Scattering petals

Link & Zelda

Chapter 25: Mipha's kindness

When a childhood friendship summons the fiercest spirits within Hylia's incarnation


Author's note: This is the day we've all been waiting for. Mipha is making her debut in this chapter, finally. I swear I made the wait long because of the plot's pace. I feel like it was best according to Age of Calamity and King Dorephan's reluctance along with the fanfic's events.

Talking about debuts, I'm glad to inform I have a profile now as well in Archive of Our Own under the same username. I will be updating there regularly as I have been doing for the last few years, so stay tuned in whichever platform of your choice. If you are reading this in that website: Hi to you as well!

Besides, what's best for a couple's sake than a love triangle during its development? We shall find out. Expect some drama and a change of pace. This may be a slowburn, but Zelda definitely prefers freezing temperatures over whoever dares to test her patience.

Enjoy!


Princess Zelda would never dare to compete against Hylia. But on that occasion, anybody witnessing the scenery couldn't deny its incarnation was definitely defying the sacred laws of respect and devotion towards divinity. It was grounds for sacrilege from a person who had been blessed with godly blood, indeed.

A human could never equal the heavenly freehold that the creatures from myths and legends were known to possess. Much less if it was the heiress to Hyrule's crown, the only descendant from the royal family incapable of unlocking her birthright powers. Her magical awakening was expected a long time ago all around the kingdom to the point some even lost their faith in the Goddess' choice. Others, however, gave the benefit of the doubt to the young priestess, focusing their hopes on the hero that wielded the sword and trusting the late Queen's heritage to her daughter.

Well, people would change their minds if present in the Ruto Precipice. The current image of Zelda's silent figure standing at the edge of the mountain showed her mortal side clearly. Her eyes, however, reflected the strongest of emotions coming to the light. Anyone could determine she had been driven insane, that she was out of her mind. It wouldn't be proper for a Princess to stand so poorly and much less in the middle of heavy rain, soaked to the bone and going colder with the ticking of time, fists tightened at each side of her hips. The downward curve of her lip was well-defined now as she trembled in her stormy state.

Zelda was aware that her attitude would be chastised severely if anyone knew it was all because of a boy's lack of attention. Destiny's dark twist was making her crave something she had always possessed due to her title, even when she least didn't want it. But now something had changed inside her. And she didn't know the reason why. No answers came to her mind as much as she tried to solve the piercing uneasiness that was making her head throb with migraine.

Why was her heart beating so painfully? When did her judgement start to cloud with a tingling sensation whenever her escort left her side? Why was Link sitting next to Princess Mipha on top of Vah Ruta instead of being with her? What kind of relationship allowed her to touch his bare shoulder while using the healing powers she had been born with? Were the rumours about a possible marriage proposal from the Zora princess certainly true?

And most of all, why hadn't Princess Zelda been capable of doing the same with her knight as Mipha despite aching for it?

Jealousy. It was the only emotion that explained the way her tears had been running down her cheeks as relentlessly as the rain falling over Zora's domain. The competition between her and Hylia's tempest had begun minutes ago. And since then, the princess hadn't given her emotions a rest.

"This is not rational of me." She repeated in a loop that eventually became unclear if she was saying it out loud or for herself. "I can't get distracted by this."

Zelda had never considered herself a selfish person. But desiring to satisfy her heart's deepest yearning was far beyond her possibilities.

She was Hylia's priestess and so sentenced to a purity pilgrimage as well. She was destined to remain focused on spiritual tasks and only find a companion after The Calamity to ensure the royal lineage of succession. Her father hadn't even talked about it as the upcoming war was enough to care about in the meantime. But Zelda was certain that romance was out of the question. Furthermore, she didn't want any of it. Bearing with herself alone was enough burden. Besides, allowing herself to fall in love or even like a man that way would break her vows as Hylia's devotee.

She didn't know what kind of freedom Mipha had over choosing a husband, but if the rumours were certain, she was willing to choose Link, a knight of humble origin, to be Zora's domain consort. A hint of bitterness filled the heiress' mouth as she grasped for the same choice. Her thoughts were clearly denying it but her body was feeling a hurricane of emotions at the mere sight of his knight sharing some time with the zora on top of the water Divine Beast.

Her past self would have been concerned over Vah Ruta's proper functionality. The wasted minutes she spent standing on the cliff would have been occupied by the endless labour of taking notes about the machine's capacity to isolate the water's properties from the engines. And Princess Zelda would definitely be happy with that as Link and Mipha fancied each other awkwardly.

But now, she wasn't. Deep down she knew her true feelings were hidden. Disappointed sheltered the princess' heart and the instinct of jealousy was just a defence mechanism. Nevertheless, truth was that a lot of effort had to be put over her own will to maintain herself steady and not rush to summon her escort over some ridiculous pretext in order to avoid him being near the Zora Princess. The mere command of her own limbs sounded extremely egotistical. It wasn't like her. A blue tint of sadness clouding her judgement was more like it. And in the process of repressing her wishes to interrupt the scene, the last of her teardrops fell.

The pair of zora guards that had escorted her on top of the Ruto Precipice approached Princess Zelda as soon as they realized that hylians weren't meant to mix with rain or they could get sick. It was too late, however, as the heiress was already ill. Lovesick, to be precise.

"Perhaps it would be wise to find a place to shelter from the rain, Your Highness." One of them with red scales and a large silver spear recommended. The pouring over Zelda's face camouflaged the puffiness of her eyes from crying, so they didn't notice.

"Yes, it would be an example of wisdom." The hylian princess sighed to herself, savouring the irony of mentioning her triforce's embodiment in such an irrational moment.


Link didn't return until sundown.

The luminous stones around Zora's Domain had just begun to shine and, taking advantage of the ceased rain, the knight thought Princess Zelda would appreciate the view. Besides, all sorts of autochthonous crickets and frogs would have come out to enjoy the calm weather. Silent shrooms would also gleam in the darkness near the bridge. It was the perfect occasion to go out for a small walk around Lanayru before drifting off to sleep. He was positive that she would appreciate completing the compendium on the sheikah slate with pictures from their trip just like she had done on the other occasions. It would be of use for her research back in the castle or even to share it with Purah and Robbie in the royal lab or whatever. Deep down, the chosen hero just wanted a valid pretext to spend some time alone with her as they did the previous night in Kakariko Village. It would do both of them well after the trip's tension and all of the formal introduction process earlier.

Much to his dismay, nevertheless, the princess was already in bed when he reached back to the Seabed Inn. He spotted her relaxed figure sitting on the couch with silky bedsheets covering her legs. All of the mental conversation he had prepared for his proposal to leave the domain for a while was out of the question. He felt naive all of a sudden. Of course she would be already occupied, if not with prayer, resting or even preparing for the upcoming meeting with King Dorephan about piloting Vah Ruta. It was the princess he was referring to. She shouldn't have time for his adventurous cravings nor his desire to get to know her better now that they were friends. What Princess Mipha did, for example, was just an occasional act of courtesy for the old times. Or that was what Link thought.

His stealthy steps crossed the room to his assigned bed. Zelda was on the couch right beside him, so he tried to be as discreet as possible in order to not disturb her sleep. He had to change into his sleeping clothes, ensure the room's safety and leave the sword nearby in case something happened. It would have been an easier task for a sheikah indeed since the princess' hearing was well-developed.

Link almost jumped out of fright when he faced her now-sitting figure staring at him. It seemed like she had been awake all along. Had she been waiting for him despite already having the zora royal guard watching the perimeter? No, it definitely was something else as her expression showed the troubling turmoil keeping her from resting.

"I'm not a good person, am I?" Her fragile voice cracked at the mention of the term and the escort couldn't help but drop to his knees before her bed.

Despite all of the Yiga, bokoblin, hinox and other foes' attacks troubling their way, Link swore she had never witnessed a most concerned face until that moment. His eyebrows arched with worry. What was going through her mind to say that?

"You are noble and compassionate." He replied. Unconsciously, his hand travelled to the couch's surface. Not too close to touch her palm nor too far to look like he didn't care about her. Keeping proper distance was every time more complicated. "Whatever makes you say that?"

Princess Zelda gifted him the brightest of her glances. Its clear shine wasn't out of joy but because of the shallow layer of guilt clouding her jade iris. She shook her head in denial as soon as it became too evident.

"There has to be some reason for Hylia to keep the sealing powers from me. Maybe I am the problem." She complained. A tint of desperation was staining her angelical voice. The blanket had wrinkled at her fists' tight grip on them. "I mean, look at Princess Mipha. She is kind and loved and has no struggles in using her magic."

A hint of jealousy made the tip of Zelda's ears redden at the eye contact. Link, however, was too occupied thinking of a good answer to cease the heiress' preoccupations. Loneliness must have made a number on her, he theorized. He should have returned to the inn earlier. Leaving her highness alone in an unknown kingdom such as the zora's had been a bad idea. He could feel it somehow in him. Her uneasiness crept down his own spine as if their souls were bound by destiny. She still hadn't made her exact problem clear but Link was already capable of guessing it without asking.

"Even someone as familiar with magic as Mipha couldn't be able to take your place. Hylia's blood runs in you. Only in you." The knight reminded her.

Moments after his reassuring words, the hero finally realised Princess Zelda was comparing herself to the zora heiress. He puzzled the pieces together and dared to imagine she had been a victim of a bout of jealousy but the thought was discarded away as Link believed a holy priestess like her could never think about a knight that way. Either way, the many talents of the zora princess had somehow diminished the hylian heiress' self-esteem. And she was finally opening up to him about her insecurities, so he better turn into a good companion for her to trust him on another occasion though he hoped no other trouble stormed the princess' mind soon.

"You are the one irreplaceable, Link." She whispered with a sigh so loudly the wind could have carried away her words before he took them into consideration. But he was close enough to trust his hearing.

"We all are still progressing." He remarked, hoping the mention of Hyrule's champions reunited could make Zelda feel less alone. But it only seemed to make her feel even more inferior compared to the rest. Link's lip trembled before choosing the next words. His father had repeated them several times during his childhood, so they couldn't be wrong: "Training shows results in its due time."

It was the princess' turn to let out her frustrations with a sigh. The breeze from her lips made the knight's bang billow in the air and his glance locked in her mouth without wanting it. Luckily for him, Zelda had lowered her eyes, so she hadn't noticed. His behaviour was corrected before she could return to making eye contact with him. The boost of their relationship now caused the princess' pupils to gleam with the moonlight, gifting her with a stunning light that embraced her body like a mystical aura sent from Hylia herself. It was no coincidence that the full moon had just reached its zenith behind her.

Vah Ruta's silhouette was eclipsed by the hylian princess' beauty as she gave away a smile to her escort as a sign of her gratitude towards his comforting words. Link was beyond forgetting about Mipha, the diplomatic mission or the cursed protocols that ruled to sentence what was proper and what was not. He just couldn't stop his words as soon as the godly light hit his frame.

"If you could only see through my eyes you would know how astonishing you are."

Link left no doubt he was the embodiment of courage. Nobody in his right mind would have dared to ever share such an intimate confession about Hyrule's heiress while being face to face.

Despite the dark surroundings, Zelda wasn't able to hide her evident blush this time. The hero would have brought his fingers to his lips in order to silence himself but the princess had already caught his hand in the middle of the motion. Her skin was icy at the touch but the escort had never felt so much warmth before in someone's physical contact. The sensation made his hair stand on end.

Would someone like the princess think his palms were too calloused from the knight's strict training? He certainly wasn't like the well-spoken boys around the castle grounds. His family didn't even possess a noble title and he definitely had no wealth to match the kingdom's expectations of someone fancying its heiress to the throne. But why was she staring at him like he actually stood a chance? Did she even consider him a person worthy of her attention? Of her affectionate gestures? Of her holy time?

"I am definitely fortunate." She declared, obviously referring to his support and company but at least feeling better than before.

Link automatically brought his other hand to hers, handling the thickest blanket on the bed so Zelda could shelter herself from the night's coldness. Its grip around her freezing fingers replaced the hero's hand as he forced himself to stand and get to his own bed for once.

He paused, however, as if expecting the princess to ask him to stay. Something in his mind made him believe she was thinking about it. Looking at her just confirmed his suspicion as her mouth parted to let out another exasperated sigh. He also caught the way her tongue discreetly caressed her dry lips before biting on its insides. Despite the lack of physical activity, her chest moved up and down noticeably with each breath she took. The knight was inexperienced in the romantic field but he knew his fair share of signs that showed attraction. And that look in her eyes made his heart melt at the sight.

Link's limbs had been hurting from the kneeling position. But he would have definitely jumped in Death Mountain's boiling lava if Princess Zelda asked him to.


The ocarina's sweet melody brought Zelda to wonder whose soul could be sensitive enough to play such a delicate song in the middle of nowhere.

On other occasions, nothing tangible would have broken her concentration during the sacred rituals at the ancient temple. Severe punishment fell upon whoever dared to distract Hylia's priestess from prayer. It happened before and could happen again anytime. Every single being in Hyrule knew the rules. Even Princess Zelda herself hesitated about ceasing her devotion after spotting the distant notes echoing in the night. The goddess could get furious at her ignorance and revoke her right to access the powers that led to the kingdom's prevail.

That music, however, brought the spirits' souls to pure bliss which allowed the young maiden to exit the holy grounds in search of the melody's source. Whoever might be the one playing, had certainly been blessed with the deities' favour in that artistic field.

Zelda's feet sensed the coldness of the cannon's rocks climbing up from her legs to the back of her neck. The religious garments she was wearing were similar to the ones she remembered using on a daily basis, but they fit differently as if she were in another body. The jewellery that cuffed her wrists in golden metals with symbolic engravings had also changed from the ones she was used to. The sandals were the piece of clothing more similar to her real shoes during the pilgrimage.

The Princess hadn't realized it yet, but she was experiencing another one of those realistic dreams that made her soul travel back to her reincarnations. And whenever the embodiment of the goddess was caught in a vision of one of her past lives, the wielder of the master sword was always present as well.

Eventually, she found Link standing by the shore of a small river. He was playing a bluish ocarina that brought all creatures to gather around him to listen, herself included. Some strange elf-like creatures made from wood and leaves were also present, hiding among the bushes' abundance. The mesmerising tunes of his choice hypnotized every living being around the chosen hero. Even sunset fireflies surrounded the perimeter around his resting stance. Zelda too had to admit she wasn't quite sure about how she had found him either. She guessed that, just like Hylia's lyre, that ocarina was a heavenly instrument gifted to the wielder of the sword by Hyrule's ancient spirits as well. Its loving melody left no doubt.

As soon as Link's keen eyes spotted her, his agile fingers changed the pace of the song he had been playing. And just like that, Zelda's mother's lullaby was the next melody of his choice.

"Link…" She heard herself mutter at the immediate recognition.

Not his strange green outfit nor the scenario they were caught in was relevant to Zelda. She didn't know either if music had the capacity to transcend the ticking of time. There was no human way he acknowledged a song the late queen used to sing for her daughter. But Link was a clear example that he had been blessed by Hylia with knowledge as well as courage. She could say the same thing for herself as her soul had dared to wander around the unknown lands that made the musical source echo around the canyon.

And so, Link's melodies brought the goddess incarnate to her knees, where they lay together until sunrise.

The poignant sensation remained on her frame even after she opened her eyes. It took Princess Zelda some seconds to figure out the present time: she was sleeping in Zora's Domain Inn, and the sun hadn't risen yet.

The waterbed where she was laying was a blessing to her tired body from the travels indeed. However, it hadn't prevented her hours of rest to be interrupted all of a sudden for an unknown reason. It happened often whenever she experienced those vivid dreams. She felt as if her mind hadn't rested at all. Plus, a sensation of sickness temporarily accompanied her if she tried to move, so she made her best to maintain the curled-up position on the couch. At least this time it hadn't been a nightmare that chased her psyche. But, to be honest, she didn't know if it was preferable rather than daydreaming about her knight.

Her jade eyes travelled to Link's sleeping form on the assigned bed just beside hers. His hair was down and his expression remained untroubled as he slept. Such innocence portrayed by the lack of his protective duty made him look like a regular boy from Hateno town, someone who had been sentenced to fight for Hyrule no matter the cost. A warrior that couldn't allow his body to betray his compromise with the kingdom despite how many bruises or blood was shed in battle. Just as she, he had been born to face pure evil's malice in the great battle or die while trying to prevail.

Well, Princess Zelda had never been scared of Calamity Ganon. The prophecy of its return had been a constant in her life so, as sad as it was to admit it, one became eventually used to danger's embrace. Right now, however, she couldn't admit the same thing. Just by thinking about it, a piercing sensation of panic filled her chest. Not because of the kingdom's possible doom or the war's outcome. But because of him: Link's life. What kind of pitiful destiny was awaiting him? What was really the point of his life if he had to be tied to the Master Sword? Was it worth it to experience the honour of becoming a peon to divinity even if it meant losing the possibility to enjoy the world's marvels? Zelda had the answer to that. She had been born as a royal and the weight of the crown would have tormented her even if the triforce never existed. Link, instead, would have possessed an actual choice of having a regular life or serving the kingdom. At least he could have chosen.

He deserved happiness. A plentiful life in a warm cottage with a family of his own. Or a fulfilling job, a real one, that allowed him to both feel satisfied after his contribution to Hyrule's economy and on vacation enjoy his spare time to travel. Another kind of lifestyle that could grant him a minimum amount of joy and that, when his time came, allowed him to leave a decent legacy for his soul to rest. And so, when he reached the other realm, his own spirit could witness how the land evolved with the ticking of time and, to some extent, what his loved ones became in the future.

"Zelda." Link murmured all of a sudden. The night was so silent that allowed her to identify the mention of her name on his lips clearly.

The princess froze and with all the delicacy she could gather, turned to see the source of the yearning whisper. What lay before her, however, was just a restless sleeper experiencing a dream involving her.

"It should be Princess Zelda to you." She replied to herself in a low whisper.

There was no use to silence her heart's desire anymore. She wasn't willing to be both a failure and a hypocrite to Hyrule knowing her true self would sacrifice the whole kingdom for Link to remain whispering her sole name just a bit longer.


Remember the five stages of grief? Well, Zelda has just reached the final one: acceptance.

This story has now covered Memory #10: Mipha's touch, just from another perspective. I know you are eager to see the Zora Princess interact with our holy heiress and, I promise you, the wait for the next update will be worth it.

For now, I have taken two important decisions. On one hand, I have finished reviewing all of Scattering Petals chapters and its typos are now gone. Despite editing the fanfic, there are no alterations to the plot, so reading it again is obviously optional but highly recommended. On the other hand, I am currently updating the profile to fit this new fanfiction/archive of our own era and leaving it all settled to publish a new cover image for the story!

Last of all, I have to thank you all for your constant support. Without you, this story would have never made it to 25 chapters. And the best is yet to come!

I wish all of you plentiful winter holidays with your loved ones. The next chapter will be the last one before 2023 begins.

Yours, Stella.