Too Far | Botw Sidlink/Zelink

5.) Reminiscing

"The healer was not able to give an exact amount of time that you would have to continue resting, but she gave an estimate of the extent of damage. You have a sprained ankle, bruised ribs, second degree burns on your right side, and several other small wounds. Your ankle and other cuts will heal nicely, barely leaving a scar but we'll have to keep a closer eye on the ribs and burns. "

"Thank you, Sidon. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome, my Starfish. It's my job as your beloved to take care of you."

"I love you to the bone, Sidon." Link hugged his lover close to him and placed a kiss on his forehead. Sidon responded by petting his hair and smiling.

Meeting Sidon had been the best thing to happen to Link besides becoming a knight. But he did NOT mean becoming Princess Zelda's appointed knight. After his mother and little sister kicked him out of their house over a hundred years ago, he moved on and trained hard as a cadet for Hyrule's army. He was finally able to earn some rupees and live properly.

The champion sighed as he let sleep overtake him.

"Link!!" His mother's raspy, overused voice boomed somewhere from the area below him. "Where are you? There are still chores to be finished!"

"Coming, Ma'am!"

Link set down the woodcarving project he'd been working on recently for his sister and climbed down the ladder of the treehouse his father had built for him almost a decade ago. The young Hylian rolled when he reached the ground and started running when he was on his feet again.

He opened the door to their small cabin and grabbed the fire wood carrier in the bin to his left. He left as soon as he entered and started to retrieve some oak wood in the woods. The blond gathered the dryest wood he could find for the fires. Whilst gathering the wood, Link encountered lots of wildlife. He watched the squirrels and various species of birds fly gracefully through the air. Their chirps made a wonderful little song to pass the time without a deafening silence in the field. Owls screeched I'm the distance when it started getting late, so the Hylian teen took that as a signal to start heading home.

Once the firewood was in a pile next to the cabin, Link snatched the slightly rusted bucket and filled it with water from a nearby stream before hurrying home. The young man dumped the stream water into a large pot over a fire to boil it. After several trips were made, the cauldron was full.

Dinner was made by Link's mother for the three of them. In less than twenty minutes, his little sister Irie had already finished her food. His mother was almost done and she simply stared at Link's full plate. Her gaze followed Link's body to find him twirling his food on a fork and staring at the empty chair beside him.

"Gawking at your father's empty chair won't bring him back. His stupidity is what got him killed, boy. Now stop playing with your food and eat it." His mother scolded and pointed her eating utensil at him.

"Yes Ma'am." Link sighed and finished eating his food even though he wasn't hungry. But wasting food wasn't an option, whatever his mother was able to earn was just enough to pay rent and pay for basic needs. Link did whatever work he could for their closest neighbors to earn extra rupees, but he mostly had to take care of Irie. His little sister was around  six years , soon to be seven years younger than him. 

The young Hylian would be turning fifteen soon. That was the age that all of the Hylian soldiers begin their training once they enroll to the academy. Link knew his mother and sister wouldn't approve, however  becoming a soldier paid very well. If  Link was able to stay in their ranks long enough to pass basic training, then he would be able to make enough to support their tiny little family for days on just one payment. It was just the logical choice for the young man. He was taking responsibility to help take care of his family. Most boys his age weren't serious about anything; they were always carefree because they didn't have to deal with the same hardships as him. Link had been exposed at a young age to the fact that he didn't have time to mess around. His father had started teaching him at a young age how to hunt and complete the chores that  his mother and little sister would not be able to complete. 

After he'd finished eating, the duo's mother set out in the evening to complete whatever job she had. To be honest, Link and Irie didn't know what their mother did to help earn their living, but they never asked. It wasn't the children's place to know or ask so they kept to themselves about it. 

The chilly night air blew through the crack between the floor and the door, thus causing Link to block said air blowing through with an old blanket of Irie's that was currently too small for the girl. As soon as she was tucked into the almost threadbare sheets and blanket, her older brother made a mistake.

"Irie . . . I know you don't know much of our father, but . . . I want to know what you think of me joining Hyrule's army."

"No. I don't want you to leave brother. Besides, you know mother wouldn't have it. It's not worth trying. Father may have taught you some things, but it would never be enough."

He shifted on the bed and brushed some of her auburn hair out of her eyes. "But think about it Irie, soldiers make a lot of money. If I were able to get that money for all of us, then we would have a better life. More food! Warm clothes and bedding!"

"Nuh-ah." She then turned and attempted to sleep. Link kissed her on the for head as she snuggled into her blankets, forming a little ball.

"Just don't tell mom." Link muttered under his breath.

"No promises, bro."