Chapter 10

Sapphire Skies


30th of the Great Tree Moon (April), 1179

Link and Dorothea's Room, Enbarr Castle

246 Days before Byleth's First Term


Dorothea woke up to a feeling she considered herself incredibly lucky to know so well. Even without opening her eyes, she knew he was there; his lean yet strong arms wrapped around her, his chest slowly moving against her back as he breathed, the sense of warmth and safety he seemed to radiate even while asleep…

She slowly turned over, the morning light barely shining into their room, as she took in Link's sleeping expression. He seemed far more peaceful now, compared to how he usually came across. He was kind and good-natured, yes, but he almost always felt… on guard and stiff, like he went to battle and never really came back; eyes always moving, ears always twitching, as if listening out for enemies in every shadowy corner.

When he slept, though, his stone-like neutrality was nowhere to be found. His eyes and ears were still, his expression relaxed, and all of that tension had seemingly left him.

Dorothea reached up a hand, gently stroking his cheek as she smiled. She wasn't sure where he came from exactly (aside from "somewhere in Hyrule", of course), but she was glad she had met him. He was almost like a knight from a fairy tale, though with a gleaming sword instead of shining armor. She liked him more than a fairy tale knight, anyways; the messy ponytail and near-ragged clothes only made him feel more authentic, and hid his noble bearing. Don't get her wrong, Dorothea was no fan of the nobility, only really liking Edie and Hubie, but Link seemed to symbolize the very best of the ideal noble; strong, polite, kind and gentle, heroic and respectful, but with a charming mischievousness that would come out with his true personality, not the stonelike one he wore like a mask.

She scooted forward and kissed his cheek. I hope one day he can be like this always, instead of just in his sleep. She slid back down, resting her head against his chest and listening to his heart beat, strong and steady. For all that it sounds like he's done for the people of Hyrule, at least, if not for the hardships he's been through. He deserves that much.

When Link awoke, he felt much the same as Dorothea; warm, comfortable, and oh so very tired. He could feel the girl in question sleeping against his chest, arms wrapped around his torso. The morning light barely lit the room, but even then he was taken by Dorothea's beauty. Her hair was messy from bedhead, she wore no makeup… but that's what he preferred, really. He loved seeing her like this, how she is, not how she made herself out to be.

Maybe she thinks the same? He thought, remembering how dismayed she had been when he returned to her, injured from battle. …That's probably obvious. I doubt she likes seeing me hurt. Link sighed slightly, holding her closer to him. She responded in kind, her arms tightening around him in her sleep. …I wish I could do that for you, Thea. For everyone, most of all myself. Just, hang up my shield, return the Master Sword to its place in the Lost Woods. But… so long as evil exists in this world, I cannot.

He found his thoughts turning to the evils he faced, and what came of them, though he wasn't too happy about that. Koga… he certainly fell down that pit hard, not to mention the massive spike ball that followed. He may have survived… but I doubt it. Calamity Ganon… Zelda sealed it away, yes, but not all of the Malice disappeared. There's still some pockets of it here and there, especially around the more remote places that monsters called home. The monsters were gone too, as if they had been swallowed up by the Malice… or became it. There hasn't been another Blood Moon since then, however, so I think the Calamity itself is gone… but its remnants remain. So long as that holds true, I don't think my fight is yet over. Without realizing it, his grip on Dorothea had tightened again, and this woke her up.

She blinked through bleary eyes, looking up to see Link with his eyes closed, the corners of his mouth downturned in a frown. She reached up and cupped his cheek, and his eyes shot open as he looked down at her. "Are you alright…?"

"Thea… I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"Yes, but it's alright. What are you worrying about?"

Link's frown deepened. "How'd you know?"

She scooted up and kissed his cheek. "I can read you like a book, dear. Tell me what's going on?"

"Just… thinking about past enemies. Ones that should be dead… but might not be."

"Might not be? What do you mean?"

"One of them, his death wasn't… confirmed. Likely, but the possibility remains. The other, however… remnants of its presence are still scattered about Hyrule. Places where its influence still linger. I'm worried that I've left them to their own devices in Hyrule, and that it might take me too long to travel back…"

Dorothea, unsure of how to ease his fears, simply held him tighter. "We could always schedule a trip back."

"We?" Link looked down at her. "What about your operas?"

"We're not really doing that many now that the weather's heating up. The theater isn't that well ventilated, and our summers get very warm."

"Hm…" Link sat up, Dorothea following, pouting that her pillow had moved. "If you're not busy, then…" He picked up the Slate, tapping on the screen. "I'm not sure it will work, but… Take my hand, okay?"

She obliged, though she wasn't sure what he was intending on doing. Maybe insta-changing their clothes for the day?

He tapped a few last times, then closed his eyes. Dorothea watched, shocked, as a ring of blue light appeared on the bed, and his body began to dissolve into blue light. Panic building in her heart, she looked down to see herself dissolving into blue light as well. Gasping in fright as she disappeared, their bed suddenly became empty, the newly-forged couple disappearing as wisps of blue light rose into the mid-morning sky.

Moments later, a guard would knock on the door, asking to be let in. When he didn't get an answer, he simply waited. Thirty minutes would pass, well beyond the known waking hours of even Link, and he would try again, only to find the door had been unlocked the entire time. When he peeked inside, he would see the ring of blue light, and little else.


30th of the Great Tree Moon (April), 1179

?


When Dorothea reformed, she instantly clung to Link's side. There was a sudden breeze, a warm draft that surrounded them, though she was too busy freaking out to notice. "L-Link, what happened?!"

"Oh, we made it." Link's calm voice served to ease her nerves. "Good. I wasn't sure it could transport more than one person."

"Wait… transport?" Dorothea finally sat up and gasped. Before her stretched a natural majesty the likes of which she had never seen before. Rippling plains of tall grass ebbed and flowed in the wind, with small groups of horses traveling from place to place, occasionally stopping to graze. On the horizon, two incredibly tall mountains stood on either side of the vast landscape, one glowing with lava, the other coated in ice. On the opposite side of the plains rose a massive castle, one that even now looked grand and majestic. "Where… where are we?"

"Hyrule." Link said, his voice small as he, too, took in the familiar sight. "We're on the Great Plateau, the very center of the country." Dorothea found herself standing, barely taking in the stonelike platform that they were perched on as she walked to the railing, taking in the view with wide eyes.

"This is your home, Link?" Dorothea asked, voice barely above a whisper. Link walked up next to her, hand gripping the Sheikah Slate tightly.

"Close. My home is past the Dueling Peaks to the east. But… I did spend a lot of time at the Castle growing up."

"Is… all of it this beautiful?"

"...Yeah. It is." Link turned and gave her a smile. "Shall we go back to my home? I was thinking… it'd be a lovely day for a picnic, and I can think of no place more peaceful than Hyrule."

Dorothea returned his smile with one of her own. "That sounds lovely, Link. Where exactly are we going, though?"

"To Hateno Village." She took his arm as he picked up the Slate. "It's where I keep everything that isn't in the Slate."

"Alright then. To Hateno we go. But… you do have clothes there, right?" Link looked down at themselves, only just now realizing they were still in their pajamas. He blushed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah, I have some. Sorry, I suppose I did jump the gun a bit…"

"It's alright." She kissed him on the cheek as he tapped away on the Slate, before they both began to, once again, dissolve into blue light.

Far above Hateno Village, in a lab most would consider strange and foreboding, sat a young girl, tinkering away on a small piece of glass set in stone. "Symin, get me the flathead screwdriver!" Called out the child, goggles on her face as she laid on her back beneath the stone.

"Of course, Director!" An older man called back, soon handing off the screwdriver to the child. She turned something within, and when the stone began to hum with life, she slid back out and excitedly examined the screen.

"C'mon, c'mon… yes! There it is!" She began jumping with joy as the screen lit up, showing a map of Hyrule. "Got the map working!"

"Excellent work, Director! Does it have all the markings?"

"Not yet, but give me juuuust a second…" The Director, Purah, tapped away on the screen, causing a great many icons to appear. "Yes! It works! Now, to see the range… alright, Sheikah Stone, find the Slate!"

"Director… you're being quiet. Did it work?"

"I think so? But it's definitely not working right."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it picked up the Slate's signal, but it just keeps saying it's at the Great Plateau- Wait, now it's saying Hateno?!"

Purah and Symin looked at each other, then back to the screen, then back to each other.

"Director, you don't think…" but she was already running out of the doorway.

"Linky! You're home!" She hollered as she ran as fast as her little legs would take her.


They had manifested on the platform of a strange structure that Link had called a "Shrine". Told her they contained puzzles and trials, but that they were dangerous (and besides, had already been cleared out and completed), so they walked along a back road behind Hateno. So far, they had managed to avoid the prying eyes of anyone watching… though Link knew that, due to the time of day, they were bound to run into at least one person he'd rather not speak to this early in the morning.

"Link, are you sure this bridge is safe…?"

"Yeah, it is. I've walked horses across it before."

"Alright, if you say so…" Link had given her some of his spare clothes and boots already, fresh from the Slate, but Link still wanted to use his full kitchen to cook. Together, they walked across the old wooden bridge, Dorothea holding Link's hand tightly as the bridge swayed ever-so-slightly in the breeze.

"Thea, I do have to warn you… I have a couple of… squatters near my house."

"Squatters?"

"Yep. They're construction workers, and the people I bought my hose from before they could tear it down. In fact, they're the ones that built those pastel, cuboid buildings on the way here."

"If they're squatters, how come you haven't chased them off?"

"They're not… bad people, persay. I actually quite like them and their company. They can just be a little much sometimes."

"Mm… I think I get it."

"Link, is that you?!" A voice called from in front of Link's house (which, Dorothea had to admit, looked incredibly cozy and inviting already). A man in pink pants and a blue vest with leopard-print fur trim jogged over, smiling and waving. "It's been a while, chum! Where have you been?"

"Hello, Bolson. Just… traveling."

"Bah, you're always just traveling!" He stopped in front of them, panting as he leaned forward with his hands on his knees, before straightening up. When he did, he finally caught sight of Dorothea, who gave him a smile and a wave. "Oh? And who's this pretty little thing?"

"Hi, I'm Dorothea." She gave him a short bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh, you don't have to be all pish-posh formal with me, miss Dorothea! Any friend of Link's is a friend of mine, after all!" Bolson waved a hand, before smirking as he glanced between the two of them. "Well, don't let me keep you two. Have fuuun!" Bolson grinned and walked back over to a campfire near Link's house, where she could see another young man sitting by the fire. The man gave Link a wave.

"He seems nice." Dorothea said with a giggle.

"He is." Link agreed with a smile. "Come on inside, I've got some chores to take care of, but I'll be able to cook soon."

"Well, if you're doing chores, why don't I help?"

"You probably won't want to. I've gotta brush and feed my horses, feed my dog-"

"Wait, you have horses and a dog?! Where?!" Dorothea asked, excitedly grabbing onto his arm. Link chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

"Alright, come on. I'll introduce you."

"So, this is Hazel and Storm, right?"

"Yeah. Hazel's mine, and Storm was… was Zelda's. I take care of him now." He picked up a brush and began working Hazel's coat, the horse lipping at his ponytail in greeting. Dorothea smiled at the sight and the genuine smile on his face, before picking up the other brush and mimicking Link's motions as she began brushing the white horse's fur.

Next to Link's feet laid his dog, a massive wolfhound named Shadow. She wasn't entirely sure he was a normal dog… or even a wolf that Link had adopted. His fur almost seemed to resemble braids, and the pattern of black and white fur was unlike any wolf or dog she had seen before. But, he was well behaved and friendly, so she didn't pay him much mind. The way he had seemingly nodded his head in response to Link's 'hello' looked far too human for her tastes, though.

They had just finished brushing the horses when Link perked up slightly. Dorothea looked over as she set her brush down, seeing the surprise in his eyes. "Link? Did you hear something?"

Link smiled a bit to himself, setting the brush down. He stepped outside of the little stables and smiled wider as he looked out to the bridge, then got down on a knee. Dorothea raised her eyebrow, though at the same time she heard a young girl's voice call out. "LINKYYYYY!"

"Over here, Purah!" Suddenly, Link was assaulted by a white-haired missile, barreling into his chest at top speed. He successfully took the impact, wrapping his arms around the little girl that had appeared out of nowhere.

"Linky, when did you get back?!" She said, leaning back to look up at him.

"Just a little bit ago." He finally stood, the girl (presumably Purah) stepping back with her hands on her hips. "How'd you know we made it?"

"Wait, we?" Purah finally looked around Link and finally spotted Dorothea, who gave her a little wave and a smile. She grabbed the hem of Link's shirt and forcibly dragged him down to her level. "Psst, Link, who's the cutie?"

"She's a friend of mine, Dorothea. I met her in Fodlan, and we thought it'd be nice to have a picnic today."

"A picnic? You usually only took days to relax like that after you almost die in a fight." Purah glared at Link. "You didn't already knock on death's door, did you?!"

"Well… yeah?"

"Linky! I told you to stop doing that!"

"I've tried getting him to stop, believe me." Dorothea sighed. "Try telling him that he's fully capable of taking it easy, and that we have a military to fight monsters, when people are in danger though."

"Oh, that explains it." Purah sighed. "Always the Hero, Linky. Anyways! Were you ever planning on saying goodbye? You just up and left without a word!"

"I was… going to, yeah, but…"

"Just wanted to hurry up and get going?"

"...Yeah."

"...I get it. I'm just glad to see that you're alright. Oh, right, you should go visit my sister, I'm sure she'll be happy to see you too! Especially her granddaughter, hehe."

"Oh, Paya? Yeah, probably. I was thinking we could go sit under my tree, but it'd be nice to visit Kakariko while we're here. Maybe the Great Fairy too…"

"Good idea, Linky! Alright, well I won't keep you, just wanted to say hi." Purah grinned and waved as she left, Link smiling and waving as well, though something she said stuck in Dorothea's mind.

Wait… her sister's granddaughter? But she's seven!


A few moments later found the couple inside Link's house, Dorothea taking a look around while Link cooked several meals in his kitchen. She especially took notice of the weapons hanging on the walls, beautiful and ornate pieces that seemed more work of art than functional tools of war. Well, except for the massive slab of metal with a handle, though she wasn't totally sure even Link could use it effectively.

"Link? Are these just for decoration?" Dorothea asked as she picked up a beautiful golden bow from where it hung on the wall, crescent-shaped and covered with looping designs.

"No. They're the weapons of my old friends. The trident was Mipha's, the Boulderbreaker was Daruk's, the sword and shield were Urbosa's, the wooden bow was Revali's, and the Bow of Light was Zelda's."

Dorothea suddenly began handling the bow with much more care. She didn't know much about the first four people he had mentioned, but he had spoken at length about his relationship to Zelda. She knew how much she had meant to him, and she'd have felt awful if she had managed to damage the bow.

"They're quite beautiful. Are all weapons in Hyrule this pretty?"

"Heh, no. Most are fairly plain. But… the six of us were Champions. Well… Zelda only came to possess the Bow a few months ago. She didn't have her own weapon before then."

"Oh? I'm assuming you all were warriors, right?"

"...Everyone except Zelda."

"...I feel like you're not telling me something."

Link sighed and set down the skillet, letting whatever was inside fry for a bit. "...I think you'd understand it as powerful light magic. That was meant to be her weapon, but she wasn't able to unlock it until the very end."

"Unlock it? She had innate light magic?"

"Every Zelda does, apparently, but… hers just wouldn't awaken. I had been tasked with guarding her until her light shone, but it damn near never did." Link's voice had turned bitter as he spoke, cooking with a little more force in his movements than was necessary.

Dorothea set the bow down, walking over behind Link and wrapping her arms around his torso. "Did you ever find out why?"

"...No. But I have a theory. Not that it matters anymore… everyone involved is gone now, save for me, the Sheikah, and the Zora. Some of them, anyways."

"Sheikah?"

"Yeah. Like Purah, Impa, and Paya. They all have white hair and red eyes, and can live for a very long time."

"I see. I'd love to meet this Impa and Paya."

"We will. When I'm done here, we'll…" Link stopped talking for a moment, sniffing the air. "Hm…"

"Is… something burning?"

"Oh, dammit, the bread!" Link rushed over to the oven, yanking out the burned loaf and tossing it on the table with a heavy thud. Dorothea tried to keep her giggles inside, but couldn't help laughing at Link's annoyed and embarrassed expression. "...Shut it."

"Link, I'm, I'm sorry, but- your expression, haha!" She doubled over in laughter, the tension from the earlier conversation seemingly fueling her fit of giggles. When she straightened back up, Link had a strange expression on his face, a mix of happiness, familiarity, melancholy, nostalgia, and love. She decided, in that moment, that she truly adored how expressive Link could be sometimes.

"I'm glad you made another loaf, Link. How'd you make bread of all things delicious?"

"Honestly, I think it's Hyrule." Link took a bite of the bread, soaked in pumpkin soup, and looked out over the cliffside near his home. "They say the land is filled with magic, to the point that it seeps into the very plants and animals. Probably changes the flavor of things to a degree."

"Magic ingredients, huh? You sure you're not just being humble?"

"Normally I am, but I really don't do anything special with my meals." Link leaned back against the tree, Dorothea leaning on his shoulder. "I mean, I just baked the bread."

"Mhm. If you say so." She dipped her bread in his soup and took another bite. "It's still delicious."

"...Thank you, Thea." Link looked up into the sky and sighed quietly, getting her attention. She sat up, looking at him worriedly.

"Link? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just… really happy right now." He turned and kissed her cheek, his own tinged pink. "I'm glad we came out here. I needed a nice, quiet day in the wild."

She smiled and relaxed against his shoulder, holding his arm. "Me too. It's very peaceful out here. I'm surprised you ever left."

"...I wouldn't have, but… usually this place fills me with bittersweet memories. Right now, though… I'm making new ones, so I can forget the past, if just for a while."

She sat up a bit, setting her bread down and hugging him tightly. "...I love you, Link."

He followed suit, setting down his food and turning to face her, holding her tightly. "I love you too, Thea."

Closer to Link's house and crouched behind some bushes, two figures watched as the two teenagers met in a kiss, before falling over on the blanket. The smallest of them pumped her fist and let out a quiet "Yes!"

The taller sighed and took out a blue rupee, handing it over to the child. "How'd you know, Purah?"

"Well, duh! Linky and Zeldy did this all time, go on picnics to have an excuse to be alone. One time, I uh, happened to find their hiding spot." They couldn't actually see them anymore, but they did see Link's shirt go flying off to the side. "And that's exactly what I walked in on. Man, you should have seen their faces! It was hilarious!"

"But… why don't they just stay inside if they want privacy?"

"Well, for one everyone knows where they live. My sister sent agents out to fetch them for one reason or another tons of times, so they'd get bothered while they're in the middle of whatever. Second, you're always sitting right outside their front door! …Why are you always out there, anyways?"

"So whenever people walk up and go 'man, that's a nice house!', I can go 'it is, isn't it? Hi, Bolson of Bolson Construction, the one that fixed up this house and all those nice pretty ones across the way!' It's perfect business!"

"...But it just looks like every other house in Hateno."

"But it didn't always, right? It was all run-down and gross before I fixed it up."

"No, it looked pretty much the same. All the stuff you did is internal, and I don't think you're letting anyone inside, right? Besides, I think Zeldy finished most of the stuff you left half-done, so if anyone should get the credit-" Suddenly a hand dropped over her eyes. "Hey, what gives?! Get off!"

"Purah, no." Bolson stood up, sneaking back towards the front of Link's house as his pants followed Dorothea's. "You're too young now."

"What?! I'll have you know I'm a century older than you!"

"And still too young."

"Shuddap!"


Hours later, when they reformed after teleporting, they were standing on top of a hill, looking down on a small village. Dorothea was immediately enraptured by the quaint little town, the foreign designs so excitingly new to her. "Link, this place is beautiful!"

"It is, isn't it?" Link smiled as he walked up next to her, looking down on the village. His smile slowly turned into a frown as he remembered the last time he had been here, however.

I cannot go on, Link… You must be as strong as you have always been, and go without me.

But you're not alone, are you? I believe all of Hyrule would call you 'friend', now. Why leave?

But… you both did everything right! You did everything you were supposed to, why is she…

Life isn't fair. The good die young, the evil live long… and heroes don't get happy endings.

"...Link?" He jumped as Dorothea took his hand, a worried expression etched across her face. "Is everything okay?"

"Sorry, yeah, just… A lot of unhappy memories here. Happy ones, too, but…"

"It's okay, I get it." She squeezed his hand, and after he took a moment to settle his thoughts, he returned the gesture. "Shall we go visit Impa?"

"Sure. We can take some time to walk around Kakariko too, if you'd like."

"Alright, that sounds fun." And together, they began walking down the hill. As they got closer, Dorothea saw lots of Sheikah walking around, though most stopped what they were doing to excitedly greet Link when they caught sight of him. It seemed as if Link was an incredibly popular figure around here, though she was sure he would get similar treatment anywhere he went in Hyrule.

"Hey, Link! Welcome back to- ohmigosh who's that?!" Dorothea jumped as one of the villagers raced up in front of them, specifically her.

"Oh, hello Claree. This is my friend, Dorothea."

"Link, you sly fox, how'd you get someone so pretty to travel with you? Zelda, I get, but-" At Link's pained expression, she clammed up. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-"

"It's…" He sighed. "It's okay. You don't have to pretend she didn't exist."

"Alright…" Claree shook her head slightly, before examining Dorothea. "Did you just give her your clothes?!"

"Well, we did sort of come back to Hyrule in our pajamas…"

"Link!" Claree put her hands on her hips. "You can't just give her your clothes, I made them specifically to fit you!"

"Well, they are quite comfortable, if a little… tight around the chest." Dorothea said with a giggle.

"See?! Oh, you poor thing, I bet you can barely breathe in those! Come here, Claree'll set you straight." And with that, she grabbed Dorothea's wrist and practically dragged her to her clothing store, Enchanted. "And Link, you'll pay, right?"

Link chuckled to himself before following the girls into the store. "Yeah, of course. She doesn't have any rupees."

"What?" Claree stopped in the middle of the store, turning to face Link with an incredulous expression. "Then what do they use over there, rocks?!"

"Pieces of gold, actually."

"...Weird." And like it never happened, she dragged Dorothea into the back of the store, while Link took a look at the new clothes Claree had on display. She was an incredibly talented seamstress, after all, and from what he understood half the reason he still had a supply of Champion's Tunics on hand. I'll have to thank and repay her for them sometime.

A while later, the two ladies finally emerged, Claree looking exceptionally pleased with herself. "Well, Link, how does she look?" He looked up to see Dorothea dressed in traditional Sheikah clothes, though Claree had taken the time to dye the clothes in Dorothea's favorite colors; the undershirt was black instead of blue, the outer tunic red instead of white, with her tights and shoes dyed to match. Link immediately felt his cheeks flush red as his mind crashed to a halt for a moment, and Dorothea giggled, turning to the smirking seamstress.

"I think he likes it, Claree."

"I knew it! …You know, I'm used to him being quiet, but I don't think he's ever been speechless before." Claree bumped Dorothea's arm with her elbow, giving her a sly grin. "You should consider yourself lucky to catch his eye like that."

"Oh, trust me, I do."

"Just…" Claree turned the two of them away from Link, who's brain was still rebooting. "...Take care of him, alright? He's been through a lot, and I'm pretty sure I've only heard half of the stories."

"I will, don't worry." Claree gave her a nod and a pat on the back as she walked over to snap Link out of his thoughts. "I knew I looked good, but I guess I must look better than I expected, hm?"

Link gave her a small smile and a nod. "You look beautiful." He got to his feet and walked over to the counter where Claree was waiting. "Alright, how much?"

"Hm… let's say… 300 rupees for the whole set!" Dorothea nearly choked on air. She had barely seen thirty rupees spread across the whole of Fodlan's upper district, and here was Claree asking for three hundred for clothes?!

"That's cheaper than I was expecting." Link admitted with a shrug as he got out the Slate. Cheaper?! He retrieved four silver rupees from the Slate and handed them over, though Claree counted them with a bit of confusion.

"Uh, Link, that's one too many-"

"I know. I had heard you'd sewn all the spare tunics I wear, so I wanted to pay you back, at least a little bit." Link gave her a warm smile.

"Oh, Link, you don't have to do that! Impa and Paya already paid for them, so-"

"Then I definitely need to pay some debts…" Link muttered.

Claree sighed, already resigned to not being able to convince him otherwise. "Well… alright then, thanks Link! Also, you might want to pick up your girlfriend's jaw from the floor." She said with a giggle. Link turned to see Dorothea's still shocked expression.

If one rupee is worth two thousand gold, and she wanted three hundred, but Link paid four hundred… then… these are worth 6000 gold?! Why are they so expensive?!

"Thea?" Link waved his hand in front of her eyes, before closing his and kissing her cheek. Her eyes blinked as she registered his brief touch (and ignored Claree's squeeing from across the counter). "Are you alright?"

"I just… these are so expensive!"

"Not… really? Rupees are valuable in Fodlan, sure, but that's because they're so rare. They're extremely common in Hyrule, it's why we use them for currency."

"Wait… how common are they?"

"I have…" Link pulled out the Slate and tapped a few icons. "...just under one hundred thousand right now."

"One hundred… I think I'm going to faint." She was fairly certain that that many rupees would be able to buy a castle, and then some. "How'd you get so many?"

"Fighting Stone Taluses and selling the gemstones they drop. The Gerudo especially paid really well for them, something like a thousand rupees for ten gemstones."

"Wait, why didn't you sell any to me?!" Claree asked from across the counter. "I want some gems!"

"But… you don't use any in your clothes, right?" Link asked, confused.

"Well… no, I use blue nightshade, but still!"

"Well… here, I'll give you some sapphires in exchange for a future order. Sounds good?"

"Yeah, that works for me! How about… six for a full outfit?"

"Nine for a full Sheikah?"

"You got it, Link!" They shook hands, and Link tapped on the Slate until he was holding nine fist-sized sapphires. He sat them down on the counter while Claree wrote up the order form. Dorothea walked over to pick one up and examine it, surprised to find it perfectly clear and cut despite having, seemingly, been dug fresh up from the ground. It still had some rock stuck to it, and yet it was a perfectly clean gemstone! Hyrule is a strange place.

Once Link had the form stored away in the Slate, they bid goodbye to Claree and kept walking around Kakariko. Dorothea thought that they were going to head straight for the massive house surrounded by a moat with two guards at the only bridge, but instead Link headed to the left. He walked up to a statue set up on a little island in a pond, which seemed to vaguely resemble an angel of some kind. He simply stood at the statue and prayed for a moment, and while Dorothea was confused (she hadn't known Link to be very religious, after all), she let him have this moment of privacy. For a brief second, she thought she heard a woman's voice and saw the statue glow, but as soon as it was there, it was gone.

After a moment, Link walked back, thanking her for waiting and finally heading towards the large house.

The men outside greeted Link warmly, with a wave and a "Welcome back, Sir Link." When one of the guards (who Link referred to as Dorian) saw her, though, she saw a flash of recognition in his eyes, though he merely nodded at her then turned his gaze back out towards the village.

As they walked up the steps to the large house, Dorothea was captivated by the beauty of the house. Every inch of it was meticulously cleaned and polished, every rough surface smoothed and shone, and the house itself was picturesque and elegant in a way she couldn't describe. She had never seen anything like it before coming here, and she was incredibly glad that Link had brought her to this place.

At the top of the stairs, Link stopped outside the large double doors, his eyes closed in thought. "Link?" Dorothea asked, reaching out and taking his hand. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, just… the last time I was here, I was in… a much darker place. I'm better now, thanks to you, but…"

"You don't know how they'll react when they see you again, right?"

"…Right."

"I'm sure it'll be fine." Dorothea gave him a smile, squeezing his hand. "They're dear friends of yours, right? I'm sure they'll be happy to see you again, and to know that you're doing better now."

"…I hope so. …Alright, let's go in." He reached forward and swung the doors open.

The interior of the home was fairly dim compared to outside, lit only by candles and lanterns. At the far end of the room sat a pyramid of pillows, upon which a small, old woman with a large-brimmed hat sat, with her legs folded. As the doors swung close behind them and they approached, she shifted ever so slightly, the metal weights on her hat jangling with the movement. "I'd know that heavy footstep anywhere… It can't be." She looked up, her wrinkled eyes crinkling when she saw Link's face. "It's been quite some time, Link… though not as long as previous."

"Hello, Impa." Link said with a smile. "It's nice to see you again."

"Likewise. Who, though, have you brought with you? I don't recognize her…"

"You wouldn't. She's from Fodlan."

Dorothea stepped forward and bowed, giving Impa a friendly smile. "Hello. My name's Dorothea. It's a pleasure to finally meet some of Link's friends."

"I'm sure it must be." Impa leaned forward, one hand braced on a knee. "How has Link been in Fodlan? He left quite abruptly, you see, and hasn't written home."

"It's hard to get a letter across the ocean." Link pouted, crossing his arms.

Dorothea giggled quietly before answering Impa. "He's been driving himself hard, which I've heard isn't unusual. He's already saved our city from destruction, fought off bandits, helped countless people with their daily tasks…"

"I don't think the Demonic Beasts would have destroyed Enbarr…" Link blushed while he rubbed the back of his neck, looking away from them.

"There were twelve of them, and they nearly killed you."

"My, these beasts must have been dangerous if twelve of them were enough to lay you low, Link." Impa said with a bit of a smirk.

"…Each one of them was the size of your house, and poisoned everything they touched."

"Foul beasts, indeed."

"Grandmother? I heard people talking, did we have guests today?" Another voice called out from above, sounding a little sleepy. As the owner in question came downstairs, Dorothea could see what she imagined someone in-between Impa and Purah's age would look like; roughly their own age, in fact. She was wearing clothes similar to her own, just undyed.

When she finally looked up and saw Link, she froze in place, her eyes wide. Link gave her a small wave. "Hello, Paya. It's nice to see you again."

"M-Master… Master Link…?" Paya asked, her voice small and shaking. "Master Link!" Suddenly, she came running down the stairs, tackling Link in a hug. Link caught her easily as she held onto him for dear life.

"Paya, I said you could just call me Link, you know."

"L-Link… you're home…!" She froze again as she opened her eyes and realized that both Impa and a stranger were staring at her; one with a teasing expression, and the other with one that resembled the expression one would wear when meeting a kitten. She squeaked and let go of Link, her cheeks a bright crimson, though Link didn't mind.

Dorothea for her part was getting a feeling similar to the one she had that morning. Then, it was because he had seemed peaceful, but now… he seemed content. Truly, he had come home.

"What… what brings you back here…?" Paya asked, still not looking at Link. Oh, she's got a crush, doesn't she? Dorothea thought.

"Thea and I had a picnic earlier, and I thought it'd be nice to come say hello while we were here." Link reached out and patted the top of Paya's head, and Dorothea could swear she saw steam coming off her cheeks. Major crush. …Same, girl. Same. "I'm glad we did."

"We…? Thea…?" Then she looked up and saw Dorothea, having forgotten she was there for a second. "…Oh! Hello, I didn't see you there, I'm sorry."

"It's alright." She bowed again. "My name's Dorothea. It's nice to meet you, Paya."

"Oh… you-you too."

"I do have a question, though, Impa." Dorothea said as she stood up, cupping her chin as she studied the Sheikah women. "We met Purah, and she said Paya was her sister's granddaughter?"

"Ah, yes. Purah is my older sister."

"That's what I— Wait, older?" Dorothea stared at Impa, flabbergasted, which made Impa laugh loudly, slapping her knee as she bent double. She looked over at Link, who was turned away, trying to hide a smirk. "Wait, why didn't you tell me?"

"…Cuz it'd be funnier if I didn't." Link admitted with a laugh in his voice. Dorothea slapped his shoulder and crossed her arms.

"That was rude! Now I just feel silly."

When Impa finally calmed down, she explained. "My sister loves to tinker with ancient Sheikah technology, and has tried creating her own runes in the past. Recently, she tried making a de-aging rune, but it… worked a little too well."

"Oh, I see… that makes sense. Runes are like the strange spells that the Slate can use, right?"

"Indeed, they are, though 'runes' is a more general term. The map, the camera, the Sensor, they're all runes."

"I can guess what the map and the Sensor are, but… what's a camera?"

"I'll show you later." Link said. "For now though, I'd like to get going before the weather gets bad."

"You're leaving already?" Paya asked, voice quiet. "You'll come back though, right?"

"Of course I will." Link patted her head again. "I know it hasn't been long, but I've made several friends over in Fodlan, and… it almost feels like how things used to be over there."

"It probably helps that they didn't have the Calamity to deal with." Impa said with a chuckle. "In any case, it does my heart good to know you have allies and friends already. I was worried when you said you intended to go to Fodlan, but it seems my worries were… mostly unfounded."

"Your worries?" Dorothea asked, resting her chin on her hand. "The fact that you know about Fodlan is surprising enough, but what worries did you have?"

"Ah, right. I suppose most in both countries wouldn't know of each other. It has been a good couple centuries at least since we last had contact. From what I recall, though, Fodlan had been a land of constant political wars and danger."

"Oh. It's… still sort of like that, though it's calmed down a lot. Now, the dangers are more focused on Brigid and Dagda in the south, Almyra in the east, and Sreng in the north. The Empire, Alliance, and Kingdom haven't had… too many conflicts in quite a while."

Link cupped his chin in thought. "I've heard of Dagda and Brigid from Petra, but Sreng? Almyra?"

"Yep. They're kept at bay by the Kingdom and Alliance."

"Hmm. I believe the last time Hyrule and Fodlan interacted, the Alliance had just been founded. It was a similar time frame, if I remember correctly."

"That makes sense. I am curious as to how our languages interacted, though… Link didn't understand a word of Imperial when he arrived, but we use Hylian in our theater performances."

As Dorothea and Impa talked back and forth, Paya subtly moved next to Link, leaning in close. "Ma- Link… do you have any idea what they're talking about?"

Link leaned in as well, his voice dropping to a whisper, so as not to interrupt the continued historical discussion. "…Sort of. History was never my strong suit. Never could keep the dates straight, let alone between two different calendars…"

"…So Hyrule's language doesn't change much over time, while Imperial has? Interesting." Dorothea muttered to herself, before turning to Link. "We definitely have to come back sometime, this is one of the most interesting conversations I've had in months!"

"If you do, please bring some tea leaves with you. I've always been curious about the tea in Fodlan. From what I remember, there were many, many different kinds grown there, while we only have three different blends commonly available."

"Oh, absolutely!" Dorothea gave Impa a smile and a nod. "I'll bring a selection, so you can pick your favorite."

"That would be delightful. Unfortunately, I believe we've gotten quite distracted."

"Oh… right." Dorothea smiled apologetically. "Sorry for talking your ear off, Ms. Impa."

"Oh, it's quite all right. It's been a very long time indeed since I've had such lively company."


Just after Link and Dorothea had left, the door long since closed behind them, Paya simply stood in place, staring at where Link had last been. "Grandmother…?" She asked, her voice wobbly and quiet.

"Yes, dear?" Impa asked, already quite sure of what her granddaughter was feeling.

"I… Do you get the same feeling… between them? That he and the Princess had? Or am I just…" Paya shook her head. "No, I must be imagining things.I'm sure those bruises were… from a fight… right? …I'm… going to go upstairs."

"Of course, dear." Impa replied in a gentle tone. She watched as the last of her blood family went upstairs, trying desperately to hide the tears rolling down her cheeks. Once she was out of sight, Impa sighed to herself, settling back in on her pillows. I am quite glad that Link seems to be returning to his old self… maybe even the way he was before he drew the Sword. Unfortunately… While his happiness grows, Paya's only seems to fade.

You've grown remarkably close to this Dorothea, Link. I did not think your heart ready for such vulnerability. Maybe it wasn't. Maybe it isn't. …I hope, for everyone's sakes, that this does not end in any more heartbreak than it already has.


As Dorothea and Link entered the forest above Kakariko, Link gently took Dorothea's hand, gesturing for her to stop. "So, what did you want to show me?"

"I wanted to show you one of my favorite places in Hyrule, but you have to stay very, very quiet, so you don't disturb them."

"Them?" Dorothea asked, but they were already stalking through the woods.

"You'll see." As Link continued to guide her through the forest, Dorothea found her thoughts wandering back to the little Korok she had met with Link, and wondered if 'them' referred to something similar.

A short while later, Link urged her forward, and her jaw dropped when she finally saw it… and them.

A massive, beautiful flower lied before them, with other plant life growing around it, as if the flower itself was influencing their growth. Small puddles of water dotted the area, and pink fireflies floated above them, a small twinkling sound reaching her ears as they flitted to and fro. "Oh my goddess, Link, what… what is this?" Dorothea whispered, awestruck.

"This is the Great Fairy Fountain, and those are the smaller fairies that live here." Link whispered back. "They're very shy and will fly away at the slightest sound, so if you want to watch them you have to be nearly silent."

"This is… I…" And for once, Dorothea, songstress known to hundreds, maybe thousands, all across Fodlan found herself completely and utterly speechless. The sun glittered off the puddles making them appear as if filled with jewels, the twinkling of the fairies filled the otherwise silent forest with an atmosphere of subtle magic, and the flower itself seemed as if from outside the world they inhabited.

For the first time since entering Hyrule, she found herself thoroughly enraptured in her partner's home, and she wasn't sure how he could have ever become so used to it as if to leave. But, with the sound of a near-silent click, she shifted her gaze towards Link. He was holding up the Sheikah Slate, the eye on the back pointed towards her while his thumb was on the top of the handle. "Link?"

"Sorry, you just…" Link looked away, turning the screen of the Slate towards her. "You looked so pretty in the light, and I thought that this was a memory I didn't want to forget. Besides, you wanted to know what the camera was, right? It makes pictures like this."

She did have to admit, the picture was a beautiful one. It seems my boyfriend has a knack for capturing my best angles… though I do wish my mouth had been closed when he took the picture.

"Link… thank you for taking me here, and showing me this. Picture or no, I don't think I'll ever forget this." She kissed him on the cheek, quickly turning them pink.

"Thea… do you wanna meet her?" He asked, slowly rising to his feet and holding out a hand to help her up.

"Her? You… you don't mean the Great Fairy?"

"Of course. I've talked to her plenty of times."

"But… isn't she a being of great magical power or something?"

"Absolutely, yes. But she also tends to get lonely, so I'd try to stop by for a chat every now and then." They slowly walked towards the flower, which Dorothea noticed had orange stair-like mushrooms in front, forming a ramp up to a pool of water set in the middle. As Link had warned, the second they disturbed the bushes, the fairies flew away, hiding in the nearby trees.

They both ascended the stairs, Dorothea fixing her hair and smoothing out her clothes. Once they reached the top, Link leaned forward a bit, looking down into the pool. Dorothea didn't trust it; she couldn't see the bottom. Link nodded to himself, withdrew two silver rupees from the Slate, then handed one to Dorothea. "What's this for?" She asked, turning the gemstone over in her hand.

"The Great Fairies draw power from rupees. Before I came along, travelers had stopped leaving donations, so they were all effectively powerless. It was pretty expensive to restore them, but I'm glad I did." He tapped her rupee with his own. "She'll appreciate the donation regardless, though."

"Oh, I see."

Then, Link leaned forward. "Hello, Cotera? It's me, Link!" Then he gestured for Dorothea to stand back a bit.

"Link?" A fairly loud voice asked, coming from within the pool (though it didn't sound like it was underwater). "Is that you?"

"Yes, it is, and I've brought a friend who would like to meet you. And a donation."

"Well why didn't you say so!" And, once again, Dorothea was left awestruck and speechless.

From within the pool a massive woman burst forth, water showering everywhere (and easily explaining the pools of water). She was dressed lightly, wearing very little clothing and lots of makeup and jewelry. As she reached the peak of her leap, she settled against the edge of the pool, resting one arm on the rim while propping her head up with the other. "Oh, Link! It's so good to see you again!"

Link gave her a little wave, and held out the rupee. "You're not just happy to see me because I brought you money, right?"

"No, of course not!" Although she did quickly swipe the rupee from his hand. "I enjoy your company too, you know!" Finally, she turned her gaze towards Dorothea. "And this is your friend, right? My, she's a pretty one!"

"Ah, hello." Dorothea took a deep breath before curtsying and holding out the rupee. "My name is Dorothea. It's a pleasure to meet you, Great Fairy Cotera."

"Oh, and so polite too!" Cotera said while swiping her rupee, dropping both of them into the water. "She reminds me of that other one you brought here… Zelda, I think?"

"Zelda, yes…"

"What ever happened to her, dear? You brought her around to study the fountain so many times, but then you just up and disappeared on us!"

"She… she's gone, Cotera."

"Oh my." She sat up straight, a hand covering her mouth as her eyes widened with shock. "I had no idea, dear. I'm so sorry."

"It's fine, you couldn't have known." Link took a deep breath before taking a step back. "I'm sure Dorothea would like to speak to you, though. She hasn't met a fairy before, let alone a Great Fairy."

"Ah, I see! New to Hyrule, are we?" Cotera asked, easing back into her previous position. "It's been a long time since I've met a foreigner. What would you like to ask?"

"Well…"


Off to the side, sitting and watching their animated discussion, Link took in the natural beauty of the fountain himself. He had always felt at peace near them, even more so than he did at home. It was like the Great Fairies kept the place safe… even from the eyes of the Yiga.

As he leaned back against a tree, resting his eyes for amoment as he allowed himself to relax, he felt the smallest, lightest weight settle on his shoulder, right next to his cheek. When he opened his eyes and looked to the side, he saw the pink glow of a fairy resting there. "Oh, hello." He said quietly, voice barely a whisper.

"Hello! You're Link, right?" The fairy asked in a small, high-pitched voice that chimed like bells.

"I am, yes. What's your name?"

"I'm Jinx! Momma talks about you all the time, you know? How you're one of the really nice Hylians, and saved everyone from a big mean thing, and helped her when she needed it!"

"She did now, did she?"

"Yeah!" Jinx the fairy lifted off his shoulder and started fluttering around his head. "You know, she and our Aunties always tell us to stay away from people, cuz they can be mean and hurt us, but I don't think you will! You're very nice."

"Of course." Link held up a finger, and she perched on it. "You know, lots of fairies have helped me when I needed it, or to make some of my meals magical."

"Whoa, really? I didn't know we could do that!"

"You can. I think they just sprinkled some powder on top, and whenever I would eat it my wounds would heal right up."

"That's so cool! Can Momma do that?"

"She can. She even made my clothes better."

"Cool!" Jinx flew up and landed on his head. "Can you tell me a story, Mister Link?"

"A story? Sure, what about?"

"Hm… a doggy!"

"A story about a dog? Well, sure. So, way back, I had this friend named Daruk. He was a big strong Goron—"

"What's a Goron?" Jinx asked, voice filled with wonder.

"A big person made of rock and stone. So, Daruk not only was a Goron, but a mighty warrior…"

Unbeknownst to Link and Jinx, Cotera and Dorothea had long since finished their conversation, and were watching Link talk to the fairy. It would flutter and bounce around, landing on random parts of Link's body while he talked.

"It's not often I get to see him like this." Dorothea admitted quietly, hoping Link wouldn't overhear.

"What do you mean, child?" Cotera asked, her arms folded on the rim of the pool.

"Just… he's always so guarded and on edge all of the time, like he expects to be attacked at any moment. Sometimes it's hard to tell what he's thinking or feeling, but there'll be these moments where who he truly is shines through. When he's getting excited at the prospect of exploring the wilderness, or introducing me to a Korok, or when he gives me something he cooked. Where he has the biggest smile I've ever seen, and a weight's been taken off his shoulders.

"But, then the moment will pass, and he's back to being like stone. I just don't understand why…"

"It's so he doesn't get hurt." Cotera responded quietly, her voice laden with sadness.

"Doesn't get hurt? But he lives in a big city now, in a palace full of guards!"

"He used to live in the castle that the royal family of Hyrule called home, too. I learned much of his history from the Princess, and from the townsfolk when they come to visit me. From what little I've heard, his life has been fraught with hardship after hardship."

"Like what?" Jinx tinkled loudly as he laughed at some part of Link's story. "He doesn't talk about his past much, not even with me. He only just recently told me about Zelda, and even then the only sad part about their story was when she passed."

"Then he did not tell you much." Cotera sighed, sliding back into the water a bit. "To me, it seems like knocking on Death's door is a monthly affair."

"Monthly? I saw him after a battle, beaten and nearly dead… you're saying that happens to him monthly?"

"Yes, I am. He always rushes into danger headfirst to protect others, even when it could cost him his life. Once I regained my powers, if he was close enough I could watch him, and for just the few months I saw him I knew he was a magnet for danger. Bandits, assassins, ancient machines, hordes of monsters… he's fought all of these and more. I don't know this for sure, of course, but I would not be surprised if his entire life has been one battle after another, with a scant few moments of rest in-between."

"…I've seen soldiers like that before. That tell people they feel like they never came back from whatever battle they went to."

"Exactly. He always acts like he's preparing for a fight because, for most of his life, that's the only thing that kept him from an early grave."

"But… but he doesn't have to fight any—"

"You know that's not true." Cotera gently chided. "Anyone who meets him can see the light of his soul, the strength of his convictions. He has to fight. So long as he can, he must."

"Even if he hates fighting? Even if he wishes he could hang up his sword?"

"Even , that may be why he's the Hero, and not anyone else. Who best to wield the great power that comes with such a position, than someone who never wanted it in the first place?"

"Even if he is a hero, there's nothing left for him to fight, is there? He's not the only person who can defeat the world's evils anymore. We have a military and people as strong as he is, he doesn't have to take the world on his shoulders."

"That matters little to him. He has many special abilities, given to him by his lost friends and loved ones, which allow him to walk away from battles others would consider suicidal. So long as he's able to, he will, if only because it saves the life of an ally." Cotera rose up in the water, switching her arms before settling back down. "You love him, don't you?"

"…How did you know?"

"The Princess and I had a very similar conversation when we first met."

Dorothea fell silent, watching as Link closed his eyes again and began to sleep. Judging by Jinx's wings, he had done the same, resting on Link's knee. "…I just want him to be happy."

"He is happy. He wouldn't have returned if he wasn't. Hyrule holds many strong and painful memories for him. They were enough to fully restore his memory from a blank slate, and all of his strongest memories include the Princess. To want to show you the country he alone protects, even when he's reminded of what he's lost… he must love you a great deal."

"…He does." Especially if last night is anything to go by…

"He will need you, then. He's happier, but that pain doesn't go away quite so easily. He will need someone he can rely on, and someone he can talk to when the memories threaten to overcome him."

"But… he doesn't talk about his memories, not if he can help it."

"Because he doesn't want to burden you with the weight of his grief."

"Then… what do I do?"

"Convince him it is a weight you two can bear together."

"…Thank you, Cotera."

"Of course. Now, it has been lovely speaking to you, but being outside the fountain for too long is horrible for my skin. Goodbye!" And with that, Cotera rose up and dove beneath the water.

Dorothea mulled over everything that Cotera had said for a moment. He's been through so much… just what else aren't you telling me? She sighed and shook her head, walking over to his side. Either way… I'll be there for you. She sat down next to him and rested her head on his shoulder, taking his hand in both of hers and holding it in her lap. No matter what.

Next Chapter December 31st.


AN: And another one down the hatch!

So I genuinely really like this chapter. It was something new for me, as I feel a lot more comfortable writing action and fight scenes, but everyone needs a chance to unwind and take a break.

Them going on a picnic was really exactly what I wanted to do for this, but I didn't decide to have them go to Hyrule until like, midway through November? Tbh it was less "it'd be nice to catch up with the other half of our countries" and more, "I know Hyrule way better than I know Fodlan" lmfao

Anyways, I need to come clean about something: Pokemon Scarlet has absolutely taken over my life. It's like I can't stop playing it, it's just too much fun! Tbh I probably haven't given Chapter 10 the attention it needs because of it, so if it seems a little lower quality than normal that's why. Thankfully, I was able to finish it on time (and even got it up a day early!)

One last thing, we officially have a Discord! Link to it will be here and in my bio once the chapter goes live, feel free to join and hang out or chat or whatever.

Link: /VzfWbJuBxv

Anyways, ill see yall for the new year! 2023 BAYBEE!


Far in the mountains of Fodlan, a man stood, his fiery hair wrapped in a scarf that was ratted and torn with age. His long ears perked up as he heard the telltale roar of a Demonic Beast, and he turned towards the next village he was to visit on his journey. He was going to rest for the night, but if the place was in danger, he had little choice.

The man lifted his greatsword, a huge hunk of black metal that anyone smaller than he would struggle to lift, and rested it on his shoulder as he kicked dirt over his campfire and began running. Dark magic thrummed in his veins, churning and spilling forth from his hand as he used its dark abilities to urge his legs into faster motion.

He would arrive on time. There was no other option. If he were to falter, many more innocents would die, and he would not allow that to happen. He knew the pain that kind of loss of life could bring, and he would save as many from such a fate as he could.

For he was the lone male of the Gerudo race, and the mightiest among them. If he could not use his strength to save another, then why would he possess it?

He continued to run, ignoring the dark whispers in the corners of his mind, running towards a danger he had faced many times before, and a future that seemed more and more uncertain with every day that passed.