Peering toward the twin silhouettes of Outset Island, Aryll saw two glowing orange orbs- the setting sun between the massive black plateaus, and the shimmering congregation of paper lanterns hung in front of her house. She lied against the King of Red Lions’ curved neck and looked on. Rolling wind wafted the scent of saltwater into her nose, followed by the fiery smell of charcoal swept from Outset’s beach. Aryll took a deep breath and turned toward the stern and saw her brother, Link. He was clad in his blue crawfish shirt and orange pants, happy to get a break from adventuring. She wore her usual cyan, flower-speckled dress. Bar the celebration and boat ride, it was a day like any other for the two siblings. Link smiled, gripping the rudder and steering the boat toward the island, toward the celebration. The wind caught the King of Red Lions’ sails and thrust the craft through the calm sea water.
“Aww,” Aryll whined, “big brother, can’t we stay out a little longer?”
Link sighed. “Come on, Aryll! We’ve been out for half an hour, and I still haven’t eaten!”
He was right. “…I know, I know. Sorry, big brother.”
Link tilted his head to the side, offering that warm, reassuring smile that Aryll loved. “Hey, don’t worry about it. Let’s go and get some food, right sis?”
“Mm-hm,” Aryll nodded, her stomach groaning in agreement. She forced a smile, but the truth was that she couldn’t feel anything but anxiety. Having vanquished the King of Darkness and rescued Tetra, Link’s plans were set on joining the pirates for continued adventures in the uncharted seas. Aryll was not afraid for her brother’s safety; she knew he could handle himself. She had admired his strength since her earliest memories of him. Even though he could be lazy, Link was always there for her. Even an army of monsters didn’t stop him from rescuing her. He was so tough, and brave, and affectionate…
…And when the sun rose tomorrow, he’d be gone forever.
The King of Red Lions’ sail retracted as it reached the dock. Link held his sister’s hand and helped her off the boat. Aryll loved how considerate he was, even though she was fully capable of disembarking herself. The siblings walked back toward their house and sat down at the picnic table and dug into the spread of ham and vegetables. Link was sure to pass his sister the spices and sauces, just like when they were little kids. Aryll licked her lips as they zesty flavor exploded over her tongue. She reached out in all directions, grabbing chunks of food and stuffing her face. Each meaty gulp produced a subtle lump in her throat before settling in her stomach. The pirates watched her in fascination. Niko in particular was stunned; “I can’t believe such a little girl can pack away such a big meal!”
Even Tetra was impressed. “Wow, Niko. Last time I heard anyone say that was the first time you went to Windfall Café.”
A storm of hearty laughter, from islanders and pirates alike, roared into the warm night at the diminutive pirate’s expense. Aryll leaned into Link and giggled. Her brother chuckled too, running his fingers through her hair. She loved him so much…
…And tomorrow, he’d be gone.
Later that night, the full moon hung high and the whole island had fallen asleep. Everyone, from the townspeople to the pirates, was snoring away.
For old times’ sake, Link had chosen to sleep in the house he had grown up in. He, Aryll, and their grandmother were sitting in the candlelit kitchen by the stewpot. They dined on grandma’s soup as Link told stories about his adventures. Or, to be more accurate, Link and grandma had taken a couple sips as Aryll greedily slurped her third bowl. “Don’t have too much, dear,” grandma warned, “you don’t wanna wake up in the middle of the night for some emergency relief!”
Aryll blushed profusely. “G-grandma! You’re embarrassing me!”
Link laughed. “Hey, we’re the only ones here, Aryll! But grandma’s right… You sure did eat a lot.”
“You think so,” Aryll said, lifting up her skirt and poking her potbelly, feeling the digested slop slosh about within. “I dunno, I felt like I could eat an octorok!”
“Heh, maybe you should go to an eating contest on Windfall. I hear those rich folks give out crazy… prizes…” Link reached toward the ceiling and yawned. “…Man, I’m ready to sleep.”
Grandma followed suit with an exasperated yawn. “Yes, I’m feeling rather exhausted myself.”
Link and grandma rose from the table, heading to their respective bedrooms. Aryll sat still and watched her brother and grandmother shamble off to bed. “G’night Aryll, g’night grandma. That was a fun party...”
Grandma hummed in agreement as she shut her bedroom door. Link waved to Aryll as he, too, reached his sleeping quarters. She was left alone in the dim candlelight. Only her thoughts kept her company now. Those thoughts drifted to her brother, naturally. She had so much fun. She didn’t want the day to end, but it was already over. She was still full of energy… And hunger, strangely enough. When Aryll said she could eat an octorok, she wasn’t kidding. She could have easily drank the whole stewpot, but she simply didn’t feel like it. Aryll wanted something more filling. And at the exact same time, she wanted her brother to stay.
The blue-skirted girl never thought those two desires could ever correlate, yet here she sat, wanting two things: to fill her belly and to keep Link forever. To combine them was impossible, though. She knew there was no way she could fit Link into her stomach, no matter how hungry she was. But she did know one of Gonzo’s legendarily strange pirate stories. One that centered on an island of warrior women who could eat men whole… Wait, was that really one of Gonzo’s stories? And was Aryll really standing, waddling over toward Link’s room…?
The answer to at least one of those questions was “Yes.” Aryll clutched the doorknob, slowly opening the door and peering inside. The shaft of faint light cast from the doorway revealed Link, in his white nightshirt and pants, splayed out on the messy bedsheets. He was already deep in slumber, his unkempt blonde hair wildly spread over his pillow. He snored lightly. Aryll looked to the front of the bed and saw his bare feet dangling off the edge. Those wrinkled soles, those curling toes… She couldn’t deny it any longer. Aryll’s tongue ran over her lips. Her brother looked delicious.
But could she really bring herself to devour him?