Jules slowly walked down the snowy roads of Hateno. Her gaze was stuck on the path, watching as her legs moved, unable to bring herself to look upwards. She hadn't meant to argue with Zelda, and even if that had been her intent, she never would have wanted it to be in such an ugly manner. Groaning, she brought her hands to her face.
Why do I always get like that around her? She asked herself. It's not like I want to fight with her...
Allowing her guilt and annoyance to swirl inside her chest, she continued to walk aimlessly through the village, ignoring the frigid air that brushed against her cheeks. It wasn't until the ground beneath her feet turned into wood did she finally come to a stop. Confused, she looked up to see that she was standing on a bridge, with a lone house sitting on the other side. Once Jules realized where she was, she frowned.
Yeah, of course, I end up here, she thought, bringing her hands up to rub the side of her upper arms. I don't feel like I should be here, not after what I just did.
Reluctantly, she began to turn away, yet something caught her eye. It was a small glimmer, barely noticeable against the white of the snow that covered the ground. Unable to contain her curiosity and going against what her conscience had just told her, she stepped further onto the bridge and looked out into the cliffside field next to the house. From there, she could see the homeowner standing in the snow, skillfully swinging around what seemed to be a long, curved blade.
Is he... practicing? She asked herself as she watched from afar on the bridge. I've never actually seen him use a sword before. He's always told me stories, but to actually see one in his hands. That sword... that isn't the purple one that he usually has.
She stood in place for a while, watching as the swordsman danced with his weapon. It was amazing to witness. He stood so firm, but moved so smoothly, even with the thick snow beneath his boots. Every swing and turn was purposeful, for there was no room for wasteful movements in his imaginary fight. It was inspiring, so much so that Jules couldn't bring herself to walk away, for she was entranced by his art.
The urge to go over and sit nearby came over her, wanting nothing more than to watch from up close. She wanted to speak to him, ask what he thought of as he swung his blade, despite the ever-growing guilt that loomed over her conscience. Internally she debated, making to turn away, yet always returning to form when she realized she just couldn't pull her eyes away from him. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of spinning on the bridge, she pursed her lips and continued across the rest of the bridge.
Since when have I been the kind of girl to get nervous like this? She asked as she stepped onto the swordsman's land. He's a friend, one of my best friends. You gave up on him back in Gerudo Town, so get your act together.
"Hey there, Link," she said as casually as she could.
To her surprise Link actually jumped at the sound of his name being called. He quickly turned around, and for a moment, Jules could see a glint of hostility in his eyes before they softened. Now filled with surprise and worry, he blinked at her.
"J-Jules? What are you doing here?" he asked, lowering his sword.
"Is it wrong of me to visit a friend?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Did you think I was the Yiga?"
Link seemed taken aback for a moment as if he needed to remember that there truly was a person in Hateno that believed him.
"Y-yeah, I did. Sorry, about that," he said, bringing his free hand up to the back of his head in guilt. "It's kind of a natural reaction at this point."
"I see..." Jules said, now inspecting his features closely. "Still, even though you know it's me now, you still seem nervous. What's with you?"
"I... Well, it's not really about you," he said. "It's more so..."
Guiltily, he looked down at the curved blade in his hand. Upon closer inspection, Jules could see burns that stained the blade, covering the silver parts in a faint pink. Still, this didn't answer her question.
"It's more so what?" she prompted.
Link frowned, as if not wanting to admit his intentions. After a moment though, he sighed.
"I'm trying to stay in shape and in practice," he began to explain. "For whenever this Yiga decides to show himself. The thing is, Zelda doesn't really like me holding a weapon these days—"
"Wait, is she forcing you not to take one in hand?" Jules asked, furrowing her brow in frustration.
"She's not forcing me to do anything," Link said. "I can do whatever I want, but it does worry her a lot, and it usually does lead to an argument. She barely even likes me taking a bow to go hunting with. So, I train when she's not around in order to keep the peace."
"Well, if you're afraid I'll say something to her, you don't have to be," Jules assured him. "I won't say anything. I think she's being a bit too protective of you in my opinion."
"You know, that's the first time anyone has said that," Link chuckled. "Usually it's the other way around."
"Yeah, well, you are her knight after all," she sighed.
"It's more than just that," Link said, taking a few steps away. He raised the sword in the air and watched as its blade gleamed in the little sunlight that shone through the gray clouds above. "She's the one I love, and I'd do anything to protect her... Even if she hates me for it."
"The one you love, huh," Jules said quietly. Confused at the sudden shift in her tone, Link turned around to face her with a raised eyebrow.
"Is there something wrong?" he asked. After a second of hesitancy, Jules smiled.
"No," she sighed. "That's just the... That's the first time you've actually said that you were in love with her. I'm happy for you, I guess, despite what's going on."
"Thanks?" Link said, clearly a bit confused. But before he could make sense of her words, she took a step forward.
"Your bags," she said, changing the topic as quickly as she could. "They haven't gone away."
"Y-yeah, well..." Link stuttered guiltily. "I never actually promised, did I?"
"You said you train when Zelda isn't around... Have you been training throughout the night?" she interrogated. Unable to deny it, Link simply averted his eyes, something that made the answer very clear to Jules. "You have. No wonder you're so tired. Is training during her work day not enough?"
"I don't just train during the night simply to stay in practice," Link murmured. "It's for... other reasons, alongside that."
Jules continued to inspect his features, taking note of the fact that he was refusing to look at her. The words Zelda spoke before began to echo in her mind, and at this, she couldn't help but agree: if Link kept this up, he really wouldn't be ready to face the Yiga. Despite this revelation coming from Zelda's words, Jules refused to believe that meant everything the princess was doing was right. Contemplating what to do, the visitor looked around before her eyes landed on the bridge. Suddenly, an idea popped into her mind.
"Take a break," she said, turning back to Link, who immediately locked eyes with her at the command.
"What?" he asked.
"I said take a break," Jules said. "You haven't rested enough to—"
"Jules—" Link began, beginning to furrow his brow in frustration, yet Jules held up a finger.
"Let me finish," she said sternly. As if by habit, Link silenced himself. "Look, as much as I believe you about the Yiga being around— I truly do— you do need to be well rested in order to face him properly."
"Jules, he could appear at any moment—" Link began again, yet just as before, Jules cut him off.
"That's why," she said. "We're going for a walk."
"A walk?" Link repeated, to which Jules nodded.
"Look, if you're having a hard time sleeping because you're afraid the Yiga will appear, then let's do a patrol," she said. "You can usually tell, even if it's only a hint, if he's possibly around, right? Then, if we walk and see he's not around, then getting in at least a nap wouldn't hurt. All to be ready for when he does actually show."
Though she had put it as advantageous as possible, Link didn't seem convinced. For a few moments, the two stared at each other, with Jules holding an awkward smile before eventually dropping it and folding her arms.
"Come on, Link," she scolded. "At some point, even you know you need to close your eyes for a moment. I'm not Zelda, I'm not telling you to put the sword down entirely, nor to just take my word and trust the Yiga isn't here. Just do a quick patrol, I'll do it with you, and if he's not here, take a few moments to nap. Is that too much to ask?"
She received a harsher glare at this, yet to her surprise, Link averted his gaze again.
"You're a lot more persuasive when you're not drunk," he mumbled.
"I appreciate that, really," Jules frowned, unamused. "Now, go put that sword away, and let's go."
Obeying her command, Link stepped aside and leaned the sword against the wall of the stables, as if preparing to return to it the moment their 'patrol' finished. After taking a moment to stretch, with a nod, he followed Jules across the bridge and down the path toward the village. Silence had grown between the two as they strolled, something that didn't surprise Jules. As expected, Link was glancing around at any place an assassin could possibly be hiding throughout the village. At this, Jules couldn't help but frown, even though she knew this was the whole reason she had brought him out.
"Hey, Link," she spoke up, placing her hands behind her back as she too began casually looking around the village. When he gave a simple hum in response, refusing to tear his focus away from their surroundings, she continued. "What do you like to do for fun?"
"What?" Link asked.
"Come on, just answer," Jules pushed.
Though he seemed a bit confused, something Jules could tell even without them looking at each other, after a short pause, he answered, "usually I play with the village children."
"Really?" she hummed curiously. "I guess I could see that."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Link returned.
"It means I could see you running around acting like a kid," Jules teased. "What else do you like to do?"
"Okay, what's this about?" Link asked as he gave her a quick glance, something that made her grin."Why are you asking me all these questions?"
"Am I not allowed to?" she asked.
"That's not what I'm saying. It's just, you've never asked about any of this before," he explained.
"It may not have been intentional, but the way you put that makes me sound bad, you know," Jules sighed. "Look, I only ever got to talk to you when you were visiting in Gerudo town before. You were all dressed up as a girl, and when you were around, while you were relaxed, you always were looking towards your next battle. This is the first time I've hung out with you— the real you— in your own place."
"I mean, I guess, but it still seems a bit odd to bring it up now," Link said, returning his focus back to the village houses. "You said we were supposed to be making sure the Yiga wasn't around."
"And we are," Jules debated. "I'm looking around too. We haven't seen him yet, so there's no harm in loosening up a bit, at least until we do. Think of it as saving your energy for when you need it most."
Unable to argue against this, as much as it looked like he wanted to, Link simply blew air through his nostrils. At the sight of the visible frigid air blowing from his nose, Jules giggled.
"Besides," she continued. "What may be random to you may not be random to me."
"How so?" Link asked, though the amount of curiosity in his voice had begun to waiver as if he knew he wouldn't get a straight answer.
"I guess you could say, I was reminded this morning that I haven't been around much, especially these past few months," she explained. "So I'm just catching up on lost time, and acquiring even more than that if I can."
"It hasn't been that long. It's only been a few months since we last saw each other," Link said, "and what happened this morning that brought this up?"
"That's a secret," Jules said, choosing to follow his lead and continue inspecting their surroundings.
"You tend to have a lot of those... I think you were easier to understand when you were drunk at the Noble Canteen," Link mumbled.
"I thought you said I was easier to understand?" Jules asked.
"I said you were easier to talk to," Link said. "Understanding you is different."
"I guess so," she chuckled. "Now answer my question; what other things do you enjoy?"
"Um... I love riding horses," Link continued, realizing any attempt to get her to focus on the patrol was worthless.
"Really? You're a horse kind of guy?" Jules asked. "You never talked about horses in Gerudo Town."
"I can't take my horse to Gerudo Town, so I was always more focused on learning how to catch sand seals," Link explained. "They aren't as enjoyable as horses though."
"I could never get the hang of that. I could also never learn how to catch wild horses, hence why it took so long to get here. I've always been a more walking type of traveler," Jules chuckled. "There were two horses at your house now that you mention it... Is the big white one yours?"
"Nope. Mine's the mare, and I guarantee you she's a lot faster and stronger than the white one. She's an amazing horse," Link said. A smile had finally cracked on his face.
"Really? Can you teach me how to ride her? If she's so amazing then, maybe I could easily learn to–"
"Not a chance."
With an argument now erupting between them thanks to this, they continued through the village. As time passed, the gray clouds began to thicken, blocking out any sunlight that fought to pierce through. By the time they reached the pastures, the entire sky was covered in the gray blanket. As Jules looked up, commenting on the potential snowfall that would probably soon fall, someone called out to them.
"Link!" a voice called. Both turned towards the pasture fences to see a female farmer running towards them. She was a simple-looking girl, with her hair decorated with two pigtails while wearing a basic faded tunic, brown gripping pants, and sandals, something Jules couldn't help but consider strange footwear for snow or farming.
"Koyin? What's up?" Link asked as the farmer stopped before them, not looking while he kept his eyes on his surroundings.
"Link, I was wondering if— Who's this?" Koyin asked, looking over at Jules.
"A friend visiting from the desert," Link answered simply, something Jules couldn't help but slightly frown at.
"Oh, well, welcome to Hateno," Koyin said quickly before turning her attention back to Link. "Do you think you could help me out with something?"
"What's going on?" he asked, now properly looking her in the eyes for the first time. "Is everything all right?"
"No, actually, it's not," Koyin said. "My sheep have started going missing again! I know you cleared out the monster camp down by the beach, and everything has been fine since then, but now my sheep are starting to vanish again!"
"Right, the beach bokoblins. The blood moon during my fight with the Calamity probably brought them back," Link mumbled before speaking up. "Sorry about that, Koyin. Some new bokoblins probably moved in and figured out sheep lived up here, just like the old ones."
"Do you mind helping out again, then?" Koyin pleaded. "I know you did it once before, but if you could do it again, that would be great. These sheep are why we have clothes, which is essential during a winter like this."
Link didn't answer immediately. Surprised by this, Jules glanced over at him. His face remained calm, yet the air around him seemed off. As the three stood in silence, something that Koyin took as a bit strange, snowflakes slowly began to descend from the darkened clouds above.
"I... I can't," he finally answered. "Sorry, Koyin. I can't right now."
"O-oh... Yeah, no problem," Koyin said, slightly taken aback by his answer.
Before she could say anything else, Link turned back and began walking back toward the village. Jules stood in place, dumbfounded by the answer she had just heard. Her gaze switched between Koyin's confused features and Link's walking figure before quickly hurrying after him.
"What was that?" she asked the moment she returned to his side.
"What?" Link asked in return, to which Jules furrowed her brow.
"Why did you turn down her request?" she asked. "That's not something you'd usually do. You've always been eager to help people in situations like these."
"Because I can't right now, Jules," Link said
"Is it because of Zelda?" she pressured. "Is it because she won't let you take up a sword?"
"I told you she doesn't control me like that," Link said. "As much as she may try, she can't. I can do what I want if I choose to."
"Then why didn't you—?"
"Because I chose not to," Link said simply. "Now focus, we still have the rest of the village to look through–"
"Do you enjoy fighting?"
This got him to finally stop in his tracks.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Link asked defensively as the two now stood in the middle of the snowy village. "As in, do I enjoy dealing with this Yiga?"
"No, that's not what I mean," Jules shot back. "I mean, don't you enjoy fighting monsters? You know, using your sword and stuff like that."
"What gives you that idea?" Link asked curiously. For a moment, Jules hesitated before frowning.
"Every time you would visit the Noble Canteen, you would always have stories of your adventures," she explained. "You always talked about the different ways you learned how to take down an enemy, or how eager you were to battle monster camps, and then how you knew Chieftess Riju would love to hear about them. You always had a sparkle in your eye when you spoke, excited for the next adventure. All while also trying to convince me to stop drinking as much; trying to help me. Link... don't you enjoy fighting?"
Link frowned before averting his gaze. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he took a few steps away before sighing.
"I do," he answered. "As crazy as it sounds, you're right. It's fun to fight monsters; to find new ways to take out camps or defeat a large enemy. I like using my sword."
"Then why not help Koyin?" Jules asked, stepping towards him. "I know you want to help her. I know you want to fight. If fighting gives you joy, then go do it. Don't let Zelda tell you that you can't—"
"I told you, it's not Zelda stopping me," Link cut in.
"Then why?" she asked worriedly.
"Because if I leave, then that may be when the Yiga may strike," Link said. "Fighting monsters and fighting a person is different. It was bad enough for me to leave when I left to hunt out of frustration, or when I went to visit Gerudo Town for information at the Yiga Hideout. I can't leave just to have fun, or help with a simple issue."
"I understand that," Jules said. "I do. I told you that I believe you about this guy, but if there is something Zelda may be right about, it's that you're pushing yourself way too hard. Even if you had left before, it sounds like you've only gone to think about the assassin. Link, could you honestly tell me that you feel prepared and ready for anything right now?"
"I'm trying to be," he answered, but Jules shook her head.
"That doesn't mean you are," she said, "and you know that."
Link furrowed his brow even further, trying to come up with a retort, yet he could only lower his head as he thought about her words. Hope began to spark in Jules's chest. She stepped closer to him as the snow continued to fall around them. She had a chance.
"Link," she cooed. "I know you want to be prepared, but you should know that resting is important. You need to be able to fight with a clear mind, and obsessing won't help. You say you're fine, but you aren't... I gave you the same answer when I was drinking in Gerudo Town, remember?"
She stopped in front of him and held out her palm for him to take.
"It's because of you I realized I had a problem and needed to change something," she said. "But I only listened after I screwed up with Zelda and let you down— after I made a mistake."
Slowly, Link looked up into Jules's vibrant blue eyes.
"We can find a way that works for you, so please," she pleaded. "Take a step forward before you make the same mistakes I did– before you do something you'll regret."
Link stared into Jules's eyes before looking down at her palm. He watched as snowflakes slowly fell onto her ever-slightly tanned skin, melting only a second after absorbing her warmth. Her fingers slightly shook thanks to the cold, yet she kept her hand as steady as she could, waiting for him to accept her. He blinked a few times before raising his own hand up to wipe his eyes. He could feel it– the burn of tiredness that had been stuck in his eyes for the past few weeks. His hand slowly began to descend from the corner of his eye, lowering closer to the palm that sat ready for him.
Before it could land, his hand jerked away.
"Link–?" Jules asked, yet he had broken their eye contact. He was now looking up.
"There... He's there!" he shouted, before dashing past her.
"Link, wait! What did you see?" she yelled back, but it was far too late. Link had dashed away. Confused, she began running after him.
From way ahead, Link dashed towards one of the village houses before jumping. With amazing finger strength, he quickly scaled the wall before planting his feet on top of the roof. The falling snow had thickened, and thanks to being higher on the roof, the winds were stronger. Squinting through the falling snow and fog, he looked around before noticing a faint figure in the distance. Gritting his teeth he began to run forward. His speed had slowed though.
The snow... It's deeper up on the roofs than on the path! Link thought as he forced his feet through the powdered blanket.
By the time he reached the other side of the house, the figure could barely be seen on the roof of the neighboring house. The figure seemed to turn around, glancing at its pursuer before walking away, disappearing into the snow.
"No, not this time!" Link shouted angrily. With as much strength as he could muster, he jumped the distance between the houses. Though the figure had vanished, he ran through the snow across the roof of that house before jumping again to a third neighboring building. Making his way around the building's awkwardly built chimney, he made his way to the end of the roof. Heavily breathing, he looked around. No one was there. No. No, no, no, no, no...
"Link! Hey!" a voice suddenly called out. Responding to the call of his name a few seconds later after reluctantly accepting the figure wasn't anywhere around him, he squinted down through the fog to see Seldon angrily waving to him from below. "What are you doing up there on my shop? We already have to worry about snow damage to the roof, we shouldn't need to worry about you stepping on it either!"
"Link!" another voice called out. Seldon and Link both looked over to see Jules, out of breath, but still jogging as fast as she could toward the boutique.
With a final glance back towards the roof, Link clicked his tongue in frustration before jumping down to the snowy ground below.
"Link, are you okay?" Jules asked. "What happened?"
"Yeah, what happened?" Seldon asked. "You can't just run all over people's roofs like that! How did you get up there anyway?"
"Nothing, sorry, Seldon," Link said simply before beginning to walk off.
"What's gotten into him?" Seldon asked, rubbing the back of his head.
"I.. Uh... Sorry about that," Jules said with an awkward smile before dashing off after Link. The moment she caught up, she stepped in front of him to block his path. "Link, wait– stop!"
"Move, Jules," Link said. "I have to go train. I told you, that Yiga can appear anywhere—"
"Link, please, hold on," Jules begged him. "You need to rest. We'll find him— but you have to be ready—"
"Did you see him?" Link asked. Jules hesitated before swallowing.
"I-I didn't..." she said honestly. "B-but, it's okay! I told you, I believe you that he's here, we just need to plan better..."
She began reaching for his hand.
"We'll figure it out, but really, you need to—"
"Move, Jules."
His words were just as cold as the snow falling around them. The moment she heard his words she turned to ice herself. With a cold stare, Link walked past the frozen woman and down the road back to his house on the side of the mountain. Slowly breaking the ice around her skin, Jules looked back and watched as he disappeared.
"I'm just not the one, am I?" she asked no one as she now stood alone in the snow. "If it were Zelda saying what I was... you would have listened... I know you would have."
...........................................................................................................
**Chapter 30 Illustration by @ Lemmeurs (Instagram)**
Hey guys! Kenny Boi here. What, he's doing a note down here like he used to? Yes, I am! First off, make sure to go follow Lemmeurs on Instagram, she does amazing artwork for the Zelda series and other stuff and it's honestly incredible! You will be seeing more art from her in this story! She's also just a really good friend of mine so show her love!
Second, I have a heads-up for you guys. If you've noticed, these last chapters have been taking slightly longer to write. That's for two reasons:
1.) These complicated emotions are really hard to write and my god, I'm really tired and my brain hurts!
2.) I am actually writing a short story for Linktober while writing A Couple of Trials! I'm not sure if it'll actually get done this month, but I wanted to let you guys know that it's being worked on and should be coming out in the next few weeks. What is it about? Well... let's just say it has a little pleasure in its name...