Lawyer Purah part 2.

After being unjustly (according to her), yet accurately accused of blowing up the lab, Purah decided to become a defense attorney to defend those who are also unjustly yet accurately accused of pulling off pranks.

I wanted to upload something so have this messy sketch.

Matchmaker, Matchmaker

Chapter list: (1), (2)

Summary: Zelda and Link get Impa's blessing. Zelda is less than thrilled.

a/n: This chapter’s more for world-building purposes, but hopefully you still enjoy it! Again, I utilize traditional views of marriage for the gag (i.e. living unwed w/ a guy is a "sin"), so if these values are important to you/or you find these values offensive this is your warning. (i also make characters religious, but I feel that isn't much of a surprise with LOZ)

lol also to the lone person who was like “this title’s giving me real fiddler on the roof vibes,” yay! yes! That’s on purpose, lol, I really like that song. I think it’s funny, so I’m stealing the lyrics for titles haha. Tbh just glad someone caught it.

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Chapter 2: Find me a find, catch me a catch

“Commit yourself to the Temp—”

“—no.”

Zelda met the Impa’s unimpressed gaze with her chin held high. 

Paya, who sat near them polishing the floors, seemed to be holding her breath, waiting for the tension in the room to snap. Zelda, though, paid her no mind. Like Paya, she had once bowed to the authority of her elders, figuring they had known what had been best for her and Hyrule. But Impa was only older than her in appearance, and necessity had demanded Zelda’s role as a doormat to cease over a century ago. 

Without a word, Impa seemed to notice Zelda’s resolve and conceded to her with a sigh. 

“Fine—” 

Zelda let out a puff of relief. 

Despite all her previous talk, she had been close to cracking. Sure, she’d likely be able to refuse a stubborn Temple Monk (if there were any left), but Impa? Absolutely not! Goddess Din had been with her today!

“—marry Link.” Impa finished, almost instantly killing Zelda’s sense of victory. The women, Zelda thought with a tinge of annoyance, always had to have the final word.

“G-grandmother! Don’t be so forward!” Paya jumped up from the floor, disturbing her soapy bucket of water.

“Bah,” Impa waved her granddaughter off, “hush.” 

Zelda caught Paya’s bucket before it could tip over completely, splashing herself slightly with dirty water, and laughed, “Oh, Impa, you know I couldn’t do that to him!” 

She stood from where she was kneeling, waving off the towel Paya had thrust her way and walked over to one of the front windows. Below her was the entirety of Kakariko Village, and she quickly found Link by the cooking pot where the Sheikah shared their communal meals. She smiled down at him, observing how he stole bite after bite of whatever Koko was making, much to the young girl’s adorable displeasure.

“He’s already done so much for me—for Hyrule—and to place that burden on him too?” She paused, resting her head against the window, “I just couldn’t. You remember how he was when he pulled the sword. I think he’d detest being King if things go south…though, I suppose,” she mumbled to herself, “it would appease the Zora greatly….”

“He wouldn’t be a King,” Impa pointed out, “he’d be your husband. And he’d be fine with it.”

“You can’t decide that for him,” She tsked, chiding her friend, “Link can’t be my babysitter forever; you must know that by now. He deserves a chance to forge his own path.”

“He wouldn’t be your babysitter. Again, he’d be your husband.” Impa emphasized, “There’s a vast difference between the two.” 

Zelda’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Zelda,” Impa sighed, “a husband won’t see you as a something to babysit. They’ll see you as a partner.” 

“Which is why Link can’t do it,” Zelda shook her head.

“He doesn’t see you as someone to babysit,” Impa disagreed.

“That’s not true,” She argued back, trying to keep the guilt out of her voice, “ever since Link freed me from the Calamity, he has done nothing but take care of me—Hylia bless him—because he still sees me as the Princess—” 

“—which you are—” 

“—which I’m not, and I wouldn’t be able to convince him to see a marriage between the two of us as an equal partnership.” She frowned, “I know I’m inept—” She held up a finger to silence Impa, “—ah, ah, let me finish, I’m inept in this new world; some things still don’t make sense to me, so I know I still need his help, and yours as well, but Impa, I couldn’t live with the guilt. Link needs a useful partner. What have I got to offer someone like him?” 

Impa licked her dry lips and blinked, looking over at her still-flustered granddaughter, “Paya, go get your grandmother her special tea. She feels a headache coming on.” 

“B-but it’s only ten in the morning,” Paya protested, an uneasy look crossing over her pretty features. 

“Go.” Impa demanded, turning back to Zelda, “What do you have to offer him? My dear, it’s more like what does he have to offer you. You are the Princess. He is the common knight. He should be honored by my recommendation alone that I see him a smidge fit to call himself your husband.”

There was a fire in Impa’s eyes that kept Zelda quiet. Impa’s words, however, did not still her expressions. Looking back out the window, Zelda made a show of rolling her eyes. 

“I swear if you’re rolling your eyes right now—”

“—I’m not.” Zelda huffed, rolling her eyes again. 

“Stop being stubborn about it,” Impa snapped as Paya poured her the special “tea” she had requested, “Link has all the connections you desire and has garnered a significant amount of influence over the people. He would be the most suitable husband out of anyone else in this country for purely political reasons.”

“Besides,” She continued after taking a sip of her tea, “Link doesn’t take care of you because he needs to, but simply because he wants to. It’s how he shows his love, even if he doesn’t know it yet.” 

Then, Impa took a deep breath and put down her drink, “And, I would feel most comfortable with you being with him. At least when I pass on into the Spirit Realm, I know you’d be in good hands. I’d only have to worry about this one here—” Impa nodded her head in Paya’s direction, and the girl’s face bloomed red once more. “—she can’t talk to men,” Impa explained, “I don’t know what to do with her.”

“Grandma!” Paya protested. 

“Sure, Robbie has a son, but, ugh,” Impa grimaced, “I don’t think I could do it. Robbie in the family? Purah would either laugh or kill me or both—” She thought about it a moment before tacking on “—or worse.”

“I’m right here!” 

Zelda smiled at Paya, “She’s teasing—” 

“—I’m not—” Impa bristled.

“—you have no reason to be worried about marriage yet, Paya. You’re still so young! You should enjoy yourself first. When the time comes, we’ll find you a wonderful partner just as sweet as yourself.” Zelda could feel tears pricking her eyes, “Y-your, excuse me, your parents would be so—oh my,” She fanned her eyes, “—oh no, I’m not crying. No.” 

“Princess,” Paya reached for her, handing over a hanky, “p-please don’t cry.” 

“I’m not,” She sniffed, “these aren’t tears.” 

“You’re still having fits?” Impa asked curiously, and Zelda shook her head no, then yes, sobbing into the hanky. 

“T-they’re happy t-tears! I promise.” Zelda sobbed, looking up at Paya, who looked on the edge of tears herself, “They would just—just be so p-p-proud of you.” 

Her weeping fits were a cumbersome byproduct of her time with Hylia, and it seemed she couldn’t go a day without them. Most often, poor Link bore the brunt end of it. As hard as she tried to explain the fits to him and others, no one seemed to believe the tears weren’t hers—not really. 

The miscommunication was her own fault. There was simply no meaningful way to describe her time with Hylia, especially when she only had mere words to work with. Time with Hylia had been an experience best felt than explained, and those feelings still lingered in her heart and, more embarrassingly, in her tear ducts. 

Her best attempt to explain it started with her sentient stasis in the heart of malice itself. The physical part of her had been trapped there, but her spirit had been embraced by Hylia and the spirits of her grandmothers before her. Some days, when fighting the Calamity became almost too much to bear, the spirits took turns sharing their sharing sweetest memories with her. She could no longer recall these memories; they had faded almost immediately, and she kicked herself every day for not writing them down. 

Hundreds of years of history were just gone because she had been too awestruck with freedom to do anything remotely productive, but that was beside the point.

When she was not communing with the spirits and the Calamity rested, Hylia would show her the world as an omnipresent being. 

Thanks to Hylia, Zelda had witnessed the breathtaking life that unfolded out of the ruins. She had watched the wilds take over, counted every blade of grass, measured the dewfall, and stalked small creatures as a delighted shadow. She saw the deer populations rise and the plethora of children born after the Age of the Burning Fields and could feel how much Hylia loved them. Even monsters, like the Bokoblins, who Hylia admired for their naïve curiosity and silly dances. And even though Zelda had grieved heavily the first four decades of her imprisonment, Hylia, or maybe even Time (a fickle concept and God, believe it or not), had eventually won her over, mending parts of her heart that were, admittedly, still broken.

But it was easier now. 

Out of all the things to watch in her stasis, her favorite had obviously been Link. However, at the height of her power, she had been able to watch over many things all at once. She had followed the dear “court poet” (a boy three years her junior) partaking in the grand adventures he had once only sang about and the lonely spirit of her Father haunting Link’s resting place. 

She could not reach the other Champions, but she had watched their descendants with quiet rapture. She had witnessed Sidon grow into the Zora he was today, praying over his battles, and she had watched Yunobo take his first roll out of the hot spring waters that brought the little pebble to life. 

And Zelda, of course, watched Impa’s family as if it were her own, which delighted Hylia because Impa—for reasons now lost to her—was favored by their Goddess.

She watched Impa fall in love, lose that love, and mourned that love with her. And she watched Impa’s daughter have her first bath, her first kiss (but she never pried any deeper than that), and was with her when she had Paya. And then, when Zelda could, because her powers had been weakening to the point that she could only witness the world through Hylia’s statues, she watched over Paya and saw how she helped Link when he woke.

She knew all of these people the way Hylia knew them, and when she was finally able to physically join them again, anytime she was around them, what was left of Hylia in her heart swelled to the point of tears. Zelda would find herself sobbing over nothing but the pure joy and love their Goddess felt. 

And it wasn’t just Link, or Impa’s lineage, that she found herself crying over. Since Hylia loved everything so much, Zelda often wept around anything that tickled Her fancy. Especially children. She was a mess around children. And oddly, large birds, so, for the sake of her pride, her meetings with the Rito were often peppered with elongated breaks. 

Impa snapped her out of her crying fit this time with a loud laugh, “My, Princess, what Ubrosa would do to see this! She was always hoping you’d have a good breakdown.” 

“Oh, shush, you know you’ll only make it worse!” She argued through her tears, blowing her nose. 

“Now, now, no more of that,” Impa cooed, “why don’t we take a break and calm down, okay? I don’t want your knight chewing me out again. Let’s have you rest while we—“ Impa gestured broadly around her, “—prepare for the ceremony. We’ll do it tomorrow morning, something simple. Paya,” She looked over at her granddaughter, “tell Cado to have his damned Cucco’s under control. I won’t have them ruining this wedding.” 

There was a pregnant pause in the room before Zelda and Paya reacted to her words.

“Wait—!” Paya cried.

“—what?” Zelda sniffed, “Who’s wedding?” 

“Yours, obviously. And Link’s. I feel a big ceremony with all the races would take some time to prepare, but you’re right. We need to ensure the bloodline’s survival, so we’ll have something small tomorrow, and you two can start right on that.” Impa nodded, “Anyway, the sooner you’re married to him, the sooner you two can stop living in sin, which is a huge relief.” 

“I’m not marrying Link, Impa,” Zelda dabbed at her eyes, “I’m sorry. I stand by what I said. I have nothing to offer him but a chance to be free to pursue his own interests.”

“You have plenty to offer him!” Impa huffed, gesturing to all of her, “Plenty! You want a child, don’t you?” 

“Well, yes,” Zelda stared at her, “but what does that have to do with anything?” 

Impa’s eye twitched, “it has to do with all the plenty of things you have to offer!” 

“Grandmother!” Paya chided, blushing again. 

“How? Having a child isn’t exactly useful,” Zelda huffed, “it requires a lot of bed rest and—” 

“Oh, Hylia, help me!” Impa cried, “Fine! You want useful? You can read. You can write. You understand mathematics. You can manage a budget. You can discuss politics. You can identify medicinal herbs. You can mend clothes.” Impa listed off on her fingers, “You’re an educated woman, Zelda, with a sizeable dowry. Hylia favors you. What do you mean you have nothing to offer?”

Zelda looked away because what Impa said was true. She had plenty to offer. She knew she was not desolate. But then, she thought of Link, Old Link. The one who would not talk. The dark circles under his eyes. The frown on his face. The scars he had endured for her, for Hylia, for Hyrule. Then, like a little worm, fragments of memories—memories that did not belong to her—wiggled their way to the forefront of her brain. 

Because her Hero had not been the first Hero. If Impa was favored, Link was revered, or at least, his spirit was. He owed nothing more to Hyrule. Nothing at all, and She (Zelda and Hylia) wanted him to rest. He had more than earned a release from his oath with all the lonely horrors he had endured. 

“You don’t know what I know,” She spoke quietly. 

“And you do not know what I know,” Impa didn’t budge, “He will not refuse you!”

“No, he won’t.” Zelda agreed, “And that’s why I cannot ask him. I don’t trust him to be honest. I told you, he takes care of me, at times, even before he takes care of himself. That’s not freedom, to feel so beholden to someone. He’ll confuse his true feelings with his sense of duty to the crown, to Hylia; his mind is still too muddled not to.” 

She stood to her full height, towering over the now quite squat women in front of her, “I’ve released him from his oath, Impa, whether you or him like it or not. I will not command him to marry me.” 

Impa did not flinch at the venom in her tone, “You will not need to command him to do anything. He will do it simply because he loves you.” 

“And I love him,” Zelda replied without hesitation, “which is why I will not ask him.” 

“If you love each other,” Impa spoke through gritted teeth, “why can you not marry each other.” 

“I just explained to you why!” 

“But you love each other!”

“He is my dearest friend, yes!” 

“Paya!” Impa barked, shaking her teacup around in the air, “Get me another round! And make it strong!” Then, as Paya poured her another cup, Impa turned her glare back on Zelda, “Why will you not listen to me?” 

“Why will you not listen to me!” Zelda threw the question back. 

“You admit to loving him!”

“Just as I would admit to loving you!” Zelda yelled back, “Snd if he were you, and you were him, I’d say the same thing! This unending duty to Hyrule must cease! Once I’m married, Link will be free to live. He is not beholden to me!” 

Impa took a long swig from her cup, red in the face, and slammed it down on the ground when she was done. “Fine!” She threw her hands up, “Fine! If you want Link to run around Hyrule playing matchmaker, be my guest! But don’t come crying to me when it backfires!”

“Fine!” Zelda hissed, “I won’t!” 

“Good!” 

“Great!” Zelda threw open the door.

“Augh!” 

Zelda stuck her tongue out at Impa, blowing a wildberry and slamming the door behind her.

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“And Koko’s restaurant is gonna serve pumpkin stew.” Koko explained to Link as he munched on lunch, “And Koko’s restaurant is gonna serve mama’s honeyed apples. And Koko’s restaurant is gonna serve—” 

He, Koko, Cottla, and just about the whole rest of the quiet village jumped when the door to Impa’s home slammed open and shut. He stood up, hand on the handle of his sword, before realizing it was just Zelda, stomping her way down the stairs towards them. She seemed to be muttering to herself the whole way down, gesticulating about something, and he shared a concerned look with Koko. 

“How’s Impa?” He asked, sneaking a look at Impa’s home, where Impa herself stood glaring through the blinds. When she noticed him staring, the blinds snapped closed, but Link was sure the Sheikah was still watching.

The old bag was always watching. 

“Augh!” Zelda huffed, plopping down in a chair around Koko’s cooking fire, “She thinks she knows everything!” 

Link had a sneaking suspicion Impa did, in fact, know everything, but he decided it was best not to say so. 

“About the same, then?” He said instead.

“Actually,” Zelda pouted, “better than expected, but still. Anyway, we got the okay.”

“Great,” Link nodded, passing over the bowl of soup Koko had prepared for her, “should I, uh, run some things by her?” 

“No,” Zelda sent a withering stare towards the home. 

“Are Ms. Princess Zelda and Grandma Impa sisters?” Cottla asked, looking up from her food with wide eyes. Link smiled and shook his head no, wiping a smudge of soup off her mouth.

“They fight like it, though, huh?” Link sent an amused look over at Zelda, whose attention was solely on Cottla. 

“Like Koko and Cottla!” Koko smiled, refilling Link’s bowl. 

“Mm-hmm.” 

“Yes, that’s it, just like you and Cottla. But, don’t worry,” Zelda beamed at them, “Master Impa and I aren’t mad at each—oh my, uh,” Zelda began to blink rapidly, her eyes filling with tears, “sorry, I’m not—” She sniffed, her face contorting. 

“Is Ms. Princess Zelda gonna cry again?” Cottla put her bowl of soup down with a grimace. 

Link’s heart leaped into his throat, and he jumped up from his spot to rummage around for a hanky. 

What an idiot he was, making her cry again! He shouldn’t have said she and Impa were fighting! This was what he got for saying the things he could only assume! 

“Please, Princess—” 

“N-no,” Zelda sniffed, waving off his efforts, “I’m not—these are happy—are happy—happy tears—” She broke down into sobs, reaching for one of the girls. 

“Not it!” Cottla yelled, taking off and leaving poor Koko behind. 

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Impa scowled at Zelda and Link, watching a teary-eyed Zelda scoop Koko up into her arms and squish the life out of her. Link hovered around the pair, concern, and guilt scrawled across his face, while Koko squirmed in Zelda’s clutches. It was adorably domestic of them, and it made Impa’s tension headache pound. 

“Look at them, Paya,” Impa shook her head, “it’s worse than before.” 

“Before?” Paya asked, “I don’t know, grandmother. Usually, Cottla can’t get away fast enough…or maybe Cottla is just getting faster….” She trailed off. 

Cottla was getting faster, but that hadn’t been Impa’s point. Zelda was such an intelligent and astute girl in all ways except when it came to herself. Unfortunately, the death of Zelda’s mother and the behavior of the late King had done a spectacular job in that regard, and Impa was now forced to pick up the pieces. 

She breathed deeply through her nose and took another sip from her cup. The spike of fire whiskey went down smoothly. While the whiskey wasn’t as strong as she would have preferred, it did calm her frayed nerves. Thank Hylia she was not a young woman anymore. She could hardly stand pining back then, much less now. 

She stood there in thought, swirling the contents of her tea around the cup. 

Yes, Zelda was stubborn like her father. The Princess would not see what Impa saw until she was good and ready to, just like every other Bosphoramus. She would learn when her silly little plan backfired, and either she or Link came to her on their knees begging for help. 

The thought made her smirk. She wondered which one would crack first. Her money was on Zelda, and Impa was seldom wrong. 

Before the Calamity, she had been well acquainted with Link’s father, the Captain of the King’s Guard. The man had beaten duty, obedience, and loyalty into the boy so thoroughly it had withstood the test of time (and amnesia). On the other hand, Zelda had a rebellious streak in her, which, Impa was sure, had been inherited from her mother. 

Yes, Impa thought with a wicked grin, it would be Zelda who cracked first, and she would be waiting here, ready. A person was never too old for a good I told you so.

“Paya,” She called out to her granddaughter, “go fetch Nanna and her girls. And I suppose Rola will want a say too,” She tacked on, rolling her eyes, “tell them we’ve got a wedding to plan. And that discretion is key. Make sure Rola understands that.” 

“B-but Grandmother, the Princess said—” 

“—the Princess can say and do whatever she likes. Her stubbornness only gives us more time to plan.” Impa turned back to her pillows, mind on stationery, invitations, and wedding dresses, “She’ll come to her senses in no time.” 

“B-but what if—” Paya looked at her with large, earnest eyes and pink cheeks, “—what if she’s right? What if, maybe, Link wants to marry…someone else?”   

Impa reached up to cup Paya’s cheek, and the girl stooped down to lean into the touch. 

“Ah, Paya, sweet fruit, still your heart,” She hummed, pushing a strand of hair behind her granddaughter’s ear, “your time will come. Now, before you head off, go, get grandmother more of her special tea, and don’t water it down this time.” 

"Somewhere only we know..."

A commission for @akkalatechlabs !

His Robbie and @lady-impa's OC Misko!

624 - I Can't Be The Only One Wondering This bothers me too much, someone tell me how they did it

I haven't forgotten about next Server stream

I feel a little bad because what I've been drawing lately is not suitable for this blog, but hey, take a peek at what I'm doing for the next stream:

Last time I finished pseudo cleaning this. I'll fix some lineart mistakes (can you spot them?), and then we add color!

The Mark of a Soulmate

Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword fan-fiction

Updates Weekly (surprisingly)

Chapter Archive

Description: Asuriel has been raised on the Surface her entire life. Completely oblivious to the world above the clouds, she prepares to fulfill her duty of being an attendant to Hylia. What will happen when her world is changed forever?

Chapter nineteen:

Word count: 4542

    Link panted as he made his way back to the bird statue in front of the Ancient Cistern. Scrapper was close behind him, grumbling about how slow master short-pants was. For not having an actual mouth, that annoying piece of ancient machinery could sure talk a lot.

    The thought of seeing Asuriel and catching a break from Scrapper's nagging motivated the exhausted hero the rest of the way to the statue. Fate had apparently decided that Faron's trivial, time-consuming tasks, were not enough to delay him, for on the second day, hordes of monsters suddenly flooded the woods. Of course, he had to help, but it had taken hours to dispel the danger and he was forced to spend another night away from the girl.

    His loftwing flew with greater speed than usual towards Skyloft, sensing its rider's restlessness. When Link was over the Knight Academy, he leapt off and walked as fast as he could manage to his room, asking Scrapper to stay outside. However, when he opened the door to his room, he found that it was empty.

    Not only that, but Link noticed the change in his bedding. He did not recognize it from anywhere, but the events of the past few days were enough to tip him off. He frantically searched the room for the crimson blanket they had found the last stay. By the time he located it, the room looked as if it had been ransacked, but Link didn't care. Comparing the material of the blankets, he found them to be the same. He knew it!

    Adrenaline overpowered his exhaustion as Link bolted out of the academy. He had to make sure that Asuriel wasn't on Skyloft before he jumped to too many conclusions. After all, Ghirahim had never taken Asuriel far from Link, there was a good chance she was still around somewhere, but probably imprisoned. The most obvious place to look was the cave by the waterfall. He ran into it without a thought to what may be there, shouting Asuriel's name in hopes that she could hear him. That only attracted the attention of the monsters living in the cave, but the hero was not deterred by them and quickly emptied the cave of them.

    The next hour was spend running around Skyloft, asking people if they had seen her. After talking to many people, Strich revealed that he had intended to meet her in a pumpkin patch, but was somehow caught in the wrath of a terrifying demon. As soon as Link heard the word 'demon', he was on his way to the meeting place.

    The hero plowed through the patch like a bull in a china shop, smashing every pumpkin, yet couldn't find Asuriel anywhere.

"Master, I highly recommend that you take a moment to calm your mind. Your search may be easier if you were less panicked."

    Of course, Fi was right. Even though it pained Link, he stopped and waited until he had calmed down. He had searched almost everywhere on Skyloft, but there was one person who might be able to help.

    Link made his way down to Batreaux's house, hoping that the demon would have some knowledge of Asuriel's whereabouts. Upon walking in, he was shocked to see the winged demon in conversation with her!

"Asuriel!"

    Link immediately ran up to her and embraced her. She was safe.

"Good morning, Link. How was the Surface? Do you have the water basin?"

    Asuriel did not get a reply to her questions.

"Thank the goddess you were here the whole time. When I couldn't find you after checking the room, I thought you had been captured again."

"Oh..."

"Well," cut in Batreaux, "it seems that you two have some things to discuss. You might want to get going before Kukiel comes over or you won't be leaving until after lunch."

    Link nodded and led the girl back to the plaza, not letting go of her even once. The fly back to the Eldin Province was silent as they both thought about that morning. While Link reviewed the fact that he had again failed to keep Ghirahim away from Asuriel, she thought back to her conversation with Batreaux.

"Thank you for stopping by to visit me again."

"Of course, I enjoy visiting."

"However, I couldn't help but notice that you seem to be wanting to ask a question. Is something on your mind."

"Well, yes, in fact. It concerns... another demon and I was wondering if you could help."

Batreaux's usual polite smile vanished into a grim frown.

"I see. I'll tell you what I can, but not all demon's are the same, and I'm about the farthest thing from a proper example of one."

"Thank you."

    Asuriel began to explain her interactions with Ghirahim since she met him, only leaving out the part that they were soulmates. She hadn't told anyone before that they had kissed, and she felt some pressure leave her chest at finally saying it out loud.

"Do you have any idea what is going on, Batreaux?"

"Yes... I do, but I can't think of a reason why this is happening. For other demons, it might be normal, but not for Ghirahim."

"What is he doing?"

"All the signs point to it, the blankets, food, and attention... Asuriel, Ghirahim is trying to court you."

"Asuriel."

    The girl looked over to see that Link was watching her.

"I'm sorry for leaving you on Skyloft without any protection."

"Don't worry about it. I am not hurt and we are returning to the Eldin Province. Do not concern yourself with this matter anymore."

    Link nodded as they reached the red beacon in the sky and Scrapper raced down to the ground in a vain attempt to impress Fi. After arguing with Link for a few minutes, they began the hike up to the volcano summit. Link ran ahead to begin clearing the way as Asuriel waited behind with Scrapper. The robot had suggested that since he didn't think her capable of being any use to Link, and that she would only distract the hero from protecting him.

    Still, Asuriel had to jog just to keep up with Scrapper, to the robot's annoyance. He complained that she was still moving too slowly, especially while climbing up the steep, sand covered slopes. Link was just barely in sight, providing Asuriel with a little comfort as Scrapper continued to criticize her. The trip was going smoothly for the most part, except when the robot made a rather rude remark about the difference of colors in her eyes. Out of no where, a black dagger with a red gem set in the hilt hurled towards him and lodged itself in the side of his head. This caused Scrapper to yell up to Link about how incompetent he was as the girl removed the dagger and set it in her pocket. Sooner or later, she would see its owner and have a chance to return it.

    Finally, they reached the giant frog statue and Scrapper dropped the basin on it, effectively dousing the amphibian with water and extinguishing the flames. The robot then left again for the sky while Link and Asuriel descended the steps down into the Fire Sanctuary. When they entered, they found that the area was just as hot as the summit and that there was more lava.

    Link discovered that he was able to knock down pods hanging from odd plants to cause water to make a floating surface on the lava. The discovery became a great convenience as they used the tactic to get through a large portion of the sanctuary. Some relief was found from the scalding temperatures when the sanctuary opened up to reveal outdoor extensions. There, Asuriel managed to convince Link to rest for a bit, and it provided a decent place to spend the night.

    After a peaceful rest, the journey through the sanctuary went smoother. Even though many of the portions of it were dangerous, Link never left Asuriel alone. At least, not until he had to burrow underground. He told her that if she saw anything suspicious, yell for him to come back. It would at least notify Link if there was trouble.

    One particular time, Link was working on solving a puzzle when the strange metal contraptions that flanked the entrance trapped him inside. Ahead, he could hear what sounded like a giant insect crawling around. He didn't have room to use his sword, so the new mogma gloves would have to do. He was about to begin hunting the creature down when above him Asuriel shout his name.

"Link!"

"Asuriel!"

    The hero turned around as fast as he could and bolted forward, forgetting about the interlocking iron spikes that blocked his way and ramming into them.

"Asuriel!"

    He called out again, banging his fists against the block in a vain attempt to break through. Nothing worked. There was only one solution: he would have to kill whatever was in the tunnel with him, and he would have to do it quickly.

    Meanwhile, Asuriel panicked as she again her the metallic chime of diamonds as Ghirahim teleported. It was that sound that had alerted her to his presence. She spun around to face the direction of the noise, only to see nothing but empty air. She heard a quiet chuckle behind her, but again she saw nothing. This was the exact same thing that he had done when she had stayed with him in the hidden castle in Faron. Well, she was not about to let him have the satisfaction of  frightening her.

    Crossing her arms, she stopped paying attention to the disembodied laughs and chimes. Until her grabbed her shoulders... and then she screamed.

    Ghirahim laughed as he teleported away before Asuriel could see him. True, he didn't intend to make an appearance to her until later, but he needed a break from his work and couldn't resist teasing her just a little. He had been extremely busy between looking for clues leading to the whereabouts of the second Gate of Time and making sure Asuriel was well cared for. As much as he needed to focus on the revival of his master, he just couldn't bear to leave his girl with that reckless Skychild. But, they would meet up soon enough.

     Link resurfaced to find Asuriel backed into a corner, frantically looking around for an unseen assailant. Immediately, he rushed to her side.

"Asuriel, is everything alright?"

"I think so. I'm not hurt at all."

    The hero breathed a sigh of relief. Not that she was safe, but that she was still there. Now, more than every, he feared that the demon would snatch her away when he wasn't looking. Even before then, they had been separated many times, it made Link uneasy to leave her by herself for a few minutes.

    After a while, they emerged outside onto a balcony with stair leading down off to the side. Once completely down the stairs, they saw three tall statues at the mouth of a river of lava. At the sounding of a bokoblin horn, Link instructed Asuriel to duck behind the railing of the stairs until he had dealt with the creatures. Archers pelted him with arrows, yet he easily dodged them and returned fire, aiming perfectly each time. He was getting good at being a hero.

    When he had taken care of the fourth archer, he called for Asuriel to come over to him so that they could cross the stream of lava together. What Link had failed to notice was the Cursed Spume that was lurking in the corner of the lava pool. Asuriel heard the creature and turned to face it just in time for a shower of dark energy hit her in the chest.

    She stumbled back and collapsed to the ground, barely conscious. Link was at her side in an instant, panicking as Asuriel's body twitched and shuddered uncontrollably.

"Fi, what should I do?!"

    The blue sword spirit gracefully appeared in front of Link and floated above the girl, looking down at her with a neutral expression.

"I am afraid that there is nothing that you can do, Master Link. But, do not fear for her safety. It is likely that Asuriel is experiencing more severe side effects than you had because she is a creation of the goddess, however she will not retain any permanent harm."

    Link paused a moment.

"So, is she in danger?"

"No, just in pain. I believe the feeling is akin to your skin coming into direct contact with lava."

    Link inwardly cursed himself.

"I should have been more careful! If I had only taken a second to look around, she wouldn't be hurting like this."

    Fi chose to return to the sword instead of reply, confirming Link's feelings of guilt. Just moments before, he had been patting himself on the back for being vigilant and taking care of her. Now, he felt completely humbled.

    A dark aura seemed to surrounded the girl for a few minutes before thinning and disappearing entirely. She didn't open her eyes, but Link got the impression that she was sleeping instead of in immense pain. Being as careful as possible, her picked her up and continued on through the sanctuary, hoping to find a cooler place to let her recover.

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    Fire. It felt like she was on fire. As if the lava that flowed among the rocks was coursing through her veins, flooding every inch of her body with its maddening burning. Her consciousness hung on by a thread, yet the curse that hit her forbade her to slip into the peace of sleep. Link's voice sounded very far away as she lost control of her movements, barely aware of the jerking motions caused by the curse. Within a few minutes, the fire slowly seeped from her body, leaving her limp as she finally slipped into soothing state of rest.

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         The young hero breathed a sigh of relief when he emerged from the underground tunnel. He was drenched in sweat and covered in dirt, two things that most certainly did not mix well together. Regrettably, he had had to leave Asuriel by herself as he traveled underground to unclog a stream of lava, but when he returned, nothing appeared to have disturbed her. She was still fast asleep, leaving Link to wonder when she would wake up.

    In his mind, he thanked the goddess for creating the girl to be so light, otherwise carrying her through the sanctuary would be a lot more difficult and taxing.

    Now that the lava was flowing smoothly, he could float farther down to the next part of the temple. Resting Asuriel on a few of the steps, Link drew his bow and shot down the two Cursed Spumes that waited in the lava for an unsuspecting victim. Hopping onto the makeshift lava raft, the boy scanned the sky to estimate the time before the sun set. From the look of it, night was not far.

    The next section of the sanctuary revealed a cross section of exploring possibilities. To the left was a giant door with a massive key hole. To the right, a walkway leading to two drop-offs over lava. At set of stairs going down, closing followed by another rising back up, lay in front of him. A stone tablet stood in front of the left path, reading, "The bridge of decision... Choose the path you believe in... Move forward bravely."

    He was definitely going to wait for Asuriel to wake up before "making his decision", whatever that meant. But, that would most likely mean waiting until dawn, due to the fact that there were iron bars across the door in front of him.

    Selecting a section of the wall to the right of the massive doors, he did his best to set Asuriel in a comfortable position. He would have brought blankets from skyloft to at least provide a softer surface upon which to lay, but being so close to the lava, they would quickly overheat.

    Link reached into his adventure pouch and pulled out a bottle of pumpkin soup he had been saving. Due the the heat of the volcano, it was very warm, but he almost wished that it was cold just to have a slight difference in temperature. Although he was famished, Link left some of the food for Asuriel when she woke up. The girl would undoubtedly be hungry once awake.

    After finishing eating, Link lay down next to Asuriel, providing a little support to her as she  leaned against the wall. As he drifted off to sleep, he could just feel her head come to rest on his shoulder. If the fate of the world didn't rest on them getting to Din's Flame, it would have been romantic.

    Ghirahim scowled as he came back to check on his girl to see her and that brat asleep next to each other. Although he still had some important thinking to do about the second Gate of Time, the demon approached them and crouched down in front of Asuriel.

    He could not find the words to describe the frustration he had experienced when he decided to check up on them before, only to see Skychild carrying his soulmate around while she lay unconscious in his arms. The next time her spoke to that boy, they would have a small chat about what it meant to keep someone safe.

    For now, he would simply make sure that Asuriel wasn't hurt. Her pulse was normal and her breathing was at an average rate for sleep. There was no physical evidence of injury, causing Ghirahim to wonder what exactly happened. His thoughts about confronting Skychild trailed off as he found himself staring at her peaceful face. That same smile that graced her features as she slept in Skyloft rested gently on her lips again.

    Before leaving, the demon set a kiss against the girl's forehead and brushed a few pieces of her out of her face. Most likely, they would be seeing each other again very soon.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Link stretched and cracked his back as the sun peaked out from the horizon. He was very stiff from sleeping against the hard stone, but the motion helped a little. Beside him, Asuriel was also waking up and stretching. After a yawn, she turned to ask him a question.

"What happened?"

"Well, I didn't see the spume that was in the lava, so you got hit by its attack. You seemed to be okay after a few minutes, so I carried you as I continued through the sanctuary. It got dark, so I decided to stop for that day, and now it is time to begin again."

"I'm sorry for being a burden to you, Link. I didn't mean to walk right into that creature's attack."

"It's not your fault, Asuriel, I should have seen it. Either way, you are okay now."

"Yes, now let's get going, we should be able to reach the flame today."

    Link showed Asuriel the riddle on the stone and they eventually reached the decision that he would jump to the left. Taking a deep breath, Link leapt off the ledge and plummeted towards the lava. Fortunately, it appeared that they chose wisely, for a magical barrier appeared and caused Link to slide into the statue he had jumped in front of. Asuriel breathed a sigh of relief as he remained safe and waited, as they had agreed she would, by the loftwing statue.

    No more than thirty minutes had gone by before Link appeared at the door that had previously been barred. He triumphantly held up the strangely shaped key and ran over to Asuriel.

"I got it! Now, we can finally finish this and get out of here."

"Yes, it is quite hot. Is your arm alright? It's bleeding!"

"Yeah, there were just some lizalfos back there, but I took care of them."

"At least let me heal this for you before we move on."

    Asuriel gently took Link's arm in her hands and healed the scrapes and burns left by the monsters.

"There, does that feel better."

"Yes, thank you. Now, let's go."

    With a little maneuvering, the key slid into the lock and the giant doors swung open with a creak. As their eyes adjusted to the light, they saw before them a figure in a red cape with his back towards them.

    It had been a few days since Asuriel had last seen Ghirahim, although he had been watching her for a rather large portion of the time. The girl felt slightly anxious at the anticipation of what the Demon Lord may do, considering he acted unpredictably without reason or provocative.

    After a moment, Ghirahim turned towards them with a mischievous smile.

"...Oh hello there, Link. I see you're still among the living. Fancy meeting you here."

    One thing that had always confused Asuriel was that, when the demon was speaking to Link, he often ignored her. It was quite puzzling for her, yet he continued to do it, even when he had very much reason to be angry with both of them.

"We seem to bump into each other time and time again. Oh, it's no coincidence though, is it? You and I, we're bound by a thread of fate."

    As he said that, he blew a kiss in Asuriel's direction. So he wasn't completely ignoring her after all. Flicking his hair out of his face, Ghirahim continued, spreading out his arms in a dramatic flourish as the paintings high up on the walls were suddenly illuminated.

"Look at these old drawings!"

    Link and Asuriel shared concerned glances as they collectively wondered what this would lead to.

"Until I found these, I was... upset about that little stunt the goddess' guard dog pulled at the Gate of Time. What was that twigs' name again? Impa? Well, never mind that, because these drawing suggest the existence of a second Gate of Time. This news has just filled my heart with rainbows!"

    Asuriel wasn't sure if she should be absolutely terrified deeply concerned.

"I've been a busy boy, searching here and there and everywhere for another Gate of Time."

    In a flash of diamonds, the demon disappeared, but quickly reappeared to the left, dramatically lowering his hands and shaking his head.

"And yet, I couldn't even find a single clue. Since I know I can be honest with you, I'll admit I got a little sulky. It was frowns all around."

    He vanished again, materializing on the ledge in between the two paintings, theatrically moving his arms and partially turning to the side.

"The thought of never getting my hands on that darling young girl again was.. well, more than I could bear. But then..."

    Both Asuriel and Link stared in shock as he leapt off the ledge and landed on the ground rolling behind them. The girl tensed as she felt his arms wrap around her.

"Then I found this place! And the prospect of a second Gate of Time has made me positively giggly!"

    Before Link could react, he had teleported to the other side of the room, with Asuriel.

"That girl... your adorable friend... She will be instrumental in bringing about the revival of my master. And though I feared she was now quite beyond my reach, I despair no longer!"

    He paused, as if expecting to get a response out of Link.

"Of course, that put aside, I still have some... things I would like to discuss with you. You see, when Asuriel here showed you her mark that one night, I thought for sure that you would put an end to your frivolous fantasy about being with her. Of course, I once again underestimated your stubbornness to accept reality. Do you really think that your goddess will take lightly to your dissatisfaction with this arrangement?"

    He raised his voice at the end of the sentence as his grip tightened, and the air seemed to quiver with his unspoken rage.

"And, since we all are in on this little predicament of yours, Asuriel, there's really no reason for this!"

    With one fluid motion, Ghirahim snatched the glove off of her hand and cast it aside, revealing the black lines that danced across the back of her hand. He seemed to regain his composure after seeing the mark, for he once again changed the topic. His hold on Asuriel shifted as he held her against himself with one arm, leaving his left hand free.

"But before we talk any further on that subject, there's still the outstanding matter of your punishment, Link. Do you remember when I told you that the next time we met, I would make your ears bleed from the sound of your own screams? Well, I've been thinking, perhaps corporal punishment is a touch harsh. I might be willing to forgive and forget if you'll strike a deal."

    He turned towards Link and extended his hand, as if knowledge was a tangible thing that could be handed from one person to another.

"...All I ask is that you tell me where I can find the other Gate of Time. That's not too much to ask, is it? Oh, and don't you play coy with me. I know that you you, so why not let me in on the fun?"

    Link glared at Ghirahim and raised his sword, getting into a fighting stance. The demon frowned and pushed Asuriel behind him.

"Such behavior. A mischievous boy like you needs to be dealt with firmly. I must warn you, I won't go easy on you this time."

    Raising his arms, Ghirahim stared at them with admiration. With a snap, the gloves disappeared.

"Lovely, aren't they? You'll find the supple skin of my arms tougher than any armor. Doesn't their shape just leave you... breathless?

Behold!

Such beauty!

Such a pure form!

Such an exquisite physique!

Such stunning features!

Yes, I've pretty much got it all. Though there is one teensy tiny thing I lack... Namely, mercy. Come to me, Link. You and I are bound by that thread of fate. Destined to fight. And, as much as I'm sure you enjoyed the girl's interference in your previous battles, I will not allow her to interrupt us this time."

    Snapping his fingers, a barrier of diamond appeared around Asuriel, confining her to a space small enough to barely be able to lie down in.

"So come close, Link! Meet me in battle, and the thread of fate that binds us will be soaked crimson with your blood!"

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    So, um, yeah it's been a while. The last update was April 30th, so it's been almost a month. Basically, I had a ton of school to do, and afterwards I felt incredibly burnt out to the point where I didn't even try to write anything for two weeks. That wasn't fun, but by then I had gotten out of the habit of writing enough to publish each week, so I had to get back into doing that. Then writer's block hit and I was uninspired again. These past two days, I FINALLY got my act together and wrote a sizable chapter. And that's what happened. Usually, I would have split this chapter into two or three parts, but I decided that you all deserved a longer chapter because I made you wait almost a month.

    If you haven't already, please consider going through the review questions I compiled about the story so far, I would really appreciate it.

Review Questions

Interesting how the wisdom triforce bearers are depicted on their own, instead of with their spouses. Was there a reason for that?

Impa's around! But, y'know - that particular era got pretty hectic, and the triforce of wisdom (and all it entails) is an incredibly isolating thing, even for bearers who have loved ones who support them.

The Maliced Sheikahteers ; Amadeus, Sonata and Lacrimosa.

Some fanart of @akkalatechlabs , @hatenotechlab , and @lady-impa maliced AU versions all together!

The Haunting Sisters ; Sonata and Lacrimosa.

Some fanart of @hatenotechlab and @lady-impa 's Malice AU Purah and Impa.

Still thinking of Silent Hill BOTW Link...

Zelda being raised to embody Hylia

None of her friends like it, but she's given up hope of ever having a life outside of being Hylia's host

The Yiga are a second cult in the city, but they're dedicated to ending Hylia and summoning their own God, Ganon/Demise

Link being raised to only exist as Zelda's bodyguard/one of her "angels" once Hylia is reborn

The Champions all want to get Link and Zelda out of town, but they're being hindered dispite being their respective "leaders"

Urbosa cares too much for Zelda to let her become a puppet

Mipha cares too much for Link to let him also be a puppet

Daruk (and the Gorons) really don't care about Hylia (and he's soft for his tiny Hylian fam)

Revali was jealous of Link up until he realized wtf being Hylia's knight meant and now he wants out, thanks

The Sheikah are mostly on Hylia's side, and the Yiga are mostly on Demise's side, but there's some outliers

(Paya and Dorian are both camp "Maybe hylia isn't so great")

Zelda's birthday is when the Champions decide to try and get her and Link out of there...and it's also when the Yiga finish their ritual and when Hylia decides to try and play grand theft me

This leads to Zelda panic-sealing Ganon and herself in the "castle" (the name of the amusement park, maybe?)

Link gets the master sword but also a gun

(Is the master sword an actual sword? Idk but he also has a rifle and he's going to make it everyone else's issue)

For the ask thing, 25. (What is a weird, hyper-specific detail you know about one of your characters that is completely irrelevant to the story?) preferably anything abt the CTB main gals, but any little fun fact would be neat!!

Hyper-specific details about the main girls? Yeah I can do that!

Midna has a super long tongue. It has a fork at its end, like a snake. It grosses everyone out except for Twilight, who definitely thinks its a little hot.

Zelda can sort of hear Hylia and the Golden Goddesses, but she lacks the wisdom to understand what their visions and messages means. This is aligned with how she has spent her entire life faking interest in her religious duties, preferring instead more secular past times like dancing and gardening.

Lana has no idea how to explain how old she is. Warriors tried to ask her once before they started dating, and the conversation went a little something like this:

Warriors: "So how old are you anyways?"

Lana, unable to explain that she became the Guardian of Time at 10 years old hundreds of years ago and has aged slowly to Hyrule's standards but at a normal pace for herself, as the place the Triforce was hidden in had a question relationship with the passage of time so technically she is both physically and mentally 18 years old, but actually Lanacia is 18 years old and Lana herself has only existed for a few weeks so depending on how she framed it, she is both too old and too young for Warriors while also still being his peer: "Uh..... six?"

Warriors:

Warriors: "...six what?"

Lana: "Yes."

Uneasy Peace - A Ganlink LoZ AU

((zoom for quality))

Or, alternatively, Mac wanted and AU where Zelda and Link were Twins, Ganondorf threatened to invade unless Zelda married him, and Link secretly takes Zelda’s place at the altar.

I’ve basically made my ideal LoZ setting taking bits and pieces from each game and smooshing them together :)

[HAPPY BIRTHDAY, IMPA]

Let this be spoilers, but future readers should already know some interesting (but not plot-related) details of my AU lore. For example, the fact that Link died and went on a clo-- I mean, to resurrection, and Zelda began to restrain Ganon precisely on Impa's 20th birthday. She also lost an eye that day, but I won't go into details of exactly how it happened. In general, the closer to the exams, the stronger the motivation to develop your projects.

So, are you gonna cover the fact that Link most definitely knows that Zelda at least had a crush on him pre-calamity due to Kass’ song? Or the fact that Impa’s suggestion would have likely been Link? (He is the best choice due to the fact that he has made friends all over Hyrule! That bit is just a side rant, Ik you addressed it.)

Haha to be perfectly honest I completely forgot about Kass’ song 😅 but that shouldn’t matter to the fic. The whole point of the story is Zelda asking her boyfriend to find her a boyfriend, and neither of them realize it (unlike everyone else). So, for the plot to work, they both have to be a lil dumb.

Link conflates his extreme sense of duty with his feeling, so he’d just think the court poet misunderstood the situation. Zelda was close to Link given what was going on pre-calamity out of necessity, not because she liked him. Duh, they’re just friends.

Plus, I personally believe that while Zelda could have had at least a small crush on Link pre-calamity, it does her character a disservice for her to recognize it (but I won’t bore you with that). I just think pre-calamity she was focused on other things lol and didn’t have many friends, so she too would be like “what?? We’re totally just friends!! this is what friends do!! (Right??)”

Anyway, I’ll cover what Impa thinks next chapter, but you’ve pretty much already guessed what she says!

Fandom: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity/The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Rating: G

Words: 1.9K~

Summary: Once Zelda notices the skinny, splintered tree stump nestled in the scorched soil surrounding this caved-in structure, it’s unspeakably difficult for her discerning gaze to peel away.

The destruction of sacred icons and priceless tapestries cannot hold a candle to the loss of this singular, fledgling oak tree. Not to her. Not with everything it represents.

(In which Zelda finally gets a moment of emotional release after the events of the Calamity.)

If you enjoy, I’d heartily appreciate your support via reblogs here or comments/kudos on AO3! I’m newer to writing for this fandom, and thus am simply a little bean hoping to slowly establish a small, cozy corner for myself here. :D

_______

Zelda scowls, jotting down yet another dour structural report in her hand-bound journal:

‘West Grounds Garden Gazebo: Roof has partially caved in. Five out of six of the pillars remain standing, in varying degrees of disrepair.’  

Ugh.

Damage surveys. She hates this endless, arduous process with a burning passion, but she has no choice in the matter. It’s a necessary task. After all, while they may have emerged victorious from under the Calamity’s poisonous wrath, the ultimate fate of Hyrule’s future still hangs in a delicate balance. The engine of war makes no concessions on which corners of the land it spares and which it destroys. As a result, whole villages now lie in ruins… their farmlands infested with lingering malice. Much of the population has evacuated to safety, yes, but thousands of lives will no doubt be forever uprooted.

(It’s a fear that still goes unspoken, a bitter pill she’d much rather spit back up than swallow, but at this point she kind of doubts she’ll ever live to see her kingdom rise to its former glory.)

Of course, their age of history is yet to be recorded— their future still malleable. It’s a reassurance she’s eternally thankful for. Her entourage clearly has much work to do, though, if they wish to lift Hyrule out of its current ruination. At this very moment her father is traveling on foot through the streets of Castle Town, personally delivering aid and rations to injured, hungry soldiers. The champions work steadfast at his side… an active demonstration of their solidarity. Once the soldiers of Hyrule Field are tended to, they plan to return to their home regions to aid their kin. (Much like their descendants, who— by fate’s mysterious whims— were whisked back to their own time a handful of hours ago.) Meanwhile, Purah and Robbie have been tasked with checking on the status of the Royal Ancient Lab, and ensuring all the once-hostile guardians are now completely offline. Truth be told, Zelda desperately wishes she could’ve tagged along with them, but it’s probably for the best she’s tarried behind, surveying the castle with Link and Impa. Crossing the bridge to the western ridgelands of the kingdom would involve making… a public appearance, should she say… and to be frank, she’s in no shape to bear the weight of such attention yet.

Sighing in quiet disappointment, she flips her journal closed, tentatively stepping forwards towards the remains of her favorite garden gazebo. But once Zelda notices the skinny, splintered tree stump nestled in the scorched soil surrounding this caved-in structure, it’s unspeakably difficult for her discerning gaze to peel away. So she tucks her papers and quill in the crook of her armpit like her father always chides her for (though she frankly doesn’t give a damn about the potential of ink stains in the wake of everything that’s just happened), and slinks away from her friends to take stock of this easily overlooked point of damage. After all, it’s just one detail in a thousand. A mere pinprick of a scar scattered amidst broad, mottled swaths of burned flesh.

And yet, the destruction of sacred icons and priceless tapestries cannot hold a candle to the loss of this singular, fledgling oak tree. Not to her. Not with everything it represents.

With a shaky exhale, Zelda sinks to her knees in front of the stump. Sets her things down. Gently runs her fingers across the jagged edges of what little remains. This poor thing must have been snapped at the base by rampaging monsters, or else, by the stalking advance of a guardian. Gods know where its delicate, leafy boughs ended up in all the chaos. They were probably knocked into the river below, or reduced into ash, like every other trace evidence of green on these blasted castle grounds. Her throat clenches tight upon the mere thought, her eyes prickling with yet unshed moisture. She shifts her weight back until she’s sitting on her heels, hastily blinking away the burgeoning teardrops. A princess mustn’t cry. Not with so many thousands of people relying on her for strength in the wake of such tragedy.

Sucking in a deep breath of soot-laden air, she glances up from the tree’s remains to drink in the once-familiar view of west Castle Town from atop this fortified hillside.

(Minutes later, she’ll realize that— in her current mental state— this was a grave mistake.)

Hoarse, messy sobs— the first she’s expelled since the beginning of this whole affair— overwhelm her exhausted, shaking form before her mind can even consciously acknowledge the roots of her grief. Link, the chivalrous young man he is, rushes to her side in mere seconds. He kneels and rests his partially gloved hand on her bare shoulder, his calloused fingertips pressing warmth into her skin. But his generous offer of comfort barely matters. Her lungs are already burning to cinders within her chest, her tears carving raw valleys across her ruddy cheeks. She seizes her fists tight, clutching them against her bosom as she continues to breathlessly weep. Nonetheless, her knight’s touch remains constant through this perilous storm.

Oh, she’s finally crumbling to pieces, isn’t she? She’s finally gone mad. A young woman heir to nothing but a shattered, blighted kingdom… eroding away like dampened gypsum in the sheer agony of this bittersweet aftermath, just like this very castle she once called home.

She finds herself doubling over, wetting the hardened soil around this small stump with her sloppy tears, clawing her fingers through what little loose dirt is left. This Calamity has truly taken everything from her. Her mother— by the hands of the Yiga ten years prior— her confidence, her sense of security, countless innocent soldiers and civilians, her childhood home, Terrako, and now this…!

It’s not fair!

Eventually, she hears light footsteps approach behind her. Precise and purposeful, the central dogma of any Sheikah advisor worth their salt. Her dear friend Impa.

“We can always plant a new one, Your Highness,” Impa says kindly, kneeling down on her other side, opposite of Link.

She widely shakes her head, letting out a pathetically strained sob most unbecoming of her position.

No, she can’t just plant a new one. Impa doesn’t remotely understand; how could she? To her, this is just some stupid, insignificant plant, one of millions. There was never any signage. No distinct marker to set it apart from the others. Nothing.

“This tree in particular was special to you?” Link suddenly asks, breaking his customary silence with a carefully constructed sentence. Few and far between are the days he speaks out loud, but on the rare occasions he does, she always finds herself melting in the wake of his gentle tenor.

Nodding slowly, Zelda reaches forward to graze her hand against the oak’s bark once more, finding new strength in the spirit of his calm, controlled demeanor.

“I planted it with Mother,” she says, her hoarse voice cracking on the vowels.

Everything that she made with her as a child. Finger paintings. The flowers they cultivated in the gardens. This very tree. Terrako. Gone.

Link sits back on his haunches, removing his hand from her shoulder. Out of the corner of her eyes, she catches him signing something brief to Impa. The Sheikah woman sighs with a somber understanding.

“Ah, so that’s why you’d always escape everyone’s watch to come sit here.”

Zelda gives a watery chuckle. It’s true. Ever since her mother died, she used to occasionally play hooky from the more boring lessons to run out to this gazebo with her books. It’d drive her tutors insane. She’d sit right by that youthful oak tree and spend hours pouring over the latest ancient tech breakthroughs, or brushing up on her botany knowledge, or losing herself within the pages of some silly, pulpy romance novella she borrowed from her handmaiden. Sometimes… she’d even read aloud, pretending that her mother’s spirit could actually hear her from the next realm. But most importantly, it gave her a proper setting to pray. Not to the divine pantheon above, but rather… to her ancestors, as per classical Gerudo tradition. She never felt a shred of spiritual resonance in the chapels, or at any of the Goddess springs. But at the foot of this precise oak, this once-living entity that they planted as one, she could almost feel her mother’s hand wrapping around hers. Could almost hear her golden, lilting laugh.

And now, their tree is gone. Forever.

So what does this mean for the future of her devotion? Of her quiet mourning rituals? Will she ever feel Mother’s presence as strongly as she did here, in this sacred place? Or is there not a single physical memento left in the whole world of the close bond they used to—

“Wait a minute—“ Impa interrupts her melancholy train of thought, rooting around in her belt pouch. “Oh sweet Nayru, in all the chaos, I completely forgot…”

Zelda’s brows furrow in abundant curiosity. She sits up, wiping the dried tears from her ruddy cheeks with the backs of her knuckles. “Forgot what?”

“Well, while you’re right there’s no replacing that tree,” she begins, closing her fist around something in the pouch and pulling it out, “I think there might be a chance we can save Terrako.”

Her palm opens, revealing a single, faintly glowing ancient screw. The same screw that the brave little guardian left behind after leaping ahead of them to self destruct and cripple Calamity Ganon. Zelda gasps.

“Stars, I- I thought I lost that during the battle!” she exclaims, reaching out to grab the screw and cradle it reverently in her own palm.

Without any pockets in her dress to safely stash it in, she dropped it when the sanctum floor crumbled underfoot, and they plummeted into the observatory hidden below. When she couldn’t find it at the conflict’s end she all but assumed it had been crushed in the rubble, or by the ceaseless rampaging of their enemy. And yet… with Impa’s revelation… perhaps fate may yet shine kindly upon her. Perhaps whatever spark of life clings to this singular screw is enough to bring Terrako’s memory back from the brink of oblivion.

Link rises to his feet. “There’s, ah… tons of partially explored dig sites across Hyrule,” he begins softly, his current line of logic already seeming to mirror her own. “I-I… I’m sure that, uhm… i-if we—“ He clamps his lips shut. A sharp wave of frustration washing over his countenance, he continues in swift, fluid sign. “I’m sure we can collect enough components to repair his shell if we search these ruins.”

“Yes,” she chimes, grabbing her journal in her other hand and standing to her full height as well. “Good idea! Once we’re finished with surveying the castle grounds, we can make that an additional priority on our travels, alongside organizing relief efforts for displaced families and assisting with reconstruction.”

Impa’s brow creases. “Are— are you sure you’ll be ready? To step back into public so soon?”

Zelda pauses, flexing her fingers against the worn, well-loved leather of her bound writings. “I think… I’ll be okay, now,” she finally responds, glancing once again at the remains of her and Mother’s oak tree. No tears pool at the surface this time.

Because hope still remains. A glistening light calls to her from the darkness… singing her an ancient lullaby she genuinely thought she’d never hear again. Her fist tightens around this precious memento, the remaining sum of Terrako’s essence. She has one link to her mother left and she intends to save it. After all, the precise shape of their future is still malleable.

With his sacrifice, that bold, plucky little robot guaranteed as much.

Jumped on this bandwagon because it just works too well with Link and Sheik (/Zelda)

[Zelink & Impa] Second life

❤️♠️♦️♣️ you want it on merch? it’s yours, my friend

all the like “young” 100+ year old characters from botw hanging out n then impa and old man niko show up like how do you do fellow geriatrics