Categories > Games > Zelda > Childhood Ashes
Skeletons, Wolfos and Stalchildren roaming out in the open again? The bleeding moon and the distant darkness surrounding the peak of Death Mountain worsen his suspicion.
He sets down his feet and sends Epona toward the ranch. Clutching his ocarina tight behind his shield, he draws his blade: There is a presence somewhere close.
When she hops down from the trees, the woman seems as surprised as him. Her hair is braided and her short dress stops at the brink of her leggings. Why does she wear royal earrings and why is she dressed like a ranger?
There is no Sheikah symbol on her clothes, but the outline of the Triforce glowing on her hand as she silently steps near leaves no mystery about her name.
Her forehead creases in confusion when she looks at him. Yet, there can be no doubt about his identity either, when his own hand flashes the symbol of courage.
His name is an awed whisper on Sheik's lips.
It's strange, how he can see his Sheikah companion in her demeanor, now that he knows they are but one.
He knows Sheik cannot be a lie. Friendship and strength - no matter how thin - can only be faked so long. Besides, the secret of her courage is one of his favorite things about her.
He nods nervously, barely paying attention to the gesture. Can she be real?
She is the first to recover from the shock, casually propping her wrist against one hip - for a second he sees it covered in white bandages. He smiles.
"Sorry," she slowly breathes, "for stalking you. But I could hardly believe my eyes when you appeared on that horse." Her brows rise a little. "I must say I did not expect your return here. Even less in your current form."
When he does not say a word, she frowns and points to his wounded knees and chin. "Are you okay?"
His nod does not seem to convince her much, but she sees no other injuries on his body and her gaze softens. Her body language, through, does not leave any room for refusal to whatever she is about to offer.
"Come, Hero," she breathes. "Link," she corrects, her smile broadening with affection. "I have a shack not far away. You are wounded, and it's getting cold out there."
Before he can think of an answer, she is walking back through the trees, only turning to make sure he follows. The fact that she sleeps alone in the wild surprises him, but he is too focused on keeping up with her longer legs' pace to ask.
"Sleeping any closer to the tyrant's grave was not very appealing. It will take time before I move over to Castle Town anyway," she says.
He nods out of habit, but it feels strange to see her notice the gesture; he is not used to adults who care to level their gaze to his height.
On his part, he can hardly tear his eyes from her since they started walking.
Suddenly, something distracts him in the surrounding wilderness. His eyes finally leave her, and she slows her pace to listen to the forest. Soon enough, the sound of nearby scattering bones greets them from behind as they wait, blades drawn and ready.
When the Stalchild appears from under the trees' shadows, Link frowns and steels himself. It is a lost child's skeleton; the kind he hates most. But the walking set of bones is soon followed by a pack of mad Wolfos, one of them still gnawing on a leg bone. Their odds of handling so many are thin, and Link grits his teeth, foreseeing grim casualties.
Seconds pound on their hearts. His mind still numbed by an unreasonable fear for her safety, they wait for the pack to attack.
With the skeleton's first pounce, three beasts follow. He is ready to impale the first when he senses her magic. The protective shield blazes around them and he finally allows a sigh of relief as a tide of fire burns everything around the two of them. So she can use Din's fire... He is surprised that the spell can shield two people at the same time. Is it because he is himself a caster, or because of the Triforce part in him? In any case, she knows way too many things that he does not.
He waits for the monsters to attack again and casts the spell himself this time, sensibly damaging them. The small skeleton scatters easily, and he crushes its skull in little time. She swiftly disposes of the wounded beasts, breath still ragged from the spellcasting effort. On unsteady legs, her defense is poor against the last Wolfos' claws. He is the one to slash it. As the body hits her and slumps down between them, he sees surprise and respect bloom in her eyes. Still edgy, he looks at the roasting remnants of the monsters -and it seems the killing will never end, will it?- until her voice break him out of his daze.
"Many people lost themselves running from the tyrant. Wolfos are just fond of bones," she says, but he notices she avoids the Gerudo's name, her breath as ragged from weariness and adrenaline as from emotion.
Her cabin is lodged in a large tree's trunk. Good enough for sleep; too small and frail to live in. He wonders if she built it herself.
.
They climb up and he stops at the entrance, somewhat edgy.
The light filtering through the opposite window reflects off his gear and faintly glows on his skin. With his childish stature, the bruises and scars over his forehead and small arms, and his eyes that hold so much shadow for his height, he looks somewhat magical, as if he did not belong to the world outside the Forest. Most of his soul still seems to believe in Deku trees and mourns the woods, even if he will never be able to return to the youth he had known, nor to feel home under the green canopy anymore. She is not sure whether she is more awed by the strength of his mind or pained by his predicament.
She offer her arm. He looks at it, a little confused, before slowly accepting it.
Yes. He steps through the door.
Before letting go, he lifts her hand and slowly kisses her fingers. The reverence of his gesture makes her pause, light-headed how he can still affect her that way?
She takes most of his things down (he will not part with the sword on his back) and pours some water in a bowl before searching through his pouch for bandages. Surprisingly, she easily finds healing potions; two direly scratched bottles that seem ready to break apart. She frowns, but pushes her questions down.
After she gets him to drink one, she kneels in front of him to check his body for other wounds - and surprises herself in hoping her manners are gentle enough, hoping he did not see her as too masculine and rough - and in a way, it sounds strange because it would be the first time she cares about a man's judgment.
Finally, she sees the Ocarina he has kept in hand. From the way he holds it, the magical item looks like a weapon and shield at the same time.
She reaches for it, but his hand reflexively clamps down. She is surprised at his arm strength, only able to take the blue instrument when he slowly lets go. Appraising the Ocarina's smooth shape in her hand, she wonders if her bloodline's abilities have diminished over the centuries. It reminds her of the dreams she had; the one about islands soaring to the sky and sapphire eyes enchanting her soul.
But she will have time to be wistful later. For now, the Hero- Link, is back...
"Who-" She tries again: "Why did I give it back to you?"
"You wanted it as far as possible from Gab- from him." It feels strange to speak of an event that didn't fit with the era he was in. "It still belongs to your family, though."
"It may," she confirms. "Anyway, it is yours now. I- I am sure she agrees." She shakes her head disbelievingly. "But how did you come back...in this form?" Her gaze settles on his hip and he distantly touches the mask against his hand.
He remains vague about Termina and the portal. She is still intrigued by the mask, but something painful in the ageless boy's eyes forms a lump in her throat and makes her reassess her priorities. The melancholy of his eyes makes her avert hers.
When she finds his gaze again, she cannot avoid the truth. "So you remember everything," she concludes.
He hesitates a little, unable to deny it. He closes his eyes, probably to avoid seeing the guilt on her face.
"That was not supposed to happen." She winces. "How long has it been since...since I sent you back?"
When he shrugs, her frown deepens. Fighting guilt, she takes his face between her hands. "Do the others remember too?"
"It does not matter, your Majesty." The child's voice comes out cracked, more sour than she had anticipated.
"Zelda," She corrects, and he does not feel the strength to refuse her.
One of her hands falls. The other shifts, a lithe caress against his jaw, but his gaze does not leave hers.
"Do I...does she remember?" When she asks, his eyes burn a hole down through her. He shifts his weight, lips drawn tight, and for the first time, his eyes drift away.
She leans to catch his gaze when he stiffens. He shrugs.
Horror in realization; fear on her face, she shudders and quickly closes her eyes. It is hard not to cry and she has to struggle to refrain from hugging him. It takes time before the pain allows her to breathe again. The portal is the last thing she cares about at the moment, but she needs to see it and tells him so.
He sets down his feet and sends Epona toward the ranch. Clutching his ocarina tight behind his shield, he draws his blade: There is a presence somewhere close.
When she hops down from the trees, the woman seems as surprised as him. Her hair is braided and her short dress stops at the brink of her leggings. Why does she wear royal earrings and why is she dressed like a ranger?
There is no Sheikah symbol on her clothes, but the outline of the Triforce glowing on her hand as she silently steps near leaves no mystery about her name.
Her forehead creases in confusion when she looks at him. Yet, there can be no doubt about his identity either, when his own hand flashes the symbol of courage.
His name is an awed whisper on Sheik's lips.
It's strange, how he can see his Sheikah companion in her demeanor, now that he knows they are but one.
He knows Sheik cannot be a lie. Friendship and strength - no matter how thin - can only be faked so long. Besides, the secret of her courage is one of his favorite things about her.
He nods nervously, barely paying attention to the gesture. Can she be real?
She is the first to recover from the shock, casually propping her wrist against one hip - for a second he sees it covered in white bandages. He smiles.
"Sorry," she slowly breathes, "for stalking you. But I could hardly believe my eyes when you appeared on that horse." Her brows rise a little. "I must say I did not expect your return here. Even less in your current form."
When he does not say a word, she frowns and points to his wounded knees and chin. "Are you okay?"
His nod does not seem to convince her much, but she sees no other injuries on his body and her gaze softens. Her body language, through, does not leave any room for refusal to whatever she is about to offer.
"Come, Hero," she breathes. "Link," she corrects, her smile broadening with affection. "I have a shack not far away. You are wounded, and it's getting cold out there."
Before he can think of an answer, she is walking back through the trees, only turning to make sure he follows. The fact that she sleeps alone in the wild surprises him, but he is too focused on keeping up with her longer legs' pace to ask.
"Sleeping any closer to the tyrant's grave was not very appealing. It will take time before I move over to Castle Town anyway," she says.
He nods out of habit, but it feels strange to see her notice the gesture; he is not used to adults who care to level their gaze to his height.
On his part, he can hardly tear his eyes from her since they started walking.
Suddenly, something distracts him in the surrounding wilderness. His eyes finally leave her, and she slows her pace to listen to the forest. Soon enough, the sound of nearby scattering bones greets them from behind as they wait, blades drawn and ready.
When the Stalchild appears from under the trees' shadows, Link frowns and steels himself. It is a lost child's skeleton; the kind he hates most. But the walking set of bones is soon followed by a pack of mad Wolfos, one of them still gnawing on a leg bone. Their odds of handling so many are thin, and Link grits his teeth, foreseeing grim casualties.
Seconds pound on their hearts. His mind still numbed by an unreasonable fear for her safety, they wait for the pack to attack.
With the skeleton's first pounce, three beasts follow. He is ready to impale the first when he senses her magic. The protective shield blazes around them and he finally allows a sigh of relief as a tide of fire burns everything around the two of them. So she can use Din's fire... He is surprised that the spell can shield two people at the same time. Is it because he is himself a caster, or because of the Triforce part in him? In any case, she knows way too many things that he does not.
He waits for the monsters to attack again and casts the spell himself this time, sensibly damaging them. The small skeleton scatters easily, and he crushes its skull in little time. She swiftly disposes of the wounded beasts, breath still ragged from the spellcasting effort. On unsteady legs, her defense is poor against the last Wolfos' claws. He is the one to slash it. As the body hits her and slumps down between them, he sees surprise and respect bloom in her eyes. Still edgy, he looks at the roasting remnants of the monsters -and it seems the killing will never end, will it?- until her voice break him out of his daze.
"Many people lost themselves running from the tyrant. Wolfos are just fond of bones," she says, but he notices she avoids the Gerudo's name, her breath as ragged from weariness and adrenaline as from emotion.
Her cabin is lodged in a large tree's trunk. Good enough for sleep; too small and frail to live in. He wonders if she built it herself.
.
They climb up and he stops at the entrance, somewhat edgy.
The light filtering through the opposite window reflects off his gear and faintly glows on his skin. With his childish stature, the bruises and scars over his forehead and small arms, and his eyes that hold so much shadow for his height, he looks somewhat magical, as if he did not belong to the world outside the Forest. Most of his soul still seems to believe in Deku trees and mourns the woods, even if he will never be able to return to the youth he had known, nor to feel home under the green canopy anymore. She is not sure whether she is more awed by the strength of his mind or pained by his predicament.
She offer her arm. He looks at it, a little confused, before slowly accepting it.
Yes. He steps through the door.
Before letting go, he lifts her hand and slowly kisses her fingers. The reverence of his gesture makes her pause, light-headed how he can still affect her that way?
She takes most of his things down (he will not part with the sword on his back) and pours some water in a bowl before searching through his pouch for bandages. Surprisingly, she easily finds healing potions; two direly scratched bottles that seem ready to break apart. She frowns, but pushes her questions down.
After she gets him to drink one, she kneels in front of him to check his body for other wounds - and surprises herself in hoping her manners are gentle enough, hoping he did not see her as too masculine and rough - and in a way, it sounds strange because it would be the first time she cares about a man's judgment.
Finally, she sees the Ocarina he has kept in hand. From the way he holds it, the magical item looks like a weapon and shield at the same time.
She reaches for it, but his hand reflexively clamps down. She is surprised at his arm strength, only able to take the blue instrument when he slowly lets go. Appraising the Ocarina's smooth shape in her hand, she wonders if her bloodline's abilities have diminished over the centuries. It reminds her of the dreams she had; the one about islands soaring to the sky and sapphire eyes enchanting her soul.
But she will have time to be wistful later. For now, the Hero- Link, is back...
"Who-" She tries again: "Why did I give it back to you?"
"You wanted it as far as possible from Gab- from him." It feels strange to speak of an event that didn't fit with the era he was in. "It still belongs to your family, though."
"It may," she confirms. "Anyway, it is yours now. I- I am sure she agrees." She shakes her head disbelievingly. "But how did you come back...in this form?" Her gaze settles on his hip and he distantly touches the mask against his hand.
He remains vague about Termina and the portal. She is still intrigued by the mask, but something painful in the ageless boy's eyes forms a lump in her throat and makes her reassess her priorities. The melancholy of his eyes makes her avert hers.
When she finds his gaze again, she cannot avoid the truth. "So you remember everything," she concludes.
He hesitates a little, unable to deny it. He closes his eyes, probably to avoid seeing the guilt on her face.
"That was not supposed to happen." She winces. "How long has it been since...since I sent you back?"
When he shrugs, her frown deepens. Fighting guilt, she takes his face between her hands. "Do the others remember too?"
"It does not matter, your Majesty." The child's voice comes out cracked, more sour than she had anticipated.
"Zelda," She corrects, and he does not feel the strength to refuse her.
One of her hands falls. The other shifts, a lithe caress against his jaw, but his gaze does not leave hers.
"Do I...does she remember?" When she asks, his eyes burn a hole down through her. He shifts his weight, lips drawn tight, and for the first time, his eyes drift away.
She leans to catch his gaze when he stiffens. He shrugs.
Horror in realization; fear on her face, she shudders and quickly closes her eyes. It is hard not to cry and she has to struggle to refrain from hugging him. It takes time before the pain allows her to breathe again. The portal is the last thing she cares about at the moment, but she needs to see it and tells him so.
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