A mild grunt escapes his lips as he hoists himself higher, his hands and feet continuously searching for their next hold.
Behind him the sound of musical laughter spills through the air as Mipha launches herself up the waterfall in the way only a Zora could.
"Come on, Slow poke!" She calls down from the cliff top, hands cuffed around her mouth to amplify her voice. "What's taking so long?"
With a chuckle and a sideways grin he pushes onward, always having enjoyed Mipha's proddingly sweet jokes.
"Finally," she giggles as he pulls himself over the top, sweat dripping from the tip of his nose. "Let's get going; I can't wait to show you what Dad showed me."
She gingerly grabs his hand, the smooth yet slick scales of her hand gliding over his skin as they lock fingers.
With small enthusiastic tugs Mipha urges him to follow her into the sprawling underbrush surrounding the dense forest. "It's just on the other side," she whispers, her cheeks hinting towards a pink complexion.
A disgruntled squeal breaks through the air, causing him to jerk around searching for the point of the sound. He pushes further into the underbrush which seems to grow thicker as he moves forward, the light disappearing all together.
The noise rings in his ears again, louder this time. His heart feels as if it is beating a mile a minute, threatening to leap from his chest.
His eyes fly open. Ripping the wool blanket that covers his sweat-slick body he leaps from his bed and runs into the next room, only to see Zelda in the throes of another night terror… They have been coming more frequent the closer she got to her seventeenth birthday.
Gingerly he pulls the covers back and slips under the silk blankets beside her. Carefully maneuvering her to press against his bare chest, her panicked shrieks turn into gentle mewling and then into soft snores as she settles back into a deep slumber.
In the morning she would be angry with him, may even lash out at him for holding her… Though it was a fate he resigned himself to, as he knew well it was his duty to keep the Princess from danger, even if the danger was her own mind.
He'd been dreaming of Mipha again, his childhood, he mused as he lay in the large feather-softness of the foreign bed. He'd never been invited to share Zelda's space, though time and time again he found himself inhabiting it, longing for the days he had spent in Zora's Domain…
"Link! Look over there!"
He turned just in time to receive a cold spray down from Vah Rudania. The Divine Beast and Mipha had been growing much closer as she learned to pilot it – one might even call it a spiritual connection.
Many moons before, the Princess of Hyrule herself had arrived in search of the one who could control the magnificently massive mechanical mechanism. Naturally, who better fit than the young Zora Princess herself?
Sidon, Mipha's younger brother wished to try his hand at winning the Beast himself. Though his mother none too politely shut him down. Instead he fashioned himself after Zelda, choosing to chase after her and ask for her hand any chance he got.
She always kindly obliged, of course.
Bright light coursed into his eyes as he wiped them free of the brackish water stinging his eyes. Each wipe seemed to only worsen his vision, until he came to, realizing that he was still in Princess Zelda's bed.
"I take it I had another night terror, then?" She mumbles from the vanity where she busies herself brushing her golden locks.
With a genteel nod of affirmation he gingerly slides out from under the covers and pad barefooted back into his own quarters, consciously aware he is wearing no more than his underwear.
Why had she not reprimanded him for overstepping his bounds? Could it be that she was beginning to enjoy his company, feeling safer when tucked into the crook of his arms?
"We have a busy day," she sighs with a resigned voice as he splashed cool water over his face. "I would suggest we get started."
Today is the day, he recalls. The day his to be knighted a Champion in his own right. Though he has his own secret doubts that she is only doing this because of the Sword he carries upon his back, and not his own capabilities.
Ah, the Sword that Seals the Darkness…
The fated blade that pulled from the Stone on his sixteenth year.
He'd been training hard since his eighth year in hopes of one day being chosen. Often he theorized his father sired him for the direct purpose of pulling the Sword and becoming the fifth fabled champion.
He had succeeded, he was to be knighted a champion on this very day, though at what price?
--
"Do we really have to do this?" Ravalli growls softly to the other champions, casting a judgmental eye over the Princess's young Knight as she speaks over him.
Daruk crosses his arms and silently glares down at the Rito, thoroughly done with his constant pessimism.
Mipha stands with her hands covering her mouth seemingly lost in the moment of Link's knighting as a champion. It had been many years since she had laid eyes upon the Hylian – many years she has spent missing his calming presence.
It is Urbosa who chooses to reprimand the Rito – telling him to quiet down… "To her, he represents everything she is doing wrong; keep your voice down, this is difficult for the Princess."
"YOU are the one who insisted on such a ceremony as it is, Little Friend" Daruk grumbles in agreement from behind the pair.
Ravalli makes no move to respond, instead choosing to cross his wings and raise his beak in defiance.
"I know knight thee" Zelda's voice rings out, drawing the Champions' attention back to her "A Champion, in your own right. You have proven yourself worthy of wearing this title, Sir Link."
Applause erupts from all of the champions sans Ravalli, and a single shinning tear can be silently seen sliding down Mipha's brilliant red scales.
Link stands; his cheeks flushed red with embarrassment from all of the sudden encouragement from those surrounding him.
His blue eyes glance around searching, until they reach hers. A small smile spreads across his face and his eyes soften as he watches the white scales on her cheeks tinge pink and her golden eyes widen in surprise.
He bows to the Princess, and makes his way toward the Zora just across the clearing.
To Be Continued…
How was it? :D This is my first Legend of Zelda story – I've always had a problem attempting to write without providing Link with dialogue… Though I prefer to imagine him as Mute!Link. Anyway, this is a Mipha x Link, with the potential of being an Urbosa x Zelda (both of which I find to be extremely cute). Leave me a review, please? And let me know if you want to see any specific couplings, or have any ideas for future chapters!