New Home - BotW Link x Reader (Undergoing Revisions)

Chapter 32

Never in your life had you ever been so powerless to do anything. You were paraded around the village like the survivor of some great scandal. They coddled you and made sure that you were comfortable at all times- and while you appreciated that aspect of it, it was what led to this coddling that peeved you. Link still had not returned and though you knew he was capable of protecting himself he wasn't actually himself right now.

Link needed you right now, but you didn't know where he was and you had no way to find him. You wanted to be sure that he was alright...but you couldn't.

The villagers had formed a large circle in the village square around a bonfire as a form of memoriam for the man who died. You sat on a half-wall outside of a small store and stroked Nayru's nose, who was tethered nearby. Your mare nudged you with her snout when your hand stopped. Smiling, you resumed petting her and she nickered quietly.

All of the villagers were gathered in the square tonight. There was no one guarding the gate. You turned your head and looked down the main road, void of any light save for that from the moon. Its light reflected on the windows of the homes and buildings and cast the world in a ghostly blue color. The gate was unguarded and Nayru was right here. You could have left in that moment, but where would you have gone?

If I leave now, and Link returns, he wouldn't know where I went off to. But I hate having to wait for him to return, if he does at all...

Sighing, you decided to stay put, at least for the night. If the next day passed and he didn't return, you'd head back to the woods where the man was and you'd look for him there. If you didn't find him by then, you weren't sure what you'd do.

Thankfully, you didn't have to go searching for Link because the next morning, he returned. You were woken up by loud voices outside- groaning and sitting up, you rubbed your eyes and yawned. You stood, walking groggily over to the window before opening the curtains. There was a crowd outside, all heading towards the village's gate. Leaning closer to the window, you looked to see what they were going for and gasped.

Stepping outside, you were met immediately with a cold wind that chilled you to the bone. But you didn't care about that- noticing the noise, Link had turned towards you and the relief he saw in his eyes warmed you. You could only hope that your eyes conveyed the same feelings to him. The moment was short as people continued pestering him. It was then that you glanced down and saw that in his arms was Myra's husband.

Looking back into his eyes, you got no explanation from them as he busied himself with listening to what the villagers were yelling at him now. He looked overwhelmed- his eyes were wide, his eyebrows furrowed, and he even took a step backwards, closer to Epona- so you pushed through them to make it to his side, ignoring the snide remarks coming your way.

Before you could reach him, though, one of the men of the village grabbed your arm and told you not to get any closer to him. Glaring at the man, you threatened to take his arm with you if he didn't let go. He only held you more firmly, so you pulled against him, only for the man on your other side to grab your other arm.

Still struggling against the men, your ears focused on what was being yelled around you. "How dare you defile his body?"

"Who do you think you are?"

"Hand him over!" Another man, bigger than the others, likely some kind of smith, stepped forward and took the body from Link's arms.

"I thought you'd want to bury him," Link began meekly.

"What gives you the right to even touch him?"

"We have to clean his body before the funeral, now," one of the women said with a sigh.