Link sighed dully as he sat in the grass, scribbling away as he took quick glances up at the slightly glowing monument in front of him. This was boring; of course he would take on a task that would be so time consuming. Sure, he liked his peaceful moments of simply enjoying nature, but that usually didn't involve copying down a ton of words and repeatedly looking up and down between the two works. It hurt his neck...
Link stretched, his back popping and cracking as he twisted, trying to loosen himself up from leaning over copying the monuments. How many stone tablets had he copied down by now? Link groaned as he looked back through the previous notes he had taken. He thought he had taken a liking to research just a bit, seeing as he had to experiment and try new creations as his adventure had progressed; he enjoyed brewing potions, making food benefits, and so on... Maybe his research interest only expanded in the arts of combat and physical abilities. Zora history was possibly not a subject he was keen on learning, though that could be the ache in his back talking. This was definitely a Zelda-type interest. He wondered how her research was going...
"Link!" A voice called out in the distance. "Link, where are you?"
Link couldn't help but smile. Speak of the Goddess...
"Over here! Climb up here!" Link called out. After a few moments, Link saw a pair of hands grab the top of the ledge. Zelda pulled herself up, her Hylian tunic a bit damp from the journey, and her blonde hair was braided yet again in the front. This time, instead of ponytailing the end, she let her hair remain free. Zelda dusted herself off, smiling as her eyes found the knight she had been searching for.
"Sorry I'm late!" Zelda said, jogging over to Link, choosing to sit next to him. "I got a bit wrapped up in a few... conversations."
"Late?" Link said with a chuck, turning back to his scribbling. "I'd honestly consider you a bit early."
"What makes you say that?" Zelda asked curiously. Link grinned as he turned back to her.
"Zelda, I've seen you go days studying in your bedroom in the castle a hundred years ago," Link said casually. "I didn't even expect you to come back tonight."
Zelda tried to give Link a frown, but she just couldn't contain the smile forming. She giggled.
"I swear, Link, you remember the weirdest of things... Has anything else come back to you?" Zelda asked. Link shrugged, running his gloved thumb along the ends of the paper.
"I mean... it kinda comes back as time goes on. I don't just sit and try to remember stuff, you know? Eventually it's just kinda... there. I think that's the best way to handle it." Link said. Zelda nodded just slightly, impressed with Link's way of looking at the memory loss and retrieval.
"That's a very mature way of going about it," Zelda said. "So, what are you doing out here? What are these Zora Monuments? I've heard of them but I haven't been out to see them yet!"
Link snorted. Yup, definitely a Zelda type of interest.
"Jiahto, one of the Zora elders, considers himself a historian. He wants me to read and tell him what all ten of these Zora stone monuments say. Apparently Dorephan wrote these himself, going through much of recent Zora history. I just haven't had a chance until now to actually take it down for him..." Link said. "But this is really taking a toll on me. This isn't the type of thing I usually do."
"Wait, if he asked you to read it and tell him, then why must you write them down?" Zelda wondered. Link shrugged.
"I mean, it would really help him out in case he were to forget or so he doesn't have to travel back down and fetch them himself in case I didn't remember them properly," Link said, looking up at the monuments. Zelda smiled sweetly. Link truly did think of how best to help others.
"Let me see those," Zelda said, beckoning for Link's journal, quill, and ink. Link gave her a confused look.
"Link, I know you must not be enjoying these. You always hated copying. Whenever I asked you to copy down notes from the Sheikah a hundred years ago, you would give it your own version. You said it was much more interesting writing it your own way than just copying it down." Zelda said with a look. Link smiled guiltily.
"I only did it after you told me to be more of a friend instead of a knight..." Link said. Zelda giggled.
"Don't worry, the notes were more interesting to read that way with your little side comments. Now hand over the journal, I'll take over. Besides, maybe I'll get information regarding the Divine Beast."
Link sighed playfully, acting as if he didn't want to give up the responsibility over to Zelda, before handing the ink and notebook over.
"Now then. Let us learn about the history of the Zora. Do you believe you were able to properly fill in the missing words of the Monuments you already wrote?" Zelda asked as she started writing. Link couldn't help but admire Zelda's handwriting speed and neatness. His handwriting wasn't necessarily bad, but compared to royalty? Not even comparable.
"I believe so. I got through the first three monuments already," Link said, growing comfortable on the grass. "It tells of the creation of Lanayru Province, blessed with purified water. The Monument says the Domain was born ten thousand years ago and pretty much self-admires its pride in architecture."
"Only ten thousand years ago?" Zelda asked, not looking away from her writing or the monument. Why did everything seem to start ten thousand years ago?
"Ten thousand years ago," Link reiterated. "Then it mentioned how Hyrule aided the Zora with its technological advancements to build dams to stop the flooding in the Domain and in all of Hyrule."
"The Zora received aid from the ancient Sheikah, meaning these dams probably have Sheikah technology built inside of them," Zelda said. "Another reason as to why it was wrong of the Hylians of old to diminish them..."
Link sat up at the sound of that. When he had released Vah Ruta from its control, the Beast dove under the water and swam through those small rivers to reach its current perch on the mountain. Did the Sheikah plan for the dams to assist the Beast with underwater movement? That was a thought...
"Then it talks about an ancient war, and how the Zora queen wove her scales into armor for the king, apparently King Dorephan. One of the Zora queen's white scales saved them by blinding a Lizalfos General, which gave way to the tradition of Zora creating armor for their to-be husbands." Link continued. Zelda immediately stopped writing. Did Mipha fully intend to marry Link?
"What's wrong, Zelda?" Link asked, noticing Zelda's sudden stop in copying. Zelda shook her head, signaling Link not to worry. Her mind however kept thinking about that possibility. Zelda really did have to find a way to show Link her love...
"N-Nothing Link," Zelda responded. "In fact, I know the next part. The King and Queen gave birth to a little Zora girl. Her name... was Mipha. It tells how she grew up, was given the Lightscale Trident. She was trained by Hylian Knights, especially Sergeant Seggin-"
"Hey, I know him!" Link said, a bit excitedly. "That was my teacher as well!"
"It then goes on to describe Mipha's funeral. Supposedly they tried to wash the Trident down the river as a farewell, but the Trident spoke to them. It was Mipha's voice... It told them not to grieve. They kept it, and now the Champion Festival is now a holiday the Zora celebrate."
Zelda looked down in grievance. Link would have too, if not the fact that the line had stood out to him like a sore thumb. The Trident spoke? Mipha's voice? That seemed all too... familiar. Link's glance turned towards the Master Sword. That was something to ask Zelda later.
"I wonder if all these monuments only speak of what happened a hundred years ago. There doesn't seem to be anything regarding a history of ten thousand years ago... or anything going into greater detail of the creation of the Divine Beast back then either..."
"Link! Look!" Zelda said excitedly. Link, who had not expected to find anything in these monuments, started listening attentively.
"This tells of a time before the creation of the Divine Beast Vah Ruta! There once was a Zora Princess named... Ruto? It's said that she was a Sage, closely related to the Zora Patron Deity. It states that... that..." Zelda's eyes grew wide. Link's face contorted to that of concern.
"Zelda, what is it?" he asked. Zelda took a moment to collect her words, choosing to read the monument word per word.
"'Around the same time, an evil man intending to rule the world appeared, bringing disaster upon Zora's Domain. It is said that Ruto awakened as a Sage facing down this foe alongside the Princess of Hyrule and the Hero of Legend'. It then goes on to state that Vah Ruta was named after that princess." Zelda recited. "Link... doesn't this seem eerily similar to..."
"Yeah. This is connected to the story of ten thousand years ago," Link said roughly. "In the legend, it states that the people of Hyrule had recognized the cycle, and created the Divine Beast to prepare for the Calamity's inevitable return. I can't think of this being anything else other than the origin of the Calamity."
"Link, this beast... or rather, this person... he's been trying to claim this land, not just for ten thousand years... but for a millennia!" Zelda said. "The Princess of Hyrule and the Hero of Legend... They stop him every single time. But he always returns..."
"Maybe that's what the monks want us to figure out," Link said. "They've always been proactive. They created the Divine Beast in hopes of stopping him. What if they also are trying to find a way not just to stop him every time... but to be rid of him completely?"
"And the Hylians at the time stopped the technological advancements before they could..." Zelda whispered. "We... We might be the back up plan. Maybe they're putting their faith in us. But Link, we don't have any knowledge beyond ten thousand years ago, and we barely know what happened during those ten thousand years! We know nothing, and everything we did have was destroyed when the Calamity hit a hundred years ago..."
Zelda started pacing as Link stared up at the monument, continuing to read. He turned back towards the pacing Zelda, who seemed to be overthinking, fidgeting with the ends of her Hylian tunic. Link took a deep breath as he walked towards her. He reached for her hand, which instantly made Zelda stop moving as she looked at his hand now holding hers.
"I told you that you fidget..." Link said quietly. "Zelda. We will figure this out. There is no one more willing to do research than you are. If the monks want us to do research and learn the history of Calamity Ganon, and ourselves for that matter, then there is no one more suited for the job than you."
Zelda looked up, a few tears welling in her eyes. Link really believed in her? Truly?
"You really think so, Link? You believe we can do this?" Zelda asked. Link nodded with a confident smile.
"Absolutely," Link said. "You already have a plan to start. Visit all the Divine Beasts. We'll get what information we can, and then we'll go from there. The beast, and us, are now connected to this cycle. So might as well start here and go backwards, right?"
Zelda smiled at Link, gripping his hand.
"Right. My apologies, Link. I guess I just... I'm not used to positive reinforcement." Zelda said. Link smiled back.
"Well get used to it, 'cause I will give you it. Within reason of course."
Zelda lightly hit him in the stomach before wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Thank you, Link." Zelda whispered, before pulling back. Link, who wasn't expecting a hug, coughed.
"O-Of course. We should probably finish this up..." He said, referring to the writing down of the monuments. "Jiahto has been waiting a few months for these..."
"You sure do have a habit of keeping people waiting, don't you?" Zelda said with a teasing smile.
The two continued, filling in and deciphering the text written by Dorephan before reaching the final three parts. Zelda copied the rest of the monuments' inscriptions before the two sat down to finish filling in the missing words.
"Link... This tells of a time you battled a Lynel a hundred years ago!" Zelda said, finally finishing deciphering the worn text in her notebook. The two were now sitting under a caved rock, Link organizing the Sheikah Slate as Zelda was deciphering. "It has been revived by each and every blood moon for over a hundred years. Maybe when we figure out the history of the Calamity, we will be able to fully rid the lands of these monsters. For good. However Link... it says here that in honor of your valiant efforts, and as a reminder of the Hylian Champion that lost his life to the Calamity, they buried a helm for you! It's in the remains of Toto Lake!"
"We'll have to go grab that on our way out the Domain, that would be pretty useful. It would complete the Zora Armor set." Link said, switching to the Sheikah Slate's Armor Tab to look at the Zora Greaves and Armor.
"Indeed. Also, the last three monuments weren't written by Dorephan. It seems they were written by another Zora Dorephan commissioned. Someone by the name of... well, it doesn't say. Just calls himself the Gifted Stonemason, but the rest tells how King Dorephan defeated a Guardian and Sidon defeated an Octorok for the villagers of Hateno Bay! That was mighty nice of him. Though it says he got swallowed whole..."
"An Octorok was able to swallow SIDON?" Link asked in disbelief. "Nah, there's no way. He's the size of a Moblin!"
Zelda giggled at Link's amazed reaction.
"Well, you can verify once we get back. We have just about finished up here. I believe Jiahto will be quite pleased with these..." Zelda said, closing the notebook before staring out into the fields of Zorana.
"We have to leave Zora's Domain soon, Link. We have quite the journey ahead of us." Zelda said sadly. "It's back to no one knowing who I am... Only the Sheikah and the Zora truly remember me..."
"Hey, Zelda," Link said. "It's alright. They would only see you as the Princess of Old anyways. Now they can get to know... Zelda. Once we handle the Yiga, whenever that happens, we can actually use your true name out there."
Zelda smiled, looking at Link who was sitting next to her.
"You're changing. You know that, right?" Zelda said.
Link gave her a confused look.
"What do you mean?"
"Well," Zelda said, scooting closer to him, "before you probably would have told me how dangerous it would be outside the Domain and so on and so forth. It sounds like you have a lot more faith in me."
Link sat, turning to look out into the now sunset.
"I guess... I guess I learned how strong you really are. You've always been strong but... You've changed too. You've grown. It's nice. Nice to have a partner instead of being alone," Link said.
"Yes. It is." Zelda said. The two looked out into the sunset for a moment before Zelda cleared her throat. This moment was perfect to do what Kodah and herself had talked about.
"L-Link..." Zelda asked nervously. "I know you like to travel, and we are going to have... a lot of traveling ahead of us. I know you enjoy traveling, and you know how to have fun. Can you... Can you show me some of the enjoyments you've experienced?"
Link looked at her, surprised that Zelda was asking to have fun during their quest. Usually he would have to convince her to have a bit of fun. Maybe she was starting to listen to him? Link smiled.
"I've got a few things to show you... a few places we can stop by as we journey." Link said. Zelda beamed.
"Wonderful!" Zelda said, almost unnaturally happy. Link raised an eyebrow, still smiling nonetheless. Zelda almost bounced to her feet, dusting herself off.
"Well Link! The monks' challenge atop the history of Calamity Ganon and our ancestors won't solve itself! And I don't believe Jiahto would appreciate getting these pages in the middle of the night! Let us be off!"
Link chuckled as he stood.
"Alright, Princess. Lead the way."
...