#windintheshell

“ Hmmm, you know, little highness, I’m not sure I can eat all this! I’ll get too full!“   The funny bird said , his eyes twinkling playfully. Sidon giggled softly at his tone when his big rito friend held the fish out beside him, features turning assessive between the two and humming with a thoughtful nod. “ Oh yeah, this fish would suit you better!  You wanna trade?“ He said stroking his chin confidently. The prince’s giggling grew into a laugh. “ Big Bird, no!  I can’t! “

The bird’s eyebrows raised in surprise, beak hanging open in shock. “ No?? ...Well, how about Nugget? “ The young boy’s cheeks hurt as his laughs turned to near-shrieks when Big bird lowered the huge catch to Nugget, the puppy’s eyes dilating and going absolutely still. The golden pup would’ve surely took a few bites if his mouth wasn’t full with the smaller fish already given to him. Sidon laughed an even higher-pitch as he shook his head, long tail swinging back and forth. “ —Heehee, no!! He can’t either! “  The silly bird gave an exaggerated look of confusion, tilting his head perplexed as he lifted the fish to inspect it.  “ Really...? “ Big Bird  questioned, eyes big and curious as he watched the prince nod his head. He gave a low hum, quirking his beak to the side with a raised brow. “ ...I don’t know, little highness...You sure you can’t eat this? “  “ Big bird, that fish is bigger then me! “

Sidon bared his teeth, voice practically snarling as he brought his towering height closer to her bedside. “ You silly foolish girl...This isn't about me having some romantic notion towards your rescue, a story of grandeur I wish to brag of to my subjects for praise or bolster my reputation with....My words and actions are purely in the interest of your well-being, in honoring what was lost to you, which is the very thing driving you to this state of vast emptiness in the first place! Still, even so, with your friend's—No, your family's sacrifice, you purposely choose to turn your back on him! To hylia's otherwordly servants which served to aid him in preserving you!“

Her face canted downwards, her hair casting shadows over her eyes bleak and cold like a midnight snowstorm, undisturbed eve as he bared down on her with a furious stare.

The prince of zoras gold eyes narrowed, not even bothering to wait her answer, continuing onwards. "  Whether or not you agree with the outcome, you're here now. And given the events of that night, there is no doubt in my mind it wasn't a mere coincidence... Don't you see!? You can’t just recklessly throw your life away, the spirits wanted you to live and there must have been a reason for it! "

The young hylian woman didn't say a word at first, remaining quiet some moments longer as she waited for him to finish, wholly unmoved as she leaned her body ever so slightly in his direction.

“ Well, I should certainly hope not...or they’ve got some real fucked priorities, don’t you think…? After all, what divine reason would they have to save a nobody and not the goddess’ own chosen hero? “ Nayu said, her voice sharp through it's rasps, razors slipping further out as her tone lowered. The question bit into him, paralyzing him just as quickly as he'd set aflame. His face grew blank in confusion as it brought more questions unbidden...questions that he himself had never thought or would dare to ask. When he failed to respond, she continued as he did, giving voice to those questions now lurking forward. “ ...What about Hyrule’s Princess, one who shares the blood of Hylia herself? What were they doing when Ganon took over the guardians and Divine Beasts, sealing their champions inside, the ones chosen to protect Hyrule and stop the Calamity...? “

The hylian watched as Sidon’s scowl immediately fell, the fire burning inside going up in smoke, his looming posture faltering as he was shaken.

“ ...Divine infallibility is a lie, Prince. Our gods are not all powerful, all mighty, they make mistakes. They let good people die while evil gets to thrive and fester. The children of Lanayru should know that first hand. You should know that first hand... “ She said piercing him further with her eyes, her words dipping into the hole of his heart and lighting up it’s growing cracks.

From chapter 13 of my story, To Meet the Shell, where Nayu finally wakes in the palace medward after a personal loss and Prince Sidon finally gets to speak to the half-dead person he pulled from the Eastern Reservoir. The encounter is less then warm and fuzzy, and the hylian wants nothing to do with her would-be savior, refusing to even give her own name.

In case you’re wondering this is like 30 years before BOTW and consequently also why you dun see no scars on Sidon’s head fin. These pictures are really haphazardly done but then this wasn’t something I planned.

Giving Nugget one last nuzzle, he set the pup down beside Sidon in his lap before offering his wings to the little prince. Sidon’s cheeks pinkened, beaming as he let the rito lift him to his face. Like when he’d explored his feet, he was reserved at first...but also like last time, Big Bird’s face was warm and welcoming. He softly grinned as Sidon’s tiny webbed hands curiously came to pet his beak, feeling over the scarred indentations.

Baby golds dilated in awe of the familiar texture. “ It feels like your toenails, Big Bird. “

The Rito’s shoulders shook as he chortled. “ They’re made of similar stuff actually...Along with hair, feathers, horns...hooves...turtle shells too. That’s just what I remember off the top of my head. “

Sidon gave him a look of disbelief. How could so many different things be made out of toenails?

At the prince’s evident sense of doubt, the bird laughed and pouted.

“ Oi, you look like you don’t believe me! Honest to Hylia, I heard a sheikah scientist tell me once a long time ago. It’s all made of carrots!“ Big Bird said proudly, then made a show of hesitating and thinking. “ No, wait...Carrot-something! Nothing to do with the vegetable...I don’t actually remember the word. But it sounded like carrots!  “

The prince’s tiny hands went to the rito’s cheeks and back, trying and failing to comprehend the fact that his feathers were also made of carrots like his beak—carrot-something. Big Bird only hummed amusedly, unbothered by those little hands touching curiously all over his face.

The exploration would continue down to his neck, where then the prince next asked to see his large wings, Big Bird smiling and remaining permissive the whole way through. Even for his tail feathers, though Sidon got distracted from touching much more than their tips when his large friend decided it was time to play with Nugget again.

At the bird’s loud guffaw, Sidon’s attention had quickly left the man’s tail feathers altogether to walk back in front of them to see what was happening.

“ He wants my sash! “ The rito told him in amused horror, the prince blinking his eyes as Nugget tugged at the red cloth before he broke into a squeal and giggle.

Nugget leapt back when Big Bird retaliated with a tickling hand, barking playfully as he retreated. He ran back and forth around the bird, wings darting out to tickle him. Nugget would catch a feathered finger in his mouth, teething on it until it withdrew. Eventually he left the rito’s reach entirely, chubby bottom wagging with his tail as he entered a play bow, eyes intent on the bird.

“ Uh-oh, uh-oh! Here he comes! He’s gonna charge, he’s charging, he’s charging! AAackk! “

Sidon shrieked with laughter, holding his sides as the little gold ball of fur dashed and jumped, Big Bird theatrically falling back on impact to his lower abdomen.

“ Ooouugh…he got me... “ He said feigning pain as the prince came up to his side, little Nugget walking all over him and sniffing. The bird’s act quickly fell apart when the puppy moved on to his head, making him lose balance as a harpy-like cackle rose from his chest. “ Hylia, do you see this? He wants to sit on my face! Pfffah-blegh, puppy butt to the beak, ough!  “

Sidon almost fell over as his shrieks and giggles mixed with the rito’s, his cheeks hurting with how hard he was smiling. He shook his head, the boy’s long red tail swaying back and forth.