Chapter 26 - Responsibility
It did not quite occur to Isha that she had never swam in her new armor - armor she'd only had for a few days - with a passenger dragging her down. She awoke the next morning with the inkling of such a thought, but decided she would not dwell on it. She would figure it out!
Ashei came around shortly after breakfast, which Isha spent with Telma and her lovely cat Louise. The fluffy feline was more than happy to accept a treat from Isha's plate, and Isha ate her entire meal with one hand. The other hand was reserved purely for Louise's head scritches.
Isha was told to pack light - they would pick up necessary supplies for the mountains at Zora's Domain. The women agreed it would be best to stay the night in the village, since it would be their last substantial sign of civilization until they returned from the barren Snowpeak Mountains.
After her miserable experience in the temple, Isha decided to leave her staff in the care of Telma. The woman seemed a bit too eager to take it, and promised it would be well-cared for - "You'll find it better than you left it!"
I don't really care if it's gone by the time I return, Isha decided not to reply.
Her arms still itched every time she moved them, and phantom pains haunted her at night. She could afford one short scouting trip without it. Isha left Telma with a warning of the weapon's vices, which made the older woman only look upon it with even more interest.
With the belongings sorted and an estimated return date given to Telma, Ashei and Isha set off for south Hyrule field, where Isha had leapt into the river once before, with Zepin and Nuvoro. The thought of seeing her friends again - hopefully in much better shape than they'd hastily parted in - excited her.
While Isha pulled her armor on over her clothes, Ashei took a nervous look over the cliffs. "So uh.. You said you did this before, yeah?"
"Yeah!"
"And you're sure it wasn't from a lower area?"
"Positive."
Ashei kicked a pebble over the ledge and turned away. "That water's gonna sting, even if we do land a good dive."
Oh, right. They'd had Zora magic to help with the landing last time. Isha shrugged, tucking her hair into her helm. "Just keep ahold of me, we'll be fine!" She handed her quiver to Ashei.
"Well, hope it's not too cold, yeah?"
Isha grinned. "You'd be surprised. Come on, I promise it'll be fun once we're in the water."
Ashei rolled her shoulders and did as she was told. After dawning her facemask, Isha jumped and they both dove head-first into the rushing river below.
To Isha's credit, they did land with little difficulty in the water. To Ashei's credit, it stung like a thousand hornets when they struck the surface.
The currents surged around the pair, and while Isha quickly adjusted thanks to the suit, Ashei found it difficult to keep her grip on the younger woman's shoulders. One hand slipped, and then the other. Ashei was ripped backwards, currents sending her rolling through the water.
Her head broke the surface, and she gasped for air against the spray, preparing to curse out the younger woman, if she was even still in earshot. Just before the soldier could begin her tirade, though, something brushed against her chest.
Isha lifted her head above water, and Ashei wasted no time in latching on to the woman's back.
"That wasn't awful, right?" Isha called over her shoulder, finally finding her pace and surging forward despite her extra weight.
"You're crazy, yeah?" Ashei shouted, finally regaining her grip on Isha's shoulders. "You nearly lost me!"
Isha laughed. "We're making progress now, though! It all worked out."
At their current speed, Ashei supposed they might have had to move at a light jog on foot to keep up on land. Not quite the speed of her large draft stallion that would have carried them most of this way otherwise. But, the river was a more direct route, and if Isha maintained their pace, they'd still be saving themselves a day or so.
Assuming she wasn't lost to the currents once more. Ashei tightened her grip a little and Isha winced. Serves you right, brat!
Spray bit at Ashei's face and threatened to fill her nose at every breath, but she wouldn't dare complain. Blizzards were just as bad, in some ways. Worse in many others. At least the water wasn't too chilly, though the wind rushing over her soaked face was quite reminiscent of her summers in Snowpeak.
They made steady progress up the river, coming out of the underground pass after only a few hours. Isha's pace had slowed considerably over the course of the last few minutes. She began lazily drifting towards a nearby shallow sandbar.
Her arms gripped the sand, and Isha heaved a sigh of relief when Ashei moved to stand. The soldier was all too happy to have a respite from the whipping of the waves. She looked up to the waning sunlight, and tried to figure how much further they had to go.
Ashei didn't recognize this part of the river, so they weren't close to any part of the roads that she was familiar with. That narrowed it down quite a bit - they were either at the end of the lower range, or just past the upper ridges of the mountains. It would be a few hours, assuming they didn't stop too often along the way.
"Damn shame the days are so short," Ashei remarked after a short while. "Don't think we'll be seein' the Domain until after dark, yeah?"
Isha groaned. "Wishful thinking on my part, I guess. We can always wake up early and get supplies on our way out."
"Eh, I don't think it'll be that late."
Isha had pulled herself into a sitting position, knees curled to her chest and arms wrapped about her legs. Ashei regarded the girl's distant stare for a moment, then sat next to her in the wet sand.
Isha hardly reacted. For someone who'd been so excited to reunite with her friends, the younger woman wore quite the sullen expression.
"Got a burning question for ya, if you don't mind?"
"Can't promise I'll give an answer worth anything," Isha replied dryly.
"Are you using this trip as an excuse to run from something? Maybe the duty you feel you've been given by the Light Spirits?" At Isha's glare, Ashei chuckled. "Thought so, yeah? Don't make that face, I don't think less of ya for it. I'm grateful to have the help, regardless of the reason."
"Why ask me at all, then? What difference does it make to you?"
"Wanted to see if you were being honest with yourself." She patted Isha on the back. "It's alright to be unsure at times. Just don't fool yourself into thinking you can run from the future forever, yeah? Delusions like that are deadly. If this is leading up to some greater destiny, it will hunt you until you either face it, or draw your last breath."
"Mm." Isha pulled her legs closer to her chest.
Ashei wasn't ready to let the conversation die. "I think everyone has that deciding moment in their life where destiny comes knocking long before we're ready. You don't have to sit there and sulk on it alone, yeah? A responsibility handed down from the divines can't be an easy weight to carry."
Isha sighed and removed her helm, setting it in the sand. "Is it responsibility, destiny, or am I merely the ass of some divine joke?"
"Whatever you believe of the gods is between you and them," Ashei held up her hands. "But destiny isn't just a religious thing, yeah? It's supposed to be your guide in life, a passion you can dedicate yourself to and feel fulfilled when you achieve it."
"Shouldn't it be something I would want, then?" Isha challenged. "If I am supposed to find joy in chasing my destiny, shouldn't that align with my dreams, my wants, my skills? How could I possibly find passion for something I don't even want to entertain the implications of?"
"What exactly do you think awaits you at this lost shrine?"
Isha hesitated to answer. She tapped her fingers on her arms, then finally spoke. "Rumors of what lies at the Shrine of the Six are pretty hard to come by, but there's one that has been persistent across several old travel logs and journals I've read over the years. They say the shrine might have been a part of a prison built to house the worst of Hyrule's criminals. I have not withheld my disdain for being ignored by our dear gods for all of my life. Now, I wonder why they might tempt me with words of 'destiny' and 'greater purpose' to a place that might be Hyrule's darkest prison?"
Ashei could not help the wide-eyed expression she wore. She didn't want to discourage the younger woman, but… "I can see where you're coming from," she conceded. "But, they're just rumors, yeah? Maybe you're jumping to conclusions."
"That scares me almost as much," Isha admitted softly. "What if I'm finally getting what I always dreamed of? Now? When the world is ending all around us?"
Ashei draped her arm around the curled-up woman. "Nah. We'll make sure it doesn't."
Isha forced a smile for the older woman's sake. Ashei finally allowed the conversation to die, and they rested for a few minutes more before continuing their swim up to Zora's Domain.
Sunset always arrived early in the winter months, but Isha recalled from her brief stay in the Domain before that this was extra-true in regions cradled between mountain peaks.
It was well beyond dark when she and Ashei finally arrived at the entrance of the Zora village, where a pair of night guards greeted the two weary travelers.
Ashei was quick to ask for directions to decent lodgings while Isha took a moment to catch her breath once more. Every part of her screamed for a proper rest, but their evening was long over. She forced herself to look somewhat alive while they took the footpaths around the city. After that stormy night following her encounter with Zant, Isha felt she could push through nearly any exhaustion.
Isha was thrilled to see Zora's Domain looking busier than ever. Zora and Hylians mingled on the streets, dipping in and out of the cliffs and water.
The two women made their way to an inn on the lower level, which was claimed to be incredibly popular and had a few vacancies. Isha and Ashei approached the front desk, where a peach-flecked Zora was leaning against the counter with a lazy smile.
"Hey! Single room, double beds?" Isha asked.
"Mm, sorry honey," the Zora clicked her tongue. "Only single beds here. I can do one room for three hundred rupees or two for five-fifty."
Isha and Ashei exchanged a look. They still had supplies to buy for the mountains ahead, and two rooms here would nearly wipe them out. She was just about to suggest they find a cheaper place when Ashei threw a bag onto the counter.
"Two fifty for the one room and we'll stay here on our way back through."
Isha turned to face anywhere else to hide her blush. Why was she blushing?
The only person she'd shared a bed with, not including her own parents, was Luda, when they were young. They'd stopped doing such things as teenagers, though, when Isha began to develop some conflicting feelings about being snuggled so close with her best friend.
But Ashei was not her best friend, nor was Isha still a hormonal teenager. Get a grip, she chastised herself.
"Hmph, well it's not my problem if you don't," the Zora winked and swiped the rupee bag from the counter. "Two-fifty, and show this token at the counter when you swing back through. Can't promise it'll be the same price, but it'll be cheaper than what most pay." She tossed Ashei two keys on a single metal ring. "Second floor, room ten. Checkout before midday."
They were sent off with a wave, and Isha had regained her composure by the time she and Ashei walked back out of the inn, their evening far from over. Dinner was their first mission, and Isha led Ashei to the café she'd eaten at upon her last visit. It was just as great as she remembered, and Ashei spent the meal educating Isha on what sort of dangers they would face in the snowy mountains.
After dinner, Ashei made off to purchase all she could before the shops closed. Isha parted ways with her, deciding to seek out her friends and make sure they'd all survived the ordeal at the temple.
Still clad in the Zora armor, Isha decided to give the waterfall climb a shot. She dove into the basin and picked up as much speed as her tired muscles would allow. The roar of the waterfall rattled her skull when she broke the surface and shot into its pounding wake.
Isha kept pushing forward against the water, and though the water did it best to beat her down, Isha could see out of the corner of her eye that the cliffs around her were moving - she was swimming upwards. Thanks to the way the scales on her armor managed the currents, Isha was almost pulled along just as hard as she was being pushed back down.
Finally, she reached its peak and splashed her way to the water's edge. Isha pulled herself onto the banks and removed her helmet, gasping in the all-too-thin air from both the exertion as well as the awe she felt upon seeing the view at the top of the Domain once more.
Zora's Domain was just as beautiful as she remembered, possibly even more so under the moonlit sky. A million stars twinkled high above, painting the indigo sky with shimmering lights. The beautiful white stone mountains reflected a brilliant full moon, illuminating the majestic landscape of jagged peaks as far as the eye could see. The moon was reflected in all the waterfalls below, as well, creating an enchanting light display.
"Huh, didn't know minnows could scale waterfalls!" The sudden voice startled Isha. She twisted around to see two enormous Zora warriors standing shoulder-to-shoulder behind her, two different shades of dark blue.
"I suppose you'll have to come up with something a bit more creative to call me, then!" Isha's smile grew wide and she pulled Aphura and Mikas into a hug. "I'm so glad to see you both alive and well. I was just on my way to find everyone."
"You have good timing, we just got out of a war meeting," Aphura groaned. "Boring stuff. Hey, tell us what happened after you reached the vault! What did you find?"
Isha grimaced. "Oh, do I have a story for you two."
The sun shone as bright as ever above the forest, leaving Link and Midna in perpetual darkness when it came to the passage of time.
Through a foggy mind that tugged him in many different directions, Link clung to the music that rang through the air like a lifeline. The tinny notes carried him along his path, their direction discerned by his enhanced canine hearing. The melody beckoned to him, called to him, guided him through from this mind-numbing forest and past the strange magic that warped him back to that first clearing at the first wrong step.
Midna lay across his back, her head cradled between his shoulder blades. She'd once claimed the Twili didn't need sleep. Was that a lie, or was this also a side-effect of Zelda's sacrifice, like she claimed her enhanced use of the Twilight portals were? How much else had she lied about? Could he trust anything she said, ever? She wasn't even a wolf, why would he-
Quit it, Link snapped at himself. More tricks of the woods that taunted him so. Midna had warned him again and again to keep his mind focused on their goal. She was nothing but helpful despite no-doubt struggling with the same thoughts he did.
Well, not entirely the same. With every rustle in the branches and snap of a twig in the underbrush, Link's animal instincts begged him to give chase. The varied scents of this unnatural wood begged for his inspection. There were moments where the sensation was so overwhelming, he'd nearly veered off track and lost all the progress he'd made in the last countless span of time.
Link had to remember who he was, why he was there. He was not a beast, not a lost man. An aspiring Hero. A…wannabe Hero…
Not for the first time, a nagging thought that normally saved itself for Link's nightmares began to rattle about his mind. Surely, the gods had chosen wrong. A goat-herder from the mountains, Hylia's Chosen One? He could never hope to live up to such a title. He was doomed to a life of failure.
Why am I still trying at this point? His steps slowed and ears dropped slightly. What was the point? Zant was far more powerful than even Midna seemed to realize. They couldn't even touch him. His magic was beyond understanding. What could a sword do against a mage?
Something ahead glimmered. It was a familiar warm glow, the same light as the Light Spirits that guarded the provinces of Hyrule. The light filled him with warmth and chased Link's worst doubts back into the corners of his heart, where they would no-doubt lie and wait for his next round of nightmares.
Link broke into a run, ears still focused on the music slipping amongst the branches above. If it faded for even a second, he knew he would have to stop and reassess his path. Until then, he bolted for that golden light, away from those miserable thoughts.
The light grew brighter, and the music's simplistic melody swelled. A chorus, an orchestra above the sounds of nature sang his victory as Link bound into the golden light. Certainly, this was where that blade lay.
This was where he was meant to be.
Midna yelped, and her weight disappeared into his shadow. The golden light was all-encompassing, washing away the forest around him. Link kept running all the same. He couldn't stop now. He was so close. Finally, he would be free of this miserable form, this gods-awful forest and these insistent thoughts!
He fell into a world of shimmering white-gold.
Link rose to his feet - two feet! - among a barren land of grey fog. In the far distance, he could swear he saw the silhouette of Hyrule Castle's tallest spires. There was no sign of the strange crystal that had imprisoned it this morning.
Have I... been gone that long? The very thought made him ill.
Link dusted off his tunic and tried to piece together his surroundings. There wasn't much to assist him - only endless mist and a distant, taunting castle. The fog hung around him like a barrier, pooling along the ground in a thick cloud. Wisps encircled his ankles like the talons of a bird of prey, but scattered with the slightest movement.
The heavy breath of a beast thundered from behind Link, filling the silent world with an intimidating beat. The swordsman turned to see the damn golden wolf that had led him into this miserable forest of hell in the first place. It regarded him with a cold, unsettling stare. Link instinctively reached for his blade, but it stuck fast in its scabbard. Link tugged desperately, but the sword would not budge.
The wolf threw its head back and howled a long, mournful note. In a flash, the animal morphed into a huge skeletal warrior, his chipped and rotted armor hanging off his semi-transparent form. Only one gleaming eye peered out from under his horned helmet. He carried a circular shield and a broadsword that was nearly as large as Link.
Metal boots clanked as the final echoes of the wolf's howl died away. "So, a lost boy steps forward to claim the mighty blade of evil's bane." The skeletal warrior lifted his broadsword and held it towards Link.
Link again gripped the hilt of his sword and gave it a confident tug, but the blade still would not leave its sheath. When the swordsman tried to equip his shield, the metal crumbled to dust at his touch. He stared slack-jawed at the empty air.
"Pitiful," the spirit scoffed.
"Who are you?" Link asked with a shaky voice.
"Who are you?"
This irked Link, though he felt compelled to answer anyways. "I'm Link."
"That is not what I asked." The shade flicked his sword forwards, and Link flinched back. No follow-up swing or thrust came. "Who are you?"
Was this some sort of joke? "I'm Link," he said again. "I'm a goat herder from the mountains of Ordona. Second-best swordsman of my village, depending on who you ask. Blue-eyed beast in the Twilight and Goddess-Chosen Hero, if you ask the Light Spirits." Is that good enough for you? Link wanted to add.
The shade began walking a slow circle around Link. "Why do you walk this hallowed grove, Chosen of the Goddesses?"
"I was told by Hyrule's princess to seek out the Master Sword and lift a curse that was placed on me."
"Is that all you plan to do with such a sacred weapon? Save only yourself?"
Link hadn't really considered what he might do afterwards, if he was being honest. He'd hardly remembered he was here for the sword in the first place, after so long spent wandering the woods. Something told him this specter would not appreciate that answer, though.
What answer would it appreciate? "I would use its power to defeat evil and protect Hyrule, like all the Heroes before me."
"The blade's power?" The ghostly figure scoffed. "A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage. In your current state, you are a disgrace to the proud green of the Hero's tunic you wear, and it is obvious you are aware of your shortcomings. You cannot even introduce yourself with your proper title, for deep down you know you are far from worthy of such a thing. You might as well not wield any sword at all."
Link looked again at his empty hands and felt his despair growing, bringing with it his bottled-up frustrations. His eyes locked with the spirit's. "Is this some kind of joke? I've done nothing but swallow my own fears to deal with Hyrule's bigger problems! I've-"
"- been guided by coincidence and the better sense of those around you, and still doubted yourself at every turn. You've spent days wandering aimlessly in the maze of your misery and misgivings, blaming the natural world around you for what your mind spoke. You present yourself as strong and brave, yet your mind and heart are as dull and weak as any other." The sword was raised to Link's neck. He faltered backwards, and felt shame for it.
"I know your heart, Chosen of the Goddesses," growled the shade. "And your heart is black with doubt and fear. You may be destined to be a Hero of legend, but until you learn to overcome your weaknesses, until you find true courage, you will never become the Hero for whom this world despairs."
Link clenched his hands in fists at his side, at a complete loss for words. He could muster little more than the illusion of courage to stand tall while the sword hovered inches from his neck. The skeletal warrior's blood-red eyes made him feel so small.
"I have only ever tried to do what's right," Link finally hissed. "I have my doubts, sure, but I am just one person. I have never felt less like a Hero, but I'm still here, aren't I? Doesn't that count for anything?"
"If it is a legendary blade you wish to wield and a legendary task you wish to accomplish, you must first make yourself worthy of such an honor, both in the eyes of others and in the eyes of yourself. It does not matter how you began this journey, only how you will face it. Nor does it matter how you stumble, but how you rise. But you must rise."
The shade finally lowered his weapon. "If you take this blade today, will you take up the mantle of a Hero and shed the weights of your fears? Or will you fall victim to those doubts you allow to fester in your heart, and cower from your destiny at the first sight of a strong foe? Will you remain a man, a beast, or become the Hero you have been chosen to be? There is no room for doubt on the path set before you."
"Have you seen what Hyrule is dealing with?" Link growled through his teeth. "Have you seen what Zant has done to everybody in the kingdom? How am I supposed to see all this destruction that I, 'Chosen Hero,' was too late to prevent, and not second-guess what little I know of Heroes? How am I supposed to face down someone like Zant, who nearly killed us all and escaped without a scratch, and not think for just a moment that maybe, just maybe, this might be a bit more than I can handle? I'm just a damn ranch hand from outside of Hyrule, anyone in their right mind in my position would have doubts!"
They stared at each other for a moment, Link's voice dying on the nonexistent wind. The shade narrowed his eyes. "Tell me, boy, do you believe the Heroes of the past walked out of the womb ready to slay any evil that befell the kingdom? Do you believe the very existence of a Hero is a guarantee there will be no suffering? Do you believe you are owed success from birth simply because you were handed a great destiny?"
Link felt his face flush red. "Of course I don't! I-"
The broadsword was driven into the ground blade-first, its ringing strike cutting Link off. The shade held its hilt for a moment, then released it and stepped back. "Heroes are built by who they become after their pain, their failures, and their defeats. They were fueled by the same failures you feed to your insecurities. Their victories define their legacy, but their defeats are what defined their journey."
Link stared at the shade for a long moment, allowing the words to sink in despite his irritation with this spirit. It pecked away at his pride. Hadn't he told Isha something similar once, when she was struggling to move forward after her losses?
How could I be so stupid?
Something stirred in Link, a strange and oddly familiar feeling. He embraced it, and the uplifting thoughts that came with it. Link was Goddess-Chosen. He had not just the ability, but duty to stand again and again.
"I understand," he said, stepping forward and taking the cold hilt of the broadsword before him.
The shade nodded. "Take this final chance to search for your strength. If you do find true courage, and you still wish to save Hyrule from the horrors it now faces... Then you will be worthy to receive the secrets I hold." The shade stepped back, fading slowly into the mist surrounding them.
"When you have accomplished that, return to me here. Then, we will see whether you are Hero, man, or beast."
Isha would have loved nothing more than to stay with her Zora friends for hours that evening, talking about the fight they had all endured together. She was pleased to hear everyone's injuries were healed quickly, and Mikas had finally began speaking with his friends after they returned. He also confirmed that the guys did, in fact, immediately demand they all go out for drinks to celebrate.
Unfortunately, the sibling soldiers were on patrol that evening, and Isha had an early morning ahead of her. After spending as much time as she could spare with her two friends at the top of the Domain, she bid them a fond farewell and returned to the inn.
When Isha reached their room, she found Ashei sat upon the bed with the supplies she'd picked up. She was more than eager to run through everything with Isha.
"Cold-weather gear." Ashei held up two thick wool hides, white with grey-blue streaks and patterns. Both had hooded masks with primate-like faces. "Parkas, thought the yeti style was cute, yeah?"
Isha took one in her hands and felt the dense material. The mask was highly-detailed with its stitching, and appeared intended to cover absolutely every bit of skin possible while still permitting eyesight.
Ashei set aside more wool clothes. Outerlayers, overlayers. Boots. Gloves. They'd put the clothes on as they climbed, depending on the temperatures they encountered.
It began to sink in for Isha just how cold they were about to be. She prayed it would not get so cold that they needed every layer.
"More interesting stuff now, yeah?" Ashei continued on with a hint of amusement in her stoic face. "Found these for you. Should be heavier than what you usually use, yeah?" She passed a bundle of thick, surprisingly heavy arrows to Isha.
The younger woman looked upon the bundle as though every arrow were made of gold. "Oh, wow, this is amazing! Thank you! You really didn't have to do that."
Ashei shrugged. "Winds get pretty fierce out there. Dunno how much experience you have shooting into a cross-breeze, but these should help a little. Would be even better if you started using a crossbow."
"The bow is what I know," Isha replied with a smile. "Maybe someday I'll switch, but there's just something about doing things the old fashioned way, I guess."
"Don't I know it," Ashei chuckled. "Got this, too." She held up a metal mask fashioned after the face of a great hawk. "Hawkeye scope. If we get lucky with the weather, there'll be some amazing views worth seeing, yeah? If we don't, it's good for scouting and aiming. We'll split it as needed."
On and on Ashei continued, sorting through the supplies and packing away anything they would not immediately need. Isha took the time to lay out what she would wear tomorrow.
"Gonna change and hit the hay, yeah?" Ashei finally said, standing up and immediately removing her top.
Isha, who had turned at the sound of her friend's voice, let out a very undignified yelp and turned away, her steaming red face buried in her hands. "Sorry!"
"Oy, you good?" Ashei looked over her shoulder. The realization dawned on her. "Oh."
"Sorry," Isha apologized again, feeling horrendously ashamed.
"Just women?" Ashei asked awkwardly.
"… No, anyone I find to be interesting, apparently." Isha whined and dragged her hands down her face. "Sorry, I'm not… That's not why I came along. You just…caught me off guard."
"That's good to hear. I never understood the whole 'sex and romance' thing, yeah? Friendships are hard enough to manage."
Isha heard Ashei climb into bed, and only then did she turn back around. "Honestly, it's kind of a relief to hear that," Isha admitted. "Uh.. I can sleep like on top of the covers if-"
Ashei scoffed. "I've shared closer quarters with worse. Just don't get too cuddly and we should be fine, yeah?"
"Roll me onto the floor if I do," Isha laughed. The women shared a grin, and Isha's nerves settled. "Thanks for understanding. I wish I could say this is the first time this has happened to me, but it's not. The first time was… so embarrassing, in so many ways."
"Are you about to share with me your deepest regrets? Maybe I'm better at this friendship thing than I thought." Though her voice was as monotonous as ever, Isha could hear the amusement in Ashei's words.
"Not to be all mushy on you, but you've been a better friend to me than I ever expected to find in a place like Castle Town," Isha admitted as she slipped into her night clothes. "But I mean, I can tell you if you really want to know. It just boils down to teenagers being awkward," she added with a shrug. "Just a normal childhood experience."
Ashei threw back the covers on Isha's side of the bed and pat the mattress beside her. "I spent my teenage years training in the mountains to become a knight, yeah? Please tell me all about your normal childhood experience."
"If you insist," Isha flopped into the bed. "There was a girl in my village just a few months younger than me. We grew up together, did just about everything together. She often stayed the night, and my bed was pretty small so we'd always cuddle. For the longest time, it was nothing… and then one night I realized it was something, at least to me. And I told her."
Isha sighed and closed her eyes. "I know I caught her off guard, because her initial reaction was… rough. She actually left and went home. We didn't talk for a while after that, I felt like I'd irreversibly ruined our friendship. We did eventually make up, but part of me feels like things were never the same."
Ashei frowned. "That's a bit depressing, yeah?"
This made Isha snort. "Probably just the way I worded it. We're still close friends, don't get me wrong. Just… a little less close. But she also had a very different path in life laid out for her from the day she was born, so we were destined to grow apart regardless."
"I'm starting to think I was better off not having a normal childhood."
"Maybe childhood in general just sucks sometimes," Isha giggled.
"And on that terribly disappointing realization, it's time we get some rest, yeah?" Ashei dimmed the lantern hanging by their bed. "Hope you're ready for some real hiking."
Isha tucked herself in and made a conscious effort to appreciate the warmth of the bed. From the sounds of things, this would likely be the last time she'd feel this warm for quite a while.
Unfortunately for Isha, her mind was far from ready to go to sleep. Minutes ticked by in the darkness, and the woman fought the urge to fidget as her thoughts tormented her. Though she'd been pleased to see her Zora friends, recalling the events of her fight with that eel put Isha's mind right back on the one thing she had been trying not to think of: Link.
Of course, the Zora wanted to know all about where the hero was now. Isha hated lying to them, giving them false hope that he was out there right now, dealing with the cause of all their problems.
However, something told Isha that it would be a poor idea to go about telling everyone the Hero had abandoned them all. If there was any hope of defeating Zant, Isha now felt it lay within the strength of the masses. If faith in a Hero made them stand and fight, then it would be wrong of her to rip away that faith.
And what of my own faith? It wasn't a question she wanted to consider, but it bounced about her mind incessantly. Where was Isha supposed to place her own faith, when she began doubting herself? Certainly not the Gods, after all Isha had been through. Certainly not the Hero, who had abandoned them all.
Abandoned me.
Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes, slipping down her temples and wetting her ears. Isha tried to move carefully to wipe them away. Ashei's steady, deep breathing went uninterrupted.
With nowhere else to go, Isha's faith sought to grab to anything at all. She cursed herself for not swinging by the stables before leaving Castle Town. If Epona was still there, certainly that meant Link had not abandoned them, right?
He loved that horse. He wouldn't leave Epona behind. If Epona was in the stable, then Link was still in the Castle, and Isha could convinced herself he was fighting despite it all.
It would have given her so much peace, why didn't I go check on her?
Because Epona's empty stall would have shattered Isha, and she knew this truth as soon as its question crossed her mind. Despite her disappointments in all objects of faith before, a part of Isha could still hope.
Somehow, she could still hope that this soft-hearted goat-herder was the Hero Isha had often read of and dreamed of as a child. Even if Link didn't know the stories himself, didn't know the first thing about being a Hero… or a warrior… or anything outside of his small village life…
Isha turned to her side and cradled her pillow, trying to snuff out her thoughts. Perhaps the reason she was always so sorely disappointed was because she kept putting her faith in the worst possible things.
Stupid of me for reading tales of Heroes and falling for centuries-old propaganda. Isha should have never put her faith in something as silly as a "Goddess-Chosen Hero." She should have expected disappointment from such a fantastical idea.
If only he wasn't Link.
If only he hadn't spent an entire night crouched over her mother's body alongside her, just so she wouldn't be alone, the day they met.
If only he hadn't been so stupid, so reckless, so courageous for the sake of the children from his village.
If only he hadn't been fierce and valiant in battle, and yet so gentle and kind towards her on so many occasions.
If the Hero had been anyone else, it would have been easy for Isha to dismiss his cowardice, to laugh at the Goddesses' blunder and keep moving, keep fighting as she always did.
Why did it have to be Link?
Wasn't intending a "there was only one bed" scene but here we are x)
Who's ready to freeze next week? (Literally, for those of us in the middle of the US lol). Onwards to Snowpeak!