Chapter Fourteen

Two days later Link, Paya, Gaddison and two of the sheikah entourage had finally arrived at Kakariko village. Cado's eyes lit up at the first sighting of them, running immediately up the stairs and inside to tell Lady Impa of their return.

But no one dared get close to the home. Link and Paya took their time with their horses, neither wanting to deliver the news of what had happened.

A battle. A clash between the good and the bad. Between the heroes and the Yiga dressed in white.

The Yiga were left for dead.

And they brought home two of their own who had lost the battle themselves.

Orlo seemed to be the strongest of the group when it came to losing comrades. He left his horse with Paya, going ahead to the home. He'd be the bearer of bad news. For Paya's sake.

For Link's sake.

Impa was standing when the man entered.

Orlo gave a small bow, stepping forward after. "I have a report. Although it would be best to hear it from in the words of Master Link, it is hard news to deliver."

"Continue." Impa nodded to Orlo.

"While on our way returning to the Village, we were ambushed by nearly eighty Yiga dressed in white. We fought bravely, taking down the majority of the group. A few escaped, but it was an overall victory. Unfortunately, despite their bravery, two Sheikah lost their lives. Elda and Kodell fought well. We managed to return with their bodies so a proper funeral can be performed."

Impa's heart sank at the names of her fallen people, but she stood tall. Strong. The great leader of her race. "Thank you, Orlo. The funeral preparations will proceed quickly. I will speak personally to the fallen's remaining family immediately."

Orlo bowed again, looking to Impa as the elder spoke once more.

"Both Master Link and my granddaughter have returned as well, I presume. Send them to me quickly. There is something important that must be done immediately."

The sheikah nodded, quickly leaving to retrieve the two from where he'd left them moments ago.

Minutes later and the duo were entering Impa's home. Link held his ground. He ached for the loss of those he couldn't protect, but he was a soldier at heart. He could bite back his emotions for a while longer.

Paya, on the other hand, barely made it inside before her tears started to stream. She ran forward, embracing her grandmother as she completely broke in her arms.

"Paya, my sweet girl," Impa ran her fingers through her granddaughter's hair, her eyes falling shut as she thanked the Goddesses for her safe return. "I should scold you and tell you to be strong for the fallen, but I too am overcome with emotion. I thought the worst." She moved to cup the face of Paya, looking at her with teary eyes of her own, "Thank you for returning to me, my sweet Papaya."

Well, now Link was uncomfortable. He felt like he had walked in on a private reunion, stepping from one foot to another awkwardly before Impa cleared her throat.

"Master Link. You must hurry. There is a torch outside the shrine by the Great Fairy Fountain. Light it. Princess Zelda and my sister have locked themselves away in the shrine for protection, awaiting your return."

Link's eyes widened.

He had questions.

Those questions could wait.

He nodded, leaving the home and running towards the fire that almost always burned near the Goddess statue across from the home. He lit a torch he'd found nearby, following his usual path to the Great Fairy Fountain, and thus the shrine he assumed Impa had indicated.

He lit the torch, waiting for something magical to happen. Some sort of sheikah technology to light up. But no. It was simply a torch sat in front of a shrine.

Link took a seat on the bridge near the shrine, rolling up the pant legs of his trousers, taking off his boots and socks as well and dipping his feet into the pond below. His body screamed in relief, the cool water dancing around his legs as he started to kick them childishly.

He decided to wash clean the blood from his tunic, pulling it off and dipping it in the water below. He was no maid, not often cleaning his clothes if he was brutally honest, but meeting up with the Princess in blood soaked clothing would probably only worry her greatly.

He grabbed a smooth stone, staring at it briefly before shrugging and deciding that was good enough to rub away the crusty blood. Was he right? Well, it worked. Probably not the most practical option, but he continued nonetheless.

For the Princess to lock herself away, she must be worried. At least she had Purah with her, and since the shrines could only be accessed with the slate it seemed like the most logical option.

Where was Robbie, though? It was mentioned he'd be here, but Impa made no comment into his location. Strange. Perhaps it had simply slipped her mind upon the realization her granddaughter had returned.

Link was still working on cleaning his tunic when a familiar voice chimed out from the direction of the shrine.

"Are you washing your clothes...with a rock-"

"Don't look, Princess Zeldy! Link's practically naked!"

Purah. Link groaned.

"Purah, honestly," Zelda huffed back, the childlike scientist reaching up as far as she could in an attempt to shield the Princess' eyes.

"You're too pure for such a sight!" Purah insisted, turning Zelda around so her back was to Link. "Linky, cover up! You're in the presence of Goddess blood here!"

"My shirts wet," Link stood from his place on the side of the bridge, kicking the water from his shins the best he could.

"Here," Purah took the slate from Zelda's hip, walking it over to Link and grinning, "Woah, is that another new scar! I'll definitely need to update your charts-"

Link quickly pulled the slate from Purah's hands, producing a green tunic from its inventory and pulling it on.

"You're safe, Princess! You can thank Doctor Purah for saving your pure little eyes."

"Oh, hush it." Zelda finally turned around, ignoring the scientists rambling for now and stepping closer to Link as he unraveled the cuffs of his pants. "You're okay. We were so worried."

"I wasn't worried-"

Zelda pushed Purah's shoulder to silence her, hands clasped in front of herself after as she looked up at Link. "What's happened?"

"An ambush. Eighty or so Yiga dressed in white attacked. We lost two of the escorts in the battle." Link offered the slate back, which Zelda refused. It was far more useful to Link, after all. "Impa told me you were hiding out in the shrine."

"We hadn't the slightest idea what was happening. It seemed like the safest place at the time," She looked to Purah, who was now trying to reach an apple from a branch too high up for her. "I think she's acting like more of a child with you around." Zelda glanced to Link once more with a smirk, "Maybe she has a crush-Hey!" Zelda rubbed her arm where an apple had hit her.

"Sorry, it slipped." Purah shrugged, taking a bite of another apple before running over to stand between the two. "Let's get going, oh chosen ones. There's no reason to be in this silly woods any longer. Plus, I'm starving! A growing girl can't survive on snacks alone!"

Zelda rolled her eyes, but walked alongside her friend anyways, heading back towards the village. "Was anyone else injured?"

"No, thankfully. Paya was so cool, though. She fights just like Impa used to! Multiplying herself and disappearing and wow. It was cool."

"You're remembering again." Zelda pointed out.

Purah finished her apple, tossing the core to the ground as she looked back and forth between the two during their conversation.

"Yeah. There's a lot to unpacked, honestly. When I was fighting, it was this aching feeling like memories wanted to inch their way from the back of my head."

"That would make sense. It's rather exciting to hear, actually. You could remember something soon of someone other than myself."

"Or you could remember more of how useless Princess Zelda was before she awakened her power."

"That's enough from you, missy. Keep this up and you're going in time out." Zelda pointed a finger at Purah, waving it like a mother at their child. "I'll tell Link all the things you told me in the shrine."

"Oh? And then I'll tell him everything you told me." Purah smirked.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Oh, wouldn't I?" Purah looked up, holding onto Link's arm, "Hey, Linky, want to hear about the time you and-"

Zelda was soon picking up Purah by her armpits, the scientist kicking her legs in an attempt to escape.

Link stared at the two for a moment before simply breaking into laughter. He'd just returned from basically a battlefield, meeting up with the Princess after days of worry, and her biggest issue in his time away was an old friend being far too nosy for her own good. It was comical. It was a relief.

He had no reason to worry in this moment.

But the hill to the village soon ended, and reality needed to be faced. Many sheikah had already gathered in front of Lady Impa's home. Family members stood on the stairs, crying at the loss of their loved ones.

It reminded Link of something. A certain day. His father had brought Link to the Queen's funeral. He remembered his father had teared up as he looked over the casket of the beloved Queen. He remembered looking to the Princess. How she hadn't cried. Her subjects, the people of Hyrule, were seen weeping from the area surrounding the Temple of Time, but Princess Zelda only stared at the corpse.

Now, in the present, Link looked to the Princess who's heart shattered for the loss of others. Of those she barely knew. What was it she had thought about upon seeing her mother's lifeless body? It was so different, her response to the fall of two escorts, than that of her own family.

Link stepped closer to Zelda's side, grabbing her elbow gently and looking up at her. In his memory, he felt drawn to doing the same, but child Link never did. Here, on the other hand, he wouldn't let Zelda suffer in silence.

She turned her head to him, smiling a bit at the gesture and setting her hand on top of Link's before looking back to the mourning family. She wanted to say something, but she had learned years ago that words in these moments never sounded right. It was actions that did the talking. Her and Impa standing before them, mourning along with the family of the fallen, was far more powerful than any words she could muster.

Soon enough the families descended the stairs, each member stopping to speak with the Princess. She had let go of Link's hand, blessing each with words of wisdom and strength. The words of not only a future Queen but the words of the Goddess who slept within her blood. Link admired every second of it. The way she had grown in such a short period of time.

And after the families had headed home to prepare for the resting of those lost, Zelda's posture shrank. Her noble strength disappeared, and her hand returned to Link's once more.

The two remained silent as she tugged him along, past the house, up the hill and past the shrine until their view of the village had disappeared. He expected her to cry, then, but she didn't. She took a seat, leaning against a tree and dragging her hand through her hair. "How many more of my people's blood will be left on my hands before I even wear a crown?"

"You had nothing to do with this."

"Link, please." Zelda held up her hand, meeting his eyes, "We both know why the Yiga were there. It wasn't to lessen the numbers of the Sheikah. It was to kill me, as they did my mother."

The hero knelt before the Princess, taking her hands in his own as he had done many times in the past few weeks. "Princess, they knew what they had agreed to. They were aware of the previous attack and the possibility of another. Their blood is not on your hands, it is on that of the Yiga who murdered them."

"Link," Zelda sighed, squeezing his hands and looking away, "I've begun to grow numb at the feeling of death. I fear I'm losing one of the traits most needed to rule a kingdom."

"Nonsense. You've done the complete opposite. You've grown to be stronger for your people. It is similar to that of a knight, really. The first battle you win, it leaves you feelings guilty. Like your skin is tainted. But the more battles you return with victory, the stronger you become, and the easier it is to realize that those losses were truly what caused you to be victorious."

"But, Link, I'm not a knight. I'm a Princess. I was never supposed to step foot on a battlefield."

"History would say otherwise. You mentioned to me you remembered parts of your past lives, right? So you ought to remember those times you held swords and bows. I do."

"I suppose." She laced their fingers together then, looking to Link finally. "Do you think you could teach me how to use a sword? Father refused to allow me near one. He thought it would disrupt the purity needed to awaken my powers through prayer."

"Of course, Princess. Whatever you wish."

"Whatever I wish?" She hummed, the smallest of smiles gracing her lips. "Then let's head to Hateno once the burial is over."

"Hateno it is."

This chapter is late! So sorry.

I ended up splitting this chapter in two, causing it to be smaller than it originally was.

Also, Hyrule Warriors comes out this week! Did you preorder?