Author's Note

I apologize for keeping everyone waiting a little longer then the previous posts took the make, but here we are. I'm just glad that I've not run out of steam yet.

Uploaded

06/19/2023

LEGEND BELOW

"O-Oh goodness, I'm so clumsy!" = Normal speech.

''Dont panic.'' = Normal thoughts.

Chapter 8

Recalling times long past

Rated-M

M rating for Romance, and things of explicit nature.

Music of the day

The Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass - Ciela's Theme

Slowly, her eyes opened, consciousness returning to her gradually. She blinked rapidly, the morning sunlight piercing her eyes, knocking away any remaining notion that maybe she'd get to sleep just a tad longer.

"Hhmmm…" A voice groaned lightly beside her, the bed shifting underneath a different weight.

She blinked in surprise, turning to her side to find the gently sleeping face of the last Hero of Hyrule, her nose an inch from his own.

She found her breath hitching in her throat, unconsciously looking the young man over as she found herself admiring his dashing handsome features.

His ponytail had come undone in the middle of the night, and his long hair was splayed over his sharp features. He looked gallant before, but now, now he looked absolutely dashing.

Then she realized what she was doing and her face grew hot with embarrassment, internally scolding herself for looking at him in such a way while he slept.

Carefully, so as not to wake him just yet, she slipped off of the bed and out of her room, the door clicking closed.

Once she was alone again, she sighed in relief, holding her hands to her heart as if to calm the rapid beats incited by her wild imagination.

Simply thinking about the man in her bed made her heart race and her mind wander.

"O-Oh, I mustn't think in such a way… M-My imagination will surely get me in trouble…" She sighed quietly to herself, shaking her head sadly as she instead made her way downstairs.

The sun was up, yet the day was still young. While Link slept, she planned on beginning the breakfast she'd planned on making him. She'd set the proper ingredients aside previously, and had a cooking pot just outside on the porch of the house.

She smiled meekly to herself as she began her work, a meal made for a Hero. Hearty Gourmet Meat and Seafood Fry, it was a dish she'd picked up from a wandering merchant that occasionally made his rounds through the town…

She forgot his name at the time, but she was sure it had something to do with beetles of some sort. She knew it sounded silly, but that's all she could think of when trying to recall the strange man.

She wondered if it was perhaps due to the large beetle shaped bag he wore on his back.

Allowing herself to get lost in thought, she began her combination of ingredients. A hearty bass caught in the waters of Kakariko, alongside a hearty salmon as well. Gourmet meat from a wandering meat merchant, and Hylian herbs and sea salt. The meal was massive, yet if her grandmothers old stories about Master Link's massive appetite were anything to go off of, it would fit perfectly into the handsome young man's diet.

She shivered suddenly, feeling quite chilly. She knew it was early in the morning, but she never recalled it becoming that cold.

Unfortunately, she was too focused in cooking to really investigate the reason behind why it was the case…

Meanwhile, the two guards posted down below the steps waved up at her, smiling a look that seemed to come with their age.

"Good morning, Miss Paya." The one man waved.

"A-Ah! Good morning, Cado! G-Good morning, Dorian!" Paya waved down nervously, smiling happily. "I-It's quite chilly today." She commented lightly, focusing on her food.

The two men chuckled lightly between themselves, shaking their heads.

Cado, the man that had spoke up, turned to his companion, the man shaking his head with an amused look. "When do you think she will realize?"

Dorian laughed a hearty chuckle. "The girl is too happy to notice. Her smile is shining bright enough to melt the snow from Lanayru Mountain, even though she doesn't know it." He explained with a smile, sure to keep his voice down.

"I'm sure. She had that strapping young lad with her all night, that look makes it obvious." Cado grinned, taking one more glance up the steps.

Paya was humming a little happy tune to herself as she cooked, eyes sparkling as her headspace was somewhere else.

"Oh, it seems you are right this time, Cado." Dorian nodded sagely, gently pulling on his beard in thought.

Cado scoffed. "I'm always right, Dorian." He corrected proudly, holding his head high.

"Is that why your wife is upset with you?" Dorian quipped back quickly, raising his eyebrows in question.

"Your wife has not spoken to you in two weeks, must I remind you, Dorian…" Cado responded dryly.

Dorian sighed deeply. "Do not remind me…" He sighed…

The sun glaring in his face was finally enough to pull him from his sleep, and the heavenly smells wafting up through the open window certainly helped wake him too.

He sucked in a deep breath through his nose, the soothing cool air filling his lungs.

The smell alone made his stomach grumble, rousing him from his rest. He sat up, turning to his side only to realize that he was alone on the bed.

Wondering where she'd gone, he went to get up to go find her. Only, once he stood up, he noticed a piece of her apparel laying on the floor by the foot of her bed. Just from a quick glance, he could tell it was her upper outer garment, the one she wore over her otherwise sleeveless form fitting dark blue suit.

He blinked in question, picking the item up off the ground.

He noticed absentmindedly that it smelled just like her hair, like fresh cut apples.

He made his way down out of her room, noticing that Impa was still asleep, apparent by her empty seat.

Once he stepped outside, he quickly spotted the woman he was looking for as she hovered over a cooking pot, a plate in her hand. He also took notice of her bare backside, her silky smooth skin exposed save for the blue that wrapped around her neck and waistline.

Apparently the undershirt only covered the front…

He sighed, walking up behind the woman. "You're going to catch a cold without this on…" He muttered lightly as he approached, slipping the garment over her shoulders.

Paya squealed in shock, seemingly having not heard his approach. She'd spun around to face him, only to lose her balance and slip backwards almost going over the railing and into the pond far below.

With the speed and grace of a Hero, he threw his left arm around her back to stop her fall, while he caught the falling plate with his right hand. He stared calmly at her, concern written all over his face.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

Her face turned bright red, unable to look him in the eyes. "M-M-Mmhmm!" She nodded nervously.

Carefully, he pulled her back up so that she was standing on her own two feet once more. He shook his head, an amused little smile on his lips. "Okay, if you say so." He said, glancing past her to see the cooking pot. "Whatcha making?" He asked curiously.

Paya nervously began poking her fingers together, struggling to build her confidence up again after it fell over the railing and drowned in the pond below.

''N-No no no! Don't think like that!'' She mentally berated herself. "W-Well… I was c-cooking something for you, s-something for you to have so you start your next j-journey off right…" She explained quietly.

His eyes widened in surprise, looking back to the food once more. It looked delicious!

"That's for me?" He asked, touched.

"Mmhmm." She nodded, hands held over her heart.

He smiled widely at her, letting out a little genuine laugh. "Thank you, Paya." He added sincerely.

They didn't say much after that, Paya serving him his large plateful of food. Then she sat down beside him, the both of them sitting at the top of the staircase that led to Impa's house.

The silence was…

Comfortable…

Nice.

She was happy to sit idly by and watch him thoroughly enjoy the meal made for him, watching as he chowed down with righteous intensity. She could sit there all day, gazing upon his long luxurious locks that fluttered in the wind, his deep blue eyes that sparkled in the light of the morning sun, those long and dignified pointed ears…

"Paya…?" She finally realized that he'd been calling her name for the last few moments, staring at her, hand outstretched with a fork of food towards her.

"H-Hmm?" She asked, embarrassed that she'd not noticed until then. "What is it?"

"I noticed you weren't eating anything." He pointed out, holding the fork just a little bit higher. "I don't want to eat it all, not if you won't eat something." He said.

"O-Oh, I don't…" She went to say, but seeing the worry in his gaze she relented quite quickly. "I-If you insist." She decided on saying instead.

He scooted close to her, their thighs touching as he raised his hand up to feed her. She felt a mixture of both embarrassment and deep joy shoot through her as he fed her. It made her feel special, appreciating in some different way that she'd never felt before.

Eventually though, the moment came to an end, and a sadness hit her when she knew it was time for him to set out. She'd wanted to spend some more time with him, no matter what it was that she would do, but she knew it far too selfish to keep him any longer then he'd already stayed.

There was a world out there that needed him far more than she needed him.

A few minutes later saw her returning to her room with him, assisting him in dawning his armor once more. Again, she was exceptionally quick in assisting him with gearing up, and in a few minutes he was ready to begin his journey once more.

Just as he was to set out, however, something that had been tickling the back of her mind came flying to the forefront.

"M-Master Link…?" She asked, just before he past her doorway. He paused, glancing back at her over his large armored shoulder piece. "B-Before you go, you should visit our guardian deity. S-She lives up on the mountain just above the village. I-I'm sure she will be able to help you with your journey." She explained quietly.

His eyes widened in surprise, before he smiled. "Thank you, I will check it out." He responded. He turned, ready to head out, but paused again. "Oh, would you mind if we take a photo?" He asked, eyes sparkling with an almost childish exuberance. "Purah really wanted to see what you look like." He added.

Paya's eyes widened in surprise. "Auntie Purah?" She asked, blinking openly. "H-How is she? I've never met her before, b-but grandmother talks about her every so often. I've always wished to meet her." She asked, clasping her hands together before her, the action seemingly a habit she defaulted to when nervous.

She seemingly glossed over his questions about a photo, unsure how he would create one of her so quickly.

"She…" He spoke up quickly, before slowing as he recalled everything that happened with her. He sighed, pulling out the Sheikah Slate. "She'd been struggling hard for a long time… Seeing me again seems to have given her hope, given her life again." He smiled lightly, recalling his heart to heart he had with her previously.

He pulled up the photo of her he'd taken with the Slate Camera Rune, before eagerly showing it to the woman. "I took this image of her so I could remember her on my journey." He smiled happily.

Paya's eyes widened when she took in the young and beautiful woman on the screen before her. She was stunning, deep red eyes that shined with knowledge, fair lightly tanned skin and beautiful white hair done up in a fancy way. Then her eyes drift downward, face turning bright red when she realized the lewd nature of the photo, not that Master Link seemed aware of. The woman in the image was flush with surprise and embarrassment, seemingly having not been prepared for the photo.

But, over all, she was undeniably an extraordinarily beautiful woman, likely only within her early twenties in age. That reality in and of itself seemed to defy the laws of the world, and made her head spin.

She studied the image for a while, completely confused. "H-How does she look so young? Auntie is grandmother's elder sister…" She voiced that confusion openly, turning to him for an explanation.

He smiled. "She spent a long time on a rune, and experimented on herself with it. It made her young again." He offered helpfully.

Paya's eyes widened, stunned. "Y-You really mean that? She reversed her age?" She breathed out. "T-That's amazing…" She sighed, before another question came to her. "W-Why has she not come back here, use that rune on grandmother?" She asked.

It was only obvious that if she'd successfully created such an amazing piece of technology that she would share it with the other Sheikah. Unless, of course, something went wrong.

"W-Well… I'm not sure. But judging from her reaction when I asked, I'm assuming it's broken in some way, or that she is unable to repair it if it is. When I return there, I will ask her." He explained, before taking the Slate back from her.

"Take care Paya, it may be some time before I return." He waved as he left.

"G-Goodbye, Master Link. P-Please be careful on your journey." She bowed lightly, wishing him well as he left.

Only once he was gone did something she saw in photo finally click within her brain. And, once she realized it, her brain began malfunctioning.

He had kiss marks all over his lips…

And, not only that…

But, so did her Auntie…

Which meant…

Which meant that Master Link and her were-

T-That she and him were…?!

"O-Oh, I-I feel dizzy…" She muttered to herself, moving to sit on her bed. Her mind had some catching up to do. "I-I-I think I-I haven't eaten enough…"

It had nothing to do with how a small part of her was mildly jealous of her great aunt's pretty looks, nor how she seemed to have a romantic interest in Master Link…

At least, that's what she told herself…

After leaving Paya behind, he found Impa awake downstairs. He took a moment to finally speak with her, about his meeting with Purah, the dangers he experienced that lingered far too near the last Hylian town, and of his missing memories and subsequently how Purah suggested he figure out a way to restore them.

She'd asked about how her elder sister had held up while alone for all those many years, and his uncomfortable silence seemed to tell her all she needed to know.

After a short back and forth, she explained to him the location of the four Devine Beasts, and the regions that they resided in. As much as it was important for him to regain his lost memories, it was even more so that he save the other lands as well, knowing that each tribe had suffered greatly in the last hundred years as well.

That's when he decided that he would venture for the Gerudo Desert first, bring aid to their people, then go from there.

Impa thought that a fine decision, and gave him her support on such a matter. But, before he set out, she had one last question for him.

And to her, such a question was very important.

"Before you go, I have one last thing to ask of you." She spoke up, stopping him before he could leave. He stopped, turning to face her out of the corner of his eye. "What is your relationship with my sister? What is your intentions with her?" She asked, surprisingly serious.

Link blinked, clicked his tongue, then lowered his head in thought. "She is someone special to me, although for reasons I do not fully understand right now. She… She is in love with me, this much I know is true, and she has been for a hundred years more." He said softly, recalling her as she cried her heart out upon him, refusing to leave his embrace.

"Whether or not my feelings are just as strong for her as hers are for me doesn't change my mind. I'm going to give her my all, because I know more than anything, that it will bring her happiness." He said decidedly, conviction firm. "And I want her to be happy. There are so few left that are now…"

Impa nodded, humming an old tired sound.

That was indeed the answer she was looking for, but she still had one more thing to ask of him.

"And what of another? What if someone other than my sister were to fall for you? Would you turn them away for her?" Impa asked curiously, almost sounding as if she were not interested.

He looked down, dwelling on her questions. However, he didn't take long to answer, for it was something he'd already been dwelling on beforehand.

"I… I think whether or not I carry the same love for someone as they do me, I think I would show them it back, no matter who they are…" He smiled sadly, turning to face her. She was momentarily surprised by the seriousness on his face. "There are so few left in our kingdom, so few left from the Calamity. Who would I be to decide it right to bring happiness to only one of those people while leaving the rest to be alone?" He asked, almost to himself. "If I am the only one left that they wish to turn to, the last in a kingdom that has been trampled to the ground, I do not think it's my choice to turn them away if they decide that I am who they seek."

He turned back from her, eyes gazing upon the skies that lay beyond her open doors. His expression tightened, fist clenched at his sides. Then, that built up tension vanished from him, and he found himself lost in the clouds above once more.

"My kingdom is gone. The King and the people I once served lost to the Calamity, only fragments of them remaining now, only fragments of them I can even remember. I think, if I can make two or three people from that broken world happy for the rest of their days just by returning their feelings, I'm sure I'd choose to do so over just one…" He decided on saying, genuinely believing what he was saying.

Impa smiled, although for reasons he couldn't understand at the time. Years later he would, but for now, she would leave him in the dark so as to the nature of her question.

"I see. Then be safe on your journey, and do not falter. Hyrule will be lost forever without you, and I fear, more than that, the rest of the world will be too." Impa said, wishing him well as he left. "You are not allowed to fall... Not again... Not ever." Impa whispered to herself as he left, feeling part of her heart clench as he left once more.

Unbeknownst to either of them, Paya listened in on the conversation from her room, their voices muffled yet audible through the wooden floors…

He left Kakariko behind him, geared up and ready to set out upon his new journey.

But before he could set out for where he presumed Gerudo Desert lay, he promised Paya that he would give the guardian deity of Kakariko a visit to see what she could do to help aid him.

He wasn't quite sure what he was to expect upon his arrival, so he found himself more then a little curious. He didn't remember anything about guardian deities from the past, so he was eager to see them with his own eyes.

He scaled the hill, finding a shrine placed just outside the village. He was sure to accomplish the shrine and receive another spirit orb in the process, before continuing on to the deity he sought. Already, he could sense that his spirit had grown significantly stronger since he'd first awoken, the power of many ancient sages pulsing underneath his skin.

But he knew there were many more who had one day, many hundreds if not thousands of years ago dedicated themselves to this moment, all to empower the one chosen as the Hero. Those people, who they once were, who they'd been and their power, all were sealed away in faith that one day a hero would appear to take their power for his own all to stop evil once more.

And that hero just so happened to have been him…

Simply dwelling on that thought humbled him in a way he doubted others could understand. He didn't quite understand it all, but he did understand that gathering these spirit orbs was something only he was capable of accomplishing, and more than that, they made him stronger in some form.

He wasn't sure what they did, but with every orb gathered he felt just that much faster, that much stronger, his pool of stamina growing larger and larger. At first it was refreshing to feel like he'd grown stronger, but after the fifteenth shrine he'd accomplished, he truly began to feel as if something was different.

If he was to continue gathering these spirit orbs, these powerful gatherings of spiritual energy within himself, he'd surely one day become something unrecognizable as human.

However, even were that to be the case, he supposed that it would be worth it in the end if it meant that he kept the world safe from another Calamity…

If only he truly understood what undertaking such a task would mean for him in the end, what he would be forced to give up for power. All that power wasn't meant for one body, and mere mortals weren't to attempt to gain such powers…

Then maybe he'd have thought differently…

But he wasn't allowed such time to dwell on matters he didn't fully understand, as he approached the shrine that was said to contain the deity he sought...

Chapter

8

End