Chapter 3

The following months came and went without notice for the swordsman, too busy searching for shrines, freeing the Divine Beasts, or helping anyone and everyone he came across. Autumn arrived while he was in Akkala, the forests a mixture of red and gold as the leaves changed. Eldin seemed season-less, the volcano and rivers of lava around Death Mountain keeping the temperature at a steady boil year-round. Winter was in full swing by the time he reached the Tabantha region, harsh winds and knee-deep snow his constant companion as he scoured the Hebra Mountains, occasionally using the Sheikah slate to jump back to Goron City just to remember what it was like to have feeling in his toes. The Gerudo Desert was an odd mixture of climates, scorching days interspersed with freezing nights amidst the ever-present sandstorm created by Vah Naboris.

The occurrences of memory loss remained more or less consistent in their frequency, though the monster-related incidents did decrease. Although still occasionally waking in the midst of battle, more often Link would be staring pensively into the flames of a campfire only to blink and find it reduced to embers, or end up lost in through while on horseback only to find his steed grazing in an area he didn't recognize when he came back to himself. Whether because he was traveling through less monster-infested areas or for some other unknown reason, the change was a welcome one.

At present Link was lying on a bed at the Outskirts Stable, trying to talk himself into getting up instead of rolling over and going back to sleep. He'd arrived late the previous night, teleporting straight from the desert as soon as he'd freed Vah Naboris from Calamity Ganon's control. That was the fourth and final Divine Beast and he fully intended to see the evil entity sealed away as soon as possible.

The lazy part of his mind argued that no one would begrudge him a day off, just one, to lie about and relax before continuing his mission. It was quickly silenced by his conscience pointing out that the princess had already waited a century for him to wake up and then a year more while he prepared for the final confrontation. After all of the distractions he'd allowed to pull him from his mission time and again over the last year, how could he justify making her wait even a single day further when he was ready now?

Forcing himself out of bed, Link mindlessly went through his morning routing before stepping out into the brisk morning air. The sky was gray with the promise of dawn although the sun wasn't up just yet- or perhaps it was but simply hadn't cleared the mountains behind the stable. Either way, the stable hands looked about as awake as Link felt as they saddled his horse and led her out of the stall. He thanked them as he mounted and set off at a trot, the castle encased in swirls of dark purple and black energy coming into view as the mountains gave way to the plains of Central Hyrule Field. He closed his eyes, silently vowing to defeat Calamity Ganon or die trying.

When he opened his eyes once more, he was surprised to see the interior of the stable he'd just left. It took a few seconds for his mind to catch up, letting out an amused huff when he realized he'd been dozing off while dreaming he was getting up.

Link rolled from his stomach to his side, surprised to find himself fully clothed in his ancient armor with his sword and shield still strapped to his back. Hadn't he removed his gear before all but collapsing on the bed? And hadn't he been wearing armor more suited to the desert heat? He tried to think back but the memories were hazy with exhaustion. Apparently he'd been more tired than he thought.

He heaved himself up with some effort, suppressing a groan as his sore muscles protested the movement. While ThunderBlight Ganon's electric attacks made it the most difficult to of the four Blights to deal with, Link didn't think he'd done anything during the fight to leave him so sore. Or maybe it stemmed from trying to board Vah Naboris to begin with? He'd fallen off more times than he cared to admit shield surfing behind the sand seal, trying to shoot the giant mechanical camel's feet while staying close enough to Riju that he didn't get hit by its lightning bolts. That was bound to leave some bruises, at the very least.

Link pushed himself to his feet and stretched his arms out above his head. He about gagged when he caught a whiff of himself, somewhat shocked they'd let him into the stable smelling like that. The odor of sweat and unwashed male he usually sported had evolved into decaying flesh and the swordsman tried to remember the last time he'd bathed. What was the last place he'd visited before Gerudo Town...? Regardless, that would have to be first on the agenda today.

The early hour meant no one else was using the communal bathhouse, allowing Link privacy as he removed his armor. It was in pretty rough shape, far more scuffed and dinged up that he remembered. His underclothes were next to come off, the numerous new bruises he'd been expecting standing out starkly against his pale skin. He hadn't, however, expected the fine layer of dust or ash coating his forearms and hands; faint but noticeable against the normal color of his upper arms and chest. His legs from the knee down were covered by the same and he rubbed a curious finger over it, the stench of decay growing stronger as a bit of the grey flaked off and fluttered to the floor. At least he'd found the source of the smell.

The knight set to scrubbing himself clean, wondering where the gray substance had come from and how it had gotten on him. It was likely some form of bodily fluid, given the rotting scent and the fact that it had managed to seep through his pants, inside his boots and underneath his gloves and armguards. Blood or urine were the most obvious choices but both were discounted quickly, the color and smell all wrong. Link closed his eyes as he tried to recall all the monsters he'd fought over the last week, feeling the grittiness of sand along his scalp as he scrubbed it with soap.

The memory of fighting a large group of electric chuchus in the wastelands came back to him, the creatures little more than electrified water given form. They also had a nasty habit of exploding when killed, spewing their innards over everything in range. The desert heat was extreme, as was the amount of sweat his body produced to combat it. He could have been doused without even realizing it.

Mystery solved, Link finished bathing and retrieved his belongings. The clothes and armor he'd been wearing still reeked and he quickly stored them in the slate, making a mental note to wash them later.

He'd amassed quite the wardrobe over the last year; each set of clothing boasting special attributes based on the region it came from. He was initially planning on wearing the ancient armor Robbie had made for him, at least until he made it past all the Guardians patrolling Central Hyrule Field and into the castle itself. Now he just hoped he could get the stench off of it.

He sat back on the stool, thumbing through his inventory. While still brisk in the mornings, the down-lined snowquill set would be far too hot this time of year. The soldier's set specialized in defense, but the metal armor would also loudly announce his presence to any monsters even remotely close by. Perhaps his stealth gear would be best until he got a look at what he would be dealing with.

Decision made, he tapped on the items, watching the blue tendrils emerge from the slate and solidify in a rumpled pile in front of him. Apparently, he hadn't folded them when he'd put them away last. He shrugged as he started pulling it on, figuring the wrinkles probably wouldn't be noticeable in the tight ensemble anyway.

The material was different from anything he'd come across in his travels, soft and light with sound dampening qualities that muffled any movement. It hugged his chest like a second skin, the pale gray-blue material leaving little to the imagination. His arms and legs were covered with a darker blue layer, not as restrictive or protective as leather but close. A large stylized eye with a single tear falling from it was emblazed across his chest, the same symbol stamped on the leather shoulder guards, vambraces and greaves. He pulled his hair up in the closest approximation of a topknot he could manage, completing the look with a white scarf bunched around his neck and a dark blue mask covering his mouth and nose.

His belts and harness were thankfully odor free, allowing him to strap his weapons to his back. He paused with his hand hovering over a royal broadsword. Hadn't he put that into his inventory, opting to use the moonlight scimitar he'd taken from a bokoblin? No, he'd broken the scimitar when he'd run afoul of a molduga. But hadn't he been using a halberd he'd taken from a lizalfos?

Link sighed, rubbing his eyes. His weapons broke so often he was having difficulty keeping track of what he did and didn't have anymore. He thumbed through several screens in the slate, glancing over the rows of weapons he had at his disposal. The white bade in the very first box in the top row caught his eye and he tapped on the icon. Today he was going up against Calamity Ganon itself- now was the perfect time to bring out the master sword.

The blade lost its luster when he used it against regular monsters, almost seeming disappointed in him for wasting its potential. The sword having feelings wasn't that strange- it was forged by the Goddess in the distant past after all, and the princess had spoken of a voice within the blade in one of the few memories he'd recovered. The disappointment was odd because he had yet to recall a memory where he wielded anything but the master sword. Still, if the holy blade only wanted to be used at certain times, he could do that. It wasn't like there was ever a shortage of monsters to scavenge weapons from.

The broadsword disappeared into glowing wisps of energy, withdrawing into the slate as the master sword took its place. It seemed happy to be back in his hand; as if it knew they were heading out to face the Calamity. He smiled at the thought as he slipped the sword into place, shrugging to settle the straps more comfortably across his shoulders as he exited the bathhouse.

His sandals made hardly a whisper of sound as he walked toward the barn. Canni was humming a cheerful tune as she gave the horses their breakfast, jumping with a startled yelp as Link softly cleared his throat behind her.

"Link!" she exclaimed, clutching her chest. "Don't startle me like that!"

"Sorry," he apologized, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Is Epona ready to go?"

Canni blinked in surprise. "I haven't fed her yet," she apologized, glancing toward the rest of the stalls. "You heading out again so soon?"

"As soon as possible," Link answered, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice. He knew he had told her last night he'd be leaving at first light and asked to make sure his horse was ready by then.

"I'll feed her right now," Canni promised, heading deeper into the barn. "Oh, Embry wanted to talk to you as soon as you got up!" she called over her shoulder before disappearing behind the stalls.

Link stared after her, wondering what the stable master wanted to see him about. Shrugging he turned and headed back to the main building.

Every stable Link had visited had the same basic layout. It was a large circular room, canopy beds lining half of the wall with several tables set up around a hearth on the other side. A long horseshoe shaped table stretched into the center of the room, allowing the stable master to walk from his desk to the counter outside, where the conducted all horse business- registering, boarding and the like. The interior counter was used for guests who wanted to spend the night.

Embry was just returning to his seat when Link entered, the older man smiling as he waved the swordsman over. "Morning Link," he greeted, keeping his voice down so as to not disturb the other guests. "Sleep all right?"

"Well enough," Link answered, also keeping his voice soft.

"Glad to hear it," Embry replied, nodding. "You looked dead on your feet last night. I told Myti not to wake you- figured payment could be waived for one night considering your, shall we say, recent accomplishments?" He winked suggestively at the swordsman with a broad smile.

Link stared at the stable master, his mind catching on the part about payment and missing everything else. "I didn't pay last night?" he asked.

Embry shook his head, still smiling. "Walked in and collapsed on the first bed you saw."

Link folded his arms, brow furrowing as he tried to remember. Surely, he'd paid before he went to bed, right? He couldn't have been that tired... But Embry was an honest man; he wouldn't try to cheat Link out of a few extra rupees.

The knight sighed, running a hand down his face before reaching for his money pouch. "Twenty rupees, right?" he asked.

"As I said, last night's on the house." The stable master waved away the money. "For you and your, ah, remarkable guest."

The swordsman froze, fingers stilling on the cord securing his money pouch as his gaze snapped back to the proprietor. "Guest?" he questioned, knowing he hadn't arrived with anyone the previous night- or ever. With the number of attempts he'd had on his life by members of the Yiga Clan pretending to be travelers in need of help, he knew better than to pick up anyone on the road.

Embry chuckled. "Must have been even more tired than you looked if you don't remember her. Still, I know how much you value your privacy, so I won't pry." He gestured toward a bed that had the curtains drawn. "Your lady friend is still asleep over there. You can go take a look if you need to jog your memory."

Link nodded his thanks, re-tying off the pouch before approaching the bed in question. The curtains completely were closed, concealing the occupant from view. There was a possibility that it was merely an opportunist looking for a free bed for the night and had capitalized on Link's exhaustion to be added to his tab. On the other hand, this wouldn't be the first time the Yiga had tried to get close to him before attempting to stab him in the back. He silently moved to the head of the bed, one hand resting on the master sword as he carefully twitched the curtain aside.

No Yiga footsoldier or blademaster came leaping out and Link allowed himself to relax a bit, opening the curtain wider to shine some light on the mystery person in the bed. Long golden hair, tangled and mussed from sleep, was spread across the pillow and on top of the blanket. The cover was pulled up to her chin, rising and falling with her deep breaths. The dirt smeared on her forehead did nothing to detract from her lovely features and Link knew without having to wake her that her eyes were an emerald green.

She looked exactly the same as she did in his few memories and Link was left reeling as he tried to figure out how Princess Zelda had come to be at the Outskirts Stable. He let the curtain fall back into place, trying to wrap his head around what was going on. The princess was here. Did that mean the Calamity was free? Link doubted that, thinking about the memory he'd regained of when Ganon had come 100 years ago. The beast's roar had echoed all the way to Mount Lanayru and beyond. Located on the southern edge of Central Hyrule Field, the stable would be one of the first places to feel the Calamity's wrath had it been set free.

Perhaps Zelda had taken care of Ganon herself? Yes, everyone he'd talked to since waking repeatedly told him her power was diminishing and he needed to defeat the Calamity so she could seal it away, but maybe they were all wrong? What if the princess hadn't truly needed him at all? Only it took her over 100 years to realize that...

A third option occurred to Link and he pulled out the Sheikah slate, bringing up his log. Freeing Vah Naboris was the last entry he'd made...almost thirty-two hours previous. It took him a bit longer to work out the math that usual, eventually being forced to accept that not only had he lost an entire day, but he might have finally fulfilled his destiny only to be left with no memory of it at all. He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

The stable suddenly felt stifling and Link headed outside, avoiding Embry's gaze as he did so. The sun was peaking over the mountains as he crossed the dusty road to a small patch of trees and sat down against a trunk. It was far enough away that the staff wouldn't bother him but with a clear view of the stable doors in case the princess should wake and come looking for him.

He paused at the thought. Would she come looking for him? He'd apparently brought her here last night, but did she have any use for him now that both their roles had been accomplished?

Zelda was a princess and her kingdom was in ruins. The Impa and the rest of Kakariko village would undoubtedly help and support her as she rebuilt what was lost, reuniting the Hylians under a single ruler once more.

But what of him? He'd been so focused on the end goal of defeating Calamity Ganon that he hadn't given a single thought to what would come after. Did the princess even want him to stay? She had been important to him before, but was that merely duty or something else? His scattered memories were no help, some of them showing her treating him with contempt while others might have bordered on friendship. The order in which they took place, unfortunately, was anyone's guess.

A cold nose against his fingers interrupted the swordsman's thoughts. He glanced down to see the stable's dog staring at him, tongue lolling in a canine grin as its tail wagged back and forth excitedly. Link smiled back, fondling its ears. The dog leaned into the caress, slowly sliding down Link's shin as its paws skidded through the dirt. Flopping the last few inches to the ground, it immediately rolled over and started begging for a belly rub. Link chuckled but obliged.

The distraction was a welcome one, helping to clear all the useless thoughts from his mind. Link was a man of action, taking each day as it came. There was no point in worrying about 'what if's' when the princess was sleeping just across the road. He could simply ask her when she woke up and they could both go from there.

To Be Continued

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