silly little headcannon please let me get my thoughts down:
so in Botw, Clavia gives Link a quest in Hateno Called “Secret of the Cedars”,
located on Madorna mountain; directly north of the village. Clavia sets up the quest by saying she found a letter in an old book in her house about a legend involving the mountain.
still with me? great.
if you go into any house in the village you’ll find these sugar/flour jars. the jars are Hateno’s signature blue and white colours with a logo of a three-peaked mountain range. it’s kinda hard to see, but it’s there. i think those jars are part of Hateno’s agricultural business.
it would make sense to associate the village with the mountain cedars because of its proximity and uniqueness. the odd placement of the trees is noteworthy. so noteworthy in fact, that hylians were writing folklore about it (evidence being Clavia’s letter). but that’s not all…
the tree-mountain motif isn’t just on jars; it’s design is literally EVERYWHERE in the village. painted on sheds, houses, furniture, crates, gates, pots, bowls, clothing, books, HELL EVEN THE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER HAS THE LOGO ON IT.
safe to say, Hateno Village itself is associated with the Madorna mountain cedars. my guess is that this connection was made the very day that Hateno was created. the tree/mountain symbol is woven into Hateno’s very foundation which probably extended to their farming business, which is why the design on the jars is so interesting. i actually made my own Hateno jar! the hylian translates to “Secret Cedars Imports” :)
I'm so frikkin lost, like, I just had the dumbest HC ever.
Just imagine:
TOTK Link didn't get to keep his arm and he and Zelda spend their time teaching those children in Hateno after no more world-saving stuff has to be done.
But just imagine if they would have like a day where they susj sing stuff and Zelda and the kids go "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands" and our poor one armed Boi Link just sits there, thinking something like 'goddess pls end me"
Breath of the Wild Zelda has a reasonably difficult time adjusting after the Calamity. She's 100 years distant from her own kingdom, and must live in its shell. In a way, she believes old Hyrule has been put at peace and she is content with it... At least, for a while (given we know she struggles with wondering if Hyrule should even be rebuilt). Pairing that with the constant nightterrors where her mind is convinced she's still in a century-long battle isn't very helpful. For a long time, she keeps out of sight to rest within Link's house - which he generously let her stay in since the castle was nowhere near liveable condition. However, things began to turn when Zelda found herself outside more and more. What else could she do, other than savor the beauty of the land she was denied in her self-made prison? But, as time went on, she progressively began to sense that she was being watched. Maybe even followed. It turned out not to be the work of a Yiga Clan assassin, though - rather, the overly curious children of Hateno Village. Ever since Link took her home on the back of his horse, they've been nothing but curious! When at last the children realized they had been spotted, they found the only course of action was to keep asking questions... and apparently, Zelda really liked answering them!
My latest one-shot written for the Residents of the Wild digital 'zine that was just released! Many thanks to the mods for giving me this opportunity!
Snippet:
Today, a frazzled Professor Symin does his best to be heard over the cacophony of his young students' voices. His latest lesson plan, that he thought would lead to animated discussions and speak to his students' creative sides, has proven to only incite them to heated debates. As a matter of fact, he wonders if his idea to produce a school play reenacting the defeat of Calamity Ganon will ever come to fruition, and is beginning to rue the day he ever introduced the notion to his students.
He blows an errant lock out of his eyes that has fallen from the kanzashi that usually holds his neatly top-knotted white hair in place and tries to regain order. “Students! Please!”
Read the rest on AO3
Zine features art by @lunarchibistry!
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Many thanks to @zeldaelmo for betaing! It’s been so long I bet she doesn’t even remember! 🤣
Chapter Twenty-seven: Soft Spot (written for @zelinktines24 day 27 prompt) ty to wallflora/lovesickflora for betaing!
Read below or HERE
A delighted high-pitched squeal rings through the Hateno school yard when a little girl with two black pigtails quivering on top her head sees Zelda and Link appear at the gate.
“Professor Link!” Launching herself off the sunken balance wheels she wraps her tiny arms around his leg and holds on for dear life.
It’s the best kind of hug from a toddler and with her vice-like grip there’s no shaking her off. Not that Link tries very hard. “Hi, Naran.”
“Professor Link?”
Link pauses touseling Naran’s hair and his cheeks heat when he sees Zelda’s bemused expression. “Uh, I may have stepped in a time or two while you were gone.”
“Really?” She raises her left eyebrow, and studies him as if she’s seeing him in a whole new light. Link’s nervously rubbing the back of his neck before he can stop himself.
“Professor Link, tell that mean old grumpy pants, Professor Symin, Nebb and I are old enough to go to school!”
“Sorry, Naran, I must defer to Headmistress Zelda on that one.” Link extricates himself from Naran’s clutches just as shouting prefaces Symin’s class pouring out the school door. When they see Link and Zelda standing in the school yard, the four students’ faces light up and they rush over to encircle her and batter her with questions:
“Professor Zelda! Where’ve you been?” “What did you bring us?” “Will you tell Professor Symin and Professor Link to stop giving us pop quizzes?” “I like the quizzes.” “Nobody asked you, Azu!”
Zelda’s laughter is bubbly, light, and her eyes dance with delight. “Please, one at a time.”
“Professor Zelda! We learned how to make monster curry!” Azu tugs on her hand, hopping up and down to garner her attention.
“And Professor Link told us all about the Princess and ancient Hero,” Aster informs her, and Karin chimes in, sighing, “He sounded like he was brave.”
Sefaro’s lips curl disdainfully, scoffing at the dreamy look in Karin’s hazel eyes. “Aw, the ancient hero sounded lame to me. I could’ve taken him, right, Professor Link?”
“Sure could, Sefaro.” Link looks over the students’ heads and mets Zelda’s glowing emerald eyes.
“History and cooking? Will wonders never cease?” Zelda’s teasing smile matches her light-hearted tone.
Link returns her smile. She’s the wonder. As the children continue to pepper her with questions, Link steps back, giving Zelda space to enjoy this long overdue moment. She’s back where she belongs, surrounded by her adoring students. They drag her to a nearby tree and settle in the cool grass, looking expectantly at her. Zelda pulls gifts she brought them from her bag–monster figurines from Kilton’s and hands them out.
“For my future students this fall.” Naran’s eyes shimmer with tears when Zelda gives her figurines for her and her brother, Nebb.
As the children are playing with their toys, Zelda leans against the tree, eyes sparkling with amusement as she listens to their animated chatter. No matter where she goes, she always touches the hearts of those around her with her warmth and kindness. Teaching and helping others grow is where she’s always shined the brightest. How carefree and happy she is compared to the sad girl from so long ago and the depressed woman from just a few months back. Link knows better than to think it will be all sunshine and roses for them, but he hopes they’ll have more good days than bad going forward.
Turning her attention away from her students, Zelda catches his eye and beckons him to join her. When he sits beside her, she takes his hand and leans against his arm, sighing contentedly, and speaks softly, her voice barely a whisper on the wind.
“I didn’t realize how much I missed this until now.”
“They adore you. And so do I.” Link gives her a tender kiss just behind her ear, that never fails to make Zelda scrunch up her shoulder. She covers her mouth, giggling softly behind her hand.
“Ewwww! Professor Link just kissed Headmistress Zelda.” Sefaro wrinkles his nose in disgust. “Did you two get married or something while you were away?”
Link shrugs in answer. Not yet, but if he’s learned anything over the course of events, he’s no longer going to wait for the perfect moment to present itself. He realizes as he sits beside the love of his life, every minute good or bad spent with her is a perfect moment.
I'm floored with the number of hits and kudos this has received on AO3. I suppose some of that has to do with posting an update every day, but for me, it's still a big milestone. Just want to thank everyone who has been reading here and hopping over to AO3.
There's only three more chapters to go! I hope you all like how this wraps up!
Here's a tiny sneak peak for tomorrow (I mean the chapters are already pretty short!)
A delighted high-pitched squeal rings through the Hateno school yard when a little girl with two black pigtails quivering on top her head sees Zelda and Link appear at the gate.
“Professor Link!” Launching herself off the sunken balance wheels she wraps her tiny arms around his leg and holds on for dear life.
It’s the best kind of hug from a toddler and with her vice-like grip there’s no shaking her off. Not that Link tries very hard. “Hi, Naran.”
