Unexpected | Zelink (modern AU)

Sword

"Did you find it?" Zelda asked, trying to catch up with Link's speed.

Link shrugged, unsure. "I dunno, but it's something that stands out. So, maybe?" He followed the trail, and when the area became more clear he blew out the torch and set it aside near a tree, cautiously walking to a pedestal in the middle of the circle of trees.

He walked up the stairs, Zelda close to his side, and furrowed his brow seeing an object stick out of the ground he was standing on.

Zelda was the first to think. "Is...is that it?"

Link, too in awe to actually think, stopped at the top of the steps. "I believe it is..." He turned to Zelda, biting his lip as he gave her an excited grin. "Shall we go see it?"

The girl at his side nodded with no hesitation, and the two walked closer to what they believed was the Master Sword itself, but something else had caught her eye.

"Wait!" she called out. She ran past the sword, forgetting Link was holding her hand so she dragged him along, and jumped off the pedestal as she fell to her knees in front of a flower, taking Link down with her.

"Link," she exclaimed as she looked to her friend that was kneeling beside her, their hands apart so that she could lightly touch the plant. "This is a Silent Princess!" She laughed excitedly, her fingers gently caressing the plant's light-blue petals. "No one's ever been able to find these because they either went extinct or were hidden in an area no one's able to explore or discover." She was grinning as she turned back to Link, her excitement unconcealed. "It's said that these particular flowers were one of Princess Zelda's favorites from centuries ago. I don't blame her, either." She turned back to the flower, smiling warmly. "They're so beautiful—for being here for over five centuries with no one to water them, they look really health-"

A crispy, rumbling laugh stopped Zelda from talking altogether, both of their hearts dropping in fear as Link picked her up from the ground, dragging her back to the pedestal and holding her close.

"Hello?" Link called out. His eyes were searching for the owner of the loud voice.

But, he didn't have to look any further, because the thing that laughed started to speak, and the direction of the sound caused Link and Zelda to slowly look in front of them, their heads rotating upward to see its full appearance.

It was a tree, and its wooden...face...started to crack into a smile. "Long time no see," it said.

Both teens were too scared to say anything, and Link subtly tugged Zelda behind him to protectively stand in front of her.

Link was the one who spoke up. "You're...you're talking? A tree?"

The tree's wooden features crinkled more.

Zelda felt chills run down her spine while Link had a heavy hit of realization dawn on him.

"Wait a minute," he exclaimed, "you're the Deku Tree!"

Zelda's eyes widened after Link yelled out and looked at the tree more observingly. She wrapped her arm around Link's arm, feeling slightly intimidated. "Are you sure?"

Link nodded, a grin on his face as he started to utter reasons. "It has to be! It was said that the Great Deku Tree watched over the sword centuries ago as it waited for the Hero's return. And that thing," Link looked at the object that stuck out of the pedestal, "has to be the Master Sword!" He looked at Zelda and smiled, his excitement uncontained. "I never knew the tree was able to talk, though!" He looked, excitingly, up to the Deku tree, smiling as he saw the smile on the tree itself. "I never even knew you were alive!"