Chapter Text
=>[ZELDA'S POV]<=
Princess Zelda and her appointed knight sat in silence as the royal carriage trundled along the bumpy road. Zelda watched the knight from the corner of her eye; he sat rigidly, staring straight ahead. He seemed almost dead, yet still on high alert. Zelda did not know much about the knight, only that he was one of the most talented soldiers in Hyrule, and that her father had given him the task of protecting her. He was always silent and never showed emotion of any kind. She only knew his name; Link.
The carriage slowed and halted. The footman opened Zelda's carriage door, and helped her down. They had arrived in Kakariko Village, where Zelda hoped to find a Champion for one of the five Divine Beasts that had recently been uncovered.
A few of the villagers had left their houses or shops and now knelt before the princess. A young woman with the typical white hair of the Sheikah tribe hurried outside.
"Princess! How wonderful to see you," It was Impa, a royal advisor and close friend of the Hyrulean royal family. "I expect you must be here on your search for the Champions, correct?" Zelda nodded, and Impa smiled cheerfully. "I happen to have the perfect candidate."
A Sheikah (woman/man/etc.) bounded up behind Impa, and dropped into a quick bow.
"Your Highness, it's an honour to meet you. My name is Y/N." Y/N said with an energetic smile.
"Y/N is by far the best warrior in the Sheikah tribe; although there isn't much competetion - however, Y/N is astoundingly talented, especially considering their suboptimal training grounds."
Zelda must have appeared skeptical, for Y/N's expression changed slightly from energetic and cheerful to more reserved and calculated.
"I'll gladly prove it, your Highness." they said, calm and collected. The princess detected a trace of resentment in the warrior's tone.
"Well. That's...." Zelda petered out.
"I think it's a great idea," Impa states. "If Y/N fights Link and wins - or nearly wins - then that should be proof enough of their prowess." Zelda thought for a moment before nodding. Y/N's energetic smile returned instantly.
"Great! I love a good challenge." Their gaze flitted from Zelda to the knight, who had drawn his sword, ready to fight at the princess's command. Y/N grasped a F/C and silver sickle rested against their waist.
Impa gently tugged the princess away from the pair, who had both assumed a basic attack stance.
They stood still, waiting for the other to make the first move. Zelda didn't know much about fighting, but she assumed Link would most likely have the upper hand as he also had a shield as well as his broadsword.
How wrong she was.
Link eventually made the first move, slashing out towards Y/N, who easily blocked his blade by catching it the curve of their sickle. They pushed back, the two struggling against each other's weight, until Y/N pulled away, jumping backwards and landing neatly on their feet.
Y/N dodged another attack from Link, and slipped behind the knight, holding their sickle to his throat. It was an easy win - too easy. Link instantly knocked them back with his shield, they stumbled, but quickly regained their balance. The two continued fighting, Y/N easily dodging Link's attacks and Link blocking theirs just as easily. Even Zelda could tell Y/N was clearly very skilled - Link would have beaten most swordsmen by now.
Quite the crowd had assembled. Most of the village must have turned out to watch the pair duel.
They seemed to fight for hours, trapped in a mesmerizing dance where neither could beat the other, although it could only have been about fifteen minutes.
After what seemed like an eternity, with a well timed swipe, Link finally knocked Y/N's sickle from their hand. Y/N appeared shocked for a split second before their smile returned. This confused Zelda; they were entirely at Link's mercy, and seemingly about to lose. However, they simply held their hand out in Link's direction and a split second later the ground underneath Link began shaking uncontrollably, causing him to lose his balance and fall, dropping his sword. The shaking stopped, but it had gone on long enough for Y/N to catch the sword and point the sharp tip at Link.
They had won the fight.
Zelda was amazed, by both the skill and the earthquake - it seemed like Y/N had controlled it, sent it out towards Link - but that was surely not possible? There was definitely a difference in healing magic and downright manipulating the earth like that. Y/N dropped the sword before Link's feet and the princess watched as Link scrambled to his feet, and she could have sworn she saw a small smile appear on his face.
"That was amazing," Zelda smiled at the Sheikah, who had now retrieved their sickle. "If I may ask, how did you do that earthquake thing?"
"Oh, the tremor? I'm not sure, honestly. I've been able to since I was born. It's very simple, if I'm honest, but I'm not sure how to describe it... it's just a natural thing I can do."
"I'm sure that will be very useful for a Champion," Zelda raised an eyebrow slightly, "Y/N, would you like to pilot the Divine Beast Vah Dampé?"
Y/N's mouth dropped. "O-of course, your Highness! It would be an honour!"
"Please, call me Zelda. I wish to become friends with the Champions of Hyrule."
"Of course, Pr- uh, Zelda...May I ask, who are the other Champions?"
"Well, there's Revali of the Rito, Daruk of the Gorons, Urbosa of the Gerudo and Mipha of the Zora. They were all also chosen for their fighting skills and unique talent, much like your earthquake. There will be an inauguration ceremony at three o'clock this afternoon, where you can meet the other Champions, and will officially be bestowed the title of Champions. We will meet fifteen minutes earlier at the castle gates." Zelda informed them.
"Of course. I suppose I will see you there then, Zelda." Y/N smiled.
"I suppose you will." The princess smiled back at them and beckoned to Link. The two of them walked back to the royal carriage.
=>[Y/N'S POV]<=
I watched the princess and her knight leave Kakariko Village. I could hardly believe it - I'd really beaten the most skilled swordsman in the whole kingdom of Hyrule with nothing but my sickle and Tremor. And I was going to be a Champion! A pilot of a Divine Beast! I was on a first-name basis with the princess of Hyrule! I was elated. I couldn't wait for that afternoon, when I would meet the other Champions - I'd honestly never heard of Revali, but the others were royalty or the chiefs of their tribes, and well known in Hyrule.
Honestly, I still couldn't believe it. Me, a simple Sheikah, chosen to fight alongside the greatest warriors of Hyrule? This had to be a dream, yet I was definitely wide awake.
I was jolted out of my shock by Impa, who patted me on the back.
"Well done, Y/N. I always knew you were the perfect fit. You'd better start getting ready, there's not much time left before the inauguration. I'll get Santi to prepare H/N (horse's name) for you." She left, presumably to speak with Santi. My friend, Kari, rushed up to me and enveloped me in a tight hug.
"Oh my goddess! You were amazing!! The way you caught his sword in your sickle, and when you used your Tremor - and now you're a Champion!! I'm so proud of you, Y/N!" she grinned.
"I- I know!! I can't believe it! Oh Goddess, what will the other Champions think of me? I'm just some scruffy Sheikah, while they're all chiefs and princesses-"
"Calm down, Y/N! You're going to have a panic attack at this rate. I'm sure you'll be fine. I've heard Mipha, the Zora princess, is one of the kindest people in Hyrule. If the others can't stick you, I'm sure Mipha will like you. That's if the rumors are true, though."
"You will be at the inauguration, won't you, Kari??" I begged. I definitely needed support. I'd never had more attention than a few other Sheikah at once, meaning four or five at most, and now I would be one of the main points of interest during a royal ceremony.
"Of course I will! I'll try my bloody best to get in, and if I'm not there, you better know I didn't go away without a fight," Kari giggles. "And if need be, I will clobber any guard who tries to stand in the way of me attending!" I laughed at this. Kari was moderately skilled in fighting, but she definitely wouldn't be able to take down any royal guard.
"I should get ready. I need to leave soon." I exchanged another grin with Kari before heading back to my house, where my horse, H/N, was tied to a pole outside. "Hey, buddy." I say, reaching up to grab an apple from the tree by my house. I held the apple out, and they chomped eagerly. "Come on, let's go. We don't have much time, and I want to grab a bite to eat."
I climbed onto H/N's back, and eased them into a trot. With a deep breath, I left the secluded village and went on my way to the Castle Town Bakery.
~~~~
I arrived at the castle shortly before the set time, giving me enough time to locate a stable and board my horse. I walked back to the castle, expecting to only see Zelda and Link as I was still a little early, however I was surprised to see two more figures standing by the princess and her knight. One of them had a distinct fish-like appearance - a Zora, meaning she was presumably Mipha - and a large, burly, rock-like dude - presumably a Goron, making him Daruz- Daruk? I couldn't remember what Zelda had called him. Regardless, I took another deep breath, and went up to the small group. Zelda saw me and smiled.
"Y/N! How lovely to see you again so soon. This is Mipha, pilot of Vah Ruta," she nodded at the Zora, "and Daruk, pilot of Vah Rudania." she nodded at the Goron. "Daruk, Mipha, this is Y/N. They are to be the pilot of Vah Dampé." Mipha gave me a small smile and a nod, and Daruk grinned widely.
"Hey, kid! Like the princess said, I'm Daruk. I dunno if you could tell, but I'm a Goron, so I live on Death Mountain. You should swing by sometime! My partner makes a wicked rock roast." His voice was deep and gravelly, but friendly.
Mipha spoke softly and gently. "I suppose I ought to formally introduce myself as well. My name is Mipha, and I'm the princess of the Zora, though I expect you knew that already. I live in Zora's Domain, in the Lanayru region."
"It's nice to meet both of you. I'm Y/N, and I'm a Sheikah, so I live in Kakariko Village, which is just beyond Dueling Peaks."
"You're a Sheikah? Gee, I should've have guessed!" Daruk laughed heartily. "I must admit, I've only seen a couple Sheikah, but the ones I've seen all had white hair, like you!"
I shrugged. "Yeah, we do tend to have white hair."
Zelda looked past me and smiled.
"Urbosa!" I turned around to see a tall, bronze Gerudo woman with blood red hair tied in a ponytail. The woman - Urbosa - smiled and came up to us.
"Good afternoon, Zelda, Daruk," she said. "And i assume you two must be Mipha of the Zora and perhaps Y/N of the Sheikah?"
"That's me. How did you know?" I inquired.
"I briefly spoke with Zelda before coming here. We were to travel together, but I had to sort out some things in Gerudo Town, and Zelda left so she would be here on time." Urbosa told me.
"So you know Zelda?"
"Of course, her mother was one of my dearest friends. I've known her since she was a baby. So... Zelda told me you managed to defeat Link in a duel. How did you manage that?" Urbosa raised an eyebrow, sounding quizzical, but i detected a hint of humor in her voice.
"I'm honestly not sure, it all happened so fast. We were fighting, or really we were just blocking and evading...but he eventually knocked my sickle," I patted the sickle resting on my waist, "out of my hand, and...I just knocked him over with my Tremor."
"Your Tremor? What's that?" Mipha inquired.
"It's...this thing I can do, where I can create an earthquake under someone, if that makes sense." I answer.
"Interesting. I have the ability to call down lightning from the sky, which is very handy to use against the Yiga Clan - they have less electric resistance than a Zora. No offense, Mipha." Urbosa looked up at the sky. "Isn't there supposed to be a fifth Champion? A Rito, correct?"
"That's right." Zelda sighed. "I wonder where he is. We don't have much time before the ceremony begins, and I have something to give all of you....now where is that blasted bird?"
"Who's a blasted bird, now?" A new voice rang out behind me, and I turned again to see a dark blue Rito landing before the gates.
"Revali, what took you so long?!" Zelda asked the Rito. She sounded annoyed. "The ceremony starts very soon, you left us barely any time and I need to give you all something before we go into the sanctum."
Revali didn't seem fazed by Zelda's annoyed tone. If anything, it annoyed him.
"Well, excuse me, Princess, for not being informed of that." I heard him mutter. I frowned. That was certainly no way to treat the princess.
"Hey, do you guys want to see my Tremor, right?" Urbosa shook her head at me, knowing exactly what I was getting to. I ignored her and concentrated on the ground beneath Revali, simply willing it to happen. The area under one of his feet began shaking uncontrollably, just as it had for Link. The bird stumbled but caught his balance quickly.
"What the hell-" he growled furiously.
"You should show the princess some more respect, Revali." I told him between gritted teeth. He glared at me, but didn't pursue the subject further.
Zelda cleared her throat. I looked back at her to see she now had some sky blue fabric over her arm.
"I stitched these all by hand. They are made to signify your role as Champions. You will need to wear them during the inauguration." She passed the long pieces of fabric around. I took the one she handed to me and looked at it for a bit. It had white markings, the most prominent and biggest of which resembled a rabbit. Might that be Vah Dampé? I'd never had the honour of seeing it yet, all I knew is that it was currently being fully excavated and from what they've seen looks like a rabbit, so it was perfectly plausible.
Daruk and Mipha had fashioned theirs into sashes, while Urbosa had fastened hers to her belt and Revali tied it around his neck. I copied Daruk and Mipha, tying it into a loop and wearing it like a sash.
And with that, it was time for the inauguration ceremony.
~~~~
The five Champions and Link stood in a row inside the sanctum, below a large balcony where King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule stood before two guards. Zelda stood in front of us in the middle of the room. Guards were stationed throughout the room, and a small group of people stood in the background to watch. I could pick out a few Zora, Rito, Gerudo and Gorons, and Impa was present, but I couldn't spot Kari.
The King cleared his throat. The ceremony was beginning.
"Welcome, warriors. I'd like to thank you for joining me here today, and for your courage in accepting this fateful task. I officially appoint you Hyrule's Champions and bestow upon you this sacred garb. That blue is a symbol of the Royal Family, one that has been passed down for countless generations. Those garments you now wear were all crafted by my daughter, Zelda.
"Zelda. I trust you with the task only a daughter of the royal family can fulfill. Lead our Champions, Princess. And together, protect our kingdom from the threat of Calamity Ganon."
A moment of silence passed. When it became clear the king had finished his speech, a slow clap filled the sanctum, slowly becoming louder and more enthusiastic.
Zelda bowed her head for a moment, before slowly and regally walking through an archway leaving the sanctum. Link and Urbosa followed, then Mipha, and Daruk. I went after Daruk, tailed by Revali.
Once we had left the castle, Zelda showed us to a gazebo in the castle grounds. It was big enough for everyone to have personal space, at least.
Daruk groaned, rubbing his shoulder. "I tell ya, those formal shindigs really take it outta me." he told Link and I. Meanwhile Zelda showed the others a small device. I didn't bother to take a closer look. I've never been the techy type, I prefer combat. However, something Revali said piqued my interest.
"So, this is the Sheikah Slate, hm?" he had asked, holding the device up. Hearing the name of my tribe, I looked up.
"It is," Zelda replied. "Apparently there are more uses for it than we originally thought. Sadly, we've yet to decipher all of its secrets."
Revali handed the Slate back to Zelda. "Hmph. Perhaps our Sheikah friend here could take a look at it."
I scoffed. "I hardly think I'll be able to find out anything new. I'm not that involved with Sheikah technology."
Revali's emerald green eyes flashed with annoyance, and he opened his beak to offer a scathing reply. However, Urbosa spoke first. "The princess showed me something strange recently. Somehow it can produce true-to-life images."
"Oh, wow," Mipha said. "I would love to see it....um, Princess? May I ask a special favour of you?"
~~~~
Mipha had wished to take a picture of all us Champions together, so Zelda got Impa's older sister, Purah, and handed her the Slate.
"All right, this spot should work nicely!" Purah decided, holding up the Slate. "Keep your eyes on the Sheikah Slate, everyone!....Daruk, can you crouch down a bit? You're as big as Death Mountain."
"Hmph?" Daruk crouched lower, his knees grazing the ground.
"What's with the glum face, Princess? Gimme a big smile!" Purah encouraged. Zelda smiled widely. "And Revali, move your tail closer to the group."
"Ugh, fine." Revali groaned, scooting closer to me and Urbosa. I tensed up a bit. It felt weird being so close to him after our....spats.
"Mipha, Y/N, you both look so tense! Deep breaths, okay?" Purah grinned from behind the Slate. I took a deep breath and loosened my shoulders, fixing a big smile on my face.
"Right! Stay just like that. Here we go! Click, snap!"
Right as Purah snapped the photo, Daruk pulled us all into a bear hug, smushing my ear into Urbosa's stomach and Revali's wing onto my waist for a second as he stumbled forwards from sheer force.
"Daruk!" Zelda gasped. "Wha-" Revali was bent over, gasping for air like a fish out of water. Mipha giggled weakly, and as I stepped away from Urbosa I couldn't help but join in. Daruk laughed heartily, and Urbosa and Zelda joined in too - even Revali chuckled a bit between gasps.
"I just know we're going to get along swimmingly!" Mipha declared, before doubling over laughing at her own pun. By now Purah was giggling too, and I swear I heard a chuckle escape Link's lips.