Hello. A SidonxOC story I had deleted and am bringing back. I'm afraid I can't promise I'll be completely devoted into finishing this, depending on how I feel and on the other stories I'm currently workin' on. Hope you'll enjoy for those who haven't seen this before and to those who have are relieved to see its return.
The voice of my OC will be the same as Jodi Benson's and her eyes, face and hair will be similar to Princess Ariel's from the Disney movie The Little Mermaid.
God Jehovah bless.
Merchant
Life in the land of Hyrule was looking dire. Word was that the calamity that occurred a century ago was repeating itself. Every blood moon struck terror in all the people because its power always brought back the slain monsters that aimlessly searched for innocent victims to attack.
The four regions of the Zora, Gorons, Rito and Gerudo were facing the worst problems brought by Divine Beasts that were created to protect the world but were possessed by the monsters' creator, an ancient monster of all monsters, Ganon.
Some people couldn't allow themselves to be stricken with fear and despair, not when their villages and towns needed defending or when a few people needed to travel for business to earn enough to survive.
One of them was a green-eyed, red-haired Hylian woman named Meryl who learned self-defense with a bow and arrows, and a sword and shield so she could journey to sell arrows she would make and monsters parts so her customers could make elixirs and such.
It was a little traveling business that kept bread on her figurative table. The blood moon and Ganon's rumored return terrified her like everyone else, but she had to keep hoping for a miracle.
She had heard from Kakariko Village during her expeditions the Sheikah people telling of a Hylian hero who had fallen in combat 100 years ago would come back from the dead to save everyone and everything.
Meryl thought it far-fetched at first of someone coming back to life, but then again Ganon was an ancient evil that kept coming back, so anything was possible.
She also chose it to believe it because it provided hope, and hope was all there was to keep folks going during these distressing times.
She went on her way to the Lanayru region to sell her goods to the Zora whose homeland was bothered by reptilian monsters known as Lizalfos and incessant rainstorms.
She hoped to sell arrows that would help the aquatic people defeat the Lizalfos whose parts she wouldn't mind collecting if she had to encounter them.
She remembered her late father's words that anything a person does should also be beneficial for others. The Zoras and Hylians in particular have had a hard time getting along, so she was told, and during times such as these it was important everyone should look after one another, not just their own.
Both of her parents told her what their parents and their parents before them taught from the days of when Hyrule Castle and its knights were alive, when Hyrule's princess brought champions from each of the five people to make an alliance.
Meryl took the teachings of her lineage to heart and wanted to help influence the people, even in her own small way. It wasn't a matter of doing great things, but to provide help in any way, big or little.
She had to encounter the cursed Lizalfos and their speedy maneuverings, but Meryl knew her work with her weapons and struck the hideous lizards down one at a time.
She passed the beautiful Zoras' bridges along the way and when she came to Luto's Crossing, she heard splashes from the river far down below and a voice, to her curiosity.
She leaned over the left to see that it was a Zora which explained it, but this Zora seemed to have called up to her to get her attention.
"Hey there, young one! Forgive me if my shouting has startled you, but are you by any chance on your way to Zora's Domain?"
"Yes, I am," she called back. "Is this a bad time?"
"If you are going sightseeing, I'm afraid it is."
"Well, I'm actually going to your domain to see if you and your people need arrows in these trying times. Is that unnecessary? I'll turn back."
"What sort of arrows, may I ask?"
"All kinds."
"In that case, you're more than welcome," he answered rather happily.
"Great! Thank you."
Then the hospitable Zora called out with panic in his tone. "Whoa, look out, miss! A monster is coming behind you!"
Meryl sharply turned to see a blue Moblin with its own large, handmade club, but she was familiar with these tough but simple-minded brutes and, after dodging half a dozen times, she put it down, collecting its fangs, horn and innards as a reward.
Sighing in relief, she called out with a smile, "Thank you, sir, your warning was a lifesaver!"
"You're very welcome. I had wondered how you managed to make it this far with monsters infesting the path to the domain and now I can see why."
"Unfortunately, I've had to experience such nuisances during my treks. I'll be along to your domain now."
"Fantastic, though you are a pretty far off, you will be there before you know."
Thanking him again, Meryl gladly resumed the rest of her walk. She thought of the Zora along the way. Frankly, he was the first Zora she had ever met and spoken to. Sadly, with the vertical distance between them, she couldn't get a good look at him.
She was earnest to see him and his people up close. Her mother said they were a very fascinating race at one with the water and could even swim up waterfalls.
She kept in mind how Zora and Hylians didn't see eye-to-eye, so she kept her guard up of how his people would react to her presence.
At least one seemed friendly enough. She recalled there was a king there who was gigantic, but peaceful despite the history between his race and hers.
Speaking of history, she remembered her lessons of how the Zora king and Hyrule's late last king made a truce that was courtesy of the late Princess Zelda who sought the former's daughter's aid Princess Mipha who had also perished in battle along with the rest of her fellow champions and the Hylian princess.
Meryl was sad that the young princesses had lost their lives, especially since she had heard they were as loving as they were royal.
Her thinking passed the time when she could see the large, shining domain. Instead of meeting the two guards at the entrance she waited to see a Zora taller than the guards running up to her.
His head looked familiar, so she knew he had to be the one she met below Luto's Crossing.
"Ah, you made it!" he asserted in relief. "Was your voyage too treacherous?"
"It was hazardous enough, but I made it out fine. Thank you for asking," she smiled politely. She commented to herself about his voice that sounded as if he was from a noble family. "I've never met someone with such a pedigree. I wonder who he is."
When she took a look at him, she thought again how tall he was, taller than she had imagined when she saw him far below in the water under the crossing.
She also took note of his head looking like the body of a small shark, the small tail hanging as if it was his hair, the fins beside each side of his face.
He also wore accessories like a Zora headpiece with a black feather protruding on top of his head; a kind of yellow rope across the right side of his chest; and a sash on the other side with Zora symbols across it and spaulders with the same symbol, and a jewel-studded belt.
His eyes were a beautiful gold, and his form looked muscular. Judging from that and the sword strapped to his right hip, he must have been a warrior to his people. She noticed that his left head fin had a scar.
Meryl wondered if he was the new champion of the Zoras.
"And thank you for willingly coming all this way through the rain and braving those filthy monsters. Ah, pardon me, introductions are in order. I am Sidon, the Zora prince."
He made a pose as he gave a shinier smile.
Wait, a prince? She was shocked when she heard he was more than a noble. He was royalty!
"Oh, well, hello, Your Highness. It's a privilege," she replied, being courteous with a nod. "My name is Meryl."
"'Meryl' is it?! What a phenomenal name."
The Hylian blushed at the prince's kind compliment. "Thank you, sire." Back to business, she shook away her modesty and slipped her pack off her shoulders. "Your Eminence said back there beneath Luto's Crossing your people were in need of arrows?" she checked before opening her sack.
"Yes, shock arrows to be precise."
"Only shock arrows, Highness?"
"Yes, as many as you can spare."
"Well, I do have them, but I regret to say it's only five."
"Five? Well, every arrow counts. We'll take them all, please."
"All right, here you are, Your Excellency. I hope they'll serve you well. Wait, aren't shock arrows dangerous for you all to touch?"
"Yes, they are, but we have a seasoned Zora warrior strong enough to endure these electrical things."
"May I give you a cloth to cover the arrows, so they'll be safe for you to carry?" she suggested. "I don't mind giving up a piece of fabric of mine."
"You would do that? Thank you, we appreciate the donation very much."
"You're welcome. Consider it a thank-you gift for warning me of that Moblin at the bridge. I may not be alive if not for you, Majesty."
"I was glad to alert you. I would not wish for anyone to fall to the hands of those fiends."
Meryl liked this prince, his heart seemed as good as his blood was royal and body strong.
When he gratefully took the covered shock arrows in his possession, he said nicely, "You're welcome to sell the rest of your merchandise in the domain if you wish, and you're also welcome to look around."
"Really? Thank you, Highness. I'd like it."
The perks of being a traveling merchant were that she could see the world. After bidding Prince Sidon farewell, she walked alone to get an eyeful of the glorious kingdom of the Zoras.
It looked like something out of a dream, about as shiny as the prince's smile a white ago. She made the time to sell her goods. Whatever rupees she made, she spent on food and supplies at the general Zora store called the Coral Reef which also had a workshop the Hammerhead.
The Reef had trout, like the Sizzlefin Trout she was interested in because it had an organ for storing heat and made a tasty spicy dish which Meryl loved. She purchased that along with Swift Violet to help her with outmaneuvering any adversaries soon.
She browsed through the Hammerhead where she met the first Goron she had ever seen. This was both a pleasant surprise and a shock because she never imagined rock-skinned beings like them coming to wetlands like the Zora Domain, but as they say, "learn something new every day".
This Goron's name was Reagah who commented to himself her kind were a rare sighting around here.
She nicely joked she could say the same thing which made him laugh at the irony before he explained he was here after being recruited by Prince Sidon.
Meryl tilted her head in confusion, asking politely what the royal Zora would ask of a Goron. Reagah said it was because, as a Goron, he could touch shock arrows without being harmed like a Zora would.
The Hylian woman blinked when she began to wonder what the Zoras needed with shock arrows whose effects a Goron was completely immune to.
She said bye to Reagah before exploring some more, being careful as she climbed up the stairs because of the rainfall making the steps slick.
She visited the square where a glowing statue was at, depicting a beautiful female Zora wielding a trident. Meryl wondered who it was before it dawned on her that judging from the jewelry similar to Prince Sidon's that this must be the late champion, Princess Mipha.
"So, this is what she looked like," she said to herself. She kept in mind that she was also the prince's sister.
Zoras live a long time, so who knows how old Prince Sidon was in Zora years when his sister went off to fight in battle a hundred years ago, and never returned…
After giving her respects, Meryl went on her way to the Seabed Inn to turn in. The innkeeper Kayden informed her the normal beds cost 20 rupees and the blissful water beds were 80.
He described to her the luxurious water beds with their cool, cocoon-like feel which honestly sounded tempting, but she politely declined and chose the normal bed. Her business was good, but it didn't make her rich, so she preferred to be thrifty.
Even though she slept well, she hoped to someday try out the waterbed. That morning, she packed up and was ready to be on her way to take her business to other places. After going through rainy terrain, she wanted to see the desert Gerudo region to check out the Kara Kara Bazaar and the matriarchy place the Gerudo Town.
When she came to the square, she saw Prince Sidon converse with an elderly Zora whose head was shaped like a manta's body. The latter soon went on his way. When he was out of sight, the royal former's left eye caught sight of the red-haired Hylian.
"Miss Meryl, you're still here," he attested.
"Yes, I spent the night at the Seabed Inn," she explained, indicating her left thumb to the place. "Why does Your Highness seem surprised?"
"I thought you would have departed since the domain is fraught with rainfall."
"No, I wanted to see more of your kingdom even with the rain. I admit, I wish it wasn't wet incessantly, but nothing about it disappointed me."
"I'm so, very glad. As prince, I thank you for your kind critique," he nodded politely, his right hand on his chest.
"And I thank you for letting me look around. I hope those shock arrows will serve you well."
"Well, if you plan to spend another night here, you'll find out tomorrow."
"Well, actually, sire, I was about to head out to the Gerudo region," she confessed.
"You were? I... see."
Was that slight regret in his voice? Why? She had given him the ammunition he needed. "Is there some reason Your Eminence thinks I should stay longer?"
"Oh, well, we've never had a chance to converse more yesterday."
"Hmm, no, we didn't, though I assumed you would have been too busy with other matters since the shock arrows."
"I was, alas."
He explained he had wanted her to stick around to hear how her shock arrows would have helped with their rain dilemma. He mentioned Reagah as a means to touch the shock arrows to shoot at Vah Ruta to halt its mechanisms causing the downpours.
She understood and agreed to stay. Unfortunately, the prince returned very shortly with disappointing news that the Goron was simply too heavy and there was no way he could even swim.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but perhaps you need a Hylian's aid instead? Particularly, one with exceptional skill with a bow."
"A professional archer is required, but there's also another problem. We would also need an archer to do an inside job to stop the rain altogether."
"Hmm… I could travel to spread the word around to Hylian villages if you'd like, sire."
"Your generosity is well appreciated, Miss Meryl," he smiled, "though I'm afraid it may take you too long and time is of the essence."
"How do you mean?"
"If the reservoir overflows with water, our domain and all the lands will be in a watery grave."
Meryl's blood turned cold at this horrifying news.
"If you do not wish to remain here any longer, than you would be safer far away…"
She shook her head. "You just said yourself, Highness, nowhere is safe from these ominous floods. Leaving now will make no difference."
Sidon knew it was true, but that didn't take the look of guilt and fear from his eyes.
With her arms folded, the Hylian reflected hard on this portentous matter. Hearing Zora children from nearby making the most of these storms by laughing and splashing around in puddles made her imagine of how they would soon be victims to crushing, merciless waves and her people screaming and fleeing in vain before drowning in dark waters.
No, no, it couldn't happen. Innocent lives were at stake, but what could she do? She was good with a few weapons, but to shoot at a Divine Beast? And to face whatever else was inside it? No possible way.
"You still don't have to be so close to the floods," Sidon went on.
"No... I'd like to stay. Maybe I can't help, but I'd like to give support and comfort if Your Highness doesn't mind," she offered, bracing herself to hear him decline.
The prince was taken aback at her wanting to provide whatever ease she could, even taking chances with the floods.
He grinned and did his signature pose. "Not in the slightest. Your consideration is well appreciated, my young friend."
She smiled humbly at his gratitude and from him calling her friend.
Sidon bid her farewell to gather Zora to scout a Hylian with invaluable skills and strength while she walked around, watching the innocent Zora children go about happily.
Meryl remembered when she was that carefree as a girl when her parents were alive. She wondered how Sidon was like at that age and his sister...
Her heart throbbed again at the thought of the late Zora princess and her fellow royal and champions, gone and unable to have a family of their own like her parents were lucky to have in life.
The champions lost their precious partners the Divine Beasts to Ganon's evil power. Would their deaths be for nothing should the Hylian swordsman not come to fulfill the prophecy?
"No, we mustn't give up hope, then we have lost."
After all, did it really have to be a Hylian back from the dead? Maybe it could be someone else in this day and age.
Prince Sidon returned; his spirits high as he flew up a waterfall into the domain. He believed thanks to his scouts, the Zoras have discovered an ally whom he met some distance from and guided him to here and was expecting him soon.
He heard new laughter and looked to see Meryl playing around with the children, one of whom she had rode on her shoulders.
He smiled, having a feeling she was trying to keep the hope alive and keeping the young ones from being plagued by terrifying thoughts.
When they said bye to her, she waved good-bye before meeting up with the prince. "Hello, Highness. How was the scouting trip?"
"Splendid. I think we may have found the warrior we need," he pronounced elatedly, his face glowing from the good news.
"Really? Who?" she asked, equally as delighted.
"A male Hylian as young as you are, and with the sharpest warrior skills I've ever seen."
"No kidding. Hmm, he must have come from far away 'cause I've never heard of him in all my travels," she commented, her arms folded.
"You haven't?"
"I would have mentioned."
"Hmm… and yet his own name sounds familiar."
"His name? What's that?"
"Link."
"Link… and you say you've heard the name somewhere before?"
"Yes, but…" His attention was towards the domain's entry. "Ah, he's here now. Please, pardon me."
"Of course, sire."
Meryl stayed where she was for a minute, wanting the prince to have the chance to speak to someone who may be the answer to everyone's situation.
She believed he must be someone who lived and trained from somewhere very far. Maybe someone descended from the knights a century ago.
"Whoever he is, he's just what the doctor ordered."
Her Hylian ears perked from hearing a Zora woman murmuring in concern to herself. Meryl queried politely and the Zora named Laflat spoke of a red-maned Lynel that prowled the Shatterback Point of Ploymus Mountain.
Meryl had heard of the muscular, deadly Lynels that have the lower torso of a horse and the head of a lion and wield a bunch of weapons. Worse, they were more intelligent than other monsters, so that meant they had better aim for their projectile weapons like arrows and spears.
However, Laflat's main concern was because some idiot in the domain had the madness to talk people into pulling a dangerous stunt by jumping from Shatterback Point where the Lynel in the mountain lived.
The Zora woman's request was to somehow get a drawing of the Lynel to scare people away from Ploymus Mountain. As terrifying as they must sound, a portrait would do the trick. Unfortunately, Laflat knew no one who could do the job, no brave warrior who had the skill for sketching and no artist with the courage and agility to draw it and live to show it.
Meryl wondered with her arms folded if maybe Prince Sidon's new friend Link may be the answer to this dilemma, too.
Minutes later, she spoke to the royal Zora again who informed her of the most incredible revelation: Apparently, Link was the very champion from the fight from the disastrous day his sister and other champions were lost to.
It seemed after he had fallen to mortal wounds, he was placed in a Sheikah restoration chamber where he laid unconscious in a healing statis for ten decades before Princess Zelda encountered Ganon itself at the fallen Hyrule Castle where she kept it along with herself imprisoned until Link reawakened to finish the mission they and the champions started.
Meryl's mind was blown away. So, Hyrule's princess and champion were in fact alive? There was more. It seemed the chamber made him forget his life, but he remembered his skills and was starting to remember a few things, like the late Princess Mipha whose statue made him recall one day with her and Vah Ruta before it was possessed.
"I see, so Champion Link is back, but with amnesia," she stated sadly.
"Yes, but his body remembers how to help him hold his own in battle and memories are sparking, even just a little."
"Well, every dark cloud has a silver lining. So, is he going to stop Ruta?"
"Yes, but he needs the shock arrows the Lynel on Shatterback Point has for its ammunition. Muzu of the court learned of that, so Link is on his way to gather them."
"He's going to the Lynel's home? That is brave."
She just wished she had been able to ask him on behalf of Laflat if he could sketch so she could have the thing to prevent people from going up there.
Meryl left the royal Zora alone since he planned to meet with Link at the reservoir to encounter Ruta with the collected shock arrows. She waited with hurtful anxiety, hoping neither, namely the good prince she befriended, would end up like his sister…
After two hours, which felt like several days, Sidon returned to the square where he explained Link was going with the Zora armor his late sister made decades ago to free Ruta.
Meryl asked how a Zora armor Princess Mipha made Link would help? Prince Sidon explained the armor was made from Zora scales that would enable a Hylian wearer to swim up a waterfall like a Zora.
That amazed Meryl, envying Link a little. "I wonder what he'll find inside the Beast."
"Who knows? Most likely, it'll be whatever took over Ruta in the first place," Sidon guessed, his large right hand on his chin. With a confident smile and his hands gripping, he added, "We have nothing to fear. If he can manage to brave a Lynel for the shock arrows and even enter the Divine Beast, he's sure to come back victorious."
"Your Highness seem to really believe in him."
"My father and sister believed in him, and Mipha thought very highly of him. And I've seen his hand and courage coming here and facing Ruta at the East Reservoir. I know he won't fail," he grinned, doing his pose again.
The Hylian woman smiled, feeling rather comforted just hearing Sidon speak of the prophesied hero.
"However, despite my faith, I do want to thank you just in case."
Meryl blinked in confusion. "Thank me for what, sire?"
"For choosing to stay and be of solace to the children."
"Oh, well, I was happy to do it. They're very nice kids. I'm glad they and the young adults aren't afraid of a Hylian like myself. I'm certain that's courtesy of Your Highness's influence," she remarked, her hands behind her as she looked away.
"Well, my father deserves the credit, but I thank you on behalf of us both," he nodded, his right hand on his chest.