Chapter Text
R E V A L I
His taste was sweet. Sweeter than anything that had ever graced his tongue. Sweeter than honey. Sweeter than a fairy’s smile or the laugh of a newborn.
His touch was gentle. Always, it was so gentle. Even with his rough, calloused, strong hands, it never failed to be gentle.
He smelled of the forest. The trees. The wilderness. The morning dew. The dirt after it rains.
He was warm. The fire in the fireplace in the middle of winter. The rays of sun on your back in the middle of summer; while you sat in the fields, listening to the cicadas buzz and the birds sing. The wool blanket that surrounds you as sleep carries you away into dreams of good, nice, wonderful things.
He was life. He was light. He was the world. The universe.
Everything. He was everything.
A soft breeze whirled around them, tousling Revali’s feathers gingerly. And as he slowly opened his eyes and pulled away, he saw the wind dancing through Link’s golden hair the same way. The sunlight filtering through the tree’s canopy made his hair even more golden, almost assuring Revali that Link truly was as ethereal as he believed he was.
He was beginning to stare into those deep sapphire eyes when he found his gaze flicking over Link’s shoulder. And down the high branch the two of them were sitting on.
To see a Korok with a maple leaf stuck to its face staring at them. It had the nerve to bring its hands to its mask’s mouth and giggle.
Navy feathers puffed in all directions as Revali shrieked, “Do you mind?!”
The Korok let out a little yelp before hopping off the branch to the ground far below. Which revealed a smaller Korok behind it, who must have also been watching. It jumped after its friend, tittering as it went.
Revali growled and hissed through his beak, but Link blew a raspberry before starting to laugh.
“Is it so impossible to find some peace and quiet in this goddess forsaken forest?!” Revali shouted, more than exasperated. More than annoyed.
Through laughter, Link said, “Oh, come on. They don’t mean any harm by it.”
“That doesn’t make me want to set them on fire any less!”
Link rolled his eyes and gave him a flat smile that said, I love you so much, but I almost wish I didn't.
"I'm serious," Revali hissed. "I hope that after we finally leave this horrible place, I will never have to see another one of those leaf-faced twigs ever again."
"But they like you," Link said, his smile lifting. "If they didn't, they wouldn't let you see them after all." He peeked around Revali and gave a small wave beyond him.
Revali turned around to see another Korok looking at them, hiding behind another branch full of leaves. It giggled, haven been caught.
"...Lucky me," Revali grumbled, starting to seethe.
It was true, though. He was getting sick of these Koroks that littered the place. None of them knew what the word privacy even meant, much less how to graciously give him and Link some. Even during the moments they foolishly tried to be intimate.
As the days went on, he got more and more sick of Korok Forest as a whole as well. He hated the trees. Hated all the flowers and bushes and grass and all the ugly creatures that lived there. Even the gentle winds that danced through the canopy, one of the first things he found charming about the place, started to annoy him. Not to mention that there was a part of him that started to have a little bit of disdain for the Deku Tree…as horrible as that was of him.
They were only supposed to be there for five days. Just five.
"I think we both need a break where no one can find us. We need to rest before we leave Hyrule for good. We don't know what's waiting for us out there," Link had said. "And they can give us supplies here, too.”
And Revali had agreed.
They were together, anyway. Where no one would find them. No one could get in their way here. The only one who knew how to cross the Lost Woods was Zelda, but it might never cross her mind that they were here. And if it did, what would she do about it?
Finally. Peace and quiet. Despite the noisy and curious Koroks.
But then one afternoon, when Revali was laying in a patch of sunlight, eyes closed and listening to the sounds of the wind in the forest- Link spoke with the Deku Tree alone.
Something shifted in Link that day afterward. And no matter what, Link wouldn’t come clean about what the Deku Tree said. Even when Revali would incessantly pester him about it, he wouldn’t budge. Only that he needed a couple more days.
“Just two or three more days. Four at the most.”
And Revali, with a sigh, agreed to it.
How could they not? They were together, they were safe, and they were happy. He could stand to wait a bit longer. He had some great practice in the art of waiting, after all.
But then a couple of days became a week.
A week became two. Three.
Then a month rolled by, and so did Revali’s patience.
They were supposed to elope and pass the canyon into a new land. No history to keep them down. No legends, no stories. Only a new life with the past far, far behind them.
But Revali kept it together, as hard as it was getting. He could feel his fuse getting shorter by the day now that the ecstasy of finally being with Link drifted away with the woodland breeze.
He had to. He loved Link more than anyone could ever love, and he knew he had been through a lot the last year. They both had. So a long rest was warranted.
And he knew that there was something keeping Link there even though he refused to say a word about it. He could see it in his eyes after his conversation with the Deku Tree.
Revali was afraid that if he pushed too much, Link would break. They both were still fragile after everything.
Still. Revali was getting antsy. He couldn’t sleep the night before, only able to shake the whole night through. Full to the brim of the need to leave. He couldn’t take another week here, waiting for nothing. Stuck in this forest, in these woods. Afraid to spread his wings and fly above the trees to touch the sky, because, what if someone saw? What if Sidon’s men were still looking?
And the horrible, annoying, infuriating, pesky, pestiferous children of the forest didn’t make it easy. With their ‘Yahaha’s and their poop that they try to play off as innocent seeds. Disgusting.
Revali was dangerously close to setting one on fire in a blind rage.
Especially Hestu. With his stupid maracas.
Sure, they were helpful and did help them get the food and things they needed to be comfortable. But Din Almighty, it was nowhere near worth it.
With a heavy sigh, Revali began to speak again. “I know you hate it when I ask you this, Link, but…”
Link, as per usual, avoided eye contact with a guilty look on his face.
“Can we please for the love of Hylia leave soon? We’ve been here for far too long and I know that you have your reasons but-“
“Just give me until the end of the week, okay?” Link blurted out, his hands starting to fiddle together.
“Love, we’ve been here for so long without a calendar that I don’t even know what day of the week it is anymore.”
“Alright, alright. Three days.” Link’s eyes flicked around everywhere, his fidgeting getting worse. His chest started to heave just enough for Revali to notice. “Three days, three days…” He seemed to whisper just for himself. Then finished with, “I promise.”
Revali’s impatience and anger faded for a moment as he warmly smiled at his beloved and laid a hand on his knee. “We leave when you’re ready.”
Link finally looked up at Revali. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I-“ His eyes clenched shut and he shamefully shook his head.
Reaching up to cup Link’s cheek to stop his jittering, he spoke, almost sternly this time. “We leave when you’re ready. As much as I’m detesting this place now, I love you more. I won’t leave without you. And we won’t leave until you’re ready. I will…I will try to hold on a little longer.”
The frantic look in Link’s eye dissipated and got replaced with a smile of both relief and love. He embraced Revali, tucking his head into his neck. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’ll manage.”
Three more Korok popped out to stare at them from a nearby branch.
Revali ground his beak. Did these little idiots not have any other hobbies?
“…Somehow.”
Link breathed into Revali’s neck, warming his feathers. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” was his reply as he rubbed his back.
It was there, that Revali decided, with those pests giggling at them and more coming to join, that he sincerely couldn’t take much more of this. Even for Link. As much as he wanted to, even if he said he could.
This wasn’t the future he had yearned for.
S I D O N
Nobody understood.
Nobody could ever understand.
Nobody wanted to anyway.
After everything that happened…happened to him… too many people looked at him like a villain. Or at least someone that everyone should be wary around.
He was painted as the bad guy. After all the things he had been put through. After his losses. After the love of his life being taken away from him.
His sister didn’t look at him the same way at all anymore. Even the look of loving pity in her eyes that always was there, even when they were fighting constantly, went missing.
Even Father, who had trusted him for so long and was always on his side, twisted his brow in concern when Sidon insisted the Zora Guard continue their search for Link when it was nearly a month since he disappeared.
Father shot him down. Told him enough was enough. That the guard was not for wild goose chases. No matter how hard Sidon fought, that was that.
How could his own father betray him like that? Did he not see how his child was falling apart? How empty and broken his heart was now that his true love had been ripped away from him?
Father had given him everything he had ever wanted or needed since he was small. So why, now, when Sidon felt he was going to die, did Father turn away?
Bazz and all the others he could call friends avoided him, or at least their warmth was gone. Talking to him in passing as if nothing was wrong, but all through clenched teeth and with a sense of urgency.
At least there was something that could give Sidon some semblance of comfort. Not everyone opposed his actions from the previous few months. He heard whispers, heard that many actually supported the prince for his batterings of the Rito Champion. Many who believed that, yes, that horrible Rito deserved to be put into place.
But that didn’t mean those Zora felt safe around him. Were willing to spend very much time in his space. For, after all, he was violent. He was dangerous. Even if they were on his side.
But Sidon was brought to violence. He was not at fault. Revali did that to him. Revali made him into something he wasn’t.
Because of that, because of him, Sidon was alone. A victim. A poor, sad victim wasting away in his own despair. Dreading that he may never get back what was rightfully his.
He was isolated. His only companion being his princely duties and the sunrises and sunsets he watched from his window. The only conversation he made were the ones between his pen and paper. The sound of ink feverishly etching into scrolls and journals filling the air day in and day out.
Why did Link have to leave him? Sidon could have given him anything he could ever need. Anything he could ever possibly want. He would’ve given him the world.
But instead, here he was. Framed into being the villain, even though it was he who had everything taken from him. Left alone to wither away in the dark corners of his study where no one could give him cold glances.
All thanks to the Rito that abandoned his people in favor of committing the worst act of thievery.
U N A T H I
Unathi had barely slept the night before.
Four hours at best.
Not that that wasn’t normal. A good night’s rest had been nothing more than an unachievable goal for years now. Ever since that day, trying to hold onto sleep was like trying to grab at fog.
It was impossible whenever she had the nightmare. It came to her again the night before. The same one she’s had hundreds…thousands…countless times.
The nightmare of…
She grumbled a sigh and pinched the bridge of her beak.
While she put her things in her bag; stethoscope, otoscope, arrow puller (which was used frequently because of the idiots in the village) gauze, alcohol, several more things; Unathi could feel the bags under her eyes. Her eyes, they felt heavy. Sullen. Worn out. Like the rest of her.
It had been this way for a very long time.
But that didn’t matter when she had a job to do.
She pushed up her glasses to rub at her eyes before finally leaving her hut, both her place of business and home, to go out and make her rounds. A strong, cold gust of wind came out of nowhere, forcing her to stop in her tracks as her ponytail was flung around in the wind.
For a moment, it felt like the wind was about to rip her off her feet. She managed to stay grounded and continued on her way. Many patients to see.
She had to hurry and get through all the ones in the village since there were more to tend to in the outer settlements. Especially in Kasuto. Lots of check-ups to do there after the raid many months ago.
First was Kass’ and Amali’s house. Two of the daughters caught a bad cold and needed medicine and to be checked out.
Then there was the innkeeper with the sinus infection. Hunter with the sprained ankle. Some dumb teenager’s cracked beak.
Pulled muscle. Groin strain. Clogged ear. A fever that she was told was astronomically high when in reality it was incredibly low.
And finally, Meelo.
Meelo had recently volunteered to help teach the fledglings how to shoot their bows. Thanks to “Champion Revali’s” lessons, Teba was confident he could do the job. And Meelo was about 20% confident he could do it, which was higher than usual.
But archery lessons or not, he was still an idiot and was standing somewhere he probably should not have stood. A stray arrow shot by the smallest kid of the bunch nearly gutted him, but luckily it ended up merely slicing his side when he actually dodged out of the way.
It wasn’t bad enough to ruin his life, but it was bad enough to have him be sent home for a day or two to give it a chance at healing a bit before being in action again.
Honestly, as much as Meelo annoyed Unathi, she couldn’t help but feel a little bad for the guy. He was having a real rough time lately, and she wasn’t sure if he had what it took to handle it. What with what happened with Revali, his usual troubles, and what was happening now…
As things got better, things also seemed to get worse for him. Teba, taking him under his wing, started to support him in gaining rank and earning respect from their fellow warriors. But, of course, there were those who did their darndest to push him out. Keep him below their talons.
“Seriously, Teba? A cuckoo as our strategist? Are you crazy?” She overheard once.
“Look at that wimp. He has no place with us.”
“Who cares if he was Revali’s student? He isn’t our Champion anymore anyway. He abandoned us.”
Unathi knocked twice on the door frame of Meelo’s place.
A yellow head swung back to look at her, then quickly crumpled up what was in his hands and tossed it into the corner. He thought he was so sly when he was anything but.
“H-Hey, Unathi,” Meelo stuttered when he swerved back around on his heels.
“Hello,” she replied in her monotone way, then went straight to the point. “How’s your wound feeling?”
“It’s…um. It’s not so bad. But it is, like, stinging.”
“Let’s see it. Take your shirt off.”
Meelo blinked at her dumbly for a second, then stumbled to rip his shirt off once Unathi lowered her brows at him.
Clearly, someone who knew nothing about first aid just slapped on a bandage, which was already stained with blood.
“Did anyone put ointment on it?” Unathi asked, expecting the answer, and ripped the bandage off in one fell swoop.
Meelo yelped, and whined through a clenched beak, “No-“
She groaned, rustled through her bag with one hand and fiercely pointed to the ground with her other.
Immediately, Meelo complied and swiftly sat down. His face scrunched with pain, but didn’t make a sound otherwise.
Once the ointment was in her hand, she sat down next to him and hunched over to look at the gash. She didn’t hesitate to touch it with her fingers, and Meelo didn’t hesitate to whimper in pain.
A bunch of babies, everyone was. Always whimpering and hissing and whining in pain.
“Hm. Deep. But not too bad,” Unathi murmured, mostly to herself. She opened up the jar of ointment she grabbed, and stuck her fingers in it. “I’m going to put the ointment on it. It’ll sting for sure now.”
She didn’t usually give her patients a heads up like this. Meelo should’ve counted himself lucky.
He didn’t, and instead whined in pain like the big baby he was.
While rubbing it in, her eyes ended up flicking to the side, where Meelo had thrown whatever it was he had in the corner. The idiot wasn’t smart at all, so it was easy to see, considering the fact that Meelo didn’t even try to hide it.
It was in a heap. A familiar cerulean color. Definitely made of fabric.
Unathi rose her eyebrows for a moment before returning to Meelo’s wound. His eyes had been clenched together, but they slowly opened up wide to stare down at her.
“Looking at it now,” she started. “I think you’ll need stitches. That kid got you good.”
“Stitches?!”
Her forehead creased as she replied. “Oh, calm down. It’s not as bad as it sounds. You getting hit with the arrow hurts more, I promise.”
Unathi thought for a moment, then her eyes flicked to her bag. She saved these for the very worst times, but…
“I’ll give you these pain killers. So, relax.”
With that, she took a container out from her bag, full of capsules with natural fast-acting herbs inside. Seeing her hold one out to him, Meelo hesitantly took it from her. Then stared at her with those big, dumb eyes. Beak opening slightly like he was getting ready to say something.
“Just swallow it dry, you pansy,” Unathi said flatly.
He did what she said with a giant, audible gulp. Visibly, he shivered, tongue hanging out.
Rolling her eyes, she went back to her bag, pulling out what she needed.
Suturing needle. Thick thread. Waning patience.
The whole process was agonizing. Every millisecond, Meelo was flinching, even though it wasn’t painful for him at all. Shouldn’t have been anyway.
When it was over, he twisted to move his feathers and look at his stitches himself while hissing through his beak. Clearly, he was disturbed by the way he squirmed and by his contorted face.
"Not so bad, right?" Unathi asked. Not out of patient compassion, but rather the opposite.
"I guess not," he quietly replied back, not sincere at all. His jaw was still clenched.
"Good.” She put her things away in her bag, then eyed him seriously. “Before I go-“ After striding over to the corner with the heap of blue she noticed earlier, she ignored Meelo’s incoherent stuttering as she grabbed it and held it up. It unfurled in her hands, showing her it was what she hoped it hadn’t been.
Revali’s scarf. A striking cyan. Medoh embroidered in the corner.
“This better not be what I think it is.” Unathi’s voice was expressionless, giving Meelo only a raised eyebrow.
Still, his feathers all slowly stuck out while he stammered uselessly until he was able to blurt out, “Wait, wait. I can explain!” Frantically he waved his hands in front of him.
“Oh, yeah?” She jeered. “Do tell.”
Meelo fumbled to get up to grab the scarf from her, pulling through his pain as he wheezed, but she pulled it away out of his reach. His hands seemed to shake, like he was going to explode if it wasn’t given to him soon.
“Revali gave it to me-”
Unathi rolled her eyes. Again. “Right. Everyone and their mothers know that. However, I know for a fact that he took it back before he left. Isn’t that right?”
His gaze fell to the ground shamefully. It shot back up when she sighed and shoved the scarf into his hands.
“Just tell me you didn’t take it from him or something.”
His fingers tightened around it and his eyes avoided hers, giving an answer without saying anything.
Once more, Unathi sighed and grabbed the bridge of her beak. “Why on earth would you do that? You do see how creepy that is, don’t you?”
Jumping, he spluttered, “I wasn’t trying to be! I just…” He faltered, stopped for a second, then quietly went on. “He left it. And I keep things, because-“
“Um, yeah,” Unathi interjected. “Pretty much everyone has material possessions. How is that a reason to steal from that fraud?”
“No! I know! I mean…” Yellow and gray feathers stuck out at every end, but began to fall when he settled again. He looked up at her from under his eyebrow. “Don’t you have patients waiting?” His voice was low, unsure.
Looking at him, seeing how absolutely pathetic this guy was, Unathi couldn’t help but feel pity for him at that moment. So sad. Desperate. Totally embarrassing himself.
This was that idiot Teba’s fault. If it wasn’t for him, maybe she would’ve turned her back on Meelo and left without a second thought. But he looked like a lost little kid with those big glass eyes.
Damn it.
She groaned. “It’s fine. Go on, say your peace. You’re clearly dying to talk about it. Just don’t take all day.” To make a statement, she leaned against one of the wooden beams.
He stared at her, clearly surprised and not able to tell if she was serious.
”I said don’t take all day,” she scoffed.
Blinking, he did what he was told, fidgeting. “W-When I went to try to find Revali after he left- which, I know I shouldn’t have done. He probably would have hurt me again- I found the camp he must’ve left behind when he ran off with Link.” Meelo looked down at the scarf with tender eyes. “This was there. Coated in ash by the dying campfire. I couldn’t help but think of the moment he gave me this. How close I felt to him. How warm. Happy. The way he made me feel for that whole year. Back when I thought I had a chance…”
A sad smile crept onto his face for a moment as he reminisced. Then it quickly fell away when he looked up at Unathi.
She stirred. Shuffled in her place a bit uncomfortably.
“Like…Like I said…I keep things. I keep memories.” He clicked his beak. “After my parents died, the only good thing I had were my memories of them. The little things I kept from that time. That’s what I had to do…find happiness in random junk.”
He motioned to the shelves next to Unathi. It was full of random stuff; a broken shock arrow, an earring without a partner, other trinkets. A couple things were even shattered, their pieces kept together with a bit of twine.
She wasn’t a fan of how heavy her heart felt seeing this and almost regretted letting him go on.
Unathi watched him squeeze his eyes shut. Saw him shrink.
“Meezuli is gone more and more now. Everyone here looks down on me. Or even hates me, whether or not I deserve it. There’s a few that don’t…but it’s not like they try to help me either. Teba is trying to make things better for me, but-“ He interrupted himself by heavily sighing and starting again. “What I’m saying is… Revali felt like my one chance of being loved the way I thought nobody ever could. I was the happiest I’d been in a long time when I thought that, that’s why I needed this. To hold onto the way I felt. But keeping it, I can’t help but think…”
He clenched the fabric in his hands, crumpling it.
“If it couldn’t happen then…when I was so sure it would…could it ever?”
A breath hitched in Unathi’s throat. Without even thinking, her fingers gently touched the feathers she had braided into her hair.
She too kept things to remember happier times. She too felt like her one chance at happiness was taken from her. Things had been so good then…
But as if she would admit something like that out loud. Especially to him of all people.
So instead, she asked him, “Why don’t you leave?”
Meelo looked outside, warm sunlight pouring onto his face. The wind picked up through the open windows, knocking his braids against his neck.
“I don’t know. Maybe I’m stubborn. Maybe I’m scared. I don’t know.”
Again, Unathi could say the same. But she didn’t acknowledge what he said outside of sitting in silence with him.
That might’ve been enough, though. He might’ve felt that sameness between them despite her refusal to say anything. If he did, he didn’t break the silence either and held the scarf to his chest.
There was no point in her staying, so she didn’t. Not really knowing what to say, she pat his shoulder twice and muttered, “You’re lucky I was the first one that found it. All these Champion fanatics might clip your wings if they knew you took that scarf, even after everything. Don’t let anyone know.”
She left with her back to him, not knowing what expression he must’ve held on his face. If her only response disappointed him. Saddened him. Or even made him angry.
It didn’t matter though. Unathi had done her job. Patched him up. Let him say his peace. It was time for the next patient. It was time to make her way to Kasuto.
Wild wind awaited her outside.
J O H E I
Everyone hated the new hideout.
No matter how deep they went into the cave, it was still cold. The weather, blistering and relentless, kept it from ever getting warm. No matter how deep under the mountains they went.
A few months ago, the Gerudo had at last found their hideout and pushed them into the Gerudo Highlands. Forcing them into the snow. Lady Urbosa led the charge, making up for lost time and ushering her people back to glory. Thus taking away the little bit the Yiga had left, turning them into prey trying to escape.
The Yiga Clan’s numbers were dwindling. Many had left the clan once Master Kohga and Calamity Ganon were defeated. Because, by then, what even was the point anymore?
Others were cut down by the Gerudo closing in, tired of the Yiga threat hanging over their heads for generations. Some were thrown into cells, some were killed on the spot. It was undecided who were the lucky ones.
Then there were those that stayed. Those who couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Being anyone else. This was all they had ever known, after all. This is who they were raised to be. Bred to be. So all they could do was hold onto hope, praying for guidance.
Johei was one of them. Born into the clan. White hair dyed black with amla from the minute he was born; quickly being taught that to be a Yiga was to reject the Sheikah blood running through their veins.
He stayed. Even when his clan had been running around like a chicken without a head. No fit leader. Just chaos. Rage. Hopelessness.
But things were about to change. The time for grief was over. No more licking their wounds. It was time for the clan to get back on their feet, get their heads on right, and finally bring Hyrule to their knees. With or without Ganon and Master Kohga.
That was what they were being told anyway.
He was summoned to the room of the one whose shoulders the responsibility of leading fell onto. It was dim inside, the only source of light being two lit candles in front of the tiny Master Kohga memorial they put together for comfort. Incense burned in front of one of the late master’s extra gloves and a rogue banana that was beginning to turn way too brown. It was all they had managed to grab when they fled into the highlands.
Smoke drifted from the incense sticks filling up the room. It smelled like a forest fire.
The massive form kneeling in front of the memorial turned only slightly when Johei entered, his footsteps reverberating in the small room. A mask with a badly scarred face barely hiding underneath twisted towards him.
"Are you ready?" Is all the man said, voice deep and thick.
Johei swallowed. "Yes."
"You've perfected your disguise then? Everything is set in place for your alias?"
"Yes...Yes. Everything is set."
The man stood up. He was massive. Giant. He easily towered over his subordinate, making him feel like nothing more than a bug.
"Then go. You will hear from us in one month. I expect you to be making progress by then."
"Yes, sir."
The giant man went still for a second and didn't say anything. Just stared down at Johei, which never meant anything good. The air itself held its breath and felt heavy for those long few seconds.
"…Sir?" He finally asked, with a voice worthy of a thousand earthquakes.
"M-Master," Johei frantically corrected. "Yes, master."
"Good."
Johei went to leave, keeping himself from scrambling away like a frightened animal. But he was frozen still when his leader spoke one last time.
"Remember, Johei-"
Hearing his name on his tongue made goosebumps run up and down his arms.
"-If you fail or if you even think about betraying us…We will find you and we will kill you. You will die drowning in your own blood. That is a promise."
Johei's breath hitched and his blood ran cold. It took every ounce of strength in him to mutter, "Yes, master," before leaving the room. Before leaving his clan behind to cross the mountains alone.
And then he headed out west.
~~~