Scattering Petals
Zelda & Link
Chapter 4: His hometown
When the hero returns home after his recent achievements
Author's Note: Finally! I'm so excited to give Link a solid background! We have seen our characters individually and their common troubles along with their duties. A lot of fanfiction doesn't include a good development for Link as he doesn't say much in the game. However, this is pure fiction, and despite wanting to respect as much as possible the canon, I couldn't just skip Link's personal life. As you know, I'm not a great fan of OCs nor OOC. So I won't be using them as resources. If you believe I can improve my storytelling somehow, please feel welcome to leave a review and express your opinion.
Not surprisingly, Zelda fell ill the next day after her trip to the spring. The whole castle talked about how the princess had almost died while meditating. All kinds of rumours were circling between servants, soldiers, knights, and maids. Some versions were more accurate than others, but all of them had the figure of the hero that saved a freezing-to-death princess. It didn't take long for those stories to reach Castletown, where peasants also took their time to discuss the princess's spiritual journey.
Just in time, King Rhoam was able to act before whispers got loud inside the palace walls. Taking advantage of the princess's sickness, rhoam summoned the escort to give him a rest. So, after receiving such an order along with a generous allowance as gratification for his service, Link decided to head back home. He packed all of his needed pertinences in a backpack and borrowed Epone, his very own horse, to make it faster to Hateno village. He hadn't needed a second thought to determine his next destination. However, his only condition was that he would leave the Master Sword in the princess's hands during his absence.
The last thing Link needed was to be treated differently for being the hero that carried the Master Sword. Hateno village was his hometown and he would continue being a regular visitor.
Along the way, Epona's brownish hair flowed with the wind. Link enjoyed the trip as he hadn't in a long time. His common hylian clothes made him appear like a normal traveler, something he had forgotten. Being one more of the crowd was comforting after so much pressure with his duties in the castle. His gloved hand caressed his mount's mane, receiving a content sound in reply. The sun had been falling upon them during the way and despite the path being clear, Link could notice that they could use a rest. Luckily, somewhere near the horizon, a stable appeared.
"Our lucky shot." Link murmured, silenced by the breeze.
The undercover knight led Epona through the reins, slowly decreasing the velocity. Very soon they arrived at the stable. Epona received the attention she deserved after all their way there, a caretaker made sure of it. Meanwhile, Link entered the building to sit down and have some fruity drink to refresh his weary body. Riding a horse didn't mean that he couldn't get tired as well.
The bartender cleared his throat to catch Link's attention.
"What will it be, mate? May I recommend today's special shakes?" The knight shook his head.
"Just coconut water." Swift hands wrote the order down on the paper. "Alright."
The bartender left Link alone, returning a few seconds later to serve him his drink. As the hero tasted the sweet flavored coconut water, a random conversation caught his senses. There was a couple and two gerudo travelers standing by the entrance, waiting for the personnel to attend to their horses. That gave them enough time to start peculiar small talk that made Link be in his guard.
"If she was about to die, maybe it was because it was Hylia's will." The man commented by the entrance to the tavern.
"Don't be rude." His wife warned him, looking around to make sure nobody listened. "It's the princess you are talking about, dear!"
Link tried to be discreet to keep listening to the popular chit-chat. The language outside Castletown was quite different from the one he was used to.
"I'm just saying, sometimes there's a stray generation in families. Princess Zelda could make herself useful and skip to the next one." The brute man carried on, talking nonsense about the royal family. The two travelers made a weird frown, feeling the contrary about the princess' role.
"I personally think the princess is an example of perseverance." His wife corrected him as soon as she saw the travelers' expression. "Her faith is admirable. I have no doubt her powers will awaken soon."
Luckily for all of them, the conversation took a turn and soon the keeper of the stable led the wed couple to their table. Link kept alert and realized that the rumors about the royal family were present everywhere around the kingdom. And with that, there also existed numerous opinions about Hyrule's rulership. Despite his profound sense of duty and loyalty towards the royal members, Link convinced himself that he has to take that much-needed rest seriously. He had enough trouble in the castle, it was not worth it to get involved in a random stable conversation. After all, he was trying to enjoy his free time.
The hero availed himself of the situation. Nobody knew him, invisible to the world. Outside the castle walls, everything seemed distant. Life went on and meanwhile, the calamity was nearer and nearer. Nevertheless, the kingdom of Hyrule could only use their fate to pray for more time of peace. The clients on the stable talked about the ancient technology found around the area, mentioning from time to time the divine beasts. All of those discoveries were, despite all, a mere backup for the hero and the princess. Now that the sword was in the right hands, princess Zelda was the only one who had yet to unlock her potential. Everybody was aware of it. They were running out of time.
Despite knowing the struggles of hylian citizens, Link could also empathize with the princess. He had witnessed firsthand how all of the pressure was damaging her confidence in her capabilities. Being so many lives at stake, the appointed knight couldn't even imagine how heavy was the weight of the crown princess Zelda carried. The mere thought made him shake his head to vanish the thought of it.
Leaving enough rupees to pay for his drink, Link left his seat and exited the stable. Epona was outside waiting for him, recently combed and refreshed. With a small nod, the knight thanked the caretaker as she handed him the reins. In an agile jump, the hero reached his mount and motioned for it to start their journey.
"Stay safe!" The caretaker exclaimed, waving with her hand at his silhouette as Link disappeared in the horizon.
Hateno village had been covered by the starry night veil by the time the hero arrived. The healthy grass welcomed him along with the chilly breeze. Blue ancestral flames enlightened the path inside the town. Nature's scent hit Link with a sensation of melancholic familiarity. Finally, he was home.
The residents were finishing their daily tasks. Vegetables collected, cuckoos inside the farms, shops, and stores closing, cattle safe and warm in a comforting slumber. Link was so distracted by the rustic sights that Epona almost stumbled upon a Kochi Dye Shop employee that carried a handful of fabric. With a rigid movement, the knight stopped his mount and immediately jumped down to aid the villager.
"Thank Hylia!" The employee muttered. All of his clothes were scattered on the ground. The fright made him drop them. The knight kneeled down to help him collect them before dirt could stain the bright colors. "If something happened to this fabric…" The man continued talking to himself.
Link's callous fingers caressed the soft materials. It had been a casual action, however, the gentleness of the fabric charmed him instantly. It reminded him of his royal blue tunic, the one made for the hero. Thinking harder, he figured that the castle's fabric providers were probably from Hateno Village. Clothing was an important element in the town's economic development.
"Are you selling these?" The knight asked. A navy blue fabric had caught his eye all of sudden. It was a material of high quality for crafting a hood or a coat that could be of use in his travels.
"Of course! These have just arrived, you are the first customer to appreciate their silkiness." The employee talked about his goods with passion. He seemed a peculiar person with a great vocation for his business. "Are you interested in buying? I promise you it's completely worth its price."
The hero remained silent for a few seconds before nodding in agreement.
With Epona carrying his most recent buy, Link reached the top of the hill. His family's house stood in the middle of the field, as comforting as always. Time didn't seem to affect its structure since he had always remembered home that way. The torches next to the entrance were lit, inviting Link's tired legs to reach for its warmth and finally get to rest in his bed. With serene steps, he approached to knock at the door.
Shy and small steps echoed every time louder until the lock was open. The thin figure of a jolly teenager peeked out and immediately recognized the visitor.
"Brother!" She exclaimed in surprise. It took her a moment to accept that her brother had really returned home after a long time.
"Aryll." Link opened his arms for his little sister, she immediately ran and shared a familiar embrace.
"I missed you so much, big brother." She confessed in a happy sigh.
Link patted her sister's back with care. She was taller since the last time he had seen her, her golden head now reached his shoulders. Her hair was also longer though still tied in two low pigtails. Despite the growth, she still had her typical silly and childish expression of joy whenever they were reunited. The tickling of the clock didn't make exceptions and his little sister was slowly becoming a woman despite his absence. His most personal facet wished Aryll could stay little forever so that he wouldn't miss her adolescence. Either way, Link would always be his protective and strong big brother.
The youngest one broke the embrace and gently got a hold of her brother's tired hands, pulling him towards the house. Despite being alone, Aryll had always managed to take care of the house and provide herself with the necessary to live. She wasn't used to her brother's visits, so her enthusiasm was understandable.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't expect you here so I don't have any spare food to cook..." She admitted in realization that probably the knight was hungry.
Link shook his head with a smile. He motioned for her sister to greet Epona, who accepted more than glad the little girl's caresses. The knight searched between everything he had collected, the fabrics included. Then he found his old backpack and his touch recognized what he had been aiming for.
"Who's a fun-loving horse?" Aryll teased Epona with her innocent compliments. She turned her brownish eyes back to her big brother. He was holding stacks of all kinds of foods, their dinner included. "Is that chocolate?!" The girl exclaimed with excitement. For someone like Link, his sister's smile had the highest value in Hyrule.
"Castle souvenirs." He simply explained. The royal cooks would be happy to find he had sneaked into the kitchen once more. But he was too far away to be caught anyways.
While Aryll contemplated everything he had brought, Link tied Epona's reins to the porch's wood. There was some hay and a bucket filled with water, more than enough for her to survive the weekend.
When Link turned, his sister was already inside the house. The scent of fire cooking something followed, luring the hungry knight almost immediately. The comfort of his home made the hero, for once, relax and put his guard down. Aryll had done some modifications since his last stay. She even had freshly collected flowers in the middle of the perfectly clean table and the dishes were as bright as new. No matter the change, the house was in perfect condition. Link's chest was filled with proudness over his not so little sister.
"Father came by last weekend. He told me you are the princess' appointed knight!" She said, as proud as her brother felt. "You have to tell me everything! I wonder how gentle and gracious the princess is."
The knight let out an awkward smile while scratching the back of his head. If she knew how demanding his new duty was…
A scorching flame threatened to burn Aryll's fingers, but Link quickly paced to help her with the cooking. His sister stepped back and sat on the edge of the table. Everyone in their small family claimed that the best cook was him. And for once, his sister craved to enjoy his delicious meals again.
"Where did you say father was again?" Link managed to turn the topic of their catching-up conversation. Talking about how grumpy the princess was, especially with him, could scare his hunger away.
"He was destined to Fort Hateno, not so far this time." He felt relief while hearing that. A part of him couldn't help but feel guilty for leaving the house chores to Aryll alone, especially still being so young. However, their father's duty as knight was a major force nobody could deny. And now Link was going through the same. "So, where's the mythic Master Sword? I need to see it."
Out of pure instinct, Link reached for his back. However, when he felt the void caress his fingers, he suddenly remembered that the sword was waiting for him in the castle. An awkward sloppy smile was drawn on his lips. His sister pouted playfully at him as he stirred the vegetable soup.
"I guess you'll have to come to visit the castle someday if you want to see the sword."
"Really?! Is that possible, you think I could sneak in?!" Aryll got on her feet and paced up and down the living room to contain her excitement, fantasizing about the sceneries she could find in the palace. "Could you introduce me to the princess?! That would be amazing!"
Another awkward laugh escaped Link's lips.
"I don't know. She is really busy with her duties…"
The little one stood next to her brother, arms crossed over her chest. A big pout adorned her face, this time not so playful. Link felt a drop of sweat slide down from his forehead to his cheek. He swallowed hard. He really didn't want to see his little sister use all of her energy into a tantrum. Link shifted in his place, unsure of what to answer.
"I guess you could meet her, of course." He wasn't a fan of telling lies, but he would do anything to ensure his sister's happiness. The girl immediately turned her pout to a wide smile.
"You are the best big brother ever!" A sudden embrace made the knight almost lose his balance. The cooking pot swung side to side but luckily didn't spill its content. Link messily caressed her silky head, teasing her. He obtained a small sound of protest before a new round of teasing and brotherly joking began.
It was just like the old days.
Decent background story for Link, yay! Also, bringing Aryll back because poor Link needs some regular family, his father aside.
Yours,
Stella
