#lovely lofty

[milkyplier]

Word prompt! :D Blue

“Sky, what’s your favorite color?” Wind asks. The question is entirely unheralded, but Wind has a habit of asking such questions so Sky doesn’t hesitate too much to answer.

“Blue,” he says. Blue like the sky. Blue like Sun’s eyes.

Before he can get too lost in the thought, he catches Wind nodding, expression distinctly unimpressed.

“Yeah. You look like a guy whose favorite color is blue.”

The remark might have been inconsequential, if he hadn’t said it like there was exactly one disappointing answer to a meaningless question, and Sky had just given it to him. Sky frowns at him, offended.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

[16mistypaw]

A continuation of @skyloftian-nutcase's HC snippet Honor Walk, and her response to this ask.

---

Wild stepped out of the elevator, joining the crowd lining the hallway. The doors to the ICU unit stood at the other end of the hall, where people kept casting expectant glances. The quiet murmuring among them was silenced as the doors swung open, and the Honor Walk began.

The donor patient was lying still in her bed, resting for what would be the last time, unaware of the people gathered to honor her life, and the life she would be gifting to others. She was escorted by her care team and family, the people who had stayed by her side and fought to save her, until there was nothing more to be done.

Everyone was silent as the patient was pushed out of the unit, many dipping their heads in respect. A multi-colored scrub cap caught Wild’s eye, drawing him to the one he had come to support. Four had been run ragged since the patient’s admission, and Wild knew it hurt him to have been unable to save them.

Their eyes briefly locked as Four looked back up from the monitor he was tending. The nurse’s eyes were glistening and red, having been fighting back tears during the procession. Wild gave a small smile and dip of his head. Four gave a small smile in return, before having to look away as the wetness in his eyes burned hotter.

Then they were gone, rounding the corner that lead to the OR, leaving a void in their path. Everyone attending knew it was there where she would be given a rest this world could not offer.

After a few more moments the assembly began to break up, everyone dispersing to return to their units and assignments.

Wild trailed behind the crowd, Four’s face burned into his mind’s eye. His next breath trembled and his clasped hands held tighter as they began to shake. Hurriedly he rushed into one of the unoccupied family waiting rooms, harshly sitting himself down as he began to fall apart.

The room was silent, but the sounds of the hospital buzzed in his ears. The soft beeping of monitors, the hum of equipment, an alarm of some kind or another going off. His hands unclasped, feeling restrained, and grabbed for the IV and tape on his arm that wasn’t there. The soft lights of the family room suddenly seemed harsh and fluorescent. And amidst all of it, Four still stood in front of him, unshed tears in his eyes as he diligently tended to him.

Wild had been that patient. Wild had gotten lucky; he’d survived. The girl being honored today hadn’t. Four had been on the verge of breakdown during her Honor Walk. She would never know, that someone she would consider a stranger, would mourn for them. Simply because she was a person, and a life had been lost.

‘That could have been me. I could have been the one lying in that bed dying.’

To have such an impact on a stranger’s life… He couldn’t imagine how the family had felt, losing a loved one, if even a stranger could grieve for them.

‘That could have been me.’

He saw Twilight’s face, Sky’s, Wind and the others. Tear stained and afraid as they sat at his bedside, talking to him and whispering assurances, trying to comfort him as much as themselves.

He recalled, in his brief moments of awareness amidst the sedation, the tube in his throat, the pressure of something in his skull. The same devices he’d seen on the girl that had passed by just minutes ago.

‘That could have been me.’

The cushion dipped, startling him out of his thoughts as a familiar colorful hat came to rest beside his shoulder, and an arm reached up to cradle his back and put firm pressure on his other shoulder.

‘That could have been me.’

‘But it wasn’t.’

“Thank you.” Four’s voice was quiet, a slight wobble to those simple two words.

“Anytime, Four.” Wild returned the one armed hug, squeezing the smaller male into his side, before huffing out a laugh. “…Dang my guardian angel is working on freaking overtime. Sorry, buddy.”

Four snorted a strangled laugh, pushing away to swat at Wild.

“Dude, your guardian angel needs a vacation.”

[silvrash-797]

Aaaash, dropping in to give you a hug and say hi ❤️

I know this is so late ssnsbsnd my ask box disappeared from my brain again 🫠

Hugs and hi right back! How've you been?

[ajscico]

It’s “appreciate yourself” hours! Pick five pieces of writing that you’ve done that you love and talk about them! ❤️❤️❤️

1) Meet Sky--not my first long fic but my first I felt like I did a really good job on. 'Sky joins last' is not a frequent story, neither is it common to have him join so soon after his adventure. I loved the sweet interactions with the others. I'm particularly proud of the 'blisters' scene and the curse reveal. Poor baby is so scared and the Chain handles it well.

But also, anything that spurs interaction from others. I got a reaction fic, like I make for others, for my own work! (Thanks @silvrash-797 )

Sky Comfort--Sky becoming my favorite to whump and comfort is a long time coming but after seeing how many little snippets I dumped in your ask box... I needed another place to reread my own stuff when I also want to good Sky Comfort. It's easier to find them on Ao3 than my own documents files.

3) A Knight’s Heart-- This one holds a special place in my heart because of not only Kikker's amazing art but this is honestly how I became friends with Cap'ika. It also spawned my first gift fic and it made for a sweet Christmas that year. Thanks @silvercaptain24. ❤️

4) Betrayal-- Honestly, I just like this one for it's angst potential. The fact the Shadow takes the form of Time and says things that cut to the center of poor Sky’s psyche... and that Sky believes it. There's so much that could be unpacked (after we save the guy of course) for the Chain to need to address.

5) Helpless-- This one is a 'completion of a long-time project rather than it ending up abandoned' for the reason I'm proud of it. Nancy Dear @nancyheart11 gets a good 90% of the credit for me actually getting this one done. Interest in seeing a story told is very motivating for... anyone but especially for me. Validation monkey is easily placated but does need treats once in a while. Hearing that I'd nailed the feelings and actions for what I was aiming to portray in Twilight’s story made it easier to push through my own self doubt and finish and post it.

[16mistypaw]

Misty :D Have a little gift <3

In honor of me finishing The Apothecary Diaries... have a crossover with Imprisoning War! :D :D It's just scenes, but I figured you'd enjoy it :) (this got longer than I anticipated, so I think I'm gonna break it up into multiple asks so it isn't too long or lost in tumblr glitches)

.

The rear palace was abuzz with activity. There was a new foreign envoy coming, and it was one the Country of Li had never interacted with before. Although the Kingdom of Hyrule, a little ways south of Li, had been around for a couple hundred years, it had hardly had enough influence to spread beyond its borders. But now, under the rule of the latest queen, it seemed to finally be prospering and catching the attention of neighboring countries.

Maomao wasn't sure what else was up with the visit, seeing as she had only gathered all of this from gossip, but the fact that they were arriving shortly was well known. She had been working diligently with the other ladies in waiting at the Jade Pavilion to ensure that everything was in order. The Emperor wished to showcase Li at its finest and most powerful, and there were even rumors that the mysterious Moon Prince might make an appearance.

Maomao sighed. All she cared about was if there might be information on new and interesting herbs, honestly. But she knew she hardly had the chance to learn of such things. This was a first time visit, and she had no way of really knowing what that might look like. She recalled the last foreign envoy to the palace, and the market they had set up, but she wasn't sure if that would be this kingdom's approach.

In either case, it made her workload far heavier and gave her less time to her own studies and pursuits, which was a pain.

She endured the fussing of the other ladies-in-waiting, and the scrupulous instructions from Hongniang, and was soon dolled up and awaiting the arrival of the envoy. Lady Gyokuyou, despite her pegnancy, was expected to be part of the greeting, as well as all the other high consorts. Although Hongniang and the other ladies-in-waiting did not approve of their lady being out in the exposed air like this so far along, everyone knew there was no point in arguing.

Curiosity was intense, though, far overpowering worry.

Maomao was snapped out of her musings as the doors to the rear palace opened, and monstrous sized, strange looking men appeared. They could hardly be called men, really, so much as perhaps beasts, and many women around her gasped. Their smiles were large and friendly, though, their large arms swinging back and forth as they led the envoy. Maomao wondered if this was what they all looked like, but quickly more normal looking people arrived on horseback.

Well, except for their ears. They were pointed. This entourage was bizarre, and she was absolutely fascinated.

"Do you think they're demons?" Yinghua whispered, her voice shaking as she tried to maintain her composure.

I think saying such things will likely get us in trouble, Maomao mused. "They do not appear to be acting as such."

The strange men on horseback bore banners with an unfamiliar crest, and then finally, a carriage arrived. More men were riding around it, but their appearance was slightly different from the rest, with red eyes and silver to white hair. They didn't seem to be nearly as old as their hair might belay, and Maomao watched as the carriage door opened to reveal another pointy-eared man. She squinted a little to examine him.

The others all wear strange attire, but the quality of armor and fabric is apparent. Although they are dressed formally and to impress, this man's clothes are far superior. He also bears some sort of face paint, and ornamental jewelry. He is not the only one in a carriage, but seems to bear a weight and authority to him that the others are responding to.

That must be the king. According to what Maomao had heard, Hyrule had not bothered sending a diplomat, instead dispatching its own king to speak with the emperor. It was both a surprise and quite the gesture for a first meeting. Many weren't sure what to make of it, but that was beyond Maomao's business.

Some of the girls around Maomao gasped, and she supposed she knew why. This king held a young, soft beauty to him, rather like Master Jinshi. He even wore his hair in a similar way.

Maomao didn't get a chance to see him for very long, as he was taken to the emperor. She supposed that was the end of that for the day, at least until the festivities tonight.

XXX

Link was certainly... he wasn't sure. Curious would be one word, but absolutely anxious was another.

He knew there were many reasons Zelda had sent him specifically, rather than a diplomat. The queen did not trust many in her castle to handle such matters, but Link hardly felt qualified for this. Still, he tried his best.

It was strange trying to figure things out here, though. He'd learned what he could of Li, of its emperor. He'd heard... unpleasant things about the emperor's predecessor, and it was one reason Hyrule had not interacted with Li. For once, Link agreed with Ozen's decisions on something. Nevertheless, this new emperor seemed far better, and Li was prospering under his rule. Link had heard the man was fairly even tempered, but trying to understand the customs of Li was another matter.

Zelda had decided, now that things were settling in Hyrule, to ensure that relations between the two nations stayed civil. Hyrule would appear weak and easy to attack after the war, and she was trying to ensure that was not the case - a trade agreement with Li would help with that. She had been debating for some time who to send - it was possible to just put out a request to Li rather than go to them, but such a request likely wouldn't be taken seriously given Hyrule's status. Going to them was far better, but it seemed Li had a different hierarchy than Hyrule.

For one, men were preferred over women in governing roles.

Link was a little baffled at it. Although men were physically more adept at fighting, women often had better interpersonal skills. It was strange to cut them out of governing. But Zelda had recognized it as such, and decided a male should go for the first envoy. One she could trust.

That left Link as her only option.

He really didn't like this.

Zelda had recovered well from giving birth to their son, Orik, but Link still felt terrible leaving the castle. His anxiety at being somewhere so foreign was already heightened by the fact that he was leaving his family behind at such a time. But Impa had promised she would protect them, and security at the castle was higher than ever.

It couldn't wait any longer, and Link had been helping much more now. He should have known this would be the result, being sent anywhere his queen needed him, whether he liked it or not. It was just part of the role.

But this place... he couldn't let his guard down here. He was surrounded by potential enemies everywhere. He hardly even knew what to say, what to do. The only time he'd seen a foreign envoy interact with Hyrule was when Ganondorf had brought the Gerudo eight years ago!

The twenty-one-year-old king consort sighed as he watched someone approach him. He'd already spoken with the emperor, and it had seemed to go well, so he was outside trying to get some fresh air. He'd found a spot that was relatively open, one where he'd already marked several escape points if needed, and one where his Sheikah guards could protect him at every angle. Still, it left him open to invitations like this person approaching, allowing anyone to talk to him.

"Greetings Your Majesty," the man said as he bowed. "I am Jinshi, the Head Eunuch of the Rear Palace. It is an honor to make your acquaintance."

Rear Palace? Ah, yes, that's right, the capital of Li had its own separate area for its equivalent of a castle, except it basically was its own city, closed off from the capital. Li was certainly larger than Hyrule, and it made Link even more on edge.

But... what was a eunuch?

Must be some kind of title, he supposed. He has a servant with him. No ordinary person would approach me anyway, I imagine. That would be rude, and these people are known for their rituals and manners.

It kind of reminded him of Kakariko, honestly. Except on an infinitely larger scale, with its own purposes and worries.

Link nodded, staying silent. The Head Eunuch hardly seemed deterred, instead smiling and growing warmer, chatting away about how the emperor wanted Link to know the history of the rear palace, how he was eager to share his culture, etc. Link listened politely, still trying to remember if he'd learned about this Jinshi person in his studies on the way here.

Well, he supposed he'd just have to parse it out as he went. It would seem weak if he did not understand such a position, an oversight and perhaps even rude. He didn't want Hyrule being viewed as ignorant. He had considered bringing prototype Sheikah tech, and he ensured his soldiers were all armed with Sheikah weapons to make a display of power, but he couldn't be too careful.

Jinshi paused, and Link realized he should fill the space, taking the invitation. "This place is beautiful. And I do love to learn history. Thank you."

It wasn't false, of course - Link did love stories, though not as much as Zelda. Perhaps her stories were far more fantastical than the ones he cared to hear, though. He hid back a smile at it, recalling finding her reading a fantasy book once before the war.

He wondered if she still read those books now.

Jinshi seemed pleased with Link's response, which was good enough. "I am happy to oblige. I trust you will enjoy yourself tonight."

Link nodded with a small smile, and Jinshi bowed and took his leave. He supposed he'd have to figure out what a eunuch was soon to ensure he didn't accidentally insult this official.

Ugh. I was never trained for this. I'm a soldier.

Whatever. He'd have to make it work.

Yay, I got you hooked on it! Enough to write a crossover for it too even, thank you for the gift!

You've captured the feel of Apothecary Diaries perfectly. I could totally see the two of these kingdoms both existing in the same world, thats always something thats fun to play around with.

The "monstrous sized, strange looking men", are these the Gorons? I can only imagine how bizarre their entourage had to look to regular humans if they had the other races there too 😆

Oh, Link being described as having Jinshi's beauty, I hope the girls don't treat him like Jinshi. I don't think Link would appreciate that much, especially since he's already uncomfortable with the whole situation

Also, poor Link trying to make small talk with Jinshi-

Jinshi: Happily bombards him with a million things

Link: Uh, thanks? 🤣

Thank you again for the gift, this was amazing! ❤️😊

I do see there's a part two, I'll have to get to it after I get home from an appt this morning

[16mistypaw]

@skyloftian-nutcase

Hope you don't mind me borrowing the Imprisoning Diaries au! Also, don't mind the awkward cutoff at the end, I gave up on trying to find a stopping point.

~~~~~

Link checked his reflection in the mirror, pleased to find the face of a young lady staring back at him as the glamor magic took effect. He was on a mission to gather information, and the gossipy servant girls seemed like they would be the perfect source.

And so, with his guards watching from a distance, he stepped out of the guest quarters in his disguise. He picked up the basket that a servant had left outside for laundry, assuming the duties of his guise to avoid suspicion.

It wasn't hard to find where the laundry girls gathered after a bit of wandering around, a steady stream of them coming and going from the same general direction at any given time. Upon entering the courtyard, he was almost immediately overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle found inside. Some girls were scrubbing, some hanging linens, while other's came and went in steady pace with baskets to be cleaned or returned.

Following another girl's steps he deposited the basket next to the washing area, sitting next to a girl who looked far too young to be working in such a place.

"Oh, are you new? I don't think I've seen you around before! I'm Xiaolan!" She introduced herself excitedly, barely pausing for a breath before pushing on. "What's your name?"

"Oh uh, yeah, I just started. I'm Rinku."

"Rinku? What an unusual name, are you not from around here?"

Oops. Maybe he should have come up with a better name that sounded like it could have been from this country. But it was too late for that now. Still, he didn't want to outright lie to her, it was too easy to get caught up in one's own web that way.

"I'm with the envoy." The half lie slipped easily off his tongue. "I'm just performing my duties with the others while I'm here."

"Oh? And what duties might those be?" Both jumped at the interruption, one from excitement and the other from nerves. It wouldn't do to be caught out so quickly.

"Master Jinshi!" Xaiolan beamed.

"Master Jinshi." Link echoed the greeting, before registering he'd been asked a question. "I'm, ah, one of my King's attendents. I am assisting with laundry today under his instruction."

"That would certianly explain the new face. If I may have a moment of your time alone?" Though posed as a question, Link doubted he could refuse. He still wasn't sure of this person's rank, but he seemed important from his title of Head Eunuch. Not that he knew what that meant, though he intended to find out.

They only walked a short distance, stopping around a corner just outside the courtyard. Jinshi gave a smile that would have charmed any other girl. But Link was not, he was a man in the guise of a girl, and his meant-to-be internal cringe clearly showed how he felt about that. Horrifingly, Jinshi's fake charm shifted to a genuine smile of puzzled intrigue, like he was the strange one here.

The awkward silence stretched just a moment too long, to where Link decided to break it first.

"What can I do for you, Sir?" He hoped that wasn't too straightforward, and that any percieved lack of manners could be excused as cultural ignorance.

"A servant was seen leaving our guest envoy's lodgings, though I suppose that mystery has now been solved. However, I was unaware his servants would be serving alongside the palace's."

Link fumbled for words for a moment, before replying, "I was unaware someone was watching the King's quarters."

"Ah, but it would be irresponsible if we did not assure our guests safety. Notably, no one ever saw you go in, and the King never came out, despite not being there when we sent someone to check on them. Would you care to explain? Surely a sweet girl like you isn't out to cause trouble, are you?"

A hand brushed his hair, rested on his shoulder, and he was caught. Well then. His hands moved quickly, both in panic and some undescribable disgust, forming a sign and teleporting away, a shocked shout cut off as he vanished. He reappeared a distance away, nearly crashing into someone he recognized as the intelligent food taster.

And then actually crashed into her as someone behind him cleared his throat and he nearly jumped out of his skin, disguise vanishing. Link backed away, ready to teleport again, only for a thick hand to grab his wrist. Jinshi's attendent stared down at him, unimpressed, and he wilted a bit.

"I, uh... I can explain?"

~~~~~

Maomao trailed along behind Gaoshun as they made their way back to the rear palace fom the guest quarters. Gaoshun had been sent to check on their guests after hearing report of a mystery servant leaving the envoy's lodging, a place they were not supposed to be without invite.

She had been asked to tag along in the event something had befallen the foreign King, but in the end they had found no mystery servant, and no King.

Until said mystery servant appeared quite literally out of nowhere in between the two of them, startling everyone involved. Gaoshun recovered first, grabbing them as their form changed from a young girl to the missing King. Strange as that was, he managed to keep a passive face as he attempted to parse out the situation they found themselves in.

"I, uh... I can explain?" Link offered hesitantly.

"Please do, but first come this way. You're not supposed to be here." Gaoshun pulled him aside, and Link fought the urge to fight back as he was taken to a sheltered area out of view of the bustling rear palace.

"Now, please explain what you're doing in the rear palace. Men are not allowed to be here, much less foreign Kings."

"I was looking for information. And forgive my bluntness, but if men are not allowed, why are you and your master here?"

"We eunuches are no longer considered men. Did you not know of this?"

"Is it not a title? You master said he was Head Eunuch of the Rear Palace."

Gaoshun shook his head. "It is not. It is a male who has lost his manhood, and is thus no longer considered a man. Master Jinshi oversees all the eunuches and servants of the rear palace, thus his title of Head Eunuch."

Link was silent for a moment as that information sunk in, then winced. That meant all the men he'd seen in the palace... Weren't actually men?

"Allow us to escort you back to your quarters, we were quite concerned to find the Envoy's King missing, especially after receiving notice of an unknown person leaving the premise." Gaoshun's grip finally relented after a gentle tug to follow him, and their little entourage started walking.

"If I may," Maomao finally spoke up from where she trailed behind. "I had been asked to examine you should it seem any harm befell you. It would not do to have an envoy befall illness or injury under our watch."

"That won't be necessary." Link immediately refused. "I assure you I am perfectly fine."

"Won't be necessary?" There was a sharp note to her voice, and he saw her straighten a little. "Forgive my bluntness, but your health has been noted by more than just I. Your meals are also left untouched when the servants collect dishes. There have been traces of unknown herbs found in the remaining food, which is cause for concern of poisoning. I believe an exam is absolutely necessary."

"Poison? No, those aren't poisonous, they're medicinal. They are the most abundant and basic of healing herbs where I'm from."

"Could I have a sample of those herbs?" Maomao asked.

"I- I suppose so?" Link replied, slightly baffled at how quickly the conversation had shifted between such drastically different topics.

"I still wish to perform an evaluation on you." Maomao said as they arrived back at his quarters. "So if you don't mind, please allow me to accompany you inside."

"But-"

"Please, I insist. Besides, I was promised herbs."

[16mistypaw]

More Apothecary Diaries x Imprisoning War! :D I might have to actually have a country near Hyrule like this for the canon story haha, but in the meantime enjoy <3 It's been nice to be able to write again :)

.

Link was starting to discover that while he was impressed with the scale and tradition of this land, their understanding of relationships truly left much to be desired.

"You're saying all the women in the rear palace are concubines?" he whispered to Simek. He recalled the Head Eunuch, Jinshi speaking of concubines, but it admittedly had not quite sunk in until he'd returned to his quarters. "How could the emperor possibly see them all?"

He had never heard of an empress, though supposedly it was dependent on something else entirely. Not marriage, but one of the concubines? Something with them?

Perhaps he would have to ask more, but he couldn't afford to appear ignorant.

A disguise would do.

"I believe they're ranked differently, but many of the women are indeed concubines," Simek reported. Link watched the large crowd in the festivities, and gathered that four women in particular were singled out. Simek followed his gaze and nodded, explaining each concubine and what he knew.

This place was bizarre, and Link wasn't really sure he really liked it.

...He also didn't like that he himself felt to be in the same position, but that was another matter. He was far more than just someone to help the ruler produce heirs, he was here on Zelda's behest, after all.

At least he was allowed to leave the castle, even if it was just for things like this.

Honestly, the more Link thought about it, the less he liked it. It felt far too... familiar. But at least he wasn't accompanied by other men in similar circumstances.

Did that make him more or less lonely than these poor women?

He just wanted to go home. But he had to gather information as well. He would do so tonight, after the party. In the meantime, he was here to witness another strange custom.

Apparently poisons were very common here. They had people in the position of tasters, whose entire purpose was to ensure the food their lords and ladies were about to eat would not be poisoned. Their lives were deemed far less important, after all, and could be thrown away easily.

It left Link squirming, nauseous and unable to eat. It also made him far less inclined to trust anyone. His gaze moved from table to table, watching the emperor and consort in particular. He didn't seem to notice the Head Euncuh, so whatever he was "head" of must not have been that important.

Ah wait, he'd said he was in charge of the rear palace. He supposed that wasn't a nobleman, then, but simply someone educating him for the emperor.

So was Eunuch the name of those who governed? He still wasn't sure about that one.

Link watched the tasters, worried for them, though one in particular caught his eye. Her movements were careful, practiced, while the others were very clearly anxious. Perhaps she was the one who had lived the longest. She seemed smart, looking for signs of poison before ever tasting anything.

As everyone started to eat, Link picked at his food, barely hungry, and simply nibbled on enough to be polite. He hadn't bothered with a taster, although many Sheikah had offered, instead just subtly putting his own packed rations on the plate to eat. It worked well enough.

He'd investigate more tonight.

XXX

Maomao was happy to finally be comfortable in the Jade Pavilion once more when she was summoned. It was late and she was tired, but she responded nonetheless, wondering what she might be needed for.

And she found Master Jinshi sitting in the room with Lady Gyokuyou. Irritation immediately rippled through her. Why is he here? Shouldn't he be busy with arrangements for festivities tomorrow?

It wasn't like she hadn't been busy, and she'd spent all her spare precious time working on trying to turn the herbs she'd recently acquired into new medicines. He was pulling her away from that at present.

"Apothecary," Master Jinshi greeted with his typical saccharine smile. "Glad you could join us."

Of course you are. "How may I be of service?"

"Well, you see, I was wondering if you would be inclined to examine this food for me."

Food? Curious, Maomao stepped forward, and she noticed a plate of food on the table between Master Jinshi and Lady Gyokuyou.

Shark fin soup. The consistency is superb, although it seemed to be growing stale as it cools, contents settling and letting the flavors separate in an undesirable way. Accompanying it is roasted duck and salted cucumbers, as well as egg tarts. The meat of the duck is tender, with an appropriate aroma. The appearance of the meat implies it was cooked meticulously, at a specific temperature.

She knew what this dinner was, of course. She had already examined it earlier today, tasting it for Lady Gyokuyou. It had not been poisoned. Still...

This meal is different. It has been tampered.

Leaning in, Maomao hummed, a hand coming to her chin as she continued to look it over.

There's flakes of... a spice of some sort? Or perhaps...

She gasped, leaning a little, hear heart racing.

An herb! This is an herb that I am not familiar with!!

"What is it?" Master Jinshi asked, interrupting her excitement.

Maomao caught herself, standing straight once more. "May I ask where this dish was acquired?"

"This is the plate that was served to the foreign king," Master Jinshi answered.

Lady Gyokuyou gasped a little, hand going to her mouth. "Oh, my. It looks like he hardly ate."

Yes... actually, that was true. The food was hardly touched, picked apart enough to imply it was eaten, but still mostly present.

The pieces of herb, though...

Could it be that he supplemented his own food? Or does Master Jinshi believe someone else sabotaged the meal?

It didn't seem likely that this was an inside job. Maomao would have to study the food a bit more, but for an herb that she had no recognition of to be present implied it was not from anywhere in the area, perhaps even the country.

So... was one of the king's own party trying to poison him? What would such an act accomplish?

Killing one's ruler in a foreign land... with poison... in a location that is known for such things to happen... it could lead to blame being placed on the emperor instead. A declaration of war could follow.

These were serious accusations. She knew she couldn't speak up just on conjecture. She would have to study more.

She needed to figure out what this herb was.

"It appears that something has been added to this dinner," she reported. "But it is a substance I an wholly unfamiliar with. I will need to investigate the foreign quarters to see if my suspicions are correct. Has the foreign king shown any signs of illness?"

"It was observed that the king fatigues easily, but we are not sure if that is simply his constitution," Master Jinshi replied. "We are unfamiliar with their people in general."

"They are very curious looking," Lady Gyokuyou commented thoughtfully. "But you are right, he did seem rather tired. Although, he had quite a long journey. But I suppose he should have rested between his initial meeting and the dinner. And he hardly ate. I wonder if he is sick? If this food was tampered with, how much harm could it have caused if he hardly even ate anything?"

Those were valid questions as well. Maomao knew too little of this to make a firm statement on anything.

Master Jinshi hummed, closing his eyes for a moment before nodding. "I'll find a way to get you in there tomorrow. The foreign king should be speaking with the emperor in the morning. We can go then."

Maomao nodded, making her way back to her room. She wasn't very keen on getting involved in foreign politics, but...

I have to figure out what that herb is!!

That could be fun to include another country near Hyrule, it does sometimes feel like nothing else exists outside it 😅

Oof, Link feeling the same as the concubines. Buddy, no.

I love the way you're able to write the political stuff so easily. Like poisoning Link in a different land, where its known to be a thing, and then having a war break out.

I'm just as curious as Maomao to find out what that herb was, and whose motive it was to tamper with the food. Points to Link for being paranoid about that. Unless it was just cross contamination from him eating his own rations from the same plate...

If you come up with anymore snippets, I'd love to see them! This seems like a really fun AU so far!

[16mistypaw]

@skyloftian-nutcase Thank you for providing comfort stories for me yesterday, here's one for you in return ❤️

-

https://archiveofourown.org/works/60521602/chapters/160702309#workskin

-

Twilight stepped out of his car, keys in hand as he fumbled through the keychain for his house key. He heard shuffling on the other side of the door, and as soon as it opened a furry bundle of energy slammed into his legs. He crouched down, accepting wet doggy kisses and scratching Wolfie's ears.

Time and Malon had mostly taken turns caring for the wolf-dog the past few days, Twilight far too exhausted from an extended work stretch to do much more than greeting scratches before heading to bed to pass out before doing it all over again.

He stood, nudging Wolfie back inside and closing the door behind him. The place was strangely quiet, with Time and Malon at work and Wild gone camping for the weekend with Hyrule. Despite the empty house, the smell of food permeated the air. Malon had been the last to leave for the morning, barely an hour between her leaving and him getting home.

Making his way to the kitchen, he found breakfast in the microwave and an insulated grocery bag on the counter. Tapping the microwave to reheat the food, he checked the bag to see it filled with several packed meals. A beep redirected his attention, grabbing the reheated food to sit and eat. And if his breakfast was shared with the puppy by his feet, Malon didn't need to know. Something about ‘people food is not for animals’ and all that.

Placing his now empty plate in the sink, he grabbed a travel mug and poured the rest of the lukewarm coffee from the pot into it. The bag on the counter was hooked onto one arm, while he wrangled Wolfie into his harness with the other. Then they were off, piling back into the car to make a food delivery.

Time had been reluctant to ask the favor, knowing Twilight would be exhausted after work, but Twilight had easily agreed after they found out that Sky had been sick for several days.

Before long they turned onto the long, narrow drive to Sky's house, and Wolfie perked up in his seat. By the time he brought the car to a stop the puppy was practically bouncing in excitement, knowing whose house they were at. He didn't even bother putting the leash back on, letting Wolfie jump out and race to the door while he gathered his things.

A knock on the door didn't gain any response, even though Time had said he'd let Sky know someone would be over. The door was unlocked though, so Twilight let himself in, Wolfie immediately taking off down the hall. A muffled shout of surprise sounded moments later, and he hurriedly kicked his shoes off on the mat to follow his dog to Sky's room.

“Twi?!” Sky called again, attempting to push Wolfie off him. But Wolfie was large for a puppy, and lay across Sky's back, effectively pinning him.

“Wolfie, down!” Twilight ordered. He was grateful he was training Wolfie to be a therapy dog, because Wolfie obeyed immediately, hopping off the bed to sit beside it instead. “Sorry about that.”

“S'lright.” Sky mumbled, pushing himself over to free his face and look at Twilight. He started coughing, only stopping when he ran out of breath with a raspy wheeze. Twilight helped him sit up, adjusting his pillow so he could sit comfortably against the headboard. Sky continued wheezing, unable to properly catch his breath.

Twilight glanced around, snatched the inhaler off the dresser, and shook it briefly before placing it in Sky's hand. Sky took a moment to steady his breathing as much as he could, then pressed the inhaler to his lips, taking two deep breaths. He held his breath for a moment, coughing again once he released it. It had helped somewhat though, while his breathing was still shallow, it was at least a bit more steady.

“Thanks.” Sky set it aside on the nightstand, which Twilight now realized had an open textbook with a bottle of cold medicine sitting on the pages.

“Yer studying? Like this?”

“Renewal’s coming up soon. Signed up for a class to get my CE's in.”

“Fair enough.” As if their line of work didn't keep them busy enough, they had to keep up with CE's on top of everything else. “Time and Malon send well wishes and lunch.” Twilight reached down to pull a container of chicken and rice from the bag, along with napkins and plastic utensils.

“Oh nice, she made it with broth.” The chicken and chicken broth flavored rice didn't stand a chance as Sky practically inhaled it. Knowing him, he had probably been living off crackers since falling sick.

After lunch and another swig of medicine from the bottle, Sky insisted on trying to study a bit more. So he collected the dishes and trash as Sky pulled the book to his lap. He suspected it would put him to sleep faster than anything else would.

Sure enough by the time he had finished cleaning up, Sky was barely awake, textbook sliding off his lap. The book was gently pulled from loose fingers, and a spare pillow located to lean Sky against in a semi-upright position. Sleeping sitting up wasn't comfortable for anyone, but laying down would only cause the congestion to build up again into another breathing attack.

“Twi?” Sky mumbled.

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.”

“No problem. Get some rest.”

With that short exchange Sky somehow managed to nod off while sitting up, Wolfie climbing back onto the bed to lay on Sky's lap. Satisfied Sky would be okay for a bit, Twilight left him to rest, practically collapsing on the living room couch.

Sky wouldn't mind if he crashed here for a bit, and Wolfie would alert him if Sky needed attention. He clumsily pulled the throw blanket off the back of the couch, and was out before he knew it.