Here's the next chapter! Last part will be up... hmm... Monday? Does that sound good?
Just for reference, the "blond man" I refer to in this chapter is the traveller who waits by the cooking fire just past the wall of Fort Hateno on the road to Hateno Village. His dialogue in-game inspired his role in this story. ( :
Hope you enjoy this! Thank you all so very much for the follows, favorites, and reviews! Your support means the world to me - I hope you all have a wonderful day, and remember that no one is without worth!
ICE
His violent coughing was what awakened her the next morning. Groggily Zelda blinked her eyes open, feeling confused at first at the ache in her neck. I must've… fallen asleep right here, she realized with a blush, getting up from her kneeling position at Link's bedside and stretching with a deep yawn. He coughed again and quickly Zelda knelt once more to examine him. Pulse seems just a bit slow; breath is also slower and shallower than normal… And he was shivering as well, but fortunately not as much as he'd been the day.
"Nayru's love, Link," she sighed, gently stroking his sweat-dampened bangs away from his eyes. "Hang in there… please…"
Her thoughts fumbled a bit before she decided on a course of action. He was currently naked - the trousers he'd put on before venturing out into the frozen mountainside had quickly soaked through with snow, so Purah had removed them after they reached Selmie's cabin. Zelda hurried downstairs, wondering where he kept his clothes; the instant he gained enough strength, she'd insist that he put them on.
It was a very modest house, but she didn't expect anything more; after all, he spent most of his time travelling. He had a bed, a desk, a few cupboards, a small dining table, and…
And several potted plants. Curious, Zelda examined them closely; a thrill shot through her when she recognized each of them as Silent Princesses, though they were very young and hadn't bloomed yet. What in Din's name…?
More than ever, she longed to read his notes. The ones that she'd glimpsed on his Sheikah Slate, the ones just past the last entry in his Hyrule Compendium. She wanted to know why he felt the way he did, why he kept so many Silent Princesses - it was clear that he was taking impeccable care of them - and why he didn't want her to read those notes...
Zelda shook her head. Focus, she told herself sternly, returning to her search.
She found clothes messily piled in one of the cupboards and rummaged through them, searching for something that would be comfortable. There were quite a few masks and even a skull helmet along with strange rubber armor and brightly colored Gerudo clothing. So that's how he got into their city, she thought with a slight giggle. Poor man...
She found a warm-looking green undershirt within a sturdy maroon tunic and pulled it out, along with soft tan trousers and thick woolen stockings. That'll do it, she thought, hurrying back up the stairs and folding the clothes neatly before placing them on the little table by the bed.
Glancing at the bed once more she saw that Link was awake. He peered at her through heavily lidded eyes, and she forced a smile. "That was a close one," she murmured, pouring him a glass of water and gently helping him drink it. "But we're finally out of the cold."
He looked at her, his eyes tired and sad. "Wh… what do you mean?" he asked, taking in his surroundings. Before she could respond, he murmured, "This is… my home…"
Zelda nodded. "We thought you'd be more comfortable here. Honestly, I don't know how Selmie manages to survive up there." A sudden idea struck her mind, and she smiled at him. "With no flowers, no grass, no frogs…"
Something danced in his eyes and he met her gaze with just the faintest hints of a smile. "No frogs… maybe I should stay there permanently."
A thrill of hope pierced her soul. "You remember that?"
"I… I remember the circumstances around each of the pictures left on the Sheikah Slate," he answered, his smile fading.
A cloud blotted out the beam of hope she'd felt. "That's… that's it?" She couldn't help her disbelief - there had only been twelve of those.
His cheeks flushed. "W-well… I also remember a few things about the Champions, when we went to… to visit them… to check on the Divine Beasts." He swallowed audibly. "And… I r-remember when I…" He stopped, looking at her with confusion. "Actually… did I die? Or - or was I just… unconscious?"
Zelda gently rubbed his shoulder through the blanket, trying to offer comfort. Looking at his face, at the fear and uncertainty in his eyes, she could tell that he felt the same way about that particular memory as she did. "If you were dead, we couldn't have done anything," she murmured. "The Champions… were dead when we found them. But you… you were still clinging to life, albeit weakly. We got you to the Shrine of Resurrection perhaps minutes before you really were dead. I… I'm sorry it took your memories, but… I don't know where I'd be if we didn't save you."
Link averted his eyes. "You would've… defeated Ganon…"
Desperation welled in her heart and she forced herself not to shout at him, not to protest with every fiber of her being. Instead she inhaled deeply and smiled. "Actually, I don't think that's true," she said, trying to be gentle. "If I could do it on my own, I certainly would have, long before you woke up."
He frowned, blinking slowly. "Someone… someone else would've helped…"
"I waited a hundred years, Link," Zelda murmured. "And you were the only one, in all that time, to actually come for me. It was true; my spirits lifted every time I saw someone enter the castle. A few made it to Ganon, and tried to fight the Blights that appeared there to protect him. They failed; some died and others ran. After a while, warriors stopped coming, and I saw only treasure hunters - people too consumed by greed to care about the evil lurking in the castle. You were the only one."
He looked into her eyes; uncertainty and confusion gleamed in his gaze. "Still… the Champions could've done it. And would've won. But because of me, they're dead."
"Because of Ganon, they're dead," she reminded him kindly. "And you killed the creatures that killed them, remember? Even though you said you weren't as good as them…"
Link blushed. "I got lucky," he mumbled. "I… I must have. I'm not - I never was - g-good enough for them…"
Zelda tried to quell the worry rising in her heart with a smile. "Well, in my opinion, you're good enough for me," she tried. Inwardly she cringed. I'm speaking too much again! I have to - I have to show him, not tell him! Words… words can sound so empty…
She could remember that. The other Champions had tried to comfort her; Revali just came across sounding snobbish, Mipha sad, Urbosa optimistic, and Daruk…
Daruk had just sounded awkward. Apparently touchy-feely topics weren't his area of expertise.
So what does Link think of my words now? she thought. Perhaps she was just sounding desperate. Perhaps he's thinking… 'Oh, sure, she'll say anything to keep me from killing myself…'
"Are you… alright?" Link asked hoarsely, looking up at her with concern.
She opened her mouth, and for once in her lifetime words utterly failed her. It was just too much - his kindness, his compassion, his complete blindness to the good deeds he'd done. "I… brought you clothes," she said all at once, snatching them from the nightstand. "It… might be a good idea for you to put them on."
His cheeks burned a bright red and he pulled the blankets up a little farther, only his eyes and fingers visible. "Right," he squeaked out, sounding mortified.
I have a few minutes to plan, Zelda thought, quickly heading downstairs and out into the grassy meadow near the house. Link's horse was calmly grazing there, a dark bay stallion named - if she remembered correctly - Hemlock. Incredible how much loyalty he inspires in that animal, she marvelled, noticing that Hemlock wasn't tethered to anything at all.
"Hylia, please," she murmured, clasping her hands and facing the sky. "Help me know what to do. He deserves so much more than he knows - how do I help him see that?"
There was no answer. But as Zelda listened, she could hear raised voices somewhere down the little hill and across the gorge from Link's house, in Hateno Village. Strange - it's always such a peaceful little town…
She felt something inside… a strong urge to investigate, to find out the cause of such discontent. But after what had happened the last time she left Link alone…
Go, my child.
A voice in her mind… one that she heard rarely but never dared ignore. "Alright," she murmured, nodding decisively. Please be safe, Link.
Waving a farewell to Hemlock, she crossed the little meadow leading to the main path, not noticing a pair of soft blue eyes watching her from an upstairs window.
Quickly she made her way across the rather precarious wooden bridge across the gorge and past the strange (albeit colorful) new houses at the crest of the hill before hurrying down the little dirt path to the rest of the village. The shouting was coming from a little ways further down the hill, perhaps a few feet from the city gate, where several people shouted and gesticulated angrily. Two of them Zelda recognized - a couple that had been in Tarrey Town when she and Link had visited perhaps two weeks ago. Another was a merchant holding a donkey's lead rope, watching with interest, and the last was clearly a traveller, scruffy from days on the road and armed with a sword and a backpack; he was heavily tanned, with dark golden hair cut close to his head.
"It's only because of the warrior that Hateno Village still stands!" the man roared, waving his arms emphatically. "He gave his life fighting at Fort Hateno - if not for him we wouldn't be here today!"
The woman from Tarrey Town shook her head. "My grandmother lost everyone," she growled. "And it was all because of that so-called warrior! You can't take some kid and throw him in with the best fighters in the kingdom and expect him to actually do something!"
"Which makes it that much more incredible!"the blond man exclaimed. "He was just a boy, and yet he had the power to protect this -"
"He protected nothing, and no one!" the woman protested. "He was just some attempt to get people to stop worrying. An attempt that failed, I'll have you know!"
Zelda stepped closer, feeling ice close around her heart. Those words… they were painfully familiar.
"Ruli, darling, does it really matter?" the woman's companion, probably her husband, asked as he put a calming hand on her shoulder. "He's dead now - what's done is done."
The blond man glared. "Some say he lived!" he protested. "Some say he travels among us still, fighting the forces of evil! I'd bet my life that he was there when the Calamity fell only months ago!"
"Well now, I say the only reason we got peace here now's because of that Princess," added the pudgy merchant with his donkey heavily laden with goods and… crickets? He turned to look over Zelda's shoulder. "Oh, hello there, Link. Thanks for your help with… you-know-who." He winked, tapping the little cage full of crickets.
Zelda whirled around to see Link behind her, shaking slightly and leaning against a tree. "My pleasure," he murmured, dipping his head. "Best of luck to you both."
"Fancy seeing you here, Link," the woman from Tarrey Town said with an abrupt, harried smile. "We were just in town visiting Hagie's old friend Reede here in Hateno - you never said you lived here too!"
"He's a wanderer, like myself," the blond man growled, eyeing her suspiciously. "The whole of the wilderness is our home - isn't that right?"
Link nodded with a small smile. "Are… are you all okay?" He looked at Zelda pointedly.
"Oh, we're fine," Ruli huffed. "Not everyone in the world sees sense, y'know, but… never mind that. But I wanted to thank you again for that Monster Cake and the recipe - Hunnie's all back to normal now!"
"I'm glad to hear it," Link said softly, although his features were downcast.
Zelda stared at him, appalled. "They don't know," she whispered. "You've… you've been helping them all, but they don't know…"
"Know what?" Hagie asked gruffly, studying her. "Wait a minute… you were back in Tarrey Town a few weeks ago, weren't you? With Link?"
Zelda nodded, holding her head high. "That I was," she growled, sudden anger replacing the shock in her heart. She glared at Ruli. "And I'm sure you had some things to say about the Hylian Champion then, too."
"Zelda," Link said, reaching out to touch her arm. "Don't…"
"Why?" she snapped. "You're too good, Link! You don't want them to feel bad, do you? Well - well, just look at how they made you feel!"
"What are you talking about?" Hagie asked with a nervous chuckle. "Link's a good kid. A bit poor, and not the finest sense of fashion, but he did help our daughter. And he took care of a couple guardians for me - a task that I paid him quite handsomely for." His eyes narrowed. "Only an ingrate would feel bad about that."
Zelda's heart pounded faster. Were they blind? How - how could they still not see who he was? First the cricket man, now this Hagie and his wife, along with quite a few others Zelda remembered seeing as she observed Link's journey back to her. "Do you know who he is?" she asked. "Did you see the blade on his back?"
They looked at her for several moments, brows furrowed in befuddlement; Ruli tilted her head to the side. Her eyes widened. "Link said - he told Hunnie it was the Master Sword when she asked!"
Hagie scoffed. "And I told him that was impossible," he reminded his wife.
Zelda inhaled deeply. She held out her hand towards the sky, that one certain feeling swelling within her heart as a glowing golden orb escaped her palm and expanded slowly before vanishing into the warm morning air. "Not so impossible. The Master Sword has one true master - one. The Hylian Champion, a hundred years ago. He nearly died defending the people of this kingdom - defending me."
"And letting countless others lose their lives," Ruli muttered under her breath. "What about my grandmother? That Champion was just a child - how could anyone think he could do anything, legendary blade or not?"
She could feel herself losing her temper. This woman…! "How can you say that?! He's standing right -"
"In a grave!" Link yelped, clapping his hand over Zelda's mouth. "He's - he's standing in a - in a grave. Th-they buried him that way because - because if he didn't fulfill his purpose in life, he shouldn't be allowed to - to rest in death."
Zelda could feel him shrink a little at the shocked stares shot his way. Slowly he moved his hand from Zelda's lips and backed away, head down. Her heart sank; she reached out to touch his shoulder. "Link… why?" she asked, unable to keep the sadness from her voice.
He looked at her sadly and shook his head.
"You didn't answer my question," Hagie reminded her, wagging a thick finger. "What does he have to feel bad about? Seems he has friends everywhere he goes. I'm sure I'm not the only one to pay him quite nicely for those little jobs he does, so he has money, too. And I heard - I heard he has a house? What kid his age has a house?"
Zelda was acutely aware of Link behind her, breathing heavily, his hands clenched tightly into fists. I have to stop this! "Y-you don't understand," she pleaded. "He's - he's been through a lot. H-he lost his memory, and now he doesn't know much of what happened before a year ago. His family is dead; many of his friends are dead -"
"We're right here!" the blond man protested. "I always say a few close friends are better than none; we can help him -"
"Stop," Link croaked, shuddering. "Please - just… just stop, alright?" Without another word he turned and headed back up the hill, arms curled around himself.
I made it worse, Zelda thought in agony, torn between going after him and trying to patch things up with the stuck-up rich couple. Goddesses above - why did you send me here?
She turned to Hagie, feeling tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "I'm sorry - I don't think he wants me to be saying all this, but… but you must try to understand," she begged, feeling hopeless. "He's - he's badly depressed. And - and now - telling him that he shouldn't be feeling bad - you've probably just made him feel worse! Isn't it enough that he is the Hylian Champion who saved you all? Isn't it enough that he's lost all his memories and now must struggle to find himself again? Isn't it enough that your wife blames him for something that was out of anyone's control? You - you can't just do this to him! You can't… you can't…"
She was sobbing now, breathlessly, hopelessly, sinking down to her knees in the middle of the path. Sorry, Purah - couldn't stop the tears.
And the others stood, watching, silent. No doubt thinking I've gone mad.
Goddesses… please tell me he's not too far gone…
Link huddled against the cliff face behind his home, feeling the cold stone hard at his back. Worthless, worthless, worthless…
Hagie was right. He had everything to be happy about. Everything.
I should be happy. I should be happy! Agony closed around his heart, encasing it in coldest ice. Why aren't I happy?!
He buried his head in his arms resting upon his knees, warm tears soaking through the fabric of his shirt to his still-chilled skin. Broken… worthless… ungrateful…
He had to do something. The agony, the hatred, was building up in his soul - he had to do something about it soon.
I can't kill myself, he thought. The cliff near his home wasn't tall enough to kill him, and anyway it landed in water, which would only soften his fall.
Zelda… what must she think of him? Now she'd heard Ruli saying how worthless he was, and she'd heard Hagie telling her how he shouldn't be sad.
A choked sob escaped his throat. She'll hate me, she'll hate me, she'll hate me…
And what must she have thought of his attempt to kill himself just the other night? Who would ever want me? I'm - I'm broken. I'm not right. I'm…
Worthless.
And then she'd gone and told them just how broken he really was. Trying to get them to feel pity for him instead of hating him for his failures… Pity was just as painful. Seeing other people concerned, hurting, because of him…
He wasn't worth it, for one. And for another… it made him feel worse; it cemented in his mind the notion that he only caused pain to others.
He slammed his fist into the ground at his side, heart aching, eyes burning. I shouldn't have shown how Ruli's words got to me, he realized. I should've been stronger. Then Zelda wouldn't have gotten angry at them… then I could've just slipped silently away after we were done with Dinraal and no one would notice…
And yet, still, there was something inside that balked at the thought of ending it all. Of never seeing Zelda again in this life.
Why is she trying so hard? he wondered. She wanted to defend me against Ruli… she told me that I wasn't an awful warrior, because I defeated the Blights that killed the Champions… She listened when I told her everything…
It made no sense to him. Surely… surely she didn't feel anything for him. Perhaps friendship, maybe, a little bit… She said I was the only one she had left…
He frowned, thinking hard, trying to remember. Had they… had they been friends before? He could remember… admiration for her. Love for her. A desire to protect her; a desire so strong that it survived his century-long slumber. He could remember feeling shy in her presence… at first he hadn't spoken to her much at all, out of a certainty that he'd say the wrong thing…
Did that change?
He dug the heels of his hands into his temples, teeth clenched, wishing he could remember something more than blackness and uncertainty.
She wasn't fond of me at all for the first few months, he remembered, eyes tightly closed. I didn't blame her… I could never blame her for anything…
But… something had happened. Sweat broke out on his brow and tears spilled from his eyes as he struggled with his mind… The Yiga attack? I… saved her. But… I'd saved her from monsters before, hadn't I?
He couldn't remember! Din curse it - his mind was blank. Rising panic welled within him as the abyss threatened to swallow him… Who am I? Who am I?
They'd… they'd been friends. His other memories… hinted at that. The frog… Zelda, binding his wounds after a strenuous battle and urging him to exercise caution… riding together as he counselled her regarding her horse… holding her in his arms as she wept after Ganon appeared…
His face flushed. Feelings of uncertainty were the most predominant in that memory. But… but we were friends… that's why she doesn't want me to die…
He swallowed tightly. If I stopped seeking my death, maybe… maybe she'd be happier? Over the past few days she'd seemed so sad and tense all the time. Because of me?
Guilt burned in his heart. I'm causing her pain, he thought. I love her, and yet… I'm causing her pain.
So should he die? That might cause her more pain… but if it's me that's causing pain, I should go away somehow, right?
He felt so confused. So lost. So helpless. I can't do this, he thought, curling up on his side against the cliff. He was exhausted - speaking with Zelda, then following her to the village and enduring that painful conversation, then walking back and scouring his mind for answers…
It wasn't long before he fell asleep, his strength utterly spent.