Three strangers, connected only by the triangle on their hands, join forces to save a dying world. Through hardship and healing, they will become family.
chapter art by @clowns0up-felix :)
(below is a snippet, the full is too long for tumblr lol)
Soft hands glide through Link’s hair. They untangle knots, picking out dirt and various pieces of grime. A warm, uncalloused palm brushes against Link’s cheek.
Even with closed eyes, Link knows who it is. She comes every night.
Link reaches out and grabs the retreating wrist. “Don’t go,” she murmurs.
A gentle hum pauses—one Link hadn’t even registered.
“I can’t stay,” Marin replies. She trails her finger around Link’s freckles, drawing constellations.
“I want you to.”
“I can’t.”
Link huffs; she’s always been the stubborn one, and Marin can’t win her out now. She doesn’t let go. Marin laughs, all chimes and Sea Lily bells. The free hand returns to Link’s hair.
Marin begins her song again. Link leans against the other’s lap, resting on her side. Her fingers drum a tempo for Marin’s melody.
In the distance, a voice calls. Link ignores it.
It calls again.
Marin says, “Your uncle wants you, Link.”
“Mm,” she replies.
The hands cease. “Link.”
“Don’t wanna.”
Marin gently flicks her. “You lazy girl… Come on.”
Link blinks her eyes open—only to catch Marin’s face before she goes—and meets a wooden wall. Shuffling footsteps sound behind her. She blinks.
“Link,” her uncle is saying. “It’s time to wake up.”
With her sword on her back and apples in her pouch, Link leaves Uncle’s house. She has a small list of chores: buy a red potion for Uncle, sell yesterday’s harvest, and get the Book of Mudora back from the Sage.
Link fishes through her bag for an old plain blue ocarina. Zelda says that she’s insanely unorganized, but Link doesn’t care enough. She eventually finds it and calls for her bird, directing it to the Magic Shop. She haggles Maple down to 100 rupees—far better than she’s usually able to get—and sets off again for Kakariko.
Most of Uncle’s apples are reserved for cooking, making preserves, or just as snacks. The rest, Link is sent out to sell. They go for 15 rupees each, which isn’t much. The price is really a formality; Link’s more than rich from all her dungeon crawling, plus they’re on a royal pension.
The point is, they sell out quickly. Link’s there for less than twenty minutes before she’s brought down to her last three apples. She doesn’t mind all that much—anything that lets her leave Kakariko sooner. There’s been a lot of apologies over the past few years, but nothing can stop her nerves when she enters this place.
A figure comes into Link’s view. She straightens from where she was leaning against the weathercock (her makeshift stand). When she realizes who it is, though, she relaxes.
“Hey, Zel,” Link says.
Zelda huffs, not unkindly. She’s wearing a plain, tan dress. “Don’t announce me to the whole village.”
Link shrugs. “Want some apples?”
Her half-sister’s eyes flick to the three apples sitting on the weathercock. “Are those your last ones?”
“Yup.” Link nods. “Then I’m heading to the Sanctuary.”
“I’ll buy out your stock.” Zelda takes out three rupees, two red and one blue.
“Hey, thanks.”
Link starts to trade the items. Zelda says, too casually, “Can I walk with you? Over to the Sanctuary?”
“Mm.” Eyebrow raise. Zelda shakes her head, nothing urgent. “Sure.”
They take the eastern exit. Zelda sets a slow pace. Link fiddles with her medallions, curling the chain around her finger.
Zelda’s always been upfront—she speaks up soon as they’re out of earshot. “I had a dream last night.”
“Shocker.” Link is flicked on the ear.
“You know that’s not what I mean, idiot.”
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. What happened?”
Zelda’s eyebrows furrow. “That’s the thing… I can’t make it out. The world around me wasn’t Hyrule, but… it felt so familiar.”
“Could be a different time,” Link suggests. “Or a neighboring country. Heard anything from Labrynna or Holodrum?”
“No, and I don’t think it’s either of them.” Zelda pauses for a second. “It’s… There was blood all around, but I couldn’t see it… like it had seeped into the ground itself.”
“An old battlefield.”
“Something like that.” They’re nearing the Sanctuary. “There was new growth on top of it… and the plants were reaching for me. That’s when I woke up.”
Link hums. “Weird, but doesn’t seem like a prophecy.”
“Except all my dreams are prophecies,” Zelda argues. She pinches the bridge of her nose. “Maybe I’m overthinking it, but I just… I don’t know. I worry.”
“It’ll be okay, Zel. I can and will fight, so if anything does happen—”
“That’s exactly it, though.” Zelda’s tone makes Link pause. “You’ve… It hasn’t been that long since you… you know. You’re my little sister. I don’t want you to be thrown back into that so soon.”
Link bites at her cheek. Oh, that’s what this is about. Ever she returned to Hyrule last year, Zelda’s fretted over her more and more.
“I’ll be fine,” Link mumbles. “I’m doing better now, anyway.”
“If you…” Zelda trails off. They stop at the Sanctuary door. “…Keep taking care of yourself, okay?”
Link nods. “Okay.”
Zelda bids her goodbye and peels off back towards the castle. Sneaking in, no doubt. Link showed her the way last year.
Before she enters, Link sighs. She knows Zelda only means well. And, sure, the past months have been… rough. But Link can still hold her own—if nothing else, during combat. She’s only a year younger than Zelda, too! She just… Whatever.
Link grumbles as she elbows the Sanctuary door open. She greets the Sage, who tells her to wait a moment while he gets the book. Fine by her. Link retreats to one of the pews, opting to lean against it instead of sitting in it.
She whistles a short tune while she waits. Or, tries to—Mamu’s song comes to her mind first, but it’s way too fast for her to whistle. Link gives up after a few moments and instead opts to pull some hair out of her face. She pauses.
The Triforce on her left hand is glowing. Glowing more than usual, that is. Streams of magic trail down her skin. It’s warm, dripping holy and golden.
“Shit,” Link mutters. Her mark flashes, and the world goes white.
