"So, are we really going to reach Noruidia tomorrow?"
"If everything goes well, then yes! I hope so."
Zelda stared at the flames and considered Vahlymor's words. Next to her sat Ashei, who was busying herself with sharpening her weapons with a whetstone, while Todd and Crevan were playing a game of dice with Simin and Faris. Balin looked to be meditating. Arvid was already asleep within his tent, as he volunteered to be the late night watch, even though there wasn't much need for him to do so anymore. Link was seemingly asleep by Zelda's side, the great wolf resting his head, eyes closed, upon his crossed paws. He wasn't asleep, of course, but listening to every word that was being spoken and hearing every sound the others made, their echoes across the rocks and mountains, the wind, and anything else that stirred in the night. The three people that he couldn't hear, but they were very much there, were the three Sheikah warriors who were strategically stationed around the perimeter, hidden in the shadows outside of the fire's light. They were the reasons why Arvid's insistance to be a night watch was not as pertinant from now on.
If Zelda had allowed it, Chief Impa would have sent at least ten warriors to accompany the queen and her entourage on their journey into Noruidia, but Zelda had declined. The tribe needed their numbers to be able to relocate to Hyrule, but upon the Elder's insistence, the three Sheikah who now accompanied ensured that none could tred near to the group without their knowledge. After spending a couple days within the Sheikah Village to rest and replenish their provisions, the group travelled for another three days before making camp where they were now. With the guidance of their Sheikah guardians, who knew the mountains surprisingly well,the group's pace towards Noruidia had increased greatly. Of course, they no longer had to seek out Sheikah markers and all they had to worry about was to make sure they were still travelling west.
As it so happened, all of the Sheikah now accopnanying them were Impa's grandchildren.
The children of Preyma, to be exact, and the great-grandchildren of the legendary Lady Impa herself, were now acting as the personal bodyguards to the Queen of Hyrule.
There was Adla, the eldest of the three Sheikah, and her two younger siblings: Malia and her twin brother Falk. Adla looked to be about late-twenties or early thirties, while her siblings looked to be around Zelda's own age, or even in their late teens. It was difficult to tell given the fact that the trio kept their Sheikah cloth masks drawn up to obscure their faces, only having their red eyes show. The three Sheikah kept to themselves, only talking in their Sheilah language with one another, remaining vigilant during the night and taking turns sleeping on the wagon during the day to ensure that at least two of them were always protecting Zelda. They did, however, seem curious of the outsiders, that is until Todd and Crevan tried to innocently flirt with the two sisters, which prompted a threatening glare from their brother, Falk.
"Could you tell me about the sea, Vahl?" Zelda inquired after her silent moment of contemplation.
The prince's face lit up and he sat a little straighter.
"How could I forget that you Hyruleans have lived your entire lives without setting eyes upon the glory that is the sea?" the man posed, arching a brow to her.
Zelda only smiled. Link slightly flattened his ears in irritation.
"Well… it truly is hard to describe, I think. The sea, or ocean, whichever you'd like to call it, is neverending, like the sky. It can be as clear and blue as the purest sapphire, or as dark and angry as the meanest of men. The waters of the sea can be as still as glass in the morning and towering waves that can swallow a ship by evening. It is cruel, yet it is life giving: a body of both creation and destruction. There's nothing quite like sailing the rolling waves with nothing but blue around you: within the waters below and the sky above, with no speck land in sight."
"Wow…" Zelda commented, a bit starstruck as her imagination conjured the image Vahlymore painted, supplemented by the pictures and paintings she's seen of the great body of water.
"Yes, it's quite the sight…" Vahlymor mused, before chuckling softly, "and I am eager to see your expression when you first see it."
Zelda only offered her own half-chuckle before nodding.
"I am sure that myself and my companions will be quite taken aback," she admitted modestly.
"Of course," Vahl admitted, "but then there will be the moment when we actually set sail and leave solid land behind. There's nothing like your first time out at sea… not that I recall mine, as I was an very young child the first time I set to sea. Still, the feeling and rush of being out on the waves... you never forget. However, I believe the twins have a bet going on as to who will become seasick first…"
Vahlymor cast a curious eye over towards the Noruidian twins, who looked to be too absorbed in their game. A guffaw of laughter from Crevan and a frown from Faris revealed that the group had, perhaps, heard the prince.
"I've only read about seasickness before…" Zelda began slowly.
"Fear not, though," Vahl continued, looking back at her. "Noruidians discovered long ago a certain plant staves off the effects of seasickness. It's called solanan. Tastes nasty if you're not used to it, but it does the trick. You land-locked Hyruleans shall be fine, but there's still the urbulant motion of the ship that you won't be used to."
Smiling at this, Zelda nodded, but not before she glanced quickly down to the "sleeping" wolf, before she asked the prince in a quieter voice.
"I can tell that there is much love in your tone when you speak of the sea. How can you be so calm to leave that all behind and remain in Hyrule?"
Without missing a beat, Vahl half-shrugged.
"I'm sure that I shall visit my homeland eventually," he conceded, "or rather, we will. Plus, the magic that the land of Hyrule breathes is as wondrous as the sea itself. Hearing the Hyrulean legends, especially the stories about the three Golden Goddesses, were always some of my favourites as a child."
"So you know of Hyrule's creation?" Zelda asked, impressed and heartened.
"Yes, but only through stories. I assume that there is much that I can learn. Hyrule has a lot more… mythological history than Noruidia."
"You have no stories of the creation of your kingdom?" Zelda asked curiously.
"Well, we do," Vahl admitted, "just not as rich as Hyrule's. We really only have one main story that is passed down, though it's not as common anymore. Noruidia is not as religious, I guess you can say, as Hyrule is. Noruidian faith is in the sea, the weather, and the King's leadership."
"Fascinating," Zelda replied softly, before readjusting her seat slightly before she continued, looking at Vahl with slightly eager eyes. "Would you… care to tell me Noruidia's story?"
"Me?" Vahl said, slightly supposed, before reaching up to scratch his dark goatee. "I suppose I could… though I think Simin would be a better storyteller than I."
A glance over at Simin revealed that the man was very invested in winning back his axe that he had foolishly added to the pot, so Vahlymore shrugged.
"Sure! Why not? I mean, I'll do my best, though I may be a bit rusty... but don't expect me to do any voices or stuff like that."
Vahlymor, smirking, almost sheepishly, glanced over to meet Zelda's eager and awaiting eyes, and his expression softened as he began his Noruidian tale.
"As the story goes, before the formation of the Kingdom of Noruidia, there was no ocean. Instead, there lay a never ending, barren wasteland, a desert if you will, that was baked by the sun and offered no shade for any who dared to travel across its sands. However, far beyond the horizon in the centre of this great wasteland, there was a lake of incredible depth that would one day become the deepest part of the ocean: the heart of the sea. From this lake emerged a solitary god of water, whose true name has been lost to the ages or was never known in the first place. This Water God either decided to just leave the lake on his own accord one day, or was informed by a higher being that he should leave the safety of the lake and seek out "the greatest treasure of his heart," or something to that effect. However it happened, one day he just began to walk out across the desert.
"Now, while this great wasteland was barren and desolate, there was one feature that carved across its blank surface and that was a river that stretched for many leagues. Eventually, the river flowed and emptied into the Water God's lake. Perhaps this is what coaxed the water God to leave his sanctum in the first place: to discover from where the river originated from. Any way, it was beside this river that the Water God walked, following its every curve deeper and deeper into the desert. The Water God needed to stay near to the river because, being a water deity, he needed to remain hydrated against the relentless sun. Along his way, he came upon many riches, each more beautiful than the last, for the creatures and beings that he did encounter recognized his nobility as a god and offered him luxurious treasures and gifts. There's different stories for these encounters, and I can tell you those another time if you'd like. But, with each new wonder he encountered and every immaculate gift that he was offered, the Water God reminded himself: "Surely this is not the greatest treasure that I was promised to find?" and so he would politely decline each time.
"On and on he walked, not knowing what exactly he was searching for, but the Water God remained steadfast with his eyes set on the distant horizon. After many days, the Water God began to see a dark line across the horizon, a stark contrast to the light sand of the desert. With each new day onwards, the dark line grew in size as he got ever closer, until the Water God saw that it was actually raised land: a series of high cliffs that marked the end of the barren wasteland. With renewed vigour, he continued towards the cliffs, until at last he stood at their base. They were so high, almost the height of mountains, but really it was just a high plateau. The river by which he followed flowed off of these high cliffs in a great waterfall. With ease, the Water God ascended the waterfall to step foot upon the plateau. There he found a sight that was beyond anything he had ever seen before: a land of green. Everywhere he looked he saw lush grasses, an immaculate grassland, which was such a stark contrast to the barrenness of the wasteland or even the Water God's own lake far away.
"Surely this land of green beauty was the treasure he'd been looking for, right? The Water God wasn't so sure. Stepping into the river to hydrate himself and contemplate whether he should continue onwards, the Water God saw a sudden and unusual sight. Down from the heavens descended a being of such beauty, such radiance and grace… words cannot truly describe the figure he saw. In simple terms, a woman floated down to him, a Sky Goddess, and the Water God stood there, stunned by her beauty, and fell instantly in love as she came to stand before him. Even before her toes came to touch the ground, the Water God fell to his knees, revealed to her his name, and declared that it was she that he had been searching for. There could not be anything more bueatiful than she. The God then asked for her name, so that he could ask her properly for her hand in marriage. With a smile, the Sky Goddess told him that she could not reveal her name to him, for if she did and they married, then she would never be able to return to her home in the Heavens. The Goddess told the God that she had watched him his entire journey and that she had fallen in love with him, but had to wait until he had climbed to the top of the cliffs so that she could meet him. The Sky Goddess could not descend to the desert below.
"The two deities embraced and kissed: classic story of true love, I guess. The pair then follow the river inland and the Sky Goddess shows the Water God a pool that was deep enough for him to submerge himself. At the bottom of this pool was a spring, the source of the river, that connected all the way back to the Water God's own lake. Feeling this connection to his homeland gave the God strength and this enabled him to give the Goddess the ability to breathe underwater. Safe beneath the surface, the pair spent many days and nights in their intimate embrace with each passing moment their love deepening for one another. Unfortunately, their godly bliss could not last, for one day after making love, the Goddess' father, the King of the Heavens, finally realized that his beloved daughter was missing from the Heavens. With a great shout, the Sky King summoned forth his daughter's return and she heard his call. Unable to resist such a command, the Sky Goddess realized that she could not leave her beloved, and would not leave him. Out of desperation, she whispered to the Water God her name.
"Do you know her name?" Zelda asked softly, her eyes wide as she was completely entranced by the story.
"Noruidi'ul," Vahlymor replied with a soft smile. "My kingdom's namesake."
"With her name revealed, the lovers embraced and kissed. Noruidi'ul told the Water God that now they could marry and that she would not leave his side. However, the Water God realized that the Goddess' love for her father was nearly as strong as her love for him. If they were to marry, she would never be able to see her father again for they would live at the bottom of his lake kingdom. This separation and sacrifice would cause great sadness to Noruidi'ul's heart, the Water God knew this even if she was smiling. He did not wish this, nor did he wish to offend the Sky King. The Water God denied her request to marry him. Noruidi'ul tried to argue with him, reasoning that she could live beneath the Heavens and with him in his lake kingdom, but then the skies darkened and great bolts of lightning cracked the sky. The Sky King had heard the pair's discussion and his great voice threatened the Water God lest his daughter be released from the pool and returned to the Heavens.
"Even though it broke his heart to do so, out of respect for the Sky King, Noruidi'ul's love for her father, and her rightful place as a Sky Goddess, the Water God left the spring's pool and his beloved to began his long journey back to his lake by following the river over the cliffs and across the wasteland. Noruidi'ul watched the Water God leave and couldn't bring herself to ascend back into the Heavens. Her heartbreak and his sadness weighed her down and for the first time ever, the Goddess began to cry. And cry. And cry. For days and days she wept, great, salty tears. Noruidi'ul cried so much that the river from the freshwater spring swelled and overflowed with saltwater, flooding over its banks. At some point, Noruidi'ul realized that the more she cried, the higher the likelihood that her tears might even reach her beloved in his faraway lake kingdom, and so she cried even harder. The waterfall becoming massive and thunderous. Her father, the Sky King, tried to reason with her and calm her down, but her wailing and sobbing combined with the roar of the waterfall drowned out his calls. Her tears were numerous and never ending and the river and its great waterfall soon began to flood even the great expense of the desert. Soon, the wasteland was covered in saltwater and the ocean was born from the Goddess' tears. Even so, Noruidi'ul wept and still the Water God did not return to her even with all the water. His kingdom now lay at the bottom of the increasing ocean and thus, more out of reach from the Heavens than ever before.
"The entire time his daughter wept, the Sky King watched and begged for her to return home, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. Noruidi'ul had curled herself into a ball at the bottom of the pool where she had spent so many tender moments with her love and it was from there that she cried, underwater, and out of her father's realm of the sky. Eventually, the Sky King was so distraught from watching his daughter suffer, he began to do anything to coax Noruidi'ul to stop crying and return home. He used his powers to raise the land holding the pool to form a tall and great mountain to try and bring her closer to him, but to no avail. The waters of the spring and Noruidi'ul's tears continued to spill out to cascade down the tall mountains to form a new waterfall to continue its flow down into the growing ocean. Even atop the tall mountain, its peak now bathed in the clouds of the Heavens, Noruidi'ul remained in her pool. While she was wallowing in her sadness, the waters of the spring also comforted her heart, for it was there that she felt the Water God's embrace and touch. And so, after so many days crying, one day the Sky Goddess finally tired herself out from crying and fell into a deep slumber.
"As she slept, Noruidi'ul floated to the surface of the pool. However, with her still being in the water, Noruidi'ul's father couldn't retrieve her. Seeing her tear stained face, the Sky King sent great rains to wash her face. The rains also increased the ocean's level even more. Seeing this, the Sky King realized that perhaps he acted too harshly when he ordered his daughter to leave the Water God, so he sent even more rains to continue filling the ocean. You see, Zelda, this explains why Noruidia is so wet and rainy. The Sky God also sent winds to caress his daughter's cheek and to sweep the hair from her face. This explains why Noruidia is so windy. Also, the Goddess' sadness seeped into the land itself and where it was green and beautiful before, only bare rock remains. Some versions of the story even say that the land itself refuses to become green again until Noruidi'ul awakens. Once she does, it'll bloom the most beautiful it ever has been to make her happy. This explains why the kingdom is so rocky and barren. Ancient Noruidians were even asked by the Sky King to visit his daughter, to make the pilgrimage all the way up the tall mountain, and talk to the sleeping goddess. None, however, could wake her and none dared to touch her. As the stories go, the goddess is still asleep to this very day.
"Ancient Noruidians? Where did they come from?"
Vahlymor paused, as if to think, before he shrugged.
"I told you, Noruidian mythology isn't that complex. They were just… there, I guess."
"Isn't that complex…" Faris mumbled sarcastically.
"Shh!"
"Yeah! Let him finish the story!"
The twins waved off Faris grumpiness as it seemed that everyone was now engrossed in the prince's story. Not that they could be seen, but the Sheikah were also listening with interest.
"There are versions of the story that state that the Sky King created Ancient Noruidians to serve as caretakers and worshippers to the Goddess Noruidi'ul," Simin added.
"That's true," Vahlymore admitted with a shrug. "Which does tie in with modern traditions."
"You had mentioned those before, during the dinner we had together when you first arrived in Hyrule," Zelda commented.
"Well there is a very tall mountain next to the capital city. Its peak does reach into the clouds on most days and there is a pool and a spring near the top with a waterfall that flows from it. This pool is sacred to the Noruidian Royal Family, as every new king must journey up the mountain to drink from the pool to receive the Goddess' love and then sing to her to soothe her dreams. My father did so, as will my brother when he ascends the throne. During the ceremony, the new king must swear to Noruidi'ul that they will protect the lands of Noruidia and forever voyage the seas in search of finding her true love. I'll never have to do it, but I know the basics of the ceremony at least. Details are only passed from king to heir apparent."
"Drink? Isn't the pool water salty from the Goddess' tears?"
Vahlymor laughed.
"It is only a story, Zelda, but the spring at the base of the Goddess' Pool is freshwater. The waterfall that flows from Mount Sky forms the River Tear that flows through Hallan and does, eventually, flow into the ocean. You see, the capital is located near a series of cliffs that stretch out for miles in either direction, which have stopped the Tulul from attacking the city directly. The river is the lifeblood of the city and, according to legend, it's how the Water God can find his way back to the Goddess. Besides, supposedly once the Goddess Noruidi'ul cried herself to sleep, she no longer cried, since she had run out of tears."
"That is except for one, of course!" Simin piped up.
"One tear?" Zelda asked.
"Accoring to legend," Vahlymor replied, a smile playing upon his lips. "Supposedly, the Goddess held onto one last tear, one of pure happiness and love, which she's saving to release for when she is reunited with her beloved."
"A tear of joy," Simin added, smiling also. "It's not a bad tale, eh, my lady?"
"It's very… romantic and tragic," Zelda relented, looking at Simin before turning back to Vahl. "But does this Water God truly not go by any other name? Or do Noruidians simply just call him the 'Water God'?"
"Well… I think that's the whole part of the story," Vahl confessed, "that he only revealed his true name to Noruidi'ul when they first met, but I've heard people also refer to him as the "Ocean God" or the "Lord of the Sea"." Basically, he's supposed to remain nameless because he ended up refusing to marry Noruidi'ul even after she revealed her name."
"Some tell the tale that the Ocean God never gave his name at all," Simin pointed out.
"Fascinating," Zelda commented," though still tragic, that the two lovers never reunited."
Her words were spoken a bit softly, thoughtfully, as her thoughts began to draw inwards. That is, until Vahlymor chuckled.
"And that's not even the end of it. I've heard some tell the tale, especially sailors and navalmen, who say that it was actually the Tulul who had captured the Water God when he tried to return to the Goddess. These versions of the legend say that the Tulul did not wish for the Water God to leave his kingdom and that even to this day, he remains their prisoner somewhere out at the bottom of the ocean. According to those tales, the Tulul draw their magical abilities by sapping it from the God himself, rendering him powerless and to endure an eternity of torture. To try and free himself, or even to alert the Sky King of his location, the Water God is said to have raised the islands that litter the coast to draw the King's attention to his plight. I guess that didn't work if that was the case because, well, there are no stories of the two gods reuniting."
Zelda smiled a somewhat sad smile.
"Vahl, for one who says that you have no skill for storytelling, you certainly are good at it."
The prince shrugged, but grinned.
"I enjoyed them as a child, but they're just stories and as you heard, there are so many different versions depending on who you speak to or even where in Noruidia you're in."
"So you do not believe in the mythos?" Zelda asked, slightly surprised.
"As my prince explained," Simin replied in Vahl's stead, "Noridians are not what you would call a "godly folk." We tend to live in the now, which probably is due to our ever-changing and harsh weather and living conditions. The lush greenness of Hyrule is not really found in our kingdom, for we rely on the sea mainly to provide us as well as mining. While the ocean can be bountiful, it can be unforgiving and relentlessly cruel if one is uncareful or even unlucky enough. Surely no deity would be so fickle and spiteful to a people, so none really pray or believe that there is a god behind such events. Not to mention how dangerous mining underground can be."
The Queen of Hyrule considered the words of the Noruidians as the others began to make their way to their tents, being able to sleep easier with the Sheikah on watch. Zelda, however, even as she bid the others goodnight, wished she could reach out and discuss the Noruidian legend with Link. As a spirit, he would have the best insight as to whether or not the kingdom they approached was truly as "godless" as Simin and Vahlymor claimed. However, she had not really been able to speak with the wolf since their long discussion within the village. In fact, if Zelda really was honest with herself she'd rather not have the spiritual knight have a direct connection to her feelings and thoughts.
Still, as she lay down to sleep, Zelda could not help but think of the similarities of the Noruidian story, the tragic love story between the Goddess Noruidi'ul and the Water God, with the story of the Goddess Hylia and the Chosen Hero and what Dark Link had told her.
"The First Link, the Chosen Hero, loved the White Goddess, and for her he gave his life. Only with his death did Her Grace realize her own feelings, and so the cycle began with the story of the First Zelda and the Second Link. A story as old as Hyrule itself, of the tragic love story between the Chosen Hero and the Descendant of the Goddess."
Tragic love stories… even the gods find struggle and pain rather than happiness. Was finding true love always destined to end in tragedy? Could lovers ever just be together in happiness?
These were the types of questions that whirled around Zelda's head as she fell asleep, unbeknownst to her that the wolf that sat outside, who stared up at the waning gibbous moon, was also pondering similar questions.
/
His fingers shook. Was he afraid? Nervous? No, he couldn't be. Surely it was the cold of the mountains that caused his hands to tremble, which had nothing to do with the fact that his mouth had become dry. Licking his lips, Dark Link shook out his hand before puffing out his cheeks.
"The fuck is wrong with me?" he muttered angrily, snarling.
The dark knight paced about the small cave he stood in, cursing under his breath. It was night and out there in the distance burned the fire of the travellers whom he followed, albeit at an agonizing distance. Fucking Sheikah and their fucking magic. Dark Link couldn't get close to them without alerting their heightened senses, and if he slipped into the Underlayer then that fucking-bastard of a wolf would sense him. Still, they were heading west towards Noruidia, towards his Mistress…
"Grow a fucking pair," he chastised himself, gritting his teeth.
Scoffing, Dark Link scowled at the patch of ice at his feet. Him? Afraid? Ridiculous… he has lived through the millenia! He had been the pseudo ruler of the Dark Realm for thousands of years, a place where fear saturated the very fabric of the plane's reality. It was near unfathomable that he might be afraid; yet even so, unease twisted at his black heart and Dark Link narrowed his eyes knowing what he needed to do.
Dark Link hated this almost as much as he hated himself... and by himself he meant Link, of course.
Taking another deep breath, Dark Link extended his hand parallel to the ice patch and his dark essence dripped onto his icy surface. As he's done before, he knelt down to smear the dark, inky droplets to form a circle. Once formed, the surface of the ice within the circle began to waver and shimmer, until becoming tainted black from Dark Link's essence. The dark knight's red eyes watched with disinterest and veiled apprehension. Once a black, solid circle stained the icey's surface, forming a dark scrying pool, did a feminine and slightly distorted voice speak from the blackness.
"What news do you bring to me?"
"The Queen and her band of merry idiots are at the border of Noruidia. They'll be within the kingdom tomorrow, Mistress," Dark Link relented gruffy, almost reluctantly.
"Good. She is making quick progress. Soon I will have all that I have ever wanted when I get ahold of her..."
Even Dark Link had to fight the urge to wince when his Mistress began to cackle maliciously and the surface of the dark mirror began to bubble from the vile mirth. Only when she seemed to be finished did Dark Link frown and say.
"Those Sheikah meddlers have joined her troupe. Their senses combined with the spirit wolf might make an easy capture difficult."
"Is that so?" the voice cooed, a smirk within the tone. "Too much for the great Dark Link to handle?"
"No," Dark Link replied bitterly. "But, as you instructed, I have followed them without detection, albeit at a greater distance. The Queen seems to be steadfast in her determination to reach Noruidia."
"Have you discovered why she ventures to Noruidia?"
Dark Link stared unblinkingly into the dark circle.
"No exactly," he replied after a moment. "Though, I overheard her speaking with the Noruidian prince. They're engaged to marry, so perhaps they venture to his kingdom to meet his family or some other nonsense."
"Interesting," the voice muttered thoughtfully. "I'm sure that you will enjoy impregnating her right under the prince's nose. Excellent! As long as she is within Noruidia, she will be next to defenseless. Her Sheikah guard or your Light counterpart will be of little use once I have ahold of her and her powers. Do you know if they plan to enter the sea?"
"No," Dark Link replied evenly.
"No matter," his Mistress mused. "Once they are on the coast, you will need to coax her to go swimming, willinging or not. Once her body touches the ocean, she will be within my realm and easily within my grasp. Now, go! Proceed with your course as you have been. Observe the Queen and steer her forward. Once I have her, you will receive your reward… the freedom you so desperately crave and yearn for."
Dark Link narrowed his eyes and the line of his mouth tightened, but he did not respond to his Mistress' taunting voice nor the humiliation that he felt. He had escaped one prison only to become a prisoner under the boot heel of this wicked entity.
A dog at her beck and call.
"Yes, Mistress," he finally spoke, his voice low and restrained. "But-?"
"But?"
The Mistress' tone held the weight of her malicious caution within her question. The black image of the scrying pool swirled to reveal the wavering form of a figure whose narrowed red eyes stared up at Dark Link, prompting him to form his next words carefully.
Dark Link swallowed, but steeled himself to stare into those eyes undaunted.
"Once you have no more use for the Queen, she will be mine, yes? Unharmed and whole."
"Yes," the Mistress replied, a bored smile in her voice. "I will have no use for the girl once I receive my prize. Then you may proceed with your original plan of bedding her and establishing an heir of darkness within the heart of Hyrule. Or not! Do whatever you want! Once I have what I want, I'll have no further use for either of you. Go now and stop wasting my time with your incessant questions!"
"Mistress," Dark Link uttered, bowing his head slightly.
The dark mirror bubbled and retracted back to form the dark, oily ring he had created. With a slightly shaking hand, Dark Link reached forward and the black blotches of his essence floated back up to merge into his palm. His trembling fingers curled to create a fist and he stared at the ground. Slowly, Dark Link bared his teeth and a growl of fury broke free from his throat as he fell to his knees.
This was not how things were supposed to turn out!
It still felt like a fever dream to Dark Link, everything had happened so quickly. One moment he was wallowing in silent misery within the Dark Realm, and the next he was suddenly approached by a woman (which by itself had been very unusual). He had no clue where she came from, how she accessed the Dark Realm, or how Dark Link had failed to sense her entry. She gave no name, only asking to be called "Mistress" and even Dark Link gave her a wide, suspicious berth, for he could sense the great malevolent power dwelling within her: power nearly as ancient as himself yet oddly familiar.
When Dark Link demanded why she was there, the woman had only smiled, and proposed a rather simple deal.
The Mistress explained that her vengeful plan of some sort had gone awry, but out of it came an opportunity where Dark Link could attain his one true wish: a physical body in the Light World and the love of the Queen of Hyrule. It was supposed to be simple: the Chosen Hero would become trapped within the Dark world, and Dark Link would take over his body and none would be the wiser. The catch? Dark Link would have to then bed the queen to plant his dark seed within her and father an heir of darkness to the throne of Hyrule. Oh, Dark Link had been willing to do that, but then all hell broke loose when the fucking Hero of Time apeared and yanked Link's soul from the Dark Realm. It had been a fatal blow to Dark Link's ego, because he had been so close to achieving his millenia-long dream of finally being able to be with the Goddess' Descendant.
"No matter," the Mistress had confidently assured the dark knight. "The poison, being Gerudo in origin, will undoubtedly lead the fool of a Chosen Hero right to their fortress and it is they who will unknowingly free you from the Hero's blood. I am sure of this. Once done, I will grant you a physical form and more power than you'll ever need so that you can complete your mission and part of the deal."
Dark Link had been doubtful, though he didn't admit it. However, in due time the black knight sensed through his inherent connection with Link that the Hyrulean Knight did go and seek out the Gerudo Elders. Who mistakingly released Dark Link from Link's blood by extracting the poison out and burning it. From there, it was only a matter of great and dark magic from the Mistress, a taste of her immense power, that gave Dark Link a physical body. Well, not a true body. His form was constructed of shadow magic, hence his shapeshifting abilities, but he could walk within the Light World like he always dreamed.
Yet, it wasn't.
Zelda was within his grasp, but she would never accept a dark being like him. He could have her, but that would ultimately cause her great pain, trauma, and fear, and Dark Link could never do such atrocities to his beloved Goddess. Sure, he told Link that that had been his plan, but it never was. Dark Link's plan had been to always possess Link's body and to imprison the Chosen Hero within the Dark Realm.
He nearly succeeded, again, if it had not been for that fucking meddling fool the Hero of Time… again.
If Zelda had not chosen to travel to Noruidia on her own accord, Dark Link knew that his Mistress would have taken back her powers she had granted him and he would have been forced to return to the Dark Realm.
In hindsight, if Dark Link had known her true identity as he knew it now, perhaps he would have declined her initial proposition in the Dark Realm, perhaps not. He wasn't sure and frankly, it no longer mattered. He'd made his choice and now he was living with the consequences.
His Mistress… Dark Link could not act against her, nor defy her direct orders, yet he had just lied to her all the same. Well, he hadn't exactly lied… not as he saw it. She had asked if Zelda intended to enter the ocean, and Dark Link took that as going swimming. He was certain that Zelda didn't intend for such an activity. She was headed to the Isle of Blights, which she could only reach by boat, so there was no need for her to enter the ocean itself. Besides, Zelda had told her fellow Hyruleans that they were journeying to Noruidia to visit her future in-laws, at least that was the story being told by the public, so Dark Link revealed that as the truth.
At least he was still master of his own thoughts, but that was the strength of his own being and dark shadow magic. She might control him, but he wasn't her blind and obedient puppet.
Let Zelda reach the Isle. She'll revive Link and only then will Dark Link make his move: kill Link all over again, inhabit his body, and then he'll ensure that his Mistress gets ahold of Zelda without her coming to harm, use her for her dastardly deeds, and then she'll be his. Sure, he might have to kill some Noruidian prince along the way, but that would be a joy in itself.
"It'll work… it has to," Dark Link muttered, narrowing his eyes angrily at the patch of ice before him. "I'll give her what she wants, our deal will be completed, and then I'll be rid of her! And after all of that, Zelda will be mine."
He hated her, this 'Mistress' as she wished ot be called. Fucking bitch. He hated her with his very soul, with every fibre of his body. Yet, he needed her. Without her magic, he'd still be trapped in the Dark Realm. Still, being her errand dog was pushing Dark Link's patience to its limits, and then, of course, there was the fact that…
"No! They weren't my parents," he reminded himself, closing his eyes to try and steady himself, which was a mistake.
As clear as day he could picture them both, Hylians, a man and woman, smiling down at him, while goats milled about in the background. The sunny image was quickly replaced by the grim sight of two wooden coffins being lowered into their graves. Dark Link snapped his eyes wide open before roaring and slamming his fist upon the ground, cracking the ice.
"Damn these memories!" Dark Link growled.
He wasn't sure if his Mistress was even aware that by granting him his dark powers, she had revealed the truth of the past to him. Maybe she did? Maybe she did so to taunt him, torture him, even though she needed him as her lackey. But, perhaps she wasn't aware, and Dark Link was left to be tortured by a truth that he could do nothing about except resent his Mistress even more.
Fuming and breathing hard from his nostrils, the being's red eyes shone in the darkness of the cave and his beastly growls rolled from his chest as his body began to morph. Oily black fur sprouted and his maw lengthed as did his teeth into fangs for a black beast to stand where the dark knight once stood. The black wolf continued to growl as it turned its head to face the cave's mouth to see the sky lightening with the coming morning.
'Zelda, you should've turned back to Hyrule. Even both of your knights, of Dark and Light, can't save you from the evil that is the Mistress. I'm sorry, but I must do this and soon this will all be over: just a bad dream, for the both of us.'
Dark Link mentally frowned at his own thoughts, before slipping into the Underlayer to continue his silent pursuit of his regal quarry.
/
"At the end of this pass, will the land of Noruidia be revealed."
Zelda and Arvid looked over at Adla in surprise, mainly because the Sheikah had spoken at all.
"Really? We're that close?"
Adla only nodded in response to the queen's question, who then shone an excited smile to her knight.
"I guess we are pretty close to the border now, hm?" Simin mused.
"I could have told you that,' Vahlymor commented from where he stood, his typical smirk playing upon his lips.
"Is that so?" Faris questioned, the doubt heavy within his baritone tone.
"But of course," the prince replied, his smirk never faltering. "Haven't you noticed the change within the wind? The scent of the sea is strong even from here. I'd recongize the scent of the ocean anywhere."
"Oh, I smell something all right, though it's not salt…" Faris muttered under his breath, earning a dual bout of laughter from the twins.
"My prince speaks the truth," Balin spoke up, a rare event. "The sea is upon the air."
Zelda blinked at the stoic Noridian tracker, before she turned to subtly close her eyes and take in a deep breath. She smelled… something, that was for sure. Having never smelt the ocean before, she wasn't quite sure if that was what she sensed. Then again, what she was smelling did vaguely remind her of when she visited Zora's Domain. Letting out her breath, Zelda opened her eyes to look down at the wolf at her side, and while her entourage busied themselves with their light arguing, Zelda took this opportunity to touch the wolf's soft ear.
"What do you smell?" she whispered, fingers moving to scratch the spiritual beast's head slightly.
'I smell a great mass of water. It is as the prince and the Sheikah say: a few more minutes and we'll be within the Kingdom of Noruidia.'
"Good," Zelda uttered under her breath.
She knew that the wolf heard her, heard the determination within her voice, even if he could not see how her brow was narrowed and her gaze was focused on the mouth of the pass before them. After nearly two weeks of travelling, finally she would step foot within Noruidia: the kingdom of her mother and where the second Twilight Gate lay hidden.
'Be on your guard,' Link warned, his ears forward and alert. 'There is darkness beyond, I can feel it.'
"The isle?"
The wolf did not respond right away, but Zelda could feel his frustration and caution bleed through their mental connection.
'I don't know, but somehow… it feels familiar.'
Before Zelda could even attempt to inquire what Link could possibly mean, Arvid passed her on his horse and caught her attention to mount back up as the group were continuing forward. The wolf padded onwards and the queen followed after both her knights, one alive the other (mostly) dead, down into the last mountain valley. There seemed to be an extra pep in everyone's step, for reaching the other side of the valley seemed to take no time at all. Excitement buzzed in the air, reflected by the twins' giggles, the eagerness in the cliff elk to return to their home terrioty, and the anticipation in the Hyruleans' expressions. Growing up, Zelda had only ever heard of Noruidia, read about it as she was instructed to do so, but never thought that she herself would ever be able to actually visit and see the faraway coastal kingdom.
Yet here Zelda was, stepping through the shadows of the pass, as a gale was sucked between the rocks and definitely held the pungent scent of seawater as it ruffled her cape behind her. As the sunlight broadened and subsequently blinded them all, Vahl stepped forward ahead of them all, turned and bowed with wide sweeping arms.
"Ladies and gentlemen! I, Prince Valymor of the House Aethelwulf, Second Son of His Majesty King Vasailek, Commander of the Royal Navy, welcome you all to the Kingdom of Noruidia! Please, watch your step going forward. It's rather wet, well… everywhere."
Gasps and sounds of wonderment echoed the prince's dramatic welcome, but they were all well-deserved. Down beyond the brown and dark outline of land, resting under the horizon and stretching out into oblivion and beyond was… the ocean. The partly cloudy day created a kaleidoscope of blues and dark greens across the great water's surface, which rippled and breathed with its natural rhythmic tide. High above, the faint call of gulls chorused the distant roar of waves crashing against the rocky shores of the kingdom, which was as the prince's story depicted. Both northward and southward were dark, rocky landscapes with little green to be seen, save for the few tufts of sea grasses that were tenacious enough to grow and the abundance of mosses that seemed to fare better. The majority of the rocks had been smoothened from centuries of coastal abuse. Evidence of the rocks being eroded away by the harsh, salty air and constant rainfall was clear even to the foreign Hyruleans. The relentless oceanic storms had regularly berated the cliffs and shores to gradually whittle them down to precarious and steep crevices. From the perspective of sea birds high-above, the landscape looked desolate, darkened in places from a recent rainfall, and there was not a soul nor beast to be seen dotting the uneven landscape except for the group of mostly awestruck travellors who had just emerged from the mountains.
Zelda was truly amazed. Mouth hanging slightly agape, she stepped forward to better immerse herself into the foreign landscape, slowing panning to her right and left, but her gaze kept falling back into the centre to fixate on the blue of the sea beyond where the land ended.
Vahlymor came up beside her, crossed his arms, and took in the sights along with her.
"Certainly holds its own kind of charm now, doesn't it?" he quipped softly, smiling his charming smile.
"It's…" Zelda began, wetting her lips before looking aside at him to mirror his smile, "it's beautiful."
"Just wait until we actually reach the coast! Should only take us a couple of hours- or, well, it would if we were all riding cliff elk. We'll have to stick to the road because of the horses and wagon, so we'll need to be on guard. Bandits and highwaymen like to hang out and ambush travellers on some of these more isolated roads."
"Doesn't the kingdom's guard patrol the roads?" Arvid inquired, joining the pair of royals.
"Of course they do," Vahl explained, "but it's a harsh existence we Noruidians live and there are those who are desperate or who rebel against the tough life of the sea or the mines, so they choose to live in travelling bands who prey on the unsuspecting. It's an ongoing problem that no matter how many of these men get captured to be punished for their crimes or trained into new professions, more will always replace them eventually."
"People will always try to find the easy road through life," Faris grumbled.
"I have argued that the rapscallions my prince speaks of live a harder life than those they rebel against," Simin admitted. "Desperation is not a reliable source of income, after all."
"But, I digress," Vahl continued. "We should be fine, especially with our Sheikah escorts and Balin: nothing slips by his keen eyes, usually anyway."
The group began again forward to follow the winding road down through the rocky foothills, with the ocean ever drawing closer. After about an hour of travelling in relative silence, Arvid urged his mount forward and came up to ride beside the prince.
"My lord. What do you propose that we do once we actually reach the water?"
Prince Vahlymor smiled at the Hyrulean Knight, before perking a brow.
"You can swim. Correct?"
Arvid's eyes went wide for a moment in surprise and confusion, before an uneasy smile graced his lips when the Noruidian prince laughed.
"I only jest. I know what you mean, Sir Arvid. Truth be told, I'm actually pretty surprised where we ended up. All things considered, we're actually not too far north from where I left my personal ship docked before we travelled to Hyrule. Historically, there's only been the one main route that travellers have taken to travel between the two kingdoms, so we took that road. Just goes to show, I guess, how well the Sheikah know the mountains."
"Pardon me for interrupting, but what you're saying is that we're heading to your ship?" Zelda asked, having overheard the conversation.
"That is correct, my lady," Vahl responded, smiling over at her. "I must admit that this is a better outcome than I could have hoped for. It's easier to use my own vessel then have to lie or coerce to gain another."
"Would that have worked?" Arvid asked.
Vahl shrugged.
Arvid and Zelda glanced at one another once more, albeit this time there was more concern in Arvid's eyes.
"Maybe. I may be commander, but there are regulations and rules that even I can't break on a whim. But, I was confident that we would have managed, somehow. I would have thought up something. Fortunately, we don't have to worry about that now: my ship, my rules."
"Lucky for us…"
Vahl looked back over his shoulder to smirk at Faris, while the Hyrulean Knight clearly was not amused with the prince's seemingly nonchalant planning.
"Will we be able to man your ship with the group of us?" Zelda asked calmly.
The prince turned back to her and chuckled.
"Yes and no. The crew I normally would have stationed for my ship is on leave, for no one expected my return this early, I'm afraid. However, we do have enough to set sail, but not enough for defence."
"Defence?"
"Against the Tulul," Vahl replied plainly to Zelda.
"Well, surely we should fare well against such adversaries. We have three Sheikah warriors and a spirit wolf on our side, after all, in addition to the experience of yourself and your men."
"Yes, but do not forget, my dear lady: you Hyruleans are not trained in Hollowing. You and your comrades would only be potential liabilities or even threats up on deck. Out at sea, you all will need to remain either in a locked cabin or even in the brig, for your own safety and the safety of others."
Both Zelda and Arvid turned in their saddles to look at Simin as he spoke. Basically he was telling them that at sea, the Hyruleans would be useless. This, however, didn't seem to sit well with the Sheikah.
"We have learned of the magics of the sea-folk," Adla spoke up from her seat in the wagon, next to her brother and sister, who was currently sleeping. "Our shadow magic will shield us from theirs. We will fight for Our Lady safety, to the death if need."
Vahlymor looked over at the eldest of the three Sheikah siblings, his charming smile ever-present.
"And I have no doubt in mind that you would, but tell me: have you or your siblings ever set foot upon a boat before?"
Adla and Falk exchanged brief looks, which told the prince enough.
"The waters of Noruidia are rough even with the best of weather, let alone that we journey towards the Isle of Blights. Around that island, a storm constantly brews to create even more dangerous conditions. Even with my most experienced crew it would be a challenge. Actually, I may need to send for my crew now that I think about it, which will take time and create possibily problematic questions. Hm, but, if you and your siblings have never been on the ocean before, then even with solanan you'll be pretty unbalanced and out of your element. Do you think that you could still fight efficiently in such conditions?"
"But you forget, prince, that it was the Sheikah who created that storm. Only Sheikah magic can-" Adla paused and said something quickly to her brother in their language, who gave her a short reply, before she continued "-create a path for your ship: a safe path."
Considering that it was usually rather difficult to discern the prince's true feelings (for he was usually smiling his charming smile which seemed to be his go-to mask to hide his true feelings), it was a rare treat to get a glimpse of his true, raw emotions. Upon hearing Adla, Vahl's eyes grew big and once more he got that child-like wonderment about him: a look of pure glee and imagination.
"Well, now," he began licking his lips, "that helps, doesn't it?"
Zelda couldn't help from smiling herself as she considered the implications of having the Sheikah and their mysterious shadow magic on their side. Even though Chief Impa had warned that this journey would be a dangerous uphill battle, it seemed more and more that luck, or dare she think it fate, was on their side.
A wolven scoff said differently.
Glancing down Arion's left flank, Zelda blinked as the spirit wolf, who never strayed too far from her side, padded forward. Link was beyond her reach to see what he might be thinking or saying, but Zelda could guess. There were too many variables, too many possible outcomes, and too many dangers. Link would argue that they turn back or at least stop and try to plan a strategy instead of blindly going forward out to sea. She knew how he thought: he was a natural tactician, after all, but Zelda also trusted Prince Vahlymor's abilities. The prince presented himself to be casual and that he hadn't given any of this much thought, but Zelda had a feeling that this wasn't the case at all.
In fact, she guessed that the prince and Link weren't that different from one another when it came to strategizing. Both men knew their limits, their abilities, and knew what was at stake, which meant that Vahl probably had a few contingency plans thought up, just in case. The prince, after all, was the Commander of the Royal Noruidian Navy, so foolhardiness and acting on a whim or spontaneously did not describe him at all.
"What about the horses, your elk, and the wagon?"
Vahlymor, Arvid, and Zelda all turned back to look at Faris and his sudden question, with Arvid being the first to respond.
"What about them?"
"Well, when we reach this ship of the prince's: will the animals and the wagon come too?"
That was a good question, and both Arvid and Zelda turned to the prince for his answer; Zelda felt her heart quicken a bit at the thought. Vahl only took a moment to think over Faris' question, which gave Zelda enough time to internally fret.
What if they couldn't take the wagon? The horses and cliff elk would be fine to remain on shore, surely, but the wagon… Link's body and the Master Sword were in there. Faris knew that, as did Arvid, but the rest of their company didn't. Well, the Sheikah did, Zelda was sure of this, and not because Lady Impa might have informed them. Zelda trusted that the Sheikah Chief would keep her word and that all that they had discussed in the elder's house would remain between them. No, the Hylian woman was sure that with the keen senses and magic of the three Sheikah siblings could sense the power of the Master Sword from where it was hidden. Zelda had noticed that while the siblings sat on the wagon, they made sure that they did not touch the wooden panelling on which Sir Faris sat and where Link's body dwelled within.
"Well, horses and cliff elk aren't really necessary for sea voyages or naval expeditions, so most, if not all, Noruidian ships are designed to house large animals, so no they won't be able to join us." Vahl admitted. "I had our cliff elk sent ahead of us before we set sail from Hallan, you see. As for the wagon, I'd imagine that it would be too heavy and cumbersome to drag along without a horse, so we'll bring everything we can carry aboard with us."
Once again, Zelda and Arvid exchanged looks, only this time the knight could see his queen's face become ashen.
Whether or not Prince Vahlymor saw this exchange is not known, but the man's next words only hiked Zelda's heartbeat up even more.
"Unless, of course, there's a reason why we shouldn't abandon the wagon."
The prince's statement was spoken casually, unassuming, but the way his gaze drifted over to meet Zelda's so that his cool, collected, and calculated, dark eyes clashed with her widened, concerned, blue ones.
"Is there? Zelda?"
The way the prince whispered her name sent a shiver down the queen's spine: not a shiver of fear, but more of suspician.
'Does he know?' she thought to herself, while she put on her own mask of a calm smile.
"There is no importance to a wagon, but once we reach your ship, we'll discuss what we should leave behind, yes?"
"Of course! Sounds like a plan."
Vahlymor gave her a wink before turning his gaze forward to the rocky road ahead, the ocean ever growing larger as they drew further from the mountains. Zelda tightened her hold upon her reins as Arvid came to her side, his foot knocking against hers, and the Hyruleans met each other's eyes.
The prince was no fool, Zelda knew that much. The fact that he had already brought up the Isle of Blights and his willingness to go there back in the castle should have been enough to reveal that the man might have already guessed why Zelda had asked if they could travel through the mountains with a wagon. They could have traveled with less gear, especially since they did find the Sheikah Village, not that they could have known that. A wagon did make for a good cover story that they were travelling to the Noruidian capital instead of trying to find the Sheikah Village, but an argument could have been made that without a wagon they could move faster and less obvious.
A low growl roused Zelda and Arvid's attention to the wolf walking beside their horses and the queen could guess that Link probably was sharing her and Arvid's suspicions.
The prince knew, or at least had an inkling, that the wagon was more than it seemed. Or, he knew what it held. Either way, Zelda knew that when they reached the prince's ship, she would need to reveal their irreplaceable, hidden cargo to her band of companions.