The Legend Says I Love You | Zelink

Chapter 4: Daruk's Mettle

Goron Champion Daruk is training with his Divine Beast on Death Mountain, but when he feels the ground rumble, he protects himself and Link from a landslide of boulders – and wonders whether the strange event was natural.

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She clambered off of Vah Rudania, hot and sweaty despite the heat elixir Link dutifully made her drink every two hours. It couldn't be helped. It was either downing the thick, sour liquid in one or wearing clunky heat protective armour that would hinder her movement, especially when it came to fine tuning Rudania's inner workings. She had set out to enhance the mechanical lizards grip, so Daruk could swing the beast round Death Mountain with ease. After the better part of the day, she had done just that.

It had been tougher than Medoh, however, and not because of the wiring. For a Hylian, even with elixirs, the climate made even breathing feel laborious. Her hair had escaped from its braids and had become plastered to her forehead, her bones ached in a way she thought only possible from the cold, and her travel clothes had started to singe at the edges. She picked at a few charred threads, muttering to herself about repairs and considering if it was worth making them whilst still in the city.

She didn't notice the shower of flaming rocks, suddenly falling through the sky. Not until one was right in front of her, smouldering in the earth not two feet away. She somehow found the time to swear before hastily diving for cover underneath Rudania's neck - the beast would surely withstand the mountain's coughs. She lay uncomfortable for a few more minutes after the rocks had rained down, waiting out any aftershocks. A heavy vibration went through the earth, and she braced herself for another: however it had only been Daruk barrelling into the clearing, with Link not far behind.

"Phew! I know rocks little guy, and I know when they have good stuff under them! My bet is she's still safe in Rudania – my beast has the best defences there is! Now, as for the grip..."

She should've called out then, but a morbid curiosity stopped her; like when she would (poorly) fake her death in front of her nannies as a child, just to see what they would do. Even as she heard Links feet pat-pat-pat up the ladder that led into Rudania's mouth, she laid silently beneath its neck despite her wild anticipation of Link's reaction. Daruk followed, skipping the ladder all together and hurling himself straight in. She could hear his voice reverberate through Rudania's chambers, but Links was much harder to catch. She willed her own heartbeat to shush.

"Maybe she's gone back to the city?"

"We passed the city. I told her to wait here."

"Maybe we missed her? You Hylian's are pretty small."

"I wouldn't have missed her."

"She could've been hiding. You told me yourself she's pretty good at that, and not so good at listening to uncouth animals like you – hey! I'm just sayin' what you were sayin'!"

She strained to make out his reply, but Daruk's answer cut her attention short. "... Well, isn't that just how Princesses are? I thought you'd be used to that by now, growin' up with Princess Mipha and all."

"It's different with Mipha. I told you."

He grew up with Mipha? He told him? Link actually was out there having conversations? And conversations about Zelda?

She couldn't take it anymore, suddenly rushing to her feet and knocking her head against Rudania's underside in the process.

"THE PRINCESS!" Daruk yelled, causing Rudania to – intentionally or not – shake like the mountain had earlier. He was more in tune with the beast than he knew.