Breath of the Wild: Link and Friends

Chapter 11

    Link went for a walk early the next morning. He wanted to be able to relax a day in Hateno. The twins had seemed happy, even Elyza, to be back in their hometown. Link was happy to be there too. It felt familiar to him, like he had been here before the Calamity. But, they seemed content here. Elyza seemed to have gotten over her parents death. Would they even want to come with him anymore? They were his friends even if he had only known them a short time.
   Link shook his head, continuing his aimless walk. He wandered onto a nearby hill with an old flag on the top. Link sat down on the edge and leaned against the base of the flag. Link could see Hateno Tower nearby, still orange as Link hadn't gotten to get the map. He would probably do it later today.
   Link noticed that East Necluda was beautiful. They had forests and mountains, waterfalls, and a lake just right next to Hateno. Why would the twins want to leave? Logically, Link knew that Elyza wanted to see all of Hyrule, and that Elijah would probably follow where she went, but it didn't look that way.
   Link knew he could make his way on his own and do it on his own, and he'd probably have to. He'd just rather not.
   Link sat there a long time, the sun long past risen. What Link wouldn't give to have back his memories, he didn't know. He felt like he could almost remember...
   "Link! Hey! Do you want food? We've been looking for you!" a voice called. Link turned to see Elyza jogging up to him. "C'mon. Don't you want breakfast?"
   "Uh, yeah, I guess," he replied.
   Elyza sat down next to him. "You ok?"
  "Yeah, just thinking."
  "'Bout what?"
  "When we leave again."
  "What about it?" Elyza prodded.
  Link looked at her. "Are you coming with?"
  Elyza looked confused. Link felt ice shoot through him. "Um, Link? Of course I'm coming. Why would I not?"
   He relaxed. "I dunno. You seem to like Hateno and Elijah has never seemed happier."
   "Well, I guess I don't know for sure about Elijah, but I'm coming. Yes, this is our home and we like it but it always felt small to me. There are way more exotic places out there that l would love to see." Elyza's eyes looked glazed, like she was seeing something no one else could see.
   "Well, that's kind of you, to go with me I mean. So what are we going to do today?" Link asked.
   Elyza brightened. "Well, I was thinking we could show you a few places and stuff in Hateno or near it. First though, I think you should go get the tower for your Sheikah Slate."
   Link nodded. He'd been thinking the same. "After breakfast of course."
   Elyza grinned. She stood up and together they walked back to her house inside.
   Elijah was at the table eating, while reading a book. He glanced at them as they walked in. He turned back to his book but pointed over to the stove. "Omelette over there for you Link."
  "Thanks, Elijah." Link turned to Elyza, starting on his omelette. "So, what are we doing today?"
   "It's a surprise! It's gonna be fun though. Promise," she said, smiling. Link smiled too.
   "Guys? Been meaning to explain this to you, but I'm not going to travel back to Kakariko with you," Elijah said abruptly.
   "What?" Elyza exclaimed.
   "I've been thinking. I like it in Hateno, and, well, I've come to trust Link enough to take care of you if you go with him. I don't have much interest in going again."
   "But..." Elyza started.
   Elijah interrupted, "Before you get all upset, I'm just saying I'm not going to Kakariko with you. I'm going to Lurelin Village. After that, I'll meet up with you on your way to Zora's Domain, because that's pretty cool."
   "Oh." Elyza turned back to her meal but didn't eat. Link was still silent.
   "I'll catch up Elyza, don't worry. I'll stay with our aunt in Lurelin and meet you there. I'm leaving today," Elijah assured her.
   "Fine. But you better catch up before we reach the path to Zora's Domain," Elyza said.
   "Oh, Link?" Elijah said. "You can take Ellis to ride. I'm taking a shortcut to Lurelin but I can only do it on foot. Ellis wouldn't be able to go."
   "Thanks, Elijah. I appreciate it," Link replied.
   "Anyway, I can probably spend a few hours with you guys before I leave."
   Elyza and Link nodded. They quickly finished eating, shoveling down their food. Elyza got up and ran over to her dresser digging around for something. Elijah, who had obviously already been told the days activities, did the same. Link sat there, trying to figure out what they would be doing.
   "Ok, ready Link?" Elyza asked perkily.
   "Uh, yeah? Unless I need something for what we're doing." Link replied, still confused a bit.
   "Well, you might, but I don't think you have it so Elijah has an extra. Anyway, shall we go?" Elyza said.
   "Yeah, I guess," Link said, resigned. They were not going to tell him. Link followed them as they walked out the door. They headed over to where there were new model houses, showed Link the shrine for Hateno, and moved along a bridge. They quickly passed an old house that looked like it was being torn down, and a little pond and continued on. They walked along a skinny ledge and walked over to a path and followed it. Elyza looked like she knew where she was going. They passed under a stone arch and then Link could see where they were going.
   It was the ocean. Link had never been, at least that he could remember, and it was beautiful. Light shone across the water, towards a seemingly endless expanse. There was an island in the distance and even a shrine on a lone island. There were some rocks off to the side.
   The group went and put their stuff down and Elijah tossed Link some shorts. Link went behind some rocks to change and came back. Elyza was wearing a tee shirt and some shorts that were designed for swimming and Elijah was wearing shorts as well.
   Elyza looked over at Link with his shirt off, went red, and looked away again. Link smiled to himself. When she had apparently recovered, she looked back at him and gasped softly.
   "What?" Link asked, looking around to see what was wrong.
   She pointed at him. "You have so many scars! What did you do to yourself 100 years ago?!" Elyza exclaimed.
   "I don't know. Lost memory remember?" Link replied, shrugging.
   Elyza shook her head. "Wow."
   Link grinned and proceeded to jump into the water. It was cool, but not cold. It was quite refreshing to Link. He floated for a moment until he was splashed. Link opened his eyes to see Elijah looking away innocently and Elyza grinning.
  "Ok. Who did that?" Link demanded, playfully. The twins both shrugged and pointed to the other. "Great. Fine. This means war you realize."
   Link spun and sprayed the twins and ran through the water away from them. The twins followed behind him and split off to cut him off.
   "Hey! No fair! Two against one!" Link called.
   "I think it's fair! You're the Hero! You've got the advantage!" Elijah called back.
   Link jumped onto some rocks as the twins closed in. He backflipped off in a canon ball that splashed them some more. He went on the offensive, throwing water their way rapidly. The twins retreated behind some rocks.
   "Haha! Cowards!" Link yelled. Link went around the rocks only to get drenched from above. Link glanced up at Elyza who was holding a big shell that had been full of water. She grinned and sprang away. Link ran after her but heard footsteps in the water behind him. He spun suddenly and launched a few waves of water at Elijah and turned and sprinted as best he could through the water after Elyza.
   Elyza glanced back at Link and yelped, seeing how close he had gotten. Link lunged forward to tackle her but she dodged out of the way and ran. Link stood back up in the water to find Elijah right behind him and sending water at him. Link ducked under the water and swam towards the shore where Elyza had went.
   Elijah seemed to lose track of him as Link had splashed him from under the water to temporarily blind him. Elyza was looking around and didn't see Link swim silently behind her and grab her ankles.
  Link heard her yell from under the water as she tripped and fell under the water. Link grabbed her arms and pulled her towards the shore as Elijah spotted them. He ran towards them but Link had already pulled Elyza up onto shore.
  "I declare myself the winner!" Link said. He let go of Elyza, who stood up grinning. Elijah stopped in the water. The game ended.
   The three of them went and dried off from the towels Elyza had brought. It was a relatively warm day with a bright sun shining in the sky. Link laid the towel down and kicked back on it, closing his eyes. He lay there, basking in the warmth.  It was pretty comfortable and Link could feel himself slipping into unconsciousness...
   When Link awoke from his nap, he found that he couldn't move much and that sand was in uncomfortable places. Link opened his eyes to find that he had been buried in the sand from his feet to his neck.
   "Hey! What the heck?! Elyza! Elijah! Why am I buried?!" Link yelled. He could hear scurrying feet across the sand. Elyza's face appeared above him, smiling, with her long red hair dropping down.
   "It just seemed too good an opportunity for revenge! Sorry!" Elyza said. She didn't look very sorry.
   Elijah walked over and looked down at Link. "Oops. Meant to do his head too. Dang."
  Link glared at them. They both grinned. Link pulled his arms out of the sand, with some difficulty, and shoved the sand off him and walked into the water to get as much sand off as he could.
   "Link! Do you wanna go soon? We've got more to do and Elijah has to go," Elyza called to him in the water.
   Link grumbled to himself then called back, "You know, I think I do."
   Elyza giggled. She went and collected her stuff and Link went and dried off. Elijah was already dressed again and was waiting for them. Link went and changed and they all left the beach and went back to the village.
   Elijah went back to their house and grabbed his pack. He said his goodbyes and he set off on foot. Elyza looked sad and even a little shocked.
  "What's wrong?" he asked.
  Elyza shook her head and answered, "I've never been apart from my brother. We've never been apart like this."
   "Ah. Well, it's only for a few days," Link said comfortingly.
   "Yeah. Anyway, I wanted to show you around Hateno some more."
   "Ok."
   Elyza motioned for Link to follow her and gave him a running commentary on the town. They had a dye shop which was cool. Elyza told him that they dunked you in dye when they did it. The guy who ran it apparently had a lot of dye puns but that he looked a little funny. She explained that there were a bunch of little kids in the village, way more than Kakariko. Ivee was Elijah's friend that swept in front of the East Wind, the town leader was Reede, Prima ran the inn, and that the two ladies by the water were grouchy gossips. She kept talking, rambling really, and Link listened with half an ear.
   "Oh! I remember!" Elyza said suddenly.
   Link shook himself out of his trance. "What? What is it?"
   "That book. The one I told you about a while ago. I was gonna go get it for you. Do you still want it?"
   "Sure. It'd be nice to know some more about my past," Link replied.
   "Ok." Elyza ran off and came back a bit later with a book in her hand. "Here you go."
   Link took it and flipped through it. He would read it in depth later. "So, is that it for Hateno?"
   "Yeah. Not much to it. Pretty small. But, it's home. Anyway, I'm gonna go visit my parents grave. You can come if you want to," Elyza said. Link nodded. Elyza walked off and Link followed behind her.
   She walked out of the other end of town, like she was going to the tech lab, but turned right and walked down a narrow winding path. She veered off it after a while next to a small pond. In front of it were two grave stones. Elyza knelt down in front of it for a while.
   Link stood silently behind her but finally knelt beside her. He could see her face, a single tear trailing down. She smiled though. A sad smile. She stood for a moment and walked over to a nearby tree and picked something. She came back and Link saw that it was a Silent Princess. She placed it on the grave. Link put an arm around her.
   "You know, I think they'd be proud of me and my brother. That we stuck together and supported each other. My parents loved seeing us play together. They always thought we wouldn't get along as twins," Elyza said softly.
  Link nodded. "I wish I had a sibling. Who knows? I might have. It'd be nice to have someone like that. Of course, they'd be gone now. Well, if I did, I would definitely want them by my side," Link said wistfully. Elyza smiled.
   It soon got darker and the two of them left and went home. They had another early morning tomorrow.