[Words: 2256]

.

.

.

Chapter 5:

There Once was a Girl Called Lynk

.

.

.

Since leaving Hateno, Lynk has learnt:

1) Appearances can be deceiving.

2) Not everyone she meets can be trusted.

3) Purah had—unbelievably—turned herself into a child. Lynk can't wait to tell Impa.

.

.

.

Dear Lynk,

I write this with the knowledge that I will not be there to greet you upon your awakening. That I might not be there when you need it the most.

I write this with the knowledge that the Shrine of Resurrection may steal your memories from you, leaving you nothing more than a scared woman in a ruin struck world.

I write this so that there is even the slightest hope this book may be of aid to you in your quest to hopefully recover what was stolen from you.

I wish to start from the beginning but I also don't wish to overwhelm you. So I have split this book into sections to read at a pace comfortable to you.

I wish to start with who and what I was to you.

My name is Leona, and I am your stepmother, I have known you since you were but a tiny tot of the age of three. Already by that age, you were ripping your skirts—the terror that you were. It seemed that you and skirts refused to mix most of the time. You were far too wild and untamed for such dress.

It was how I met your parents. Jin and Helkura, both such loving and dotting people. Your father was already the Captain of the Royal guard when I finally become acquaintances with him, but I shall get to that in a bit.

I was born into the Sheikah and for a long time, I had come to accept that I would remain unmarried my entire life. I was dedicated to my work as a seamstress after all, I worked within the castle and had a hand in creating Princess Zelda's clothes personally.

I was hired to become your seamstress and work with you to create some clothes that you were not able to rip and tear.

I was there for a lot of your life, a second mother even before Helkura passed. I was, and am, honoured to have known you. Honoured to have had the change to help raise you into the woman you once was and I know, even now, you will still have remains of that person still, even if buried deep down. But my only wish is that I could have seen who you once more and who you would become now; how this challenge and difficulties would shape you, but alas, it is likely that I have been dead for more than a handful of years by the time you awaken.

I am sorry that I could not be here for you and so this is the only way I know I can be of help.

JIN

He had been working and today it seemed you refused to go anywhere he wasn't. Of course, this was a reoccurring predicament. I had been a witness from the background to this many times. However, on this day, you were being more of a terror than normal and wanted to play with the wooden training swords and practice alongside the other trainees. Unfortunately, you had been wearing a dress and after a tumble, caused a rip all the way up to your waist seam.

It was quite the sight. You father had burst into laughter, his fellow knights too. Your little face had turned red and you started whacking your father with the sword. It only made him laugh louder.

I thought perhaps I could offer my service and find a way for you to go about your playful lifestyle without the risk of ruining more clothes.

Your father was a gentle but stern soul, always sort to bring someone to their greatest. He had become close friends with the king during his years and when you had been younger, before your mother's passing, had been friends with the Princess herself. Since the cradle really.

You have his straw-blonde hair and complexion, his turn-up nose and defined jaw.

You and Jin were attached at the hip, a true daddy's girl. You had Jin wrapped around your fingers likely from the moment you had been born. He struggled to say no to you when you turned your puppy eyes onto him, and you used them to great success.

From a young age, it was clear that your determination and drive would take you far, so far in fact, that one day you would become the first female Knight for Hyrule Kingdom in all of our surviving records. A feat your father was incredibly proud of you for.

HELKURA

Your mother was a woman that was both envied and looked upon with awe. I had never met someone with as much kindness as Helkura in my life. You have her eyes, the brightest blues, like the clearest of waters, have her thick lashed almond-shaped eyes, have her define s-shaped brows, her pale lips.

Despite how much you took after your father, your drive, intent and strive, on your calmer moments, you were without a doubt Helkura's child. You cared little for what was considered proper for women, you'd play in the mud while others your age would be rather sitting around a table and gossip about boys and how pretty their dresses were.

You were cast many wary glances as a young teen, considered rowdy and unetiquette for someone of your class. Yet they were envious of your confidence to so casually discard sociality's standards

That was your mother right there. She grew up a free spirit. A traveller for many years before she met Jin and fell in love, she got many disproving glances for her attitude. Jin got a few for his choice in wife.

Yet there wouldn't be another woman Jin would have rather married.

Despite how some disproved her at first, they came to love her over time.

I know I certainly did.

Sadly when you were only seven years old, Helkura passed away. She had been ill for a time and nothing they had tried had helped, only soothed.

It was peaceful, passing away in her sleep.

Her death had a large impact on you. You took her death hard.

There were many things you dropped, refused to do because it reminded you of Helkura. It was painful to everyone to see you like that.

But then Jin got you Myth, a young foal. Almost completely grey, white at his feet and a spot on his forehead, his nose black and white hair as wild as yours. You both got on like a house on fire, like you were just one soul in two bodies.

It was like overnight you had become a completely different person. I had never seen such determination from you before. You taught him by yourself with only a few pointers from others. You even learnt to ride without a bridle.

People called you barbaric for it but, you and Myth could comminate on a completely different level than anyone had seen before.

It had Jin in tears, and he had confessed on a particularly hard evening, that Helkura was just as talented with animals. That she had easily bonded with wildlife and horses. That the first time he had met Helkura was because one of the guard's horses had been unease and she had walked right up to the horse and soothed her with a few murmured words and touches.

Many had jokingly taken to calling her an animal whisperer. I find myself praying to Hylia that this ability to bond is something you have not lost. Bonds such as those are fierce and loyal.

MIPHA

I wish I did not have to write this. I wish that Mipha was safely living in Zora's Domain waiting for your return, but alas, that is not the case.

Mipha was a beautiful and gentle Zora. She was short for a Zora of royalty. Stunning red scales, golden amber eyes and a gentle and sometimes shy disposition. She reminded me of a softer Helkura, perhaps that was why you had been drawn to her at first.

You had known each other for many years, your father often spend summers in Zora's Domain to train new soldiers in a different environment. You and Helkura would join him during these trips.

You and Mipha were the best of friends from the moment you had met eyes.

I can fondly recall Helkura reminiscing about Mipha, not knowing what Hylian's needed to sleep on, had stolen all the pillows she could to make a bed for you in her room. You had slept on them all too!

Even after your mothers passing, you continued to join your father in Zora's Domain, even venturing on your own when you were considered old enough. It was clear even before you realised it, that you and Mipha would always lead to more than just a platonic—

Only a handful of pages in, Lynk closed the book, failing to even out her breathing. She clutched it to her chest still, however; unable to set it down. Lynk knocked her head back against the wall and squeezed her eyes closed.

Wolfie brushed his wet nose against her arm and she blinked over at him through a watery gaze.

But Lynk didn't know what to say, didn't know what to think.

Overwhelmed, all Lynk could do was take deep breaths. As she ran her fingers across the cover and spine of the book, tracing the Sheikah markings that decorated it. It was a familiar red eye with a teardrop. It had three triangles above the eye and either side were sharp wing-like shapes, like the ones she had seen at the Temple of Time.

Lynk wonders what Leona looked like, what Sheikah tattoos she had, what Ji—her father and mother looked like. What Mipha looked like. All she had were simple and vague descriptions to go by. It tugged at her lungs, it weighed her chest down with a horrible sensation.

Lynk's lips pulled back in a bared manner, like a snarl wanted to escape but no sound left her throat. She slumped back and curled her toes into the grass. Lynk knew there were drawings in the book too but she was scared to look; she didn't want to look…

…and yet, slowly she thumbed the pages until she caught a glimpse of something that wasn't writing.

Lynk breathed.

The red drawing drew her eyes immediately and without hesitation, Lynk knew this beautiful creature was Mipha. Her heart fluttered and she clutched the fabric above it at the sensation.

It wasn't overly detailed but it was coloured, a scarlet red with cream, silver jewellery with blue gems and a bright blue sash.

Lynk recognised the style of jewellery instantly as well. Her fingers longed to curl around the hair piece, feel as it pressed into her skin but it was still safely stored inside the Slate, which was with Purah who was working on restoring the missing data.

One day, Lynk hopes she remembers Mipha enough so that she could wear it again in her honour. Lynk wasn't worthy of it yet. Wasn't worthy of the love of someone who looked so beautiful and kind and—

Lynk finds the others drawings on the page to be her. Each were noted with ages. Fourteen, she was eating off a skewer. Sixteen and studying. Thirteen and napping against a tree. Seventeen and musing. She looked particularly sad in that one, even if it was nothing more than a rough sketch. Leona had captured the memory well, it seemed.

There was one of a man—Jin, her father. His blond hair was up on a bun, a short beard and brown eyes.

There was one of Mipha aged ten. She was grinning, revealed large and sharp teeth.

Lynk felt another flutter, a…longing perhaps.

It makes her feel worse that she can't remember. This feeling, Lynk wonders if the intensity was harsher, more profound when she had her memories. She hopes. She likes this feeling. Was this…love? Was this a smidgen of what she had once felt for Mipha?

…Lynk…

…Lynk doesn't know what to think. Simple as.

This feeling, despite the way it tugged at her lungs, felt—innocent. Pure. She couldn't understand, not completely; she can't put into words what the feeling really…felt like. Maybe she wasn't meant to?

She drifts a finger across the coloured drawing of Mipha and tilted the book to show Wolfie, croaking out: "Mipha."

Wolfie huffs quietly, tilting his head as his ears drooped. He made a soft sound, something akin to a croon and Lynk gives a wavering smile when he meets her eyes.

"She's really beautiful," she murmurs and clutches the edges of the book.

She knocks her head against the wall again as her eyes well up. "S'stupid…Why?"

Why was this what she got?

Why had she failed so badly?

Why had she failed so badly that she had to be put into the Shrine of Resurrection—why hadn't they let her die. Surely, if this Calamity was meant to be defeated, then another hero would have been born, would have been chosen and taken up the mantle which she had failed to fulfil.

Why couldn't she have stayed dead? Was that a selfish want?