lana spills the tea!
Before any of them knew it, the semester came to a close. Lana, Ashei, and Zelda still met up occasionally to talk about Ganondorf and Nabooru, but found that trying to juggle it along with school and extracurriculars was too much to handle. They agreed to put it off until the school year ended. Now, it was officially the last day of the semester, and many students were either packing or headed home already. Since today would be the last day all of Lana's immediate friends stayed on campus or in the area, they agreed to meet up for tea and snacks. She assumed they would also want to discuss the investigation now that they were done with finals, so she brought her notepad with all of her notes from Tingle inside of it.
Things were rather bleak for Lana.
She was heartbroken and worried for her future. Ashei and Zelda couldn't do much to remedy any of it. She wanted Nabooru to leave Mr. Dragmire for good, to help them and be with her, and no one else. Alas, she could only dream of such a scenario happening. Once Lana cast Nabooru away, she didn't see her at all. Lana could only assume she went back to conspiring with Ganondorf, and that they were saving something especially horrible for her.
In the midst of these thoughts, Lana walked down to the campus café for their final meetup of the school year. She'd been rather distant from her friends. Even though they hung out and talked as usual, Lana kept herself guarded at all times. Sometimes it seemed like Ashei and Zelda were at peace and unbothered with the situation they found themselves in. She was sure this wasn't the case, but she also couldn't bring herself to smile or laugh lately, which was unusual since she was typically a ray of sunshine.
With these thoughts swirling around in her mind, Lana rounded the corner where the café would be, nearly ramming into someone else as she did so.
She stumbled back, ready to give them an apology, until she identified who it was.
He towered over her, stoic and composed, intimidating by nature, even though this was not his intent.
It was Mr. Dragmire, clad in all black like he often was, an odd attire given how warm the weather had gotten.
Is this it? She thought to herself. Ashei was a suspect, Zelda no longer had her scholarship, Link just… dipped, and now it was her turn. What was he going to do? Murder her? She was afraid, very afraid. She felt herself trembling – it wasn't even cold! But she couldn't let him see that. He couldn't know that he was getting to her. She had to be strong. And brave.
"…If you're here to screw up my life somehow, don't bother." Lana said. "Your girlfriend hurt me more than you ever could."
Ganondorf laughed, which made Lana feel angry. It was as if this was all some sort of twisted game to him. He had everything. A well-paying job at an acclaimed university, connections all over Hyrule… and a beautiful woman on his arm. He didn't need to do this at all.
"I'm not here to screw up your life, Lana, or anyone else's life for that matter. Part of my job is to make sure all of my students are acclimated in their setting. I need this campus to be safe and bearable for everyone. I know you're undergoing a lot of stress right now, and I want to help you."
"Help me?" It was an unexpected offer.
"I would like to offer you the Nayru Scholarship."
If it could, Lana's brain would have exploded. The Nayru Scholarship was the most prestigious of all the financial offers HU had for their students. It would cover her tuition, books – anything related to school that she needed. She would be set for the rest of her undergrad.
"Why would you offer me this…"
"You're an excellent student. Well-rounded, all sorts of extracurriculars and job experience, and great grades. You weren't considered for it when you applied as a freshman, but I'm offering it to you now."
"And in exchange…"
"Stay focused on school and extracurriculars. And keep yourself out of trouble."
"Wait, this is Zelda's scholarship. You took it away from her. Why are you giving it to me?"
Ganondorf bristled. The lighthearted look on his face shifted into something more vulnerable, or perhaps it was guilt.
"You were never supposed to know. None of you were. I suppose I have Nabooru's recklessness to blame for it. And my own to a lesser extent. But what's done is done. I know you need this. Zelda's family makes more than enough rupees for her to afford a school like this. Can you say the same?"
Lana bit her lip. She needed the rupees, but she needed to decide if it was worth compromising her integrity, and betraying her friends.
"I'll need an answer before the tuition deadline in July. Until then, take your time thinking about it." He didn't waste any more of her time, walking away and leaving her to think about his offer.
She walked again, her heart and mind heavy with this newly presented opportunity. She didn't know how she would tell her friends about it. Or if she even would at all.
"Lana!" Ashei waved her over happily.
She trudged over to Ashei.
"Turn that frown upside down. It's summertime! Well, almost. I have one more final to take in an hour, but I feel really confident about it."
As she finished speaking, one of the security guards – Agahnim – passed by slowly and gave Ashei a suspicious look. Several other guards were posted conveniently around the café and general vicinity.
"How long have they been lurking around here?" Lana asked.
"Oh, this has been pretty normal. They follow me around like this to keep an eye on me."
"You seem pretty dismissive about it."
"Not dismissive, I just refuse to let it hold me down. Besides," she smiled dreamily, "I have amazing friends to help me keep my spirits up."
"I know you aren't talking about me." Lana said skeptically. Lately she hadn't been the most positive presence.
"Not at the moment, but I still appreciate you."
"Thank you… But there's something I need to tell you. Before Zelda gets here." She frowned.
"You'd better make it quick. She's coming right now." Ashei pointed.
Lana looked and saw Zelda walking towards them, all smiles and laughter. Between her were Shad and Pipit. She had her arm looped around Pipit and was smiling at him lovingly. Shad was talking to both of them, seemingly unbothered by their display of affection.
"What are they doing here?" She pointed to both of the boys distastefully.
"Oh, right. I forgot to tell you. I kind of… invited Shad to come hang with us. And Zelda wanted Pipit to come too."
"Seriously?" Lana glared. "I thought it was going to be just the three of us." She ran her thumb over her notepad.
"If you wanna talk about the situation with… you-know-who, we can talk about it later. For now, let's just have fun! This is the last time we're all going to be here together. Shouldn't we make the most of it?"
"I guess. But I would've appreciated a heads up. Now I'm gonna be a fifth wheel."
"Fifth wheel? Shad and I aren't dating." Ashei blushed at the prospect.
"Not yet."
From the other side, Zelda, Pipit and Shad were talking happily. Zelda had gotten back into the groove of things. Sure, she missed Link, but the days got easier. The date on the ticket she bought for Ordon was set for the first official day of summer recess… which was tomorrow. In less than 24 hours she would be able to see him again and get the closure she wanted. She managed to find a compromise between Ashei and Lana's advice to her. She was making things work and putting proper attention to her relationship, but she was also going to make sure she listened to the other part of her heart that was urging her to go to Link. It wasn't just about closure. It was about being there for him in a time of darkness.
She was happy with her choices, and she could tell that her remaining roommates were happy too.
"Hey Lana! Hey Ashei!" She greeted once they got to their table. Ashei was quick to stand up and give Shad a large hug, which he eagerly returned.
Zelda smirked at the sight, excited to see her two good friends become close.
They all sat down and ordered tea and snacks, joking around and laughing. All except for Lana, who felt out of place. She couldn't talk to her friends about the offer Ganondorf had just made her, and none of them seemed to care about the obvious issues at hand. She wanted to smile too. She wanted to bask in positivity and excitement over finally being done with classes. But she couldn't. And it made her angry.
"Lana, are you okay?" Shad asked her, noting her glum nature.
Lana wasn't too familiar with Shad, but she knew of the drama that occurred between him, Pipit and Zelda a few months ago, back when they were all cleaning the dorms. He was a friendly guy, and seemed like a loyal friend.
"I'm fine." She said nicely.
"You seem a little down."
"Yeah," Pipit agreed. "You're usually so bubbly."
"She feels a bit dejected with her love life, that's all." Ashei informed them.
"Hey!" Lana pouted. She wasn't in the mood to talk about it with people she didn't know that well.
"I'm sorry Lana! But you shouldn't keep it to yourself if you're still upset. I can't say too much about it, but she really liked someone."
"Does he go here?" Shad inquired.
"What's his name?" Pipit added.
Lana stared at them, then looked to Ashei. She knew it would do her no good to just mope around silently, so she decided to answer their questions.
"Her name is Nabooru."
"Oh?" Pipit raised an eyebrow. "…Oh."
"She kinda screwed me – "
"Ha! Join the club." Shad laughed.
Zelda grimaced.
"Real classy, Shad."
" – over. She screwed me over." Lana finished, unamused at his interruption.
"I'm sorry to hear that…" Pipit thought back to how sad Nabooru looked, particularly when talking about Lana. Whatever happened between them must have been genuine. Nabooru never showed such care towards anyone like that. Not to mention she helped Karane out of a tough spot.
But he also knew how deceptive she could be. She wasn't afraid to hurt people in order to help other people.
"Nabooru's always been very selfish. It's better if you aren't associated with her." Shad said.
"There are all sorts of girls out there for you. You'll find someone." Pipit said.
"Whatever." Lana was tired of hearing the same things. She didn't want just anybody. And she certainly didn't want advice from people who didn't know the whole story. She was angry enough at Nabooru, but she also felt protective and defensive of the desert beauty. She still wanted to believe their relationship had meant something.
The waitress came by their table, supplying pastries and a variety of milk tea for everyone.
Lana grabbed her cup, stabbing her straw through the plastic cover of her cup.
"She's always been incredibly selfish. You aren't the only one that's gotten your heartbroken. She does it all the time." Shad said in between sips.
"She has her redeeming qualities, I'll admit." Pipit argued, not wanting to invalidate the good that she's done, and how hard she worked for HUTV. "But at the end of the day, there's a reason she's known as the HU slut. You were just another victim." He shrugged.
Lana's lip quivered. Her two 'friends' remained silent, not bothering to stop Pipit. They knew it was a painful topic for her, and they let him continue to talk trash. How could they do that? It wasn't fair. She felt her anger grow and grow, her grip on her rather flimsy cup tighten with every word that came out of his mouth.
"In the end, you dodged a bullet."
Ashei and Zelda murmured and nodded in agreement, ready to bring the conversation back to something lighter.
"You should get yourself a girl that's nice, sweet, and honest. Like Zelda." Pipit poked her on the nose and gave her a kiss. She smiled at him and kissed him back.
For Lana, that was her breaking point. She couldn't take it. Any of it. She knew Pipit meant well, and that he didn't know the whole story of what happened. But she couldn't stand seeing everyone so happy when she couldn't feel any happiness at all. None of it was fair. She was especially disappointed in her friends for dredging up her romance with Nabooru and not bothering to stop their dates from saying such bad things about her.
Snap!
Lana's sharp nails dug too deep into her plastic cup, causing it to break and the tea that had been contained inside came gushing out between her fingers.
"Lana, your tea!" Ashei exclaimed, grabbing some napkins to try and keep it from spreading.
"I don't care about this damn tea!" She snapped angrily, throwing her cup to the floor.
"What has gotten into you…" Zelda asked, concerned.
"You! All of you! How can you act like everything is okay? How can you smile and laugh!"
Ashei glanced around at the security guards who were eyeing them as Lana made a scene.
"Lana, please sit down." She begged her friend.
"No." Lana shook her head stubbornly. If they wanted her to talk, she was going to talk. And she wasn't going to leave anything out. She looked to Pipit, fire blazing in her eyes. He embodied everything she had come to hate; a similar 'macho' and hypermasculine presence that Ganondorf possessed. It served as a reminder of what Nabooru left her for, and the fact that Pipit had actually been with her made it so much worse. She wanted him to hurt, to feel the betrayal that she did. And in that moment she could only see red, disregarding how it would affect Zelda.
Pipit noticed her staring him down, surprised at how intimidating the usually sweet girl was when angered.
"You are the LAST person on this planet who should be giving me advice on love, given who you're dating."
"What?" Pipit asked, painfully oblivious. "Lana, I'm sorry…"
Lana's eyes crossed over to Zelda.
"Are you going to tell him? Ever? Or were you planning on keeping it bottled up inside of you?"
Panic flooded Zelda's system as she realized what Lana was going to say.
"Your whole relationship is a LIE!" Lana pointed at Pipit. People took note of the scene and a small crowd even gathered in the corner to watch. The security guards didn't bother stopping them because they were too entertained.
All Ashei could do was cover her face and hope her friend came to her senses. Trying to get her to stop would make the situation worse.
"Do you want to know the truth, Pipit? What your 'nice, sweet, and honest' girlfriend has kept from you?"
"Lana, DON'T." Zelda said haplessly, but it was too late.
"There was no 'group retreat'!" She blurted out, her voice overpowering Zelda's pleas. "That weekend she snuck off with Link, they went out of town ALONE!"
Both Shad and Pipit were shell-shocked at the reveal.
"What!?"
"They went to Gerudo Valley, got a hotel room together, went to a fancy party, and told everyone that they were married." Pipit couldn't even process the emotions he was feeling, and he was too stunned to even ask how Lana would know any of it to begin with. "They put on quite a show too… Who knows what else they might've done, behind closed doors?" She added, rubbing more salt into the wound.
Zelda was mortified.
"Oh, don't give me that look. And don't act like you weren't questioning your relationship a few weeks ago." Lana glared at her.
"Questioning our relationship…?"
Pipit slowly turned to Zelda. The last few weeks had been a dream; they'd never been so solid. Despite her initial sadness over Link's departure, she came to him with a newfound vigor and enthusiasm for their relationship. He didn't want to believe any of it. But he had to know the truth. And he had to hear it from her.
"Is it true?" He asked Zelda, keeping his composure. Lana was angry, and oftentimes people say things they don't mean, simply because they get caught up in the heat of the moment. Sure it was an oddly specific thing to say, but Pipit wanted to give his girlfriend the benefit of the doubt. However, when he saw her face, the way her eyes crinkled and how she pursed her lips – he knew the answer before she could even open her mouth. And he felt the hope inside of him drain out.
"Oh my goddesses. It is true." He stood up abruptly. Zelda circled her hand around his arm, trying to pull him back.
"Pipit, wait – "
He snatched his arm back from her.
"Don't even." He wasn't in the mood for any excuses.
Zelda watched him walk away, the negative emotions within her boiling up.
"That was cold, Lana." Ashei told her.
"Buckle up then, because I'm not done." Lana replied. She stared down her next target: Shad. He was on the quiet side and she wasn't too familiar with him, aside from Ashei's evident infatuation towards him. "Didn't you like Zelda first?" She asked. It was a rhetorical question, but Shad still tried to answer it.
"I mean, yes, but – "
"But what? You think you're ready to move on, but I bet you still have feelings for her. I bet a tiny part of you resents her and Pipit for what they did."
"I don't…"
"I would. How ironic is it that you liked her first and your roommates – your friends – had a better chance of getting with her than you ever did?"
Shad was speechless. Though cruel, she was right. And when he was forced to think about it, it did sting. He couldn't even face Ashei about it, and now he was humiliated in front of everyone else at the café.
"I…" He couldn't find the words to say. For a moment he locked eyes with Zelda who looked regretful for everything. And it all became too much. "I should go check on Pipit." And soon, he was gone too.
That left the three of them together, just as Lana wanted it to be initially. There was no conversation left, nor any reason for her friends – if she could even call them that after this – to stay behind.
Ashei stared blankly at the table, watching the tea Lana had spilled all over the table drip down to the ground. Lana did the same.
"I know she hurt you, Lana." Zelda spoke up in the middle of the uncomfortable silence. "But hurting everyone around you isn't going to make you feel better. And more importantly, it isn't going to bring Nabooru back to you."
"Whatever." It was the only thing Lana could bring herself to say.
Seeing no purpose in continuing, and hurt by everything Lana had said, Ashei and Zelda both took their leave. Lana just continued to sit there, amidst the students who had gathered to watch her outburst, amidst the whispers and stares, amidst the silent judgments. She wasn't embarrassed. And she no longer felt anger nor sorrow. She was hollow. There was nothing left to feel.
»°«
Zelda stayed away from the apartment for a couple of hours. She kept in touch with Shad through text after Lana's outburst, and waited for him to give her the 'okay' to head back. She knew Pipit would want some time to himself, but waiting for him felt like delaying the argument she felt would come up.
When Zelda came home, she saw Pipit sitting on the couch. It looked as though he had just been waiting for her to get back, which of course made her feel bad given how long she stayed out. In his hands he held a couple of papers.
Horrible wasn't enough to describe how she felt at the moment. Zelda could fool herself and say that up until now, things between them had been going smoothly. But with their arguments and the obvious lying and secrets that were being kept from each other, the air had to be cleared.
He didn't say anything, didn't even bother to look at her, instead waiting for her to speak first. To explain why she lied to him, what was going on between her and his best friend, literally anything. She walked over and sat down next to him, folding her hands up and tucking them on her lap, trying to hide the fact that they were shaking.
"Nothing happened when we went to Gerudo Valley." That was the first point she wanted to make clear. "I can't tell you why we went there, or what we were doing, but it wasn't for fun, and we didn't do anything suggestive. I know that what Lana said sounded bad. But I'm committed to this relationship. To you. And I promise, if you have any questions, I'll answer them honestly."
It was the least she could do. In fact, it was the absolute bare minimum. What sucked for Pipit was that she never would have come clean about any of this if she hadn't been put on the spot.
He stared at the papers he was holding, reading the words and numbers carefully, committing them to memory. Finally, he looked up at her.
"Do you have feelings for him?"
And just like that, Zelda broke her promise.
"No." What was she supposed to say to a 'yes or no' question, to which she didn't have a 'yes or no' answer? She couldn't say 'yes,' that wasn't accurate, and it would hurt him. 'No' was the safer option. She still wanted to do damage control. She wanted to make everything okay, even if it was falling apart, and spiraling out of her control.
"Then why didn't you tell me about this?" He flipped the papers over so she could see. She felt her heart sink. It was a printed copy of her ticket to the rural crossroads.
"I found it last week when I went into Link's… your room to clean out the bathroom. I waited for you to tell me about it, but you never did. When I asked Shad if he knew anything, he said you were going to Lon Lon Ranch to see your friend. But after today, I know the truth. You're not going to see your friend. You're going to Ordon to see Link."
Zelda nodded, confirming his thoughts.
"I should have told you. I know that. I'm sorry Pipit." All she could do was apologize.
"I thought things between us were going well. I thought we were good. But you've been lying. Keeping things from me. It's infuriating that two girls you cleaned the dorms with know more about my relationship than I do."
She said nothing.
"Zelda, I believe you when you say you didn't 'do anything' with Link in Gerudo Valley. But I don't believe you when you say you don't have feelings for him."
"But Pipit –"
"Nobody goes out to Gerudo Valley for no reason, especially in the middle of the semester. It takes forever to get there. But Ordon is a different story. It isn't too far away from here, and it's a small village. Link is the only plausible reason ANY of us would bother to visit. And considering you could just write to him, whatever reasoning you have to go out there and physically see him, is personal."
"Are you mad?" Zelda asked softly.
"No." He sighed. "…Okay. I am. But it isn't directed at you. Or Link. Or even Lana. It's just… general anger. Maybe even anger at myself."
"Why would you be angry at yourself?"
"For not noticing it sooner. The fact that you two worked in the dorms together, how quickly he took to you after the initial awkwardness, the way he looked at you… I mean, I didn't think much of it because Link never really thought of girls like that. So I ignored it. All of it. Now I just feel stupid." He chuckled. Zelda wasn't sure how he could laugh at any of this.
"Pipit, you aren't stupid."
He smiled graciously at her.
"The other thing is, I don't know if I even have a right to be mad. Maybe this is my karma. We weren't honest with Shad about our relationship, and now the same thing is happening again."
"Your karma? That isn't how it works Pipit. And I swear to you that no matter what, I could never…"
Pipit shushed her gently. He read the sadness on her face, and placed his hand on her cheek.
"It's okay, Zelda. We could have another argument over this, but it'll do us no good. I don't want you to feel bad. I can't fault you for it. We didn't really take our time before making it official. Maybe we jumped into this too soon."
"What are you saying?" Zelda asked.
No. She knew what he was saying, she knew EXACTLY what he was saying, and she didn't want to hear it.
"I don't think this is working, Zelda."
She shook her head in disagreement. This was not going to be how it ended, if there HAD to be an end. She didn't want it to be over. She didn't want to lose her biggest support system. Especially when she wasn't sure on where she stood with Link. Going to Ordon didn't secure anything on that front. What if he didn't want to see her? What if he wasn't there when she showed up? There were so many horrible scenarios that could play out. Pipit was her safety. And she cared for him too much to just let it end.
"No." Zelda said. "Stop right there. We're not going to break up over a few arguments."
"This isn't about a few arguments Zelda. This is about your feelings – "
" – My feelings!" Zelda exclaimed. "I told you I don't have feelings for him, Pipit!"
"And I told you I don't believe you!" He shot back. "You're lying, Zelda. Not just to me, but to yourself. And that's not okay."
Zelda sat back, exasperated.
"We can't give this up now. Not after everything we did to get to this point. You almost lost one of your best friends trying to be with me, and now you're willing to throw it all away."
"Is that what it is, then? You feel guilty about Shad?"
"Don't you?"
"I do. That was fucked up. But it doesn't mean we have to stay together."
Zelda felt herself getting desperate. But she'd never forgive herself if she didn't try to salvage everything she possibly could.
"Please don't break up with me." She threw away her pride. She no longer cared. She was begging for her boyfriend to not dump her. She had lost so much already. She wasn't going to lose him too. "Whatever you do, please."
"Why not, Zelda? Because you want to be with me? Or is it because if we aren't together, there's no excuse for you not to face what's going on in here?" He pointed to her heart.
"Okay Pipit. Here's the truth. I don't know how I feel about Link. I don't know if there's something between us that goes beyond an attraction. I never stopped to think about it. Because I put all my focus into being with you." She emphasized the last word, so that he could hear the emotion of it.
He accepted her explanation, saddened that it wasn't a definitive no, but glad that she could admit what she was feeling.
"Maybe you should try to figure out how you feel, then."
"No, Pipit." She refused. "I'm with you. I don't need to 'figure it out.'"
"I know how these things go, Zelda. Maybe not now, but you'll find yourself wondering what could've been. And I don't want you to resent me or beat yourself up for not making a move."
"I can't believe we're having this conversation right now." Zelda blushed.
"Me neither."
"Pipit, the point is that even if I don't know how I feel about Link, I know how I feel about you. And I'm not going to let up on this, because I want us to work."
Pipit wanted it to work too. He was very fond of Zelda, and he knew that after THIS the dynamic between the four of them – if Link decided he would return – would be awkward for some time. Plus, ending the relationship for good did seem like quite a jump. Perhaps they could compromise.
"Okay." He nodded. "We won't break up."
Zelda felt like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders, only for it to come back down on her heavy as he chose his next words.
"We'll go on a break." He announced.
"A break!?"
"Yes." He repeated. "A break."
"That's a bad idea. A break is just a precursor to a break up."
"In some cases, yes. But not always."
"And you're certain it isn't going to be the case with us?"
"If it is, then it wasn't meant to be. But since you don't want to break up, and I honestly don't either, then maybe this is the option we should go with."
"Pipit I've spent a lot of time thinking about us, and I want to work things out with you. We don't have to do this."
"I just need you to be 100% sure, princess. After, let's say, a week, you can decide if you still want to be with me or not."
He gave her a supportive smile, trying to hide the pain he truly felt in favor of supporting her. He didn't want any more callousness.
"What would I do?"
"Well, you're going to see him tomorrow, right?" He handed her the ticket she'd purchased a few weeks ago. "Take some time, and consider what you want. Consider the things you suppressed for me. Do… whatever you need to do."
"Whatever I need to do…?"
"I won't spell it out for you, Zelda. But we're all adults here. You and I won't be exclusive for the time being, so if you and Link happen to… you know. I'd be okay with it." He couldn't bring himself to say it, but Zelda caught his drift, feeling her body temperature rise at the implication.
"Are you sure about this?" She asked doubtfully.
"Yes." He assured her, giving her a kiss on the forehead.
"I'm not going there to hook up with him, Pipit. I'm going because… I know that he needs a friend. Nothing is going to happen."
"If something does, just know that I'm okay with it."
Zelda sighed, closing her fingers around the ticket. Pipit gave her a supportive pat, standing up to go to his room. She watched him close the door gently, leaving her alone in the room.
What the hell just happened?
»°«
The next morning, Zelda was in Midna's car, driving down to the train station that would take her to the rural crossroads. From there, a man from Ordon would pick her up and take her to the village. The initial excitement she felt about seeing Link again was replaced with melancholy over her new status with Pipit. She didn't want a break up, or a break. As soon as she came back to town, she planned on getting back together with Pipit immediately. She'd bought a round trip ticket, to go to Ordon for three days. From what she could find for accommodations, Ordon was affordable – practically free. The bed and breakfast only charged one rupee a night, which seemed like a deal that was too good to be true.
Midna's car was filled to the brim with all of her belongings from the apartment. In the front seat, Zelda sat with her mini suitcase she was bringing to Ordon. She glanced at the back seat, where Malon was practically smooshed against the window, trying not to get crushed by all of her things.
"Do you really need all of this when you're at college? It seems…" Malon grunted. "Excessive."
"Oh, hush." Midna rolled her eyes. "Once we drop Z off at the train station, you can move to the front seat and be nice and comfortable. We're almost there."
Malon huffed, pressing her forehead to the window miserably.
"Whatever."
"Sooooo." Midna drawled out deviously. She caught Zelda looking at herself in the visor mirror, fixing up her hair and applying a light amount of lipstick. "You're going to visit Link?"
Zelda didn't like the lewd tone, closing the mirror and putting away her makeup.
"…Yeah."
"Care to spill the tea?" Midna asked.
Zelda gritted her teeth. After Lana's outburst, she'd come to hate that phrase. It was crazy how much could change within a matter of 24 hours. She didn't fathom her relationship with Pipit would come to a halt so abruptly.
"There's no 'tea' to spill."
"Then why are you getting yourself all dolled up?" Midna took her eyes off the road for a split second to take a closer look at what Zelda was wearing. She was dressed in a dark green romper that was low-cut and exposed her chest, and accentuated her legs. "Ordon ain't like the city, boo. And I know you don't plan on doing 'country' things while you're dressed like THAT."
Zelda shrugged innocently.
"I just wanted to wear this for fun…"
"Oh, come on!" Malon interjected, laughing at Zelda. "You broke things off with your boyfriend. And then the next day you're going to spend a few days in Ordon? That CAN'T be a coincidence."
Actually, it can. Zelda thought.
"Damn girl, you move on fast. I taught you well. Love 'em and leave 'em. Link is a total hottie anyway, and I KNEW you two had a thing for each other."
"It isn't like that." Zelda muttered.
"Oh? A summertime fling RIGHT after the semester ends, then? I see you Z."
"We aren't even broken up! We're just on a break!" She said.
"A break?" Malon giggled. "C'mon, now. Everyone knows that's just a pre-cursor to a break up."
"Yeah, that's what I said!"
"At least you're making the most of it. If he wants a break for now, you can fuck his best friend without feeling bad about it!" Midna said.
Midna and Malon laughed, continuing to make lighthearted jokes about Zelda's love life. She was the only one not amused by it, only feeling worse about Pipit. She was determined to make sure things between her and Link stayed at an amiable level. Even though he gave her consent to try something, she didn't want to follow through on it.
They noticed that she was quiet, silently glaring and staring out of the window, waiting to get to the station.
Midna sighed, giving Malon a subtle look in the rearview mirror, and they both stopped their teasing to make sure their friend was okay.
"Zelda, we're just kidding around." Midna said.
"Well I'm not." Zelda said sharply, intensifying the mood in the car. "You guys don't understand. Not everything is about sex, okay? His mother is very sick and he dropped out of school to take care of her." She then thought of Ganondorf, and the target that had been placed on all of their backs. "And… I'm worried that someone else may have gotten to him. He needs a friend right now and I want to be there to support him."
Midna nodded respectfully, and she and Malon refrained from any more inappropriate comments for the rest of the ride. When they got to the station, Malon jumped out of the car instantly, happy to be out of the crowded space.
"Thank goddesses we're here!"
Zelda got her suitcase, walking over to give her friends their goodbye hugs.
"I can't believe my little baby is done with her first year of college!" Midna gushed, nearly squeezing the life out of Zelda. Zelda struggled to breathe, patting Midna awkwardly on the back.
Malon swooped in right after, giving a much softer hug.
"I hope everything works out girl. We love you."
Midna patted the roof of her car.
"We'll make sure all of your things from school get to Lake Hylia safely. Now in return, I need you to make sure you get to Ordon safely. After all, we won't be able to call you once you're there. Please be careful."
"Don't worry too much." Malon said, "The worst thing that'll happen out there is you getting rammed by a goat. Daddy used to take me on trips to Ordon when he made deliveries. I don't remember much of it since I usually stayed in the wagon, but it was a harmless place. You're technically in more danger here than you would be there."
Midna went back to the car and grabbed a tiny rectangular object with a USB input.
"Before I forget, here's my portable charger. In case your battery dies while you play games on your phone, or something like that."
Zelda took the charger, turning it over in her hands before looking between the two of her friends. They could be serious pains in the ass, but they knew when to tone it down. She felt emotional suddenly, grateful to have them in her corner. Even though they had no idea what she was dealing with at HU, it was soothing to know they would do anything they could to help her.
"Thanks guys. You're both amazing and I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Don't you forget it." Midna poked her on the nose.
"And… I'm sorry for snapping at you guys." She added wistfully.
"That's okay darling. We just want you to be happy."
They doublechecked and made sure she had everything she needed for her trip, then gave her another hug and pushed her to the station. The train ride to the crossroads flew by quickly. Zelda's mind was occupied by thoughts of what would happen once she got to Ordon. She began to second guess herself. Maybe it would be better if she just wrote to him instead. Maybe she should get off at the next stop and run back to Castle Town, and tell Pipit she wanted to be with him, and only him. Of course, she wasn't going to see Link to do anything in that regard, as she had established with both herself, her (ex?)-boyfriend, and her friends NUMEROUS times. But it would be a bit unorthodox to show up unannounced, expecting him to put aside his time to talk to her.
He probably doesn't want to see me. She thought. I should leave…
But soon enough the train arrived at the crossroads, and she had no choice but to follow through with her plan.
The crossroads was bustling with all sorts of people. Zelda saw Gerudos, Zoras, Gorons, Ritos, Sheikah… A vast blur of colors walking down different paths, meeting people, talking to merchants, hitching rides on carriages and rickety jeeps to their respective destinations. There were posted signs for all the locations people could go to. The one with the most people, as usual, was the Lost Woods. It was a very popular tourist destination, mostly for the eerie lore behind it. She noticed a large chunk of people were waiting near the station for Lon Lon Ranch as well, which made her laugh.
No wonder Malon's never home…
All of the stations had a group of people waiting near them, except for one. Ironically, it was the station she was slated to wait at.
Ticket 2298.
She stood awkwardly near the station, whose sign was tattered and had the word 'Ordon' shoddily painted on it, while the other signs were nice and polished. A few people gave her weird looks, surprised to see someone actually going there. She shuffled her feet, feeling slightly embarrassed at the attention she got, wishing she could turn invisible while she waited for her ride.
After what felt like an eternity, a man in a horse-drawn wooden carriage made his way to the station. The carriage was rickety, and in many parts, the wood was splintered.
As the man got closer, she could make his face out a little better. He had blonde hair and bushy brunette eyebrows, with a beard and light stubble on his chin. He was a very handsome older man.
Damn, I wouldn't mind if Link looked like this in 10-15 years. She thought to herself. Wait… did I really just think that!?
Once he was close enough, he gave her a big grin and extended an arm out.
"Hi there, pretty lady! Name's Rusl." His voice was friendly.
Rusl. The name sounded very familiar to her. She reached over and shook his hand.
"Nice to meet you…" She started.
"Nice to meet you too!" He interrupted quickly, "But I was actually givin' you my hand to help you into the carriage."
"Oh." Zelda felt like a huge dork, and she carefully stepped on, uneasy about the lack of stability she felt once she was on.
"The carriage is old, but reliable. You don't hafta worry 'bout a thing." Rusl assured her. He grabbed her suitcase and tossed it to the back. She sat next to him in the front, and he wasted no time in steering them back down the path he came from.
While they rode, Rusl gave Zelda a long look, studying her from her head to her toes.
"Are all your clothes like that?" He asked.
"Uh… Kind of." She replied.
He looked back to the path ahead.
"…All I can say is be careful when we get to the village. I'd hate to see your fancy threads get ruined."
Zelda frowned, smoothing down her romper self-consciously. In retrospect, it DID seem a bit stupid to bring some of her nicer clothes with her for this mini trip, but she didn't put too much thought into getting them dirty. She just wanted to look nice. For herself of course. Just herself.
They continued their trip, leaving the crossroads far behind and riding down a natural dirt path that would lead them to the woods. Zelda focused on the scenery around her, the light blue sky, the green grass, and the sound of Rusl's horse trotting at a steady pace. All the while, Rusl talked to her animatedly about the village. He was very friendly and excited that someone actually wanted to visit. He referred to her by her ticket number, 2298. She found his enthusiasm adorable.
"Not many people like to come to Ordon. I don't blame 'em, we don't have the same relationship with Castle Town that the other smaller towns have…"
"No wi-fi, no cars, no electricity in general. To most people, it sounds like a nightmare! Ha!"
"The thing with the bigger cities is that, they have no respect for the littler fish in the pond. You know what I mean? We've gotten several buyout offers for our land. They wanna chop down our beautiful Faron Woods and put up casinos and department stores and what have you! You should've seen the look on our Mayor's face. He was redder than a staminoka! I'd never seen the old lug so mad."
"Personally, I don't mind a little interaction with the big guns. I love travelin' and goin' outside the village. The young'ins are doing that themselves. It's a beautiful thing to see."
"Of course, Bo doesn't like that too much. He's worried that everyone'll want to leave and live in cities like Castle Town or Zora's Domain, because of how pretty they are. I always tell him the same thing! Their path is their own and they have every right to take it! But there's no place like home, and Ordon will always be a part of who they are."
"We're real excited to have you though, Ticket 2298. You're the first person to visit our village in 3 years! Whenever I get one of those fancy letters from the city, everyone is jumping for joy. We're always eager to see what kind of character wants to come around our parts."
"Visitors are rare enough, but to have such a beautiful lass is unheard of! All the little boys are gonna be fawning over you, missy."
Zelda blushed.
"I hope not…" She mumbled.
"Don't be so modest, girl! There's nothin' wrong with liking a lil bit of attention."
"It depends on who's giving it to me, I suppose." She replied.
He smiled, and continued talking to her about the village. Once they got to the woods, the conversation slowly morphed into a history lesson. Zelda tried to keep up with Rusl's ramblings as much as she could, but she felt increasingly nervous as she realized that she was getting closer and closer to seeing Link again. All around them, large dark green trees towered high above. The woods had a gorgeous glow. She could hear the birds chirping and insects buzzing. She smelled the strong scent of pine and wildflowers.
"These are the Faron Woods! Right outside of Ordon Village…" She was only half-listening now, her heartbeat steadily increasing as the carriage went deeper into the woods… and closer to their final destination.
"…My wife comes out here to pray sometimes, to the spirit of Faron. Most villagers only pray to Ordona, who is the spirit of our province. We believe Ordona was the creator of Ordon, and see it as a separate region from the rest of Hyrule, which was the product of the three goddesses. It's one of the reasons we're so isolated from the rest of Hyrule! Kind of archaic thinking, I know. But Bo just wants to retain the essence of Ordon. It's what makes us… us!"
"We have a yearly festival on the summer solstice to pay tribute to Ordona. If you like your stay here for the next few days, I highly recommend coming out for the festival next month. It's quite the extravaganza. It'll be nice to have some people other than the typical villagers with us!"
He talked and talked and talked some more, before burning himself out with all the words that came spilling out. He smiled at her apologetically.
"Damn. This whole time I've just been yakking my tail off! I'm sorry, Ticket 2298. Guess I get a bit too excited sometimes. But, I wanna know more about you. What's your name? What prompted you to visit our town? What are you looking forward to most?"
"Uh…" Zelda didn't know where to start.
"Sorry, too many questions!" He apologized again, letting out a hearty laugh. "How's about we just start with your name?"
"Okay." She smiled nervously. "My name is Zelda."
The moment she said it, Rusl's entire demeanor changed. The smile on his face vanished, replaced with wonderment. Zelda noted the change immediately, and worried that she'd said something wrong. He asked her for her name. What was the issue? He was completely silent for the next few minutes, his large brows scrunched up as he thought to himself. She could see his lips moving, forming incoherent words. Then he looked at her with recognition, and pulled in the reins. She jolted from the sudden movement, holding onto the carriage.
"Rusl? Is everything okay?"
He steered the horse in the other direction, leading them away from the village and back into the forest.
"They said they'd be over there…" He said to himself.
"Where are we going? Isn't the village the other way?" She asked, alarmed.
He nodded absentmindedly.
"Yeah. But I think I know why you came here…" He said.
She stared at him curiously, then looked ahead at where he was taking her. They rode for a few minutes into another part of the forest. She could hear the sound of two men talking from a distance, the sounds getting louder and louder as they came closer. The horse wove carefully between the trees, coming to a damp clearing, where the solid grass and dirt slowly morphed into dark brown mud. The horse stopped right before stepping into it, and Zelda saw the backs of the men – one was large with a stocky build, the other much younger but still toned and muscular.
Rusl cleared his throat, capturing the men's attention. They turned around to see Rusl and Zelda sitting in the carriage.
Zelda felt her heart stop. Next to the older man with the stocky build, she recognized the other one instantly. He was knee deep in mud, and dressed in gray, tattered clothing, looking nothing like he normally did. But she would recognize those piercing blue eyes anywhere.
Link… She thought, her heart aching at the sight of him.
It had only been a little over a month since she had seen him last, but it felt like an eternity, knowing that he hadn't intended to return. When he caught sight of her, he nearly dropped the bucket he had been holding onto, staring at her in shock.
"…Zelda?"
A/N: Okay, I broke the '2 day update' schedule we agreed on. I'm sorry. I was thinking of splitting this chapter in two, but the scene I was going to include would be better suited in a later chapter, so I changed my mind. Sorry about that!
As for prewritten chapters, this is it. I'm working on 24 right now. Ideally it'll be up soon, but please give me some extra time, because it is going to be my longest chapter yet. We finally get to go to Ordon and see Link's home! I'm having a blast writing this chapter so far. I can't wait to share it with you all!