Tomorrow was the day they were to leave for the Cavern Temple, and Zelda insisted on some last-minute training. All they'd been doing the past few days was was train, but besides Zelda trying to teach Link more of the alphabet, they really had nothing else to do. Still, Link was more than happy to train with Zelda, or merely spend time with her for that matter. She was just as enthusiastic.
"Okay, we're gonna try this again..." Link summoned an orb of Courage in his hand before tossing it skywards. A moment later, an arrow pierced it, and green light exploded across the cloudy sky. He stared at the explosion, trying to sense any traces of Wisdom. There were none, and he frowned.
"Ya said you were gonna try and do it with that one! Again!" he said, looking over at Zelda.
"I tried, but the energy dissipates before the arrow reaches the target," she replied with a sigh of frustration. "Give me another few tries, and I'll be able to do it then!"
Another few tries? Link knew he would be out of Courage soon, and the same went for Zelda's Wisdom. "It's not even noon, we'll be outta energy by then if we keep this up. At least, I think it's not noon yet..."
"You can't even keep track of the time now? We've definitely been here too long if that's happening," Zelda said jokingly, smiling.
Link couldn't help but smirk back. "Hey, the trees block a lot of the sun here! Unless ya want me to climb 'em, it's kinda difficult to see the sky."
The night of the village bonfire had been a confusing one to Link. He didn't fully understand what he'd felt that night with Zelda, but he wanted more of it. Even thinking about it made him want to smile. He knew the times he unironically smiled were rare, and yet Zelda had been able to make him smile almost every day. He felt guilty that she garnered more smiles than Luce. At the same time, he didn't care. He wondered if that was wrong.
"But really, I'm sorry for making us waste our energy like this," Zelda said. "I'll get it with this next one."
"Wait. Before ya do that, just lemme see what you're doin'," Link said as he walked over to Zelda. Following a nod from him, she pulled another arrow and raised the bow, her aura flaring. Blue and golden light flowed down the arrow as she shot it. For a second the energy around the arrow burned fiercely. Then it was gone, like it had fizzled away.
Zelda let out a groan of frustration, clenching her fists. "See? It's like it's escaping." Link's brow furrowed as he thought. Aura was capable of forming solid objects and maintaining those forms, so there should be a way for Aura to cling to an already-existing object. Soon, he conjured a mental image.
"Try this. It's another one of my bad vis... visualizations," he started, staggering on the word he'd heard Resa use yesterday. "Pretend the arrow's a hall or somethin', and the arrowhead's a dead end. The energy can't go past the dead end, and it can't go through the walls. Focus on that as ya shoot."
"A hallway... Okay, I'll try it," Zelda said with a slight, confident smile. As she raised her bow again, her eyes seemed to briefly glaze over as she stared at the tree across the clearing. The arrow was set alight again, and it flew. The energy struggled to stay contained, bursting out in a blue blast a second before it stuck into the tree trunk. Zelda gasped audibly as a hand flew to her mouth. "I... I-I did it!" she exclaimed excitedly.
"Pretty damn close," Link corrected, but he was still happy for her. "Try it a couple more times, and ya should have it."
Zelda took another arrow in hand but didn't fire it, just gazed at it. "That took all my concentration and then some... I don't think I'll be able to do this continuously, especially in a battle." Her lips pursed. "Well, at least I know I can do it. It can be a last resort or something."
"I almost thought ya were gonna be negative there," Link commented.
Zelda rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut it," she said.
"Ya know I can't," Link retorted.
"And I've learned to accept that," Zelda said. "Mostly," she added with a slight grin. Link decided to hold back on a teasing retort. After all, he knew he'd have another chance to use one in an hour or two.
The following day, with a generous amount of provisions packed and a mostly well-rested party, the group and their Sheikah companions were ready to depart for the Eldin Highlands. Like at Kokiri Glade, a small crowd had gathered to see them off. Link was surprised to see Iigo in the crowd after he thought the Rito had gone back to his home village for a mission.
"It was a great honor to meet you all, and thank you for letting my village host you," Impa said.
I-it was just... much of an honor to meet you, and th-thank you for all you provided u-us, Resa replied as everyone else echoed her thanks. As a last parting gift, Impa provided the group with an additional, more-detailed map that was just of eastern Hyrule. It had their route clearly marked so they wouldn't stray from it, which Resa appreciated greatly.
"Arata, Ena, Haruo." The three Sheikah turned to Impa. "I must reiterate this yet again. Be sure to protect the Holders and their companions with your lives. If I receive no word of this mission's outcome within two weeks, reinforcements will be sent after you. Is this clear?"
The trio replied with a chorus of "Yes, Lady Impa." Link knew that they didn't act like this normally, but it was still eerie as hell to hear the reply. Combined with their intense stares, it painted the Sheikah in the light in which they'd been known for centuries.
"M-may Hylia watch over you all," Paya said, bowing to the group before hurrying back to hers and Impa's home, Mienfoo trailing at her heels. Impa followed not long after, and the small crowd began to disperse.
I suppose that's our cue to leave as well, Fira noted.
Link watched as Iigo began to leave with the other Sheikah, and he could feel Zelda's gaze on him. "I know, I should say somethin'," he said with a sigh, giving her a glance. She didn't look too insistent on it, but Link knew that deep down that was what she wanted him to do. "Wait a sec, Iigo!" Link called. The Rito turned back to look at him, confused. Link jogged over to him, continuing with, "I wanna say somethin'."
Iigo gazed at Link dubiously, suspicion radiating off him in waves. "Oh, you do? Is it an insult?"
Link shook his head. "While I'd love that, that's not on my mind." He took a breath. "I wanna say thanks for helpin' us back at the temple. And yeah, 'fore ya ask, that makes us even." He knew that wouldn't be enough. "I also wanna apologize for yellin' at ya, but I also don't 'cause like Zel said, ya were bein' an ass."
The hostility ceased as Iigo's eyes flickered with interest. "'Zel,' you say? That's a new one." He glanced from Link to Zelda, chuckling to himself. "Did I assume too early?" Before Link could question what the hell Iigo was talking about, he answered. "I understand. Since you gave me a half-apology, I'll half accept it."
"Good, 'cause that's all I'm givin' ya," Link huffed.
"I wish you and the others luck, though you've already heard that enough. When all of this is over, be sure to tell the lovely Holder of Wisdom that I'd love to see her again," Iigo said with a wink.
An unfamiliar surge of anger struck Link, and his eyes narrowed. "There's no way she'd want anythin' to do with you," he muttered icily. That just made Iigo grin.
"So I had assumed too soon... Well, you know what they say about assuming," he said, shrugging. Link just stared at him, glaring, debating whether it would piss off Zelda more if he held Iigo's beak shut or pulled out a handful of his feathers.
"What were ya assumin'? Tell me," Link demanded.
Iigo's grin widened. "I knew you could be thickheaded at times, but I never thought it was to this extent. You want something more than a friendship with Zelda, if you hopefully know what I mean."
It admittedly took Link a second to realize what Iigo meant, and when he did, he seriously considered ripping out some of Iigo's feathers. "Why the hell would ya think that?" he hissed. "We're friends. Good friends, if ya want the satisfaction of knowin' that, but just friends."
"Then forgive me, I should be happy that you were able to make more friends, especially if they're as good as Zelda is," Iigo said with a snicker. "I'm sorry for ruining this tender moment between us, Rinku. Hopefully we can dismiss this the next time we meet."
Link forcibly exhaled, trying to relax himself just a little bit. He said he'd end this peacefully, and he didn't want to let Zelda down. "I'll try to dismiss it," he replied. "See ya later, Iigo." With nothing else to say, he offered the Rito a wave and returned to the group. "Sorry, just wanted to say bye," he said, basking in the happiness Zelda's aura gave off.
That i-is fine, Resa said. Now... we head out? With the Sheikah leading the way, the group finally left Kakariko.
—~*~—
The trek through the remainder of Necluda wasn't too difficult for the group. The Sheikah and their Pokemon knew the land like the backs of their hands, and it was like an overly-long scenic walk through the forest. Compared to the past treks the group had to make, it was a welcome change of pace. It was when they reached the edge of the Eldin Highlands about a week later that things took a shift.
It was known throughout Hyrule that the rock in Eldin was unlike any in the rest of the kingdom. With its rich, dark red color and abundance of precious gemstones, it was sometimes considered more valuable than luminous stones. If the mountains in the distance didn't mark Eldin, then it was the red rock, stretching to even the base of the Highlands.
Almost instantly, the land went from being relatively flat to jutting upwards into steep hills, and not long after that, small cliffs. There were no trails for the group to navigate, so like Haruo said, they had to make their own path through the highlands.
The Sheikah were adept at manipulating Aura, with their skills almost rivaling Impa's. Combined with Luce's Aura Spheres, they were able to carve handholds up otherwise sheer ten to twelve-foot cliffs in a shockingly short amount of time. By the time they made camp at the end of the first day, they made almost twice as much progress as they thought they would.
A small campfire was able to spark to life, thanks to the trees literally hanging about on the nearby cliffs. Arata was able to turn some of their food provisions into a decent meatless soup, which of course Link and Luce appreciated. While the pair shared conversation over their meal, Zelda decided to join them. With a sigh, she collapsed on the ground beside Link.
"Sorry, I probably interrupted you two a bit there," Zelda apologized. Luce shrugged with indifference, and Link relayed that to Zelda.
"It's fine. Ya don't halfta apologize," Link said. "Are ya feelin' okay?" He could tell she was exhausted, but he still wanted to hear it from her.
She sighed again. "As good as I can be after climbing hills all day," she replied. "Usually it's my feet that are killing me at the end of the day, but now my arms and everything else get to join in now. Even after spending all this time walking, I still can't get used to being outdoors like this."
"It's the other way 'round with me." Link finished off his bowl and handed it off to Haruo, who was collecting empty dishes. "I still hate bein' stuck inside. I dunno how ya used to do it," he said.
"I didn't. I'd sneak out onto the roof whenever I felt too crowded," Zelda said. "The Harkinian house is one of the few multi-story homes in Hateno, so there was less of a chance of me being spotted because I was so high up."
Fira overheard that comment and chimed in. And you nearly gave me a heart attack every time because I thought you would fall off.
"But I didn't, so there was nothing to worry about," Zelda retorted.
That was definitely something Link could imagine Zelda doing. Then again, Link really didn't know much about what Zelda had done in Hateno besides what she had said before. There had to have been more than that. "I've been wonderin' this, but what was your life like in Hateno?" Link asked. Zelda's eyes widened, and Link tensed up with regret when he realized what exactly he just asked. "Sorry, shouldn't've brought it up with what's happened," he muttered. For once he wished Hylia had stilled his tongue.
"You don't have to apologize," Zelda said. "It's still nice to reminisce." She visibly relaxed before giving Link a reassuring look. "If you want to know, like I said before, I lived with my parents and two younger siblings Hilda and Cassien. Life in Hateno was mostly peaceful. Because of our windmill-fueled farming, we were known enough to be the home of some of Hyrule's Hylian politicians but still remote enough that most of our streets weren't paved, if that makes sense."
Link nodded. Paved roads were a sign that a town or city had been noticed by the Hyrule government and were worthy of kingdom-wide trade and commerce. Marin Town was always nothing but dirt paths since its founding despite its resources going out to other Ordon towns, and Link couldn't imagine seeing it any other way. "Did you mind bein' in a more popular place like that?"
"Not at all. I would have loved it if Hateno was someplace no one knew. My siblings and I spent most of our days outside in the fields around our house, and the rest of our days at the Hateno Library. That's where I discovered my love of mythology, and the three of us would act out the legends I read about when we played." She smiled, reminiscing. "I'd always be the Holder of Wisdom, Cassien would be the Holder of Courage, and Hilda... she would pretend to be the princess of Hyrule who was being threatened by the Holder of Power." A small laugh slipped from her. "She could never bring herself to be any kind of villain, and I couldn't ever see her in those roles either. But she had, and I'm sure still does, the potential to be a great leader, like those royal rulers she always played. She'll do fine in my place as the heiress, better than I ever could be."
Link was surprised to hear that. "You could've pulled it off," he said, then somewhat reluctantly admitted, "'Sides Resa, you're the one holdin' this group together. That's somethin' to be proud of."
Even as she continued to smile, she shook her head. "I probably would have been an awful heiress. Of course, that wasn't my choice. When I turned thirteen, I received Fira as a Fennekin. That was the turning point, when my childhood days were over and I was supposed to start learning from my mother to become the rightful heir to the family." She frowned. "Or in other words, learn to be a loyal wife. That meant learning all the things that we were 'supposed to,' in my mother's eyes. While I don't mind things like cooking or sewing on their own since they're useful, I couldn't see myself doing just that. I still read mythology when I could with my siblings, and my father still managed to take me out to hunt. Those were my favorite days."
"I have no clue what my parents would've wanted me to do," Link said. "Probably be a hunter or rancher or somethin'." He glanced at Luce. It was nearly impossible to imagine a life without having met her. "Seein' the world's somethin' I would've wanted to do eventually too," he said, shrugging.
"That's why I like to believe in destiny," Zelda said, a cheerful note returning to her voice. "One way or another, I would have ended up out here, whether it's through being the Holder of Wisdom or a healer."
And the latter is honestly the superior choice, in my opinion, Fira said. If I'd known you would have been receptive to the idea of healing, I would have attempted to convince you myself. Attempted, of course.
Zelda sighed and turned to face her partner. "And I still don't understand why you never had. I've told you countless times that you don't need to just worry yourself with my thoughts."
While they bantered, Luce lightly elbowed Link to catch his attention. He gave her a confused look, and she glanced at Zelda. She reflected Link's expression, but with a slight smile. Since he hadn't told her about his and Zelda's dance, Link felt it was only right that he told her about this.
"Yeah, I like her now, like a lot, and after I said we'd never get close," Link whispered. "It's nice, r-really nice." He didn't know why, but he felt embarrassed admitting that.
Iigo's words returned to him then, and he quickly dismissed them. That Rito didn't know what he was talking about. Besides, why would Zelda want to be with somebody like him? He was the complete opposite of what he thought she would like.
Regardless of things, Link knew Luce would get some self-satisfaction out of his response, and he wasn't about to let her have it all. "But I can go and say the same with ya and Fira, huh?"
Luce's ears perked up as her eyes widened, only for her to wave a paw dismissively. "Lu rio," she grumbled, shrugging. Link grinned.
"Hey, I ain't jealous. I'm happy ya managed to become friends with someone else. 'Sides, ya focusin' on him let me spend more time with Zel." He realized at the last second how he phrased that and added, "As friends, of course." Luce nodded respectfully, but any response she might have uttered was interrupted by the sudden closeness of Zelda's aura.
"What are you whispering about?" she asked.
Link glanced to his right where Zelda was surprisingly close to him. A warm shiver coursed through his body as he replied. "Nothin'. Just keepin' it down for you and Fira." Zelda gazed at him for a moment before arching a brow.
"All right, then. Keep your secrets," she said simply with a wry smile. Link didn't know what secrets she was talking about.