❝ 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 , 𝐳𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐚 , ❞ words gentle , smile even gentler – he crouches down before where she had led him , near water & mud , to look intently for the little green amphibian she so vibrantly called attention too . eyes find it , or a leg of it as it hops away , and he feels the childish need to reach out and catch it … as he does , he slips in the mud and falls forward . arms outstretch to catch himself , only to have greaves soiled by the ground meant to catch him .
❝ i missed the frog , ❞ he’s sad by that fact and that fact alone , hardly caring about the cold water dampening the fabric around his hands . ❝ what a shame . ❞
guilt is such an ugly thing -- a veritable , volatile beast , cruel and parasitic in nature ; it eats any it deems to latch itself onto from the inside , out , consuming , always consuming , insatiable. it is a beast she has far too much experience with for one at such a tender age , one she has fought , and repeatedly lost to , for almost a decade by now , leaving nothing but rot in the divine temple of her holy flesh. even now she finds herself trapped in its unforgiving maw , dragged down to the dirt by its claws , withering , decaying.
but for what reason does she have to feel so weighed down with guilt , here , as she walks beside aymeric on such a lovely day ? well , it is precisely that. for how can she be content to dally , to waste her time in the wet and the mud of a shallow creek looking for frogs , when the entire kingdom held its breath , waiting for her to rise to her destiny ? ---- that’s what her father would say. she can hear it faintly in the back of her mind , and from it she flinches. she knows if he were standing before her , he’d be looking down the bridge of his nose at her , disappointment and barely contained rage burning like hellfire in the brights of his eyes.
but she deserves a moment of reprieve , doesn’t she ? hasn’t she earned it ? for all the endless work she has put in , only to have her efforts bear no fruit. yes , thought with a hesitant nod to herself as she tries to find strength in her uncertainty. yes , aymeric’s comforting voice rises from somewhere , above the angry , stinging words of her father , ’ yes , you do. ’ it’s why they’re even here in the first place , so that for once she can be not a princess , not a descendant of a goddess , not a girl of destiny --- but as zelda. fully and wholeheartedly zelda.
and with that in mind , with the release of a deep breath held in burning lungs , so too does she attempt to let the guilt go with it. enjoy yourself for once , she thinks , as she joins aymeric in the mire , a soft laugh bubbling to the surface to see him splayed pathetically in the wet earth. but it keeps her attention only for a moment before a flash of green moves in her peripheral ; she is quick , reacting without even thinking on it. body turning , she almost completely throws herself in the muck alongside him , consequences of what may come later when she was to return cast aside as she dives for the amphibian attempting to hop away. hands fumble with the creature at first , the mucous and mud making it far more slippery than anticipated. but with an ‘ aha ! ‘ of triumph on her breath , she turns to face him with her prize, green eyes shining brightly and face split with eagerness.
❝ tada ! this slimy , evasive little beast may look ordinary , but it is actually quite the impressive specimen. research has shown that under the correct conditions , it has been known to produce very potent effects , and that ingesting one of these can augment specific abilities. at current , we know of only two species that can achieve this : the hot - footed frog -- the one we have here -- who can increase ones speed , and the tireless - frog , which increases one’s endurance drastically. ❞ she holds the small amphibian aloft betwixt her fingers , pinching the creature ever so thoughtfully to prevent its discomfort and its escape. the poor thing kicks its small legs in a desperate attempt to flee , but alas , it is no match for the princess , and soon resigns itself to its fate , croaking pitifully.
❝ fascinating , aren’t they ? ❞
