Scattering petals
Link & Zelda
Chapter 10: The Rito Village
When princess and knight use words instead of fight
It took them less than expected to reach the foot of the Rito mountains. The lake under them, as they crossed the first bridge, was irrefutable proof that they were walking towards the right place. The Rito village was just on top of the peaky rocks in the middle of the water. Maybe the skies had been clouded by the snowy storm, but luckily the Hylian troops could still look down to assure they were taking the correct path. The shaky wooden tables were the only assurance that the troops were indeed crossing a bridge and not falling into the water down below. The mere sight and such heights made even the bravest warrior tremble, which in this case was more occupied making sure his highness remained safe. The princess, on the other hand, had never held onto something harder for the sake of her life. If it weren't for the gloves, she would have the palm of her hands calloused due to the friction of the ancient rope. It was obvious that not a lot of travelers dared to enter the Rito terve since the path for non-flying beings was merely taken care of. Taking Revali as an example of how other species were treated among the Rito, it wasn't rare that nobody dared to cross the frontier between terves.
An old wooden table broke in half just when Link placed his foot onto it. The pace froze since he was the one leading. Zelda, unintentionally, let out a squeak she wished she could have hidden but the tension was too much to handle at the moment. If her appointed knight weren't the chosen hero, she would even have the sympathy to hold his arm as a sign of reassurance. But she didn't allow herself to forget the pitiful position she was in: a useless reincarnation with no power at all. And, before her, there he was, the legendary hero protecting a dozen people from unstable woods at an unmentionable height above the land.
Nevertheless, the storm was eventually banished and the Hyrulean troops arrived safely to the other side of the bridge. There, before the first stair that led to the village, were a couple of guards watching the perimeter. Zelda had never been more relieved to see a weapon pointed at her. They finally made it.
"Princess Zelda, in the name of our Chieftain, we welcome you to our tribe." The eldest Rito guard announced. At least he seemed less problematic than Revali, judging by the tone of his voice. "Please, make yourself at home. You can wait by the campfire until the preparations for your stay are finished."
The troops didn't question the Rito's offering and soon found their place by the campfire, just beneath the first Rito houses. The rocky spot made a shield against the cold wind that, along with the fire, made the weary Hyruleans feel better. Zelda stayed aside, thanking the two guards, and engaging in casual conversation about their trip and the shallow details of their plan to defeat Calamity Ganon. Judging by the rito's behavior, Revali was the only one refusing to cooperate. Not for his actual goal but because of his huge ego. The guards described him as a complicated but very noble warrior. The princess could only nod in agreement with a slight smile and continue to give small talk.
A loud pitch pierced the skies, the Rito sign that the chieftain was ready to welcome Hyrule's royalty. Princess Zelda motioned for Link to wait in their temporary camp as Revali seemed somehow violent with his presence, so the knight obeyed and stayed on the wooden roof, ears sharp in case something happened. He trusted that Zelda and her courtesy would end making Revali give in to aid in the war against Ganon as a champion, but she would need sweet talk and some patience to achieve it.
Link took that moment by himself to rest, sitting at the edge and contemplating how enormous Hyrule was. The infinite land at his feet, the sight before him, the path they left behind during this first part of their travel… Everything was at stake against Ganon. Earning the four champions' trust was crucial in order to succeed. And Revali, for now, seemed the most complex to convince.
Speaking of which…
"Hello?" A voice yelled from the sky. Link's blue eyes scanned between the clouds to find the cocky rito flying with grace. "Sky calling to Hyrule's hero. Is your head empty or what?"
Link frowned and stood up to face the flying Rito who, with a swirl, managed to quickly fly towards the cliff where Link was standing. He inspected each one of the knight's features carefully and Link didn't show a hint of his true emotions to the rito warrior. He knew better than to fall into stupid arguments, especially if those were meaningless.
"I can't believe you are the one in charge of the sword. The person wielding it should be as legendary as it. As far as I can see, you are just a disoriented teenager." Revali continued mocking Link, who at this point was just surprised by the rito's attitude.
"Shouldn't a leader be more polite to their guests?" He muttered loud enough for Revali to hear Link's words through the wind.
"Do you want to find out why I'm the chosen leader of this tribe? Is that what you're asking for? A duel?" Revali snarled at Link and waved his right wind from side to side to try and erase the unexpected answer the silent knight gave him. "You can't even fly! You are truly clueless if you think you're capable of defeating me from the land."
"Try me." Link defied.
"Even if your archery skills were insane, you couldn't stand a chance against me. Are you sure you are willing to battle?" Link nodded. "I hope the princess doesn't care if you end up bruised. On second thought, if you fall down the cliff I will be the hero Hyrule needs. It will be my honor to serve the kingdom by getting rid of a nuisance like yourself."
A sudden impulse from the rito warrior made the wind hit Link's face, brushing his dirty blonde hair out of his sight. In just a few seconds, Revali had managed to create thick clouds that made his presence in the air stealthier. However, the knight stood his ground and got prepared to receive a hit from the sky. Link could tell, depending on the moment, Revali's trajectory in the sky and to protect himself used the shield in front of his body, following his rival's movements.
A sparkly arrow was lit up in the sky. What Link at first identified as an explosive ended up being a group of several arrows that split with the fall, surrounding the knight and making the wood under his feet tremble. Curiously, Revali had enough precision while aiming from the sky that he managed to not break any of the wooden structures and still distract Link, who was surrounded by a cloud of gunpowder, dirt, and ground.
The sound of Revali's swift wings alerted the knight, who managed to sense the warrior coming at him. With only the aid of his metallic shield, Link stood firmly and pushed forward to finally meet the rito's impact with his avian feet. The impact made the whole village shake and to ensure everyone's safety, Link let go of his hold and sacrificed his shield so he could have enough time to distract Revali and move to safer ground. The rito made as he had sketched, charging against the shield until his own strength sent him forward as Link sneaked out of the village.
With an agile jump from the wooden structure, the hylian knight landed near the camp where his fellow fighters were resting. Meanwhile, up in the sky, Revali was creating larger wind swirls to gain impulse and return to the heights where he was unpredictable with his attacks. Link took advantage of those valuable seconds and ran to the opposite side of the terve to avoid bothering the citizens or the hylian knights.
"You may think you're good…" Revali muttered once he reached the top of the skies, his wings weary from the strength used to ascend so quickly. He spotted the figure of the appointed knight and quickly switched his position to attack, bow in his back ready to strike. "But I'm way better than you."
With that last affirmation, Revali loaded his bow with an explosive arrow and descended at great velocity from the clouds. Forming twirling wind hurricanes while flying downwards was way easier thanks to gravity, so when the rito was about to touch the floor, about 10 inches away from the knight, he used his wings to make the melting snow turn into an intense fog. And suddenly, the strike that Link was expecting didn't come. The rito snarled and rolled to one side to gain more impulse, making the wind blow in poetic chaos with Link trapped right in the middle.
With his sword ready to be unsheathed, the hylian knight closed his eyes and relied on his hearing to detect the rito warrior among the snow particles floating all around. The air stream had its origin behind him, so Link used his sword to cut the trajectory. Revali's emerald eyes found the edge of the sword before him and in a hurried movement made a somerset while charging his bow with another arrow, pointing straight at Link. The knight saw in slow-motion how the metal point of the arrow was threatening to pierce his chest and tried to be swifter by swinging the mystical sword in its way.
"Stop, please!" Zelda's worried yell echoed through the snow and in the air.
Link ended his movement, managing to intercept the trajectory of the arrow, letting it fall far away on the floor. Revali stopped his wings and landed in a rigid stance with a defiant glance. Both faced the princess, who had hurried to go downstairs and exit the village all alone and seemed extremely panicked by the situation.
"There's no chance of winning the war against Calamity Ganon if the champions waste their efforts fighting each other." The princess tried to talk some sense into them.
While the appointed knight nodded and returned by her side, Revali stood proudly in the distance, his back turned, now with his bow sheathed safely.
"Thankfully no harm befell either of you." Zelda let out a long sigh before continuing, making intense eye contact with the rito. "We need to reunite the four champions to face Ganon's threat together." She insisted.
"Out with it." Revali's words surprised both Link and Zelda. He turned to pace slowly towards them. "Your Highness will be needing my unique skills to pilot the Divine Beast, isn't that right?"
The princess nodded reluctantly, not having a clue about the sudden change of behavior with the rito warrior. With his wings hidden behind his back in agonizing slow steps, he paced until being a few inches away from Link, who was far smaller than him. That physical fact made Revali puff his chest out with grace to accentuate his form. The princess noticed a spark of rivalry between both of them, something she recalled seeing before in her appointed knight's glance but not quite sure with whom.
"About this pathetic knight in your service… Are you sure he's got what it takes to lead us?
"For the last time, Revali." Zelda tried to dodge the topic since she wasn't even sure about what to answer to that constant question that everyone enjoyed so much bringing up. "There is no such thing as ranking between the champions. Link was the first one to be recruited, that's why-..."
The avian warrior waved his wing before the princess, forgetting about the knight.
"Nonsense. I'm sure a visit to the Divine Beast will change your mind. I assure you Vah Medoh is the key to our victory." Revali pointed at the sky with his feathers, showing proudly the ancient mechanism that was surrounding the RIto village. Zelda was more than eager to deal with the ancient mechanics of the first divine beast she had seen and Revali took advantage of that enthusiasm. The bird kneeled down for Zelda to hop on his back, but Link got in the way.
"Uh - uh, little boy. I can only carry one person at a time. And with my protection, the princess will be safe up there." Revali spat at the appointed knight, who was slightly pissed at the fact that the princess had to fly to floating machinery that could be used as a weapon in a war.
"Worry not, Link. Take a break. I'll be back before you notice." Zelda added to calm the ambiance between the two champions. "I'll be careful, I promise."
With one last presumptuous glance, Revali kneeled down and carried the princess on his back, creating an air stream that elevated them both in the sky. The weight on Link's back from the sword suddenly felt heavier.
It was noon already and the Rito village was at peace. With its divine beast guarding the sky, the people there slept safely and without any worries. Link was probably the only one still awake from the hylian troops. He just couldn't get some rest while knowing the princess was in unknown terve with Revali, who insisted on taking a nocturne trip around the land through the skies with her. As if the trip to Vah Medoh had been a piece of cake… He couldn't understand why Zelda, who was always so prude, had accepted going for a fly with the leader of the rito warriors.
The appointed knight wasn't worried about the princess' safety. He knew that despite the rough personality Revali possessed, she would be safe in his care. After all, the battle that morning had been a skillful one. Revali had uncomparable archery skills and his swiftness in the sky was clearly something unmatched. Then, why did Link feel so uneasy while Zelda was away with him?
The knight shook his head and stared at the starlight sky. It was late indeed. The possibility of being worried over nothing crossed Link's mind. Maybe Zelda was back and he hadn't noticed from the camp. Before he could be even conscious about it, Link went upstairs to the reserved room the rito leader had given to the hylian princess.
He found the room as it had been before, with no traces of the princess around. The sheikah slate wasn't there either, an infallible sign that Zelda hadn't returned yet. From the bedroom Link could see the mesmerizing surroundings covered by a nocturne veil. If he bent down, the hint of the bonfire of the temporary hylian camp below could also be seen. On the other hand, the Divine Beast continued circling the Rito Village as a silent vigilante. The air felt colder and lighter at night, only the crickets were singing soothing lullabies. Such a peaceful scenery made Link feel at home, as strange as it seemed. There were few moments that he could spend surrounded by silence, without any duty present explicitly.
During those minutes as a normal boy, Link analyzed the room to ensure its safety. Curiosity brought him further, more specifically to the desk. Some unfinished letters were sprawled across the wood. The princess' calligraphy was unmistakable. On one side also laid a closed notebook, something Link had seen before around the castle, probably the princess' diary. He was no fool to dare open such a personal journal, be it personal thoughts or investigation notes. Those letters, however, managed to wake up some curiosity in the silent knight. The princess had used some spare time to explain her trip to Tabantha to the handmaid, Impa, who seemed to be in Kakariko village judging by the envelope ready to be sent.
Link started reading the first sentences of the letter almost unconsciously. The beginning was filled with courtesy words and royal fanfare accompanied by a dose of polite expressions that turned that speech worthy of the Hylian princess. However, as the letter went by, Zelda got more personal and started telling her best friend the details of her journey.
"Today I recruited the second champion. Well, he prefers to be referred to as "the champion" since his start with Link has been… conflictive. At first sight, he seems antipathetic though later I visited the divine beast with him and I managed to peel some of the layers off to discover a loyal and preoccupied leader of the rito warriors. He is not a bad person at all. However, his cold treatment towards Link worries me. He has been handling his presence with constant threats and defiance that might end up demotivating him. That's the last thing we need since I'm the only one lacking the confidence to face the upcoming war…"
"Link. You are still awake." The princess mumbled, now standing at the entrance of her private room.
The knight felt his heart skipping a beat. His Highness had just seen him sneaking through her letters. However, Princess Zelda seemed unbothered by that and was more surprised to find him still on his feet.
Suddenly, Link was speechless. More than usual. And that was a strong affirmation since he rarely spoke. The fact that Zelda was so worried to even mention his well-being to a close friend in a letter meant a lot to him. He thought lowly of himself, a nuisance that had been set on her path by the king. However, that letter to Impa showed some progress in their relationship. It was no surprise for either of them that Zelda disliked Link at the beginning of the assignment. However, now things were slow in transition. If he didn't screw up by being nosy and reading letters he shouldn't.
The princess felt Link's discomfort while checking on the last pictures she had taken from the nocturne skies. Leaving aside the ancient tech for once, Zelda gawked at her appointed knight, who was paler and quieter than normal. Once again, more than usual.
"Are you alright? Did you get hurt while fighting Revali earlier?"
The princess' concern made Link feel even more surpassed by the situation. Suddenly he didn't know how to even remain on his feet. Social anxiety fellows knew the feeling. Besides, she was in the princess room, where he shouldn't be during a journey like this.
"Pardon me. I shouldn't be here." He managed to reply, not even caring to answer her questions.
"Hold on. I need a word with you." Zelda spoke, taking a slight hold on his sleeve as he tried to exit the quarters. Link prayed to Hylia for the princess not to be mad at him, though it would be deserved, for going through her stuff. Nevertheless, her face didn't hint at anything like that at all. He remained silent to give way for Zelda to speak freely. The tension made the princess shiver and she convinced herself that it was due to the cold wind of the night.
"Impa has been doing her research on the chamber of resurrection, about those writings on the wall in an ancient alphabet." She solemnly informed. "Care to bring this letter to the rito messengers?"
Zelda pointed at the paper in his hands and Link felt a cold drip of sweat slide down his forehead. He folded the paper and placed it inside the envelope that was already prepared on the desk and nodded without saying anything. The princess remained expectant as if she wanted to say something more. Link also wished to ask about her trip to Vah Medoh with the stubborn Revali, but he knew better.
"Something else?" Within the silence, Zelda could notice for the first time the first signs of a mature man developing in Link's voice. Low tones could be heard among his now maturing words, even though most of the time he lacked speech.
"We will leave tomorrow morning. Inform the rest of the troops, please." The princess concluded, making her way deeper into the chambers to indicate that he was dismissed for the night.
As soon as Link stepped out of the room, the sword on his back let out a strange pulse. He looked around to see if the princess had also noticed it, but she was already taking a seat and untangling her braided hair. It wasn't the first time he experienced a strange vibration from the ancient sword. On one hand, he was concerned about the meaning of those energetic changes on the sword as he didn't know the meaning of it. On the other hand, he felt relieved because he was the only one capable of sensing it, meaning that surely he was the hero of the myths. That comforted him. Even though he made an effort to not show any concern, Revali's words had managed to unsettle him. Deep down only he knew the pressure of having to seal the darkness with the almighty sword that he carried on his back.
It had been a while since the last update, guys. But good news: I have the next two chapters already ready to publish. I started writing during the summer though I had to read again the story to place the details I had sketched a long ago.
Next chapter will get deeper into Link's thoughts and we will have some interesting development (though not romantic yet). Stay patient!
