Chapter Text
Humid air bit the skin of tourists as their presence opened the automatic doors of Necluda airport, arriving with an excited vigor to start their own summer vacations. Laughing children, newly wed couples, and lone backpackers moved out in a clump, a little unruly due to the size of the doorway, forcing them to funnel their way through. Exiting proved to be a challenge as everyone wanted to leave the airport as soon as possible, probably to catch the next bus or their ride towards wherever they were going.
“Oh, I’m sorry!”
A small squeak came from a red zora, who was pushed towards a blue rito by an overly eager backpacker forcing their way out.
The rito grunted in response but understood the situation. Some people just couldn’t wait their turn .
“It’s alright.” Was all he said as he stepped aside for her to pass through. The zora only lowered her head in apology as she slipped through the tight exit of the arrival area.
Thankfully, the crowd dispersed as everyone made it out. Some made their way to the airport’s bus station while the rest seemed to have rides, relatives greeting each other with hugs as they helped the arrivals place their luggages into their family vans. A little while later, others were picked up by their resort's escort services.
Only two people were left in the waiting shed, both preferring to stand than sit on the bench between them.
The light ring of a cellphone pulled one of them out of their waiting stance.
“Hello?” the red zora answered “Yes, this is Mipha Wintersea speaking,” she placed her weight on her luggage’s handle, looking out towards the road as if expecting someone. “Is that so? That’s alright take your time. I am just here at the waiting shed. Take care.” She huffed as the call ended, feeling the heat start to get to her. She removed her travel jacket while keeping an eye on the road.
Another ring of a cellphone, this time from the blue rito standing on the other side of the waiting shed.
“Hello?” A pause followed by a few agreeing sounds were the only responses given to the receiver. “What can we do I guess…I am just at the waiting shed. Take your time.”
The rustling of a jacket was interrupted by another call coming from the zora’s phone, who quickly answered it when she saw the caller’s ID.
“Hello? Is there something wrong?” Her face morphed into that of concern, until it shifted to a small smile “Of course I’m fine Sidon. I just landed.”
The rito on the other end seemed to also receive a call, rolling his eyes before answering. “What do you want, Teba? I just landed. I’m still alive.”
“They say that swimming in saltwater can cleanse you of bad energy,” Mipha smiled as she tried to sound enthusiastic. “Maybe I’ll soak myself for a whole month, or maybe a year!” she joked as she stifled a giggle.
“A year?!” The rito sounded incredulous. “I might extend my stay, yes but not for a year! Just a week maybe. Two at the most.” He adjusted his jacket before answering back. “I might stay in this area or visit another place. It doesn’t matter, I'm just going with whatever I want to do.” He began to pace in annoyance, looking out the road to see if his ride was anywhere in sight.
“This is my solo trip okay? As much as I would love for a family getaway with you and dad, I want this for myself alright? Don’t follow me here.” Mipha replied as she smiled sadly.
“If you follow me here I won’t be able to have time for myself.” the rito pinched his beak in annoyance.
“I just want a quiet vacation okay?”
“I can do this alright?”
“I’ll be fine. Thank you. Goodbye.”
“Bye.”
Silence once again overtook the waiting shed as the two lone arrivals looked out towards the road. The waiting game seemed to extend for an hour, the two standing clear of each other. One would sit down on the bench as the other paced. Sometimes they would walk around the posts of the shed, trying to kill time. Scrolling through their phones, walking to the other side of the road only to walk back, and even walking back into the airport just to walk back out again. The next arriving plane had landed and still there was no sight of either of their rides.
There was no exchange of conversation in the hour of their boredom whatsoever. Why should they? They were strangers after all.
It got to the point that they each took the edge of the bench between them, backs facing towards each other.
“Mr. and Mrs. Wintersea?”
The two seemed to snap their heads towards a Hylian man, looking out of breath.
“Hi! I’m…” He took a deep breath before continuing “I’m Wabbin, your coordinator!”
The two arrivals looked at Wabbin first then at each other, confusion written all over their faces.
“Sir Revali,” he walked towards the duo “and Ma’am Mipha right?”
Mipha shook off her prior expression and smiled towards the rito “Hi, I’m Mipha Wintersea.” she held out her hand for a handshake, which Revali took with surprise “Revali Wintersea.”
“Ah…so…” Wabbin’s mind took a second to assess the situation before continuing with his introduction.
“Okay so Mr. and Mrs.- I-I mean Sir Revali and uh… Ma’am Mipha, I’m so sorry for the delay. All the escort vans were taken in advance so me and my wife had to take drastic measures to rent a simple car for the time being.”
Just as he said that, a small worn sedan rolled to the side, stopping right in front of them. Revali visibly scrunched up in disappointment while Mipha kept to herself but still very much felt the same way as Revali. Wabbin quickly opened the door for the both of them.
“D-don’t worry! This vehicle will only be used for the Deepback Bay tour. After which it will be the usual escort van. But anyways! Welcome to Necluda!”
A Gerudo woman came out of the driver’s seat, smiling widely as she welcomed them. “Welcome to Necluda! I’m Perda and I’ll be driving you two to Deepback bay.” She went to help the two with their luggage, adjusting them to fit it into the tiny trunk.
The ride would be an hour long, so the two passengers took solace in looking out of their own window in silent thinking. Revali was fanning himself as the heat was starting to get to him. He waited for the air conditioning to power up.
“You know, you two look very cute together.”
He and Mipha looked towards Perda, who was smirking at them through the front mirror.
“Perda, I think we should leave them in peace-”
“Nonsense!" The Gerudo woman interrupted before Wabbin could finish his sentence. "I want to know if this is their honeymoon or just a vacation together.”
The two shifted awkwardly in their seats as they thought of what to say.
“Perda…” He lightly hit her arm.
Perda rolled her eyes. "Sorry, Wabbin is very conservative."
Revali kept fanning himself from the heat, wanting to say something until she continued to speak.
“We aren't actually originally from Necluda, well that much is obvious with me but Wabbin here was from Castle Town. We met here in Necluda and even had our honeymoon here. Deepback Bay is also where we spent time together during that time and thankfully, after so long we are still together-"
“Perda!" Wabbin shouted in a whisper "They are not a couple! They just have the same surname!"
Her eyes widened as she looked back at the front mirror, Revali looking annoyed while Mipha was just fiddling with her skirt.
“Ah! Sorry about that," Perda laughed apologetically.
"It's just that the two of you are both Wintersea."
“Well…not every Mr. Wintersea is married to every Mrs. Wintersea, It’s a common surname like Evergreen or Smith.” Wabbin said as he scorned his wife lightly. She squinted her eyes at him as she tried to change the subject.
“Anyways, you two will enjoy it here. The places are beautiful and all the stresses you have bottled up will instantly disappear.”
“That’s actually true." Wabbin replied as his tension with the previous topic ceased. "At our first stop, you will join your assigned group for the package tours you applied for."
“They say there used to be a talus at the bottom of Mapla Point-"
“Uh, can we turn up the air conditioning? It’s rather warm.” Revali interrupted as the heat felt too much for him to ignore.
“No can do vure, it's already to the max.”
“Let's just open the windows then?” Mipha suggested.
Wabbin nodded “Yeah that works, Perda can we also turn on the radio for some music?”
The Gerudo woman hummed as she switched on the car’s radio. The music that was playing was mellow, almost sad sounding. The two passengers at the back looked out their respective windows, thinking deeply as the lyrics came along.
In the story running in my mind, you are there and I am with you, hoping that someday we will reach the stars while I carry you.
Revali didn’t think that out of all the fields he had emerged victorious, it would be the battlegrounds of love that he would finally crash and burn.
There he stood in front of the full-length mirror, wearing the suit he once wore on his wedding day.
The suit that Zelda had tailored just for him.
He tried to remember all the feelings of that special day, how Zelda stormed in with the box, eager for him to try it on and see if it would fit. It didn’t surprise him that it fit perfectly as Zelda always had that golden touch. He adjusted his tie in the mirror and felt even more excited as the days towards their wedding day neared. He and Zelda celebrated the simple suit as he embraced her, hearts beating in perfect unison.
Where had the excitement gone?
Revali shook his head as he loosened the tie, feeling it tighten like a noose. The perfect suit which hugged his body snuggly began to feel too tight for him to breathe.
And it wasn’t because he had gained, that very much wasn’t the case.
You will never let go wherever you go. But now, where is it? Where is it? You said you’ll never let go but where is it?
Mipha drummed her ring finger absent-mindedly against the edge of the open window, irritated at the missing weight that was once there.
She didn’t even hesitate to run, hoping that whatever her brother said was just a joke.
A plain sick joke.
Mipha ran in her wedding dress and heels, not caring if she felt that she was shredding the tulle underneath or the pain that was pulsating in her feet. She didn’t care as long as what Sidon had whispered to her in the chapel wasn’t true.
That Link had left her at the altar.
She slammed the door open at their supposed hotel room, gazing upon the scene she had prayed wasn’t true.
The suit she had sown for him with care, was tossed aside on the floor as if it meant nothing.
Mipha was too in shock to start shedding tears. Her eyes shifted to the vanity, where the ring she had custom made to fit her scale was placed on top of a note. The hastily scribbled words confirming that it wasn’t a joke.
“I’m sorry.”
That was when she felt her knees give in, letting the tears flow out of her as she screamed in pain.
In the story, when in reality you left, we will reach the stars while I carry you.
Revali tugged a few feathers below his neck, the habit he took up when he used to wear his wedding ring like a necklace.
This was the least he could do. Seeing as the only thing that was keeping them together was pride.
Pride. Revali laughed bitterly. How painful it was that the only reason Zelda hadn’t mentioned ending it first was because of pride.
Zelda was the first in everything. She was the first to confess. She was the first to plan a date.
She was the first to propose marriage.
And now she couldn’t be the first to end it?
It wasn’t that Revali was a coward. He really did want to be the initiator of all those firsts. Zelda was always just one step ahead of him.
This time, he would certainly be ahead of her.
He removed the ring from its chain and placed it on top of the letter he prepared that was on top of her office table.
The words “I’m so sorry” written across the back with care.
The more he stared at the ring, the more bitterness he felt at his failed attempt to save what little they had in the first place.
He tried to reach out, offering to go out and take a walk or eat out or just talk in their living room.
“Too busy.” or “I have work.” or her favorite “Maybe next time.” were always the responses, repeating like a broken record.
“When?” He would always think. “When will that next time come?”
Never, apparently.
He took his leave, glancing one last time at their shared office before closing the door.
Revali gathered his luggage except the suit she had made for him. He placed it gently back into the box and left it on top of the bed.
“Goodbye.” He said, to no one in particular.
The world will continue even if alone.
Even with Sidon banging on her door, she didn’t respond.
How long had she been sitting on the hotel room’s carpet, crying herself out with her dress splayed around her?
Long enough to feel hollow inside as she took up staring at the legs of the vanity as the only thing to distract her.
Out of all the times he could have left her, why now? Why on the day of their wedding?
The more she questioned it the more she felt her anger build up, only to be repressed by her tears.
But now that her tear ducts were dry, there was only anger left.
She took the suit that had been abandoned on the floor and stood up, gripping it with an iron fist.
Without a second thought, she threw the suit out of the window, not even bothering to watch it fall.
Mipha walked towards the banging sound of her door and opened it, pushing against Sidon and walking to wherever her legs were taking her.
“Anywhere but here.”
You said you’ll never let go but where is it? In this story…