Chapter 8: Heartbreak and Healing

Zelda and I returned the next day laughing and in good spirits as Saki started to prepare breakfast. As my involvement had now caused her to have 6 extra stomachs to fill, I figured it was best to help out the kind but exhausted bird with Breakfast. Somewhat unsurprisingly, Zelda wanted to help and quickly joined me. It had only been about maybe 4 or so waking hours since we had made our commitment and we were already practically joined at the hip. As we sat down to eat our freshly cooked seafood rice balls breakfast, Urbosa quickly noticed the anomaly in Zelda and I's behavior.

"You two look unnaturally happy, any particular reason we should know about?"

I stopped reaching for the rice ball I intended to eat.

"Not really," I said, trying to pretend like nothing was wrong.

Urbosa shifted the way she was sitting, raising an eyebrow at my response,

"100 years later, and still just as horrible at lying."

I nervously looked at Zelda, and then Mipha, but when I finally made eye contact with Revali, he nodded slowly. Might as well get it over with, I inhaled and exhaled deeply, trying to calm my nerves. Don't think about the fact that you're probably about to break Mipha's heart into a million pieces, remember the happiness you felt when Zelda said yes.

I smiled, "Zelda and I are betrothed."

With a gasp of happiness, all the champions along with Teba, Saki, and even Tulin, erupted into congratulatory applause. However as everyone else died out, we all focused on Mipha with her erratic clapping, she was trying so hard to be happy and failing at it. I sighed and pulled out the Zora Armor, ready to return it.

"Mipha I…" I said.

"Keep it. I can always make another," she said.

"But Mipha I…"

"I SAID I COULD MAKE ANOTHER!"

Her raised voice startled everyone in the room. Breaking down into sobbing, she tried to run out of the room, only to be blocked by Revali.

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Whatever Mipha was intending to do, she wasn't thinking clearly. And that could lead to dangerous results.

"Mipha, stop. Just calm down."

Her answer was manifested in a surge of water she summoned directly from Lake Totori itself that knocked me aside before she ran.

"Mipha, stop!" I said.

She needed to calm down, she wouldn't survive a day in her current state, especially unarmed. I grabbed her trident and was about ready to pursue when I heard Link's voice.

"Revali wait!"

I was about to protest until I noticed he was holding out 4 fish skewers, what was he doing?

"Some rations for you and Mipha. Each of you eat one for lunch, and one for dinner, don't waste them!"

I took them with a nod of gratitude before I quickly took off with my gale, hoping that I wasn't too late.

I scanned the areas as quickly as I could as I flew at my top speed. Shouting Mipha's name at the top of my lungs.

"Mipha! Mipha!"

This was bad, I had been flying for hours and there was still no sign of her. What if something had happened to her? I mean it's true that I would have to tell her Father and brother, but even without that, the thought of her being hurt or killed made me upset in a way I couldn't exactly understand. Was I even going the right way? What was wrong with me!?

I landed to rest, breathing heavily with a slight growl in my voice as I did so. Couldn't give up… she had to be around… she had to be… with a roar of effort, I launched myself into the air with an even stronger gale, only to be alerted by an earthshaking roar, followed by a terrified shriek that I had thankfully never heard before yet instantly recognized. My blood boiled, a lynel! Suddenly, my anger converted to energy as I realized that Mipha was alive, but if I didn't hurry she wouldn't be for much longer, with a gale stronger than any I had ever channeled before, I took off toward the in distress Zora Princess hoping that I would be able to protect her. I couldn't bear the thought of losing her, not again… not when I just got her back… I'd never felt this way before, what was wrong with me!?

Whatever it was, there was no time to think about it as I came into the clearing where the sound had come from. There was Mipha lying on her stomach, clearly injured, but at least she looked like she was still alive. Her assailant? It was a Lynel alright! But this one had an odd color. It looked like, gold? Interesting. Anyway, it didn't look like… nope it noticed me! Roaring in rage, it pulled out its bow and fired 5 yellow glowing arrows at me. With split-second timing, I rolled out of the way. My eyes narrowed, Lightning arrows? No wonder why that thing had made short of work of her.

I glared at the monster, "So that's how it's gonna, be huh?"

With a growl of anger and annoyance, the Lynel shot another volley of arrows at me. Thinking fast, I carefully yet quickly grabbed 3 of the arrows while literally blowing the other 2 out of the way. With a glare, I loaded the arrows into my own bow and then fired right back at his head. Keeping my momentum as the Lynel reeled from my hit, I flew in and grabbed his bow with my talons. Come on, come on, let go! Let go of the bow! I lashed out with my leg, sadly doing nothing but making him angrier as he growled then inhaled. Right! Almost forgot about their fire breath! Acting quickly, I let go and tried to dodge the fireball before I was a cooked bird. Thankfully, I was able to dodge it… Ah! My Feathers!... Mostly. After patting out the few fires that were alight on my person, I pulled back another volley of arrows and launched them at his head before flying into the air, constantly changing position and pelting him with bomb arrows before the Lynel lost patience and rammed his blade into the ground, causing a massive fire explosion that threw me off, out of the air, and onto my stomach with a groan. I got back up just in time to see him charging at me, he was moving too fast to fire an arrow, and not to mention he probably had an idea of what I was capable of with a bow, so maybe it was time to change tactics. Keeping my eye on it as it charged, I waited for the right time to… now! I leaped aside, drawing my feathered edge I always kept at my right hip (since Link's training that is) and dealing a slash across its leg. It roared in pain and turned to face me as I stood there in what Link would call a battle stance with my bow in one hand and my sword in the other.

"Come on!" I shouted.

The Lynel roared in answer as it prepared to attack again. I dodged its charge and connected a swing again using my gale going up high as I could into the air before raining bomb arrows down on it. Roaring in frustration, it drew its own bow again and fired a salvo of shock arrows at me. I tried to dodge them again, but one nicked the edge of my bow. Yowch! And I thought getting burned was bad! I cried out and dropped my bow as I was flung back and onto the ground. I pulled myself back onto my feet just in time to dodge another charge from the beast. Ok, if that's the way it's going to be! I once more drew my feathered edge and charged at him, boosting myself into the air as we were about to meet landing on his back and sinking my blade deep into the flesh right above his tail before getting completely launched off as he bucked like a hyperactive stallion. Well, I had just lost my sword, but that's ok, bows were always my forte anyway, and as I wrapped my hand around my fallen yet intact Great Eagle Bow, I formulated my plan to end this fight. I took a single arrow and pulled back the string as far as it would go, the Lynel charged once more. Not yet… not yet… now! At the very last moment, I released the arrow right into the Monster's skull, point-blank. The beast slid to a stop a few inches out of reach as it reared back clutching is head and roaring in pain, before finally exploding into Malice and Monster Parts. I recovered my sword.

"Good riddance," I said, out of breath.

I ran to Mipha.

"Revali?" she said.

She had been watching the fight ever since she had regained consciousness.

"Are you alright Princess?" I said.

She nodded.

"Try not to leave this behind next time," I said, handing her back her trident.

She took it without a word, she seemed… troubled, then again if I considered what she had been through, it made sense. I extended my hand.

"Come on, let's get you to safety," I said.

Her cheeks were streaked with tears and she looked weak from not only the attack but her emotions as well. Without warning, she collapsed into my arms sobbing.

"Thank you." She barely said through her tears.

My first instinct was to tell her not to cry, but I knew that not only was it too late, but she reminded me of when Link would sometimes come to me in tears when we were younger, so I decided to take a different approach. I slowly lowered her on the ground and enwrapped her in my wings gently.

"There, there, let it all out Princess."

I gave a brief smile as I held her in my arms. Though I was nervous and a bit off-put by her presence, but I enjoyed the feeling of her in my so close to me. Perhaps this is… no… this had to be what Link felt around Zelda. Not that it mattered, she could never love someone like me, could she?

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