Link slowly and aimlessly walked through the village, listening to the light crunch of snow under his boots. He looked around, inspecting everything in view, from the houses to every leaf on the ground. Of course, he had done this many times before, most of which happened to be when he was doing his utmost to find and deal with the looming hidden threat that had been messing with his mind. This time, though, things were different. Just as he had come to realize he had begun to ignore and miss Zelda's smile-something he learned he desperately missed- he had also come to see just how little he took in the sight around him.
Hateno Village was beautiful in the winter.
It was different, actually taking in the white that covered the usually green grass and red roofs above the buildings. The dirt paths-while now covered in snow- were still followed, for now they were defined by the thousands of footsteps created by people who had lived in the village so long, they had no need to look down at them. The occasional icicle hung from the lamppost and a few roof corners, sitting unbothered and clear. Both the snow and icicles sparkled against the little bit of sun that shone through the gray clouds above, and every now and then, a snowflake would fall from those clouds. Finally, some villagers had decided to do some early morning work, wanting to make up for lost time before the evening at the inn after being locked away thanks to the snowstorm a few days earlier. All of this created a wonderful ambiance that Link simply just hadn't appreciated once after the winter had begun a few months ago.
As he walked through the village, he waved to a couple of its residents. While they did wave back, it looked as though it were a surprise to them that Link had even acknowledged their existence. Giving them an awkward smile as he passed by, guiltily, he couldn't help but wonder how many times he may have passed them before, being so focused on the assassin that he hadn't heard them greet him, or maybe even subconsciously ignored and blocked them out in order to focus. The same question could be asked about the children, who he saw playing on the side of the road, and while they too greeted him, unlike before, none of them questioned him about playing.
Beginning to head up the winding paths to the upper levels of the town, his mind began to ask himself a multitude of similar questions. How long had it been since he last went to visit Purah, just to say hello? Who was the last villager he had even spoken to besides the occasional traveler or store clerk when he needed to make a purchase? And even if he had recently spoken to and visited those living here, were those interactions that insignificant to him while he was doing what he continuously called his duty?
Arriving at the fenced-off pastures, he sighed and turned around to look out at the village below. It wasn't just them. He felt so disconnected from everything. The people, his responsibility as the hero, the wild, and even his lover to some small degree. Maybe this was everything regarding all the death he had seen in Maz Koshia's trials setting in, the same feelings his father had when he realized his wife was truly gone. He couldn't ignore or make any excuses to deflect them anymore. To put it simply: feeling this way sucked. He was just willing to accept those emotions now.
A gentle breeze blew through the mountains, forcing his ponytail and bangs to sway with the breeze as he overlooked his home. He needed to connect with everyone again. He needed to, but how? And how was he supposed to do that naturally? What was the first step to rekindling his relationship with the village, and with himself? Zelda had asked what she could do, but he didn't even know what he could do. Exhaling a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, he brought a hand up and ran his fingers through his swaying hair, choosing to lean his lower back against the fence behind him.
After some time sitting alone, the soft crunching of snow began to fill his ears again. He looked over to see a tired-looking woman walking next to the fence, opposite of the side he was leaning on.
"Koyin?" he called out as the woman got closer. Upon hearing her name, the woman looked over as if just noticing someone was around.
"Link? What're you doing up here?" she asked, stopping once she got close to him.
"Just kinda thinking through some things," Link answered. "What's up with you? You look a bit tired."
"I am tired," she answered, leaning her forearms against the fence. "It's those monsters again. They keep making off with my sheep and I just can't stop them. I'm not sure what to do about it anymore. I always say they'll pay, but I can't take those beasts on. I'll just get myself killed."
Link furrowed his brow before his stomach sank. He remembered that Koyin had asked him for his help a little bit ago, and he had blown her off. He had forgotten about it the moment after he turned her down before, continuing his quest to stop the assassin, slowly falling into the trap that had been planned for him.
"S-sorry to hear that," Link replied guiltily.
"Ah, thanks, but it's no one's fault but my own," Koyin said with a defeated sigh. "You would think a shepherd would be able to defend her own flock of sheep. I was furious about it before, but now..."
Hopelessly, she lowered her chin onto her arms, supposedly deciding she couldn't do anything more but join Link and look out into the village's beauty. The two sat in silence for a few moments before the voice of Link's father echoed in his mind:
They encouraged me to do something I loved, something that made me happy...
"I'll go," Link said suddenly. Confused, Koyin looked over at him.
"You will?" she asked. "I know you said you were busy before, and you've already helped me out once. I don't want to bother you again-"
"No, it's fine," Link said, pushing himself off the fence. "You shouldn't feel bad about not being able to protect those sheep. Those monsters, they aren't what they used to be. They're a lot stronger now. I should have helped you before, but I can at least help you now before you lose any more sheep."
Koyin's face lit up.
"A-alright!" she cheered, pushing herself up from the fence. "Thank you! This means the world to me. If this continued for much longer, I wouldn't have any sheep left."
"I believe it," Link chuckled. "It's the same camp down at Hateno Beach, right?"
"The same one. I thought it was a different camp since you beat them before, but I have heard stories about monsters returning from the dead. Creepy," Koyin said. Link's face grew stern. He hadn't forgotten what he had seen-and almost died to- back at Hyrule Castle. "I wonder if that means those monsters will just keep coming back-"
"They won't," Link said immediately. "I'll find a way to stop them from doing so. Zelda and I will figure it out together."
"That's crazy talk, right there," Koyin said with a raised eyebrow, but shrugged. "If anyone can do it though, it's you. I really appreciate the help, Link. Are you going to the inn tonight?"
"I am," Link nodded.
"Great! I'll buy you a drink," she said, "as thanks. I've got a few things to take care of before then, so I'll see you tonight!"
Waving back at him, the farmhand ran off toward the house on the other end of the fence. Link gave a small wave and an awkward smile.
"Thanks, but I don't think I'll be drinking tonight, though..."
It had been some time since Link had taken a trip down to the beach. In fact, he was pretty sure the last time he had ventured down this side of the mountain was when he was still on the lookout for korok seeds in the area. It was different down here than up on the mountaintops where the village was. The snow was a lot lighter down here, only appearing in little patches, and those were often covered by the tall, unkempt grass that bordered the beach itself.
This was where Link remembered the camp being. He walked down the path he had come from, passing by large hills of rock and past tall, winding palm trees before finally noticing a much larger tree actually sticking out of the shallow ocean waters right next to the land itself. Around the tree were makeshift wooden platforms and ramps, crudely designed and stuck together with rope and random pieces of cloth. And on the land the tree sat next to was, of course, the camp itself.
It had been quite some time since Link had seen a bokoblin, at least properly. The last time he had seen them was the brief glances he got of them as he passed by them on his divine beast as he headed to the castle a few days ago. Before then, it had actually been a few months. Even so, those faces were hard to forget, with their ugly hunched bodies, their large wide heads, and of course, the pig-like snouts and ears that made up their faces. Most of the monsters that sat around this camp were the usual red and blue, though one, in particular, was a bright white and silver, the only one Link actually considered dangerous.
Crouching in the tall grass to ensure he wasn't able to be seen, he crouched a bit closer. If he remembered correctly... it was there. Nearby, next to a wall made of stone from the hill that sat nearby, was a crudely made pen, and in that pen were the sheep that had been stolen. While it was nice that some sheep were still able to be saved, unfortunately, the campfire he saw the bokoblins dancing around had a nice, tender-looking piece of meat hovering above the flame, slowly cooking away. He looked around a bit more, making a note that one bokoblin sat up top on the tree fort's platforms with a bow and a tall, lanky creature near the back. A Moblin.
Still crouched in the grass, with a deep breath, he placed a hand on his stomach. Of course, he was still hurt. His wounds burned, for they hadn't properly healed yet, nor would they for some time. Normally this wouldn't be an issue, since he often had the Sheikah Slate with him, along with powerful weapons, healing items, and the champion's old abilities. This time though, it was back to his first starting point: weak, nothing much to fight with, against creatures who could just about kill him in a few hits.
It was all sorts of dangerous, and yet, it felt refreshing. Starting from square one, ready to take on a challenge out here in the wild. To take on a group of monsters, to observe and find different ways to come out on top. That was how he started in this new world, and it was nice to be reminded of that feeling; the feeling of adventure. It felt good.
Taking a moment to prepare himself, he looked down at the ground, noticing a decent-sized rock next to him. Deciding to take the rock into his hand. He looked around again before noticing a large stick in the grass. A makeshift spear.
Throw this in the water to distract them, crouch toward and behind the moblin, and then sneak strike him, Link thought as he grabbed the long stick. Once he's down, I can take his real spear. I'll throw this stick at the archer above, and then the rest is just careful basic combat. Alright...
He couldn't contain the tiny grin that had stretched across his face. It was exciting, something he couldn't help but admit to himself. Raising the rock high above his head, he threw it. It flew through the air before splashing in the water, causing all the monsters around the camp to jump. They all turned their attention to the ocean waters, ready for an attack to come from the sea, unaware that the real danger was silently moving behind them. Soon, Link was behind the moblin's long back and began readying his makeshift spear.
It all happened exactly as he planned. After only a few minutes, the beach was littered with monster organs, discarded bows, and spears, along with a few horns and trinkets the now nonexistent creatures had been carrying around. With the proper spear now in his hands, ripped from the moblin's dead hands, Link looked around, checking to see if there were any more monsters before placing the spear on his back. As if running on instinct, he picked up one of the bows and whatever arrows were on the ground. As much as he wanted to take the other weapons, without the Sheikah Slate, this just wasn't possible. Instead, he took whatever monster parts were on the ground and shoved as much of them into his pouch as he could before heading over to where the sheep were penned.
"How are you guys doing?" he asked quietly, coming to the edge of the crude fence. Supposedly recognizing he wasn't a threat, the sheep moved forward, allowing their savior to pet their wooly coats. "Good. glad to know you guys are safe. I'll take you back up the mountain in just a second, alright?"
Assuring that the sheep were fine, Link headed back to the camp, deciding to take the now-roasted meat from the fire it sat over. With the meat in his hands, he sat on the edge of the beach, just far enough to where the freezing tidal waves wouldn't reach his boots.
Is it wrong to eat this? Link thought to himself, looking down at the meat in his hands. After a few moments, he shrugged. Well... It would be more cruel to let it rot. Might as well ensure it's life wasn't lost in vain.
Taking a large bite, he chewed on the surprisingly well-cooked meat and stared out into the ocean. This felt good. It was nice to be out there in the wild again. It felt freeing, like his mind was able to think properly for the first time in ages. That didn't mean it felt perfect, for he loved his life in Hateno. Of course, he wanted to be around people. He didn't want to live his entire life out here. But, at this very moment, he couldn't help but feel like this was what he needed. Maybe... this was something to think about.
* * * * *
With the crude-carved weapons clunking around on his back, Link opened the door to his house to be immediately greeted by his favorite voice.
"Link? Is that you?" Zelda's voice called from the loft above. Hesitating, Link looked back at the bow and spear on his back.
"Y-yeah, it is," he answered as he closed the door behind him. The moment the door shut, the echoing of footsteps filled the house before Zelda came into view, stopping right in front of him.
"Welcome home," she said quickly as she came to a stop, looking down at what appeared to be some dresses in her arms. "I hope you were able to think well while you were out, but I'm glad you're back. I wanted your opinion on what dress I should wear to the- Is that a spear?"
She asked the question the moment she decided to finally look up from the clothes in her arms. Supposedly taking note of both the spear and the bow on Link's back she looked him in the eyes.
"Did you get into a fight? Are you alright?" she asked worriedly. "You didn't reopen any wounds did you?"
"N-no, I didn't," Link answered with an awkward smile. "It was only a few bokoblins down near the beach... and maybe a moblin. They were sneaking into town and making off with some of Koyin's sheep, so I thought I'd help her get them back. I blew her off before when the whole Yiga thing was going on, so... Yeah."
"Oh," Zelda said simply with a blank expression.
Link braced himself. If these past few months had told him anything, it was that she did not want him fighting, and the encounter with the Yiga proved why.
"I didn't know Koyin was having a hard time with her sheep. Were you able to get them back?" she asked. Link blinked.
"I-I got most of them back?" Link answered. Zelda furrowed her brow.
"What's wrong? Why do you sound like that's a bad thing?" she asked.
"It's not, I just thought you'd be a bit more... upset," Link explained honestly. "You know, because I was fighting..."
Upon hearing this, Zelda noticeably stiffened. She pursed her lips before averting her eyes.
"I most certainly don't approve, if I'm being honest," she said in a quiet tone. "But... You enjoy it, don't you?"
"Y-yeah... I do," Link answered. "It helps me clear my head. It's fun for me."
"Hm," Zelda nodded. "Jules said something similar, about how you savor battle. I should have listened. I gave you a hard time with simple things like hunting..."
"It came from a good place," Link said. With a tiny smile, he placed his hands on her hips. "It's not like I made a good case for why I should have been able to go out there."
Despite his comforting words and touch, Zelda's face hadn't lightened up. She always had that habit of getting stuck on things.
"What were you trying to show me?" Link suddenly asked. "When I came in? You were talking about something."
"Hm? Oh- my dress," Zelda said, remembering why she had clothes in her arms. She backed up from him just enough to where he could see the dresses without removing his hands from her sides. "I wanted your opinion on what to wear. Is there a particular color you like?"
"Hm..." Link hummed, looking down at her arms. "What about the white one?"
"The white one?" Zelda asked, shifting through the dresses until the white one was on top.
"Yeah, I never see you wear it," Link said. "You usually wear another color. I don't think I've ever seen you wear the white one."
"It's actually one of my favorite ones, but I've always been afraid of dirtying it while working," Zelda explained, looking down at the white dress. After a moment, a smile appeared on her face. "Alright, I'll wear this one then. With that settled, it's now time to find you something to wear."
"Me?" Link asked. "What's wrong with my pants and sweater?"
"Your sweater is covered in blood splatters, your pants have dirt stains from where you've crouched in the dirt, your boots are muddy and covered in sand and whatever other gunk you were standing in, and finally, I believe I see your pouch is stuffed full of monster organs."
"Okay, all good points," Link said. "But, to be fair, I did plan to straighten up."
"And while I believe you, your level of straightening up could be a little higher," Zelda chuckled. "Besides, this is a good chance to ask you about something that correlates."
"What's this about?" Link asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I've actually been thinking about it for some time, but never got the chance to bring it up," she clarified. "You've got some... curious items in the slate, most notably a few articles of clothing that have... well... caught my attention, to say the least, and I'm very curious to learn what they are."
Link furrowed his brow.
"Which ones?" he asked carefully. Zelda blushed.
"Well... There were a few that caught my attention, one being that ancient set, I saw, but I also took note of the... barbarian clothing you have..."
Link had been trying clothes on for a few hours now. There were a multitude of clothing sets Zelda had never had the chance to see Link properly wear, from the bulky ancient armor that helped against guardians, to the skin-tight rubber armor that helped defend him against electricity. All of these special armors fascinated Zelda, and even more so when she found out they had been enhanced by the Great Fairies that were scattered about, an ability she didn't know they had. After awkwardly avoiding how their magic worked, it was finally time for Link to put on the clothes that had intrigued Zelda the most: the barbarian armor.
For the first time, Link actually felt something while wearing an article of clothing that wasn't his Champion's Tunic. When he wore that, he felt a sense of relief, one that assured him that all would be okay. It reminded him of who he was fighting for and who he wanted to protect above all else. Other than that tunic in particular, no other piece of clothing had made him feel anything. They were all just that: articles of clothing, some of which helped him more than others at certain times. That, however, had seemingly come to an end now that he was buckling the riveted belt to the armor he now wore.
This was a special armor, one that while wearing would make him feel as though he was stronger when swinging his weapons. It was as if the armor was reaching deep inside his spirit, drawing out the inner beast to use in battle. While this was useful, that was all it was to Link, until now.
He looked up the staircase, knowing well that Zelda was upstairs waiting for him to come up to show her the set, before looking down at the large, tusked skull helmet that sat on the table. Knowing that her eyes would be on him, he felt something new about the armor. While it made him feel powerful, it was made up of mostly rags and furs that were held together by only a few pieces of leather and cloth. His entire stomach was exposed, along with a little bit of his chest. There weren't any pants. Instead, there were a pair of extremely high-rise shorts, though these were covered by more rags that made him look as though he was pantsless.
This by itself wouldn't usually bother him. He's been seen bare in front of Zelda before, but now she would be fully inspecting him, and to be honest, this was a little different than before. Ever since he had come back to his senses, he had been acutely aware of her. He hadn't forgotten that experience a few months ago that they shared, the one where Zelda had dressed up as a maid to get his attention. This felt oddly similar to that, and the shorts he wore were awfully thin, meaning any bump in his figure would be easily seen. If he couldn't stay in control, she would most certainly see, and it didn't help that he was already more exposed than usual.
Still, she wanted to see it (surprisingly more than the ancient set), and he had already agreed. After looking down to ensure everything was on properly, he looked back up toward the loft.
"Are you ready, Zelda?" he called up in the most casual tone he could force out.
"Y-yes!" Zelda called back in an unusually high-pitched voice. "Just- just come up when you're prepared!"
"Okay," he mumbled, taking the helmet off the table. Putting the skull on his head, he headed up the stairs.
The moment he reached the top of the loft, he heard Zelda gasp. His eyes immediately found her sitting on the bed, stiff and proper, something that clearly informed him that she too was nervous. He thought that she had only wanted him to wear it for research purposes, but maybe he wasn't the only one being a little conscious of the potential mood.
"H-hello," Zelda said as Link stepped across the loft to her. "O-oh my, that is... That is c-certainly an outfit, isn't it?"
"You could say that," Link said, coming to a stop in front of her. "Why did you want me to put this one on?"
"S-so I can get a look at every inch of it, just like the others!" Zelda said, averting her eyes as she began tapping and fidgeting with the sides of the Sheikah Slate. "T-the slate said the armor was once worn by an ancient tribe, one that was obsessed with the art of war. I-I'm curious as to who these people are. I've never heard about them before."
"Hm," Link nodded. "Then... what do you need me to do?"
"J-just, um... Just stand there for a bit, please," Zelda said. "We still have a bit before we need to head to the inn, so we aren't in any rush. Just give me a few minutes..."
"Yeah, go for it," Link said simply.
He held out his arms, a sign for Zelda to do as she wanted. After supposedly taking a moment to prepare herself, she stood from the bed and began looking over his body. She had done this with all of the other armors, figuring out what made them special and how they gave whatever enhancements they provided. This felt a little different though. She seemed to be taking more time, paying closer attention to each stitch and belt.
"The slate says the tribe that originally wore this armor was from the Faron Region," Zelda began to mumble, supposedly going into her research mode. "That's where the Spring of Courage is... I've prayed there a few times. Did you go there on your journey?"
"That's not where I found these," Link answered as Zelda circled him. "But yeah, I have."
"Isn't the place a little strange?" she asked. "This old tribe... They were so different from us. The way they carved those structures out of stone; dragons and other creatures... I wish we had more reason to go down there back then, besides the spring of course. It just always felt like there was something strange about that place. It seems so full of history, and yet we know next to nothing. There aren't any connections, no Divine Beasts- it all feels so disconnected, wouldn't you agree?"
"Now that you mention it..." Link responded.
She wasn't wrong. There wasn't much out in the Faron Region, but it did feel like there should have been. He had explored it countless times and even found a few shrines, but for all that was out there- the ruins, the old inhabitants of life, the supposed clan that lived there- it was strange how much, yet so little there was. Before his thoughts could wander too far about this though, he felt something touch him. He looked down to find Zelda touching his stomach.
"These markings..." she asked, running her fingers across the dark paint that covered parts of his skin. "I wonder what they mean... Are they a sign of war? Maybe they have some significance...?"
She had completely lost herself in her thoughts, so much so she hadn't realized Link's breathing had changed. Her fingers felt so soft and warm as they glided across his skin. Usually, he could handle her touching him, but this felt different. A desire, something he had been forcing down ever since they had been reunited, and even more during the Yiga crisis.
"Wait, Zelda," Link stammered out. "Hold on a moment-"
"Give me just a second, Link, these markings are interesting..." Zelda said. She had now crouched to her knees, inspecting the markings on his thigh, along with the leather and bone that was wrapped around it. "Look at these bones... I wonder what creature they were from. Maybe it's the same creature as the skull? Would they take these bone pieces and use them as protection? Or was wearing the bones of their enemies a fear tactic, showing off their trophies of war?"
Link wasn't processing any of the words she was saying. The sight of her crouching down in front of him alone was enough to make his body burn. Something was clearly wrong. He had never had this much trouble controlling his attraction to her. As he continued to force back his inner desires, Zelda remained on her knees in front of him, now tapping through the slate's screen.
"Looking through the condominium," she continued. "It says that your battle prowess and strength are increased when wearing it, a result of bringing out your 'inner animal,' it states. That's interesting... I wonder how it draws those capabilities out?"
Suddenly, it clicked. It was the armor.
"Zelda, I have to take this off," Link said quickly.
"What? Already?" Zelda asked, picking herself up from the floor. "What's the rush? You were fine in the other sets. This is really interesting information, imagine if we could learn how to use this primal-"
"I think we should figure that out later," Link cut in. He raised his arms, ready to take off the skull headpiece, but Zelda grabbed his arms.
"Wait! Just a little longer," she said. "Look at this large bone they used as an arm guard. Maybe-"
"Zelda," Link said, pulling his arms away from her. He firmly gripped her shoulders, giving her a stern look. "Hold on a second."
Zelda's eyes grew wide as a bright blush burned on her cheeks.
"O-okay," she said.
Link blinked. She submitted, something that made his heart pound even more. Suddenly, he gently pressed against her shoulders, causing her to fall back onto the bed.
"L-Link?" she stammered as he climbed over her. She looked him up and down before noticing the bulge beneath the thin leather covering his lower body. She gave a light gasp.
"I was trying to tell you," he said, placing his hands on each side of her head. "But you weren't listening."
With his heightened senses, he could hear her heart beginning to pound just like his own. He began to lean in, watching as Zelda's face grew redder the closer he became. Just as their lips were about to connect, she lifted her arms up, pulling the skull from off his golden locks.
"B-better?" she whispered, holding the hat up above them.
"A-a little," Link said. Though the rest of the armor was still affecting him, without the full set, he was able to just barely suppress the leaking urges. "T-thanks..."
"O-of course..." she replied. "I thought... Well, it's not that I don't, but... W-we need to leave soon, and..."
"No, no, yeah," Link said, picking himself up. "Yeah, no, thank you. Uh... Hylian tunic? Maybe the green one? Is that good for tonight?"
"Y-yes!" Zelda said, pushing herself up into a sitting position as she looked up at him with a face still full of red. "Yes, I think that would go well with my white! Absolutely."
"Great, then I'll... Uh... Go get changed," Link said. "Sorry about... that-"
"No, not at all! Go get changed, please," Zelda said. "I'll change myself and wait up here for you."
"Okay, then I'll, uh... yeah."
With that, Link hurried and reached into the nightstand, grabbing the green tunic and a pair of trousers before disappearing down the staircase, leaving Zelda alone with the skull in her hands. While he did feel bad, little did he know that Zelda was looking down at the headpiece, mentally labeling the armor set as for later use.