"You sure about this, Link?"
Link hesitated for a moment. He gazed out at Tetra's ship, and at the vast expanse of ocean that lay beyond it.
"I mean, think about it," Tetra continued, arms crossed behind her head as she leaned back against a palm tree. "We'll be sailing into completely uncharted waters. Searching for a new land to call home — something to really rival that old kingdom beneath the waves. And with any luck, there will be treasure to be had along the way too." She turned to glance at him, a wry smirk curving her lips. "You can't tell me you aren't interested."
She wasn't wrong. The offer really was tempting. Link had been glad to spend some quiet time at home with his family again, after everything he'd been through in his adventure. But he could already feel the sea calling out to him. The rush of the wind in his hair, the salty tang of the ocean air, the freedom of roaming the waves wherever he wanted... he knew he couldn't keep himself away from it for long.
He had already explored nearly every corner of his sea chart. If he ever wanted a chance to go further, and see what lay beyond the turbulent waters that surrounded the Great Sea, this was likely his best chance.
But...
"Miss Tetra?" Gonzo, Tetra's second-in-command, stepped up towards the pair. Despite his significantly taller stature, he snapped a respectful salute to the young pirate captain. "The crew has finished preparations. We're ready to ship out whenever you are, captain."
Tetra nodded. "Very well." She pushed off from the palm tree, before turning towards Link again. "So, what's it gonna be, Link? One way or another, I need an answer now."
Link glanced back over his shoulder. His sister and grandmother stood out in front of their home, anxious looks on their faces as they waited for him to respond. He thought back to the start of his journey. Even if it had turned into something far bigger along the way... the whole reason he'd set out on his adventure in the first place was to bring Aryll safely back home.
He thought about Medli, and Makar... everyone he had met along his journey, everyone he had ever known was here in the Great Sea. Could he really bring himself to leave all of that behind, just to chase the thrill of exploration?
No one knew how long this voyage would take; for all they knew, it could be a long, long time before they'd be back this way again.
Link took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his face hardening with resolve. He shook his head firmly. "I'm sure. I'm staying."
It had been nearly three years since that day.
Link smiled wistfully, his scruffy blonde hair rustling gently in the breeze as he stood atop Outset Island's old lookout tower. A blue shirt featuring the white silhouette of a crawfish hung loosely on his frame; he had outgrown his old one long ago, but for some reason he'd found he was fond of the design. He held his telescope to his eye and gazed out at the ocean.
He wondered where Tetra was now. Had she and her crew found what they were looking for yet, or were they still out there somewhere, searching?
For the first few weeks, Tetra had kept in touch using the pirate's charm she had given Link so long ago. But eventually, the distance seemed to be too great for even that to work. The crystal had been dark and silent ever since.
The last Link had heard, Tetra's crew had begun finding several small uncharted islands, not unlike their own here in the Great Sea. Likely the high ground of a different ancient region that had been lost beneath the waves, he supposed. Tetra's crew had stuck around for a while, exploring the islands and trading with the inhabitants to restock their supplies. But Tetra had been eager to move on, confident that her 'New Hyrule' had to be out there somewhere.
Link could only imagine all the things she and her crew had seen by now. What kinds of people they'd met, what new and beautiful places they'd been to...
Before he knew it, a pensive frown had started to worm its way onto his face. He shook his head, trying to clear away those thoughts.
Sure, he'd be lying if he said he didn't miss having new sights to see. And sure, he sometimes felt a bit... aimless. Nowadays, he mostly just wandered the sea for its own sake, traveling between the major islands and occasionally doing odd jobs for people. But even if it wasn't quite the same, he still enjoyed it. It wasn't worth dwelling on like this.
His hand drifted up to his neck, where a small compass hung from a string. He smiled down at the device. He had too many people he cared about here that he couldn't leave behind. Even moreso now, than back then.
"'Hoy! Big brooother!"
Before Link could get too lost in his thoughts, the sound of his sister's voice calling out from below brought him back to reality. "Up here, Aryll!" he called out over his shoulder.
A few seconds later, the telltale creaking of footsteps on the old wooden ladder followed. Soon, Aryll emerged onto the top of the platform as well.
"You know, for some reason I was sure I was gonna find you napping up here again," Aryll teased as she stepped up beside her brother.
Link rolled his eyes bemusedly. "I haven't done that in ages." His adventuring days had forced him to grow more alert. The King had been quick to drill that kind of thing out of him after the first couple times he'd dozed off during a long stretch of sailing.
"I kinda miss it," Aryll said. "It was fun being able to sneak up and surprise you all the time. You'd always make the funniest faces." Link responded with a gentle nudge to his sister's side. Aryll let out a quiet laugh, and Link couldn't help but join in.
After pulling out her own telescope — a nice flower-patterned one that Link had bought her to replace the one she'd given him — Aryll joined Link in gazing out at the ocean. For a while, no words were said, a cozy silence settling over the siblings.
"So," Aryll eventually spoke up, "what'cha thinkin' about? I know you always like to come up here to think."
"...Just thinking about where I'm gonna go next," Link fibbed. He didn't really want to bog things down right now with what had actually been on his mind. Especially not with his sister.
Thankfully, Aryll didn't pick up on it. Instead, she giggled, before lowering her telescope to turn and look at Link. "In other words..." She poked the compass hanging from his neck. "...you're thinking about Medli," she finished, an almost sing-song like emphasis on the Rito's name.
Link blushed a bit. Dragon Roost Island probably would be his first stop. It usually was, whenever he set out from here lately. He supposed he'd mentioned the island, and Medli in particular, a few too many times while recounting his travels to his family, because Aryll had been quick to draw her own conclusions about why he spent nearly as much time there as on Outset.
Not that she was entirely wrong, to be fair. But still.
"...Maybe," Link finally said, causing Aryll to break out into more giggles.
"I still want to meet her, you know. Grandma does too. Do you think she might be able to come visit sometime soon?"
Link paused. "Well... she has some duties she takes care of on her own island that are very important to her, so she doesn't like to leave for long." The Rito in general seemed to put a lot of emphasis on duty, and Medli was no exception. He'd tried asking Medli about coming all the way down here once or twice, and hadn't had much luck. Then again, it had been a while since he had asked. "I'll see what I can do, though." He gave his sister a lopsided smile. "I'd... like to show her around here too."
Aryll beamed at that. She briefly raised her telescope to her eye again, gazing out across the water as if to try and spot Dragon Roost. "So, when are you heading out? Soon?"
"Probably, yeah. Still need to head back to the house and get ready, but I'd like to get going before it gets much later."
Aryll nodded. She glanced back at the mainland, her smile taking on a slightly mischievous air as she collapsed her telescope and put it away. "Race you back!" she called out, before running back over to the old wooden ladder and starting to hastily climb back down.
Link laughed and shook his head. Rather than try to rush after her, though, he stepped up to the other end of the lookout tower, one hand fishing through his pockets as he looked out over the island. He pulled out his deku leaf, which magically grew in size as he lifted it over his head. He carefully climbed over the railing, jumping off the side of the tower and using the leaf to glide down towards the ground.
"Big brooother, that's cheating!" he heard Aryll yell out behind him. He grinned. She was the one who insisted on it being a race.
That said, Link may or may not have chosen to take his time as he gently drifted down and along the beach. The wind was just too uncooperative, blowing him back out to sea and forcing him to push against it; at least, that's what he would tell Aryll if she asked. No reason to ruin her fun.
Sure enough, by the time Link touched down on the sand, Aryll had pulled ahead, and she remained that way as they made their way towards the house.
Aryll ran up to the porch, tapping a hand on the front door before triumphantly hopping in place. She spun to face Link, and playfully stuck out her tongue. "That's what you get for cheating, big brother!"
"Heh. Yeah, I guess so."
A moment later, Aryll stepped forward to pull him into a hug. "Have fun out there, big brother."
"I will, sis."
"Promise to bring me back some more of those candies I like, while you're out?"
Link chuckled. "Sure thing."
With that, Aryll pulled away, giving Link one more smile before running off towards the hill on the other side of the island. Link watched her go for a moment, before stepping into the house. He climbed up to the loft and started to go through his things.
He changed from his blue crawfish shirt into his sturdy green tunic. The outfit was still a little warm for his liking, but it had grown on him over his adventure, and it was more suited for travel than his casual clothes.
He also made sure to take the old sword that Orca had given him, as well as a few of his other items just in case. Monsters weren't that common a sight on the seas anymore, since Ganondorf's defeat, but it didn't hurt to be prepared.
Before he left, Link made his way over to his grandmother, who was currently napping in her favorite chair. He gently shook her awake. "Grandma?"
The elderly woman slowly stirred, shaking off her drowsiness and blinking her eyes open. "Oh!" She smiled warmly up at Link. A moment later, her face fell somewhat as she noticed his attire. "Oh. You're setting out, then?"
That tone in Grandma's voice never failed to break Link's heart a little. "Yeah. But I'll be back soon, like always. Promise." He made a point of coming back to visit home at least once a week or so, whenever he was out at sea.
"I know, dear." She gave a small, resigned sigh, before her smile came back, just a little smaller than before. "I hope you enjoy your travels. And stay safe out there, Link."
Link nodded. "I will, Grandma. Always."
These goodbyes were always a difficult test of resolve. But it was already a bit past noon; Link would prefer to get going soon. After leaning in to share a brief hug with Grandma, he finally turned to leave.
As Link walked down to the shoreline, he double-checked his gear one more time. Satisfied that he had everything he needed, he untied the King of Red Lions from the spot he'd moored it to and hopped aboard.
He took a deep, long breath of the ocean air, and let it out in a contented sigh. He nodded to himself, before raising the sail and setting out across the waves.
Slowly, steadily, Medli guided her fingers along the strings of her harp, carefully plucking out the notes of a classic Rito tune. The notes lilted through the air, spreading across the secluded outcropping and a little ways beyond. Medli couldn't see if anyone was close enough to hear; her eyes were closed, blocking out all outside distractions. It was just her and her instrument.
Medli frowned as an errant note came out ever-so-slightly too high. But with practiced restraint, she kept focus. Don't stop, don't restart. Just keep going. You've got this.
In the end, she managed to close out the melody with only a couple of tiny mistakes. She shook her head, letting out a quiet huff as she opened her eyes. She was still far from perfect. Nothing like her late teacher had once been. Much less her ancestor, the former Earth Sage. But at least she was getting better, day by day, and she supposed that was what mattered.
Medli leaned against the railing in front of her, a gentle smile settling on her face as she gazed out at the vast ocean. This little outcropping, a mild distance out from the upper level of the village, had always been Medli's favorite spot on the island. It was just far enough out of the way to feel somewhat private, whenever she wanted to practice or just be alone with her thoughts. And the view of the ocean was lovely from up here too.
The recent addition of a small pot of vibrant blue flowers had only made the spot feel even more cozy. They were a gift from Link; something to 'add a bit more color to the place', he'd said.
Medli glanced down at the blooms, her smile widening a bit as her thoughts turned to Link. He'd been visiting more and more often, of late. In the early days after his adventure had concluded, Link might stop at their island once or twice in a month. Now, hardly a week would go by without him dropping by. And while he certainly had other friends and acquaintances here, and sometimes business to deal with as well, he always seemed to spend a majority of his time here with her.
Sometimes they would simply talk, about anything or nothing at all. Sometimes they would while away the time playing Sortaire or the like, either just the two of them or with Komali as well. And sometimes, if Link was staying the night on the island, they would stay out a bit past dark and watch the stars for a while.
Link's last couple visits had been a bit different, though. He had brought her out on his boat, sailing out past Pawprint and spending a short visit on Windfall Island together. It had been nice to get out and see some different sights, for once, even if she still preferred her home here most of the time. The market there was so much busier than she'd been used to — a little too busy, almost — but there had been so many interesting things for sale, like the 'sea flowers' that Link had gotten her. Not to mention the cozy little cafe that she and Link had eaten lunch together at, both times.
...Medli liked to think that those trips to Windfall had been dates. But she hadn't worked up the nerve to ask if Link had meant them that way. Their friendship had doubtless grown... closer, over the last couple of years. Much closer. But there was still a cautious, pessimistic part of her brain that warned her not to get her hopes up. She was sure she was far from the only girl to have caught feelings for the young hero; she doubted she was even the only one here on Dragon Roost, after he had personally saved them when Valoo had been out of control.
In particular, there was Tetra to consider. Medli had noticed more than a hint of wistfulness in Link's tone whenever he spoke of the pirate and her voyage. Perhaps his heart was set on her, and he was waiting ever patiently for her return. If... when that happened, there was every chance Link would choose to leave with them, this time.
Still... Medli could dream, couldn't she? She glanced down at the bundle of flowers again, her heart fluttering just a little at the thought that maybe, just maybe, he'd be offering her a golden feather instead, one of these times. She let out a soft sigh, before shaking away her reverie and going back to watching the ocean.
Eventually, as Medli's eyes continued to scan the horizon, she perked up as she spotted a cyclone forming off in the distance. She focused intently on the storm. A small hint of concern started to bubble up in her chest. But it faded quickly, as less than a minute later the winds began to die down, revealing an unmistakable red form floating on the water in its place.
An eager smile lit up Medli's face. She secured her harp to her back, before drawing herself up. She held out her arms, a faint light enveloping them as they shifted into wings, and she took to the air, beginning to glide out towards the small boat.
About halfway to her destination, she felt the winds around her suddenly shift, and a noticeable headwind began to push back against her. She wobbled slightly in the air, thrown off for a moment. But she managed to adjust, overcoming the winds with a bit of effort and continuing on.
Thankfully, Link noticed her before he started raising his sail. He held a familiar baton at his left side, as he waved up at her with his other hand. As Medli flew closer, Link kindly moved a couple things out of the way to clear room for her near the back of the boat.
Medli's landing was slightly clumsy, causing the King of Red Lions to shake a bit as she steadied herself against its side with a wing. Once everything evened out, she stood up, looking over at the Hylian. "Hello, Link."
"Hey, Medli. Couldn't wait 'til I got to the island to come and greet me, huh?"
"Well, um..." Medli felt a faint heat rise to her cheeks. "I could have just waited on the shore for you again. But since I saw you coming, I just thought..."
"Not that I'm complaining," Link interrupted, a lopsided grin on his face. "Always nice to have a warm welcome like this, you know? E-Especially when it's you."
Medli's blush deepened at that. She gave a shy smile in reply, sitting down and trying to make herself comfortable as the Hylain set about messing with the sail. He only raised it about halfway, causing the boat to drift forward at a slow, cozy pace.
Before Link sat down himself, he moved to a small bundle sitting near the middle of the boat. Reaching inside, he pulled out a ripe red apple. "Want one?" he asked, holding it out towards Medli.
Medli's stomach chose that moment to let out a quiet growl. Embarrassed, the Rito nodded. "...Yes, please."
Link chuckled again. "Practiced right through lunch again, I take it?"
Medli didn't respond, but from the widening grin on the Hylian's face, he knew he was right. He gently tossed the fruit to Medli, and she carefully caught it out of the air, nodding gratefully at Link before taking a small bite.
Link took out an apple for himself, idly tossing it from hand to hand as he moved towards the front of the boat. "So, how've things been here, since last time? Anything new, or just- whoa!" He nearly bobbled his snack, frantically trying to regain his grip before it could tumble over the side of the boat. After a few moments he succeeded, letting out a sigh of relief. He chuckled with embarrassment, sitting down without another word.
Medli giggled softly at Link's antics while she thought about his question. "Well... there was a flight competition a few days back for fliers around our age. Prince Komali was rather eager to enter; I may have told you last time about how he was trying to train. He managed to place second, in the end."
"Nice. Good for him." Link gave a cheerful thumbs up.
Medli nodded. She couldn't help but be proud of Komali. He'd been so shy, once upon a time. Especially when Valoo's rage had prevented him from going up to receive a scale from the dragon. But ever since he'd earned his wings, he'd grown much more confident. He would be a fine Chieftain, when the time came.
"How'd you do, then?" Link asked.
"Hm?"
"Did you enter that little competition?"
Medli hesitated a moment, fidgeting in place, before giving a bashful shrug. "...Eleventh. Out of fifteen."
"Hey, still probably better flying than that time I tried to show off on the gliding course over there."
Medli let out a quiet chuckle. She remembered that day. He'd wanted to show her how far he could glide with his deku leaf. It hadn't quite gone how he'd wanted; he'd leaned a little too far to one side while trying to reach an updraft, and had lost his balance, crashing into the water far short of his goal. "You still made it relatively far. I doubt many other Hylians could claim your score."
In any case, Medli was honestly more surprised she'd even managed eleventh the other day. She'd gotten better at her flying, after a few more years of practice with her wings, but it still wasn't something she prided herself as being good at. If Komali hadn't convinced her to give it a try, she wouldn't have entered at all. So the fact that she'd beaten out anyone at all was something of a victory in her book.
"Anyway," Medli continued, glancing up ahead at her mountain home as she tried to think of what else to say. "I, um... I've been taking good care of those flowers you gave me. They really do liven things up a bit, up there. But otherwise... it's mostly been uneventful here. Just the same old peaceful rhythm. Not that I mind."
Link nodded. "I'm sorta in the same boat. Er- no pun intended." He glanced over at the King of Red Lions' head with a smirk. "Mostly just did my usual rounds, visited the usual places. Delivered a couple things for people. You know, same old."
"I don't think there's anything wrong with that," Medli said. "Just so long as you enjoy what you do, and have good company to talk to, a regular routine isn't so bad, I think."
"I suppose." Link sighed, before shaking his head and perking back up. "Aryll says hi, by the way." He reached to his side, where his pictograph box sat. "I actually snapped a fun picture while I was back home this time... I'll have to go have Lenzo print it for me. Aryll was out feeding the gulls like she does, and she got one to perch right on her shoulder. She froze up, not wanting to spook it away, but it just stayed right there. She even got it to eat right out of her hand."
Medli smiled at the mental image. "You'll have to show me, later."
Link grinned. "You know... that offer I made of visiting Outset a while back is still open. Sis and Grandma would love to get to meet you, sometime. And you haven't lived until you've tried Grandma's soup!"
"I... really would like to," Medli said, her smile weakening a little. "But..."
"...But your attendant duties," Link finished for her. At her nod, he let out a sigh. "Right. I'd figured."
The Rito were dependent on Valoo. It was by his scales that their fledgelings were able to earn their wings, and by his protection that they were kept safe here on their island. He was their guardian, and their patron. And as Valoo's attendant, Medli was one of the only ones properly trained to communicate with him. It was her responsibility to be here, to maintain the bond between her people and the sky spirit. Especially in case something happened again.
Trips to Windfall were one thing. The island was close enough that they could go and be back in under a day. Outset, unfortunately, was practically on the opposite corner of the Great Sea from here. Even with optimal winds, and taking the most direct course there, it would take much of a day to arrive, and another to get back. Not to mention however much time they would actually spend on the island itself. It was just a bit too long to be away from her duties for her comfort.
Link still looked like he wanted to argue the point. But after a few seconds he shook his head, letting the matter drop for now.
Silence settled in for a bit as the pair gently drifted up to Dragon Roost Island's shore. They both stepped out onto solid ground, Link taking a moment to secure the boat in place before they started on the path up the mountain.
"I did also stop in at Great Fish while I was out on the sea, this time," Link eventually said. "The deku sapling the Koroks planted there really is flourishing, and it's bolstering all the other greenery there too. The island itself is still in rough shape, but you can see spots where the sapling's roots are beginning to stitch the land back together. It's nice to see."
Medli nodded. She'd heard all too much about what had happened to Great Fish Island. Ganondorf had ravaged the island in an attempt to get to Jabun. The water spirit had managed to flee in time, but not all of the island's inhabitants had been so lucky, and those who were had been left out of a home. It would likely be many years before the island remotely resembled its former self again, even with the deku sapling working its magic. But it was nice to know that the land was healing, if slowly.
And at the very least, while Ganondorf's attack had taken away one home, his defeat had left the Forsaken Fortress completely open. The now-redubbed Stonewall Island was still not the most inviting place, but it was more than spacious enough for the survivors of Great Fish and a few enterprising individuals from Windfall to take up, and from what Medli had heard they had managed to build a humble sort of community there. The Great Sea being what it was, it would be a waste not to use the habitable land. Especially given another band of outlaws would probably just take up the place otherwise.
"Speaking of the Koroks," Medli said, "I need to write to Makar again some time. I keep meaning to, but it always slips my mind." The two sages had tried to keep in touch, ever since meeting in the aftermath of Link's adventure. Makar had managed to fly up here on his own to visit a couple times, but mostly, they just exchanged letters.
"Could always just visit Forest Haven," Link offered. "The island's rather pretty, what with all the different flora around. And... it would be sort-of on the way to Outset, as a bonus," he added, a lopsided smile on his face.
Medli couldn't fault him for being persistent. She was still a little leery about going all that way, but she'd be lying if she said the idea wasn't appealing. She tilted her head in thought. "How far is Forest Haven from here, again?"
"Hm... probably six or seven hours. Maybe a little less with good pace." Link gestured down at the Wind Waker secured to his belt. "Could be way less, though, if we took the fast way. Though I remember you... didn't really like that much."
Medli shuddered a bit. Right. The cyclones. They certainly were faster than sailing; she had seen that first-hand back when Link had brought her to the Earth Temple, years ago. But flying that way once had been more than enough for her for a lifetime. "I, um... I'd really prefer not to try that again, if I can help it."
"Not even for something like this?" Link pressed, a gentle pleading in his tone. "I mean... we could zip on down to Forest Haven, say hi to Makar and show you around, then fly over to Outset... we wouldn't have to be gone for more than a day, maybe two at the most."
Medli listened pensively, mulling it over. She... really would like to get to meet Link's family, sometime. And getting to see more of the world outside of her own island was a welcome change of pace too, like with their recent da- ...visits to Windfall. How much more different would Forest Haven or Outset be, she wondered?
Eventually, Medli's silence seemed to wear on Link, and he reached up to scratch the back of his neck sheepishly. "I-I get it," he relented. "It's no trouble if you don't want to. I just thought-"
"N-No," Medli interrupted, almost without thinking. "No, I... the whole idea really does sound lovely. I just..."
She'd just been thinking earlier about how she'd like to spend more time with Link if she could. Now here he was, offering to sail across the sea and back with her for a couple days, and she was looking for any excuse not to go. Why?
She turned her gaze up toward the top of the mountain. It wasn't as if she'd never needed a sick day or anything. Not to even mention the time she'd had to spend as the Sage of the Earth Temple. Valoo was always a very kind and understanding guardian for the Rito... at least when he didn't have a giant insect monster pulling his tail, which didn't seem very likely to happen again. How much harm would really come from just leaving for a couple of days?
"...Just give me a few minutes," she finally said. "I... I should at least go and speak to Valoo first. I would wish to have his blessing before I decide anything for certain."
Link perked up at that, seeming pleasantly surprised. "Sure," he said with a nod. "Sounds like a plan."
Spreading her wings once again, Medli lifted off from the ground, eyes locked on the summit up above as she slowly gained altitude. Even now, years after she'd earned her wings, flying to the peak still wasn't quite as easy as she'd like it to be. The mountain always seemed to stretch on forever. Still, she pushed on. She managed to reach the shrine near the mountain's peak all in one go, though she was left a little winded.
As she stopped to catch her breath, the island's namesake guardian leaned down to look at her.
"Ah, Medli." Valoo's deep voice, spoken in the long-dead tongue of the old kingdom, echoed across the summit. "I would not have expected your company again until the evening. Is something wrong?"
Medli shook her head. "No, great Valoo. Nothing is wrong. I merely... hoped to speak with you on something." She was still not completely fluent in the ancient form of Hylian that Valoo spoke. But she knew enough to communicate with him, far better than anyone else on the island could.
"Of course. You are always welcome here."
Medli took a deep breath and let it out slowly, taking a moment to think through her words. "I was wondering... that is, would it be acceptable if I were to... leave Dragon Roost, for just a day or two? A dear friend has offered to show me to his home island, and perhaps drop by another friend of ours along the way. I would very much like to accept, but... it would mean not being able to attend my duties to you, for that time."
"Hm..." Valoo tilted his head a bit, before glancing down over the edge of the peak at the vast sea below. "...Would this happen to be related to a certain young hero who just arrived, by chance?"
"Er..." Medli hesitated briefly, before clearing her throat and responding. "...Yes, Valoo. It is Link."
Valoo gazed at her appraisingly for a long moment, causing Medli to fidget nervously in place.
Then, to her slight surprise, Valoo let out a slow, rumbling laugh. "Your dedication is admirable," the sky spirit said. "But by all means, if you desire a day or two of leave, I would say that you have more than earned it."
Medli let out the nervous breath she'd been holding. "Really? It would not be any trouble?"
"I will of course miss your harp, and your company. But I believe I can survive a day or two of solitude."
"Thank you, great Valoo." Medli bowed deeply, a gracious smile on her face. "I will attempt to not be gone for too long."
"You need not rush on my account. But I appreciate the sentiment. In the meantime, I wish you clear skies, Medli."
"May the winds of time continue to favor you, Valoo."
As Medli turned towards the ledge and spread her wings again to leave, she almost failed to hear the dragon mumble out a few more words. "Ah... Such a wonderful thing, ?."
Medli cocked her head a bit. She couldn't quite recognize that last word. The first part of it had sounded a bit like the old Hylian word for 'youth', but it was mixed with something else... she felt certain she'd heard it before, but she couldn't place it at the moment. "What was that?" she asked, glancing back at Valoo.
Valoo gave her a cryptic, almost amused look. "Oh, it is nothing important," he said, shaking his head. "Go on. You would not want to keep your... dear friend waiting, would you?"
Medli continued to look up at the sky spirit for a moment, slightly puzzled. But eventually, she nodded.
She glided down from the summit, her eyes scanning the ground below for Link as she circled around the mountain. He didn't seem to still be down where they'd been when she left; she assumed he'd opted to keep climbing while he waited. Sure enough, she eventually spotted him up near the entrance to the village, having stopped to chat with Quill.
"...nearly had a costly mix up the other day," she heard Quill say as she got closer. "Baito accidentally sorted one of the letters for Stonewall Island in with my batch. It was mere luck that I happened to notice before I left for Outset."
"Oof. Yeah, that would have cost a lot of time," Link said. "A little surprised he made a mistake like that, though. Some of the symbols are a little easy to mix up at a glance, but those two are distinct enough."
"No offense, Link, but I do not think you have much room to critique Baito on this. From what I have heard of your Sortaire skills, you have not improved much since the brief period when you attempted to work part-time with us."
"T-That's different. That's a game; you're supposed to sort the cards as fast as you can. Accuracy is-" Link trailed off as both he and Quill spotted Medli drifting down from above. Link's light embarrassment quickly faded into a warm grin as she landed a couple feet away. "Oh, there you are, Medli."
"Ah, Lady Medli." Quill gave a small bow of respect, a wry smile on his face as he lifted his head again. "We were just discussing Link's Sortaire deficiencies. Something I understand both you and Prince Komali can attest to?"
Link sputtered a little at that. "Wh... I don't do that bad! We all go pretty even! Don't we?" He turned towards Medli, asking her to back him up.
Medli raised a hand to her face to hide a laugh. But after a moment, she managed a nod. "Link certainly plays quite... aggressively. But despite being a bit more prone to mistakes and penalties, he does manage his fair share of wins, all told."
His real problem was whenever they opted to do anything else with those playing cards. Link himself had bemoaned once or twice that he 'cannot bluff to save his life'. Not that Medli was about to say that out loud right now.
Link looked up towards the mountain peak. "So... what did Valoo have to say?"
"He um... he has given his blessing," Medli replied. "I would of course still need to get ready first, but... we are free to leave."
"Yes!" Link cheered. "I knew it was worth asking."
Quill raised an eyebrow as he glanced between the pair. "Oh? You two are... leaving somewhere?"
"Just for a day or two," Medli said. "Link has offered to introduce me to his home and family back on Outset."
"Ah. I see." Quill gave a small nod. "Well... if Valoo himself has no objections, then I suppose I will leave the two of you to that. Though I suggest you speak to the Chieftain as well, before you leave."
Medli nodded. "Yes, of course." There were a few people she should probably talk to, really. She wouldn't want her sudden absence to cause any confusion.
"Do you want to leave today, or would you rather wait 'til tomorrow morning?" Link asked.
Medli hummed in thought. "Well, like I said, I still need some time to prepare, and get my things together. But... today should be fine, yes."
"Sounds good," Link said. "Would give me some time to catch up with the other people here, anyway. Just come let me know when you're ready."
"Alright. Will do."
With that, Medli headed into the quiet halls of the village, the rest of Link and Quill's conversation fading into silence behind her as she made for her quarters.
Her mind buzzed with a hint of excitement. This really was happening.
She hoped she would get along with Link's family. From how he'd always spoke of them, they sounded very nice, but she couldn't help but be just a tad worried. She wanted to make a good impression.
She shook her head. Pushing down her doubts, she rushed off towards her quarters to prepare.
A/N: So... a while back, I'd been feeling a bit of writer's block. Just couldn't manage to get down many words. But I'd had this idea slowly taking shape in the back of my head for a long while; have always had a soft spot for this pair, and there's a disappointing scarcity of good content for it. So I decided, what the heck, I'd let myself properly work on this for a while. Just a little side project to help push through the slump.
It uh... well, it worked for getting me to write more words again, anyway. This ended up turning out significantly longer than I'd meant it to; enough that I split it into four chapters. The whole story is basically finished at this point, so I plan to upload a chapter a day over the next couple days until the whole thing is up. If you're reading this, then hopefully you're enjoying so far; it's all far from perfect, but overall I'm pleased enough with how this has all turned out.
Special thanks to Jusmove for looking over this whole thing early and offering some helpful feedback. That applies to all of the chapters, by the way, even if I only mention it here.