Musterion (A Zelda AU)

Gan-Man - Chapter 11

After Ali and I had finished eating, I heard Aabirah announce we would stay a bit longer at the stable. Ali got comfy in my lap once more, and fell asleep not long after. I would have too, if it weren't for the fact her bandages around her side were getting bloodier by the hour. I do my best to pick her up without waking her, walking out from behind the stable and finding myself at Link's side once more.

"Way to go, man. Saw it all go down," He smiles, punching my arm. Zelda gives a thumbs up.

"Thanks, but... Ali's not doing so well. I think she might've torn her stitches." I gesture the best I can manage to her wound.

"Oh my Hylia-" Zelda shoots up out of her spot, rummaging in her bag for who-knows-what. "Lay her down! You won't do her any good if you carry her with the injury facing down! Gravity will just make the blood go to the injury!"

"Okay! Okay! I didn't know, I'm sorry!" I wasn't sure why I was apologizing, but I laid Ali down on her good side, removing the bandages. Well... tried to. They were basically stuck to her wound, with the amount of blood on them.

"Move," Zelda scoffs, shoving me out of the way as she cuts off the bandages with scissors. She begins to disinfect the wound again, but I only look away, Link pulling me back up.

"Don't worry. Zelda's basically a medical expert. She's really good at this stuff," He says, trying to keep me calm.

"I trust her. I'm just worried. Her wrist is swelling, too."

"If you can't take care of Alibi'eh, you'll be setting her up for a deathbed," Zelda butts in, not looking up as she's stitching the wound back up. Again. "This is the kind of injury that needs to be taken back to the castle's medical area. In fact-"

"Zelda, you can't just-" Link tries to reason, but...

"Link, call your horse. I won't take her to the castle if you don't want me to but I'm taking her to Purah's lab. Now give me your Sheikah Slate."

"But we don't know that it's-"

"Link, the hero who stopped the Calamity used it! It's fine! Now give me it please!"

Link begrudgingly pulls a stone tablet from his sack of belongings. It looks ancient. It's got a bunch of intricate designs on it. Zelda takes it with her not-so-bloody hand, finishing Ali's stitching as she shoves everything back in her bag.

"Zelda, can I come?" I speak up, anxiety bubbling in my stomach.

"No. The slate can only take two people at most right now. You and Link can meet me at Hateno on his horse. We'll wait," Zelda promises, wiping her hands on her pants and tapping at the glass on the slate.

"Please, be careful," I give her a small smile, my stomach now turning into an endless pit, the anxiety fluttering around in my heart. Link nods in agreement, putting a hand on my shoulder. I watch them turn blue, slowly drifting away in blue particles, indistinguishable from each other. I could never tell you which was which. 

Link calls for his horse, dragging me around the corner onto a deserted path. "We should get going."

"Wait!" In a panic, I shake my head and take a step back. "I have to tell Aabirah I'm leaving, at least! She'll worry herself to death if I don't."

"I... okay. I'll get Epona ready, then." Link sighs, brushing out the mane of his horse, supposedly named Epona. The horse seemed dirty, as if it had been waiting for him to call it. It must've been out and about grazing among the fields, beyond the desert's boundaries. 

I walk back to the stable, nudging Aabirah. "Hey, um... Aabirah..."

"Yes?"

"Link and I are going to leave the group. Ali and Zelda already left, but... it's an emergency. You can lead everyone somewhere safe, right?"

"I-" Aabirah looks at me, hesitantly pausing. She puts a hand on my head, like she had before, her voice quieting. "Of course. When you come back home to us, we'll welcome you with open arms."

"Thank you, Aabirah..." I mutter, my heart hurting for some strange reason.

"Please, be safe," Aabirah says, hugging me suddenly. She's never done anything like this before. "I love you, Ganon. You're my son. Whether you want me to be or not. Your mother told me herself, the day before she passed, 'Take care of my son, give him the life I never will be able to.' I hope I did."

"You... you did. Don't worry. You gave me more than I could ever ask for." I hug her back, tightly. I resist the urge to cry, though my eyes burn with tears anyways. "We'll come home, soon, okay?"

"Don't worry, little voe, you don't need to tell me that. I know you will. Keep yourself safe. If you get into any trouble at all and I hear your name from a rumor..." Aabirah pauses, her vice grip tightening. "It won't be pretty. But, yes... I'll miss you." 

I'm the first to pull away after another minute. I wave at Aabirah, taking a step back and running back to Link before she could pull me into another hug. 

"That was pretty emotional, man," Link comments, smiling a little. "You good?"

"Yeah, yeah... I'm fine. Let's get moving." 

"Alrighty," Link hops up on his horse, extending a hand down to me. "Let's go, Gan-Man."

"Gan-Man? Seriously?" I take his hand as he helps pull me up. I hoist myself up, nearly falling right back off. 

"Hehe... you gotta really put your muscles to work when you get on a horse. C'mon, you can do it, Gan the Man."

"Cut it out with the names!" 

Link gives a smug look as he snickers. "Then get on Epona."

I glare at him, pulling myself up and straddling Epona. "Shut your trap and get going before you get demoted to back seat."

"Put your arms around me then."

I put my arms around him, elbows resting on his shoulders. "Okay, done."

"By my waist, Ganon," Link mutters, shaking his head.

"Oh-" I quickly put my arms around his waist instead. "Sorry."

"No problem, Gan-Man. Let's go!"

"Quit calling me that!" I jab his side as Epona starts galloping away from my home. The only place in Hyrule I've ever known, now gone, a blur in the horizon.