Chapter Text
The sun shone on the beaches of the town in vibrant hues of orange and pink, painting the shore in a picture-esque beauty from just above the horizon. Despite the warmth of the sunset, the air was starting to get colder with the coming of Autumn soon. Green remained on the stone he sat upon, though, watching the sunset and the rising tide with an almost child-like wonder. It wasn’t often he got to see the ocean, he didn’t live anywhere near the shore back home, and he didn’t get the advantage of overlooking the whole Kingdom and beyond like places such as Death Mountain or Mount Hylia got.
Even with being in an entirely new town for a week, the faerie found himself barely spending any time amongst the town folks, although there were plenty markets to explore during the day and taverns with people to meet and performers to watch during the night, he seemed drawn to the beaches to bask in the beauty of nature instead. Suppose he’s always been that way, though, he did live on the outskirts of the forest back home rather than at the heart of the woods with the rest of his family and friends.
A chill running up his spine drew him from his thoughts, the shiver that followed causing the leaf-like wings on his back to buzz a bit. Umber eyes landed on the horizon again, the sight causing furrowed eyebrows. When had it gotten so dark? Green stood up from his make-shift seat, a soft crunch of sand underneath his boots and staff following the action. A quick once over of himself made it apparent that he’d been sitting on that rock for far too long, wet stains on his tunic from falling in the water earlier in the day completely dry now aside from where he’d come in contact with the rock, his mouse-like tail completely dried as well, with chunks of sand clumping together in the brown and white fur. He could deal with grooming once he got back to his room at the Seaside Inn.
Preparing to head back into town for the night, the fae took one last look over the beach, before something in the distance caught his attention. From this distance he couldn’t exactly tell what it was, so naturally he grew curious and couldn’t stop himself from redirecting his path towards the silhouette and further away from town. As he drew near, it started to become apparent that this figure in the sand wasn’t just a pile of seaweed that happened to get washed ashore, but rather it was a person. Green’s stomach lurched, and he picked up his pace to reach the person faster to see if they were okay.
The figure of a man came into view once the faerie was by his side, tall frame, shoulder-length brown hair with hints of white hair peeking through at the base of his neck. He wore a blue tunic with ornate patterns along the hems, various layers of fur and leather wrapped around his waist, with a wooden shield attached to his belt and spiked pauldrons on his shoulders. It appeared as though he was missing a leg, a wooden peg in its place, and his most notable feature being a fur cape in shades of brown and white, which the fae came to realize was actually the pelt of a seal upon closer inspection.
“Oh, great heavens, it’s a selkie!” Green yelped in surprise, instinctively taking a few steps away from the figure sprawled out across the sand, before stepping closer to him again and hesitantly prodding him with the butt-end of his staff. “Is he alive? Sir? Are you alright?”
No response. Green took in a deep, shaky breath, kneeling down beside the stranger and putting his ear near the man’s face. He could hear the faint sounds of labored breaths being taken, and a relieved sigh escaped him at that. Good, he was still alive. As he was about to stand up straight again, the man’s eyes shot open, revealing an icy blue color staring right back at the faerie. Both men let out a shout of surprise, Green snapping to stand upright with wings flared, and the stranger quickly wiggling away from him. He threw the hood of his pelt up, transforming into a seal and bouncing away towards the water.
“Hey! Sir, wait–!” Green called out, but before he could ask any questions, the seal disappeared beneath the waves. He dropped the arm he’d reached out towards the stranger, a frown playing at his lips as he dug his staff into the sand again. “That was odd… At least I know he’s alive.”
The fae’s eyes stayed fixated on the water for a moment longer, a small part of him hoping the selkie would resurface and he could get out the questions that were swimming wildly through his head. That was just wishful thinking, however, the stranger was gone, and likely wasn’t ever coming back. With a defeated sigh, Green turned on his heel and started on his way back into town.
“What in Farore’s name was a selkie doin’ this far south?” Green asked, the friendly Zora he’d been talking with offering a shrug as he continued to pack patrons’ fish orders.
“No idea, the colonies seem to have been moving further and further south in recent years, which has been pretty harmful for our fish numbers– I need to get to these fish.”
“Oh, sorry,” Green apologized sheepishly, taking a step away from the stand he’d been leaning against, choosing to stand off to the side instead. He stayed quiet as the Zora collected a handful of fish for a customer, offering a wave as the woman left with her purchase. “Harmful?”
“Yeah, fish populations have been dwindling ever since the selkies started migrating, if the turn up for fishermen here has been worse, I can’t imagine how bad it’s been back in Zora’s Domain,” the shopkeeper explained. “You know how selkies are.”
“Yeah,” Green admitted with a frown, his gaze falling to his feet. He didn’t want to believe the stories of overfishing and whale poaching that always floated around whenever the word ‘selkie’ was mentioned, but he couldn’t argue with firsthand accounts of such things. There surely had to be a reason for it though, right? No one could truly be that cruel and selfish.
“I think you should report this sighting to patrol so they can take care of the selkie,” the Zora spoke up, drawing the fae out of his thoughts. “I’d say run the whole lot of ‘em out of our waters and tell them to stop stealing our fish.”
“Well, I ain’t really think it’s stealing ,” Green reasoned. “Reckon they need food just as much as anyone else.”
“They’re taking more than their fair share,” the shopkeeper countered. “Are you going to buy anything, or do you plan on loitering by my stand all day?”
“Oh! Sorry, I ain’t need anything, thanks for talking with me, though,” Green apologized quickly, picking his staff up and bounding away from the fish stand with a wave. He chose to ignore the eye-roll from the Zora that he just barely caught, going about his trip through the marketplace with a smile. He found himself wandering to the edge of the docks, eyeing the impressive fishing boats that inhabited the port, and watching as the midday sun glistened across the water’s surface. He couldn’t decide if he enjoyed the ocean more during the day or in the dim light of dawn and dusk, the smells of salt in the air and the sounds of water crashing against the shore still ever present regardless.
Just as he was about to sit down on the edge of the dock to admire the sea again for awhile, a figure in the edges of his vision caused him to jump. His gaze snapped to a man standing beside him, catching him off guard with how silently he’d approached. With his short stature, the fae’s eyes first landed on the man’s chest– a brooch, made of brass-colored metal and embedded with blue stones, holding together the collar of a cape standing out to him.
“By the three, you nearly gave me a heart attack, can I help yo–” Green started, his eyes wandering higher to meet the man’s face, his words dying out in his throat once he recognized the face as the one he’d seen on the beach the night before. The piercing blue of his eyes seemed to be much more striking under the sunlight, and upon closer inspection, it seemed one pupil was clouded over. There was no way he could see a damn thing out of that eye.
“Where am I?” the selkie asked bluntly, his eyes wide. He looked terrified, what for, Green could only guess.
“Reckon this is Faron Por–”
“What Kingdom?” the stranger interrupted. The faerie let out a startled squeak as he was cut off, shrinking under the intense stare of the other. The man’s stature looming over his own and the demanding nature of his tone easily intimidated the smaller man, whether he was intending to or not.
“H-...Hyrule,” Green answered quietly. The selkie’s gaze remained on him for a moment longer, before he flipped his hood up and disappeared underneath the water again without a word. Green relaxed a bit once he was out of sight, staring dumbfounded at the water below for a few seconds too long. He didn’t get a chance to process what had just happened before his thoughts were interrupted again by the seal breaching the surface of the water at high speeds and landing ungracefully on the deck of one of the nearby fishing boats. He seemed disoriented and confused for a moment as he rolled to a stop, a soft bark escaping him, but once he’d gathered his barings he changed back to his Hylian-like appearance.
“Untie those ropes,” he demanded, pointing to a rope that kept the boat docked. Green followed the man’s finger, then pointed to himself as if to ask if he was who he was talking to. Of course, he’s who he’s talking to, who else would he be talking to?
“Why– hey! Hold on, now! I ain’t helpin’ you steal a boat ,” the fae sputtered, hitting the end of his staff against the dock. “I ain’t got the darnedest idea why you’re here or what you plan to do, but you can’t just take what ain’t yours.”
Green half expected the stranger to either fight back or agree without further argument, that’s what usually happened when he scolded someone for their wrongdoings– granted most of the time when he did that, he was talking to a toddler, and this man looked well over twice that age. He was caught off guard by what kind of response he was met with, however. The selkie just stood there silently, staring at him. Or was he staring in his direction, but looking nowhere in particular? It seemed as though there were a million thoughts behind those eyes, yet none at all at the same time.
After what felt like way too long, the man transformed again, slipping over the edge of the boat and back into the water. Green anticipated it this time when he breached the surface again, however, the seal landing on the dock by his feet before transforming back into a Hylian.
“Do you have a boat?”
“Do I have a boat?” the shorter man echoed. “No, I’m sorry, I ain’t from ‘round here.”
The selkie went quiet once more, his gaze landing somewhere in the distance behind Green’s head. Awkward silence fell over the pair, before blue eyes landed on a freckled face again when he cleared his throat.
“Look, darlin’, I’m sure you’re lost and mighty scared, ain’t got a clue where you’re at, yeah? I don’t know how much I can really help you get to where you wanna go, but if you ain’t got a place to stay, I can give you somewhere to go until you get all this figured out,” the faerie offered, reaching into a satchel at his hip and offering a handful of rupees to the selkie. “There’s an inn just down the road past the market, this should be enough for a few night’s stay. That’s really all I can do for you.”
The stranger stared at the money offered to him for a few seconds, his expression indecipherable to Green as usual, before a pale hand hesitantly took the rupees from him. “Thank you.”
“Of course, ain’t a problem at all!” Green responded with a smile, offering a hand to the other man to shake. “I’m Green, by the way, what’s your name?”
“...Blue,” the other answered after a pause of hesitation, taking the fae’s hand and accepting the handshake. Blue’s hands were freezing to the touch, and the shorter couldn’t exactly piece together if it was because of the selkie’s time spent in the water or because of the onset of changing seasons. His new acquaintance seemed far too eager to pull his hand away when the shake was over, turning to face the edge of the dock again in preparation to dive back into the water.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Blue, hope everythin’ works out alright for you,” Green beamed, placing his free hand on the handle of his staff and gripping it securely in both hands. “Take care, yeah?”
Blue nodded, flipping his hood up once more and disappearing into the water. After the man had disappeared under the surface, the faerie sat on the edge of the dock as he’d planned, hugging the handle of his staff between his arms and staring out across the water. What a strange character that Blue is. Questions swirled through his head rapidfire, wondering about how the selkie ended up here, where he planned to go, and hopes that he’d be safe. He could only really make shots in the dark at what the answers to these questions might be.
A couple days passed before Green would hear about the elusive man again. At least, he was fairly certain it was about Blue. He sat on a barstool in a local tavern, his gaze fixated on the stage where a group were performing a song he couldn’t recognize. Although he was focused on the music, his attention frequently shifted to listen in on a conversation between two Hylians seated on the other end of the bar.
“There’s no way a selkie is actually living in this town, I would’ve seen him.”
“No, I’m serious, I saw him in town earlier today, he was real tall, and far too overdressed for this weather.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, he was acting real suspicious in the marketplace, I could’ve sworn he was trying to steal from the fish vendor.”
“Just like a selkie to do that.”
“Right? By Hylia, I swear his eyes were piercing into my soul, too.”
“That’s so creepy.”
Green tuned out the conversation, his stomach doing acrobatics in his gut. He turned in his stool to face the bar properly, both hands moving to clutch at his glass of lemonade tightly. He didn’t want to seem like he was eavesdropping, and wouldn’t know how to justify himself if he were forced to state his stance on the rumors. While he had helped him out, the fae certainly didn’t want to be associated with a selkie, even more so if the word of his stealing was true. What was he thinking? It was probably true, the man had attempted to steal a boat right in front of him.
He flinched a little when he saw a figure approach him from the other side of the counter, an irrational part of his brain assuming it was one of the other patrons at the bar, or even the selkie by some odd chance, but when he looked up all he was met with was the bartender’s face.
“Everything alright over here?” he asked, his tone making it clear that he was just checking in because it was his job rather than taking note of Green’s inner turmoil. The faerie gave the bartender a forced smile, waving his hand dismissively.
“Yeah, all’s good over here.”
The bartender nodded in acknowledgement, turning to check on the other patrons before making himself busy washing used glasses and wiping down the counters. Green’s ears honed in on the music again, relaxing once the bartender had walked away. A little voice in his head debated on whether or not he should have given the stranger his money, questioned if he should have encouraged the selkie to stay in town and if he’d have just stolen a boat when he wasn’t looking if he hadn’t otherwise. A quick shake of his head silenced those thoughts, though. He shouldn’t be thinking like that, regardless of if this man was a selkie or not.
His eyes flitted over to the door of the tavern. The sun had long since set before he’d gotten here, he was working on a late schedule today, and as if on cue, a yawn escaped his lips. The faerie paused for a moment, eyeing his glass of lemonade, before downing the rest, leaving a tip on the counter for the bartender, then taking himself to the door to leave. He should probably get back to the inn soon, he’s supposed to be on a train back to West Faron by morning, so a good night’s rest was needed.
The fae only had the moonlight to guide him as he walked the empty streets of the town, the air colder during nightfall than under the warmth of the glowing sun. His footsteps against the cobblestone roads echoed in the quiet of the night, accompanied only by the crashing waves in the distance. Melting into the rhythmic beating of the water battering against the rocks along the shoreline, Green could’ve sworn he heard the voice of a woman singing. Her voice was ethereal, a high, clear tone resonating through the air. He couldn’t exactly place where the sound was coming from, but a part of him wanted to find the source of the singing.
His curiosity led him back to the beach, the voice much louder once he’d stepped foot in the sand. His ears followed the sound all the way to a rocky outcrop on the edges of the beach, tucked away behind a cliff and out of sight of the town. The place seemed like it’d be a great tidepooling spot, and from all the time he’d spent on the beaches during his vacation, the faerie started to wish he’d found this spot sooner. Minor regrets aside, the woman’s voice seemed the loudest once he’d started navigating the uneven and slick terrain. Although beautiful, there were hints of sadness and longing in the way she sang, and it made Green’s heart yearn for why she was hurting.
A silhouette eventually came into view the longer he followed the voice, and from the looks of things, the silhouette saw him too. The singing came to a halt, and for a fraction of a second, Green had forgotten what he was doing out here. An odd clarity came over him, and his expression hardened as he approached the figure seated on the rocks. They hunkered down a bit as he drew near, almost as if they were trying to hide from view, and as the clouds moved to allow the moon’s light to reflect off the water’s surface, the fae saw a familiar face.
“Blue?” he questioned, taking a few hesitant steps closer to the selkie. “Was that you singing?”
Blue’s expression seemed to contort a bit as if he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, but no words actually left his lips. Instead, he averted his gaze, staring out across the water. Green frowned. He wished he could, just once, know what kind of thoughts were running through the stranger’s head. The smaller man moved to sit on the rocks with him, keeping his distance and placing his staff down flat on his lap.
“Y’know, I heard folks talking in town about you. They say you’ve been hanging around the marketplace, I’m surprised you even stuck around,” the fae spoke, not exactly expecting an answer from the other. “Thought you would’ve stolen a boat soon as I had my back turned, I ‘preciate your integrity, at least.”
No response came from the selkie, just as Green had anticipated. Though, it did come as a relief that the man’s eyes were on him now, reassuring him that he was listening. A beat of silence fell upon the pair, before the subtlest of nods from Blue prompted the other to continue.
“Have you found what you’re looking for yet?” he asked. The taller man shook his head. Green pursed his lips in thought. “What is it you’re looking for?”
“A way home,” Blue answered, his voice soft, hesitant. His eyes shifted to look out across the ocean again, and despite the dim lighting, Green could see the faintest hints of sadness and longing on the other’s face. It made his chest feel tight and his eyes sting.
“Your home’s out there, ain’t it?” A nod. “Aren’t selkies built for the water, why not just swim home?”
“Too far,” the selkie answered. Green’s frown deepened, his eyes falling to the rocks beneath him. He’d help Blue home if he could, but he was supposed to go back home tomorrow. The guilt would eat away at him if he went back to his own home while leaving another stranded with nowhere else to go. He had to do something , but what in the world could he do?
“I-I… I’m sorry, I wish I knew how to help you,” the faerie stuttered, his face riddled with guilt.
“Boat.”
“I already told you I ain’t got one,” Green sighed in exasperation. “If I had the money to buy you a boat, I would, but I barely gots enough to make it back home tomorrow.”
Blue’s expression seemed to shift at that, his head snapping to look the other head on with eyes wide. He seemed panicked, but about what, that wasn’t entirely clear.
“N–...” he started, biting off the end of his word and furrowing his eyebrows. His hands started to move wildly, almost as if the motions meant something, but each gesture was left unfinished. Eventually, icy blue turned in his direction again, eyes pleading for help. “Don’t leave.”
“Darlin’, I ain’t got a choice,” Green laughed awkwardly, a hand moving to rub at the back of his neck nervously. “They need me back home, and, well…”
Both men went silent as the faerie trailed off, Blue’s gaze returning to the water. A heavy sigh slipped past the shorter’s lips, hands gripping at the handle of his staff and claws idly picking at the worn and chipping wood. Every fiber of his being wanted to do anything he could to get his new companion back home. He clearly was putting a lot of faith in Green, he wouldn’t be surprised if he was the only soul in this whole damn town who treated him with even a sliver of kindness since he’d arrived. There was no way of knowing how monumental of a task it’d be to get the man home, but it was very quickly becoming a task that he was willing to take on. He needed him, and the fae needed a plan.
“I’ll tell you what,” Green spoke up, breaking the silence between the two and drawing the attention of the selkie again. “How handy would you say you are?”
Blue just shrugged. A thoughtful hum resonated from the faeries throat.
“Reckon I can prolly put you to work back home, get you earning enough to save up for a boat, then once you got the cash you need, you can come back here, get yourself a good vessel, then hightail it out of here, ain’t even gotta look back,” he offered. “I’ll be on a train back home tomorrow morning, I can take you with me, then we can figure the rest out from there, yeah? How’s that sound?”