Work Text:
Gentle snowflakes drifted down from grey foreboding clouds, but were tugged into a hypnotic waltz by the howling wind. Foggy plumes joined this age-old dance, expelled from Zelda’s cracked lips as she muttered under her breath a frustrated jumble of words, that tripped and stumbled off her tongue. Her lightning fast fingers tapped away on the Sheikah Slate’s screen - with such furious speed, she would surely crack it - whilst she flexed her tense dominant hand, her skin blotchy and coloured a violent red from exposure to the bitter cold.
This was the fifth time her hand cramp had flared up, not that Revali was counting, nor watching her every move with bated breath and feverish excitement. Heavens no, he was far too preoccupied tending to his Great Eagle Bow. The string had snapped during today’s rigorous training session, but thankfully he always carried a spare. Truth be told, he felt a little disappointed that the Princess was not fawning over him and asking ceaseless questions. Who would he explain all the intricate details of his handcrafted bow to now? Link? Ha, of course not! That loathsome knight would rather stand as stiff as a statue by the Flight Range’s entrance, waiting for a roaming monster to show its ugly face.
If only he would go on patrol and leave them alone indefinitely… One can dare to dream.
Perhaps distressing thoughts clouded Princess Zelda’s mind, stopping her full attention being devoted to him. Revali should count himself lucky she was even here. She returned from the Spring of Power a mere day ago, and rather than recuperating at Hyrule Castle after that fruitless endeavour, she ventured out once more and braced the Hebra region's freezing temperatures all for a routine visit.
The Rito Champion admired her drive and strong will. Furthermore, although he would never admit it, he was genuinely happy to see her again. He would let her blatant ignorance towards his elegant performance earlier slide. Still… She most certainly deserved a break. Now seemed like the perfect time to show Princess Zelda the Rito clan’s treasured secret.
Revali rested his bow - now restored to its former glory - in his lap and deliberately cleared his throat, hoping to snag Zelda’s unwavering concentration. Her left hand’s blindingly fast typing slowed to a crawl and her emerald green eyes flickered in his direction, buying him a few precious seconds. He would not let them go to waste. “Princess, did you pack a towel for your trip?” He enquired.
Zelda blinked rapidly, her brain scrambling to understand his bizarre question. “No, we are travelling rather light.” She answered plainly. Her peach lips parted, her vocal cords ready to produce a confused “why?” but Revali was swift to interject.
The Rito Champion sighed. “No matter, the Swallow’s Roost Inn has free towels - they’re practically giving them away! We can take a small detour and grab one.”
The Princess wore a puzzled expression. “What do I need a towel for?”
“To dry yourself off after you’ve taken a well earned dip in Goflam’s Secret Hot Spring.” He replied. “You’re extremely tense, Princess. This will help you loosen up. Tell me, when was the last time you relaxed?”
Her silence spoke volumes. She retreated to her inner sanctum, scoured dusty cobweb laden shelves for lost memories. “…Not since Calamity Ganon’s return was foretold.” She eventually replied.
“Then a trip to the hot spring is long overdue, you’ve been working yourself too hard.”
His proposal enthralled her… but only for a fleeting moment. “I can’t, I have to write up a report for my father about your progress with Medoh.” She protested.
Revali rolled his eyes. He rose to his full height and approached Zelda, snatching the Sheikah Slate from her in one fell swoop. “Hey!” She snapped, reaching for the precious artefact, which he held high above his head and far beyond her grasp.
The Rito Champion tutted and wagged a feather at her. “Relaxation first, report later.” He insisted. “It will be good for you. Trust me.”
“Fine. If I must.” Zelda relented, folding her arms over her chest and pouting.
Revali sported a victorious smirk and tucked the Sheikah Slate into his satchel for safe keeping. He then holstered his bow on his back and crouched down, waiting for Zelda to climb aboard.
Link appeared seemingly from thin air, Revali did not hear the snow crunch under his boots nor clatter against the wooden ladder. He must have snuck in whilst the duo were conversing. How long had that worm been eavesdropping? Worst still, he seemed to be under the impression that he was invited, and looked ready to mount Revali similarly to his obedient steed. Appalled, the Rito Champion immediately straightened up and shot daggers at his rival. “Excuse me, do I look like a pack mule to you?” He squawked, his voice bordering on shrill. “I may be the strongest Rito warrior but not even I can carry two people. You will have to stay behind and polish that little darkness sealing sword of yours, or whatever it is that you do in your spare time.”
Link shook his head in protest and his gloved hands performed unfamiliar gestures. “What is he saying?” He asked Zelda to translate. Unfortunately, Hylian sign language was not his forte.
Zelda watched Link’s hand movements and then quoted him verbatim. “As Princess Zelda’s appointed knight, I can’t leave her side. Direct orders from the King.”
Revali scoffed. “Oh please, I’m perfectly capable of protecting the Princess in your absence. What the King doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
Concern rippled in Link’s ocean blue eyes. His gaze shifted to Zelda and he signed to her directly. “I’ll be fine.” She assured him. “Why don’t you go back to Rito Village and enjoy some of their rare delicacies?”
Link considered her tantalising suggestion and nodded in agreement. He faced Revali and signed once more, but the Rito Champion barely gave him a courtesy glance before looking to Zelda for clarification.
“He says ‘be careful’.”
“Don’t patronise me.” Revali sneered. He crouched down a second time, allowing Zelda to scramble onto his back. She draped her arms around his neck, and he tried not to overthink the way her hands stroked his feathers. “Come along then, Princess, let’s not dawdle any longer! The sun won’t stay up forever.”
Between Hebra’s North and East Summit - where the freezing temperatures could turn any wayward traveler into a solid block of ice - there resides a polar opposite extreme. A bubbling hot spring within a small ravine, obscured by snow capped rock arches.
Hot and cold, united at the world’s edge.
After a short side quest to acquire a towel from Rito Village, Revali and Zelda arrived at their destination without further delay. He swooped under the rock arches and landed gracefully beside the glistening pool. Once back on solid ground, he remained low and hunched over, waiting for the Princess to dismount.
“Thank you, Revali, for getting Link off my back for a little while.” She uttered gratefully, whilst stepping back and dusting loose purple feathers off her winter garments.
“You’re most welcome, it was my pleasure to put that troublesome knight in his place.” He replied, his beak twisting into a wicked smile. “I mean, honestly, he follows you around like a shadow. How do you stand it?”
Zelda’s perfect posture faltered as she arched her back, a sigh rumbling through her chest. “It’s suffocating, but I try to grin and bear it. Besides, neither of us have a choice. My father’s orders must be followed.”
“Well, you can forget about Link and your father. Let the steam melt all your cares away.” Revali soothed, resting his wing on her shoulder. The limb’s circumference was so massive, indigo feathers spilled over and swallowed up her entire arm. Neither party dared to address how awkwardly their bodies meshed together, and opted to observe their surroundings instead. “Looks like you’re in luck, we’re the only ones here. You can have the hot spring all to yourself.” He commented. Not even a winterwing butterfly or cold darner in sight. Typical. He thought. Whenever he visited, he usually had an audience.
A flash of disappointment crossed her face. “You’re not coming?”
“As much as I’d love to, if Link finds out that I skipped guard duty, he will probably rat on me to the King. I don’t want to face his wrath.” He divulged.
Zelda wearily eyed the pool - snowflakes peppering its surface and instantly melting. Revali surmised that her hesitation stemmed from her recent experience at the Spring of Power. He never saw the ritual for himself, but Urbosa had let a few details slip. The Princess would stand waist deep in frigid cold water for hours, with only a white ceremonial gown to shield her shivering body, praying to a fickle Goddess who ignored her cries for help.
In hindsight, asking her to get into any body of water, especially so soon, was a tall order. He hoped… she would trust him.
He gently rubbed her arm. “Enjoy. I’ll be right above you if you need me.”
Before Zelda could utter another word, Revali flapped his wings and soared off. He came to rest atop a rock arch, which seemed like the perfect vantage point. He heard water splash below him, an audible cue that the Princess had gotten in, but he did not steal a glance.
He grew bored far more quickly than anticipated. He plucked his new bow string occasionally, hoping to create a pleasant tune, but he soon lost interest in that too. Maybe he could steal a peek at the Sheikah Slate? He had been dying to see what all the fuss was about.
Revali pulled the ancient artefact from his satchel and scrolled through its ‘instant portrait’ feature. He grimaced when he happened upon the picture taken after their inauguration ceremony. Curse Daruk… They should have taken another one, but for some bizarre reason the Princess loved this embarrassing picture.
Keen to move on, the Rito Champion continued to flick through the photo album. Between random pictures of wildlife and landscapes, he found a picture of himself, taken onboard Vah Medoh. He swiped faster, his feather ready to catch ablaze. There were… a lot of pictures where Revali was the main subject, the most recent one from today’s training at the Flight Range. She was paying attention to me after all?
Could it be that she too- no, he would not entertain that thought.
He shoved the Sheikah Slate back into his satchel and crossed his wings over his chest. No more distractions, he would simply stand here and act as a sentry.
Time slipped by and the sun began to set on the horizon, but Princess Zelda never showed herself. Odd. Should he go check on her? What if she had slipped, banged her head and drowned? Highly unlikely but not a possibility he could rule out.
Revali swallowed a lump forming in his throat and ventured towards the hot spring once more, being mindful not to step on Zelda’s discarded clothes. He found the Princess fast asleep, her long golden locks soaking wet and sticking to her shoulders. She was, thankfully, not completely naked but she was not exactly decent either. The only thing covering her body was a white corset, which had been loosened. She probably did not feel comfortable stripping everything off in case a stranger arrived.
The Rito Champion knelt down and gently nudged Zelda. When she did not stir, he gave her a firm shake. She jolted awake and sat up, an involuntary gasp escaping her lips. Her emerald eyes darted around as she became reacquainted with her surroundings, before settling on Revali. “Oh, Revali, it’s you… How long have I been asleep?” She asked, lifting a wet hand and rubbing her eye.
Revali lifted his wing, shielding his eyes from her undressed form. “I’m not sure, half an hour perhaps?” He replied, a slight nervous tremble to his voice. Why could that be? “I thought I better check on you, I was worried you would start to look like a shrivelled up prune.” He jested.
“I am a little wrinkly.” She noted through a hearty chuckle. She then extended her wrinkled hand towards him. “While you’re here, why don’t you join me?” She suggested.
“I don’t think that would be appropriate, Princess.”
“Why not?”
“You and I, alone, in nothing but our undergarments? I wouldn’t want anyone to get the wrong impression.” Revali elaborated, fiercely maintaining his no eye contact rule.
“And what would be so wrong about it?” Zelda queried. “I’m not ashamed to be seen with my dear friend.”
Dear friend? Is that all we are? …Friends? His stomach twisted into knots.
”Come on, when was the last time you relaxed?” She prodded.
“Not since a bow was thrusted into my wings, when I was mere hatchling.” He stated, hefty responsibility weighing down on his shoulders.
“Then a trip to the hot spring is long overdue.” She pointed out, flipping their earlier conversation on its head.
Revali reluctantly lowered his wing but his skittish gaze refused to fully absorb her figure. “You can be very persuasive, Princess.” He commented.
“I wonder where I learned that from.” She quipped.
The Rito Champion removed his armour and stripped down until he was wearing nothing but a loincloth. He then carefully got into the water and nestled a reasonable distance away from Zelda.
“Revali… How did you know I was stressed?” She asked.
Revali chortled, a full body laugh which made the hot spring water slosh over the edges. “You don’t exactly hide it well.” He replied. He lifted his damp wing and clenched his finger-like digits into a fist. “You flex your right hand nonstop.”
“Oh, I didn’t realise it was so obvious.”
“Well, maybe not to everyone.”
“Are you speaking from experience?” She questioned, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.
“Possibly.”
Zelda scrunched up her nose, clearly dissatisfied by his answer. Truth be told, he did intend on elaborating, he just wanted her to make that face.
“I wasn’t joking when I said I haven’t relaxed since I was a hatchling. I burst out of my egg with a chip on my shoulder and something to prove.”
“But what about your parents? Didn’t they try to shield you?”
Revali’s usual crooked smile faded, replaced by a deeply rooted sadness. “They died before I hatched. The Elder raised me.” He said, his voice monotone.
Zelda’s evergreen eyes widened and her mouth fell agape. ”Revali, I’m- I’m so-”
“Don’t.” He interrupted. “Please. Please don’t pity me. I’ve had enough pity to last me a lifetime.”
“I could say the same.” She uttered, a shy, reassuring smile stretching across her cheeks. Her warm expression coaxed a far more genuine smile back onto his face.
“If I use my bow too much, my wings will cramp up. Pardon me for my ignorance, but why is it that you suffer the same problem when you don’t use a weapon?” Revali quizzed, hoping to steer the topic back on track and away from the depressing subject.
Zelda cupped her right hand and dug her fingernail into her palm. “Every chance I get, I strain my sealing power, hoping to awaken it. But in the end, all I get is hand cramps.”
Pity swelled in Revali’s heart. “You’re overworking yourself. You’ll be of no use to anyone if you crash and burn.”
“I know.” She uttered in a hoarse whisper, her bottom lip trembling.
“Your stubborn sealing power will show itself, but not by force. You will master it through self care and dedication. Might I suggest you visit this hot spring regularly to help soothe your aches and pains?”
Zelda’s eyes sparkled, whatever tears she may have shed evaporating and joining the rising steam. “Is that your ploy to spend more time with me?” She teased.
Revali almost choked on his own salvia. “I don’t know what you mean.” He said playfully, splashing her with water.
The Princess giggled and returned the favour. It was war. The two traded blows, drawing closer and closer to one another until Revali ended the battle with a crashing wave that briefly submerged his opponent.
Zelda laughed, a delightful chirp that serenaded his ears. She was… a hair’s breadth away now. This realisation made the Rito Champion stiffen.
She sheepishly closed the minuscule gap between them and planted a delicate kiss on his cheek, right on top of the red spot that punctuated his indigo plumage. Her lips did not stop there and moved to his beak, where another gentle kiss landed. An involuntary warble escaped him, which made Revali want to shrivel up and die on the spot.
The Princess pulled away, her face a deep shade of red. Revali stared at her in sheer disbelief. She- she liked him too?
His mortified expression caused nagging doubts and insecurities to worm into her head. “I’m sorry.” She apologised, her voice quaking. “I don’t know what came over me.”
Revali’s heart fractured. Move. He compelled himself to act. He could not let Zelda believe that her feelings were not reciprocated. His wings hugged her petite waist as he leaned closer, tilting his head sideways. He approached cautiously, as to not poke out her eye or pierce her lip.
His parted beak closed around her mouth and grazed both of her hot flushed cheeks. It was as close to a kiss as his autonomy would allow.
He hoped it came across as affectionate and not laughable. He had only ever seen two Hylians kiss once, when a married couple spent their honeymoon at Rito Village, so emulating that faded memory was his only point of reference.
Now that he thought about it, he felt like a mother Rito feeding her hatchlings regurgitated worms. This whole thing was a mistake, a huge, colossal mistake. He should pull away and apologise profusely to Zelda for this transgression, and then go grovel to the King for daring to lay a single feather on his daughter. Hopefully he would be spared from losing his head on the chopping block.
A soft content hum emanated from Zelda, scorching whatever worries he harboured to ash.
Revali leaned back to soak in her reaction. A radiant smile decorated her features. The pure essence of sunshine stood before him - he longed to capture it in a jar.
Zelda bashfully brushed a soggy gold ringlet behind her ear. For the first time since they had met, she was utterly speechless. The feeling was mutual, Revali grasped at straws, struggling to form a coherent sentence.
“It’s getting late. We should probably head back, before that worry wart knight of yours gets restless and comes charging here on horseback.”
The Princess nodded in agreement, unable to find her voice. Revali climbed out of the hot spring and offered her his wing, which she gratefully accepted.
He scooped up the dry towel and frowned. “Ha, we should have stolen another towel.” He commented, whilst holding it out to her.
Zelda shook her head. “Revali, as much as I appreciate the chivalrous gesture, your feathers will take ages to dry and you can’t fly in your condition.”
The Rito Champion glanced down at his soggy feathers, clumped together in rough patches. He surely looked like a drowned rat.
”…Fair point.” He noted, wrapping the towel around his neck. “In that case, I’ll start a fire to help you dry off.”
As he busied himself with collecting firewood, Zelda struggled to tighten her corset. “Revali, would you mind…?”
He dropped what he was doing immediately and rushed to her aid, even though it was far from an urgent matter. “Not at all.”
Zelda held her damp hair out of the way whilst Revali tightened the lace on her corset, despite his limbs trembling violently from an adrenaline cocktail. His heart, wielding a hammer and chisel, tried to break free from its rib cage prison. He wanted to plant thousands of kisses on her exposed neck, but somehow - against all odds - he managed to restrain himself. Zelda turned to him, her face encompassing his vision. “Thank you, Revali. For everything. I needed this.”
“You’re- um you’re welcome, your highness.” He stammered. Get a grip! His sharp green eyes flickered to her long golden locks, and an idea manifested itself. “After we’ve dried your hair, do I have your permission to braid it? It’s a common tradition that Rito do with their partners.”
That’s what we are now, aren’t we? Partners?
There were so many questions, racing through his mind akin to the waterfalls in Zora’s Domain. How long had she liked him? Why did she not tell him sooner? Where would they go from here? Should they tell her father or keep it a secret?
All of them would be addressed, but not today, they needed to return the Princess to Link in one piece before they aroused suspicion. There would be other opportunities. Chances to have a quick chat. Cup her hands. Wrap her up in his wings. Steal kisses.
They had time.
Zelda nodded eagerly without hesitation. “Nothing would make me happier.”