restarted. "Forgive me, my lady," he started calmer. "But would you not be upset if you suddenly awoke in nothing more than your undergarments under the eyes of the one person you very specifically requested to not be seen by in that state of undress?"
Zelda put herself in Link's shoes, and imagined herself in a similar situation. He certainly had a point there. Being awoken practically naked by someone you did not to be seen by did not sound like a very pleasant prospect. Then again, the situation rather called for it.
"I'm sorry about that," Zelda said honestly. "But MiarindÍl did need help getting that shard out of your leg. And I am a grown woman, Link, I can handle these things, okay?"
"Its not a question if you can handle it, my lady. It's simply a statement of why you should not have had to handle in the first place. I could very well be horsewhipped for immodesty if any of my officers had seen!"
"Okay, now you're just being ridiculous," Zelda replied. "Firstly, clearly this was not of your own volition, and secondly, you don't answer to any officers. You answer to me, and the Queen, and I would see to it that anyone who tried to harm you would be disciplined. Now let this foolish idea go, and lets move on to more important things."
Link's eyebrows furrowed, and his fists curled before he finally exhaled. "Yes, my lady."
"Good. And for now, please just call me Zelda." Link opened his mouth to protest, but one sharp glance cut his words short. "Now, how do your fingers feel?" Link looked at his hands critically, and stretched them open and closed.
"They feel normal. Great, actually, but I would need to test them to be sure." He held his hands out from his body. "And they don't tremble anymore."
"We can practice with our swords later. What about your leg?" Link stretched his leg out, then stood, and took a few laps around the cavern.
"It feels tremendously better," he finally answered, sounding much less irritated than before.
"Well then!" Zelda beamed as she stood. "This has gone infinitely better than I hoped for! Everything, except your scars, is back to normal!" She expected Link and MiarindÍl to at least respond in an equally exuberant fashion, but there was the briefest of glances that her two companions shared that spoke of a different observation. A sadder, more dreadful observation. However, it only lasted for a second, and then Link forced a smile, disregarding the brief moment.
Something still was not right. She committed that she would ask at a more private time.
"I agree," he conceded. "That's one major problem taken care of. Now its time to move onto the next. Although, I must admit, I am starving. Perhaps we should prepare some dinner first."
The emptiness of Zelda's stomach could not deny his suggestion.
"I'm hungry as well, and exhausted to be honest. It is growing late. Perhaps we should sleep after we eat, and get an early start tomorrow?"
"Sounds fair enough," Link answered nodding briefly, heading to his travel pack.
"Eat?" Drodvaltol asked plainly.
"Ji," MiarindÍl answered. "Drodvaltol ven alvunten. Damel-jortizva, keltyine."
"Ah," Drod sighed contently. "Zietvin o Vietvin?"
"What does that mean?" Zelda asked. MiarindÍl smiled amusedly before answering.
"He wants to know if we will eat meat, or vegetables."
"Well, I hear Mighty Carps like to swim at night," Link said as he held up his crossbow with a debonair smile that suited him handsomely well. "Wouldn't take me but a few minutes! It'd go even faster if someone could go ahead and start a fire."
"I can get one started," Zelda volunteered. However, Link shot her a skeptical glance, but did not say anything quite yet. "I did learn how to start a fire, you know," Zelda added. "In fact, your own best friend Jonathan taught me when we were searching for you all through the winter." Link's expression changed slightly, and for the better, until a thin smile brightened his face.
"Jonathan always was a good teacher," he finally said with a thoughtful pause. "Let's get to it then, my lady."
"Zelda," she corrected.
"Right."
Link was quite impressed with Zelda's little campfire. It had the prefect mixture of good sized branches, and a collection of logs that would keep the fire burning long enough to cook their scrumptiously fresh fish. She had learned well from his best friend. MiarindÍl and Drodvaltol had taken to their own conversation on the far side of the fire, speaking in their native tongue, sometimes cheerfully, and sometimes dreadfully. To Link, they looked like a mother and a son finally reunited after years of being separated, and seeing the glimmer in MiarindÍl's ethereal eyes softened his heart toward Drodvaltol a little more.
Zelda also took to striking up conversation with Link, primarily speaking on inconsequential things, which he was overtly glad of. At that current moment, he wanted to keep things impersonal as possible, given what had transpired not even two hours earlier. He was terrified that he was remembering correctly, and that she had in fact kissed him in the moment between sleeping and waking.
However, he tried to excuse that thought. He had multiple dreams that she kissed him, and he thought that surely, he was just caught in the middle of one of those dreams when what ever magic Zelda performed to restore his voice awoke him. Surely it was ridiculous that she would ever do such a thing… Right?
He was not to keen on being proven wrong. That would make things dreadfully awkward.
Luckily, she did not bring it up, nor did she seem upset by their short argument earlier that night. He scolded himself for resorting to arguing with his Princess the very moment he got his voice back. It was a childish move to allow his emotions to get the better of him in that moment.
Then again, waking up with her hovering over him, him in nothing more than his undergarments was a preposterous, and horrifically embarrassing situation. He felt like his skin was going to catch on fire with how heated and red it became. And then she burst into laughter. That only made him turn redder.
He had made a damn fool of himself, cursing and yelping like a helpless wench.
He thanked the goddess, and all holy things on the entire planet that he at least had undergarments on. He knew eventually he would have to tell her the truth, but he would have died on the inside if it was revealed to her in any other fashion than verbally, when he chose to reveal it. Although, now that he thought on it, that time was fast approaching, and he probably needed to get it out of the way as soon as possible.
He nearly choked on the last bite of his fish when the realty of that thought really sunk in.
Shortly after their meal, the group migrated back into the cavern, Zelda and Drodvaltol meandering to the beds that MiarindÍl had prepared for them. Link rolled down into his own bed, and laid there, listlessly looking up at the cavern ceiling under the pale blue lights, not feeling the tiniest bit tired. His magic induced coma made him feel like he had slept for days on end. No doubt it would take him a while to drift off to sleep that night.
And then he remembered his night terrors.
That was no good, especially with how much his voice would reverberate off the cavern walls. Determined not to be a bother again, Link waited for a time until he was sure Zelda and Drodvaltol were fast asleep, then shimmied out of his thatched bed, trying to make as little noise as possible. He feared one particularly loud crunch had blown his cover, but after waiting a moment in silence, no one seemed disturbed.
From his travel bag he grabbed his bedroll, and his harp, which was neatly tucked in the largest compartment. Perhaps it was impracticable to bring a harp with him everywhere, but it was very small and light, and he found that he had a hard time parting with it. It was such a thoughtful gift from his ancestor, that it felt wrong to not carry it with him, as he carried the Clawshot his predecessor gave to him.
Besides, he would have little to occupy his mind that night, so having his harp to soothe him was a welcomed distraction.
With stealthy footsteps he climbed the stairs, confident that MiarindÍl would keep a vigil eye over Zelda while he slipped away outside. The cool summer night air drifted against his skin as he emerged from the cavern, and he took a moment to enjoy the peace and quiet. By the sound of it, the crickets would accompany him in his melody that night, singing in their high-pitched chirps.
With his back leaning against a fallen stone pillar, Link sat, and lightly plucked his harp in a soothing cadence. He played the few songs his ancestor had taught him, and then began to play the lullaby he so dearly enjoyed. The one that had been passed down by the First Descendant, all the way to the Royal Family of the present day. He closed his eyes peacefully, having already mastered the tune well enough that he did not need to look at his fingers to play, and drifted into an almost meditative state.
"When did you learn to play the harp?" The sudden voice made Link jump. If it were an enemy, he would have been dead already. For that, he scolded himself.
"The First Descendent taught me, and then gave this harp to me as a gift. I didn't mention that in my report, because I thought it was unnecessary." Link prepared to stand, but Zelda motioned for him to stay seated as she sat down beside him and rested her back against the same pillar.
"And you learned the Royal Family's lullaby after hearing it one time?" she asked with a thoughtful smile.
"Well. Yes, and no. Your family's lullaby is older than you think. It was ancient even by the First Descendants time. When I tried to play it the first time around, I was very sloppy, but when she recognized it, shehelped me practice almost every day, to distract me from boredom and anxiousness."
"Really? Its that old? That is incredible!" Zelda paused for a moment ponderously. "I wish I could have been there. I would have loved to have met them."
"I think they would have loved to have met you too," Link added kindly, and waited for a beat. "May I ask why you are up? You seemed exhausted earlier."
"I could ask you the same thing," she replied smartly, before pressing on. "I couldn't fall asleep right away, and then I heard you moving around, so I waited a while and then followed you up, and found you here, playing my lullaby."
"I didn't mean to keep you up," Link replied apologetically. "In fact, I was aiming to do the opposite."
"Is that why you brought your bedroll?" she as intuitively, with eyes that threatened to crumple Link's composure. "Are you worried about your night terrors?"
"Yes," Link answered nervously. "But only because I don't want to keep anyone up. Its actually quite wonderful out tonight. I think I'd almost prefer it out here." It was a good answer, he reflected, because in fact, now that he thought about it, it was a wonderful night to spend under the stars.
"I suppose I can't argue with that," Zelda conceded, which made Link exhale with relief. Another arrow dodge, or so he thought. "Are those strange looks you gave MiarindÍl earlier today related to your night terrors?"
Dammit. "Sort of."
"I knew something was still wrong," Zelda sighed. "Is there anything we can do to alleviate your nightmares?"
"I doubt it." Oh just tell her, dammit!
"Are you up to talking about them yet? In my experience, letting those types of things out into the open really help." Her tone was so sweet and caring. It broke his heart. Link inhaled anxiously, and exhaled tensely, trying to steel himself to do what needed to be done.
"They're always about… What happened in the Phantom Realm."
"I figured as much," Zelda replied almost in a whisper that was soft and comforting. "Anything in particular?"
"Sometimes it is the stabbing," he said in a wavering, and quiet voice. "Sometimes it's the fingers. Sometimes is something that hurts more mentally than anything else anymore. Something that can never be fixed. Not by MiarindÍl. Not by you. Not by anyone. Its something that I have to carry to the grave. Alone."
"Link," Zelda whispered, grabbing onto his hand, tears welling in her eyes. "You're not alone. I promise. I will be here for you."
Link prayed she would not say that, simply because he knew it would only make it hurt even more when his news would undoubtedly estrange her from him forever. Maybe they would still remain friends, but never again would they become that close. He guarded his heart for the final resolution, clearing his throat, and blinked away the wetness in his eyes.
"Ganondorf took something from me… Something that will ensure the end of my bloodline… Forever."
Authors Note #2: The title of this chapter is in Faronish. Bra-tava, means 'Goodbye.' and Elnd Viy, mean 'Old Dreams'
Pronunciation - Bra-Ta-va, Elnd Vi (Elnd rhymes with elm, like the tree, except with a 'd' at the end, and a 'n' instead of a 'm'.)
The reason I did this is because I thought it would just be kinda fun, and a nice little creative change, given the contents of this chapter. Love you all, and time for me to sleep!