The rain fell in sheets, as it had been for the past hour. Farrow's hair plastered itself against the sides of her face and raindrops dripped off her chin. Link fared only slightly better due to his hood. Mud caked both their boots, which made them heavy and steps irritating. The low hiss of the rain covered all sounds except for the squelch of the mud as they trekked on. It reminded her of the storms back home that would come sweeping over the ocean.
She wasn't home sick, but she found herself wondering how long it had been since she'd seen Lurelin Village. Her Dads knew she was busy, but they were probably wondering where she was after so long. She'd have to stop by sooner, if this journey allowed. Or write them.
Dark clouds hung low overhead and hid the noon sun. Just north were marshlands, marked by the odd mushroom-like trees that grew there. As far as Farrow knew this was the only place in Hyrule they grew.
She and Link were back on familiar paths, much to Farrow's joy. When the trees had come into view she'd nearly fallen over out of relief.
For how close they were to Rito Village, the rain wasn't too cold, but it left Farrow's fingertips chilled. She and Link had originally planned to tough it out to the stable, but now she was regretting that call. If she'd been with Kazim, they'd have reached the stable long ago.
'Is the weather usually like this?' Link signed.
"Yeah," Farrow nodded north. "I think it has something to do with the canyon and mountain range, but it's always raining when I've passed through."
Link made a sign and mouthed 'canyon,' with a questioning expression.
"It's just beyond the stable. There's a bridge so it shouldn't be an issue." Farrow recalled the last bridge they'd tried to cross and grimaced. "I hope."
Farrow wasn't completely relaxed, but this road was one of the safer ones. It was well traveled enough that monsters were usually dispatched before they could amass, and the lack of forest meant any ambush locations were few and far between.
'Hear that?' Link signed. He pointed to the path ahead.
They stopped. Over the hush of the rain, Farrow could barely make out an almost melancholy tune from an accordion. It rose and fell at the edge of her hearing. She squinted through the haze. Along the path ahead was a dilapidated wagon, and in the shelter of its canopy was a figure in blue. It sounded as if they were the source of the song.
She shared a look with Link. "Think monsters figured out instruments?" she joked.
Link snorted and approached the shelter. Farrow followed. She wouldn't complain about a break from the deluge.
Soon the figure sharpened into the form of a rito. Their blue plumage had been darkened by the rain. In their wings they held an accordion: the source of the song.
At their approach the rito paused in his playing and looked up. "Ah, come to seek a reprieve from the weather too?"
Link nodded and plopped himself down on the far side of the shelter. Farrow didn't see the harm in it and did likewise. She tugged off a boot and poured out some of the water that had pooled within.
"We heard your music," Farrow said. "Are you a bard?"
"Indeed," he said. "My name is Kass."
Farrow took in his colorful tunic with tasseled sleeves, as well as the accordion he still held. Fitting for a bard. "Farrow," she said and tugged her boot back on.
Link signed out his name. Farrow inhaled to translate but Kass spoke before she could.
"Pleasure to meet you, Farrow and Link."
Link's expression brightened at the words and his hands blurred, 'you can sign?'
Kass's eyes crinkled at the edges. "Rito sign is slightly different, but Hylian is similar enough that I can follow."
'What song was that?' Link asked.
"The song of the ancient hero," Kass said. "A tale from ten thousand years ago and passed down to me by my teacher. Care to listen?"
"Please," Farrow said, tugging off her other boot. "It sounded lovely."
Kass's eyes crinkled and he began the song. This time he sang.
His voice was low and melodious in a way only rito voices could be. He sang of an eerily familiar tale. He sang of Hyrule, and a monstrous Ganon, of four divine beasts and their pilots. The song ended with the hero and the princess sealing the evil away.
It wasn't Link's story, but Farrow tracked the parallels and found her mind wandering. This story wasn't from one hundred years ago–it was much older–but obviously very similar circumstances had been present in Link's time. As she thought and the song ended, she noticed Kass's eyes flick to the sheika slate on Link's belt.
She tried to suppress the spark of paranoia that lit at the observation. The sheika slate was odd. She had noticed it when she first met Link after all. It wouldn't be out of the ordinary for the average person to notice it and be curious.
Kass rested his accordion in his lap. "So what did you think?"
Farrow summoned a smile. "It was beautiful, thank you for sharing your music."
Link's pensive expression melted away and he grinned. He signed something Farrow couldn't read with enthusiasm.
"I'm always grateful to have an appreciative audience," Kass said. "I get the impression you both can appreciate a bit of history. Have you seen the ancient shrine near these parts?"
Link shook his head, and after a moment Farrow did the same. "It's been a while since I passed through the area," she said.
"Well, just south of the stable a shrine has appeared. Some archaeologists have been interested in them, from my understanding."
"Interesting," Farrow said, feigning a casual tone. "I know they've suddenly appeared but we haven't much interest in them. They seem dormant and the same from the few I've seen. Thank you though."
Farrow took out her back and withdrew a pot. The info was good, but she wanted to change the topic. "I'll make us some food while we wait. Kass, do you have any food rules? I'd like to make something you can enjoy."
Kass's eyes crinkled again. "No meat please, but otherwise I enjoy tastes from across Hyrule."
As Farrow went to pull ingredients from her pack Link snatched it from her with a narrow-eyed look.
Farrow laughed. "Alright, alright have at it." She didn't enjoy cooking, but she would have suffered it for politeness sake. If Link was offering she wouldn't fight him for it.
They shared a meal of mushroom rice balls. They were the best Farrow had ever tasted–but she didn't let Link know that.
((0))
Farrow clutched her map in both hands, gripping it against the ripping wind that threatened to carry it away. She squinted past the flapping corners and double checked their route.
"Just through this gorge and we'll be there," she said, raising her voice to be heard. They walked the ridge line that led to Rito Village. She folded the map away and looked to Link for his reaction, but found him missing from her side. She looked back.
Link stood a few feet back, hood swept back by the wind, and a hand raised to shield his eyes from the sun. His expression was one of awe and he stared into the distance.
Farrow followed his gaze to the eerie hulk of Vah Medoh flying above the stone pillars of Rito Village. She walked back to join him.
"Hard to believe it can stay in the air, huh?" She watched its shadow drift across the landscape, and got the sense something was off. She frowned and tried to place it. Vah Medoh didn't look much different, it was going the same speed as usual, so what was it? Her gaze dropped to the village and she realized no one was flying. There should have been tens of rito flying between pillars and across the landscape, but she couldn't see any now. Dread settled cold in her stomach.
Link's hands moved in the corner of her vision. She looked at him and saw his delighted expression. "Its huge!"
She summoned a small smile. "Yeah. We should hurry now. I think something is wrong. The rito should be flying at this time of day."
Link's happy expression extinguished and his eyes snapped to the village. He nodded.
The tiny, awful bridge that Farrow had crawled across more than once was in their way. She led Link across it without looking down and with the idea of the village held tight in her mind. Link seemed unbothered by the height, somehow.
They exited the gorge minutes later and at the sight of the stables Farrow and Link broke into a run. As they neared it Farrow scanned the people there and saw nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Farrow reached the desk and found it unmanned. "Galli!"
There was a thud, a muffled curse and Galli rose from whatever he had been tending behind the desk. "Farrow! What do you think you're doing tearing in here like that!"
"Sorry," Farrow said, "but why aren't the rito flying?"
"Ah," Galli settled. "They've grounded themselves. Couple weeks back Vah Medoh started shooting down any that flew too high. They can't figure out how to stop the thing." Galli stroked his beard. "Angry spirits if you ask me."
Vah Medoh was somewhat sacred to the rito. They seemed to have an unspoken rule, at least to outsiders, not to approach the thing. Farrow didn't think it likely that would have changed after a hundred years. But she knew something else that had happened in the last few weeks.
Farrow and Link shared a glance and he jerked his head toward the village.
"Thanks Galli," Farrow said as she turned away. "I'll check back later."
Farrow followed Link to the bridge that led to the village. Above them loomed stone pillars nested with rito homes and strung with bridges. Now that they were closer Farrow could see the colorful people bustling on the walkways.
The peal of wind chimes and rito song rose in the air as they neared the hustle and bustle. They reached the bottom of one of the staircases that spiraled up the base of the main stone pillar.
Link frowned. 'Where do we go?'
"We might try Kaneli," Farrow said. "He's their chieftain. I've never met him, but I've heard he has a fairly open door policy." Farrow was realizing how difficult getting to Vah Medoh would be. It was going to be difficult to begin with, with it being so high in the air, but now that it was shooting down rito… she had no idea how they were going to approach it. She supposed getting more information from the source was the best course of action.
'Let's try that,' Link signed.
Farrow led them up the stairs and began the winding path up to the Chieftain's quarters. They passed countless rito. Most stood heads taller than she or Link. Some flashed the hylians curious looks but most were too involved in their own twittering conversations or chores to pay them much mind. One of the kids, a fledgling with brilliant green feathers, trailed them for a time.
"Are you hylians?' they asked. "Can you fly? Can you sing? Why are your feet funny?" Link and Farrow answered the flurry of questions before the kid was called away by another group of kids.
The wind grew in strength again as they climbed higher and higher. When Farrow noticed Link shivering against a sudden gust, she adjusted their course.
"We need to get you a coat first," Farrow said. She had started wearing her warmer clothes a few miles back. Link had been wearing a worn wool doublet that was full of holes and faded. It had worked for the journey here, but Link was going to need something warmer.
They ducked into the only tailor's in rito village that would tailor for hylians. She expected they hiked their prices accordingly so Farrow hadn't been here before.
Farrow kept a close eye on Link while they were in the store, recalling his last fashion adventure. There was only one set sold to fit hylians, and it seemed warm enough, which made the choice simple.
The rito at the counter brightened at Link's approach.
'I'd like to buy the hylian set please.'
At the rito's blank look Farrow translated.
"That will be 3,000 rupees," the rito said. Link's hand moved to his slate and Farrow caught it without looking away. Farrow pasted on her best business face with a glint in her eye.
Moments later they exited the store, Link with a new coat, pants, and enchanted ruby hair beads, and Farrow with the satisfaction of a good deal.
They sat on a nearby bench as Link struggled to braid the ribbons and rubies into his hair.
"Here," Farrow raised her hands in offer and Link leaned over to let her take over the task.
Farrow weaved the smooth ribbon between Link's gold hair and sighed. "I know I already offered, but I really think you should let me dye your hair."
Link was still for a little while. 'Why?'
"Well, it's going to make you stand out. Not just to the Yiga. Most passers by will probably remember you for a little while. It will make it that much easier for the Yiga to follow us. And they're going to realize you're going to the divine beasts. Once that happens, they'll start laying ambushes. And eventually there will only be one divine beat left. It's going to be nearly impossible if that happens." She finished the first braid and secured the ruby. It glowed dimly as it's magic took effect.
Link turned his head so she could do the second one and she caught sight of his sour expression. 'You're right. I'll let you dye it before we leave Rito Village.' He wrinkled his nose. 'But not red.'
Farrow laughed. "Okay, not red. Why though?"
Link shrugged. 'Never liked it. No real reason.'
"Wanna match and be a brunette like me, or go for black?"
'Whatever takes less …,' Link signed an unknown word at the end.
"Time?" Farrow guessed. He nodded.
"Brown hair it is," Farrow said, finishing the second braid. "Takes about half the time."
Link fiddled with his new braids. 'Thanks.'
"Anytime," Farrow stood, "it is my area of expertise after all."