Chapter 17
Champions
Sadly, Revali and I didn't get much of a chance to play. Soon after they arrived, the Rito were ushered away to find their rooms and prepare for tonight's ball. Revali followed his tribe reluctantly, leaving me to my station.
Once again, I was expected to wait on aching feet for the incoming Gerudo party. This, unfortunately, had the side effect of giving me a lot of time to, metaphorically, sit and think. I had just had my first meeting with one of the warriors who would one day become one of the legendary Champions. That time with Urbosa didn't count, I thought. I was too busy having an existential crisis to really process that. Right now, he was just a sassy little ball of fluff. Eventually, though, he would become one of the greatest warriors the Rito would ever see, master of the skies, and pilot of the Divine Beast Vah Medoh. Eventually, the adorable little ball of smug childish pride, would be destined to die.
A chill rolled down my spine and I repressed a grimace. We were the same age right now, but if things continued the way they did in the game, he would die before he turned seventeen. I couldn't help but think of another girl who never got the chance to see her majority. I couldn't help but think of the isolation of those first nine months, trapped in the darkness, barely able to move. Completely aware. Knowing that I would never get to see my family again, that all my dreams and plans for the future, that everything that I had fought and strove for was gone. That I was never going to get any of it back. It had been almost five years since then, and I had started to recover and heal, started to make new friends and family, but I still wouldn't wish that on anyone. I don't know if my reincarnation was some sort of divine fluke or not, if I had accidentally messed up dying somehow and ended up reincarnated as Zelda by accident. Even still I knew what it was like to die. I wouldn't—no, I couldn't let that happen to Revali. He didn't deserve that, NO ONE deserved that.
I'd already made plans on how to defeat Calamity Ganon. First on the list was keeping my mother alive. I'd started sneaking into the kitchens and learning what I could about potions, what ingredients would heal in a dangerous situation, then studying my hammerspace and always keeping at least one healing potion or hearty piece of food in there. Reading up on the dangers and issues of Hyrule to make sure I was prepared the best I could be for any danger that might come our way.
Despite all of that I had yet to really think of the Champions, other than in passing. They hadn't been important to me. They hadn't been real to me, more of an afterthought. Until now. Now, things were different, I had just seen a Champion, I had just met a small child with a bright future whose life would be stolen away by Calamity Ganon. Revali, at least from what I knew from the games, and what I know of him now, would have had a bright future ahead of him. Ward to the chief of Rito Village, best archer of his generation, he must have been admired and praised, having had comrades and friends that he lost to his untimely death. On top of that, I knew more about the political structure of Hyrule and Rito Village now. The Rito had a meritocratic rulership: after the old chief either retired or died, the next chief would be chosen from the best warriors, strategists, craftsmen, and thinkers of the village. Revali would have been a natural choice to follow his adoptive father.
But most importantly, Revali was a person. He was a man—no, he was a child with hopes, dreams, and a future ahead of him. A sixteen year old who was probably still blushing and stuttering around his crushes. Who was going through the hell that was puberty, dealing with hormones, his self image, what he was going to do with his life, and still being a kid!
Right now he was just a little chick with large eyebrows, a smug little smirk, and downie feathers that were just about ready to start falling out.
Revali was a person, and he didn't deserve to die because Demise was a sore loser and Ganon decided that if he had to suffer, so did everyone else. None of the champions deserved that.
"Zelda look! Here comes the Gerudo delegation!" Dottie exclaimed, nugging me with her hip. My attention turned to the party of Gerudo warriors on horseback, quickly approaching our party. The warriors wore fine clothes of silk mixed with gold and glinting jewels, all glistening in the midday sun, but the lady in front shone far brighter than her comrades. Bathed in gold and sitting tall and proud upon her majestic steed, there rode the lady of the golden sands and sun. The queen of the desert tempest, mistress of lightning, chief of Gerudo Town, and ruler of the Gerudo people, Lady Urbosa.
"Lady Urbosa." My mother beamed as she stepped toward Urbosa, who smoothly dismounted her horse and landed on the ground with a jingle of her armor and a grin.
"Your Majesty my Queen, King Bosphoromus, it's a great honor to be here." she bowed and smoothly kissed my mothers outstretched hand.
"Enough with the formality, Sparky! Come, you really must meet my daughter! Zelda, come up here please!" My mother beamed and gestured for me to come forward.
As I trotted to my mothers side, I couldn't help but be intimidated by the fierce warrior standing in front of us. The golden Gilgamesh swathed in vibrant silks, with a silver sickle hanging by her side, glinting in the midday sun. Also, it didn't help that she was tall. Like REALLY tall. She stood a full head and shoulders above my mom, and I only reached her thighs. I had to crane my neck just to see her face.
"She's just as cute as you told me she was in your letters." Urbosa smiled gently and crouched down to my level. "Hello princess, my name is Urbosa. Your mom and I have been friends since we were your age." I already like her, simply because she was polite enough to crouch.
I dropped into the elegant curtsy Granny had drilled into me, and smiled at the woman politely, albeit nervously. "I am honored to make your acquaintance, Lady Urbosa. It's a genuine pleasure to meet you. I have heard much of your valor, and anyone who my mother holds in high enough regard as to call a friend must be a person of the highest character!" Oh my god, what just came out of my mouth? Did I trip and throw up a Jane Austen novel? I withheld a cringe, that wasn't awkward at all! That was EXACTLY what I wanted to say to the kick butt queen of a tribe of warrior women who I kinda want to be when I grew up. And, I thought, my mom's best friend.
Urbosa's eyebrows rose and she shot my mom an impressed glance. She gave me a bigger smile. "You told me she was smart and polite, but I'm starting to think you were making an understatement." I could feel myself starting to turn red, a blush rising up the back of my neck and burning my face, but I was totally fine! Totally, totally, totally fine!
Urbosa smiled and swept me up to sit on her shoulder like a large parrot and stood in one smooth motion, ignoring the surprised laughter of my mom and the aborted squeak that came out of my mouth. I instinctively gripped her hair to keep myself steady. "So little princess, why don't you tell me a little about yourself while we walk to the castle?" That was like 40 pounds she just picked up, one handed, and was now walking with on one shoulder as if it was nothing. I was now CERTAIN that I was blushing a fire engine red as we attracted the attention of the rest of the party.
…
I'm not sure if I want to be exactly like her when I grow up or if I want to date someone exactly like her.
Sadly, I didn't get to talk to Urbosa for very long, because as soon as we reached the castle, Granny swept me up and hustled me away. I got lunch, and was made to take an extra long nap because I had been woken up early, and was going to need to stay up late for tonight's party as well.
I had only been slightly upset about this. I really had been starting to get tired, and the only thing that had kept me from getting grumpy from the lack of sleep was my starry eyed wonder at the absolute QUEEN that Urbosa was. Both metaphorically and literally.
Now that I had been fed, watered, and had taken a nap, it was back to the grind for the party tonight. I was currently being scrubbed within an inch of my life by Dottie, as Granny sorted through my wardrobe and jewelry to find what I was going to be wearing for tonight. And by jewelry, I don't mean the plastic jewels and beads that were the extent of most five year old's jewelry chests. I mean real gold and silver jewelry, with precious stones and everything all sized for a five year old's tiny proportions. There were even a few tiny tiaras that Granny had found somewhere, that she was now examining to find the one that would match the outfit she picked out for me best.
"I think that's good enough, Delilah, just get started on her hair. It can dry when you style it." Granny commanded, finally seeming to select a crown that she deemed good enough.
"Got it. Do you want her hair loose, in braids, or in an updo?" Dottie was all business now, literally lifting me out of the tub and efficiently drying me off, ignoring my protests of being a big girl who could manage to get out of a tub and dry herself off, thank you very much.
"Braids, and updo would make it look like we're trying too hard for her to seem mature and we can't be certain that her hair will be dry by the ball so we can't risk leaving it down. Now princess, if you would start getting dressed in the base layer, please." Dottie nodded determinedly and started to rummage through my drawers to grab some ribbons that would match my dress while I sighed and started to get dressed.
This was going to be a long night.
My head hurts.
Dottie and Granny had finally deemed me done and released me from their clutches, and I'll admit that they did good work. I was dressed in a beautiful blue and silver dress that subtly sparkled in the candle light, my hair had been pulled back into elegant braids interwoven with sky blue silk ribbons that made my eyes pop. My make up was immaculate and looked barely there. The silver crown was subtle yet striking. I looked like a china doll painted by a master artisan, worth thousands of dollars.
But the crown was tugging on my hair, making my head hurt; the silk of the dress was made up of wasn't that great of an insulator and I was cold; and the ribbons that bound my wrists could get tangled in my lyre's strings, so I had no idea how they expected me to play in this.
I could already tell that this night was going to be great. Sarcasm who? I don't know her.
My mother entered my room, a frantic smile on her face. "Zelda, baby, there you are! Do you have your lyre?"
I nodded.
"Great! I'm going to need you to get up on the dais soon, we're going to start the ball with your performance. Do you know where Ila is? She said that she'd get me an update on the kitchen's progress after the issue with the moldy fruit. Oh Hylia, I don't have time-" the whirlwind that was my mother swept back into the sanctum, fretting nervously as she watched the servants put the final touches to the night's decorations.
"I'm right here, Your Majesty. The issue with the fruit has been resolved. Helga had the brilliant idea to make a fruit cake with the fruit jams and preserves we already had to replace the glazed fruits we were going to have." I jumped startled, wiping my head around to look at Granny when she came out of nowhere. I guess Mother isn't the only one with frayed nerves, I thought wryly, pressing a hand to my rapidly beating heart.
"Great! Zelda, hurry up to the dais! The servants are due to let the guests in any second now!" I nodded hurriedly before rushing to get up on stage. Once this is all over with, hopefully Mother will calm down.
I'm not going to lie, this chapter was really difficult. I rewrote it like 5 times so it's late, the process can be a bitch.
I have art of Zelda in her dress for the party up on my tumblr! Both on my main tumblr desolate-rose and my art tumblr hey-art-is-cool-I-guess or you could just search the tag t.a.i! (Come yell at me on tumblr! I'm always happy to answer questions!)
Heitor- I'm glad to see you again! It's kinda a funny coincidence that when I got your review I was writing the whole thing about saving the champions, as for the whole saving mipha thing that would spoil some of my plans if I told you now ;). Yha grammar is hard I'll eventually get around to fixing it, eventually. I really appreciate that you noticed how I incorporated the game elements! I've spent waaaaayyyy to long thinking and world building with them '-_- as for jiro Dottie thinks he's charming enough and that's honestly all he needs, even if he's making a bit of a fool of himself from Zelda's point of view. The whole sun bit was supposed to metaphorical and I totally didn't think about the perspective of the other characters when I wrote it but looking back at it it is pretty funny, I'm thinking it's a optical illusion that works from where most of the shika and Zelda are standing but granny just sees her change sticking her hand up in the air and grabbing at something like an idiot :p when Zelda (eventually) remembers about there awesome magic tech she'll definitely want to get her hands on it but for now our oblivious little princess is a bit distracted. Zelda can be really smart in some ways and not in others. Like she will make the connection between purah the child and purah the character and STILL completely forget about ancient tech even when that is purahs whole thing. Also I wanna see Zelda with a lightsaber now or a chainsaw. Thanks for the review and I'm so glad to have you reading my stories!
Dragonmaster150- BIRB FRIENDSHIP IS A GOOOOOO! I'm excited to write his character, don't worry while the friendship will have an affect on his character he'll still be the cocky little shit we know an love
Floatingash- glad to have you! I hope I did our queen of the sands justice!
Greta- I'm glad you like it! I hope you stick around! If you want other self insert Zelda fics verymerrysioux has a few that are very good but there all unfinished and abandoned :( there what actually inspired me to write this!
Thelka- I'm so glad to have you! There is a sad lack of self insert stories in this fandom but At least there is now at least one more! (Also see the message I left Greta above if you want to see at least two more self insert Zelda's even if there not for botw)
Bellz_heaven- we all deserve to act a little like a brat once in a while- as a treat . Thank you so much for the compliments! My spelling and grammars a little iffy but hey, that's what the second draft is for ;)
