Autumn in Akkala

Ch.41 Memories that Linger

Vah Rudania Conquest

!Zelda                                      Death Mountain

It is to my surprise that I approach Death Mountain to find Y/N and the deity trekking up the mountain toward Vah Rudania.

I am not sure how she managed to appease the deity and bring him away from his obsession with Termina, but I can rightfully say I lack astonishment.

The historian within me is slightly discouraged, as I was truly hoping maybe the deity would point us to this alternate universe in which he is rumored to hail. Perhaps more so, I secretly hoped I would encounter a proxy that could handle the troubles of my kingdom in my stead.

But there is no alternative queen from a parallel universe; there is just me.

Yes, just me, myself, and I, who remembers at times like these why I preferred to dabble in science and history rather than the despotic domain of politics and government.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Chief Riju's copper skin only served to absorb the savage luminosity of the blood moon's rays.

Whereas for the queen, she felt her flesh looked quite garish.

"Well, the good thing for us is that we are near Eldin's province, the blistering lava and volcanic residue will surely lessen this horrendous glare." Riju's dark eyes remained wide, unlike the queen's green marbles that seemed to roll everywhere to avoid the vicious blitz of the blood moon's glow. Riju threw the queen a victorious smile as she navigated the path ahead of her.

Vah Naboris once again proved itself a worthy ally as it continued to trudge over mounds of guardians that had maddened from Majora's unwavering grip.

Queen Zelda kept her hand balled into a fist, resting it over her heart. She finally caved and shut her eyes, warding out the blood moon and listening to the sound of iron and metal crunching beneath Vah Naboris's feet as it shredded through her.

Perhaps her father was right. The guardians had once again proven themselves not to be an asset but a liability. Why was it that all the things she loved so easily turned against her?

The Divine Beasts.

The Guardians.

Link.

She felt her lips tremble; a sharp inhale of breath helped her to control them, puckering them inward and not giving away her impulse to sob. After all, she had a kingdom to defend.

When all was said and done, she would properly grieve her rejection from Link.

"Queen?" Zelda looked over to see Riju's eyes still on the road ahead. Her cobalt pout began to move, signaling that she had spoken. "Are you alright?" Her eyes began to narrow in what Zelda realized wasn't a squint from the glare of the blood moon, but of suspicion.

"I am alright. Just a tad congested." She hoped her lie would help her save face. But Zelda knew, Riju well enough by now. She possessed an overwhelming amount of wisdom for someone her age. Her savant mind, paired with her bold personality, is what kept the Gerudo in check and would undoubtedly have made Lady Urbosa proud should she not have perished during the calamity.

Lady Urbosa. How Zelda missed her. She often found her mind wandering to the chilly desert air and the warm and muscled lap of Urbosa, who would stroke her hair as if she were her own child. Urbosa and Zelda had a mutual understanding; she was her daughter, which Hylia never gave her, and Urbosa, her mother, whom she never had the pleasure of experiencing. If she were alive today, Zelda would ask her how she could nurse her broken heart and face this peril while remaining confident.