Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"This is but one of the legends of which people speak...

Long ago, there existed a kingdom where a golden power lay hidden. It was a prosperous land blessed with green forests, tall mountains, and peace. 

But one day, there came a man of great evil who found the golden power and took it for himself. With its strength at his command, he spread darkness across the kingdom. But then, when all hope had died, and the hour of doom seemed at hand... 

...a young boy clothed in green appeared as if from nowhere. Wielding the blade of evil's bane, he sealed the dark one away and gave the land light. This boy, who traveled through time to save the land, was known as the Hero of Time. The boy's tale was passed down through generations until it became legend... But then, a day came when an ill wind began to blow across the kingdom. The great evil that all thought had been forever sealed away by the hero once again crept forth from the depths of the earth, eager to resume its dark designs. 

The people believed that the Hero of Time would again come to save them... Though the hero did not appear. Faced by an onslaught of evil, the people could do nothing but appeal to the Gods. In their last hour, as doom drew nigh, they left their future in the hands of only Fate itself. 

What became of that kingdom?  None remain who know. 

No matter, the memory of the kingdom vanished, but its legend survived on the wind's breath. The elders wished only for the youths to know courage like the hero of legend..." 

-----

The cries and caws of seagulls sounded throughout the island's shores, the faint rustle of leaves and the soft lapping of waves at the warm sand comforting to the boy. The distant crashes of waves could be heard from atop the high tower he stood on, the vast blue expanse reflecting the sun's rays off of its white tips to bring an almost hopeful glimmer in his heart. The wind blew from behind him, batting his slightly messy blonde hair and blocking his view as his bangs covered his eyes, sideburns and locks of hair catching in his face from the cool breeze. With an annoyed sigh, he reached behind him at his belt, feeling for the familiar sleekness of the baton, grabbing a gentle hold of it as he brought it to his attention in front of his face. He glanced over its make, fingers running over its smooth polished tip, its silver-white color giving it an immaculate glow.

It had been beautiful all his life, but had become boring with time. 

Before long, he raised the baton up with a grace that could have only come with experience, as if ready to conduct an intangible orchestra in front of him. What was his orchestra? The ocean? The sky? The clouds? No- it was only the wind. The wind was at his every whim, to change at his every command with only a simple flick of the wrist in any way of the Compass Rose. It could brew and crescendo into the most deadly of storms, whirling, whipping winds stretching for as far as the eye could see. Or, he could calm and appease the breezes to soften them into a diminuendo of only but a gentle whisper brushing against the surface of the rocking waves. And this, all this power belonged to him, a simple thirteen year old boy. 

It had belonged to him for as long as he could ever remember, from his youngest years as a small child to now. Everyone on the island knew of this gift bestowed upon him from birth by some unknown source- everyone told him that it was a blessing of the Goddesses. He was skeptical, of course, but where else could this magical tool have come from? It could have only come from the fated hands of the Divine, and that was final. 

Of course, many times he had almost lost the baton. Or at least, it was many times that he thought he almost lost the baton. It had often washed into the ocean, never again to be found in the wake of white foam and blue depths as he had swam. However, each time it had managed to drift away from his grasp into unreachable territory, he would reach behind and feel its sleek, thin shaft tucked into his belt, returned to its rightful owner. It could never be separated from him no matter what he had done, he found out, and having the Wind Waker soon became a boredom more than it had been a fascination. Even as he dug into the sand, shoving the fragile-seeming baton into the warm, pale grains, he would bury it and walk away to find that the conductor's tool had nestled itself instantly at the belt of his tunic. However odd it was, it would at least ensure that it would lay in no other's hands. 

With a graceful wave of his hand, he turned to face behind him, then almost as if stuck in a rhythm, tapped at his invisible stand and let the wind come to a halt. The island was at a stand-still for a brief moment, the rustling of the leaves going silent, the waves licking against the sand almost as if diminishing. Right before the taciturn moment would have been discernible, the wind started up again as he turned back around to face the rolling waves of the ocean once more, the cool breeze now blowing against his face, blonde hair no longer in his face, locks of hair as if trailing behind him. His long, blue tunic, embroidered with a small white lobster at his chest rustled and blew behind him like a cape, and the boy let out a sigh of relaxation.

Just then, he heard the wooden clamps of foot on the rungs of the ladder behind him, and a voice to accompany the approaching presence.

"Big Bro! Did you change the direction of the wind again? What, was your hair in your face again?" she asked teasingly, a giggle bubbling from her lips as she hopped up onto the platform, hugging the older brother.

He let a soft smile crawl on his face as he lovingly ruffled her locks of a matching-hue blonde. 

"Do you have to always point it out? You're getting pretty good at this!" he said with a laugh, the two siblings giggling together before they both became entrenched with the sight of the everlasting sea. 

Link would have thought this life on Outset Island was as peaceful as it ever could be. 

Chapter Text

Ripping his gaze away from the rolling waves in the distance, he settled his eyes on his sister. Aryll was always a sweet girl, so kind and playful. Link couldn't have asked for a better sister, he always thought. Grandma was always telling them that she was ever so thankful for good kids like them, and Link had to wonder what life would have been like if they were different. What would life be like if he didn't have that tool, the Wind Waker?

In truth, the instrument could have been more burdensome than beneficial. Of course it provided for him a convenience to some situations, but with its powers, a weight on his shoulders pushed him down constantly, Link having to heave around the responsibility. Grandma always said it was dangerous to go around at night by himself- there were monsters that appeared from the forests, roaming about the island when time came. He could get injured, or even killed if he dared venture out at night by himself. And even on the peaceful island they called home, perhaps people still couldn't be trusted. People were always greedy for more, greedy for control over anything; Grandma had always told him that she wouldn't have been surprised if someone tried to steal the "blessing" from him. What kind of blessing was this anyways? Why would the Goddesses bestow upon him such a tool anyways? What purpose did it have? And why him? He wasn't anyone special, Link knew. Though, perhaps the Goddesses had something in store for him. They always had something planned, it seemed. 

"So why'd you come up here? Did you need something? Did Grandma need something?" he asked with a slight tilt of his head. 

Aryll grinned, letting out another giggle as she gave his clothed arm a playful slap. "Aw, come on, Big Bro! Don't tell me you forgot?" she asked with a teasing smile. Link bit the inside of his cheek in thought. What was she talking about? What was it that he had forgotten? Was it his turn to hang the clothes out to dry? Was it his turn to collect the firewood? His expression of slight confusion told the girl that Link was absolutely clueless. 

"Silly! It's your birthday! How'd you forget something like that?" she shouted at him with an amused, cheeky grin, smile stretching from ear to ear at the thought of her brother forgetting his own birthday. Link perked, eyes widening in response to the sudden realization. Of course, it was his birthday, wasn't it? "Ah, yeah, it is!" was all he could muster up in response to his loud sister's teasing disbelief. Then again, this had happened several times already, it was no wonder it happened again. For some reason, his birthday wasn't a date that exactly stuck with him all too well. Perhaps that would be something he had to work on. After all, his sister's teasing would just get worse and worse over the years if he didn't improve his memory. 

Breaking him out of his small reverie, she reached up, standing slightly on her toes as she pulled on one of his sideburns, hand wrapping around the blonde lock that hung off the side of his face. He gave a feigned expression of pain, though had a playful, wolfish grin on his face as he was pulled. "That's why I came up here! To give you a present, dummy! Here, it's for you!" she said excitedly, eyes sparkling with an excited radiance that could trump even the beautiful glints of the morning rays off the surface of the clear waters. Aryll reached behind, grabbing the present that she had tucked in between her belt and tunic, pulling it out and shoving it towards the older boy. "Take it!"

Feeling it push into his chest, he immediately complied with his little sister's command to avoid dropping the gift. Taking it into his hands, he took a moment to observe it, examining it with an almost meticulous glint in his wide, curious eyes. He ran his hands over its sleek, wooden shaft, looking at the paint and the awe-inspiring wood work. The glass at its larger opening was polished and as clear as the first lights of the dawn, Link almost gawking over the birthday gift before his sister piped up. Her voice brimmed with pride and happiness, seeing the obvious contentment in her brother's eyes. "It's a telescope! Happy birthday, Big Bro!" 

Link stood there for a moment, still and unmoving. For a moment after he had raised his eyes from the gift, he settled his gaze on Aryll, staring at her. The suddenly, a wide smile danced on his expression, the boy shooting forward and hugging his sister, the telescope in one hand as he wrapped his arms around her in a loving embrace. "It's amazing, I love it so much. I'll make sure to use it everyday!" That was a promise. 

------

That night, Grandma had made her delectable soup for his birthday, Link managing to drink up two helpings just for the heck of it. They had celebrated with some songs and some stories, and just like that, the evening was passing, and Aryll and Grandma were already asleep. As the moonlight filtered in through the window, shimmering across the blanket over his body, the shadows jumped and cascaded over the household, the stars and moon shining brightly above their heads. He was restless, the boy tossing and turning, always staring out the window at the beautifully alluring crescent moon. Perhaps it was the product of a full stomach? Certainly he wouldn't have been able to fall asleep anytime soon at that rate. 

As if driven by impulse, he quietly slunk out of his blankets, climbing down the ladder of his bunk bed furtively. His soft steps were soundless against the wood, and soon, he slipped on his shoes and went out the door, heading to the pale shores and glimmering waters. Link sat on the white sands, admiring the gentle, dark waves that lapped at the shore. The moon and stars reflected off the surface of those constantly rolling waves, giving off an almost reminiscent atmosphere. Many a time did he slip from his bed at night to wander down on the calming shores. Of course he trusted his Grandma when she said there were dangers lurking during the night, but with an opportunity for this moonlight serenity, he couldn't simply pass up the offer. 

And that was when he would regret his decision. 

Suddenly, as swift as lightning, he felt a sharp pain ring down his spine as he felt a blunt object impact with the back of his head, Link instantly going unconscious. The boy slunk against the sand, water licking at the tips of his blonde locks as the moonlight fell upon the night. Darkness consumed him, and regret would later be his most abhorred enemy. 

Chapter Text

The floor underneath him rocked, wooden walls creaking as the planks stressed and bent, each motion carrying the boy with the flow of the ocean waves, As his eyes groggily fluttered open, the sounds that were at first a mere dull conglomeration were now becoming distinct to him, seeping into his mind along with his sight. Bringing his hands up to wipe at his eyes, he tried to clear his blurry and muddled vision, giving a few blinks as he brought his hands down to his lap. Link sat up slowly, trying to assess the situation.

Where exactly was he? And why wasn't he on Outset Island? Why wasn't he at home ?

Another harsh rock of the floor underneath him made Link lean with the shift, the boy almost falling over from his seat on the ground. Panic started to set in upon the sudden realization of his situation. His heart started to beat faster, pounding in his ears. The movement of the floor wasn't from any earthly tremors- no. Link knew naught exactly where he was, but he certainly knew what kind of vessel he was put inside of. It was a pirate ship, and quite frankly, a rather large one at that. It wasn't a trading ship, considering that the interior of the room he resided in at the moment was decorated, a couple paintings and framed maps hanging on the rocking wooden walls, barrels sitting in the corner, boxes lying around filled with Goddesses know what. But...Pirates? Take him ? Why? What value did he have to anyone else besides his family?

Then it hit him.

His family. When would he ever get to see his family again? Link would have started to bawl right on the spot had it not been the thought of trying to escape spurring him on. He needed to escape, he needed to get back home! But by the feeling of it, this ship had set sail already. And assuming that he had been knocked unconscious for a long while, the ship was, most likely, more than a swimming distance away from Outset Island. How could he escape now? Well, one thing he could do was change the direction of the wind towards the opposite direction the ship was heading towards, but he didn't even know where they planned to go in the first place. If he went outside, what would they do to him? Would they just hole him up? Would they throw him overboard? What were their plans?

Link had heard that Pirates were notorious human beings, greedy and filled with an insatiable cupidity. But if they were so avaricious for treasure, what use would he be for them? What was the point of kidnapping him? Holding him ransom? Not a very good idea now that they were most likely in the middle of the ocean. Though, what was more important at the moment was how he was going to escape. The Great Sea was unrelenting, merciless- there was no way that he could swim back, and building a raft was nearly impossible in these conditions, and his chances of even surviving out at sea on something makeshift like that was little to none. He had just woken up and he was already feeling like it was all in vain, that his struggles to think of a way back home were all for nothing.

Just then, the door swung open, a large man walking in, a scowl rigidly painting his tan face. He wore a red bandanna over his head, covering his hair, or where his hair should have been, if he even had any at all under it. A purple tattoo adorned his chest where his shirt didn't cover at the neck, tan skin making the seemingly vibrant violet look faded. The man spotted Link, making his way over to the boy with a sort of swagger in his stride, looming over the seated boy who now scooted back slightly, afraid and rather uncomfortable.

"So ya' woke up, eh? Didn't think you'd be awake 'till the sun rose, we hit ya' pretty hard on the head, but looks like you got some strength in that scrawny body o' yours." he said with a hoarse growl in his voice, eyebrows furrowing as he looked the boy over. Link swallowed dryly, unable to find the right words to respond with. His blue eyes were wide with a numbing panic; what could he do? He didn't even have a weapon on him, just his telescope that Aryll had given to him for his birthday, and the Wind Waker. This man didn't look like one to be fazed by getting hit with a telescope by a young boy, surely.

"Where's it, huh? Where're ya' keepin' it?" he snarled with a deep voice, leaning in to threaten the boy with nothing but a sharp glare, Link trying to move back, but meeting suddenly with the wall. "Miss Tetra told us that you've got somethin' to change the way the wind's blowin, says that'll lead us to even more treasure."

Now Link understood, these Pirates were after the Wind Waker! They wanted to use it so they didn't have to wait for the wind to change on its own to hunt for treasure, it seemed. It was a smart idea, save for the fact that they couldn't use the Wind Waker even if they tried unless... Link suddenly felt a jolt of anxiety stab at his chest. The only way for them to use the Wind Waker was to force him to use it for them, that was why they kidnapped him instead of simply trying to steal the Wind Waker. Now he knew they weren't going to let him go so easily. After all, even if he wanted to give the Wind Waker to him, it was impossible, as the baton would simply reappear in his back pocket once more to haunt him. What could he even do now?

"Hey, answer me when I ask ya' somethin', kid! Where're ya' hidin' it?!" he asked once more, a large hand shooting out to grab Link's arm and give him a sudden shake, Link responding with an almost bewildered "H-Hey! Let go of me!" Stop it!" Link yelped as he tried to jerk his arm away, unable to escape the stronger man's grasp. 

"Quit your yelling, brat!" 

From the door shouted the voice, the large man halting at once, turning to face the source of the voice at stiff attention, still having a harsh hold on Link's skinny arm, the boy left in an awkward pose as he too was turned as a result. The door closed with a slam, and standing in front of it stood...a girl. It was a girl who could have been as tall, or even maybe just slightly shorter than he was, even. Her hair was a shocking blond like his own, fashioned in a vertical spiral that sat neatly atop her head, making her seem, perhaps, just slightly taller than she really was. Perhaps it was supposed to be a means of intimidation. Though, the expression on her tan face was already enough to intimidate, it seemed, for the large man that held him by his arm was standing ready for command, almost. Her blond eyebrows were furrowed with an obvious annoyance, hands on her hips as she walked down the couple steps towards the man in a sort of condescending manner. Her clothes screamed pirate, but her soft features said otherwise. 

"Why's he awake so early? We hit him right over the head!" the pirate girl angrily chirped. "I-I'm not sure, Miss Tetra, it wasn't any o' my doin', I swear it! He just woke up on his own!" the large man quickly responded, voice filled with anxiety. 

The girl gave a sigh as she shook her head, walking closer as she shifted her gaze to Link. "Gonzo, just stop pestering him about that baton of his, alright? It's useless to us without him anyways." she said as she narrowed her gaze at the boy. Link locked eyes with her, both their stares frozen on each other, the boy obviously more nervous than this "Tetra" person. "Kid, you know why you're here, right?" she inquired with a raise of an eyebrow. Link responded with silence- it was a rhetorical question, wasn't it? 

"You shouldn't be that dense anyways, you should know by now. Pirates want treasure, which includes scouring the Great Sea for days, and taking long stops just t make sure the wind blows in the right direction. But with that baton...Boy, can we get places! It's like having the power of the Goddesses right at your fingertips! Or at least, the power of the Goddesses right at his fingertips." she said with a coy grin. A scowl started to spread at Link's face- he didn't want to be used like this, but what choice did he have? He was far from home, and his only chance of getting back was with the pirates, who he doubted would ever want to send him back. 

He was trapped, and there was nothing he could do about it. 

Chapter Text

When had the lilt and creak of the wooden boards under and around him become so familiar with every bump and rocking motion? When had the musty smell of his damp surroundings become natural and numb to his senses? When did the sting of salt and pelts of icy rain start to feel like soft kisses on the cheek rather than bitter slaps to the face?
When was it that he stopped resenting these people to find some sort of pity in the depths of his heart for them?

Link didn’t know.

It had been almost two years since that fateful night, tragic in its own way that only remorse couldn’t fully express. His old life had been swept away on the stormy waves of horrid destiny, the boy ending up beached on the sands of exploitation and practically imprisonment.
Was this what they called the struggle for power? Only, Link was struggling for nothing- his power was granted to him, unresignable. Even if he wanted to give it away, he could never, for the only thing that parted him from the baton was Death itself, whom he wished to never meet until it truly was his time in the late future. And to think that he, of all people, would be the one to take the blow in everyone else’s stead, to sacrifice his own physical familial ties with his grandmother and sister by separation, created by none other than the Great Sea itself, which wasn’t seeming so great at the moment.

True, it could have been reasonable to be grateful that his life was spared, but to the two family members he had left back home on Outside Island, he might as well have been dead. He left no trace at all, his disappearance as swift as ever. The pirates probably hadn’t been spotted in the dead of the night, sailing away with their prize that was him and his cursed blessing.
Still, pity tethered him to his own morality and kept him from feeling any sort of hatred towards the pirates. They were human too, vulnerable to the natural instincts and inclinations that afflicted everyone. It was the drive for ownership, the urge to take authority, the exhilarating thought of being superior over any others because of material and possessive gain.
In short, it was greed.

Link felt that he was also to blame for this current predicament, for he had fed and fueled their ever-growing lust for money because of his simple cooperation. With a shout of commands and orders and a flick of his wrist, baton in hand, the wind always moved to his unfortunate bidding to push the ship onwards in search of spirit-degrading treasures and core-rotting jewels of the sort. He couldn’t stop them, and he couldn’t escape them- where could he even go when surrounded by the ocean?
There was no point at all, really, but to remain put and pray to the Goddesses that, even if he himself could never return to Outset Island, his grandmother and Aryll stayed safe and lived a good life without him.
It was unlikely that they would take him back at this rate- after having stayed with them for more than a year’s time? Of course not. And with all the treasure they dragged up from the sea’s floor and pillaged from other islands all because of him and his control over the wind? He didn’t think that they would have wanted to give him up, like he was some sort of object, a prized possession to be hoarded and stored away for constant use.

Was he being too kind? Too docile? Yes. Link knew he was too nice for his own good; he was being taken advantage of. But after some time, this was something he eventually had gotten accustomed to. It was sympathy, or at least, something of the sort- it was a confusing emotion he himself couldn’t place. Yet, it was something that told him that it was okay to feel this way, that he shouldn’t have kept that hatred in him to fester over the years. In fact, they were becoming more of acquaintances now more than strangers or even his kidnappers. It wasn’t as if they treated him like a slave, there was no torture at all like he had childishly imagined those two years ago. Tetra, the ship’s captain, he had learned, was the harshest on him, however, considering that they were most likely the same age. Though, one thing for sure that Link could discern was that he was unconsciously sympathizing for them.
And at this point, unfortunately, he too could have been considered a pirate.

They were greedy while he refrained; they urged him to join in on the enjoyment of feeling these riches flow through the crooks between their fingers, but he refused. It was an avidity that he wished not to return to them, because he knew that once he succumbed to it, it would have been all over. For now, his heart remained headstrong, even if his eyes saw everything else. He didn’t want any treasure, he didn’t want the gold and jewels that fell into the pirates’ hands because of him, it felt rotten to sink them deeper into the pit of greed and just stand at the surface as he watched them submerge deeper and deeper. Yet, the only way he could help them was to leave them be, to make his great escape- that was a plan to be saved for later when the opportune moment came to be.
Tetra would have been infuriated with him, even if he had seen her growing onto him somewhat. Needless to say that he too felt some sort of attachment to her, but what it was specifically, it was hard to place. At the moment, it was of little priority to Link, a topic he’d rather not use brain power to dwell upon.

Sitting atop a stack of wooden crates, he let out a sigh as the ship smoothly sailed along the waves, the wind blowing the fresh scent into his face, his legs swinging in a rhythmic motion as they hung off of his makeshift seat. Seagulls cried above him, casting fleeting shadows below as they flew by the sunlight.
He had grown at least two inches, if not three, from when he had spent his last days on Outset, messy blonde hair having grown to be tied into a short ponytail that hung down below the nape of his neck. Still skinny as ever, his old tunic still fit him, even if it was just a tad bit short. The once vivid cerulean hue of his old clothes had dulled with time and wear, making it seem as if a part of a dreamy past if it weren’t for his bright blue eyes.
Hearing footsteps approach him upon the wooden deck, Link turned to face the clunky steps and saw Gonzo lumbering his way, the boy giving a slight upward twitch of his lips as the man gave a smile.

“What’re ya’ waitin’ for, a Seahat to come flying into the ship or somethin’?” The pirate asked with a snort, to which Link replied with a slight huff.

“No, why would anyone wait for that? I’d shoot it down with a cannon before it came anywhere close.” He commented before he cleared his throat and continued. “What, is it wrong to just sit here? I need a breather, it’s nice weather, I guess.” he lied.

There was more going on in that brain of his, unconscious planning, purposeful plotting, only the Goddesses knew for sure. Freedom was on his mind, really, and to get to see his small family again was all he wanted. So be it if they needed him and the baton to feed their hunger for wealth, he was tired of being an object. They were nice people, he was sure, deep down in their hearts, but he didn’t want to stick around to get to know them any better at this rate. Patience was what he needed, it seemed.

“Breather? You barely do anythin’! Come on, now, wavin’ around that glorified stick ain’t gonna drain you.” Gonzo replied with a haughty laugh, Link responding with nothing but a slight frown as he gave a soft exhale.

“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll go get a broom, then. I’ll brush the wooden planks at Tetra’s feet if she really needs it.”

------

Footsteps and the clanks of a metal lantern sounded from the top deck, the footfalls quick and light, rushed with a sense of urgency. The night was dark, shadows dancing on the waves outside with the calm of the late evening. The moon shone brightly above the deck, almost full as it waxed anxiously. The stars flickered from behind the thin layer of wispy clouds. 

“What’s that noise up there…? A rat or something?” came a hushed whisper from the mass of blankets on one of the rickety beds lined with all the others.

“Rats don’t...wear chains...last I remembered…” came a groggy reply.

“Maybe it’s just the wind, now shut up and get back to sleep…”

Suddenly, the door burst open, dim orange light emanating from a held lantern, a large figure at the doorway.

“Hurry, get up! He’s gone missin’! Get your lazy bums up! Miss Tetra’s furious, how’re we gonna get our treasure now?!” It was Gonzo that stood holding the lantern, voice filled with urgency and some trace of concern.

“Who’s missing? Who’re talking about?” Niko piped up, to which Gonzo replied with a stomp of his foot.

“Link! Link’s gone!”

Chapter Text

He had never felt his heart beat so heavily, so urgently within the confines of his chest. It thumped and rattled like an unneeded weight, as if it were planning to burst right out from his body to free itself from the stress of supporting his own sane mind.

Link felt like a runaway, a criminal- and essentially, he wasn’t too wrong.

Running away from greed and confinement, stealing and robbing his own body from their treasure-grubbing grasps- was that a crime? Jail him, then, for he had committed felonies by taking himself away from their deceptively kind hands. True, perhaps they could have been the extensive family that he had never even dreamt of, and perhaps they weren’t bad people at heart, but Link certainly knew that he himself couldn’t take it anymore. To flee was to justify himself and to bring himself back to his safe haven in the arms of his grandmother and in the presence of Aryll.

Two years? Two birthdays that he could have spent with his grandmother and his little sister, squandered because he was stuck on a perpetually ocean-faring pirate ship? Link missed them, he wanted to be with them, he wanted to be home again, back on Outset Island where the seagulls always cried with that same sort of warm tone in their squaw, the fine sands that tickled and swallowed up his feet at the shores, the crabs that would walk upon his toes and crawl into their small underground abodes- he missed it all because he couldn’t have that when he had been kidnapped and taken for his Goddess-cursed baton.

Link could say that he was greedy, but not in the gleaming gold and silver and emerald hearts, but instead in his own selfish, humble, needy filial soul.

And obviously, that was why he now found himself sitting inside a rowboat, arms working themselves to near fatigue as they pushed and cut the wooden oars through the thick water as if cutting thick cream, propelling the small rotting dinghy forward with every muscle-wrenching drag.

No longer would he join in on their hearty songs and cheers, no longer would he hear the orders of the squabbling men and Tetra, no longer would his heart ache for them when he saw them indulging and obsessing over another pile of treasure, no longer would he have to think about pirates again to have his soul sink at the thought of them.

It was all gone now.

Like a dying shooting star across the dusky sky, he streaked across the dark swirling waters as quickly as he could, the large, looming thundercloud that was the pirate ship getting farther and farther away from him, until he could no longer hear their commotion in the dead of the timid ocean night, until he could no longer make out the shape of the vessel, until he truly felt as if he were all alone.

A thin layer of grey clouds was smothered and spread across the speckled starry sky to which Link couldn’t distinguish any guiding constellations and the moon was simply a blurry patch of light behind the gamut of blended, billowing masses; henceforth, no stars could be seen swimming right beneath the surface of the inky waters, leaving his moving wooden savior to seem as if floating in nothing but darkness.

That wasn’t far from what he truly felt, really. Even if he didn’t want to admit it, he was lost, dearly so. The general direction of Outset Island was where he was heading, true, as the wind guided him homebound. However, he had no true idea of when he would get home, or even if he would get home at that. There was only one day’s worth of ration stowed away beneath the seat his body sat upon, the same body whose aching arms were still laboring away in escape through the pains of astounding endurance. A canteen of water hung from his belt, nearly full with the precious liquid life, though he doubted it would be so by the time the sun rose high in the sky the next morning midday.

What time of night it was that his wooden angel creaked and groaned across the slick ocean, he didn’t know, though he felt as if the sun wouldn’t show itself for eternity. But, if he managed to progress at least a good ways closer to home before the morning peeked over the horizon, then he would have considered himself rather accomplished.

However, before he could even start to plan out what rickety journey of freedom he was already having, the menacing plip of water upon the ocean’s surface causing Link’s heart to drop in his chest before more drops of rain began to follow its descended companion, the clouds weeping over him now to sabotage his trip home. The calm of the night was instantly gone at that moment to be replaced with a pain that was aggravation.  He would have shed tears of his own had he not thought about dehydration.

No, he had to endure through the storm, his home was waiting for him, his family was waiting for him .

Despite the pelting rain that soaked him, he continued to work his arms to continue sweeping the oars within the now churning waters. The Goddesses seemed to work against his favor, however, and as the damp, rain-streaked winds buffeted his face and body, he felt it start to grow into a storm. Still, his bud of determination continued to bloom and he continued to press on.

The lightning flashed before his eyes, covering the world in white before it quickly subsided and left him in a momentary daze. Thunder roared and crashed only seconds after the horrendous burst of light, and the rain seemed to only pelt him harder, bent on ending his hopeful journey now in untimely demise and a watery death.

The ocean waves rumbled around him, swirling and rocking the boat about, the wood sides of the rowboat groaning and pleading for mercy. Twice already it had been in which his boat almost dumped him right into the now hungry and volatile waters, and Link was hoping that there wouldn’t be a third.

Link was blinded by the cold rain allied with the harsh winds that attacked his eyes, arms no longer making the effort to row any further. He suddenly felt the water jerk at the paddle at the end of his oar, the wood shaft in his hand scraping away and slipping out of his grasp, pain shooting up his now raw, pink fingers and palm as the oar was swept away by the rough ocean current.

The wind whipped by his ears to the point where he couldn’t even hear the beating of his own heart, which had been so prominent then, but now only seemed like a rhythmic breath that emerged from none other than his pleading will. The Wind Waker could do nothing now, only change the direction of the torrents of air and rain, not rid of it completely. He felt almost useless.

Now, he wrapped both hands as firmly as he could around the remaining oar, despite the water that came in between him and a harsh grip, fingers and palms struggling to keep it in place. It chafed and slipped in his hands, yet he tried in his last efforts to still continue through the rough waters, his now seemingly ramshackle wooden rowboat climbing the mountains of waves that rose and fell, the dark murk constantly splashing into his boat to wet him even more so than before. The white foam of the billowing waves was threatening him, another flash of lightning making his heart jump, only to be followed by another roar boom of thunder.

It was a challenge to even move the paddle through the water, Link now only able to keep the oar still rather than in his prior rowing motions. All it did was turn the already spinning boat, and it was even more of a struggle to just pull the oar out without feeling it suctioned to the ocean’s furious waves.

Link never recalled the exact moment when his sense of feeling stopped completely, when he could only perceive darkness, when he could only breathe the salty ocean that surrounded him into his lungs, when he could only taste what seemed to be defeat.

Chapter Text

The darkness persisted on, and even if he felt the solid ground beneath him, some presence of tangible foundation holding him up, he felt like he was still being thrown and tussled around in the swirling waters of the vicious, voracious ocean. He had been consumed by the icy teeth and tongues that swallowed him up deep into its dark depths, and it was then at that moment that his mind started to spin.

Was he dead? Was this the expanse of the afterlife? Was this the nothingness his spirit had succumbed to when his palpable body was no more?

He continued to think extensively before a voice breached his hearing.

“It’s been awhile since you’ve been out, my boy. Are you alright?”

Who...What was this voice? Who was this voice that sounded so close to him? His eyes fluttered open groggily, his vision blurred and face feeling crusty with the ocean salt. His whole body ached, though everything seemed dark. There seemed to be a large shadow casted upon him, and as he looked upwards at what seemed to be casting the darkness upon the shore he laid upon, it was...rock. Dirt and rock formed what he presumed to be an extension or protrusion from a cliff or rock face. The water lapped at his calves while his upper body rested on the cool sand, the distant caw of seagulls echoing in his ears. A crab scuttled by his hand, and soon, Link sat up with a groan, rubbing the back of his head. Where was that voice again? Looking around curiously, there seemed to be a...boat. Whose boat was this? Why would anyone leave it there and not tied to the dock? Perhaps its owner had been the one speaking to him.

Glancing over the small boat again, he examined its ornate yet simple, red body. It was a wooden rowboat fit for, at most, two people, three, barely. It had a neck and decorative head designed on it, Link looking up at the dragon-like design, gazing right into its painted eyes. How peculiar.

“Uh,” he started, looking around again to search for the boat’s owner. “Y-Yes, I’m fine!” he responded, glancing curiously around. “Is this...Is this your boat? Would you like me to tie it up for you?” he asked, turning his back to the boat to peek out of the shadow and look onto the golden sandy beach, looking around for the person to match the voice that had inquired of his condition.

“My boy, you are looking in the wrong direction,” the voice spoke again, only it was… behind him?

Link whirled around to find the man who spoke, but again, was only met with the rowboat. Strange. The other possibility could have been.... No, that was outrageous! That couldn’t have been possible, this boat only had a decorative head, it couldn’t have any… other function… could it?

Narrowing his eyes in the boat’s direction in confusion and thought, he took a couple steps closer towards the boat, looking up at its head before letting out a sigh, shoulders slumping. He was just being paranoid. Shaking his head dismissively, he was about to turn around when the voice came again, only now it was from the boat itself .

“Your eyes and ears do not deceive you,” the boat said, wooden maws clacking softly with its every word and syllable. Link nearly jumped out of his skin as he gave a yelp, eyes wide as he took a couple steps back, recoiling away as he looked the boat over with astonishment. What? What was going on here?

"Did I startle you? I suppose that is only natural. As wide as the world is, I am the only boat upon it who can speak the words of men. I am the King of Red Lions. Do not fear... I am not your enemy,” it continued on, its dignified expression and bright eyes fixed on him. Link swallowed thickly as he closed his mouth and tried to restrain his gaping expression. It was hard to listen to whatever was being said to him (though he tried), considering that there was the fact that a boat was speaking to him. Or rather, just the fact of the boat speaking at all was his main concern. Maybe he had hit his head against a rock near the surf when he had gotten washed up. It could have all been just a dream, or a hallucination, perhaps. It...no, he seemed like a...friendly boat, at least. Then again, everything out in the world lately seemed to be getting more dangerous as he went along. This had the potential to be no exception.

No matter, he had little choice here, didn’t he? What with his situation and all, being stuck on an unknown island, far from home, he was already as lost as he could have imagined. This boat wouldn’t do him harm, he decided.

“Did you...Did you save me?” Link tried his best to speak past his parched throat, swallowing dryly.

The boat shook its head, Link hearing the wood of its body creak somewhat with the movement.

“No, I simply found you upon the shore. You have been through many troubles, I can see. What ails you is more than simply physical pain- you seek more, but here is not where you expected to find it.”

Link pressed his lips into a thin line, feeling himself retreat back into the recesses of his head in thought after the boat’s insight. How could he find anything here when he was trying to get back home? This obviously wasn’t Outset Island, of course not. He wanted to be with his family again, not stranded on some island. He was thankful to have been washed up rather than dead, but what was he to do now? Could Aryll wait longer? He had made her wait long enough, how could he be so selfish as to press her patience and concerns? A dull feeling of guilt budded at the pit of his chest, Link starting to bite the inside of his cheek.

His head jolted up to look at the boat again when the King of Red Lions continued on.

“You have much more to your life than your wallowing, my boy. Come, listen to me. I can lead you away from this island and you may return home.” Upon hearing that, Link perked somewhat. Any sliver of hope he could get to journey back home was necessary. “You possess a blessed item, do you not?” he asked. Link nodded- if the Wind Waker could have been considered blessed-- wait.

How did he know that he had the Wind Waker?

Link hadn’t shown it to him, had he? Did the boat see it on him when he was saved? Perhaps so. But how could he know what it was? It looked like a simple baton, nothing more. This boat seemed to know more than he was letting in on. Then again, not many boats spoke anyways, so this boat must have been more than met the eye.

Reaching behind him at his belt, he pulled the baton out, holding it in his hand, fingers wrapped around it as it rested in his palm. It was cold and calming, cool on his fingers. Yet, it brought nothing but discontent to the young man. After all, it had been because of it that he was there now, leagues and leagues away from home on some island, talking to a boat .

“It’s been nothing but a curse to me,” Link explained, looking down at it with solemn eyes. He couldn’t throw it away either, as it would just appear back in its place at his belt. He wished that it didn’t have a place with him. He wished that it had a place somewhere beneath the ocean- somewhere no one could ever find it again so that the same curse wouldn’t befall another individual again. What good was it if it only made him a target to prey on? “I was taken away from my home because of it. I wouldn’t dare call it any blessing.”

The boat’s head shook side to side with soft clatters of wood as his lower and upper jaws clacked against each other. “It is truly unfortunate. However, it is a gift from the Goddesses. Its place in your hands has given you a great responsibility.” The boat seemed to want to move closer to Link as if to accomplish some sort of motion of reassurance, but was stuck at the shore.

“A burden,” Link corrected. “It has given me a great burden. One that I wouldn’t suffer if I weren’t ‘blessed’ with the Waker at all.”

“The Wind Waker does not simply fall into someone’s hands, my boy. You have been chosen. It would have disappeared along with its past owner, but instead, it came to you.” Silence filled the air between them, the two surrounded by the cries of seagulls and soft crashes of the waves against the beaches and rocks.

Who was its past owner? Link thought to himself as a slight frown appeared on his features. If what the King of Red Lions said was true, then why did the Wind Waker bind itself to him? Why couldn’t it stay wherever it was, sealed away with its prior master? It made Link feel even worse about having it, knowing that the slim chance of his ownership of it had been fulfilled.

“In time, perhaps we will both understand. You, more so,” the boat addressed, glancing towards the sunny beaches right outside the shadowy alcoves they rested in. “I did say that I was going to help you return home.” The King of Red Lions huffed before continuing on. “I do believe that there is a sail somewhere on this island. Whether it is being sold or not, that is out of my knowledge. As you can see, I haven’t a sail on my back. Without it, we won’t be getting anywhere far, my boy,” he elaborated. Link gave a nod of understanding in response, looking at the Wind Waker for another moment longer before putting it back.

“I’ll be back soon.” He hoped, anyways. “Stay here.”

“As I should with no other choice but to.”

Right. That made sense.

Hesitantly, Link moved his eyes away from the boat, turning around to walk out of the alcove, feeling his feet gradually sink into the drier sand. The cold, damp sand transitioned to warmer, drier sand that made his feet feel hot inside his thin shoes. The sunlight shone over him pleasantly, Link looking around and gawking at the island in front of him. Turning his back to the ocean, he saw the windmill and the winding town that made its home there. Nearby, he could hear a pig snorting, waddling on the beach. Glancing over to it, he gave a small smile, kneeling down as he extended a hand to pet it, resting his palm on its head as it gave a content squeal. Just like home.

Standing up once more, he took a deep breath before giving a heavy exhale, looking to the town once more. He couldn’t dawdle- he had to get going. The more time he wasted, the more anxious he would get about his family.

As he walked off of the beach onto the grass, he felt the blades and patches of green crunch underneath his feet. This was no place to feel tense, he knew from the sight of it all. The town looked just as welcoming as the people did with their cheery gaits and smiles. It made him feel more relaxed as his eyes scanned the place, the bright red postbox right beside the town’s arched entrance catching his attention. Maybe if he had some idle time, he could find some paper and some ink to write a letter back home. The Rito postmen were always punctual, so he knew his letters wouldn’t be delayed. He didn’t want his family to worry any longer.

Shaking his thoughts away from that, he walked up the pathway past the arch, seeing the people go about their daily lives. It was a pleasant town, one that seemed as if nothing could have gone wrong there. The wind blew softly, and as he continued onwards, he could hear kids running about, playing with each other. Women gossiped and giggled with each other playfully to pass the time. Up the steps and directly in front of him, he saw the small shop set up outdoors on a wooden counter. There was a man standing behind it- he must have been the shopkeeper, then. There didn’t seem to be too many goods, but those other ones didn’t matter. The one good that did matter was the sail, which laid neatly folded atop the wooden counter. It was a clean white with a flowing aquamarine design sewed onto it, from what he could see. Looking tentatively at the counter in his moment of thought, he finally approached, clearing his throat before he spoke up.

“How much is the sail?” he asked, looking over it curiously.

The merchant gave a smile as he picked the folded sail up. “This? This is eighty rupees, nothing more, nothing less.”

He had that much, didn’t he? He had taken some rupees from the pirates’ treasury- enough to supply him for at least three days of food and water as well as a new pair of clothes. Patting the back of his belt to look for his pouch, he felt at it, yet as he ran his hand over it, he found that it was flat and light: empty. His eyes widened with surprise at this and he felt his heart race. It was that feeling he always got when he forgot something valuable of his, that heavy drop in his chest that made him feel dreadfully awful about himself.

Pulling the empty pouch from his belt, he saw that there was a hole ripped in the bottom of it. He figured that it had occurred some time during his unconscious state in the ocean. He shouldn’t have been surprised. With a sigh, he hung his head lower, shaking it in a forced change of plan.

“Sorry, I don’t have that much,” Link said dejectedly. The merchant simply put the sail down, giving a nod.

“It’s alright! Just come back when you have enough, it’ll be waiting here for you if no one else takes it first.”

With a resolved nod, he turned his back on the shop, knowing fully well that he couldn’t just take the sail.

(Well, he could, but not that he would stoop that low).

Where would he get that kind of money though? He had heard rumors that people stored rupees in pots outside their homes, but that sounded dumb. Who would do something like that?

Regardless, he needed to find someway to amass eighty rupees as soon as he possibly could. Walking back to the beach, he kicked a rock down the hill into the ocean in thought before he went back to the boat. Just like he said, the King of Red Lions was still there.

“So? Have you gotten that sail yet?” the boat inquired, wooden jaws clacking against each other with every word. Link shook his head in response.

“It’s eighty rupees. I don’t suppose you have money on you, do you?” he asked with a muted gaze of hope. Of course, just as he expected, the boat returned the shake of the head.

“My apologies,” the King of Red Lions acknowledged. Link gave a slight sigh.

“It’s alright.” He sat upon the sand, arms crossed as he bit the inside of his cheek in thought. Pacing about in his own mind, it was then that an idea so simple had hit him- how could he not have realized this before?

Leaping up from his seated position, his eyes gleamed with renewed will. “I got it!” he cried. “I could get a job! Somewhere on this island there has to be at least one person who needs another worker. I’ll make money that way.” By the Goddesses, there just had to be someone with an open position somewhere in town. He was old enough too, not just some little kid. “It may take a bit longer, but it’s better than nothing,” Link said, determined to start the search immediately. “I have to get going! I’ll be back soon!” he said as he scrambled out of the alcove, feet sinking into the sand and making him stumble his way off the beach as he continued to run up the path again back into town.

If he didn’t find an open position somewhere, he’d beg for one. There was no stopping him from getting back home.

Chapter Text

Dear Grandma and Aryll,

I’m sorry.

I’m so deeply sorry that I could never bring myself to write back home, to send some sort of indication to you both, my family, that I was alive. I could only imagine what you two thought had become of me in the years I remained silent and away and for that I’m sorry. I had no means of sending a letter back, of writing without being punished, or even of finding any paper and ink to use. The Goddesses know how willing I would be to use my own blood to write if it meant sending word back to you both to tell you that I was alright. But I had nothing. I should have found another way though. I should have.

I write to you both now because I’ve escaped. I freed myself, finally, from the hold that had kept me away from the both of you. The pirates were not as vicious to me as I had expected they would be, but keeping me away from my family and there to do their dirty work was enough for me to wish to return home. They were not bad people- only greedy, is all. But their hearts would never be as bad as their avarice. Something in me will never forget them- Senza, Gonzo, Nudge, Mako, Zuko, and Niko. Niko was not all too bright, as I had bested him several times at his own tests, but something tells me that he will miss me the most, not because I was their valuable tool to seek their treasure, but because he saw me as a companion. I don’t know whether or not I can definitively say I will miss them, but I would never willingly go back if it meant leaving my family again. Never will I lose sight of you two. 

I can only hope that the two of you are doing fine! Please, don’t worry about me any longer, I will be coming home soon! After my escape from the ship, I washed up ashore an amiable little island, which I can only hope is not too far off from Outset. It is called Windfall Island, and the people there seem lively and friendly enough! I’ve also found a boat- a very peculiar one, actually. It spoke to me with words of its own, as if it were alive! I couldn’t believe my eyes or ears. He calls himself the King of Red Lions and has been determined to aid me on returning home. My new companion is missing a sail, however, and the sail available on the island is 80 rupees. I’m not out of luck just yet, however! I scoured the island for work, and I’ve found a teacher who has offered to pay me if I find pendants for her to keep. I’ve also found daily work at the Cafe Bar to pick up plates and clean the tables. I will have 80 rupees in my pocket in no time! And perhaps I will have even more to bring back. I cannot wait to see how much you have grown, Aryll! And, Grandma, I cannot wait to taste your soup again. I've missed it for years now, and thinking of it has only brought me wistful feelings. I miss the soup and all of your cooking. I miss you. I miss the both of you. 

I promise that you two will see me again. I promise.

Link

Chapter Text

Link sat at the empty bar in his plain uniform, wiping down a couple of glasses with a soft cloth rag. Darkness was evident outside of the small window to his right, signaling the lateness of the day- or rather, night. Standing behind the bar, Gillian put another wet mug in front of the boy with a faint  clink  of porcelain against the wooden counter. She put her hands on her hips, fixing her blonde hair with one hand as she leaned against the counter with another. “All in a day’s work,” she said with a tired voice, emphasizing it with a short sigh at the end. Even after closing time, the place still smelled of strong coffee, the faint scent of soap from cleaning the tables and the floors doing little to overpower it. Link gave her a nod in response, putting aside another cup as he smiled up at her. “What are you saving up all that money for, boy? Sometimes I hear Gossack talking about how he sees you running about around the island.” She asked curiously with a near motherly sort of gaze.

“I’m saving up for a sail,” he replied curtly, diligently.

“A sail? Is yours ripped? I figured you came here on a boat of your own- I’ve never seen you around here before.”

Link nodded in response, rubbing the back of his neck for a moment before he continued with his work. “I washed up here with my boat.” Not really his boat. Just a talking boat. “My boat never had a sail. I’m trying to get one so I can get back home.”

She narrowed her eyes in slight confusion. “You’re telling me that you came here all by yourself?” He nodded at her almost too innocently for a boy his age. Too young to be venturing the seas by his lonesome, but too old to be considered a little boy. “Where’s your home? How did you get all the way out here? There aren’t too many inhabited islands nearby Windfall.”

Link put a mug down, looking up at her again. He cleared his throat, feeling a bit awkward. “It’s… a long story. Are you sure that you want to hear it?” he asked in forewarning.

She smiled again, leaning her elbows against the counter to get eye level with him. “Well, I don’t have anywhere to go. I’ve got all night with this place.”

He began from the beginning, from the night of his birthday when he sat on that beach alone. The night he had last seen his family.The night where everything went black and the night he regretted it all. The night that he hated the Goddesses for giving him that stupid baton and thinking it was safest in his hands. Thinking somehow that he had deserved it. 

But that part of the story wasn't the one for her. 

--------

It had been nearly an hour later until he finally stopped talking. Link felt that the whole period of time had been more than he had talked in the entire week combined. The darkness outside persisted, as if waiting for him to go and get the rest that he needed. His mouth was dry, all of his words seeming to have sapped his energy away from him. Gillian had been captivated by the story, standing up straight and cracking her back in disappointment that it had ended already. With a sigh and a stretch of her arms, she shook her head. “All that way just to end up here. I can’t believe you’re still alive-- pirates! You were taken by  pirates , for Goddesses sake.” It was quiet in the empty cafe before she spoke up again with a large yawn. “Gosh, it’s late. Hey- you’re probably tired too. Good work today, alright? I’ll steam some milk for you to take for the night. On the house. Just bring the cup back tomorrow, otherwise I’m deducting your pay,” she said with a humorous smile. Link only smiled back as she started to heat the milk.

“Right. Thank you,” he replied softly, shifting in his seat.

“It’s no problem. And Link?” She looks at him over her shoulder. “I hope you can get home soon. Seems like your Grandma and sister would really miss you by now.” 

Link pressed his lips into a thin line, feeling a weight in his throat like a pebble stuck there, stagnant. “I think so too.” He nodded, thinking that the weight would shift and fall into his stomach from the movement. It didn't. "I think so too." 

--------

“Do you have a family, Your Highness?” Link asked as he sat in the cold sand underneath the low cliff, back pressed up against the damp rock face as he brought the mug of hot milk up to his lips. The steam wafted off from the surface of the drink in visible wisps, tickling his nose and warming his cheeks.

“Yes, my boy. I do indeed,” replied the boat, who gave a yawn and a clack of his wooden jaws.

“Are they… boats too?” Link wondered if that was an insensitive question. He kept the mug up at his mouth as if he were trying to hide behind it, eyes peeking up from behind the brim of the cup to look at the red boat in awkward waiting. The boat shook his head in gentle correction.

“No,” the King of Red Lions answered. “You will learn about my family in due time.” Link only remained silent at that, giving a contemplative nod. He wondered what they were like, then, if his family hadn’t been boats like him. Perhaps a family of magicians who had enchanted the boat? The boy couldn’t imagine it. His gaze had dropped to look at the sand before he shot it back up to the boat upon hearing his voice again. “I do miss them, though. It has been far too long.”

Link felt the same way. “I know how it is,” he said in return, finishing off the drink as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, pushing the empty cup halfway into the sand to keep it stationary during the night. Link started to take his boots off, slipping his fingers beneath the leather folds before he took them off, setting them beside him. He dug his feet into the sand, breaching the cool surface to dive into the dying warmth. His toes played at the cup vaguely through the sand. “I miss mine too.”

“Ah, but you possess that powerful baton, do you not? Those blessed winds had led me to you, as it will lead you back to the ones you love, my boy. I promise you.” The silence persisted as Link neglected to look at the baton at his belt. The boat gave his last words for the night. “You should sleep. The night only passes, never stepping back. Rest up- there is much to come in the days to come.”

Link sighed, giving a tired nod as he leaned his head against the rock face behind him again, hugging his arms around his knees to press them up against his own chest. He closed his eyes and let the sound of the sea surround him.