Hey, friends! It's time for a brand new Zelda prequel fanfic! "Another one, Az?!" I know, right? This one isn't going to be as long as The Hero of Spirits was, though. It's maybe half as long, at least from what I've planned. This time I'm doing a Wind Waker prequel. First Spirit Tracks, now Wind Waker. I'm sure that's just a coincidence. At any rate, unlike The Hero of Spirits, which took place in the distant past long before New Hyrule was established, Ride the Winds! is a prequel by 50 years. Also unlike The Hero of Spirits, this one will mostly be contained in Wind Waker's world instead of crossing over into other games and even other types of media. We will be seeing some new and familiar faces in this story, and it will set up for a lot of the events of the game's story. Ride the Winds! pulls from a concept I had way back in the day while I was in the process of writing The Hero of Spirits, but it never got off the ground back then. I started planning it again last year sometime, but once again it never took off. And then the other day I was suddenly struck with inspiration and an urge, and now here we are. It be like that sometimes.
At any rate, I hope you enjoy this story! It may take me a while to get through it, what with me being a working adult and all. But I will try my best to at least get a few words down each day. Without further ado, let's let the tale of Lana Kaimi, voyager of the Great Sea, begin!
[FULL NOVEL on Google Drive here with more up-to-date edits]
* * * * New and returning readers are encouraged to instead read on my AO3 for the most up-to-date version.
It was a foggy day. It was hard for Manolo to see the clouds, so he couldn’t tell for sure if a storm was brewing somewhere nearby. But, nonetheless, he needed to go and fish. He made a face that his wife thought looked amusing, and her laugh made him feel more at ease. At the very least, he knew Sofia would be fine, but his daughter was a different story.
Little Lana was a growing girl, and always hungry. They didn’t make enough money to buy fish at the market, and the people there didn’t like dealing with Manolo’s family. He could swear he once saw the fishmongress sell a trout to a man for 20 rupees, and then turn around and charge him 50 for the same kind of fish. Most of the food on his family’s table came from his own rod. The rest came from Sofia’s basket weaving, but they never sold well. Not like they did back home.
Manolo knew the reason for this. He knew it like a bitter feeling in his gut. Sofia knew it, too. But he would be damned if he let Lana feel hungry because of it.
He trudged into the shallows, gave his fishing dinghy a great shove, and off it went into the water. He quickly climbed on and began to paddle it away from the shore. He turned his head back and caught a worried look from Sofia. He gave her a smile with weak confidence to try and assure her that he’d be fine. Then his eyes scanned the beach around her, and was surprised that he didn’t see his daughter waving goodbye to him like usual.
“You little sneak...” Manolo scolded.
“Come on, Papa! You never take me fishing! I wanna be on the sea, too! It’s not fair!” Lana protested.
That daring daughter of his stowed away. Manolo hadn’t noticed she was hiding on board until he was well out to sea with his rod cast and waiting. The little trouble maker popped up from inside a box and scared the living daylights out of him.
“You know... It’s really not a good day for this, my little gull.” Manolo said.
“Stop calling me that! I hate seagulls! They’re mean and they keep trying to steal our fish!” Lana pouted.
“Right, sorry. You used to like it when you were a wee babe...” he sighed. “Look, the weather may not be the most stable right now. All this fog is making it hard to tell of any sudden changes. It’s not safe for a little one like you out here today.”
“I’m already five! I can help! Just you watch when you get that first fish of the day! Just you watch!” Lana said.
Manolo sighed. His daughter could sure be stubborn when she wanted to be. He checked his rod, and found there were still no bites, not even a nibble. That made him feel a bit uneasy, so he stood up and tried to get a better view of his surroundings.
The fog hung low and thick over the seawater. The clouds could barely be seen through a haze above his head. He had to keep wiping the back of his neck to get that sticky fog feeling off his skin. He noticed Lana was doing this frequently, too. Then he looked toward the water, and felt unnerved when he saw it starting to get a little choppy. The breeze was beginning to pick up.
“Hey, Papa? Something doesn’t feel right with the wind...” Lana said in a small voice.
That was all it took for Manolo to grab the paddle. He knew she was right. His chest began to tighten up. He didn’t like this feeling. Not one bit.
Before he could even get his paddle into the water, it hit. A horrific gale knocked him on his bottom and caused Lana to shriek as she fell onto the railing. Freezing rain splattered his skin and drenched his clothes so much he was struggling to breathe. The sail caught the wind so fast the whole ship tilted dangerously.
Manolo struggled to reach the rope to furl the sail. The squall was hitting them too hard too quickly. He could barely hear Lana’s cries over the wind and rain. He skinned his knees on the planks as he crawled closer to the rope. Poor Lana was hanging on for dear life to the railing, crying and gasping for breath.
The boat lurched violently as the water churned and churned. Manolo hit his head on the mast as he toppled forward. He grabbed the rope, and just as he started to tug, the worst thing that could have happened started to happen. A large wave rose up just at the head of his dingy. He could feel it coming. Manolo let go of the rope to grab something more important, but it was too late.
As the wave crashed, he shouted. The boat shook. And she fell.
Lana fell into the sea.
Greatfish Isle was in sight once again, finally. But that didn’t feel like it mattered anymore. Nothing did. The world might as well have ended back there in the squall. Manolo paddled around for hours, searching and searching and stripping his lungs bare from all the screaming of his little girl’s name. All for nothing. She was lost.
Manolo hung his head in a disgusting sense of shame. The closer his boat floated to the shoreline, the closer he came to having to tell his wife that, not only did he not notice Lana had snuck on board until it was too late, but also that he lost her over the side in a sudden storm. A sudden storm he knew might be possible when he left.
His heart wrenched and acid stung his throat. He constantly played back the event in his head, searching for anything he could have done differently. He should have turned the boat around the minute Lana showed herself. He should have grabbed her the minute the squall began instead of going for the rope. He should have done this, he should have done that. Every new thought cut through his mind with a new type of pain.
He could barely bring himself to look toward the shoreline. He was terrified of seeing Sofia standing there waiting for him. He pictured her waiting, wanting to tell him that she hadn’t seen Lana all day. And then he’d have to tell her that she was with him and now she’s gone forever. The very thought made him want to rip out all his insides.
Finally, through tearstained and bloodshot eyes, he looked up. He looked to the shore. And then his heart jumped into his throat. Then, he jumped out of his boat. Choking and coughing, he furiously swam to shore, unable to believe his eyes.
There she was. There was Lana, laying right there on the beach as if she’d been there all day. Manolo dragged himself ashore and crawled to the little girl, hyperventilating and gasping for air. Her clothes and hair were soaked, and wet sand stuck to her skin. Otherwise, she was none worse for the wear.
He carefully picked her up in his arms, listened to her heartbeat, and at last hugged her tightly and cried with great relief. She was alive. His daughter was safe.
“... Papa?” a tiny voice squeaked out.
Manolo jolted and pulled himself away to look at Lana’s face. Her eyes were drooping open, and she looked very confused.
“Lana! My gull, are you alright? Are you hurt?” Manolo said in a rush.
“Stop calling me a gull!” Lana said, trying her best to pout.
Manolo didn’t respond. He just hugged her again. The sense of relief he felt was immense. It was as if his shattered life had been gently pieced back together by some miraculous benefactor. The elation he felt was almost indescribable. The heavy shame hanging over his heart melted away into pure joy. He couldn’t wait to take Lana home and hug his wife with her in his arms.
“Where am I? Am I home?” Lana said. “I thought I fell off the boat...”
“You did, you did, my little one. I’m the one who wants to know how you ended up back here!” Manolo said.
Lana made a strained face, like she was trying to remember something. “I think... I saw a red boat... And I heard a weird voice. But it was a nice voice. And then I woke up here.” she tried to explain.
A red boat? A nice voice? Was she rescued by someone? As Manolo thought this, he looked over his shoulder and back out to sea. Other than his dinghy haphazardly floating toward the beach on its own, there were no dots on the horizon. He knew no one on Greatfish Isle owned a red boat. He wondered how this mysterious savior knew where to bring Lana, but he was too overjoyed at her safety that he quickly stopped thinking about it.
“Hey, Papa?” Lana began. “I... I don’t think I want to go fishing with you again.”
Manolo let out a snort as he lifted his daughter up. “Yes, well, I think we both need a break from the sea. But fishing is my trade, and so I must go back again soon. As for you... Maybe we’ll try again when you’re ten.”
Lana smirked. Her blue eyes still held the vibrancy that reminded Manolo of the sea. He knew this girl would one day voyage across the waves. It was written in those blue eyes of hers. Not even drowning could change that luster. There was no helping it. She was bound to leave one day.
That’s why, the least he could do was make sure she knew how to make the wind her ally for next time.
At any rate, I hope you enjoy this story! It may take me a while to get through it, what with me being a working adult and all. But I will try my best to at least get a few words down each day. Without further ado, let's let the tale of Lana Kaimi, voyager of the Great Sea, begin!
[FULL NOVEL on Google Drive here with more up-to-date edits]
* * * * New and returning readers are encouraged to instead read on my AO3 for the most up-to-date version.
Ride the Winds!
On the Great Sea, there lives a young girl who was born on different waters. She lives the humble life of a fisherman with her parents, and doesn’t want for much, but she hears tales of the land she came from when she was still in her mother's womb. She dreams of her roots, and one day she decides she is going to find them. This is the tale of her voyage across the Great Sea, into unexpected adventure and unlikely friends. A tale she tells to her kids and her grandkids until she’s old and wrinkled. A shanty of pirates, of talking boats and enormous spirits, and of riding the very wind.
Prologue
A Hazy Memory of Drowning in the Sea
A Hazy Memory of Drowning in the Sea
It was a foggy day. It was hard for Manolo to see the clouds, so he couldn’t tell for sure if a storm was brewing somewhere nearby. But, nonetheless, he needed to go and fish. He made a face that his wife thought looked amusing, and her laugh made him feel more at ease. At the very least, he knew Sofia would be fine, but his daughter was a different story.
Little Lana was a growing girl, and always hungry. They didn’t make enough money to buy fish at the market, and the people there didn’t like dealing with Manolo’s family. He could swear he once saw the fishmongress sell a trout to a man for 20 rupees, and then turn around and charge him 50 for the same kind of fish. Most of the food on his family’s table came from his own rod. The rest came from Sofia’s basket weaving, but they never sold well. Not like they did back home.
Manolo knew the reason for this. He knew it like a bitter feeling in his gut. Sofia knew it, too. But he would be damned if he let Lana feel hungry because of it.
He trudged into the shallows, gave his fishing dinghy a great shove, and off it went into the water. He quickly climbed on and began to paddle it away from the shore. He turned his head back and caught a worried look from Sofia. He gave her a smile with weak confidence to try and assure her that he’d be fine. Then his eyes scanned the beach around her, and was surprised that he didn’t see his daughter waving goodbye to him like usual.
* * *
“You little sneak...” Manolo scolded.
“Come on, Papa! You never take me fishing! I wanna be on the sea, too! It’s not fair!” Lana protested.
That daring daughter of his stowed away. Manolo hadn’t noticed she was hiding on board until he was well out to sea with his rod cast and waiting. The little trouble maker popped up from inside a box and scared the living daylights out of him.
“You know... It’s really not a good day for this, my little gull.” Manolo said.
“Stop calling me that! I hate seagulls! They’re mean and they keep trying to steal our fish!” Lana pouted.
“Right, sorry. You used to like it when you were a wee babe...” he sighed. “Look, the weather may not be the most stable right now. All this fog is making it hard to tell of any sudden changes. It’s not safe for a little one like you out here today.”
“I’m already five! I can help! Just you watch when you get that first fish of the day! Just you watch!” Lana said.
Manolo sighed. His daughter could sure be stubborn when she wanted to be. He checked his rod, and found there were still no bites, not even a nibble. That made him feel a bit uneasy, so he stood up and tried to get a better view of his surroundings.
The fog hung low and thick over the seawater. The clouds could barely be seen through a haze above his head. He had to keep wiping the back of his neck to get that sticky fog feeling off his skin. He noticed Lana was doing this frequently, too. Then he looked toward the water, and felt unnerved when he saw it starting to get a little choppy. The breeze was beginning to pick up.
“Hey, Papa? Something doesn’t feel right with the wind...” Lana said in a small voice.
That was all it took for Manolo to grab the paddle. He knew she was right. His chest began to tighten up. He didn’t like this feeling. Not one bit.
Before he could even get his paddle into the water, it hit. A horrific gale knocked him on his bottom and caused Lana to shriek as she fell onto the railing. Freezing rain splattered his skin and drenched his clothes so much he was struggling to breathe. The sail caught the wind so fast the whole ship tilted dangerously.
Manolo struggled to reach the rope to furl the sail. The squall was hitting them too hard too quickly. He could barely hear Lana’s cries over the wind and rain. He skinned his knees on the planks as he crawled closer to the rope. Poor Lana was hanging on for dear life to the railing, crying and gasping for breath.
The boat lurched violently as the water churned and churned. Manolo hit his head on the mast as he toppled forward. He grabbed the rope, and just as he started to tug, the worst thing that could have happened started to happen. A large wave rose up just at the head of his dingy. He could feel it coming. Manolo let go of the rope to grab something more important, but it was too late.
As the wave crashed, he shouted. The boat shook. And she fell.
Lana fell into the sea.
* * *
Greatfish Isle was in sight once again, finally. But that didn’t feel like it mattered anymore. Nothing did. The world might as well have ended back there in the squall. Manolo paddled around for hours, searching and searching and stripping his lungs bare from all the screaming of his little girl’s name. All for nothing. She was lost.
Manolo hung his head in a disgusting sense of shame. The closer his boat floated to the shoreline, the closer he came to having to tell his wife that, not only did he not notice Lana had snuck on board until it was too late, but also that he lost her over the side in a sudden storm. A sudden storm he knew might be possible when he left.
His heart wrenched and acid stung his throat. He constantly played back the event in his head, searching for anything he could have done differently. He should have turned the boat around the minute Lana showed herself. He should have grabbed her the minute the squall began instead of going for the rope. He should have done this, he should have done that. Every new thought cut through his mind with a new type of pain.
He could barely bring himself to look toward the shoreline. He was terrified of seeing Sofia standing there waiting for him. He pictured her waiting, wanting to tell him that she hadn’t seen Lana all day. And then he’d have to tell her that she was with him and now she’s gone forever. The very thought made him want to rip out all his insides.
Finally, through tearstained and bloodshot eyes, he looked up. He looked to the shore. And then his heart jumped into his throat. Then, he jumped out of his boat. Choking and coughing, he furiously swam to shore, unable to believe his eyes.
There she was. There was Lana, laying right there on the beach as if she’d been there all day. Manolo dragged himself ashore and crawled to the little girl, hyperventilating and gasping for air. Her clothes and hair were soaked, and wet sand stuck to her skin. Otherwise, she was none worse for the wear.
He carefully picked her up in his arms, listened to her heartbeat, and at last hugged her tightly and cried with great relief. She was alive. His daughter was safe.
“... Papa?” a tiny voice squeaked out.
Manolo jolted and pulled himself away to look at Lana’s face. Her eyes were drooping open, and she looked very confused.
“Lana! My gull, are you alright? Are you hurt?” Manolo said in a rush.
“Stop calling me a gull!” Lana said, trying her best to pout.
Manolo didn’t respond. He just hugged her again. The sense of relief he felt was immense. It was as if his shattered life had been gently pieced back together by some miraculous benefactor. The elation he felt was almost indescribable. The heavy shame hanging over his heart melted away into pure joy. He couldn’t wait to take Lana home and hug his wife with her in his arms.
“Where am I? Am I home?” Lana said. “I thought I fell off the boat...”
“You did, you did, my little one. I’m the one who wants to know how you ended up back here!” Manolo said.
Lana made a strained face, like she was trying to remember something. “I think... I saw a red boat... And I heard a weird voice. But it was a nice voice. And then I woke up here.” she tried to explain.
A red boat? A nice voice? Was she rescued by someone? As Manolo thought this, he looked over his shoulder and back out to sea. Other than his dinghy haphazardly floating toward the beach on its own, there were no dots on the horizon. He knew no one on Greatfish Isle owned a red boat. He wondered how this mysterious savior knew where to bring Lana, but he was too overjoyed at her safety that he quickly stopped thinking about it.
“Hey, Papa?” Lana began. “I... I don’t think I want to go fishing with you again.”
Manolo let out a snort as he lifted his daughter up. “Yes, well, I think we both need a break from the sea. But fishing is my trade, and so I must go back again soon. As for you... Maybe we’ll try again when you’re ten.”
Lana smirked. Her blue eyes still held the vibrancy that reminded Manolo of the sea. He knew this girl would one day voyage across the waves. It was written in those blue eyes of hers. Not even drowning could change that luster. There was no helping it. She was bound to leave one day.
That’s why, the least he could do was make sure she knew how to make the wind her ally for next time.
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