Hello to whomever stumbled across this post (I apologize deeply for what you are about to witness here)! This is my sideblog for all things involving Zelda, Link, or whomever else in the LOZ games. Everything's free game here! While I'm here, just call me Vee ❤️
If you've come from my main blog (@itsavee4117)... I'm sorry if this is where you're finding me 😅. Rest assured, this blog will not be more mature than the Mario one. If anything... it will be worse.
Anyhoo, with that out of the way... I present to you, the LOZ blog!
Maybe I'm biased, but I am a SUCKER for stained glass art like this! It looks so gorgeous!!!!
Also, idk if it was intentional or not, but I love the fact that Zelda's on the side of child Link, and Ganon is on the side of adult Link. Kinda symbolizing the powers over them a bit (in... a way; I'm prolly reachin-)
Eh, don't get too excited. This isn't necessarily great. I'm mostly a Mario kind of guy, but I love Zelda... I just haven't built up AS MUCH lore as I have on my other blog 😅. So just... bear with me here. Anyway, onto the (slight) trigger warnings:
(TW: referenced PTSD and injury)
"Link…? Link, are you listening?"
Zelda promptly closed her book as she gently climbed down from her perch on the tree branch, eyeing Link as he started intently staring at the soft blue flower planted in the nearby field. Like a hungry moutain lion studying its prey, he got down on his knees, cupping the petals between his hand as if it were a precious stone. Though his back was turned, Zelda couldn't help smiling, imagining the focused expression embedded on his face.
"Link…?" she whispered gently, careful not to startle him. In times like these, Link was often in his most serene — any slight movement could cause panic. "… what sort of flower could that be?"
As expected, Link didn't say a word. However, she knew better than to pry further; with all the storms clouding his mind regularly, it was a rarity to see him outside being stoic or listless. He was a hero, through and through, but he never seemed to allow himself the same tenderness he showed her, however minimal it be.
After some time, Link turned to her, his eyes dancing excitedly as he cupped the flower in his palm. Even with the seemingly permanent stoic expression, she could just tell he was bursting with excitement.
And once she saw his prized possession… she couldn't help but smile.
Of course… the Silent Princess.
Out of all the flowers in Hyrule, those particular flowers he had grown most fond of. Since the fall of Calamity Ganon, they had sprouted up in numbers all over the fields like the crowds in the kingdom, celebrating the healing of its very heart. It seemed strange, Zelda often thought; the very same flower was once feared to have gone extinct, but now it was found in nearly every field.
Link was always enamored by such things… however unconventionally. While others kept flowers in vases, only admiring the flower parts, he savored every part of them.
Roots were chopped and made into broths; a rather pleasant scent to come home to when the day came to an end
Stems were woven into threads as he sewed his clothing together after one battle after the next… or they were simply eaten, as most things were.
Leaves were crushed and made into medicines, something she greatly appreciated when the frost colds fell upon them or when the poison of the Blood Moon struck.
Pollen was used to cloud the eyes of his enemies, or whenever he merely felt like giving back to the soil.
And the petals… well, they certainly made for a good pressing whenever he needed to add one to his collection of sorts.
But this one…
There wasn't much use for a Silent Princess, truth be told. Ever since the fall of Calamity Ganon, they held a sort of… immortality. No matter how hard one tried, or what they did, it never seemed to wilt. Boiled, burned, fried, crushed, or even blasted, it still remained whole. Even in the darkest corners of the Earth, somehow, it always managed to emit that same, gorgeous blue hue.
She sometimes wondered how Link never got tired of seeing it; surely, he'd have grown bored of it, seeing as it had no substantial use.
It was a question she'd pondered for years, but after some time… she knew it wasn't the flower he found special.
"It's gorgeous, isn't it?" she smiled, kneeling beside him as her fingertips brushed over the soft grass blades. "Hm… funny how these things seem to bring hope to all the Hylians these days. I never thought I could appreciate them in a million years…"
Link merely looked up at her as he blinked in confusion.
She couldn't help but laugh.
"Oh, I know what you're thinking, you green demon," she giggled, tucking a strand of his hair behind his ear. She then gently plucked the Silent Princess and set it in his collecting pouch. "Yes, you can bring it with you. It's getting dark anyway. And that also-" She gingerly grabbed him by the jaw. "-means that someone needs to take their medicine. Remember what happened last time?"
Link nodded guiltily.
"Mhm, my thoughts precisely, dear. Well, we'd better go in then, before any horrid bokoblins think we're some sort of buffet. You have everything, then?"
Quickly, Link checked his pouch before granting her a small, firm nod.
The trek back home was a silent affair, though Zelda found it oddly comforting. Link was a man of few words… or no words, really. He prefered to speak in his own time, however rarely, for there were far too many things he found fascinating with the world, however terrifying of an ordeal he'd previously endured.
As she walked beside him, she couldn't help but smile. Every so often, she'd catch him staring off at something nearby, whether it be a ripple in a nearby pond, or a fox darting into the bushes. A few times, she stopped as he darted off the trail to collect something else: an oddly-formed rock, a feather, a broken sword shard, and even an empty elixir bottle.
Wistfully, she looked up at the sky, squinting at the sun still burning bright in the sky, shadows hardly stretching more than an inch.
By her estimate, she presumed it couldn't have been later than four in the afternoon.
Always home before dusk, she'd told herself.
She could see most Hylians still tending to their crops in the distance, the shouts of children echoing throughout the valley as they played together. It seemed strange, she realized, that the two of them chose to hide away during such a harmless autumn evening such as this.
However, it was never about the sun… it was about the hours creeping toward the sunset.
Of the many things she'd learned about her dear hero, he shunned the night sky, and even more, the moon. As soon as the first star burned bright in the night sky, his pulse climbed. He'd bar the windows and door shut, refusing to leave their abode at any cost, lest he be dragged into the danger of the night. His eyes would flicker to the eastward skies, calculating how much time he had left before it came. Most nights, she woke up to find him hiding under the dining table, trembling in fear and tears in his eyes as he imagined the sky crashing down upon him and those he cherished dearly as their bodies became ravaged by long-dead foes.
By the goddesses, did the sight ever pain her…
Thankfully, today had been one of his better days, but therein lie the danger. If he wasn't fearfully looking over his shoulder, he was blissfully unaware, tending to the things he cared for most: collecting, food, plants, herbs, animals, anything. He never realized the danger until it was too late.
It was a painful sight to behold… on one hand, he feared for his life. The other, he forgot it.
Up ahead, she watched him walk a bit further away, humming a nonsensical tune to himself and whistling, a sure-fire sign he was completely in utter bliss.
Good.
Just as she slowed slightly, he suddenly turned back to her, his eyebrows lifted slightly as he rubbed his pouch. Even in his silence, she could tell just from his eyes what he longed to say.
"I'm right here, dear," she nodded, offering a small, warm smile. "Apologies for being a bit slower than normal… I'm rather caught up in my own thoughts."
Link merely blinked for a second before jogging up to her. Before she could speak, he hooked his finger around her pinky, staring up at her longingly.
"Alright, alright," she laughed. "We can go at it together then. We're almost home."
Just over the ridge, she could see the cottage roof peeking overhead, framed by the autumn trees. From the chimney, she noticed smoke rising, to which she briefly scolded herself. She'd left the hearth burning since that morning…
Well, at least the cottage would be warm.
Right as they breeched the top of the hill, Link let go and darted towards the cottage, waving a frantic hello as he spotted his old friend, Vexli, standing just beside the apple trees. Upon seeing him, she whinnied excitedly and pranced in place, before he threw his arm around her, hugging her at the neck lovingly.
Truly, Zelda had never seen anyone love anything more than Link…
As he gave Vexli a gentle pat, his gaze then drifted to the children playing just nearby, tossing mud balls at one another as they screamed with delight. For a brief moment, his smile faltered as his fingertips brushed Vexli's mane.
Zelda's heart twisted.
Gingerly, she stepped forward, brushing her knuckles against his forearm. "Come," she said softly, nodding toward the cottage. "Let's get inside. I'll make dinner tonight, if that's alright by you."
Link turned just enough to meet her eyes before nodding silently.
Sure enough, as soon as they walked inside, the cottage was comfortably warm, a pleasant change from the bitter cold autumn weather outside. Instinctively, Zelda lighted the lanterns, casting a gentle orange glow throughout the tiny space. In the center, the hearth stood aflame, smoke climbing up through the chimney. On the dining table, the remnants of their breakfast that morning lay useless, plates overturned and crumbs littering the wooden top. Along the walls, shelves were stacked to the brim with jars containing many of Link's seemingly endless collectables.
And just as always, he darted to it, excitedly digging into his pouch.
"Don't forget," Zelda chuckled to herself as she set her book inside the bookshelf. She then composed herself as she prepared the cauldron, setting a few spare vegetables before the table as she cleared the crumbs. "You still need to take your medicine before you get any rest. Purah's orders, you know."
She earned a distracted nod.
Of course, however, she expected nothing less from her hero.
She merely focused on her task as she methodically diced the tomatoes, ensuring each were of equal and even portion before tossing them into the cauldron.
Then cabbage.
Then leeks.
Just as she grabbed the warm safflinas to sprinkle a spicy powder to the mixture, she was caught off-guard as she heard a sudden rustling sound, followed by a dull thud.
"Link? Link, what are you—"
To her surprise, she found Link sprawled on the wood floor, groaning in annoyance as he pushed himself up. He gave her a bashful smile as his eyes darted toward the dining chair, which he'd somehow managed to overturn. His champion leathers were only halfway off his torso as one side clung to his collarbone, exposing the dual scars lining his chest, as well as the remaining stump of his right arm. With a pitiful huff, he gazed up at her once more, signing a clear 'Help me.'
"Oh, Link…" Zelda giggled to herself as she helped him to his feet. "You could have tell me you needed help with that, dear. Here, allow me."
Without hesitation, she lifted the rest of his armor from his chest, earning a nod of approval as he shook the feeling from his skin.
For a moment, she could only stare, taking in the sight of him before her. His torso and back were lined with pale scars from battles of old. His arm, too, bore many a tale of their own, ranging from burns, scratches, bites, and plenty more. His hand, though soft, rubbed their calluses against hers as she cupped it in hers. The only scars she felt truly at peace with were the ones on his chest.
The only two he'd chosen for himself.
As she glanced to his other side, she frowned slightly. She could see the scars from the gloom starting to pulsate already; it would only be a matter of time before the pain began again, sending him to the floor for relief.
She gestured for Link to take a seat at the table as she opened the cabinet to find the cream. Briefly, she felt around before her fingertips brushed against the familiar glassy bottle filled with a sunny-bright substance, spreading sunlight each time she moved it.
She'd need to gather more from Purah tomorrow.
"Here you are, dear," she called quietly, unscrewing it as she dipped her finger inside. All at once, she could feel sunlight flooding through her veins.
Just as always, Link remained still and silent as her hands worked meticulously. She rubbed the cream between each palm before spreading it all over his right side. All at once, the violent red pulse of the scars began to burn out, now glowing golden with sunlight between each crevice. She wasn't sure if she was imagining it or not, but she thought even his skin felt even softer now.
Once she was done, she peered up at him to find the corners of his mouth upturned.
"That should do for now," she nodded solemnly. "You've got enough to last until the next Blood Moon strikes, but I'll journey to Purah's in the morning to gather more. I don't want you running out again, dear."
Link nodded.
Zelda then sighed as she got to her feet, hooking a hand at his hip as she planted a gentle kiss atop his forehead, smiling lovingly.
"Now…" she crooned softly, stroking his face. "I'd say someone is deserving of something nice this evening, after all the trouble I've put you through."
In no time at all, Zelda had prepared a calm, spicy meal of cream of vegetable soup. As soon as she set the bowl before her hero, he wasted no time at all as he stopped to admire it, taking in every ounce of technique and care put into it. Just as he had with the Silent Princess, he loved observing every minute detail, down to even the seeds in the tomatoes.
Speaking of which…
"Link?" Zelda inquired, chewing through a piece of cabbage. "I forgot to ask… where did you put the flower? I was going to grab a book so you could—"
Before she could answer, Link suddenly hopped to his feet and pointed dramatically towards the loft upstairs, grinning excitedly. For a moment, Zelda could only raise an eyebrow before she silently pushed her chair away and began to take leave.
Oh, the things this creature would go to lengths to do.
As soon as she found the loft, she lit the lantern hanging by the wall, illuminating the space… especially the spot on their shared bed.
Sitting there, nestled against her pillow, was the Silent Princess, gingerly resting against the sleeping pelt and glowing as brightly as ever. And below it, she found, much to her surprise, a small note.
Aw-right... now that I have the motivation to actually do something with this blog... time to scream about this gay little elf.
Here's a compilation of all the headcanons regarding our boy... in no particular order, really. Before I start yapping... I should preface that these headcanons do contain mentions of death, amputation, trauma, and... a whole heap of other things that really deserve their own trigger warning 👆
Starting off strong, Link is currently 23 (however, he's actually 123 following the events of BOTW (where he was 17) and TOTK, but semantics-). His birthday is August 22.
Link's actual birthplace is hard to trace since the events of BOTW, but he grew up primarily in Kokiri Village from the time he was born up until 10. Following the events of OOT and MM, he eventually was placed in the custody of his birth family, which consisted of his father, his younger sister Aryll, and his grandmother (his mother died soon after bringing him to Kokiri Village). Aaaaaand then the events of BOTW happened-
It's due to these events that Link has a fair amount of trauma. From the events of OOT and MM, he has C-PTSD and a strong fear of abandonment (and the events later on didn't help much, either-). He's constantly scared that whatever he's seeing is just going to disappear if he so much as blinks. The sound of bells causes him to go catatonic; he also refuses to use clocks, instead relying on the sun for time (NEVER the moon... he always hides away from that). He tends to savor food a bit more than most might, even getting hostile when he feels it's being threatened. And of course... the silence. He is selectively mute and tends to isolate more often... other than Zelda.
Link is transmasc genderfluid and bisexual (though he's committed solely to Zelda). He primarily goes by he/they, but he's generally neutral towards she/her and even wears dresses on the occasion (hey, if it looks good, why not, right?).
As for how this translates to Hyrule, it's nothing new (being LGBT is basically the norm... well, at least following BOTW and TOTK since they literally went through the apocalypse. Who cares about gender at that point-).
Link is also AuDHD. He's always had a hyperfixation on soldiery, puzzles, music, and food, even as a kid. He could go on and on about it if he could (just ask Zelda; the guy signs to her like there's no tomorrow). He also has a strong sense of justice... which is usually why he takes on way more side quests than he probably should (ex. sure, there's a dragon coming, but he's gotta deliver them apples, y'know?). He also cannot stay in one place for the life of him; give him a mission, and he is not sleeping until it's done. This also contributes to his mutism and stoicism. It's not that he means to come across as stand-offish; he usually just has too much going on mentally (whether that be sensory overload or trauma. Or... both).
In terms of skills... Link is basically a Renaissance man. Since there's too many... here's just a few in no particular order:
Cooking, fencing, swordfighting, martial arts, cartography, sketching, husbandry, crafting, sewing, herbology, collecting, hunting, music (on ANY instrument), carpentry, astronomy, and sidereal timing.
Link has a soft spot for animals. As someone who knows he doesn't like his boundaries being crossed, he's more than patient with any furry friend, even carrying around a few treats if they want them. Because of this, animals tend to gravitate to him. Every dog up at the stable recognizes him, the birds follow him from the sky, and even the horses don't panic around him.
As far as weaknesses go, Link faces a plethora of social issues stemming from his mutism. Thankfully, Zelda did teach him sign language and sketching to communicate his thoughts more clearly, but not everyone has the patience. He can also come across as cold or distant in addition to his fear of abandonment and difficulty trusting.
In terms of physicality, Link has an insanely high pain tolerance, which might sound like a good thing... at first. But that usually means he only treats his injuries when he's literally about to die. He also hardly sleeps, either due to nightmares or general restlessness.
As mentioned previously, Link has a soft spot for animals... even owning a horse of his own: Vexli.
Vexli is an older Clydesdale horse who was once part of a bokoblin militia, up until Link rescued her. Much like him, she is easily frightened by loud noises, and tends to freeze up whenever she hears an enemy. Link is gentle with her as always, knowing she and him are dealing with their own battles. On the rougher nights when he can't sleep, he's comfortable just taking her out for a walk around the fields where there aren't any enemies... or the moon for that matter. She also reminds him of Epona, so he's especially attached.
Link's collection is rather extensive, consisting of things he's found on his adventures, or little souvenirs to keep his sanity whenever he feels things will disappear. A stray feather from Tulin, a scale from Sidon, one of Vexli's braided hairs, and even one of Zelda's sketches. He even keeps things that are broken, mostly as a way to remember them by.
Following the events of TOTK, although Link DID get a new arm from Rauru... something went wrong. His arm grew infected to the point where he needed it amputated. Because of this, he has chronic phantom pain. He also is blind in one eye (this one was from another battle and wasn't healed properly), so he has trouble with depth perception (not helped by the fact that he has one arm). Thankfully, with the help of the Sheikah, he has been able to adapt accordingly. They've suggested giving him a prosthetic (read: guardian claw) but he refused because the texture was irritating.
Although he's not vocal about it, Link is very family-oriented. He feels immense guilt for his bio family's death since Calamity Ganon, and often writes letters to them... even if they can't read it. He especially feels guilty for Aryll's death, knowing he wasn't there to watch her grow up.
Thankfully, he has managed to heal somewhat from it with the help of his friends: Rauru being a source of guidance, Impa being an almost grandmotherly figure, Robbie and Purah being his friends and medical aides, Riju being his fellow partner in crime (so to speak), and then Yunobo, Sidon, and Tulin basically being his adoptive brothers. And then, of course, there's Zelda...
It's safe to say that Zelda is basically the love of his life... for many reasons. They're neurodivergent, trans, bi, and are filled with trauma (albeit differently). It's often hard for Link to voice his affections for her (which was a struggle when they first started, admittedly), but they've grown to listen to one another and learn from it. They both do their best to remain open about their feelings, and even stay with each other when their trauma spikes, whether it's just staying silent or genuinely trying to guide the other out of it. They've had their ups and downs, but they know they love each other, and they're willing to make it work ❤️️
And dazz about it as far as headcanons go for this one! I do have a Zelda one in mind, so stay tuned! ❤️️
