Chapter 60: The Forest's Heart

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IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ!

Hello everyone! I'm back (sort of)! Lots of life has happened; I got married, moved a couple times, dealt with the most difficult semester of college yet, and endured a lot of difficult family issues. I've had a lot of hardships and a lot of adventures, and now many parts of RBU are now written from experience. Especially the archery scenes.

I've now finished a project that I started back in December – reworking RBU and paying more attention to overall writing and story quality as well as realism, and my wonderful husband has been my peer reviewer and consultant. At this point, I've finished updating all previous chapters. Enjoy the first chapter of new content since September, and I'm so sorry for the huge delay!

The new RBU is mostly the same, but there are some major changes, especially in Zelda's character and in later chapters. There are also additional scenes every now and then to improve the overall story development; chapter 17 is mostly entirely new content now. So, to keep from getting confused when eventually I start regularly posting new chapters again, I highly recommend re-reading the story! At the very least, PLEASE reread from chapter 48 onward, or there will be things in this chapter and coming chapters that won't make sense!

I have about 6 chapters in my buffer right now, so I won't immediately be posting regular updates. However, I'm really close to finishing the story overall; I'll probably start posting weekly updates again either once I'm finished, or once I'm only a couple chapters away from finishing. Nonetheless, rest assured that the story is not abandoned!

I know it's been a long time, but I want to throw out a special thank you for those of you that have been sending encouraging notes, reaching out to me privately, and not giving up on me or the story. For your privacy, I won't make a callout here, but you know who you are. Please know that your faith, encouragement, and friendship has meant the world to me. I doubt I would have continued the story without you.

I hope you all enjoy the new RBU! I'm so excited to finally share this with you!

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So high up in the mountains, surrounded by the towering Pillars of Levias, Link wouldn't exactly have called it a nice day in terms of temperature. About as cold as one of the milder winter days, he was grateful for his doublet but nonetheless found himself thinking wistfully of the extra layers his tunic and undershirt - spread out to dry on the floor in Zelda's room at the inn - would provide between him and the thin, frost-ridden air as Impa led them up a small but well-trodden path up the valley's eastern rim. It had been several months since the last time he'd been anywhere so high up in elevation, when he and the Princess last travelled to Zora's Domain. His lungs had grown unaccustomed to dealing with the thinner air. Even an action as simple as walking up the hill at the casual but purposeful pace Impa set soon left him - and Zelda - short of breath.

"You'll adjust soon enough," Impa said as they paused at the top of a ridge overlooking the village, the barest hints of a smirk playing at her lips. "Hopefully."

Much to Link's surprise - and Zelda's consternation - the path wound around a shrine as they headed up a steep slope leading to a grove of trees beyond. After a moment of contemplation his confusion subsided - they were shrines constructed by the ancient Sheikah; of course it would make sense for them to have either constructed one near their secret village, or - if the shrine had preceded the village - build up their homes nearby.

He noticed Zelda gazing resolutely in the opposite direction as they walked by, her gaze stony and her lips turned unhappily, almost angrily, downwards. But she wasn't paying attention to the path in front of them; although it had been stamped smooth by the feet of generations, slender planks of wood had been driven into the steep incline to give travelers' feet purchase over the smooth dirt. Link lunged forward just as Zelda's foot caught on one of them, grabbing her arm and shoulder to keep her from falling.

"Thanks," she murmured, offering him a grim smile, which he returned. Despite Impa's earlier assurances, the fresh air, it seemed, wasn't exactly doing either of them any good, or helping them cleanse their minds from what had transpired in Imraz's presence.

The trees at the top of the hill were thicker than Link had originally thought, stretching along the valley's rim and beyond, into the eastern mountains. They had lost their leaves during the winter and now, at the dawn of spring, their slender limbs were beginning to grow little green buds that would turn into this year's rustling multitude. Impa led them into the heart of the woods, out of range of the distant sounds of the bustling village below - the squawk of cuccos, the bleating of goats and sheep, the occasional strike of a hammer against an anvil or the call of one neighbor to another.

Instead the forest's peaceful atmosphere enveloped them - almost perfect silence. A biting breeze whistled softly between the branches above them, causing some to clatter against each other, and toyed with their hair, making it dance and fly in their eyes. Somewhere a raven cried out, its harsh voice resonating through the still morning air. A small rabbit, ears perked and white tail bobbing, darted out from beneath a small bush and across their path, racing away deeper into the woodlands.

Impa stopped in a small clearing, sheltered on one side by a rocky cliff and on the others by the forest. A pool of sparkling, clear water sat directly beneath the cliff, ringed by a couple of large boulders with - Link did a double take - a large cluster of colorful mushrooms gathered at its southern edge.

Impa noticed his befuddlement with a small grin. "We can't explain that one," she said. "They've been here forever, from what anyone can recall, no matter what time of year. According to legend this spring is the home of a guardian spirit, but there's no real proof other than these mushrooms."

"They look petrified," Zelda observed, jogging closer and squatting down, reaching to touch one of them. "But they feel just like any other living mushroom."

Impa nodded. "Yes, they're alive, at least from what we can tell. Alive, and evidently invincible. It's a bit of a sacred place, which is why I thought it would suit our purposes today." She placed her hands on her hips, turning and surveying the surrounding ground with narrowed eyes. "It would have been best if we could sit on the grass, but last night's storm makes that an altogether uncomfortable plan." Her gaze settled on a large stone slab just barely out of the cliff's shadow, a short distance from the little pool. "That'll do. Sir Link, if you would, patrol the area as unobtrusively as you can; the skills I've imparted to you should come in handy. I'll be paying close attention to see how much you've improved since our last meeting. Princess, I'll ask that you join me on this rock, and we can get started."

Link offered Zelda a small smile and an encouraging nod; he felt his shoulders relax slightly when she smiled back, looking just a bit less gloomy than before. Then, reluctantly, he turned his back on the two women and headed deeper into the woods.

She can't really be able to focus on how sneaky I'm being, and instruct Zelda at the same time, he thought, drawing the shadows close with a sprinkle of Deku powder and twisting a breeze around his feet with a slight flick of his hand. Once concealed, he allowed his senses to drift further outward, scanning for danger as they were supposed to, ensuring that the crack of a twig in the distance belonged to a doe and not a man, that the only voices he heard were those belonging to Zelda and Impa, and that the wind didn't carry to his ears the light brush and crackle of footsteps attempting silence.

His spirits fell with each hour that dragged on, as it seemed that Zelda was not having quite as much success.

"Ask your sister! Ask anyone you like!" she exclaimed in frustration about halfway through the morning. "I can't - I can't clear my mind of thoughts! I'm always thinking, even if it's no good or if it's entirely the wrong idea; I don't know how to turn that off!"

"The begin by letting something else replace thoughts," Impa coached, her voice significantly more patient than Link had ever heard it during his training sessions with her. "Start with your eyes open - take in every last detail of your surroundings, until you have them memorized. Then let your conscious acknowledgement of those details fade, until you're simply experiencing your surroundings, rather than taking note of them. Let's try again."

Link kept a closer eye on her after that, worried, knowing how discouraged she got with every failure related in any way to unlocking her powers. Goddesses, please let her mind be opened, that she understands how to do what Impa asks, he prayed fervently in his heart, watching as her face scrunched up in concentration and, slowly, like ripples fading in a pond, smoothed out again.

And as the day continued to progress, he noticed something changing. Still she seemed frustrated, and still she seemed only to be sinking further into discouragement, but though her eyes were closed he could see her moving her head just slightly in his direction. And when he changed position, so too did she, after a moment or two.

It's that bond, he realized. His heart sank, as if transformed into a heavy rock. She was close - so close - to clearing her mind entirely. But in bringing greater peace and clarity into her brain, it seemed that she was able to focus more on the connection she felt between them. And it's my fault - because I've been pressing her so hard to focus on that, and only that, every night.

And from the looks of things, from the bewilderment and growing despair etched on Zelda's face, she wasn't even aware that was the problem.

But even without any apparent signs of improvement or success, Impa kept Zelda at it the entire day. Link wasn't much surprised, considering how long she'd worked with him despite his many mistakes, but it was the first time that he felt a slight hint of resentment for her persistence. It's not helping; she's not improving - that should show you this strategy doesn't work, right? She needs a break, or… or something else!

His silent pleas went unanswered. The sun was setting by the time Impa finally stood up from the rock, her lips pressed together, and nodded curtly. "Tomorrow will go better," she declared with every ounce of her usual calm confidence, but even she couldn't hide the glimmer of doubt and confusion in her gaze.

She's stumped, Link realized as together the three of them walked in silence back down into the valley. Just like the King, just like the priests, just like… everyone else. It was disappointing, a testament to the undeniable truth that Impa wasn't infallible, that she didn't have nearly as many solutions as Link had hoped. Maybe… maybe Zelda was right about all of this from the beginning. His chest felt heavy as he tried to draw in a deep breath.

Impa accompanied them until they reached Imraz's manor, at which she bade them both a curt goodnight before ascending the long staircase alone. Without her presence Link began to feel the urge to say something, anything, although he didn't know what. He glanced at Zelda - she was rubbing her temples wearily, her eyes heavily lidded with fatigue.

He swallowed and faced forward again. They passed the stables and he scanned the deepening evening shadows draped across the simple, open stalls for Timber's hulking form. Dinraal, with his pale coat, was easy to spot. And finding him, Link was able to make out Timber's outline in the next stall over, a big dark mass that moved.

Zelda had gotten a few steps ahead of him in his brief moment of distraction, and he jogged to catch up with her. And once again he felt words tugging at his tongue, words that he didn't know to say - But… but I have to say something… Impa said earlier that I could help, right? So what did she mean?

It wasn't until they reached her room and he realized with a jolt that she was just going to turn in without a word that a surge of desperation through his blood sent the words out almost of their own accord. "You should tell her," he blurted.

Zelda turned from her door, looking at him through tired, glazed eyes. "Tell her what?" she muttered. "I've already made it explicitly clear to her exactly what I think of this… this new strategy. It's not working."

Link bit his lip, scouring his mind for the right words. "I - I meant… tell her about the bond we share. About how you feel that."

Zelda's cheeks colored, and she glanced around furtively. "I'm not telling anyone about that," she whispered. "It's - it's far too private. And if my father found out - goodness knows he needs another reason to separate us - and she's his advisor…" She shuddered, stepping through the door. "No, Link."

He caught the door before she could slide it closed, wedging himself in the doorframe. "It might help," he insisted. "I… I saw that you were feeling it today. You were close - so close - to succeeding. It was just - it's so similar to how we've been working on this particular aspect of your powers, the connection you feel, that I think you might've just - that your mind just defaulted to that instead, and held onto that."

"So you want me to give her an excuse?" Zelda's eyes were fire. "Another reason that I'm a failure?"

"N-no, of course not," Link stammered, feeling his ears growing hot. This isn't going well. "I - I just - I thought that, if maybe you both understood exactly what was going on and where your abilities lie, that it might… give you both more insight."

She went quiet for several moments, her gaze drifting away from him, distant as she mulled over his words. "I… I know you do not give trust easily," she said quietly. "But… you trust Impa. And… you think she can be trusted with the knowledge of… of our bond?"

Link nodded eagerly, reaching out and taking her hands. "She may be an advisor to your father, but she doesn't share all of his opinions, especially about us," he reminded her. "She believes we're stronger together than apart. And if you told her about what powers have manifested already, it might help her figure out what would help you the most in unlocking the other powers."

Zelda looked down, at their joined hands, and a soft sigh escaped her lips. "I… I'll try," she murmured. "I can't explain it very well, but this bond… it's so incredibly special to me. Almost… almost sacred. I don't like the idea of anyone else knowing about it, but… if it might help…" She sighed again. "I suppose I wish I trusted Impa as much as you do. That would certainly make this easier."

Link dipped his head, acknowledging. "I would trust her with my life," he assured her. "You don't have to, but… I hope my recommendation means something."

She gripped his hands tightly. "It does," she murmured, looking deep into his eyes. "I'll try."

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The muted sound of soft footsteps and a hushed voice set him instantly on edge much later that night. He eased the door to Zelda's room open, heart pounding in his throat, and saw Zelda getting out of bed. She noticed him and gave a slight start before gesturing towards her window with her chin. "Did you hear that?" she whispered.

Link nodded, inching into the room, carefully examining each dark corner – under the bed, beside the wardrobe, beneath the window – for any sign of an assassin. Finding nothing, he moved to the window and eased it open, peering out into the crisp night just in time to see the shadow of a horse's hindquarters disappearing behind the next building over as the urgent whispers continued.

"Horse thieves," he muttered to Zelda. "Couldn't tell what horse – I only got a quick glimpse."

"What do we do?" she whispered back. "Sound the alarm?"

Link shook his head. "They'll ride away and be long gone before anyone in the village can mount up to pursue." He paused; he felt that he needed to chase the thieves, especially as they hadn't been moving very fast and he had the ability to catch them unawares using the magic Impa had taught him. "My duty is to protect you. I'll leave the decision to stay or go up to you."

Zelda glared at him. "That's hardly fair; you know more about how to handle things like this," she protested quietly. "But I think we should go."

Link nodded, shooting her a quick appreciative smile, and pushed the window open as far as it would go. He slipped out onto the grass behind the inn without too much trouble and helped Zelda down after him before casting the concealment spell and setting out in the direction the horse thieves had gone, holding tight to her hand. He could still hear the urgent whispering of the thieves; it sounded as if they were arguing about something. Who gets more gold? Who contributed more to the theft?

Frowning, he followed the sound through the village, travelling behind buildings in narrow alleys overgrown with grass and strewn with rocks, and it was only after a few turns, nearing the road out of town up to the forest spring, that he saw the thieves.

Two children, one on either side of the buckskin mare.

Link stopped in his tracks, stupefied. What in Din's name…?

"…Please, Fado, Mother won't let her stay in Dusty's old stable," one of the children whispered, and Link recognized the innkeeper's daughter, who had shown such proficiency with horses earlier that day. "She says we need a steady horse, and this one's too skittish. But I can help her recover – look, she's been through something awful –"

"But we don't need a horse at all right now," the other child, a young boy, protested. "I herd the goats just fine on my own. We've got nowhere to keep her –"

"You're good at building," the girl shot back. "You could help me build a shelter for her out in the woods! Just until she's all better and my mother agrees to keep her!"

"It's not safe out there," Fado argued. "She'd get hurt all over again!"

The girl stopped walking, bowing her head, absently stroking the buckskin's shoulder. Already Link noticed that the mare seemed more at ease, more willing to trust, more content with her situation as a whole.

"I… hadn't thought of that," the girl murmured, downcast.

Link dispelled the shadows from around himself and the Princess and stepped forward, careful to make as much noise as he could as he neared.

"Someone's coming!" Fado hissed, looking wildly around for somewhere to hide.

"There's no need for that," Link called out, careful not to speak too loudly. "I heard everything."

The girl from the stables winced. "Are you… going to turn us in?" she asked, warily looking up to meet his gaze.

Link shook his head. "I couldn't bring myself to do that. This… this little one needs someone to take good care of her, and I can't take her with me. But it looks to me like you know what you're doing."

The girl shifted from one foot to another, dropping her gaze. "My mother won't let me keep her," she admitted. "But we have a perfectly good little stable that's empty and she could live in it! She's been talking about getting another horse anyway since old Dusty died!"

"That's why she dragged me into this," Fado sighed. "My family herds goats. We have land and feed. But we don't need a horse, and it's not like I could hide a horse somewhere! And I'm not building a stable outside the village!" He crossed his arms resolutely over his chest.

Link frowned, thinking. Zelda was hanging back, still mostly concealed in the shadows; his first thought was to have her pull authority over the girl's mother and assign her to board the buckskin mare until a permanent home could be found, but that didn't feel right at all.

"Maybe… I could rent the stable from your mother for a couple months," he suggested slowly. "Give her some extra money just to house the horse. You would be in charge of actually tending to her wounds and helping her get back into shape. I'd tell your mother that if she likes the horse well enough, she can keep her." It was an incredibly generous offer, he thought. The woman would essentially be paid for a new horse, instead of the other way around. And now that I'm not imminently facing a life out in the wilds with no place to call home, I can afford to spend some extra rupees on this.

The girl's eyes lit up. "Y-you mean it?" she whispered, staring at him with hope and disbelief.

Link nodded, then crouched down so that he was at her eye-level. "You need to understand something about keeping horses, though," he said, trying to keep his voice gentle, but stern. "You told me earlier after speaking with your mother that you could take care of this mare, who has been through a lot and needs a secure home. But that wasn't the truth."

Shamefacedly, the girl bowed her head, breaking his gaze. "She didn't say we could take care of her," she admitted. "And when I put her in Dusty's stall anyway, she… wasn't happy."

"And I'll try to smooth that out as best as I can," Link promised. "But I need you to understand that you should never agree to take care of an animal you can't actually provide good care for."

The girl nodded meekly, hesitantly meeting his eyes once again. "What should we do with her now?"

"Put her back in Dusty's stall," Link smiled. "I'll speak with your mother in the morning." Secretly he prayed that the innkeeper would agree to his arrangement; he could not think of another way for the girl to keep the buckskin mare that was still fair to her mother.

On their way back to the inn, still keeping to the shadows, Zelda squeezed his hand. "You handled that quite well," she murmured, flashing him a quick grin. "Reminded me of that old woman with her wagon, on our way to Gerudo City."

Link returned her smile. "That one wouldn't have worked without you," he reminded her, playfully nudging her shoulder.

Zelda looked at him, her gaze soft. "You certainly seem to enjoy helping people, don't you."

His heart felt warm at the affection in her voice. He shrugged. "I suppose I do."

She chuckled lightly, her smile widening. "It becomes clearer to me with every day that passes," she murmured. "Truly the Goddesses made the right choice."

Link felt her smile through his whole body then, like the rays of a warm summer sun melting away all traces of winter frost. Imraz's words of violence and barbary melted from his mind, drifted away as spring petals borne by wind, and he met her gaze steadily, hoping his expression would compensate for the words he could not find.

She moved to continue forward, but Link stopped her, a tinge of concern bleeding into his heart. "As they did in you," he assured her, looking deep into her eyes.

She regarded him a moment and smiled again, but it seemed forced. She let go of his hand and walked on, her head slightly bowed. "Thank you."