Remembrance - BOTW Link x Reader

Traveling - Chapter 18

You, Sherry, Alysa, and Quin traveled down the path for an hour before stopping at Outskirt Stable to give the horses a break. Traveling across Hyrule Field would've been much faster, however Quin warned you of countless dangers that could easily kill all four of them, so you decided to take the long way around.

You sat at the table, rolling out your map for everyone to see. 

Sherry traced out a path with her finger, showing you where you needed to go.

"This is the best path to take to Kakariko Village," she explained to you. "The monsters are weak, and it's the shortest route. The next stable is far off, though, so we can't push our horses too hard. It's about two and a half hours away, and another half to get to Kakariko Village from there. If we go now, we can make it before nightfall."

You nod, rolling up the map, and you ready your horse for another long ride.

Soon enough, you reached the Great Plateau again. The walls towered above you, and for a moment, you lingered, hoping that Link would glide down to you. You knew he had moved on looking for you, however, so your gaze turned to a woman, fretfully shaking underneath a tree.

"Hang on, guys," you called to the others. "I think this girl needs help. Wait up for me."

You turn to the girl, poking her gently.

"I'll never see him again..." She whispers, looking up. In a split second, you tensed. The girls green eyes looked almost exactly alike to the Yiga Clan warrior who had attacked you earlier, and you knew immediately it was one in disguise.

"That's sad but I really should be going..." you mutter, backing away slowly. After gaining a few feet of distance, you dash to your horse and gallop away, calling to your friends.

"Lets go!" you call, motioning them forward.

Monsters scatter the forests around you, but they either didn't notice you or didn't care enough to chase the horses as you passed. Tattered flags waved in the breeze, the designs of Hyrule as ruined as the buildings of the land around you. You passed by the ruins of an outpost, the brick buildings crumbling and destroyed beyond repair. Swords laid on the ground, rusted from 100 years of rain and dew. 

"Sometimes I wonder what Hyrule looked like before Ganon destroyed it all," Alysa murmured. "If these weren't in ruin, what would they look like? It must have been so pretty."

You smile in remorse. 

"If I ever remember what it looked like, Alysa, I'll tell you about it sometime. I'll kill Ganon, like I should have 100 years ago, and help restore Hyrule to it's old beauty."

Alysa gives you a sad smile, and the trip falls back into silence.

_

You traveled for another hour alongside a large river, dodging monster camps and crossing bridges, before reaching Dueling Peaks stable. You let your horse take a break as you examined what must have been a battlefield next to the stable. Broken guardians littered the clearing, puddles of muddy rainwater scattered around them. Seeing the area filled you with anguish and sorrow, and you had to refrain from crying.

Why am I feeling like this? Is this a memory? Do I want to remember this?

However, despite the feeling, no memory surfaced. You decided that you probably didn't want to remember, despite your disappointment.

After ten minutes of break, you were off to Kakariko Village. The trail wounded around the mountain, and then cut through the center, steep cliffs blocking each side. Water trickled down from cracks in the rock, creating small pools where frogs paddled around. 

When you came upon the first wooden archway, you hesitated. You slowly stopped your horse, anxiety rushing through your veins. 

What if he isn't here? I don't know where else to look.

Alysa gave you a reassuring glance.

"We'll go on ahead," she murmured quietly. "I can tell you're nervous. We'll find an inn to stay at, and you can stay here as long as you like. And if he isn't here, we'll help you think of something else."

You give a nervous smile, and your three friends vanished down the path.

Once they left, you let out an anxious sigh.

Why did I leave that island, anyways? If I had stayed put, Link would've found me right away. I'm such an idiot. He probably isn't even here...

Minutes passed before you finally mustered the courage to keep going. You didn't mount your horse, because you knew you would have to get off in a minute anyway, and instead you led (H/n) by the reins to the village.

As soon as you entered the village, you saw a young boy leaning over a railing, all too familiar.

His golden hair was flowing in the light breeze, standing out from his dull, tattered clothes. 

Your eyes welled up with tears of joy as you immediately knew who it was, and you could barely manage to get any words out, except for one.

"Link."