Chapter Text
Link couldn’t begin to comprehend all the colors around him, but he knew he had found his favorite one.
His soulmate's eyes were the hue of gold. Gold was yellow? … Yellow was the only color he needed to see.
“You are beautiful."
Link blinked out of his trance and focused on the face in front of him. His soulmate was a Zora, a man, and more pressingly, holding his hands.
“I am usually much more verbose in my praise, but you have made me voiceless."
Link huffed and released his hand to gesture to his throat.
“Oh! Apologies for my poor choice of words—Link pulled away to wave away concerns and then joined with his kindred's chilling hand once more. Link's eyes inadvertently wandered to gaze upon the pigmented Lanayru River, the half-rainbow in the rain, the vibrance of lily pads and grass, and the comforting dullness of the rocks making up Mount Lanayru. Link wanted to stop and observe the river before running and bumping into the Zora. What had he been running from?
“Hiss!” Oh right, the Lizalfo camp Link bombed; his Gerudo scimitar broke, so he left one alive. He turns to see the final assailant charging behind him.
Right before the Lizalfo strikes, he pulls out his bow. His soulmate notices and turns to try to push him out of the lizard's way, but Link backflips before both strikes and shoots down the Lizalfo, killing him in one shot.
The Zora looks at him in shock before a white, sharp smile appears. “I was aware the gerudo were great warriors, but I’ve never seen anyone with reflexes like that!”
Link flushed as he looked down to see he still hadn’t changed out of his Vai clothing. With only one divine beast left, he’d absentmindedly rushed out of Gerudo Town without changing.
“I am Sidon, Prince Sidon of the Zora. I was looking for a Hylian—but I believe a Gerudo of your stature will be equivalent to taming Vah Ruta! Fortuitously I happen to have my daybook on me. May you please write me your name?”
The prince handed him a small, scaly journal with a pen. Link slowly flipped to the next page. Link had become well known as the champion after his travels; he carried a unique name that would immediately out him as the champion. The male champion. Sidon currently believes Link to be a Gerudo woman; he doesn’t know how Zoras view same-sex relationships. He knows Hylian opinion from the scorned looks and words he received in Lurelin Village for the sin of asking a man out.
The prince is looking down at him, waiting patiently for a response. Link can’t bear the thought of never seeing gold eyes again.
Link looks up and passes the tools back to the prince.
“You cannot write?”
Link bit the inside of his cheek as he nodded. Hylia, how grateful he was for his veil! Even though the downpour made the covering cling to his face, it concealed the expressions he was unable to hide. Link's chest hitched as he waited for Prince Sidon's response.
Link was about to make a move to run before he heard the melodious voice once more, “That is no issue; I could have the pleasure to teach you! Where are you staying? I can travel there if it’s close—or you can come to the domain. I promise, fated, you will be welcomed with open arms.”
Link pointed to the direction of the last stable he stayed at and made an urgent gesture towards it.
“You must go back?” Sidon cocks his head and frowns. Link looks away so as to not be swayed by that face to stay longer before making a conclusion.
Link turns to leave before his wrist is swooped up by perspiring hands. He’s never been held so gently, as if he were a breakable fine pot, not a weapon. “Wait! I beg of you! Promise you’ll return. I—I would really cherish time to get to know you better. I know this is quite an awkward meeting, and we might not feel the traditional soul bond strongly at the first meeting. But… I know you are the girl I will love someday.” With that, Sidon released Link to leave.
Link finally allowed himself to truly look at the Zora. The complexion was touched with many tints. Link would learn the names of the gleaming silver adorning him, lips lightly parted, and a countenance that told Link he had meant every word he said.
Link nodded; he wished he could turn simple words into song like the prince—but even without concealing one’s gender, he wasn’t gifted suitable articulation by the goddess. So instead he walked towards the towering Zora, gestured to the prince to lower his head, and lifted his veil slightly to give him a kiss on the gelid cheek.
Not daring to look at Sidon’s reaction, Link sprinted towards the mountains.
“Oh—WAIT! I need a warrior for Vah Ruta; please come back!”
Link would have to return, but who to return as?
After changing into his well-worn outfit, Link checked into the wetland stable. As Link walked towards his bed for the night, his shoulders quivered. Something about staying in a stall made him feel too solitary, yet too perceived at all the same time. As shown by the earlier encounter with the supposed love of his life, living in the wilderness is not helping him acclimate socially.
In the loneliness of evening, Link realizes that he’s yet to have dinner and goes outside the massive tent to make a new concoction out of the fish he caught on the way. Next to the wok he sees Beedle asleep, laying his head on a log.
Link lights the fire under the wok and adds in any ingredients that sound edible together: porgy, snail, rice, and seasoning. He ends up with something the Shekiah slate calls a “Seafood Paella."
Link raises himself off the ground to get a plate; after retrieval, he steps back outside only to bump into a cuckoo that crows so loud the horses wake up just to glare and curse his soul.
As Link plates his dish, he hears a rustling movement and braces himself, only to hear a yawn coming from Beedle.
"Hoooo, Link, good to see you again." Beedle yawns while rising and taking a seat next to Link around the wok. Link waves and offers Beedle his plate.
“Oh, thanks, but I’m not hungry. I’ll buy it from you though!” Link shakes his head and begins to eat. He was meant to be thinking out a plan but could only stare at the dying but luminant flames from underneath the wok. Pretending to be a woman wouldn’t last very long if he and Sidon were to be committed soulmates. But he would have some moments to cherish in love. Before Sidon or his kingdom pushed him to the ground and told one and all to “beware the sexual deviant." Link knew that the cruelty was wrong; during his travels, he saw joyful and accepted sapphic couples in Gerudo Town. Though every time he seldom heard the princess's voice, he knew he should keep it hidden. Zelda was watching him, fighting for him, so that he could do his duty. There was no time for the agony of love when a war was to be won. Link didn’t even remember his life besides a single small memory; what did he know of love?
Link threw a log into the withering sparks of flame, slowly letting it simmer into an inferno. Link started preparing meals for his voyage to the domain tomorrow. He made ungodly culminations of every ingredient he had available, only stopping when fatigue made his hand falter and be seared by the burning metal.
“I’m selling salve! But you look like you are in need of a sample strange friend." Link heads to sit and lets the merchant apply the cool gel. “Beedle is confident it’s not healthy to be this burning to the touch."
Link stays silent as he stares at the fire, the only dry entity in the area. The only thing that’s free from the water and keeps the wok burning. Link yearned to be content—like the wok, the wok knows its purpose; the smothering heat slowly kills it, but it continues to cook until it breaks, grateful to serve.
“You seem really fascinated by that fire. I can sell you a fire arrow for 20 rupees a piece, so you’ll always have some fire on you!” Beedle chimed. Link was grateful for the companionship, so he brought 4 arrows. “You’re awesome, Link!”
Link cleared his throat and found the energy to mutter a cracking amber “color?” pointing towards the fire.
“OH! Colors, how exciting! Fire is a combination of red, orange, and yellow. Red is the darkest, orange is the middle shade, and yellow is the lightest… soooo you found your lucky soulmate?” Beedle wiped the sweat off his forehead. “One second, I’m just going to calm the flame down if you're done with it."
Link holds his hand in a wait motion. He goes through his belongings and grasps his Vai costume, stands up, and holds the tawdry fabric above the inferno.
“Woah! Why burn such a valuable cultural outfit when you could sell it to me?”
Link couldn’t. It would be too much temptation to buy it back, put it on, and run towards the Zora.
…Everything was fixed, but this could be the one thing Link has control over.
“I can tell that outfit means a lot to you. Just, uh, think before burning it, Link."
A flying spark chars a small area of the pants—Link immediately pulls the fabric away and holds it to his chest. Panting, he tries to put out the fire but is only able to tame it to a small simmering flame before retiring for the night.
When the deep purple heavens turn blue at dawn, Link decides to go on the traditional trail to the domain. The humidity and rainfall made the champion's tunic stick vexingly to his body.
The silver-flaked stream catches his eye. Link turns from the trail to splash water onto his face to combat the heat. As his hands cup the water, a pair of slippery extremities grab his wrists. A familiarly pigmented Zora rises to claim the action.
“Pardon the entrance, but you are a Hylian, correct? Please don’t run. Do you have a moment to talk?"
Link stared at the unsuspecting eyes of the prince for much too long before nodding.
“Aha! Yes, I knew it! "Oh, pardon me." Sidon releases his grip and flips out of the water onto the earth.
The cool fire-colored face smiles with a gleam. “I am Sidon, the Zora prince!” Oh, Link is very aware of that.
“What is your name? … Go on, please tell me!”
Link summons all the strength in this voicebox to release an uncracking word, "Link."
“Your name is Link? What a fantastic name! Hmm, though I cannot shake the feeling that I have heard it somewhere before. Even your face… never mind, I wouldn’t forget such a noble face."
Link was glad he’d practiced his straight face; it took so much effort not to burst out into an oafish grin.
“I have an eye for the unparalleled; I can tell you are a strong warrior amongst the Hylians."
Link shrugged.
“Strong and humble! I have been searching for a person who carries themselves with power…” Sidon’s luminescent eyes falter for a second. “And who is willing to help me stop Vah Rutah’s rainfall to stop the danger coming to my domain!”
Guilt wracked through his veins. He had wasted so many hours not doing his duty to ponder on the prince; he endangered him. “I’ll help," the hero was able to mutter.
“Really? Thank you, Link! You are indeed the man I thought you were!”
Link winced once Sidon finally left. Some soulmate he was. As Link started the trek, he noticed the world’s hue had grown duller. He remembered overhearing from a little Sheikah girl that "dimming" happens when one’s away or distant from their soulmate for too long. Link had just felt scales soft as the fall of lotus leaves and didn’t reach back into his grasp. Had gilded eyes locked onto his and did not even flinch with recognition.
“You are the girl I will love someday." A guttural laugh escaped the champion. He pulled out the master sword and began his final quest.