A King is Nothing Without His People
Chapter 7
Join the Flock
CW: Intrusive thoughts, breakdowns
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Link had woken up at five am as he always did and changed out of his Gerudo Vai outfit, being careful that Riju wasn't awake to catch him getting changed. He folded the garb up and put them in his slate for later use, dressing in his Snowquill Tunic and Trousers. He'd put the ruby circlet on when he got cold, but he left it in his slate for now. He kissed Riju's forehead and scooped Fostri up, the Korok not waking at the disturbance. The champions aren't around… I wonder if they're sleeping, he thought as he held the slate in his hand and opened it to the map screen. He maximized the screen and scrolled until he saw Rito village, tapping on the Akh Va'quot shrine when he minimized the screen.
He closed his eyes as the blinding blue of Sheikah technology covered him, opening them again when the biting cold of Rito Village met his skin. Behind him, he could faintly hear Kass playing on his concertina, playing a tune he'd normally play when he had nothing else to play. Fostri stirred and turned his head to look up at Link before moving to look around them. "Where're we?" He asked and slowly floated up to rest on Link’s shoulder.
"We're at Rito Village. I'm waiting for the others to wake up before doing anything," he quietly explained and turned around to watch Kass play. The bard was facing the setting moon, playing a melancholic tune. "Want to meet one of my best friends?" He asked the Korok, leaning against the railing of the landing. The wind was calm but there was still a chill in the air, enough to make Link think about putting on the circlet. Though the rising sun would be enough to warm him in a few hours, he just had to wait a while.
Fostri nodded and draped himself over Link’s shoulder, content to be drug around while he dozed off. Link smiled and stayed where he was for a few moments before pushing himself to stand, making his way to where the bard continued playing. Kass must've heard Link as he turned around, the music filling the air coming to a halt. "Link! It's so good to… see you?" Kass almost questioned, faltering when he turned to look at Link completely. Link tilted his head slightly, wondering why the Rito was confused.
Revali appeared behind Kass, almost startling Link enough for him to jump. "You know us Rito can see forest children right? It's not uncommon for us to be born with that ability, though usually fledglings are the ones who can see them as the ability fades with age." Revali explained, lazily looking around the area.
Link perked up and grabbed the Korok off his shoulder, holding him up for Kass to see. Said Korok gave a chime of discomfort, being abruptly woken and dangled like a toy. "You can see him?" He asked with childish glee, glancing at the Korok to make sure he wasn't accidentally hurting it. Maybe later if I can get Kass to watch over him I can visit Teba for an hour or two.
"Ah, I wasn't sure if you were aware he was there. Yes, I can see the forest child." Kass answered, setting his concertina on his belt as he didn't need it now. He hesitantly held two feathered hands out to hold the Korok, letting the leafy body rest on his feathers. Fostri protested at the movement, letting little chimes out as he fought to get comfortable again.
Link smiled at the sight, itching to grab his slate and snap a picture of the two. "We met a few days ago, he wanted to come along with me on my adventures so I allowed him to!" Link excitedly explained, though the excitement died down when he looked back at Revali and remembered why they were there. "I have to go talk with Kaneli, but I'll come back when we're done! He should be awake by the time we're done talking so you two can have a proper introduction," Link explained and walked towards the Rito, intending to get a hug from the bard before walking off to his inevitable doom. That, and it was starting to get a little too cold for his liking. Kass happily indulged him, carefully moving the Korok to one feathered hand and wrapping the other around Link.
The two stayed like that until the telltale clack of multiple talons hitting wood was heard. "I take it that's my cue to leave. It was nice seeing you Kass," Link said gratefully and bumped his head against Kass’s chest. He gently grabbed Fostri from Kass and cradled the Korok to his chest, waving to the fledglings who were now moving onto the platform.
"We haven't been here in a while, I hope that seagull’s taken care of my flight range while we were gone," Revali said as he materialized next to Link, making the Hylian jump in surprise.
"Stop doing that. Hylia, you guys pick the worst time to come out." He huffed in annoyance before continuing, "where are the others? Are they in my soul?" He asked as he began making his way up the steps of Rito village. Saki passed him and gave him an excited wave, getting one in return. She always made time for him, whether it was a simple wave and smile or a short conversation.
"Urbosa is still resting but Mipha and Daruk are somewhere within the village. I think they said they were heading up to Vah Medoh." The Rito explained as he lazily looked around. "They're probably looking over it now, so we can get right to work when you're done."
Link nodded and put Fostri on his shoulder again as they came upon more Rito walking around. The Korok, more awake than he was moments ago, held itself on his shoulder.. "Hopefully this won't take long, Kaneli seems docile enough to not put up much of a fight." Link muttered to the Rito, waving hello to Harth as he passed the Rito's roost. Harth barely gave a wave back as he was busy fixing a bow. I'll have to talk to him about getting more bowstrings, a few bows I have need restringing.
Link stopped walking when he didn't hear the sound of talons hitting wood following after him, pausing before he began climbing the last staircase. "Revali?" He called out as he looked behind him, noticing the Rito was looking at the landing next to them with a melancholic look.
What is he- oh. Link thought as he noticed which landing was next to them. Revali's Landing. "You know, I wasn't liked much among my nestmates. I was born too young to play with those in my year and too old to play with the ones under. Who'd think, a hundred years later and dead, I'd finally get the approval I've always wanted." He said bitterly, glaring at the landing with hatred only a dead man could harbor.
Link frowned and got off the steps. "If it makes you feel better, back when you were alive I admired your skills." Link said and moved closer to the Rito Champion, looking over the landing with him. "I know I didn't show it- or at least I don't think I did. But I was envious of your skills. I spent a week trying to master the bow but no matter what, I couldn't." Link said without thinking. Huh, he doesn't remember getting that memory.
Revali looked down at the Hylian in shock. "You… you did? I thought you were a stuck-up brat who only cared about himself and the Princess."
"Well, when the weight of a whole kingdom rests on your shoulders, you quickly learn to be quiet and endure the envy or give in and have your reputation ruined." He joked, but he wasn't sure where these feelings of hatred were coming from. He never hated his circumstances before. "Let's- let's go... see Kaneli," he uttered and almost stumbled as he turned around. But it was too late. The memory was already flashing in front of him.
He was with Revali in a forest clearing. Princess Zelda, Princess Mipha, Chieftess Urbosa, and Chief Daruk were faintly seen in the background, talking with each other and setting up camp. The Rito Champion was with Link and was boasting about his bow skills. "I'll have you know, I can shoot five arrows in one shot. And I won't miss a single target." He bragged, pulling out his famed Eagle Bow and praising the craftsmanship. I wish I could shoot as well as him… If only I had more free time to practice my shooting. Link thought as he watched the Rito. Revali has been at this for almost an hour, seeming to taunt the silent knight. Finally, Link had enough. He stood up abruptly and grabbed his own bow, a simple knight's bow he requested some months ago.
He made sure Revali was watching as he pointed to a few trees in the distance and readied his bow. He took out five arrows from his quiver and, after a steadying breath, shot each arrow in quick succession. Each arrow hit its intended target, sending the Rito Champion into a fit of disbelief.
Link let out a sharp breath as the memory passed over him. "...nk? ink? Link!?" Revali panicked, waving a feathered hand over Links’ face. Said Hylian hummed in response, leaning heavily on the fence. Weird… usually his memories didn't come with thoughts. "Honestly, are you even listening to me? Hello?" Revali snapped, covering his growing panic with snark.
"...hm? …Yeah… yeah I'm listening. I hear you, stop yelling," Link mumbled out and half-heartedly swatted at the Rito, glad Harth was too busy not watching him. "Just a memory, everything's fine." He said and straightened himself, almost sending Fostri tumbling off his shoulder. Luckily the Korok was able to keep its grip, just barely managing to catch itself on Links’ shoulder. Right as I'm about to go have an important talk, I get a memory, he thought bitterly and began climbing the stairway again. "I'll explain later," he added when he could tell the Rito was going to ask a question.
Revali huffed and began walking again, walking next to Link. "Fine, but don't think I'll forget." He threatened but was quick to quiet down when Kaneli's roost was in view. Link took a deep breath and walked into the roost.
Kaneli smiled warmly when Link entered the roost, pausing from rocking in his chair to greet the Champion. "Ah, champion descendant! How nice to see you again! I take it you've come to check on Medoh? The beast fired a laser a few days ago and hasn't done much since then, I think it's finally powered down!"
Link almost flinched at the amount of joy he could hear in the Rito's voice. Right… the Rito were grounded while Medoh was in the air. They wouldn't take too kindly to it flying again. "Kaneli, I have important news to tell you-"
"Why of course Champion descendant! What is it? Were you the reason Vah Medoh has turned off?"
"Well yes but-"
"Oh, how wonderful! We should hold a celebration! I'm guessing along with Vah Medoh turning off, you also defeated Calamity Ganon?"
"Yes to that too but Kaneli-"
"Wonderful! Oh, how absolutely wonderful! We most definitely have to host a celebration in your honor now! Oh, how wonderful this is!"
"Kaneli I have something really important to tell you-"
"Yes Champion descendant? Do you have any food allergies? We should get planning right away! Harth! Har-"
"I am King of Hyrule!" Link finally yelled, tired of being interrupted. He froze as he realized how loud he yelled out. Crap, I hope no one heard that. He hoped fervently before continuing to speak. "I apologize for that. As I was saying-"
"Yes yes, I heard you the first time. Congratulations. Now, do you have any food allergies? We will throw a celebration in honor of defeating the Calamity tomorrow!" Kaneli cheered, before shooing Link out of the roost. "Oh, and tell Harth to get in here!"
"I-I'll be back in a month with important information," he managed to get out before the elder shooed him down the stairs. Link glared at the shaking Rito Champion, daring him to say something. Daring him to laugh. "Not. A. Word." He quietly hissed as he began walking to Harth’s roost. He froze as he came upon five Rito staring at him as soon as he made it down the first staircase.
"So your highness, what can we help you with?" Saki teased, a sickly sweet and yet sadistic look on her face.
"Saki, don't." He whined and hid his face as he felt a blush covering his skin. His ears pressed into his skull without his permission, trying to hide them from the embarrassment he felt. "Harth, Kaneli said he wanted to see you," he mumbled out as the villagers laughed at him.
Harth nodded and stood up, placing the bow he was working on on the ground. "Anything else you require your highness?" He teased as he passed Link, bowing ever so slightly.
Link groaned and grabbed his slate, quickly pressing on the Vah Medoh teleporter. "I hate you, I hate you guys so much." He ranted as he disappeared into strings of blue, appearing outside Vah Medoh. Revali was cackling beside him, laughing too hard to even complain about the sudden teleportation. The embarrassment he felt kept him hot enough that even the frigid temperature near Vah Medoh wasn’t enough to cool him down.
Mipha and Daruk jumped as they heard the laughter, turning around to see what the noise was about. "What's so funny?" Daruk asked in confusion, taking the three in. Link was sure his face was still burned red with embarrassment while Revali was laughing so hard he was curling in on himself.
"Not. A. Word." Link threatened, which seemed to make the Rito laugh harder. He huffed as he waited for Revali to calm down, moving instead to check on Fostri. The Korok had fully woken up sometime during his conversation with Kaneli and had kept quiet. Unlike the Rito, he wasn't laughing.
"Well! You see!" Revali cackled, taking deep breaths to calm himself. "The old hoot wasn't giving him the chance to talk so Link here went and screamed to the world that he was King of Hyrule! And that's not the best part- the best part was five other Rito heard him and started calling him highness! Oh, that was amazing, truly amazing!" Revali gasped out, his laughter finally dying down.
Mipha and Daruk let out short laughs themselves, finding joy in teasing their youngest. "Alright, alright. Let's laugh at Link, I get it. Can we get on the stupid bird yet?" He huffed and moved closer to Vah Medoh. "Can you guys please not tell Urbosa about this?"
"Tell Urbosa about what? Tell Urbosa how you screamed to the world that you were King of Hyrule?" Link stiffened as a voice he dreaded hearing spoke from behind him, slowly turning around to face the person. There, standing behind him, was Lady Urbosa, Chieftess and Champion of the Gerudo. The rising sunlight illuminated her golden-red hair along with the deep brown of her sun-kissed skin. Her sky blue skirt danced in the wind, following a melody only the breeze could hear. And her face… her face was plagued with the ugly smirk of a smug bastard.
Link hissed and marched over to Vah Medoh, getting in position to activate Revali's gale. "Shut up and get me in this stupid bird," he grumbled out. Much like Vah Naboris, Vah Medoh was drooping over and deactivated. Its wings were almost folded into its chest and its head was hanging so low it almost looked like it would fall off.
Revali took a few moments to calm down before he threw his wings open to create a gale. Much like last time, this gale sent him much higher than he needed to go. He was sent flying over the top of Vah Medoh, affectionately called Med sometimes, where he could see the green backside of the beast. Remembering the beast's back entrance, Link steered the paraglider so he could land near the control unit. Much like Naboris' unit, Medohs was no longer alight. Link looked back to the Zora and Goron champions, raising an eyebrow at them when they continued to let out an occasional laugh. "Alright, what needs to be fixed up?"
And so, the six of them then went to work on repairing Medoh, the occasional laugh ringing out from within the beast. Around nine-thirty pm, there was a soft flapping of wings and the sound of something landing on Vah Medoh. Link looked to Revali, who headed up to check who it was. It only took the Rito a minute to come back, a confused look on his face. "It's the bard," he said when he came back to where Link was. Said Hylian was currently in one of the rooms in Medoh's wings, trying to fix the broken window. He nodded and made his way up to Medoh's back, wondering what Kass could possibly want.
"I swear to Hylia if this is about earlier," he grumbled as he climbed up the beast’s walls. It was difficult to get anywhere, multiple times Link had to rely on Revali's gale to lift him to the beast’s back so he could get somewhere. That's how Link found himself almost thirty feet in the air, looking down at the blue Rito bard. "I'll be down in a second!" He called as he closed his paraglider, falling a few feet before opening the contraption again. "Hey, Kass! Did you need something?" He asked once he finally touched the back of Vah Medoh, putting the glider back in his slate once his feet were on the gorund.
Kass smiled at Link and enveloped the Hylian in a hug, his feathered wings providing a warmth Link hadn’t known he needed. Link hugged back, though he wondered what prompted the hug. Kass must've seen the confusion in Link’s face, explaining, "after you disappeared, everyone was worried that they had taken the joke too far. They've been looking for you all day." He loosened the hug, allowing Link to step back when he wanted to.
Link looked up at the bard and hugged him tighter for a moment, before stepping away. "I've been here with Medoh the whole day. Me and the- the forest child have been repairing it. It's probably repaired enough that it can be turned on today," Link thought aloud as he mentally went over the various repairs he'd done. Medoh was much less damaged than Naboris was, though the outside had more wear than the inside did. "I'm sure if I fixed up the control unit a bit more, I could have Med running again."
Kass gave Link a concerned look. "Are… are you sure that's wise? Vah Medoh could still be under Ganon's control. Wouldn't it be better to have the Princess or someone more familiar with the beast look over it?" He questioned, looking down at Medoh with uncertainty. While the Rito trusted Link, he wasn't sure it was a good idea to reawaken the beast, especially after what it had done to the Rito while it was running.
Stiffening, Link turned away from Kass. "Right, I forgot. Kaneli didn't give me time to explain, so you didn’t hear." He started bitterly, preparing himself to explain what happened. This was Kass, the most reasonable person he knew! Kass would never judge him for protecting Hyrule...would he?
"After I defeated Calamity Ganon I was able to rescue the Princess’s body. Only her body. She was able to help me one last time in defeating Ganon but was already dead by the time I was able to defeat it. Meaning, the Princess is no longer alive. I learned from Lady Impa of the Sheikah that the Princess had plans for me to be king if she ever died. Kind of morbid to think about. She knew she would die so she made plans for Hyrule to be taken care of." He tried to keep his tone level as he explained, eyes firmly planted on the land he was responsible for. If his voice wobbled a few times as he spoke, no one mentioned it.
The land he would gladly die for again. He could barely see anything in the darkness of the night as well as being so high up, but he could see Hyrule Castle. The once-menacing building now held a certain air around it. With the Calamity no longer surrounding it, Link could see the building's age, could see the scars this whole mess had left on it. The green fields were barely seen over the harsh cliffs and mountains, covering the softness of the land he's grown to love.
"So no, we can't wait for the Princess to look over the beast, but I can get someone to come out and look over them in a few weeks. Someone who knows the beasts better than I do. For now, I'm only fixing them enough to check to see if the beast can still be turned on, but I'll do that tomorrow seeing how late it is."
Silence followed the explanation. Kass must've understood he hit a nerve as he didn't say anything, instead unbuckling his concertina and playing a familiar melody. The melody of his teacher's last song. Kass hummed along with the melody, wrapping Link in a blanket of comfort he so desperately needed.
No! I can't cry! I've already cried enough, I can't cry anymore, it's not kingly behavior.
"Kass?" Link quietly asked a few minutes later, sitting down and leaning against the bard's legs.
"Yes, Link?" He asked, looking down at the Hylian he's grown to think of as his fledgling.
"Can… Can I talk to you? About that day? You don’t have to listen to me, I should probably talk with Impa about this but I don’t think she’d understand. Not that I think you’ll understand any better but-”
He was cut off when Kass sat down next to him, letting the Hylian lean against his shoulder instead. “It’s okay Link, I’ll listen to whatever you want to tell me. You can tell me everything or you can tell me nothing. I will be here for you.” Kass said, placing his concertina on his lap and wrapping a feathered arm around his shoulders. Link leaned into Kass, closing his eyes as he took in the scent of feathers and wind.
“I loved her, Kass. I loved her and she loved me. And I couldn’t save her. The one person I loved, and I couldn’t save her. If I can’t save the one person I love, how can I save the whole kingdom I love? I already failed this kingdom once, what if I fail everyone again? I don’t know what to do Kass, why did she choose me?" Link cried out, squeezing his eyes shut as the tears began making pathways down his cheeks. He tried so hard not to cry and here he was, crying like a baby in front of one of his best friends.
Kass didn't answer him, only wrapping his wing tighter around the Hero. "I think you'll make an excellent king, Link. I'm sure the Princess left this all to you because she trusted you to make the right decisions for this kingdom. You won't fail this kingdom again because everyone here loves you. If you need help, I'm sure anyone would be willing to help you; be it construction, planning, repopulating, agriculture, or simply offering a warm bed for the night. You're not alone on this Link. You have a whole kingdom behind you, a whole kingdom willing to help you with anything you need."
Kass moved back slightly, making Link look up at him. A few tears escaped as his eyes were no longer holding them back. "You're not alone, Link. You'll never be alone again." He firmly stated, waiting until Link stopped crying to pull him into another hug.
While the two hugged and cried, the four Champions sat a distance away, giving the two privacy. "Would you look at that, it seems like I don't need to waste an arrow on making him cry out his emotions."
"Revali, shut up, please."
"Let him be Red, I'm sure Blue Jay’s trying to keep his own tears at bay."
"I am NOT about to cry! If anything, I'm about to laugh at his weakness!"
"But weren't you the one who always got concerned when he got a new memory?"
"The big guy’s got a point, you were the last one to stop being concerned over him whenever he got a memory."
"S-Shut up! I was only- huh?" Revali stopped himself, looking over at Kass and Link when he noticed something odd. Kass was handing Link what looked like a necklace made of rope. There were three thick coils of rope tied into the main coil, each delicately braided, though the braided rope was hidden behind beautiful feathers colored the shades of sunset yellow. The necklace- no. Revali knew what that was.
Kass held out the hair ornament, holding it up for Link to see. "I'd like to tell you a story, Link. Back when the Rito were coming to terms with the rest of Hyrule, there was a Hylian. Some stories say his name was Coron, some say his name was Dampé and some say his name was Frejor.”
"In the tales where he's named Coron, he was a Hylian born with the love of flight. He'd spend days with the Rito, watching them fly and soar through the clouds. One day a monster, one we could compare to a Lynel, appeared too close to Rito village. Coron risked his life defending the village and successfully defeated the monster. Goddess Nayru looked down at Coron and gifted him the power of flight with a single feather colored after his Rito soul. While wearing the feather, Coron could turn into a Rito like he desperately desired. So the first story goes at least.”
"In the tales where he's named Dampé, he was much the same as Coron. Born with the love of flight and risking his life to defend the village he loved. But instead of succession without fail, he fell along with the monster. Goddess Farore looked down at the valiant hero and forged his soul into the shape of a feather where it would be reborn into the body of a Rito.”
"Finally, In the tales where he's named Frejor, he was a Hylian who hated the Rito. He would go out of his way to sneer at them and insult them. Goddess Din became insulted for her sister's creations so she cursed him with becoming the very thing he hated. Only when he removed the single cursed feather would he become Hylian again, but the cursed feather was tiny and difficult to locate. He plucked himself free of every feather but could not find the cursed one. Only when he spent years with his Rito body did he realize where the feather could be hidden, but by then he came to appreciate the race he had been cursed as."
As Kass explained the stories, he gently placed the hair ornament on Link’s head. He splayed the golden feathers of the ornament far enough apart that they could be mistaken for hair. "Kass- that's a great story but what's the reason for this gift?" Link asked, sitting still as the Rito prettied him up.
Pleased with how his work looked, Kass sat next to Link again. "Ever since then, whichever story you choose to believe, it has become a sacred honor for a Rito to bestow a feather ornament onto a Hylian. If a Rito gifts a Hylian a feather ornament in the colors of their Rito soul, which means that that Rito thinks of that Hylian not as a Hylian, but as an honorary Rito."
Link looked at Kass, tears gathering in his eyes again. "Kass, you don't mean that. You don't want me to be a part of your race, tell me you're joking." He almost pleaded, wishing this was a dream. He loved the Rito, he was incredibly honored to be considered one of them, but he wouldn't let them take him in, not when he was such a failure. He couldn't let them take in a failure that would only bring problems. "You can't possibly want me to be a part of your flock, I'm a failure to Hyru-!"
He was cut off when warm, inviting feathers wrapped around him, once again enveloping him in a hug. Kass is good at giving hugs."Welcome to the flock, Link. You'll always have a home here in Rito village."
The two stayed like that for a few more minutes, long enough for Link’s stomach to growl. He apologized, embarrassed that his forgotten lunch break caused a disturbance to a peaceful moment.
"Not to worry, Amali and Saki prepared dinner for you. It's in the kitchen. Saki also wanted to give you something." Kass explained, releasing Link from his hug of death. Link nodded, stepping back from the Rito.
"Thank you, Kass, I'll make sure to go see them. It was nice seeing you again," he smiled at the bard. He was truly blessed to know such wonderful people.
Giving the Hylian a once over, Kass nodded before turning around, wings spread as he prepared to take off. "It was nice seeing you again, Link. I'll see you tomorrow." The Rito gave one last smile before tipping off the side of Vah Medoh. Link hurried over to the side and watched as Kass glided down to Rito village, lazily spiraling to wherever he planned to land.
"Excuse me, but is no one going to talk about what we just saw?" He heard a startlingly bold voice ask from behind him
Link jumped and turned around, all four Champions were staring at him. "What do you mean?" He asked, moving away from the edge of Vah Medoh.
He was given flat glances, even Mipha gave him a look that seemed to say, 'you can't be that dense.' "Kass gave you a sacred treasure and you don't want it?!" Revali exploded, his feathers puffed up in irritation. "This sacred tradition that hasn't been performed in almost two hundred years and you! You're so selfish to not accept it?!"
"Now now boys, let's calm down and talk things through," Urbosa warned and gave the two stern glances.
"No Urbosa! I'm tired of him breaking our traditions and cultures! First, he broke the Gerudo law, then he wore Mipha's proposal without giving an answer, then he cheated at the Goron race, and now he's refusing a sacred gift?!" The Rito fumed, turning his wrath to Urbosa before switching back to his original prey.
"I was willing to put up with it when the others didn't mind but I won't stand for you to go and do what you want with my traditions! Why don't you want to be accepted into this flock?! Can't you see they love you?!" Revali screamed, his feathers puffed up so much he almost looked threatening. His face was now pointed downward, hiding the vulnerable look on his face. His flock never cared for him the same as this flock cared for Link and here he was, throwing away the opportunity to have a family because he was selfish and could only think of himself!
"I don't want to stain their flock with my failure. I already failed Hyrule and everyone in it, I don't want these guys to unknowingly take in a failure." He tried explaining again. Why could no one understand him? He couldn't let these innocent Rito take in the person who doomed Hyrule!
"They don't care about that, you idiot! You told that bard all of this and he still welcomed you in! The children look up to you! Saki and Amali give you food and clothes every time you visit! Harth always helps you take care of your bows! Bedoli and Larissa always sing their family song whenever you ask them to! Teba stayed around a few minutes after you boarded Medoh to make sure you were okay! They know you failed Hyrule and they still want you to join them! Stop thinking about yourself, for one goddess damned second, and think about the others around you. For once, push yourself to the back of your mind and push this village to the front of it!" A cracked voice marked the end of the sentence, flickering flames surrounding the angered spirit.
Right, he was only a spirit, destined to watch the world rot away into nothing with his only connection to the living being one Hylian. One selfish Hylian. "If you don't want to accept the gift because of yourself then fine, but accept it for the village. Accept it for the flock that wants you," Revali whispered before disappearing. Links soul felt a little heavier, a little more full of guilt than usual.
Mipha frowned and floated over to Link, a cold, ghostly hand resting just above his shoulder. "Don't worry, give him some time to calm down. Though it would do both of you good to apologize to each other when he comes out." She advised, her soft voice holding a stern tone to it. She glanced over her shoulder, sending a look over to the two champions behind her.
"I'll go get the forest child, we'll be back in a few minutes," Daruk stated, disappearing in a flash of teal flames.
A gentle shake of red caught his attention, making him turn to look at the Gerudo Chieftess. "While he was in the wrong for blowing up, he was correct on one aspect. You've broken many of our traditions and laws, though we have been able to overlook them as they weren't major or harming anyone. You should be more careful about each race's culture, things like this could start wars."
The three stood in tense silence as they waited for Daruk and Fostri to return. Link held a hand up to his hair and ran a gentle finger over the braided ropes, his hand tensing when it drifted to the three feathers that lay in one of the coils. Was he selfish? Would they really accept him?
He was startled out of his thoughts when an unexpected weight rested on his shoulder. He looked over and saw Fostri holding the Sheikah Slate, staring at Link’s hair. Daruk most likely told him of what happened as the Korok didn't say anything about the feathers. Link stretched his arms above his head, satisfying cracks sounding from most of his cramped limbs. He took the slate from Fostri and grabbed his paraglider before sticking it back on his hip. "Hold on tight, I'm going to jump off." He warned his Korok companion as he untied and retied the fabric of the glider. He wasn't sure if it would survive the fall. Maybe if he opened it at the last second?
Taking a quick glance at the remaining Champions, he got a running start before jumping off Vah Medoh. He let the air rip around him, his hair and clothes having a violent dance with the wind. As the ground came closer and closer, Link briefly imagined what it would feel like to die, permanently. He harshly shook those thoughts away, he could think them later when he wasn't about to become a pancake without a pan or cake. Besides, Mipha’s Grace was charged up, she wouldn’t let him die. Throwing open his paraglider, he slowly descended the last few feet he needed. Revali's Landing stood underneath him, the wood creaking under the newly added weight.
The paraglider in his hands broke as soon as he was safely on the ground. One of the support beams was snapped cleanly in half, the cloth almost falling off the opposite support beam. Link stared in shock at the now broken paraglider, the first gift he was ever given. He hesitantly ripped the cloth off the support beams and put it in his slate, wondering if the beams could be fixed, or at least repurposed. He ended up putting them in his slate too in case they had a use, something more than firewood. The cloth, he figured, could be used as a bandana or pillow cover.
The champions were quiet as he walked down the stairs to the communal kitchen, most Rito were asleep in their roosts. When he walked into the kitchen he was met with two very sleepy Rito and a warm smell in the air. "Hi Saki, hi Amali." He quietly greeted, hyper-aware of the five sleeping fledglings next to him. The two Rito chirped soft replies, the greener of the two sat up slightly and smiled at him.
"Eat dinner, we kept it warm for you. We knew you'd be back late," Amali motioned a wing to the crackling fire underneath the cookpot. The cookpot held what looked to be three servings of creamy seafood soup. The exact amount I usually eat, he thought as he got a bowl, ladle, and spoon off the cutlery shelf.
He had begun serving himself when he paused and looked up. "Are you two going to eat too?" He asked when he realized they may have made enough for all three of them to eat. Maybe Revali was right and I am selfish. I should stop thinking that everything is about me-
Amali shook her head, hiding a yawn behind a feathered hand. "We already ate, that's for you. You usually eat three servings so we made enough for you," she explained as she cuddled up to Saki, prepared to doze off again. Link was more than happy to leave the two to sleep, intending to wake them up when he was done.
Rito prefer to cuddle with strangers than sleep alone. Most Rito couples will share a hammock and siblings will sleep together when they outgrow their fledgling hammock. He recited, unaware of when he learned this information, but glad to have it. He was quick to finish his dinner, setting the dirty dishes in his slate and taking them out again. Setting the now clean dishes back on the shelf, he debated whether he should wake the two or not. Link decided not to wake them up, figuring they would rather be well-rested.
Link did, however, nudge Amali awake to tell her where he would be. It took a few gentle nudges before the Rito was aware of what was happening. "Amali, I'm going to go spend the night at the inn," he whispered so as to not wake the sleeping Rito next to her.
It was so fast that Link almost didn't believe what happened. One second he was kneeling in front of Amali and the next he was wrapped in an armful of feathers, his body half laying on Saki and half on Amali. "Why waste money when you could sleep with us. After all, Rito aren't shy about sleeping with each other." She said as she got comfortable, wrapping one arm around Links back and resting the other over his legs. Saki automatically readjusted herself too, resting both her wings on the legs that sat on her lap.
"Wait Amali, it's fine I can spend the night at the inn. You don't have to do this," he struggled to get up. The wings did a good job at pinning him down.
Amali ignored him in favor of running her beak over Link’s hair, careful of his new hair accessory. "Good night, Link," she chirped before laying her head over Links.
Said Hylian froze, wondering if what happened was real. He looked down at Fostri who managed to sneak his way into Link’s lap, curling up to sleep. Effectively trapped, Link had no choice but to fall asleep with the two Rito.
---
When he woke up, he was still trapped underneath surprisingly heavy wings. He shifted and looked around at his surroundings, blinking when he noticed Teba, Kass, and Harth were also in the building. The three Rito were quietly chatting with each other, Teba or Kass occasionally glancing back at the three of them. Link remained leaning against Amali, too comfortable to bother getting up. He glanced down when he felt something move, noticing Fostri was beginning to wake up. He rested his hand against Fostri, feeling the Korok grab his finger as he woke up more.
"And after I sang him the song, he disappeared for a few minutes before coming out of the forest riding a buck as big as him," Kass said, eliciting quiet laughs from not only Teba and Harth, but also Saki and Amali who had woken up without Link realizing.
"Back when he went up to defeat Vah Medoh, I almost didn't want to leave him up there. He's still barely a fledgling and the thought of someone so young taking down that beast? I can't believe I let myself leave that day." Link heard Teba say. Did Teba think he was weak enough to fall to Windblight?
"Well that test you gave him wasn't much. Honestly, dear, even Tulin could shoot twenty arrows in three minutes. Especially with how skilled Link is, I'm not surprised he managed to shoot twenty targets in half a minute." Saki disapprovingly chirped, her feathered hands rubbing circles over Links ankles.
He shifted around and let out a quiet groan, pretending that he was just waking up. Better to let them think he hadn't heard them. Fostri looked up at him before floating up from his lap, dancing over until he rested on Kass' shoulder. The bard didn't seem to mind, barely glancing at the Korok as he watched Link. Amali peered down at him, her yellow eyes keeping contact with his blue ones. "Good morning Link," she greeted and gently knocked her beak against Link’s cheek. He unconsciously returned the affection, knocking his temple against her feathered cheek.
'Good morning's were passed around as Link sat up, saying good morning back to everyone. "Why's everyone gathered here? You guys eat breakfast at different times." He asked, hiding a yawn behind his hand. Amali gently pushed Link out of her lap, helping him stand up. Sleeping on Amali's lap was surprisingly comfortable, he felt more rested than he's ever been.
"We wanted to check in on you. Kass told us what happened and we got worried," came Harth’s blunt reply. Blinking in surprise, Link looked over at Kass to see the blue Rito giving Harth the most disappointed look he's ever seen.
Making sure his slate was still on his hip, Link rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. What did today's plans look like? A quick breakfast- hopefully, then try to turn Medoh on. Oh, and apologize to Revali whenever he decided to come out. Speaking of Revali, where are the other Champions? He wondered silently before turning to the five Rito. "What did Kass tell you?" He hoped Kass hadn't told them everything.
"He told us everything."
Dammit. "Everything? As in, everything, everything?" He asked to double check. No harm in knowing what they know. He should also think of what time he wanted to leave. Medoh was basically fixed up, so he could leave as soon as he turned it on, if he wanted to.
"We know about the Princess's death, and we know you blame yourself for it. But Link, that's not your fault. If anything, it's the fault of the past king. He sent the princess and the past hero to their deaths. None of this has, or will ever be your fault, Link." Teba reassured and walked closer to Link, wings open to give him a hug.
Link looked at Kass incredulously. He tells them everything except perhaps the most important piece of information? Link almost opened his mouth to tell them the truth, when Revali appeared next to Teba, a sharp feeling echoing in his chest at the Champion's return. "Don't, Link. Rito are close minded, they wouldn't react well if you told them you were the original Champion. It was honestly a surprise how quick they were to accept you as king, my flock never would have accepted that." Revali huffed, looking around the kitchen at the five Rito.
Defeated, Link allowed himself to be hugged again. Cursed Rito and their need to hug someone, he mentally huffed as he allowed himself to relax in the embrace. Hey, it was still a hug. He'd get those whenever he could.
"What are your plans for today Link? Heading back up to Vah Medoh?" Kass asked as he plated- were those simmered fruits? When were those put to cook? The Champion wondered as Teba released him from his hold and sat down next to Saki, the two nuzzling each other. Fostri floated off Kass' shoulder and moved to Link’s, sitting and leaning against his head. Kass passed a bowl of the fruit to Link, grabbing another bowl to plate more fruit.
Link held his breakfast and sat down next to the fire, enjoying the heat that radiated from it. "Well, I fixed up Vah Medoh enough to where I think it'll run again. So I plan to turn it on, do some last minute repairs then head over to Death Mountain to see the Gorons." He explained as he took a bite of the fruit. Wild berries, apples and spicy peppers, he hummed internally as he took in the flavor of the fruit. The sweetness of the berries and apples covered the spiciness of the peppers while still allowing them to warm him up.
"Oh no you don't! You're staying for lunch at the very least!" Saki stated, a frown on her beak. Upon noticing Link’s shocked expression, she continued. "We haven't seen you in ages, at least stay for lunch when you're done with that beast."
Shocked, Link was only able to nod in agreement. "A-Alright, I'll be back for lunch." He promised, reminding himself to come back for lunch. It took Link fifteen minutes to finish his breakfast, and he was quick to excuse himself when he was done, placing all the dirty dishes in his slate and taking them out again.
"Revali? I'm sorry, for last night." He said when the two of them were alone next to Vah Medoh. "I didn't-"
Revali cut him off, an annoyed sigh leaving the Rito. "Don't. I shouldn't have blown up on you like that, I was annoyed but not at you."
"Why were you annoyed?"
It was quiet for a few seconds. Link wondered if he should've kept his mouth shut when Revali spoke again. "My flock was never accepting of me, I always had to push myself for the smallest bit of praise. But here, you have such a loving flock that accepts whatever you say without question. They trust you. I guess… you rejecting them angered me and I blew up." He explained, becoming visibly upset before straightening again.
"I shouldn't have pressured you to accept the gift, that was wrong of me. But don't take this as an apology, I'm simply telling you why I was upset." He huffed and turned away from Link.
A few seconds passed before a muffled laugh sounded from Link. "You have a talent for making an apology sound like an insult. I'm sorry for insulting your tradition, I'll be more careful about each race’s traditions in the future. Now, how am I supposed to get up there?" Link thought out loud. His paraglider was broken and he didn't have a fabric strong enough to withstand Revali's gale.
Fostri, who had been a little angel, spoke up this time. "That pink Rito put something in your slate before you woke up. She said it was a gift she meant to give you last night." He said and floated off Links shoulder, bouncing his way over to the Rito Champion where he proceeded to circle around Revali's head.
The slate couldn't leave his hip fast enough. Saki had taken his Sheikah Slate? He turned the slate on, immediately noticing the new item in his inventory. It was a new paraglider! Link gasped in shock, taking the glider out and holding it in front of him, slate shoved back on his hip.
This paraglider looked the same as his old one, the only difference was in the color. While his first one was maroon and white, this new one was a seamless blend of white to red. There had to have been some kind of dying process involved, there’s no way anyone would be able to cleanly combine these different colored fabrics together like this! The pattern of the original cloth stayed the same, a sorta moon shape in between two wings. The color stayed the same too, if a few shades lighter. There were seven different patterns on the moon and wings, each with different degrees of detailing. Whoever made the cloth itself clearly hadn’t created the seven different embroiders on the cloth.
Link stood in stunned silence, taking in the beautiful cloth in front of him. "Remind me to ask Saki what her favorite object is so I can get it for her." He was almost scared to use this paraglider. What if he broke it? Revali didn't give him the chance to doubt himself, creating a gale underneath Link and sending him skyward.
The glider caught the updraft and carried him up. The wooden beams felt smooth under the pressure but he could still keep a firm grip on them. In fact, this glider felt more secure than his old glider! Fostri laughed as he grabbed onto Link’s back at the last minute, his Snowquill Tunic whipping around in the air.
Eventually, Link landed on the back of Vah Medoh, the new glider safely put back into his slate. He held the slate up to the control unit, looking back to Revali. "You ready?" He asked the Rito Champion, receiving a scoff in response.
"Of course I'm ready. Seeing Urbosa mingle with Naboris has prepared me as much as possible. Get it over with so we can be done."
Link slid the slate over the control unit. The three of them waited in tense silence as Medoh refused to wake up. Oh no, did I do something wrong? Link panicked, staring down at the control unit.
An irritated huff was heard behind him, causing Link to turn around. "Wake up Vah Medoh, quit being lazy and wake up." Revali ordered, glaring at the head of the beast. Link almost thought it wouldn't work until Vah Medoh let out a cry. He stumbled back, the ground under him shuddering slightly with the weight of turning on. "How long do you think it'll take until a Rito flies up here and sees what's going on?" A bold, feminine voice said behind him.
"Five minutes, tops. Better question is, who will come up." A jovial and loud voice replied, followed by a softer, gentler voice.
"I think Teba will check. After all, he was the one who helped take it down."
"Are you three really making a bet right now? Ridiculous." Revali shook his head, "I think that bard will show up in a minute." He smirked before he disappeared in teal flames, though those disappeared soon after as well. The sound of wings flapping was heard after a minute, the minimal wind making the sound stand out.
Teba was the one who showed up, concern and suspicion on his face. "Link! Is everything ok? Why did Vah Medoh turn on again?" He asked and stayed far enough away to see both Vah Medoh and Link.
"Looks like Mipha guessed correctly."
"Yes, but Revali guessed when he'd appear."
"Don't worry Teba, I turned Vah Medoh on. I'll turn it off again before lunch, I wanted to see if it would actually work." Link explained, ignoring the Champions conversation. Did they do this sort of stuff all the time?
Teba looked unsure before nodding and backing away from the divine beast. "Alright, make sure you turn it off before lunch." He reminded before flying away, glancing over his shoulder once as he left.
With five hours to kill, the Champions, Fostri and Link played games and told stories around the control unit.
