Kakariko rose with the cry of the cuccos. As the morning glow tinted the peaks surrounding the quaint village, I watched as hazy lights flicked on behind the windowpanes of the small houses.
Farmers took to the fields quickly. Olkin and Steen were the first, racing each other to tend to their respective crops. They were probably harvesting for the breakfast Paya planned for.
Trissa came out from the general store, flipping the sign to notify everyone that the shop was now open. The shop owner across from her – the weapons shop – also peeked out of her shop to do the same.
I glanced at my state of disarray. One sleeve of the shirt was torn off and dried blood had stained the white fabric a crude maroon. Paya and Impa would immediately notice and assume the obvious. Being that Dorian was on guard that night, he would be the first one they questioned. And I promised Dorian that I'd handle the aftermath.
Across the plaza, Claree emerged from her store to similarly unlock the doors.
Now that a substantial amount of people were awake to serve as witnesses should something go wrong, I abandoned my post by the ancestral home's gate. I walked with purpose to the Enchanted clothing shop.
My quest: get a new shirt, preferably something that caters to climbing.
The bell jingled as I swung the door open. Claree was folding a pile of shirts near one of the manikins and didn't spare me a glance immediately.
"Welcome to Enchanted! How can I hel—Oh my Hylia!" At my appearance, she promptly dropped the shirt she was folding. Claree quickly ran over and held me by the arms as she inspected the dried blood on my abdomen. "Lady Zelda, are you okay? We need to get you to the clinic. We need to repor—"
"I'm fine, Claree," I said, taking her hands off my arms.
She regarded my calm demeanor suspiciously. "What happened to you?"
"Oh, you know…" I grinned widely and awkwardly tousled my hair as I tried to come up with an excuse. I shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah, you know."
Claree raised an eyebrow at my half-assed excuse.
"Please don't tell Impa."
Luckily, she didn't pry after that. She went back to folding the shirt that she dropped.
"If you say so, Lady Zelda. Anyways, I'm assuming you want another shirt to replace the one you're wearing. Would you like the same piece? You can never go wrong with a Hylian tunic!"
"Actually, do you have something specifically for climbing? I'm leaving the village sometime today and I wanna check out the peaks surrounding this area."
Claree perked up as if she had exactly what I had in mind.
"Hold on one second!" She said before retreating behind the checkout desk and into the storage area. When she came out, Claree held something blue and some additional supplies over her forearm. She approached me and held out the shirt.
"I've been experimenting with the ancient Sheikah technology and incorporating it into our textiles! This shirt has special technology that wicks away moisture and will make you a better climber. I'm working on a whole set so you should come back and purchase the rest! There's going to be shoes and a headpiece that'll go along with it," Claree informed.
I took the shirt and examined it closer. It had shorter sleeves that a t-shirt and the armholes were larger – allowing for a greater range of motion. As I rolled the fabric in the light, I could see the advertised synthetic thread shine. Sweat definitely wouldn't seep into the textile due to its hydrophobic nature.
"I'll take it," I said, pulling out the rupees from my pouch.
Claree rings up the total and pushes the accessories towards me. "It also comes with non-slip gloves and moleskin bandages to prevent blisters and chaffing. This bag has the actual climbing gear: carabiners, a belay device, rope, and a simple belt harness. I think you're all set to climb the peaks!"
After paying, she points me to the fitting room where I discarded the white shirt and replaced it with the climbing shirt. I still kept the leather corset as it was another piece of protective gear. I slipped on the clothes and wrapped the bandages around my fingers. Finally, I attached the climbing gear just so I wouldn't have to waste time later.
By the time I exited Claree's shop, the villagers and the travelers were already up and bustling around. The makeshift campgrounds were a mimicry of the scene last night. Paya, Lasli, and Koko had set up cooking rigs in the center, already spooning what looks like soup into wooden bowls. A line of people weaved through the area of tents as small children played in the corners.
In one of them, I saw Dorian weaving a flower crown for Cottla as she eagerly blew a dandelion in his face.
I smiled. There was a dull throb in my side.
Seeing as the masses were currently preoccupied, I made my way to the ancestral home –planning to speak with Impa.
"So, the heirloom was just found near the Lakna Rokee shrine?" Impa asked incredulously.
I nodded. "I had a feeling, so I travelled there last night. I remembered seeing the recess on the pedestal and wondered if the orb could fit inside it. Surely, someone who stole the orb would wonder the same thing. Then, I found the orb within the lake surrounding it."
"Hm…but did you see anyone? No one other than Paya and I have access to the orb, and I doubt my granddaughter would misplace such a precious heirloom."
"Unfortunately, no. There was nothing at the scene that could definitively pinpoint a single party. The way I see it, there are two possibilities: someone noticed me coming along and left the heirloom so they could escape OR someone figured out the riddle first and intended for me to find it."
Impa raised an eyebrow. "I'm a bit confused. Could you elaborate?"
"Paya told me that it's common knowledge that the Lakna Rokee shrine was inactive, unlike Ta'loh Naeg. The pedestal needed a key to unearth the shrine, but no one knew what the key was. Then, the Sheikah Heirloom has a shape similar to the indentation. I'm saying: what if someone stole the heirloom, intending to unearth the shrine and have it ready for me? They figured out the riddle before Paya could. Afterall, the heirloom didn't look like it was hidden. It was blatantly floating in the water and its markings glowed."
She hummed in contemplation. "Hm…It is a plausible theory. However, if that was their goal, it was a messy execution. All that chaos could have been avoided if that person could have just told us the answer to the riddle."
I shrugged nonchalantly. "Their road was paved with good intentions at least."
Impa sighed in resignation but allowed a gentle smile to spread across her face. "In any case, I am just elated that the heirloom has served you in its rightful purpose. I express my deep gratitude to you, Zelda, for finding the heirloom and for protecting Paya last night."
I coughed and side-eyed the open window, which showed the crowd of villagers and travelers enjoying breakfast in the central plaza. "And…?"
"And…I shall lift the lockdown and allow the travelers to leave as soon as our meeting is adjourned."
Silently, I cheered and sighed out in relief. I had lied smoothly out of my ass and Dorian was not mentioned once.
"Now, let's talk about your journey," Impa started. "Your quest to Hateno. What did Purah have for you?"
"Oh, that reminds me!" I sifted through the Korok pouch and produced the thermos decorated with a toad sticker. It had red glasses drawn in marker on its eyes. "Purah asked me to give this to you."
Impa smiled almost wistfully as she took the pumpkin stew from me.
Then, I unclasped the Sheikah Slate from my hip, handing it over to Impa. She swiped through its contents and after a couple of seconds of scrolling, nodded in approval.
"It seems Purah has restored full functionality to your Sheikah Slate. As you may have already figured out, the photo album was Prince Link's. He was well-aware of the consequences of putting you in the Shrine of Resurrection, so he saved those photographs specifically to jog your memory once you've awakened."
I took the slate back and hung it on my waist. "Yeah. Purah and I visited one of the spots in the photos. It was brief, but I remembered something."
I chose not to elaborate on the memory in question. I was still confused about who Link was to me and why he had acted so cruelly. Impa and Purah spoke of him in such high regard, and they seemed privy to the close nature of our relationship. However, there was a disconnect between what they say and what I experienced; between the Link who spoke to me now versus the Link who once gazed upon me in contempt.
"And what about Hateno?" Impa spoke, breaking me out of my trance. "Did you discover anything while in the village?"
I smiled wistfully, remembering the cobblestone roads and how my feet seemed to remember the pathways out of intuition. I recalled the house at the base of the mountain, where the empty walls cried out with creaks of the past.
And how I was now 3,000 rupees in debt.
"I think Hateno…was my hometown."
Impa grinned widely, confirming my hypothesis. The fact that she was so happy that I regained a small part of my memory warmed my stomach a bit. "Yes. Hateno was the village where you lived the majority of your life before becoming a knight."
"Is there anything else you can tell me?" I asked. "I visited the Archives and they all recounted stories about me as the Hylian Champion and Female Knight. But do you know anything about my life before all that? About my family?"
Her eyebrows were drawn taut in pity. "Unfortunately, Zelda, you were quite an enigma in the past. You seldom talked and if you did, it wasn't about your personal life."
I deflated at this fact.
"But I do know that you had a mother, a father, and a younger sister. I can't say much about the nature of your relationship with your father, but you worked closely together. He stayed with you as you trained to become a Knight of Hylia."
This was news to me. I had no information about my parents – their names, what they did, their personalities. I never imagined that my father had such close connections within the castle to oversee my training.
"My father? He worked in the castle?"
"Worked? Zelda, he was the Captain of the Royal Guard – King Rhoam's most trusted advisor. Your father and the Sheikah worked hand-in-hand to protect and serve the royal family."
I steeped in this information. Not only did my talent for combat come from my father, but he worked closely with the king. Did that mean that the old man on the plateau knew who I was aside from being the Chosen Knight? Rhoam treated me with a lot more familiarity than a heroine prophesied to protect his son. He knew me as the daughter of his most trusted comrade, not just a figure in a prophecy.
As fast as the happiness came to discovering facts about my family, the insinuations between my father's position in the Hylian Army and my role as the prince's Chosen Knight came quicker.
I never really gave much thought to being branded as Hyrule's Champion and the heroine of legend. Link and Impa spoke as if this position was not out of merit, but of divine intervention. A person is or isn't the hero depending on the will of Hylia.
But with the knowledge of my father's elevated status amongst the knights and his relationship to the king, the dark, nagging thoughts that surfaced couldn't be helped.
Was my position as the prince's Chosen Knight, Champion of Hyrule, and Heroine of Legend out of nepotism?
After reading the Hateno Archives, it was obvious that female knights were rare. Knighthood was not a common aspiration for girls. Could my father have tried to prove something and volunteered me as an example?
What if I was never meant to be the hero and I have fooled these people into thinking I was? I never praised my combat prowess, just thankful that I had it to rely on. But what if my combat ability was average at best compared to the knights of the past? What if there was a more qualified candidate to be the Chosen Knight and I stole it from them just because my father was an important figure?
Maybe then Hyrule wouldn't have failed…
I slapped myself out of these negative thoughts. There were too many what-ifs that clouded my judgement. There had to have been an objective test to determine Hylia's chosen – a trial for the hero, a mark that christened them, or pulling out some magic sword. For now, I tried to be confident in my abilities, confident in my achievements thus far.
I wasn't an imposter.
Then, there was the more sinister implication. My father was the Captain of the Royal Guard, which meant he was working and present during the Calamity. He was possibly even at Ground Zero of the event.
"Did…did he survive?" I whispered, glancing up at Impa and trying to mask the burst of hope that dared to flutter.
She just gazed at me steadily, neither answering nor addressing my query. Instead, a melancholic grin played at her lips. But her silence spoke volumes.
I steeled myself and stared right through her. My memory was my priority, but I knew Impa's was to free the Divine Beasts. However, I was prepared to debate her on that notion.
Afterall, how could I rescue Link if my current image of him was negative?
"I want to keep recovering my memories. I intend to visit all the locations so I can understand what Link wants me to do."
To my surprise, she nodded, acquiescing to my desire to unravel my past. "If that is your primary goal, I advise you to seek Pikango. You may have already seen him in the village, but he is a renowned landscape painter. He is the only person to have traveled through Hyrule in its current state and will be an essential asset if you want to find the photographs' locations. He should be gathered with all the other villagers in the central plaza."
I nodded and rose from my seated position. I needed to find Pikango and update Paya about the heirloom. Then, I planned to help facilitate the return of normal functioning around the village. By noon, I should be out of Kakariko.
"I plan to leave Kakariko once the lockdown has been lifted. In addition to finding the memory locations, I will set course for the closest Divine Beast," I informed her.
Before I made it through the door, Impa spoke out one last time. "Zelda, you should return here after each Divine Beast you free. I wish to be updated on your journey. I also request that you see me after finding all the locations. I have something to return to you, dear heroine."
I stood in line with a bowl in one hand and a spoon in the other. There were only a handful of people left that needed to be served breakfast. After the night I had, a warm bowl of soup was enough to bolster my motivation.
Someone grazed upon the skin of my arm, and I froze. Immediately, my body went into fight or flight even though I knew that the chances someone would attack me in broad daylight were slim to none.
And I was right. The person who had grazed my arm was just accidentally pushed forward. They apologized and I waved it off. Although, I suspected that the easy-going smile I aimed for bordered on wry.
I didn't want to believe that Dorian's betrayal had such a profound effect on me. I already said that I forgave him because he only did what he thought was right. Still, it didn't change the fact that it hurt. It seems that the wounds from the trauma were more psychological in nature.
A crowd never used to bother me. In fact, I took charge of the crowd last night and didn't seem to have an issue with public speaking or social anxiety.
But now, there was a prickle in the air and a constant ringing in my ear. It was soft enough not to annoy me, but loud enough to draw my attention if I focused. And now, I was always focusing.
I now knew the danger I was in. After all, I can't be a protector of the royal family without gaining some unfavorable followers.
I sighed and shook my head to rid these thoughts. The line had already moved forward about a foot while I was dazing away.
After what happened last night, I kinda wanted to be alone for a little bit – just so I could rest my paranoia. Or maybe that was just the wild calling to me again, but my extroverted battery was dying. Crowds of people are currently unnerving me, too many unknown faces and too many unknown intentions. I used to see the best people and thought that being a good person was enough. Turns out, there were many levels between good and bad. I couldn't blindly trust as I did before.
I saw it as a bad thing, but it was the reality I was subjected to. Right now, I could count the number of people I trusted on one hand.
And even then, they all had secrets of their own.
They have a right to their secrets, as I do to my own. But when I'm the one with amnesia and if forming my schemas as I go, I'd like to be informed as possible.
"Lady Zelda!"
I had unconsciously followed the crowd and found myself before the cooking rig Paya, Koko, and Lasli had set up. Paya dropped her ladle and greeted me with a big hug. I smiled and reciprocated, acknowledging that Paya had come a long way from stuttering around my presence to unabashedly showing acts of affection.
She dropped the hug and grabbed my arm, leading me closer to the cooking rigs. Koko was stirring the congee. It was yellow in color, having chicken stock as the base instead of water. It had bits of chicken, some hard-boiled eggs, and spring onions sprinkled in between. On a smaller table beside them, some fried garlic and black pepper sat.
"We're serving congee, Miss Hero! Do you want some?" Koko asked, bringing up a ladle full of the porridge.
I was happy to see that the events of last night hadn't worn away at her childhood innocence. Koko looks as happy – if not, happier because her father was now spending time with them – than before.
After receiving my serving, I stood by and waited for Paya to finish serving the rest of the travelers. Paya, Koko, and Lasli got their own bowls of congee and dispersed amongst the crowd. Paya stayed by my side. Koko ran off to her father and Cottla, who were now seated in the grass on top of a blanket.
Cottla greeted her sister with a toothy grin and an overeager hug, almost causing Koko to spill congee all over herself. The smile on Dorian's face was gentle as he placed another flower crown, decorated with nightshade, on the crown of Koko's head. Koko blushed scarlet as Dorian chuckled at her reaction.
My abdomen burned a little bit.
"So, did anything happen last night?" Paya asked between bites of congee.
I snapped back to our current conversation and answered, "I actually found the heirloom. It was in the lake surrounding where the Lakna Rokee pedestal was."
Her eyes widened. "Does that mean…the riddle worked? You unearthed the shrine?"
I nodded in confirmation.
Paya giggled out of relief. "Thank goodness! I guess it doesn't matter how it happened. So long the heirloom has fulfilled its intended purpose, so long as it was able to help you out in some way, I couldn't be happier!"
"I already spoke with Impa about it. The lockdown has already been lifted. As soon as everyone finishes eating, the travelers can leave. We need to take down these tents and return them to those who let us borrow them."
"Wonderful! I can assist with the travelers. They probably need some extra provisions for the journey, right? I know some supplies in surplus that we can gift them."
Pride swelled in my chest at how far Paya had come. She was now proactive in the Sheikah community, and her confidence was steadily growing. I hope she can sense this achievement and use it to build herself up even more.
Remembering Impa's advice, I turned to Paya. "Hey, Impa told me to look for a man named Pikango. He's apparently a famous landscape artist."
Paya swallowed her congee before replying, "Oh, Mr. Pikango. Yes, he's a Sheikah that travels throughout Hyrule. Luckily, he was here before they locked down the village. Come on, we can probably find him in the crowd."
I followed Paya as we weaved through the horde of people, trying to spoon myself congee as we walked. We arrived on the borders, where there were sparse individuals to bump into. It just so happened that Pikango had set up his easel and canvas at that location as well.
He seemed immersed in his work. The canvas shook with the ferocity of his brushstrokes as the easel trembled on its legs. Pikango paid no mind to his audience of Paya and I, not even the cuccos that were pecking at his feet or the one roosting in his hair.
"Excuse me, Mr. Pikango? It's Paya," Paya greeted.
He jerked in surprise, accidentally swiping his cheek with the wet bristles. It left a green streak.
"Ah, Paya! You've caught me at a moment of inspiration. I usually paint landscapes, but this painting feels lonely without the crowd, don't you think?"
Pikango stepped aside, allowing Paya and I to observe the canvas.
He was right. I tried to imagine the image without the various people nestled into small groups, some standing and some sprawled along picnic blankets. The space would have felt too grand, too lonely. It radiated the comfort in congregation – a feeling that had been dulled since last night's events.
"Mr. Pikango, I'm sure you know of Lady Zelda," Paya introduced.
"Ah, yes! The fated heroine." He bowed comically, but I took no offense to it. "How may I be of service to you?"
"I heard that you've travelled throughout Hyrule, painting landscapes," I began.
"You heard right! I'd hasten to say that I could recognize any location just by its appearance."
Paya and I shared similar looks of amusement. I unholstered the Sheikah Slate and accessed the photo gallery. I handed it off to Pikango, watching as he scrolled through the various photographs.
"Do you recognize any of them?"
He flicked furiously between the photos. "Oh, I know where all of these were taken." He stopped at the photograph with a large, stone gate as its focal point. "This one is the closest location out of all the paragraphs."
Pikango handed back the Sheikah Slate as I examined the photo. Paya peered over my shoulder and tried to figure it out before Pikango could tell us.
"That architecture looks familiar. And the mountain in the back as well…is this somewhere in the Lanayru Promenade?" Paya guessed.
Lanayru Promenade?
Pikango snapped his fingers and pointed at Paya. "Bingo! You were right to use the snowy mountain and the stone gate as landmarks. East of this village is the snowy mountain called Mount Lanayru – named after the Goddess of Wisdom. There's a gate at the bottom, west of the Naydra Snowfield."
I switched the interface to the map of Hyrule. Sure enough, there was a waterway east of Kakariko, which lead to the elevation of Mount Lanayru.
"A long time ago, Mount Lanayru's peak was said to be a sacred place where dragons lived." Pikango laughed heartily. "I think that's just a legend, but wow, if it's true, I would love to capture that piece of art!"
I turned off the Sheikah Slate and hung it upon my waist once more.
Paya grabbed at my wrist and my attention as well. Her face was twisted in subtle worry.
"Zelda, are you planning to visit the mountain?"
I nodded in confirmation. "I plan to leave Kakariko once the travelers do. My first stop is this gate."
Paya nodded solemnly. "I cannot stop you, but I advise you to exercise caution. Lanayru Promenade was built for pilgrimages to the mountain, allowing worshippers to pray at the Spring of Wisdom. It has sat abandoned since the fall of the kingdom. No one knows the current state of the promenade or of the mountain. Please be careful."
The travelers were eager to leave once the announcement was made that the lockdown was lifted. Paya and I stood by the east entrance while another pair of Sheikah stood by the west entrance. She apologized for the knee-jerk reaction of the village and offered to point them to their specific destinations. As travelers filtered through the gate, we handed them a bundle of supplies.
Olkin and Steen had a surplus of pumpkin and carrots. It worked out because those vegetables were the staple of Kakariko and were thus unavailable anywhere else.
As Paya packed up the campgrounds and returned the borrowed tarps, I prepared for my journey to Mount Lanayru. Epona was well-rested after a night at the stable. My weapons were still in good condition, and I had a plethora of weapons at my disposal. Not to mention, the Sheikah Slate with new runes to add to my artillery. I was especially excited to use the upgraded Stasis feature to freeze enemies.
Paya and I crossed paths as I was making my way up to the Ta'Loh Naeg shrine. She seemed to be in a hurry, as she had a pile of tents in her arms. However, that didn't stop her from pausing and taking the time to speak with me.
"Zelda, you're going now?"
I nodded and held up Epona's reins. "I don't want to explore Lanayru Promenade when it gets dark. Plus, I want to get started on the journey to free the Divine Beasts."
Paya lowered the tents to the ground. She then pulled me close into a farewell embrace.
"Thank you for all you've done," she whispered.
I patted her back lightly before pulling away. I smiled sheepishly. "I was just lucky to find the heirloom. No real skill in looking around."
Paya shook her head. "No, I meant your advice. You gave me the push I needed to be confident in myself. I can now be the future clan head Kakariko needs me to be other than just relying on grandmother all the time. I…I really can't thank you enough."
My eyes softened at her gratitude. "Well, you should know that I'm very proud of you. Keep up the good work." I swung up on Epona's saddle. "Until next time!"
"I will pray to the old gods for your safety!"
Epona trotted along the hill until we reached the Forest of the Great Fairy. Before proceeding, I wanted to confirm my route by consulting the Sheikah Slate.
I was going over the topographical landmarks when footsteps emitted from the walkway. When I turned around, Dorian was there – a small pile of clothes folded in his hands.
"Lady Zelda," he called. "I'm glad I caught you before you left!"
I dismounted and met him halfway. Before I could speak, Dorian thrusted the clothes into my hands.
"What's this?" I asked as I held out the fabric.
It was the indigo uniform I had seen the Sheikah ninjas wear. The headpiece even included the mask that concealed soft sounds such as breathing. A Sheikah Eye was painted in red in the middle of the chest piece. Dorian had even included the bronze shin guards, pauldron, and backplate. The tights also included the jika-tabi.
"It's my old Sheikah Stealth Set, back when I was part of Kakariko's secret police. You don't have to worry about sizing or anything. The fabric conforms to your body shape."
I regarded him warily, still holding the uniform like it could burn me at any moment. "Why would you give this to me?"
Dorian seemed to have sensed my apprehension but gave out a soft sigh of resignation.
"I used that uniform for the wrong reasons. It was meant to help me protect Kakariko from the shadows. Instead, I used it to spy on my own brethren. I know it will be used honorably in your care…so I'm entrusting it to you."
Trust.
That was the key word.
It had been the reason my endurance was limitless last night; why I got the burst of energy once Dorian finally trusted me with his and Koko's lives. When he had put his faith in me, it empowered me beyond the powers of a Goddess. It was all he had to do. And I could see that he's trying his best.
He wanted to regain my trust, so he was giving me a little bit of his. And for that, my abdomen didn't hurt as much when I accepted his gift.
Dorian smiled at my acceptance before running back. I watched him descend the hill and sit upon the cherry tree at its base. Koko and Cottla ran from the corners of the village. Cottla nosedived into his lap whilst Koko nestled by his side.
This is where he was supposed to be.
And as for me…
I stared ahead at the forest before me, marking the end of Kakariko's haven and the start of the wild, where all my answers – past, present, and future – lay.
A/N: Hello! Long time no update! I noticed that I got some new reviewers so I would like to sincerely thank you for taking the time to praise my work. It means a lot to me!
This chapter serves as the closure for the Kakariko arc of the story. We'll soon be moving on to our first Divine Beast! I hope it wasn't too filler-esque. I wanted to include some important information such as Zelda's Imposter Syndrome, information about Zelda's father, and her relationship with Link thus far. There is some Zelink goodness in the near future!
I did reference Raya and the Last Dragon during Dorian and Zelda's conversation. I think it's a real good movie about what it means to trust and forgive. Not to mention, the main character has a sword that resembles the Sword of the Creator in Fire Emblem: Three Houses.
I have another update for you all this coming Friday. There's going to be some angst, but some sweetness in there. You can probably guess based on where our heroine is going.
As always, let me know what you thought in the reviews and have a nice week!
