Deep in Mother Island, magic twinkles over the waters and plants hidden by the looming rocks. An innocent laughter echoes through the garden, reflecting the soul of the one who plays within these walls. Is it a child? A spirit? Or something greater? Only revealing herself to those who are worthy, a Fairy Queen comes out to play.
In The Wind Waker, the Fairy Queen takes a unique younger form not seen in previous iterations of The Legend of Zelda series. Her child-like form mirrors the mischief of the Fair Folk, a more compelling form for the young Hero of Winds visiting her fountain. With a touch of water color, artist KaiTexel recaptures the meeting between hero and queen in their piece titled “Fairy Queen”. The choice in using the traditional medium creates a softness and enhances the whimsy and light magic held within the Fairy Queen without undermining her power.
The Fairy Queen hovers in the top left corner of the piece while Link is half submerged in the waters glistening in the bottom right. While the Queen only consumes a quarter of the piece, the power within her shines bright. The height difference between fairy and hero shows the power dynamic between the two. The use of lighter, almost white shades highlights the body of the Queen, drawing all eyes to her.
The color choices further iterate the power the Queen holds within the glen. For a piece that is mostly one color, the use of shading and highlight doesn’t let anything get washed away in the sea of green. Link holds the bright green of his tunic, yellower than the sparkling waters he stands in. Waters that reflect the colors of the walls and the Queen above. The Fairy emits the same hues of the lands around her as if her form was made of glass, reflecting all around it. Or is the greenery reflecting her? Whatever the logistics, it is clear that the Fairy Queen belongs here while Link is the intruder, even if a welcomed one.
No fairy is as innocent as they seem. While subtle, KaiTexel added that little bit of darkness the Fair Folk are known for. Dangling from the Queen’s hands is her little Great Fairy doll depicted in the same dark shades of the land. Paired with her smile, she could be just a child looking to play or does something mischievous await our hero? Fortunately, Link is exactly the Fairy Queen’s type and so we may never know exactly what kind of Queen plays in this glen.
