Categories > Games > Zelda > Childhood Ashes
Time seems to have stilled in the courtyard when he slowly make his way to their familiar place.
The girl he is seeking is young; a real child, about his age: never a Sheikah, not yet a woman...
He stops before the small dais, and as soon as she overcomes her surprise, the first thing he knows, she throws herself around his neck, laughing in delight as he balances himself and guiltily smiles.
"Sorry for making you wait."
The seconds fades away when she talks. He just listens to her voice, glad that she does not press questions.
He did the right thing.
What else could be done? - he shushes out the Fierce Deity's suggestions - he did the only thing correct.
A couple hours go by, and finally, he tells her about his plans.
She immediately sobers and he flinches when she look away. She is silent for a while and he gives her time to compose herself, because it is the only thing he can do.
"You promised we would play in the mill, remember?"
Beyond the words, her tone is reasonable, distant again, and he grieves as courage desert his voice. "I remember," he whispers, as precious seconds waste away in the painful silence.
"Will you come back soon?"
His eyes darken and he forces a smile. She is too clever for her own good.
"I don't know."
"You better tell me all about your adventures, when you return!"
He blinks and wonders. She does not seem to get the clue. does not, or does not want.
Anyhow, telling horror tales to a sweet little tomboy is not among his favorite fancies; in truth, he is very glad she hasn't asked about Termina. He does not like to lie and no, he does not care if the Fierce Deity thinks it is okay.
All in all, through, she takes the news far better than he expected. He had reappeared from his last trip just to take his leave again... Her disappointment shows, but he must give her credit for hiding it so well.
"When I come back, I will tell you everything." Now it's the second time he makes a promise. (... The Deity feed him a surge of encouragement. It-it helps, a little.)
He searches her eyes one last time for the flicker he does not hope for anymore - a routine now. None. He serves her the excuse he had prepared to hand the ocarina back. Then he fondly caresses her cheek as if cradling a dream - the Fierce One smiles at the chubbiness could have been amusing in another context- and slowly, solemnly, he puts his forehead against hers; just the time to gather and lock down his boiling feelings.
In few words, he whispers his last farewell to sanity before turning around.
He nods at Impa under the archway and he passes through, focusing only on his steps to deafen the yelling of his heart.
.
"Link?"
.
It is the dread in her voice more than anything that makes him stop. He turns around and the movement is almost painful what if she understands too soon, what if she breaks in tears-
Neither happens.
She slowly takes her head in her hands, her eyes widens gradually, and with her, his world stills. "What..." Her lips quiver and her face flinches.
He is at her side in no time. Ever before Impa reaches her, he has her shoulders in his hands. She is quiet while the horror increases on her face, until she chokes out a cry. When her eyes finally dart up, they are no longer the same; much too somber and sad for a child.
He freezes, heartbeat deafening.
Shuddering, she stands up and breathes deeply. As soon as she finds her balance again, she pushes away and slaps him.
Holding his bruised cheek, he can only blink in confusion as she silently seethes.
"How could you- how could you think... You planned to..." she tries to cry, choking on indignation. "What do you think gives you the right to decide on my memories?"
He is probably dreaming. (Or drunk or feverish and his mind is nagging him with her image again...)
There are many ways to answer her words when the soul who spoke them has shattered not only his mind but also his body and whole world. Yet he cannot find any, because a silly hope will not stop bouncing in his heart and he is already busy trying to not laugh like a madman as he feels reality swirl around him.
He barely notices her wiping her eyes, but it is enough to quell the feelings. Still dumbstruck, he panics at her distress, but no sounds escape his throat. Her young figure is shaken by self-loathing sobs and -it's getting really painful- and sharp blades of air burn through his lungs... He breathes her name in a raspy voice.
"Do you really think I could forget you?" she sobs. "That I would be indifferent to your absence?" she asks, and the idea is embarrassingly close to what had really crossed his mind. The way she says it makes him feel silly but- He looks down.
"Look," indignation pitches her voice as she takes off a glove and lifts the hand marked with the Triforce of Wisdom. "This," she begins, but exhales and drops her hand, head shaking in defeat.
She closes her eyes and tries again. "For some reason, my last plan that proved unwise beyond words left you remembering our previous seven years' disaster. Right?"
He smiles sadly (but for a second, feels amused by how surreal their situation in front of Impa's confusion).
"Listen," she murmurs between tears and he tries to focus, still disoriented. "If it were possible to make you forget, the ocarina would have done it. Link," Her voice breaks on his name. She sighs. "You cannot escape something so huge. It sounds pretentious, but...your destinies -ours- are engraved in your soul; it's not only your heart that is at stake."
Through the emotion, the words he grasps are few, but the affection glazing over her eyes pull at his core and he is not sure anymore if his movements are his own when he easily wraps one arm around her shoulders - he is surprised at the strength and desperation of her grip on his clothes as he furiously tries to shield her in the crook of his small neck, a mad grin tearing his face apart.
Behind her, Impa's fascinated expression barely registers in his mind before he closes his eyes to breathe lavender again. He focuses on the slow steadying of her heartbeat (it is fascinating how more amazing her skin actually smells when he is not feeling it for the last time)...
"Please, stay."
He does not find the strength to speak, so he tightens his hug and nods against her.
When she feels him beginning to shake, she requests Impa to leave them be. The Sheikah hesitates a second, but finally retreat as his grip minutely tightens and his trembling turns into sobs.
.
Their gazes are holding when Impa is back with a cough.
He knows he can just be glad he has not been thrown at the King's feet yet: they step apart, but his eyes do not move.
"Link?"
He nods.
"Say...what did you do with the cloak?"
He moans piteously, head hanging down. "Zelda-"
"Very well," she concedes with a sheepish smile. But as soon as she mentions the other Hyrule, he begins to wonder how her alternate life's memories could have been triggered without the cloak...that is; until her smile becomes too contagious to think anymore.
His last question fades away when she slowly kisses his hand, igniting his soul with a caress of her eyes.
He feels warm. He feels hope; he feels at home, and he cannot help the bright smile tickling his cheeks, and... and Impa takes it as her clue to intervene again; muttering about showing him the guest room, she pushes him ahead, a fist twisted in his tunic.
.
They are walking back to the castle, and she smiles at her nurse's open attempts to choke explanations out of the struggling boy. Her warden trusts her.
Their secrets are safe.
It's a shame, she thinks, that he still remembers the blood and the smell of death, but she is glad; at least, his memories don't extend further than eighteen years.
Zelda picks up the forgotten ocarina on the grass, and closes her hands over it, engulfing it in a blue glow that slowly dissipates with a very subtle tingle of magic.
She is lucky to have imbued it too. Without a serious distraction, he would probably have noticed.
It is not that she does not trust him - really but sometimes his altruism just borders on self-destruction. She is still shaken to think that she was about to lose her best and only friend less than an hour ago...
At this point, she dares neither voice promises and cannot offer reassurances; their future is foggy yet. However, as she finally found herself again, for the first time since her birth she can clearly understand her place in the kingdom.
And he is here for good. (Right? Right?) So they will have all the time in the world to solve anything else, because... Triforce or not, it is not hard to believe that his spirit can overcome any obstacle to come.
She...she wishes to create a new world. Maybe just a harmless dream.
The girl he is seeking is young; a real child, about his age: never a Sheikah, not yet a woman...
He stops before the small dais, and as soon as she overcomes her surprise, the first thing he knows, she throws herself around his neck, laughing in delight as he balances himself and guiltily smiles.
"Sorry for making you wait."
The seconds fades away when she talks. He just listens to her voice, glad that she does not press questions.
He did the right thing.
What else could be done? - he shushes out the Fierce Deity's suggestions - he did the only thing correct.
A couple hours go by, and finally, he tells her about his plans.
She immediately sobers and he flinches when she look away. She is silent for a while and he gives her time to compose herself, because it is the only thing he can do.
"You promised we would play in the mill, remember?"
Beyond the words, her tone is reasonable, distant again, and he grieves as courage desert his voice. "I remember," he whispers, as precious seconds waste away in the painful silence.
"Will you come back soon?"
His eyes darken and he forces a smile. She is too clever for her own good.
"I don't know."
"You better tell me all about your adventures, when you return!"
He blinks and wonders. She does not seem to get the clue. does not, or does not want.
Anyhow, telling horror tales to a sweet little tomboy is not among his favorite fancies; in truth, he is very glad she hasn't asked about Termina. He does not like to lie and no, he does not care if the Fierce Deity thinks it is okay.
All in all, through, she takes the news far better than he expected. He had reappeared from his last trip just to take his leave again... Her disappointment shows, but he must give her credit for hiding it so well.
"When I come back, I will tell you everything." Now it's the second time he makes a promise. (... The Deity feed him a surge of encouragement. It-it helps, a little.)
He searches her eyes one last time for the flicker he does not hope for anymore - a routine now. None. He serves her the excuse he had prepared to hand the ocarina back. Then he fondly caresses her cheek as if cradling a dream - the Fierce One smiles at the chubbiness could have been amusing in another context- and slowly, solemnly, he puts his forehead against hers; just the time to gather and lock down his boiling feelings.
In few words, he whispers his last farewell to sanity before turning around.
He nods at Impa under the archway and he passes through, focusing only on his steps to deafen the yelling of his heart.
.
"Link?"
.
It is the dread in her voice more than anything that makes him stop. He turns around and the movement is almost painful what if she understands too soon, what if she breaks in tears-
Neither happens.
She slowly takes her head in her hands, her eyes widens gradually, and with her, his world stills. "What..." Her lips quiver and her face flinches.
He is at her side in no time. Ever before Impa reaches her, he has her shoulders in his hands. She is quiet while the horror increases on her face, until she chokes out a cry. When her eyes finally dart up, they are no longer the same; much too somber and sad for a child.
He freezes, heartbeat deafening.
Shuddering, she stands up and breathes deeply. As soon as she finds her balance again, she pushes away and slaps him.
Holding his bruised cheek, he can only blink in confusion as she silently seethes.
"How could you- how could you think... You planned to..." she tries to cry, choking on indignation. "What do you think gives you the right to decide on my memories?"
He is probably dreaming. (Or drunk or feverish and his mind is nagging him with her image again...)
There are many ways to answer her words when the soul who spoke them has shattered not only his mind but also his body and whole world. Yet he cannot find any, because a silly hope will not stop bouncing in his heart and he is already busy trying to not laugh like a madman as he feels reality swirl around him.
He barely notices her wiping her eyes, but it is enough to quell the feelings. Still dumbstruck, he panics at her distress, but no sounds escape his throat. Her young figure is shaken by self-loathing sobs and -it's getting really painful- and sharp blades of air burn through his lungs... He breathes her name in a raspy voice.
"Do you really think I could forget you?" she sobs. "That I would be indifferent to your absence?" she asks, and the idea is embarrassingly close to what had really crossed his mind. The way she says it makes him feel silly but- He looks down.
"Look," indignation pitches her voice as she takes off a glove and lifts the hand marked with the Triforce of Wisdom. "This," she begins, but exhales and drops her hand, head shaking in defeat.
She closes her eyes and tries again. "For some reason, my last plan that proved unwise beyond words left you remembering our previous seven years' disaster. Right?"
He smiles sadly (but for a second, feels amused by how surreal their situation in front of Impa's confusion).
"Listen," she murmurs between tears and he tries to focus, still disoriented. "If it were possible to make you forget, the ocarina would have done it. Link," Her voice breaks on his name. She sighs. "You cannot escape something so huge. It sounds pretentious, but...your destinies -ours- are engraved in your soul; it's not only your heart that is at stake."
Through the emotion, the words he grasps are few, but the affection glazing over her eyes pull at his core and he is not sure anymore if his movements are his own when he easily wraps one arm around her shoulders - he is surprised at the strength and desperation of her grip on his clothes as he furiously tries to shield her in the crook of his small neck, a mad grin tearing his face apart.
Behind her, Impa's fascinated expression barely registers in his mind before he closes his eyes to breathe lavender again. He focuses on the slow steadying of her heartbeat (it is fascinating how more amazing her skin actually smells when he is not feeling it for the last time)...
"Please, stay."
He does not find the strength to speak, so he tightens his hug and nods against her.
When she feels him beginning to shake, she requests Impa to leave them be. The Sheikah hesitates a second, but finally retreat as his grip minutely tightens and his trembling turns into sobs.
.
Their gazes are holding when Impa is back with a cough.
He knows he can just be glad he has not been thrown at the King's feet yet: they step apart, but his eyes do not move.
"Link?"
He nods.
"Say...what did you do with the cloak?"
He moans piteously, head hanging down. "Zelda-"
"Very well," she concedes with a sheepish smile. But as soon as she mentions the other Hyrule, he begins to wonder how her alternate life's memories could have been triggered without the cloak...that is; until her smile becomes too contagious to think anymore.
His last question fades away when she slowly kisses his hand, igniting his soul with a caress of her eyes.
He feels warm. He feels hope; he feels at home, and he cannot help the bright smile tickling his cheeks, and... and Impa takes it as her clue to intervene again; muttering about showing him the guest room, she pushes him ahead, a fist twisted in his tunic.
.
They are walking back to the castle, and she smiles at her nurse's open attempts to choke explanations out of the struggling boy. Her warden trusts her.
Their secrets are safe.
It's a shame, she thinks, that he still remembers the blood and the smell of death, but she is glad; at least, his memories don't extend further than eighteen years.
Zelda picks up the forgotten ocarina on the grass, and closes her hands over it, engulfing it in a blue glow that slowly dissipates with a very subtle tingle of magic.
She is lucky to have imbued it too. Without a serious distraction, he would probably have noticed.
It is not that she does not trust him - really but sometimes his altruism just borders on self-destruction. She is still shaken to think that she was about to lose her best and only friend less than an hour ago...
At this point, she dares neither voice promises and cannot offer reassurances; their future is foggy yet. However, as she finally found herself again, for the first time since her birth she can clearly understand her place in the kingdom.
And he is here for good. (Right? Right?) So they will have all the time in the world to solve anything else, because... Triforce or not, it is not hard to believe that his spirit can overcome any obstacle to come.
She...she wishes to create a new world. Maybe just a harmless dream.
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