Chapter Text
Link arrived first in the morning.
The waterfalls of Zora’s Domain roared down from the slopes, bright at their peaks before they tumbled into blue shadows. The air was often balmy and perpetually wet, but at this time of day, it carried the chill of the mountains along with it. It was the perfect environment for cooling off, or so he thought, wiping the sweat off his forehead.
He made his way along the promenade, beneath the luminous arches, and walked up the stairs. He knew he had to be careful around here. The floor was a smooth, flawless stone, carved into swirling arcs and shallow pools of water that sloshed at his feet. The last thing he needed was to trip and fall into one.
A few of the Zoras were moving about, setting up their businesses for the day, though it was still quieter than usual. He noticed a growing numbness in his hands and looked around for somewhere to sit. The Seabed Inn was tempting, even for an hour or so, but he knew he’d be out all day if his head touched one of their pillows. Laflat waved at him from across the walkway. He blinked and waved back.
A bump and a shout from another Zora shook him from his thoughts. It was a blue one, who stumbled and gasped and bowed his head—apologising profusely for being in his way. The knock sent a bolt of pain through his body, but he clutched his arm and forced a smile. He had to sympathise. He was quite short, after all. After a minute or so of denying any wrongdoing, he left the encounter with a bag full of bright-eyed crabs. He was excited to cook them up later.
Once he caught his breath, he made his way into the royal chamber. King Dorephan awaited him on the throne—tall, dark, and eminent, his cravat billowing in the wind. He greeted the king with a bow. The king smiled and motioned for him to rise.
“Welcome, Link. How may I assist you?”
Good morning, he signed. Is Mipha here?
“You seek Mipha? Hmm.” He stroked his chin. “She likes to spend her mornings around Ruto Mountain. You should find her if you make your way there.”
Link bowed his head.
Thank you.
He clenched his teeth slightly at the prospect. It didn’t help that Zora’s Domain was sunken into a ring of mountains, which were slippery and impossible to climb most days. It especially didn’t help that his body was jarred in a way that he felt in his bones, or that he’d bandaged himself tightly across the chest, looping it over his shoulder and above the bite of a lynel crusher.
He ambled over to the cliffs and stared at the top of the falls. Mipha was up there somewhere, floating out of reach. He sighed and sat himself by the water’s edge, removing his boots to dip his feet in. The hot-footed frogs watched him, and he shrugged back at them. He wasn’t in a hunting mood today.
A burst of water rained down from above.
Mipha.
He looked up and caught the shape of her flying over the edge of the mountain, turning once in the air, before forming a perfect spear with her arms. She dove down at breakneck speed, and the water at the bottom surged up to meet her, catching her before she broke through it. She surfaced from the pond with a shock in her eyes, which were bright and gold, and every bit eager to see him. Her legs kicked in the water, holding her in place, her crown clinking as she moved.
“Oh, Link!” she said.
Her voice brought a smile to his face.
Hello, he signed. I was looking for you.
“How fortunate that I came down here then.” She covered her mouth and stifled a small laugh. “Would you like a lift?”
He beamed at her and nodded.
“I was hoping you would say yes. Climb into the water and hold on. There’s a lovely view at the top.”
Link pulled on his boots and splashed into the water, where the Hylian basses scattered around his legs. He came up with a gasp and waved his arms, floating himself over to Mipha. When he was close, he put his hands on her shoulders—which were rubbery and smooth, with just enough grip on them—and held his breath. She touched his hand.
“Here we go,” she warned.
The water surged around them, with frightening power, before the air blasted his ears and blocked out all sound. The wind streamed past as they shot up the waterfall. Mipha swerved over the cliffs beneath them, dodging jagged clumps of rock, before soaring over the peak with one final leap. It was slow in the moment they spent in the air, or so it felt, as he caught a glimpse of the blue mountainside and the water that rained down around them. The river at their feet rushed closer and closer. He screamed, and the water swallowed them, letting them down with gentle precision.
Mipha carried him over to the bank, where he opened his eyes and climbed onto the rocks.
“Are you alright?”
He nodded once.
It hurts a little, he signed.
“Oh no. Were you injured?”
Not by you.
Her demeanour changed. She stepped away from the water, which rose to let her out, and combed her eyes over his body—catching a peek of bandage beneath the collar of his shirt. He looked down sheepishly.
Sorry, he signed. Lynel got me on the road.
“A lynel?” she repeated. “I wish you had told me sooner. Please, allow me to have a look at it.”
She motioned for him to remove his shirt, which he peeled away with a wince and set on a nearby rock to dry. The sun beamed down on his skin. It was marred with the usual bumps and scratches of white, along with a smattering of purple where he’d taken a recent fall. She also noticed some newer scars that branched along his limbs like lightning. Her eyes left them and travelled up to the nape of his neck, where the bandages tapered off in a knot. She untied it and slowly unwrapped them from his body. There was no point in keeping them on if he’d gotten them damp.
The tension rolled out of her body with a sigh.
The wound wasn’t as deep as she feared. The lynel had taken a clean diagonal swipe from the shoulder down, but compared to what they were capable of, it had been a glancing blow. If she had to guess, he’d left himself open trying to cram in another attack. She frowned slightly. Those beasts were faster than anyone gave them credit for. She inspected the wound a little longer—noting that his blood had clotted rather quickly. His body was always good at doing that. But he would not be young forever.
“You need to take better care of yourself,” she said, laying her hands down flat along the edges of the cut. He drew in a sharp breath and winced. Her touch was cold and gentle, but that was all it took. “For my sake, as well as yours.”
He bit his lip.
You’ll always be here, he signed.
“I will,” she relented with a smile. “For as long as I can.”
His expression softened.
The healing was a process that was felt before it was seen. Where the pain throbbed and radiated out of the open wound, screaming where the cut was deepest, the sensation began to dull. There was a numbing, a cooling, a conversion from anger to calm, which at first felt like nothing at all, until it became soothing and irreplaceable. He closed his eyes.
“That’s it, relax,” she encouraged. “Take your mind away from the injury.”
Mipha watched as the swelling receded beneath her fingers and the redness around the wound went down. Her breathing slowed as her intention sharpened. A dull light took hold in her fingertips and spread into the palms of her hands. The cut began to change—tightening and binding together where the skin and tissue was still soft. Where the blood was fresh, it darkened and then mended into a bruise, shifting from red to purple. She melded the torn edges together, sculpting his body beneath an eerie blue light that rippled away from her in waves. He opened his eyes. She caught him looking and smiled back at him through the gleam.
Eventually, the blue faded from her hands, leaving floating specs of light in its absence.
When he looked down, he gasped and studied the space where his skin healed over. He rolled his shoulders and traced over the cut with his hands, which was tender but entirely painless. The relief sang in his joints, and his eyes narrowed.
Thank you.
She touched the side of his arm. “You’re always welcome, Link.”
Can I wait with you? he signed.
“Wait?” she said softly. “For what?”
Zelda’s coming with the Champions. We’re here to collect you for training. I came early to clear the road.
She laughed into her hand. Of course, he’d come here on business and hadn’t mentioned it until now. That was typical of him.
“Certainly.” Her attention shifted, and she found herself watching the trailing waters nearby, framed by long grasses that bent in the wind. There were cranes sifting through the puddles for frogs and fish. She faced Link again with an apologetic look. “We don’t often get to spend time with each other anymore. I find myself missing that.”
He nudged her with a frown.
I miss you too. But the Calamity is coming and we’re running out of time.
“I know. We still have plenty to do to prepare. But I was hoping that we could meet again once our duties are fulfilled.” She smiled at him as her gaze turned downwards. She fidgeted, unsure of what to do with her hands. “I’d like to spend more time with you.”
I’d like that, he signed.
She hid a blush.
Was that too forward, she wondered. Then again, why shouldn’t she be? She’d watched him grow into a man—a man who was often focused to the point of single-mindedness, though she found that to be one of his most admirable traits. He was bold and unrelenting, and he did not have the luxury of the long lifespan she possessed. Maybe that made him stronger, she thought.
He made a sudden choking noise, and it jolted her out of the moment. She covered her face and blinked through the surprise, praying she hadn’t failed him in some critical manner.
“What is it?” she breathed. “What’s happened?”
He held up an empty bag, which had been sitting on the rocks the entire time. His eyes were wide with horror.
My crabs! he signed hurriedly, and tugged on his hair. They’re gone!
“Oh, Link.”