The Missing Goddess

Training together

About two weeks had quickly passed and Link and Yuki were both in the middle of yet another intense training session. This time it was a bit harder since they were trying to do tag team attacks such as one dodging and being the decoy and the other swinging to attack. They were both going up against Kaito, since he was the one over seeing the both of them. Link looked over at Yuki who was panting trying to catch her breath and he let out an annoyed sigh "you two are doing great, but you're also over thinking everything. Try again but this time let it flow, don't think so much." Yuki nodded and looked to Link. She nodded her head and he nodded back, she was going on the attack decoy and he would be the final blow. Yuki feigned going to the right and quickly went to the left with a frontal assault which took Kaito by surprise as she easily distracted him. This gave Link the opening he needed and with one quick swing he had knocked his fathers legs out from under him and had the sword at his throat.
Kaito's eyes were wide with shock. It had only taken them an hour to figure out what best worked for each other. He wondered if it was a fluke so he stood up "again." The two nodded and this time it was Link who was the decoy. And much like the previous time Kaito found himself on his back with a grinning Yuki holding him down with her foot and the blade not even an inch from his throat "still wondering if it's a fluke?" Kaito gulped and realized quite easily that this was no fluke, and that one day, they were going to be a deadly pair. "No, you two are making a lot of progress for it being only two weeks. Makes me wonder if you two did this in another life." He said the last part as an after thought mainly for himself. The two looked at each other and shrugged. Link sheathed his sword while Yuki put her own away.
"I think however, that's enough with using me as a dummy. If you two wanna go over anymore attacks, or combinations, you can. However don't over do it." This was more directed at Yuki whom blushed and looked away "it was an accident." "Sure, fainting dead away in front of us was an accident." This only made her blush darken as she remembered how and why she fainted.
*Flash back*
It had only been a week since the two had started training together, and in order to catch Link up to where she already was, she put in extra hours and routines to help him and keep herself in shape. She wasn't aware that it had progressively gotten extremely hot that day, and kept trying to push herself "oí Yuki let's take a break." Link whined "no, it's still early" Link blinked and then groaned. They had been at this since 6 that morning and it was now 1 in the afternoon. He was beginning to wonder if Yuki ever took breaks "Yuki, I'm not practicing anymore until we eat." She scowled "we need to make sure you have the basics under control." Her head however was starting to hurt and the area around her was starting to slightly spin making her sway slightly "Ungh" Links eyes widened as he watched her stagger and hold her head as if trying to steady herself "Yuki it's 1 in the afternoon for crying out loud. I'm pretty sure I know all the basics at this point. We need to eat." She went to protest but her vision was now starting to spot "once more....that's all okay?" Link groaned and put his weapon away which made Yuki huff "I'm not letting you, we've ran all around town, you've made me identify mushrooms, look through books and train since 6 this Morning. We need a break." Yuki didn't really hear him at this point. Everything was fuzzy, "bu-" was as she got out before everything suddenly went dark.
When she came too she was under a tree with a very worried Link and Kaito looking at her "goddess Yuki, you scared the hell out of us. You need to remember to take breaks. Especially in this heat" Yuki was confused as Kaito lectured her until it all came back and she frowned as she realized she fainted "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I just...I wanted him to be sure..." Yuki said as Link gently rubbed her back "I know, but you're young, take it easy." She nodded with a promise that next time she would remember breaks and not over do it as much. Least she faint again.
    *back to present time*

   Link looked over at Yuki and smiled as he realized she was actually willing to take a break, then again, neither of them wanted a repeat of the last time from when she fainted in front of him. If he was honest it terrified him, he didn't know what to do, his best friend had just collapsed after trying to talk and he was getting ready to cry. Just then his father ran out having seen what had just occurred and he carried Yuki till they got under the shade of the trees. He watched her while she slept that day with a deep frown. It made him wonder, why did she have to work so hard, why did she feel the need to push herself past limits? He had no idea, but he was going to find out.
   He watched his father speak to Yuki before he went back inside to go and check on the castle, it was his day off but Kaito always went up that way when he went to town for ingredients for food. Yuki was soon walking over to where Link was standing and he reached out to take her hand "tomorrow... I don't wanna train." Yuki raised an eyebrow but realized it was actually his birthday tomorrow before she nodded in agreement. "That's fine, tomorrow we'll do whatever you want." She smiled at him, her grey eyes seemingly much lighter. Link gave her a smile as they headed back inside to put away their weapons "I know we aren't training, but do you think you can tell me about some of the plants again?" She raised an eyebrow but nodded. Once they put away the weapons did she get out one of her many books.  
    A few hours later Link nudged her as he felt like his head was about to explode from all the stuff she was making him read. Yuki decided to be nice and laughed closing the book and put it away. "Alright, Alright, we're done. You know as much as I do at this point." Link grinned as he ran over and took her hand "come on then!" And with that he dragged her out of the house and down to the pond that was near by the small house. They didn't do much besides sit there and talk about anything that came to mind. "Yuki?" "Yeah?" "Can you tell me why Gai kept trying to Insist on being your partner?" Yuki blinked before she sighed "you know how I'm my fathers oldest daughter right?" "Yeah." "Well usually the oldest son would take over to lead the village but, my father he has no sons. Not yet anyway, and by the time he would be old enough, father might already be well...you know dead." She took a deep breath before she continued "Gai is someone who is fascinated with power, and strength. He's also someone who only looks at the person on the outside and not what's inside. So he kept trying to befriend me." She let out a weak laugh "but boy did that fail for him." "What do you mean? What made you not like him?" She looked at him before she reached up and let down her long black hair letting it pool around her waist "you see how long my hair is?" Link nodded confused, yet amazed, Yuki always had her hair pulled up unless she was asleep in her own room. 
    "Well, the one day I was ignoring him, I didn't like the way he talked, and how he always said he knew what was best." A dark look came upon Yuki's grey eyes "so when he realized I wasn't paying attention to him, did he decide to yank me back by my hair. And let me just say that hurt a lot. But what he did next is what sealed my dislike for him completely." Link gulped not use to seeing his usually calm friend seem so distant yet scary "he dragged me backwards holding onto my hair, while I was trying to pull away from him. Make him realize he was hurting me." She took a deep breathe before she continued "just as I was about to try tugging my hair out of his hands did I hear the sound of a dagger being drawn, the next thing I knew is I was on the ground and my black hair was all over the floor. I was ready to cry, my hair, while yes it's just hair, was something I loved, my mother loved it." Links eyes were wide with horror as he listened to her tale.
    Yuki took a few moments before she started to speak again "I stood up, slowly trying to get my bearings when I looked at him. He had a nasty grin upon his face like he had proven his point. And well, that made me snap." "What did you do?" She let out a bitter laugh "I broke his nose." Link blinked completely amazed at this "how old?" "I was 5." Link was once again taken by surprise, the same year she started training "so that's why...." "yep. My father and my mother were furious. While they knew it would grow back my father immediately began teaching me everything he knew. And that's basically while Gai and I do not get along, nor will we ever be partners."
    Link nodded before he started playing with her hair, he remembered seeing her having it braided in one of the photos she brought with her, so he carefully parted her hair into three sections. It took him a few minutes before he realized how it was done and the next thing Yuki knew was her hair was braided all the way down her back. "Hold still." Link quick got up to find some flowers leaving Yuki in a complete daze. When was the last time someone braided her hair that wasn't her or her mother? She honestly couldn't remember. Since the fiasco with Gai, she had taken to keeping it pinned up in a bun.
    Link came back a few moments later with some Daisy's in his hands before he carefully threaded them through her hair "there! All done Yuki. It looks pretty." He was smiling as Yuki looked at her reflection in the water. She was admiring the way the flowers stood out against her hair, and how well the braid actually was "how did you do this?" She was amazed and secretly very happy. "I saw a photo...and I wanted to copy it so I studied your hair while messing around with it. Eventually i realized how the braid was suppose to go and I went with that." Yuki turned around and hugged him tightly "thank you so much!" She was excited and it was easy to tell this time.
   Link quickly returned her hug as he hummed "come on let's go see if my dads back." Yuki nodded and quickly stood up leaving with Link to go look for his father from the path leading to the house. While they waited Link was deep in thought as he pondered over Yuki's tale. It had now made sense to him, and he would be sure to tell his dad. He didn't know why he was so upset with her story, but he chalked it up to being protective of her. She after all was a very kind and loving girl. Someone who deserved to be happy. He swore if he ever saw Gai near her again, with any intentions of harming her, he would protect her.
    It didn't take long for Yuki to realize what was wrong with her friend, yet she wasn't to sure on how to comfort him. So she simply reached over and took his hand in her own squeezing it. The way they acted, you would have thought that they had been friends since they were babies. But that clearly isn't the case with these two. Link smiled at her attempt to cheer him up before he squeezed her hand back gently as to not hurt her when he playfully nudged her. Yuki was about to nudge him back when she saw Kaito returning. Quickly she let go of links hand and the two ran down to help him with the baskets.
    Kaito laughed as the two went back to the house with the smaller of the baskets. What took him by surprise was Yuki's hair, and not only that, but the serious look that had just been in his sons eyes. He realized that he needed to talk to his son and see what was the matter. After everyone had eaten dinner, and done all the dishes did Yuki wish them both a goodnight before heading into her room closing the door. She was already removing the flowers from her hair and put them in a small vase so they would last if just a bit longer. Soon after she had washed up and changed into her bed clothes did she lay down and quickly fell asleep.
   Link was about to go to his room when his father motioned for him to wait. He went to make sure Yuki was asleep before he took Link outside "Alright lil man, what's eating you alive?" Link blinked before he sighed and sat down, his father right next to him "you can tell Huh?" Kaito chuckled "of course I can, I'm your father after all" that made Link laugh even if it was just a small one "besides that, the look you had earlier, spoke volumes of it's own." Link nodded "it's about Yuki." At this Kaito was worried. Was Yuki hurt? In trouble? Home sick? He had no idea what was going on, he would hope the little girl would talk to him if it was something really bad though. "It's not bad, it's just what she told me today. About that Gai kid." At this Kaito grimaced, even he couldn't forget that nasty little boy. "What happened Link." Link looked scared before he bit hip lip "Whatever you tell me son I won't tell her. I'll let her come to me. But this is killing you and it's worried me." Link nodded before he retold the same tale that Yuki had told him, only a few hours ago. By the end of the story it was easy to see the heartbreak in Kaito's eyes and his sons. And like it had for Link it all finally made sense.
    "Well, you'll be with her next month, until you come back here. I don't know if Yuki will return with you, so we'll be playing it by ear. But as I promised I won't say a word to her. I'll let her come to me." Link nodded feeling relieved that he had finally gotten that off his chest. He was even more relieved that he wouldn't be parted from Yuki for at least another month. Maybe that would be enough to make Gai realized he would never stand a chance with Yuki. "Alright son, off to bed." Link nodded and hugged his father goodnight before he too slipped inside, washed up and changed for bed. And much like his female friend he was fast asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
    Kaito stayed outside a bit longer watching the fire burn out and sighed. He was troubled by what Yuki went through. And for most of it, it sounds like she had to deal with A lot of it alone. Maybe he could get her parents to let her stay another month with him and Link. It after all seemed to work wonders for the child, allowing her to relax and be well what she was, a child "Goddess Hylia, all I ask is that you protect those children. They are be future of this world after all." Little did he know how right those words were or how soon his entire world would change. And drastically at that. He shook his head and went inside hell bent on getting some sleep since he had to work at the castle tomorrow. But before he could even lay his head on the pillow he heard soft crying and he shot up alarmed. He quickly knocked on Yuki's door and when she didn't answer he went inside only to see her curled up holding herself. He didn't even hesitate, he walked over and hugged her. He wondered how he heard her yet his son didn't, and realized she was crying so silently that if he hadn't been paying attention he would have missed it. He held the lil girl as she slowly attempted to calm down.
   Once Yuki was calm did she slowly pull away and rub her eyes "I'm sorry." The way her voice broke, broke his heart. "Don't be sorry, do you wanna talk about it?" She hesitated before slowly nodding. Keeping her voice as low as possible as to not wake Link. "It was a nightmare." "About what?" Although be had a decent idea on what it was. It didn't take long before she repeated the same story as his son, but she also included the story about how Gai was responsible for her shoulder injury. Kaito's eyes were wide. No wonder his son looked so upset that night. He thought he was just upset about leaving but also realized it made sense with what he heard Link saying. "I'm sorry, but I promise you now, it'll never happen again." She gave him a watery smile "I know, thank you for listening though." He nodded and ruffled her hair "get some sleep Yuki. We both know Links gonna drag you everywhere and anywhere tomorrow." This made her giggle and she nodded. Saying another goodnight she soon fell into a dreamless sleep. Kaito waited a few minutes before leaving, he wanted to really be sure she was asleep. He however realized he was gonna need to talk to Hiro, and soon. He didn't like that little boy, and he would be damned if that child ever harmed Yuki again, or his own son for that matter. With those final thoughts did he finally drift off into a deep sleep.