Chapter Text
As they got nearer to the castle, Rift suddenly stopped, eyes blown wide at something no else could see.
“Kit, whats got ya spooked?” Uncle drawled, kneeling in front of her. Her Papaw behind, laying a hand on her shoulder.
“I-I don’t wanna go, not without everyone knowing, but I don’t wanna tell.” Rift sent pleading eyes to her uncle, not wanting to be any part of this now that the castle is within sight.
“That’s okay sweetheart, you don’t have to do anything ya don’t wanna ya know. We’ll be right here, all of us.” Papaw said, encasing her in a hug from behind.
“I know. Ugh, you know what, fuck it I’m tired of hidin.”
“That’s my girl.” Papaw smiled, letting her go to stand beside her.
“It’s about time that engagement gift got some sun!” Uncle Twili said as he kissed her head.
“Oh, shut it you.” Rift blushed while fumbling with the million and a half clasps and buckles on her clothes and armor.
“Engagement gift?” Wind wondered aloud.
“The one I married. Well. He isn’t exactly hylian. The ring is because of hylian tradition, he has one too, but he made this for me as a way to propose, the only one who’s seen it out of all y’all is Sky, and he didn’t know what it was, probably thought it was just armor.”
“I forgot you never told em who hitched ya! Oh, this is gonna be priceless when they see em!” Uncle Twili cackled at the thought.
“Don’t you dare Uncle! I want it to be a surprise! Wild is gonna know the race, but don’t you dare tell him who y’all heathens.”
“Me?” Wild pointed to himself, confused.
“Yes you, you’ll probably recognize the craftsmanship style.” She mumbled distractedly.
“Need help?” Uncle and Papaw asked simultaneously, looking at each other and giggling at the coincidence.
“Yeah, I do. I’m shaking too much.” She sent an embarred scowl to the two, hanging her head in shame.
“It’s all right sweetheart. Let us help, Hylia only knows you have enough layers to clothe five people.”
As the got to the final buckles that would expose her leg, they paused, looking at Rift. She motioned for them to go ahead, as she was ready to remove her last top layer.
“Are you ready?”
“Get it over with, please.”
As they removed the last pieces of armor and cloth, the chain saw the gleaming of metal on her chest and right leg. Below the metal, her skin was littered in scars, but it wasn’t the number of scars that caught the Link’s eyes. It was the methodical scars that got to them. The ones that were too practiced and too perfect to be caused by anything other than a Hylian’s hand.
“These scars, they were made by the Queen’s hand.”
The heroes flinched back at the revelation,
“What the fuck Rift! That’s bullshit! Why would she even think to do such a heinous thing!” Legend roared, Rift flinching away from the tone, panic flaring in her, she brings her arms up, starting to scratch at them.
“Legend, cool it! I’m pissed too, but she’s baring herself to us, the least you could do is reign it in!” Hyrule snapped at his ancestor, walking forward and gently taking Rift’s hands in his own. She snapped her head up, a crazed look in her eyes.
“That’s enough of that, now. It’s okay, you know how he is. He’s not mad at you, he’s mad at the situation you got put in.”
“Y-yeah, I, I-I know. I-It’s just, uh, fuck, I-I’ve put my-myself on display pretty much, a-and I-I’ve always hated my body because o-of that bitch. S-Si-, fuck, my husband. He’s one of the only ones’ that’s made me, made me feel good about what, what I look like.”
“I hope we’re on that list, Kit, because all I see is a beautiful woman with a beautiful heart and soul. And a beautiful engagement gift.” Uncle Twili winked at her, a blush overtaking Rift’s features.
“Must you always be an asshole!” She swatted at her Uncle, giggling at his antics.
“Well, it got you to laugh, huh? I’d call that a win.”
“I, well, yeah.”
“Wildly off topic, but is that Zoran craftsmanship?”
“I knew you’d figure it out, my husband made the chest piece I’m wearing. The Zora are also the ones that made my leg.” At this, she lifted up her right leg, where from the top of the knee down, metal replaces the limb. Ornate craftsmanship spanned the limb, but underneath the filigree was sturdy metal. Four’s eyes lit up at the sight of the limb, rushing forward, eyes sparkling.
“Are you able to remove the limb?”
“Yeah, I can, I usually don’t unless the stump is really bothering me though. I’m sure you want to look it over Four?”
“Yes! I’d love to, only if you’re okay with it of course!”
“Once we finish talking to the queen, and get to the domain, I’ll take it off for you. It’s been bothering me for a while, but I couldn’t take it off cause y’all didn’t know.”
“I would say why didn’t you tell us, but it’s understandable why you didn’t.” Time piped up.
“Yeah, I was scared shitless to be honest, I don’t really know why, but yeah. Anyways, now you’ve seen me, the real me, and you know what? Most of those clothes aren’t worth putting back on anyway. Some of the armor, sure, but I’m sure I will live with a few less layers.”
“That’s my girl!” Papaw cheered, hugging her close.
As Rift started putting some of her armor back on, the chain started talking amongst themselves, trying to give her a semblance of privacy.
“All right let’s get this over with.” Rift says, standing upright.
Walking back to the front, her new look was shown to all. Her chest piece and leg finally seeing the light of day, with her baldric strapped with the pauldron on her right shoulder. Her tassets were fastened on her hips, her various belts crossing below the tassets and some wrapping above the tassets and onto her hips. All of her armor was clearly made by Zoran means, the silver and filigree glinting in the sunlight. Tight leggings go to her mid thighs, and black cloth under her pauldron, she looked amazing.
With changing out of the way, the chain, plus Uncle and Papaw made their way to Hyrule Castletown.
----Lazy Author Time skip----Inside the Castle----Outside the Throne Room----
“Are you ready Kit?”
“No, but we’re here anyway, yeah? Could you transform for me Uncle? I’m gonna need something to ground me, and I’m sure you’d rather me grip fur and do no harm, then accidentally draw blood on your arm.”
“Anything Kit, jus’ don’t rip out any fur now.”
“No promises, but I’ll try not ta”
As Rift opens the door to the throne room, a cold voice greets them, “Who dares open this door without permission! Leave now if you know what’s good for you!”
“Your Majesty, It’s Leina, may I enter with my companions?”
“Where have you been, Hero, you best explain yourself if you know what’s good for you! Enter! NOW!” Rift grips her Uncle’s fur so hard her knuckles turn white.
“Rift, there’s dark magic in that room. Be careful.” Hyrule whispers so Queen Zelda wouldn’t hear.
“What, dark magic!” Rift hisses back, equally as shocked. She shook her head, motioning the heroes to follow her.
As they enter the throne room, it feels to the heroes as the temperature dropped considerably, and to the magically inclined heroes, there was a distinct dark aura surrounding the Queen.
“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, YOU USELESS HERO! Monsters have been showing up all across Hyrule that are stronger than before! Then you blink off my radar, and I didn’t get notified of your arrival through the radar, WHAT DID YOU DO TO IT!”
“Your Majesty, I-“
“None of your excuses! I did not permit you to speak, did I?”
A shake of Rift’s head. She was shaking like a leaf, fear clear in her eyes. Rage burned in her Papaw’s chest.
“THAT’S QUITE ENOUGH, ZELDA!” Papaw roared, standing in front of his granddaughter, protecting her from the source of her fear.
The Queens face morphed from rage, to shock, to fear at the sight of the one she used to see as a grandfather.
“YOU RECOGNIZE ME? YOU FEAR ME? GOOD, YOU FUCKING SHOULD! LEINA MIGHT PUT UP WITH YOUR ACTIONS, BUT I WILL DO NO SUCH THING. PULL YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS, WIPE THE SHIT FROM YOUR EYES, AND SEE WHAT THE FUCK IS IN FRONT OF YOU ZELDA!” Papaw screamed at her, glaring daggers at Zeldas now slightly trembling form. Hyrule walks forward, even with Papaw, facing the Queen.
“Rift, your Queen isn’t what you think, there’s dark magic surrounding her form. It’s so thick I can taste it.”
“HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST I HAVE DARK MAGIC”
“Well, Your Majesty, I would hope I know how to tell magic apart, considering I’m capable of using it.”
Hyrule stalks forward, walking the steps up to the throne, facing Zelda.
“I’m sorry, but you must believe me when I say I’m doing this for your own good.”
Hyrule’s hands surged forward, grabbing her shoulders, expanding his magic through his hands, feeling for the curse, trying to push it away from Zelda. He can fell the curse is waning, and he feels his magic weakening it further. With one final push, he could feel the curse break under the pressure. As Hyrule released his hands, Queen Zelda dropped to her knees, hands clutching her head.
“No, no!” Zelda wailed,
“Why, why did I do that, Leina, no, I’m so sorry.” Queen Zelda cried, looking at Leina.
“It was a curse? It wasn’t you? All along you were under a curse, it wasn’t you. It wasn’t you. It wasn’t you!” Rift dropped to her knees, Twili wrapping his head around her shoulder, Rift holding on to his pelt like her life depended on it, wailing into his soft fur.
Both females were in hysterics, Hyrule holding Queen Zelda close, while Twili held Leina close, his head pressing into her back, pulling her closer to his body. The other heroes were at a loss, while Papaw walked over to his adoptive granddaughter, crouching down to her.
“Oh Zel, you didn’t do any of that willingly, did ya hon.” Papaw cupped her face in his hands, looking softly at her crying form.
“No! I would never! I’m so sorry Papaw! I wouldn’t do such a thing!”
“I see that now, hon. But Leina didn’t know you had gotten cursed, and by your reaction, you didn’t either. And I’m assuming your actions were caused by the curse, and not you willingly doing them.”
“No! It was this overwhelming urge for violence, at first I tried to fight it, but it got too powerful, I couldn’t win! After that, it felt like I was trapped in my own mind, watching my body act to the curses will, not my own! I’m so sorry Papaw! I’m so sorry!” She lunged at him, clutching his tunic like a lifeline.
“While I forgive you Zelda, it’s not me you need ta apologize too. It’s Leina. But for now, just let it out hon, let it all out.” And let it out she did, all her grief, all her guilt, all her sorrow were shown in her tears.
The two women hurt most by this curse were letting their anguish be known, but in releasing that anguish, they can use that new space in emotions to heal. It won’t be easy, let it be known that working through trauma never is, especially trauma spanning across 22 years of time. But healing started in that throne room, and can blossom from this moment on.