Chapter 4: Friends or More
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Notes: If you're a fan of Mipha… sorry. I altered her character based off of a short moment in the DLC memory entitled "The Champion's Ballad," where someone who might be Purah takes a picture of all the Champions. When Purah asks the Princess to smile, everyone is looking at Zelda except for Revali, who is facing away from the group. Taking advantage of everyone's distraction, Mipha shuffles closer to Link and immediately goes rigid. I thought it was pretty funny, and hinted at a bit of obsessiveness that doesn't get explored much. Besides, I find it a bit weird that Link could have a relationship with a fish. The Zora have always struck me as a bit creepy, except in Twilight Princess.
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It was incredible, Link thought, how comfortable he felt on a lonely trail at dusk. It would've been better, of course, if Choice was with him, but the road to Zora's Domain was not friendly to horses. He had left her two days ago with the stable workers posted at the head of Ternio Trail, whose sole purpose was to take the horses of travellers to the Domain and board them at the Foothill Stable until they were sent for.
Now, as he followed the winding road between the stern gray peaks of Ruto Mountain, a crimson sunset was spreading over the kingdom. Crickets chirped and cicadas buzzed, joining the rustling wind through tall grass and thin dark needles, creating a soothing ambience that eased the ache in Link's soul. The breeze sent a pleasant chill through his body and he adjusted his cloak, pulling it closer over his shoulders.
The fading fiery sunlight clashed brilliantly with the opaque blue surface of the mountainside around him. The long, dark shadows cast by pines and spires of stone created dramatic streaks of darkness across his view. As he rounded a bend and looked westward, the rugged mountainside fell away, and he could see mystical mountains striking upwards in the distance, and far below, the tall, majestic firs of the Tabahl woods where he had camped the night before. At the base of it all flowed Ruto's Lake rushing into the Zora River, foaming rapids visible even from this height.
A rare smile twisted Link's lips. I'd forgotten how beautiful it is here.
The grand alpine forests, the strange blue stone of the mountains, the intricate designs of the Zora bridges and lanterns along the trail… There was nothing else like it in the kingdom.
He turned again and continued north on the trail. And there, still quite some distance away, was another extraordinary marvel of the Zora kingdom: a city of graceful bridges, soaring arches, and ornate pillars, crowned by the sculpture of a massive fish, almost entirely made from rare luminous stones. As the shadows deepened and night encroached, he could see Zora's Domain more and more clearly, and was caught off guard by anxiety swimming in his stomach.
Nervous? What do I have to be nervous about?
It was one of the first missions that he, and only he, had been assigned as a knight. Years ago, he had worked with several of the younger Zoras, including their Princess, on combat techniques. They had even come up with a name for themselves - the Big Bad Bazz Brigade.
Link chuckled inwardly. Well… Bazz came up with a name.
He wondered what they would look like now. Zoras aged dramatically slower than Hylians; the children he worked with had seemed, at the time, to be between the ages of five and seven, with the exception of Mipha. She was much older than the rest of them and had appeared older than Link as well. Now… if I had to guess, I'd say we probably look like we're the same age. And the others… they're probably still young children.
He bit his lip. So why am I nervous? There's nothing to be anxious about here. He was to give the Big Bad Bazz Brigade a week's worth of lessons in combat, allowing older Zora warriors to observe, and then return to the castle. People have watched me train before. How is this any different?
Yet his feelings of trepidation did not fade, and he tossed and turned more than he slept that night.
\-==/\==-/
"Sir Link of Thyphlo, my King. Here upon your request."
Link shifted his weight from one foot to the other but otherwise remained still. There were things besides serene beauty that he had forgotten about Zora's Domain - namely, that King Dorephan was larger than the largest Goron, and that Mipha's mentor, councilman Muzu, despised him openly, and that there was water everywhere. If his boots had been any shorter, his feet and stockings would have been uncomfortably soaking wet.
Dorephan chuckled. "Welcome, Sir Link," he grinned with a wink. "It has been far too long! Welcome!"
Link dipped his head respectfully. "Thank you, sir."
"Well," the Zora king rubbed his hands together, "There's a meal waiting for you in your quarters; Mipha has offered to show you the way. You may have the afternoon to yourself, and in the morning your students will be ready and waiting in front of the central fountain. I request that you take them out of the domain to train, perhaps west of Mikau Lake - they have become absurdly rambunctious and disturb the older folk."
"Yes, sir."
Dorephan inhaled deeply. "Very well, that should be all. Mipha…?"
The Zora at his side gave a slight start. "Y-yes, Father. Sir Link, right this way."
She brushed past him, casting a shy smile in his direction as she headed down the stairs. He turned to follow her, only to be stopped by a slippery hand closing around his wrist.
"We'll be watching, boy," Muzu sneered. "No… messing around."
Link frowned, confused. "Of course not," he promised, lightly pulling himself free from the Zora's grasp before jogging down the grand staircase to the next level of the domain.
"Sorry about Muzu," Mipha said with an awkward laugh, falling into step beside him. "He's a wonderful teacher, but I'm afraid that recently we… haven't seen eye to eye on a few things."
Link narrowed his eyes slightly. You and Muzu disagreeing… and he's worried about me messing around?
So you disagree about me?
He wanted to ask, but something kept him from voicing his thoughts. Had Mipha always seemed so uneasy? Is it because of me? Because she doesn't want me here?
"So," Mipha continued, "you were knighted! That's exciting, isn't it?"
Link hesitated. "Mmh," he grunted, not implying one way or the other. It's not turning out as I had hoped.
But then again, nothing ever has.
"Well, I'm certainly happy for you," Mipha smiled. "It… it just had to happen soon enough, I always thought, what with how skilled you always were - even as a child." She chuckled, clasping her hands together.
Link swallowed. "Thanks," he said, his first actual word to her. There was a sinking feeling in his gut as he realized he had only been five or six when he last saw her. It's been more than fifteen years, and we were so young - we might not have been friends at all.
Just the imagined reality of a desperate mind…
Why else would she be acting so nervous?
"This is where you will stay," the Zora Princess announced as they reached a small chamber slightly beneath the throne room, with an elegant door leading into a small room with a cupboard, a little round table, a bed, and… no walls. "I picked it out myself."
Link tilted his head, stepping forward. The edges of the room were marked by swooping arches rising from the floor to the ceiling; the space in between was empty, leading right out into the domain. If it had not been perched on a small ledge, anyone would have been able to step right in. "Um… thanks," he said, trying to sound as if he meant it.
"I chose it myself," Mipha repeated shyly. "I thought you might like having space to yourself, away from that crowded inn."
He nodded slowly, stepping deeper into the room and setting his small satchel of travelling gear down on the bed. There was some sort of seafood dish set out on the table, and his stomach growled - it smelled wonderful. Moistening his lips, he turned around. Mipha was still there, hovering by the door. "Do you… need something else, Princess Mipha?"
"Oh!" She gave a slight start, as if she hadn't even realized she was still standing in the same place. "W-well, I was just thinking… you have the afternoon off… did you have any plans?"
Link shrugged. "Eat, practice, plan lessons for tomorrow."
She seemed disappointed. "You won't be going swimming?"
An embarrassed flush crept to his cheeks. "Er, no, not today," he stammered. "I… the water feels a bit cold."
"Oh." Mipha's gaze crept downward. "Then… I suppose I will leave you to get settled. I - that is, my father has invited you to dine with us this evening, if you would like."
"Thank you," Link said, feeling a bit guilty at her apparent unhappiness. She does look more around my age - but with the way Zora's age, does that mean she still feels like a child inside? Maybe she… wanted me to play with her in the water, the way Groose plays with those little kids in Castle Town?
He frowned. If that was true, it would make the scene he'd witnessed on his way into the domain - a little Zora girl shamelessly kissing an adult Hylian man in an alcove - all the more disturbing. No, that can't be it. If anything, she's more mature on the inside than I am right now.
"Link, I must ask," Mipha said, jolting him from his thoughts. "Are you… I mean, did something happen? Are you alright?"
He met her gaze, surprised by the concern he found there. The last time we met was well over a decade ago - I can barely remember it! But… does she remember?
Were we close?
He didn't know, and that uncertainty held his tongue. He shook his head, attempting a comforting smile. It was all he felt he could give.
\-==/\==-/
True to what he had told Mipha, he spent the afternoon enjoying the meal he had been given before working himself through each of his drills. He felt uncomfortably exposed in that open little room, so he ventured out of the domain, across the eastern bridge to Mikau Lake. There, the trees provided him with shelter.
Enough so that he decided to bathe himself in the lake as evening began to descend. He had been travelling for several days without pausing to keep himself any cleaner than necessary, but if he was to be dining with royalty he thought it would be better to arrive clean instead of travel-stained and smelly.
After carefully studying his surroundings, ensuring that he was alone, he unbuckled his leather armor and pulled his tunic, chainmail, and undershirt over his head. He placed them carefully on the shore along with his trousers, stockings, and boots before walking into the cold water. His breath stilled at the chill, and his resolve nearly crumbled when the water reached his stomach, but he continued on, determined. It would be painfully disrespectful to show up as I am now.
He winced. It was disrespectful enough arriving in such a state.
As the cold seeped into his bones, he began to realize how poorly thought-out this had been. He had no soap, nothing to dry himself off with, no clean change of clothes; in all likelihood he would return to Zora's Domain no better off, smelling of fishy lake water instead of sweat.
But… they are fish people, so… maybe that would smell good to them? Or at least not disgusting?
He washed off as much dirt as he could, rubbing at his arms, legs, and feet, and ducking his head several times underwater in an attempt to clean his hair. So absorbed was he in annihilating a smudge of dirt on his elbow that he failed to notice he was no longer alone.
"I thought you said you weren't going swimming!"
Link all but jumped out of his skin, losing his footing on the slippery lakebed and pinwheeling dramatically before regaining his balance. His cheeks burned. "Princess Mi-Mipha!" he yelped, sidling quickly over to a boulder rising out of the lake's surface. "I… didn't - didn't expect you."
"I noticed," she said, her voice strangely high pitched. She was squeezing her hands together more fervently than ever before. "I - er, I was… dinner! Yes, that's it; I… intended to fetch you for dinner."
"I didn't tell anyone I was coming up here," Link said as steadily as he could, crouching slightly behind the boulder.
Mipha gaped at him for a moment, her eyes darting from side to side. "Oh - well, s-since this is where m-my father wanted you to train us tomorrow, I - I thought you might have gone here, to… to see what it was like."
Link squinted at her, his startled heart slowly regaining its usual tempo. You're not telling the truth - it's obvious.
Wait a moment… you said you picked out that wide-open room for me…
You've been watching me!
A thrill of dismay raced up his spine. How long have you been watching?
He gulped. "P-Princess, I'm - I'm not - I mean, w-would you… maybe turn around s-so that I can… get dressed?"
Her eyes went wide, and her hands flew to her mouth. "Oh!" she squeaked. "I'm so sorry - yes, of course!" At once she turned and darted to the nearest pine tree, leaning back against it with her head bowed, facing away from him.
He waited until he was certain she couldn't see him before sprinting out of the lake and snatching his trousers. It didn't matter anymore that he couldn't dry himself off - The whole place is drenched in water; they won't notice - all that mattered was that he got dressed as quickly as possible.
But Mipha turned around, almost as if she had planned it, before he could throw his undershirt over his shoulders. "Link, what happened?" she gasped dramatically, taking several steps forward before halting abruptly, clasping her hands in front of her chest. "Those bruises…"
"I'm fine," he muttered, reaching for his shirt, more than ready to end this humiliation.
The Zora Princess threw out a hand to stop him. "Wait - I can heal those, right now!" she said eagerly, taking another step forward. "Please, I… I can't stand the thought of you… of anyone… having to be hurt when I could heal them."
"They're just bruises -"
"I healed your bruises once before," she protested quietly, tip-toeing nearer. "Remember?"
His pulse was quickening. Everything about this situation felt intensely uncomfortable, and he didn't know if it was because he was shirtless in the presence of a princess or because she was acting so… so…
Weird.
But… she is a princess. If not of Hyrule, then of her people - I am duty bound to give her my respect.
And… that means letting her heal me, right?
He swallowed thickly. "Alright," he said, stiffening as she came closer and closer and reached out for his arm, taking it gently in her hands. Healing magic flowed from her fingers and eased the ache of the colorful bruises littering his arm, but the comfort was almost cancelled out by the possessive way she held him. She wasn't this close when she healed me before, was she? And did she have to hold me like this, too? Am I imagining all this discomfort because no one has been this physically close to me in… in years? And maybe I'm just not used to it?
She finished with both of his arms and then, a bit breathlessly, declared, "I suppose I'll do your chest now."
She reached out and he took an instinctive step backward. I'm not imagining how awkward this feels, he realized, feeling slightly nauseous. And he was certain he wasn't imagining the strange glint in Mipha's eyes, either. "D-do you have to?" he asked, faking a casual smile. "This is nothing, really -"
She tilted her head, her eyes widening dramatically. "That one bruise takes up half of your side," she whispered shakily. "It doesn't look like 'nothing' at all! Please - I just want to help you. Like I used to. We were such good friends…"
Her last word made him feel incredibly guilty about refusing her healing powers. Friends - were we, really?
If it's true, then… she's one of the only friends I've ever had. The familiar pain of loneliness burned through his soul, and his resolve faltered. This clearly means a lot to her, and I'm refusing her. And she's actually someone who cares about me, or who did once - I'm… being horribly ungrateful to her.
But at this point do I even want her friendship? Friends don't… don't make each other uncomfortable like this, right? If they did, then people wouldn't want so much to have friends. Or maybe I'm just different, and that's why I can't handle this part of friendship?
He chewed his tongue thoughtfully. Mipha was still gazing at him longingly. Something in his stomach flipped over in revulsion -
"No, I'm fine," he muttered curtly, pushing past her and pulling his shirt firmly over his head, bending to pick up his tunic.
"But - Link!" Mipha sounded dismayed. Another pang of guilt kept his feet in place - against their will - and reluctantly he turned around as she shuffled closer to him, her eyes wide and desperate. "I… I'm glad you're back." Her eyes fell shut for a moment, her hands closing into small fists as she inhaled deeply. Then, without warning, she leaned up and pressed her lips to his for barely a second before whirling around and sprinting back the way she had come. Link gasped, taking a startled step backwards.
What - what in Din's name -
He wiped his mouth on his arm. Shaking his head, he dived into his tunic and finished getting dressed as quickly as he could.
It doesn't seem like she's interested anymore in… being my friend.
He shuddered, squirming inwardly at the memory of her eyes raking hungrily over him. It doesn't even seem like she's interested in me.
Just… He glanced down at his torso, his cheeks growing warm with self-consciousness. His body wasn't particularly burly, but he was certainly strong, and a lifetime of physical training had resulted in clearly-defined, albeit lean, muscles. And apparently Mipha was attracted to… to that.
He almost preferred that Mipha join the ranks of those who hated him to… whatever this was.
Merciful Goddesses above - this week is going to be torture.
Updated 6/16
