Melted

In just a second

"Just think of the possibilities!"

They had been young.

"Uh-huh."

And innocent.

"You're just nodding along and don't think I can do it, am I right?"

And dumb.

"I'm sure you can do it if you set your mind to it."

Really dumb.

⁂⁂⁂

It had been a dream. They were young, full of hopes, and in service of a man who everyone knew would be an amazing king. Hyrule was to become the most glorious Kingdom history had seen.

And they were there to witness it.

To work on it.

They were so proud.

Work had bound them together. Dotour was smart and to the point, he could take the right choice even when it hurt. Auru had been the heart of the team, the people-pleaser, the mood-maker.

Their King had taken them under their wing, had trusted them with everything. Whatever had come to them, they faced and solved it without a hitch. The way they solved their problems was telling of how the Kingdom would fare.

When the King blessed them with a daughter, with a future for Hyrule, Auru was the first to step up and take care of her.

What a lovely child, what a lovely family, what a lovely dream.

Their King had had a smile plastered to his face, had had a gleam on his eyes that was telling.

Their future was bright. They had time.

The King had wanted to expand his family, to ease Hyrule's worries.

They had thought they had time.

It had really looked like they had.

⁂⁂⁂

Auru sighed and cocked his head, "There are people telling me that the crops this year will be bad."

Dotour nodded, he made a mental check of their resources. They would live.

"There are a lot of farmers telling me that next Winter will be really bad."

Dotour nodded, they had prepared.

Their King reassured everyone. They would be alright. They were prepared.

But then Winter came and people started to die of hunger.

⁂⁂⁂

"We have to take food from the nobles and give it to the peasants, they're dying!"

Dotour licked his lips, "They still have some left, and it's not like we can just up and take the food from the people who paid for it, right?"

"There are people dying, Dotour."

"It is a harsh Winter."

"They are dying because the nobles stocked up with everything!"

Dotour scratched some numbers from his parchment, "They did sell it themselves, though."

"We have to do something."

"Yeah? Like what?"

Dotour had thought about making an announcement and then collecting every edible thing and putting the King in charge of its distribution. Dotour had thought about asking for help to the nearby races. Dotour made calculations on his parchments and was too much in his head to see the King failing to find the words to calm the people. Dotour was too busy writing letters to the Gorons and Zoras to see Auru going to talk directly to the nobles.