After The Tears

Chapter 24: Distant Conflict

Link and Zelda spent the following week in Selmie's cabin enjoying more than a few passionate nights together. One night was especially clear giving them an uninterrupted view of the starry sky. Looking out over the northern horizon they could see a faint orange glow though they didn't think much of it at the time. After their honeymoon, they returned to Lookout Landing to a warm welcome and crisis. While they were gone a conflict arose between two distant kingdoms leaving a trail of destruction. Zelda connected the dots and realized that the orange light was distant towns burning. Currently, Hyrule was under no threat but there was a different kind of crisis for them. Word of Hyrule's revival had spread far and wide becoming a beacon to those displaced by the conflict between Darul and Farmith. Link recalled how Altaira talked about the tension between the two kingdoms having had multiple conflicts in the past.

Zelda: Those poor people, we can't just let them drift.
Purah: That is what I was thinking too, which leads us to the problem of housing and feeding them.
Link: Winter is approaching but there must be something we can do.
Purah: There might be a solution but it's untested. If we could keep the plants warm and protected we could grow crops even during the winter, the same line of thought would apply to the fisheries.
Zelda: We could make a glass roof to protect the plants while providing light.
Purah: That could work but how do we warm the soil?
Link: This might be an absurd idea but what if we use red chuchu jelly?
Purah: That's so crazy it might work. But what about the fisheries, do you think it would work there?
Link: I'm not sure, let me think about that
Purah: I suppose we have enough housing in Castle Town, but we do have people moving from Hateno, Lurelin, and Tarrey Town, mostly young adults looking for a fresh start, room might get tight.
Zelda: We will move them into the castle if we have to.
Purah: About the castle, Hudson sent a few people to begin clearing out the debris and to survey the damage, something about building a timeframe.
Zelda: He had mentioned that before, hopefully, the damage isn't too severe.
Purah: It would be great to see the castle restored, but back to the matter at hand. Link I think it would be best if you came up with a solution for the fish problem, you do come up with creative yet practical solutions.
Zelda: I'll see what I can do to get those refugees here.

Taking his sword Link left to clear his head and think. Doing drills Link began to come up with ideas and consider their viability. Link considered dipping the red chuchu jelly in the water but believed it would change form instead of heating the water. Next, he considered rubies but the cost dashed that notion for the time being. After a few hours Link stopped doing his drill being no closer to a solution. Midna, as if she could sense the frustration, walked up to Link with a ball in her mouth. Chuckling to himself Link thought maybe a game of fetch would help. Throwing the ball far Link's mind began to wander again, searching for a solution. Link was too preoccupied to notice he had a concerned visitor.

Altaira: Link, are you okay, you seem distracted?
Link: Ah, Altaira I didn't see you. Yes, I'm fine just trying to think of a solution.
Midna: WOOF!
Altaira: Well hello to you too.
Link: Can I help you with anything?
Altaira: Actually, I was hoping to help you.
Link: Well, in that case, I have been trying to think of a way to heat large tanks of water to hold farm fish during winter.
Altaira: It would be expensive but rubies could do the trick.
Link: I had considered it but there has to be a better option.
Link throws the ball again
Altaira: how are you heating the crops?
Link: The idea is to bury red chuchu jelly and let the radiant heat warm the plant.
Altaira: Can't you submerge the chuchu jelly?
Link: The issue is that chuchu jelly changes depending on its environment. Cold water might change the jelly from red to white freezing the fish.
Altaira: So you need something that can heat the water without changing the elemental form. Have you considered Igneo Talus's heart?
Link: That could do it, worth testing. We should tell the others.
Altaira: We?
Link: It was your idea, you should get credit for it.

Calling Midna back, Link left to find Purah with Altaira following him. Altaira explained her idea to Purah, who facepalmed for not thinking of it herself. Link took up the task of finding and breaking an Igneo Talus. Unfortunately, Zelda hadn't had similar success with her endeavors. Due to Hyrule being geographically separated by a massive gorge from the other kingdoms, it was proving difficult to find passage for the refugees. Zelda had been searching for Altaira to question if her father King Darmuth would help, eventually finding her with Link and Purah. Altaira believed she could get her father to arrange passage to Tamrle's ports but she didn't know if there were ships available. Remembering the monster pirates, Link said he would commander the ships if they could find someone to sail them. With this information, Zelda quickly devised a path forward for both the winter preparations and the refugees. Link would recover a couple of Igneo Talus's hearts and obtain what ships he could from the monsters, Altaira would arrange passage for the refugees with her father, and Zelda would speak with the fisherman in Lurelin to see if they would sail the ships. Zelda knew some reward would be expected, she hoped the fisherman would be satisfied in keeping the ships as compensation. Over the coming days, the three put their plan into action though it would take a little time to get everything in line. Speaking with the fisherman Zelda was surprised to hear that a group of them had been looking to change work. With Hyrule beginning to return the movement of cargo began to show much promise and was sparking interest in the little coastal village. As these shippers would represent Hyrule Zelda began to work on a project in secret. In the past, she had made the champion's garb and now she was working on a standard for the ship to bear.