Author's Note

Uh, sorry for the break, life got busy.

Also, shout out to the person who reviewed every chapter leading up to this one, you're a real one. You know who you are, thank you for your passionate and full reviews, I read them all and can say I definitely gained some inspiration for this story.

Also, no, Ghirahim is not going to be part of the romantic circle, sorry if anyone thought she was. Her role will be important to the story, but she a murderous demon who's killed many innocent without an ounce of mercy...

So, yeah...

I'm also testing out a new thing where I put the location of where the chapter starts at, and the pov it will follow for the time. If that location and pov changes, it will say so again. It's just to help anyone follow and keep pace if I jump around from character to character.

If no one likes it, I'll remove it, plain and simple.


Uploaded

07/29/2023


LEGEND BELOW

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

''Dont panic.'' = Normal thoughts.


Chapter 16

The first Devine Beast/To learn to be a wife

Rated-M

M rating for Romance, and things of explicit nature, and blood and death.


Music of the day

1st half- The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild - Attacking Devine Beast Vah Naboris.

2nd half - The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild - Kakariko Village Day theme.


Gerudo Desert Outpost

Link

The hot desert winds whipped against his flushed face, the sun high in the skies above the Gerudo Desert.

Some time after they awoke from their intense night of passion, he geared up and began the preparations for the siege upon the Devine Beast.

As it turns out, without the Thunder Helmet, he would've had no chance at approaching the giant machine. With its constant spew of lightning, he'd be dead long before he made his way inside.

That's where Riju came in, wearing the cartoonishly adorable helmet that apparently held the power to repel the lightning long enough for him to board the beast.

That was all well and good, but he'd been left without the proper gear to do so. His shield had been ruined in the raid, and his sword was tarnished beyond repair in his fight against Ghirahim. More than that, his fancy armor was badly damaged as well, and would need repair before it was to be used again.

Riju had gone ahead and stripped him of it and handed it off to her armorers to be repaired, while she instead bestowed upon him an armor made specifically for Gerudo men, of which there technically was none.

It was bright in color, with a golden looking metal to cover his shins, arms, and chest, while leaving part of his chest bare. She'd done his long hair up into a ponytail, something she'd found surprisingly easy to do, what with having to work around his horns and all. And finally, he was offered a golden gem incrusted headband that with the power of amber gems, drastically increased his physical defenses magically to compensate for the otherwise seeming lack of armor.

As for his weaponry, Riju had gifted him the late Lady Urbosa's equipment. A sword and shield made for the ancient Champion who'd fallen in combat.

With all those preparations out of the way, there was nothing left stopping him from raiding the beast.

Riju did have some concerns about the magical horns that had sprouted from his forehead, but he said he didn't know much about why they'd appeared and or what they meant.

His only clue lay in the symbol of a strange golden triangle that had appeared on the top of his right hand, even now glowing a dull golden in color. He promised that he'd look into it once he had calmed the Devine Beast, but only after.

She relented after he'd said that, and they'd split ways until they rejoined sides out in the desert, not far from the giant mechanical monster.

She'd gone on ahead of him, reaching some sort of outpost that stood on the boarder of Vah Naboris's range. After climbing the ladder up to her lookout, he found her alone.

"Ah, there you are. I was just thinking about you." She winked, hands on her hips as she turned to address him. "Hmmm, he does look ravenous in that armor…" She whispered a bit louder then she meant to, face flushing when she instead looked up to lock eyes with him.

"What's the plan?" Link asked, not missing her lusting gaze, but focused on the mission at hand. She cleared her throat as he approached, turning her attention to the beast in the distance.

"Vah Naboris has been traveling in large sweeping circles for some time now, and it will be coming back this direction shortly. We need to get in there quickly, the longer we stay within its range, the more likely we won't make it out safely…" Riju explained seriously, arms crossed underneath her breasts.

"How are we going to get close?" He asked, turning to face her in question. "It's moving far too fast to catch up on foot."

She grinned. "That's a good question. That's where my sand Seals come in." She smirked, glancing down to the sandy dunes below. "We'll ride them into battle. I'll lead the charge, protect you with the powers of my helmet. So long as you're inside the barrier it creates you will be fine. It's going to move fast, so we don't have much time to waste." She explained, before handing him a Gerudo made bow with a quiver filled to the brim with arrows.

"Here, use these to damage the feet. Once it's taken enough damage, it will stop moving momentarily to recover, that will be your chance to get inside." She added. He took her gear gratefully, strapping it to his backside.

Now loaded and aware of the plan of attack, all that was left was to begin the assault. He quickly made his way down, standing beside the sand seals. He wanted to get started right away, but the look Riju had gave him pause.

"Riju, are you okay?" He asked gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. She mustered up a smile for him, but he could tell that it was faked. The look he gave her told her to drop the lies, and begged her to really tell him her feelings.

She sighed, seeming to crumble in on herself. "I'm scared…" She muttered quietly, eyes cast downward. "What if we don't make it… What if you…?" She tried, but she quieted when he pressed his lips to hers. Her eyes widened in surprise, before she melted into his touch.

"I know you are." He whispered as he pulled away, instead pulling her into a hug, his head resting against her chest. It felt weird, him trying to comfort her seeing that she was so much taller than him. "But we'll get through this, we have to. Once I'm inside, I want you to return to Gerudo Town and wait for me." He explained gently yet firmly. "I won't be long, I promise." He added.

She pulled away, searching his eyes for the truth. But she found no lies in his gaze, and found herself believing in him. "Okay, then I'm ready." She nodded firmly, seemingly leaching off of his unbelievable amount of courage.

A few moments later saw both of them riding into action, leaving a trail of dust in their wake. Vah Naboris's path changed, suddenly turning towards them.

"It's coming this way! Link, please prepare yourself!" Riju called out.

The Hero nodded, not that she could see. He drew his bow, taking aim as they approached. Sensing their presence, Vah Naboris began charging up its lightning attack, taking aim right at them with a zero percent chance of missing.

But he held faith in her magic helmet, and calmed his racing heart as he fired the first arrow off, the explosive soaring through the air. The first shot missed, the beast so large that even one step crossed a great distance.

"We must get closer! Hurry Link! Go now, while it charges its next attack!" She cried out.

His eyes narrowed, kicking his sand seal into action as he charged forward out of the safe zone. He needed to get close enough to damage the beast, but not stray too far from her side lest he meet his end.

It was going to be risky…

But…

Risky is what he lived for!

The winds of the desert bit and stung his face, but he didn't care, flying forwards across the sands as he neared the first leg. He took aim once more, firing off a bomb that struck true, the area around the first foot seemingly taking damage.

Vah Naboris roared in anger at the attack, and began charging another lightning strike directly atop Link.

"Link!! Get back here!" Riju cried out desperately, stopped a short distance away.

"Come on!" The Hero ushered his seal, bursting away at blistering speeds to reach the young desert chief in time. He slid to a stop just inside her barrier, lightning striking where he'd been only a few seconds ago.

It was close, but he'd brought down two of the legs. If he damaged the other two, it would be forced to stop for a moment, just enough to allow him to board.

"Let's go!" She cried out, rushing back into the fray. He was quick to follow, keeping pace with her until They caught back up with the Devine Beast.

The struggle was intense, but somehow they managed. Not a minute later saw the third and fourth legs being damaged.

And suddenly Vah Naboris came to a halt, its long neck extending skyward as it roared its mighty roar. Then, not a short few moments later, the giant machine came crashing down to the world below, the earth shaking as it fell to its belly.

"Link! This is your chance! Don't waste it, don't stop! This is the first time Vah Naboris has been down in the last one hundred years!" Riju cried out desperately, ushering him forward.

Link came flying around, ditching his sand seal as he ran up to her. She wasn't prepared for him to place a quick or fleeting kiss on her lips before he tore off for the belly of the beast, so she stood there stunned as she watched her hero rush headlong into the fray.

She clasped her hands to her breasts, eyes worriedly watching him go. "Good luck Link… Please be careful…" She whispered, knowing full well he couldn't hear her…


He fell to his knees as the beast suddenly rose back to its feet, standing tall once more. He'd made it, but just barely, standing on the loading ramp underneath the beast.

He looked off into the distance, waving at Riju as she waved him back. But seeing as the beast was mobile once more, she immediately fled the scene, retreating to Gerudo Town where it was safe.

He could finally sigh in relief, the tension he wasn't fully aware that he'd been holding finally wavering as he watched her return to the safety of her town. The idea of her being in her own in this monster infested desert was a thought that made him sick to his stomach, and he didn't look away until he was sure she was safe once more.

With Riju now out of the picture, he could focus his whole entire attention onto the task at hand.

Freeing Devine Beast Vah Naboris from the clutches of Calamity Ganon.

Now he just has to figure out how to go about doing that…

In that moment, he found himself wondering how the others were doing in his absence. Purah was surely very lonely since he'd left, he realized. He decided that he'd pay her a much needed visit after.

His mind turned to the other woman, Purah's niece. He found himself wishing that she too was doing well in his absence…


Kakariko Village

Paya

She sighed, resting her chin in her hands, elbows on her desk. She found her gaze drawn to the mountains outside her window, looking at the mountain pass, hoping that any minute now that he'd return from his adventure.

Of course, that's what she'd been doing for the past two days, yet Master Link had yet to return to her.

Oh, she knew she shouldn't be so needy, that he was a very busy man that couldn't just stop everything he was doing to come visit her…

But that didn't mean that she didn't selfishly wish that he did do just that and dropped by to say hello every once in a while.

It wasn't as if he was planning on completing his quest in a week, that would be far too much!

S-Surely he'd be in need of some serious rest in between his journeys across Hyrule? He was a strong, handsome man, capable of great feats and excellent swordsmanship, but he'd surely need his rest if he was to face the Calamity one day?

M-Maybe she could give him a massage when he returned? Clean his armor or make him something to eat? M-Maybe he'd need someone to talk to, s-someone to lean on?

"O-Oh look at me… Daydreaming again…" She muttered softly, hands on her flushed cheeks. "I just can't get my mind off of him…" She realized quietly…

She continued to sit there in silence for a while, gaze wandering the clouds above, lost in her mixed thoughts. "Hmm… Maybe Grandmother will know what to do…" She muttered to herself.

With that thought in mind, she stood up from her desk, setting her diary aside to write in later. Writing down her feelings and her thoughts made it possible to breathe sometimes, and helped keep her spirit in check. It was something Impa had suggested to her some time ago, and only recently had she gone ahead and listened to her advice.

Again she found herself turning to the wise old woman for advice, and this time it was about her feelings towards a certain man. More than that, it was about what her feelings were, and specifically what they meant.

Although she was an adult, these feelings and emotions were still all too new to her, she didn't know what to do, what to act upon, what to think. Dwelling on them by herself had simply gotten her nowhere, and only made her anxious soft heart bleed with worry for the swordsman, and worry about how he saw her.

Did he dislike her?

She knew the answer, he'd told her himself. No, no he didn't dislike her. He thought that she was sweet and did her best to take care of her aged grandmother.

Did he think her useless like she'd thought herself?

Well… No, he didn't think that either. He'd expressed that he thought she was amazing for doing everything that she could, that she worked hard at what she was good at, and even harder at what she wasn't.

He said he really enjoyed her cooking, and that he wasn't much of a chef himself and that her skills at cooking and making potions were very valuable, and were a skill that surprisingly, not many in Hyrule had left.

He said that he found the way she took care of him heavenly, that it might stay his urge to continue his quest at least for a short time. So he found her skilled with her hand, which was good.

But she found herself realizing that, while all of that was good, it wasn't what she was really worried about.

What she really wanted to know…

What she'd been staying up late dwelling on…

Was how Master Link thought of her, as who she was, as Paya.

That's what she found herself wanting to know, more than anything else. But how would she go about figuring that out?

She couldn't just go up to Master Link and ask him, could she?

Ohhh…..

Just thinking about it made her heart race!

She found her feet taking her to her grandmother's side, head still lost in thought. It took her a moment to realize that she was standing beside the aged woman and she'd yet to say anything.

Shaking herself out of her stupor, she clasped her hands together in front of her as she addressed the village elder with her inquiry.

"Evening, Lady Impa." Paya greeted lightly, face heating up nervously.

The older woman opened her eyes, glancing at the beautiful young woman to her side. "Ah, finally decided to grace me with your presence this afternoon?" Impa inquired, a knowing smirk on her face.

Paya blushed in embarrassment, but looking at her grandmother's face she realized that the older woman was just teasing her. She sighed, thumbs twiddling around nervously. "I-I need your help, Lady Impa… I'm afraid I'm at a loss as for what I'm to do." She explained quietly, unable to meet her grandmother's gaze.

"Ever since Master Link has departed for his journey, I-I find my heart hurt in anticipation for the time when he will return. M-My mind dwells on him by day, and in my thoughts by night, and I cannot help but worry about his wellbeing." Paya confided quietly.

"Whenever I think of him out there without me, my heart aches, but I do not know why. Please, you must tell me, am I sick?" Paya asked worriedly, eyes confused. "What must I do to make the pain in my heart g-go away? What will sooth this ache in my heart?"

Impa's eyes widened at the confession from her granddaughter, before a knowing look filled her aged eyes.

She knew what her granddaughter was suffering from, what sort of illness plagued her young and fragile heart. And, more than that, she knew how to cure such an illness too.

Impa smiled softly, beckoning the young woman to her. Paya listened intently, sitting before the woman. "Paya, you're not sick. You're in love." Impa announced. "The reason your heart hurts when he left is because you yearn for him, to be by his side, to have him by your own. You have feelings in your heart for him, and want him to return them to you. But you are afraid of rejection." Impa explained, before pointing out the other truth that was plaguing her.

Paya pressed her hands to her heart, eyes softening. "…Love?" She asked after a long moment. She thought about it for a while, before she realized something.

Love.

She loved him, and, more than that, she wanted him to love her back.

She needed his love, his love beside her, his love for her, his love…

She wanted it, so desperately that it hurt. Her heart yearned for his love, but her heart was weak, fragile. She'd not tried to gain his love, her feet stayed by her overwhelming anxiety and fear.

Fear that, if she couldn't be good enough for him, if she couldn't bring something of value and benefit to him, that he'd only reciprocate her feelings for him out of pity. She knew such a line of thinking was illogical and painted the man as vein, but she couldn't help her line of reasoning.

At the end of the day, she wanted his love, but her weak heart had stayed her feet and prevented her from reaching out and grabbing it for herself.

She turned back to her grandmother, eyes almost pleading. "Please, grandmother! How- H-How do I get his love? What must I do to attain it?" She asked, heart overcome with emotion. "I must know, for if I do not have his love, I-I-I feel as if I am without purpose…" She trailed off quietly, looking down as her temporary burst of courage fled her, fleeting just as her skills.

Impa smiled a little look, a glint in her eyes. "My dear, I've been waiting for you to say that." She expressed jovially, patting her lap to get the girl's attention. "You've set your eyes on this man, and your heart will not take no for an answer?" She asked, eyebrow raised in question.

Paya's cheeks flushed in embarrassment, yet her gaze hardened ever so slightly. She nodded firmly at her grandmother.

"Then are you willing to set aside your happiness and instead share it with others?" Impa asked.

Paya nodded, not even waiting to think. Impa grinned.

"Master Link is a very loving man, his heart large. I would not doubt that if you wish to attain his love for yourself, you must come to terms with the fact that you will be sharing his love with others as well." The woman explained sagely, glancing out the open doors before her, gaze wandering to the skies beyond.

"Your dear aunt, Purah has already taken hold of his love, so you are not the first. But worry not, for you will have a share in it, I made certain of that. His capacity to love is greater than you know, and all you have to do is find your place in it." The old woman continued sagely, Paya seemingly leaning on her every word.

"How…? How do I do that?" Paya asked, eyes wide.

Impa laughed, slapping her lap lightly. "That's the simple part, my dear. You just need to let him know." She explained simply.

"A-And the hard part…?" Paya found herself asking.

Impa grinned. "Why, that's becoming a good wife! A strong, handsome swordsman like Master Link is sure to have needs, things only his wife could fulfill for him. You don't want to be left behind by the others do you?"

Paya's face flushed blazing hot red, yet she found herself unable to retreat. She needed to know, she must know.

She would cast aside her embarrassment and her doubts to learn from her grandmother. Because she felt now that she had someone to work for other then herself…


Chapter

16

End