Chapter Text
It started with the harp.
Legend snatched the instrument from Sky’s hands, glaring daggers. “Don’t touch anything! Everything in here is off-limits! That—“ He hung the harp back up on the wall. “—once belonged to the mortal incarnation of a goddess! It’s not a toy!”
“So?” Sky huffed, pulling out his own harp. He ran his fingers over the golden frame. “This harp used to belong to a goddess too.”
Legend rolled his eyes. “I know you love your Zelda a lot and she’s your goddess and all, but I’m talking real goddesses.”
“So am I.” Sky’s voice was dreamy as he plucked out a familiar melody. The sky knight wandered off, leaving Legend amid his collection. Another goddess? That he hadn’t heard of? That he hadn’t had to save?
Surely not.
The day ended with a bang, him allowing Ravio to stay to guard his house so long as nothing was sold from the back room. He watched his friend warily, but Ravio was busy trying to sell Warriors a new fire rod and acting as if the past year of separation hadn’t happened. In a way, it was kind of nice, seeing someone from one of his quests again.
His eyes shifted to Sky, dozing on the couch and plucking idly at his harp. His alleged goddess harp. What was the goddess Sky always mentioned? Hylia? His people must have really liked lakes. Maybe the harp could control water? Sky had once said, during a sudden squall, that his home had never had storms. Maybe weather? Or the harp helped water their crop—
Hyrule, leaning on the arm of his chair, elbowed him. “What did Sky do to you?”
“Nothing.” Legend rubbed his eyes. Why were they so dry?
“You’ve been death glaring at him for the past ten minutes.” Hyrule chuckled. “I thought he had spit into your Pegasus boots or something.”
“Nah, nah. Just wondering about his harp…”
Hyrule looked between the two of them, eyebrow quirked. “But he’s good at playing?”
“I didn’t say he was bad! I just… hm. Have you ever heard of a goddess named Hylia?”
“You mean like the lake?”
“Exactly!” Legend bit his lip, blowing air between his teeth. “Why would a lake goddess give a harp to a guy from the sky?”
Hyrule rolled his eyes, clasping his hands over his heart and leaning on Legend’s shoulder. “Didn’t you hear? They’re in looooove~”
Legend laughed, shoving Hyrule off the arm of his chair. The ensuing squabble woke Sky up, and the harp was momentarily forgotten.
—
Legend couldn’t sleep.
Thanks to Ravio taking over, his bed had once more been shoved into a corner, this time in the kitchen, and they hadn’t been able to dig it back out before everyone was ready for bed. Everyone was spread out, sleeping on couches or the floor, Legend wedged between Twilight and Hyrule on the living room rug. Sky was on the couch over him, one arm dangling over the edge. The knight was dead to the world, head pillowed on the unfortunate Warriors’ chest, who had given up trying to extract himself and gone to sleep half sitting up. The golden harp was on the floor, still loosely held in Sky’s draped hand.
A mysterious goddess’ instrument…
Legend just had to know.
He carefully extracted himself from his bedroll, wincing as his back popped. Hyrule murmured something, ever the light sleeper, but Legend only had to make a few gentle hushing sounds and the teen rolled over, sleeping on. He carefully stepped over Twilight’s arm, his footsteps rabbit-quiet over the floorboards, and gingerly touched the golden harp. Nothing happened—no splash of holy lake water or bolt of lightning punished him for laying a hand on a sacred instrument. He could just take a look at it, satisfy his curiosity, then he’d be able to sleep. He could faintly see some delicate scrollwork on the side, possibly even runes, but the living room was too dim to make them out. Legend softly picked his way to the door, carefully slipping outside into the light of the full moon.
The supposed runes were merely decoration, delicate wings etched up from the base towards two birdlike caps. Legend wondered why a lake goddess would have birds as a motif—he had expected fish or frogs. Maybe these were meant to be herons or something? The shape of the beak was wrong, but everyone’s Hyrules seemed to have unique animals after all. A lake in the skies may have had herons with curved beaks.
He ran his fingers over the strings on instinct, listening to the noise. The instrument was well-tuned. Sky took excellent care of it. Legend felt a little guilty suddenly. He had just swiped his friend’s treasured possession without asking! That was… well, that was no better than Ravio! He considered slipping back in, returning the harp, but his fingers slowly drifted across the strings still, plucking out old familiar melodies. The Tune of Echoes. The old song his Uncle would hum when he was a boy. Marin’s—
A dark shape passed over the moon.
Legend tensed, setting down the harp and reaching for his sword. It wasn’t there—he was in his pajamas. He backed into the door, eyes narrowing as he searched the sky. Maybe it was just a bird, or—
A massive figure, a figure meant for the sea, was floating overhead. Tiny wings flapped elegantly, too small to support such a being but for their divine magic. Legend’s breath shortened. He knew that shape. Why was it here ? He snatched up the harp and ran inside, nearly kicking Four and chucking the harp back onto a sleeping Sky’s lap. He scrambled to find a blade. If this was a dream, if this wasn’t real… he darted back to the window, every muscle tensed. For a moment he couldn’t see the Windfish, and his heart cracked to think that–
But no, the figure was still visible, but smaller. Flying away, a bit slower as if lost in thought. It wasn’t here for him. It wasn’t going to drag him back into a dream He wouldn’t give it a chance.
Legend didn’t sleep that night.
He didn’t touch the harp again.
—
High above, the Windfish hummed. Its ancestors had always loved the songs played on the goddess’ harp, coming when called. But the little hero had not stuck around after playing for it. Perhaps he had just wished to be sure the Windfish was still awake and well.
Such a good boy, it thought as it lazily swam through the clouds. Such a very kind Hero.