The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule's Hope

Chapter 14: Divine Beast Vah Ruta, Part 2

"What?!" Lady Arala gasped. "I never loved Selic, mother," Zya added, "my heart belongs to one person only."

She stared down at Rhiannon and Dori. "Of course you do, dear," Lady Arala asked, "if you believe that is what will make you happy, I support your decision."

"Huh?! You do?!" Zya gasped. "Zyannah, you have suffered enough for the past 25 years," Lady Arala said, "I think this is your time to find happiness, my pearl."

Zya clapped her hands to her mouth in disbelief. "Thank you, mother!" She said, "Also, could you please just address me as Zya from now on?"

"Of course, my dear!" Lady Arala smiled.

"So, how exactly are we supposed to appease Ruta?" Rhiannon asked. Dori shrugged in response. "What do you mean with that?!" Rhiannon gasped, "You're a Sheikah engineer! Shouldn't you know how that thing works!?"

"Exactly, I'm a Sheikah engineer!" Dori said, "I'm not a historian! I don't know how your father appeased the Divine Beast! I know they all have defense mechanisms but I never went further into detail about how they work! All I've ever known is how to manage the Sheikah Slate and fix Guardians!"

"What did you spend the last 25 years doing, then?!" Rhiannon asked angrily. "Um, I don't know," Dori crossed her arms, "probably looking over my sleeping best friend, making sure her slumber was undisturbed, changing the Silent Princess in her hand whenever the previous one dried, while also figuring out what to do since, oh, Hyrule is in the middle of a 25-year-old civil war!"

"You said Kakariko Village was neutral ground!" Rhiannon asked. "I couldn't take two steps inside other villages without having to take cover!" Dori answered, "Guardian attacks, rival raids, pillage..."

"We're getting off-track," Rhiannon interrupted, "we have to find how the Divine Beast works. I'm sure Zora's Domain must have a library or something!"

"The Zora monuments!" Zya intertwined, making Rhiannon and Dori gasp, "My father and grandfather made sure the past 50 years of history were recorded somehow, so there has to be a few Zora monuments recounting how Champion Link appeased Ruta."

"We have to go find them," Rhiannon said, taking off. "Wait!" Zya took her by the hand, "It's getting late, and going outside at night, especially during heavy rain, is dangerous. Let's wait until morning, I promise I will go with you two."

Rhiannon and Zya made deep eye contact for a split second until Dori cleared her throat loudly. "I will pay for your stay at the inn," Zya smiled, "you both have nothing to worry about."

"Zya, you don't have to," Rhiannon said. "You both risked your lives to come here and help me," Zya smiled, "let me do this gesture for you two."

"Hey, I'm not complainin'!" Dori said, "Are we getting a standard or a special bed?"

"Dori!" Rhiannon scolded. "Only the best for you two," Zya smiled softly, "you will both be getting waterbeds for as long as you're in Zora's Domain!"

"Zya you don't have to," Rhiannon insisted. "Come on, Rhia!" Dori smirked, "Let the princess spoil you!"

"Fine," Rhiannon sighed, "I'll pay you back after this is all over. Maybe with a...w-wedding gift..."

"Oh, the wedding's off," Zya smiled. "What?!" Rhiannon and Dori gasped. "My love for Selic never existed in the first place," Zya sighed, "Rhiannon, you're the only love I've ever known. I waited 25 years for you to come back for me, and here you are."

Rhiannon blushed softly. "T-Thanks, Zya," she stuttered. "Hylia, you two make me sick," Dori groaned, "get a room, you two!"

The rain continued through the night as Dori and Rhiannon stayed at the inn. Dori bounced around in her bed as she tried to sleep, every single move would make her bounce uncontrollably. Rhiannon, on the other hand, laid motionless on the waterbed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Just as it had happened back in the Great Plateau, a crushing feeling of guilt fell over her like a rock. "Pull yourself together, Rhiannon," she thought, "knights don't cry. All you've been doing since resurrecting is cry and whine. Knights. Don't. Cry."