Aftermath of the Calamity: Breath of the Wild

4. Take Care of Hyrule

Crushing, gnawing, tearing. 

Was her body frozen, or melting? Did she have a body at all? 

She must have had lungs, because they were drowning in purple, hate-filled smoke. 

She must have had ears, because they were pounding with the bestial screams of the enemy.

She must have had eyes, because her vision faded in and out. At times she was awash in golden light, but at others she was swallowed by dark clouds of purple or red. Sometimes, when she felt the least stifled, the most like a being of flesh and bone, she could see through the malicious mist at the desolate land that had once been a great kingdom. 

She could just make out a lone Hylian galloping across the field on his horse. Hurry, she tried to call to him, though the only sound was the beast's bloodthirsty screech. Please. Save me.

She must have had a heart, because it broke at the sight of him. 

****************

Zelda popped up from the bed, rubbing madly at her eyes. When she opened them, she nearly panicked until they focused and she could clearly see the room around her. She wasn't in the belly of the beast; she wasn't in the castle at all. She was at Impa's house, laying in Paya's bed. 

Zelda glanced over at Paya, who had also sat up in the cot on the other side of the room. Zelda had insisted she was happy to take the cot, but the girl would not hear of it. By the looks of it, Paya had also had a fretful night. Her normally straight hair was tangled, and she had dark circles under her eyes. When she saw Zelda watching her, she gasped and looked away, quickly rising from the bed. 

"I'll prepare breakfast for you, Princess." 

"There's no need," she said. "I'm sure Link will have prepare something for us to take on the road." 

The girls dressed quickly and Paya lead the way to the stairs. Zelda stopped as she crossed the threshold, searching the landing and the stairs. 

"Is something wrong, Princess?" asked Paya. 

"Where's Link?"

"Link?" She glanced out of the window. Day had hardly broken. "I'm not sure. I imagine he's still at the inn." 

"At the inn? Is that where he was all night?"

"I assume so. He's only stayed here once before." The girl hid her face behind her hands, but not before Zelda glimpsed her reddening face. 

Zelda swallowed back the panic that had risen within her. She had jumped to the conclusion that he'd gotten hurt, but of course there was a more logical answer for why he had not stood  guard outside her door. He wasn't her knight anymore. 

Paya was still watching her worriedly from a couple steps below. Zelda swept her long hair over her shoulder as she swept her mixed emotions to the side, and followed her downstairs. 

Impa had already taken her seat on her cushions at the head of the room. It appeared she did little else these days, but sit and listen to the problems of her people, and advise them moving forward. Zelda supposed old habits died hard. 

"Good morning, Impa," said Zelda. Paya had already slipped outside, presumably to prepare breakfast in the nearby cooking pot. 

"Good morning, Zelda, and I suppose it'll be goodbye before too long. Have you made travel arrangements yet?"

"Link brought our horses to the Great Fairy Fountain. He said they'd be safe there." 

"Good. And do you have enough provisions packed for your journey? Do you know the way to Zora's domain?"