Chapter 6: Warm Doublet

NOTE: You can also read this chapter on Archive Of Our Own! Just click here to read over there.

Link stepped out of the shrine, breathing in the fresh air again. The air in the shrine just tasted…old. He couldn’t explain it. It was almost like it had just been waiting for something.

Zelda tapped on the Sheikah Slate, opening the map. “We should formulate a plan,” she muttered, sitting down on the edge of the shrine. Link sat down next to her and leaned over her shoulder.

Two pins remained on the map. One was on the peak of Mount Hylia, while one sat on a small ledge at the very south of the region.

“See, it looks like this shrine,” Zelda pointed at the latter, “is on a platform next to the mountain. If we completed that one first, then I believe we could climb up Mount Hylia to get to the last one.”

“Sure, sounds like a plan.” Link squinted and noticed something in the small woods to the east of the southern shrine. “Wait, what’s that?”

“Hmm.” Zelda leaned forward and looked at it. “It looks like a building of some

sort. We should check it out!”

“Sure. It doesn’t look too far from here.” Suddenly, truth dawned on him. “But, er, that mechanical thing might not make it easy.”

The construct had surprised Link when he saw it. For some reason, seeing it had struck stone-cold fear into his heart. While he was certain it was just from shock, he didn’t want to encounter it again.

“There’s probably a side exit of some sort,” Zelda mused. “We should be able to find it if we look hard enough.”

Link looked around and, sure enough, there was a way out via the side. He and Zelda walked through the archway, exiting the Eastern Abbey.

Link followed Zelda south as she talked to herself about the construct in the ruins. “I wonder who created it? Probably the ancient Sheikah, since they made the shrines too.” Zelda mused.

Link smiled at her theorizing, finding it endearing. “Oh! Link, look!” Zelda pointed towards a shack in the distance.

It was messily constructed out of pine logs, with a quickly-made roof. But smoke wafted out of a small chimney, and it looked cozy.

Zelda ran over to the house and Link followed her. Outside was a cooking pot, hanging over the fire, and a log that had a soup ladle and pot lid propped on it. The old man sat on the log.

“Hello,” Link said, raising his hand to wave.

“Ah, hello again.” The old man smiled. “Why are you two youngsters here?”

“We’re planning to go to that shrine up there, before we trek up Mount Hylia.” Zelda pointed to one of the shrines, which rested high up on a cliff.

“Mount Hylia is quite cold. I imagine you’ll need protection of some sort to make it up there without the cold harming you.” The old man stood up, clanking his walking stick on the ground. “A long time ago, I came into possession of a warm doublet. It protects one from the cold quite well, and provides well enough protection.”

“That sounds useful,” Zelda said.

“I would permit myself to part with it if you could do me a favor. A while ago, I invented a dish called spicy meat and seafood fry that also protects from the cold. However, I did not write down the recipe, and cannot remember it. If you could make it for me, I will give you the warm doublet.”

“Alright,” Link said.

“I believe there are some spicy peppers in my hut, which you will need to make the recipe.” The old man gave them a small smile before he walked away to chop wood.

“How do you think we’re supposed to make this?” Zelda asked.

“I think that we’ll need some meat from one of the animals in the forest and a fish. Do you know where we could find one?” Link mused.

“I do. That pond near the tower and Oman Au shrine has fish in it. I’ll go fetch them!” Zelda tapped the screen of the Sheikah Slate and dissolved into beams of pale blue.

Link sighed and pulled a boko bow off of his back and slid an arrow onto the

bow. He walked through the woods, eyes darting around.

Soon, Link noticed a boar grazing next to a tree. Crouching down, Link crept towards the boar. Once he was about ten feet away, he aimed at the creature and fired.

The arrow whistled through the air and landed into the boar with a soft thud. The boar let out a shriek, before collapsing to the ground.

Link walked over to the boar and gently pulled the arrow out, before walking back to the old man’s hut. He pulled out a bokoblin horn that he had tucked into his belt and started to skin the boar, tossing the hide aside.

Zelda walked back over to where Link was and shrieked at the sight of the furless boar. “Link! What are you doing?”

Link stifled a laugh at her reaction. “I can’t cook the meat with leather on it, can I?”

Zelda had dropped the Hyrule bass she was carrying to cover her eyes. “I-just-you-it’s…ugh!” She hurried into the hut to grab the spicy peppers, leaving Link alone.

Link cut a piece of the boar off and leaned the rest against the log. Maybe the old man would use it later.

Link began to gut the fish. Zelda dropped off the spicy peppers at some point, but it was evident she didn’t like the preparation that went into the meal.

Finally, as the sun was low in the sky, Link had finished cooking just as the old man returned. “Splendid!” He boomed. “You two must join me. I will give you the warm doublet tomorrow.”

The three began to eat, and merry times were had around the fire. “Link, this is delicious!” Zelda exclaimed between mouthfuls. “How on earth did you make this?”

Link smiled, the warm flames illuminating his face. “I cooked the peppers into a sauce, and I roasted the meat and fish in some of the sauce. The other part’s on your plate.” Link waved his fork at the red sauce spread on his fish for emphasis. “I also used some of the mushrooms you gathered, and a few herbs I found while hunting the boar.”

“It is delicious, young man.” The old man smiled heartily. “Let me get you a sheet of paper so that you might write the recipe down for me.”

The old man walked into his cabin while Zelda poured some water into the cooking pot and began to scrub her dish clean. Link handed his to her as he stared up into the sky.

The sun was setting, and the sky was streaked with orange and pink. The sun glowed warmly in its dwindling moments, and Link found himself wishing that he could remember the other sunsets that had been just like this.

The old man walked back out and handed Link a quill, some ink, and a sheet of paper. Link scratched down the recipe, handing the paper back to the old man.

“Thank you. Now then, do you two have a place to rest?” His tone was kind, but Link still felt defensive.

“We have a bokoblin camp that we drove the monsters from.” Zelda sighed as she continued to wash the dishes. “Not the most optimal place, but it’ll do.”

“Why, you two are adventurers! You deserve better than a bokoblin camp. I have a spare bed in my hut. It would be cramped, but you two could share it.”

Link shrugged. “Sure.”

Soon, the pair were lying down in the old man’s hut while he snored. Zelda had fallen asleep long ago, and Link was left staring at the ceiling.

“Why can’t I remember?” He asked nobody in particular. “Why can’t I remember anything…Anything at all?”

Story Notes

I GOT AN UPDATE IN ON TIME! For all the Americans reading this, happy 4th, and happy birthday, USA!

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I am proud of myself for working hard and getting it in on time.

The next chapter is a Story Segment. A reminder to please check out Bokoblins, Koroks, and Chests (available in the Story Segments series), as there will be some reference to it throughout the Great Plateau.

I have given up on trying to put my art onto AO3, but I have uploaded a cover for this story on this site. It’s on Chapter 1. I spent A LOT of time on that, so please please please check it out!

I can’t think of anything else to say, so have a good day!

-bakergamerwriter