Chapter Text
Sidon found himself fixated on the slope of Link's determined pout, searching for a trace of the Link he knew back home. The Hylian before him sliced the empty air in a single calculated sweep. Sidon did not understand why the knight insisted on practicing during the few hours of rest they managed to find. He had already seen Link mow down Moblin after Moblin as if it were all he was made for.
Sidon frowned. The "hero of Hyrule" was more than just a war machine to him. Link could be moody, kind, mischievous, and aloof when he wanted to be. He would bet merchants he could eat an entire rock roast and clear them of their stock in the next breath. He wore the same grin shooting an oblivious Guardian as he did while exploring with Sidon on the rare days he managed to steal him away from the Domain. At least, that was the Link he had fallen in love with. That was the Link he knew.
The one before him was almost a complete stranger.
They exchanged only a few words aside from their sudden introduction; Link had regarded him with a puzzled look but thanked him for his aid in battle. Mipha later told him it was because his entrance had been jarring for everyone, even more so when they had just seen him as a child a few weeks prior. Sidon understood that, or at least he tried to, but his chest could not help but ache with the distance between them. He had selfishly grown accustomed to the Hylian's embrace upon seeing him back home. This Link offered a warm smile and a helping hand, but the flicker of recognition went unlit behind his eyes.
Sidon shook his head, trying to clear the thoughts away. He glanced down and noticed the roasted bass on his lap had gotten cold. Their rations were abundant that day, and it made his stomach clench. He had wanted to avoid confirming that there were now fewer mouths to feed, but he refused to be wasteful and looked for the campfire to warm up his food.
Fish skewer in hand, Sidon made his way through the crowd of soldiers until he reached the fire. Knights and Champions talked amongst themselves, their demeanors somber save for the occasional rumble of Daruk's laughter. Sidon was deciding between holding the skewer over the fire and stabbing it into the ground when a familiar shade of red entered his peripheral vision.
He felt Mipha graze his arm before she spoke. "Is something troubling you, Sidon?"
She craned her neck to look at him, her gaze laden with worry. It almost would have made him laugh under different circumstances; he now towered over her like she did when he was a child. He remembered the last time he had seen her in his world, and it must have shown on his face because she seemed even more concerned than before.
"Sidon?"
"It is nothing, dear sister." He wanted to flash his signature smile, but the skepticism in Mipha's eyes stopped him from attempting it. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Just a bit weary, I suppose."
"And not very hungry, I see," she pointed to the cold skewer still in his hand. Sidon sheepishly turned aside to hold the fish over the fire while she spoke. "You must rest and keep your strength up, Sidon. I haven't been able to fuss over you like I normally would, but-" Mipha fidgeted with the silver cuff on her wrist. "You seem to be all grown up, but please, promise me you will look after yourself when I am not able to."
He choked. The word "promise" felt thick in his throat. He had been there when his father made her promise she would return home safely, but she couldn't have known. No one could have known. Even now, no one knew how things would end, but he would do his best to ease some of his sister's worries while he had the chance.
He cleared his throat. "You have my word."
Mipha nodded at that and shifted her attention to his hand, which was still hovering over the fire. "Good! But I think your fish is burning," she muffled a laugh behind her hand as Sidon recoiled with a nearly blackened fish in tow.
"Ah, I prefer it this way, actually," he retorted half-heartedly, chuckling at his blunder. "But thank you."
"You haven't changed all that much, have you, Sidon?" Her lips formed an easy smile, her tone amused. "You may be taller than me now, but I still have the best foresight." She paused. "How many more times did you attempt to beat that Lynel?"
He hummed, leading her to where he had been sitting before. "Not as many as you think." He hesitated before eating his food, "Do you mind if I-?" Decorum had no place on a battlefield, but he still felt it rude to eat while conversing.
She waved him off, sitting on a bedroll the Hylian army had provided for them. "Go ahead, I've already eaten. Although, I'm still not appeased by your answer. How many times?" Mipha leaned forward in interest.
"Twelve, perhaps?" he said between bites. "But Link was the one to slay it first. He gave me one of its horns as a gift," Sidon smiled at the memory. The present had shocked him initially, but he realized Link knew it meant a lot to him. Sidon then waited until the next blood moon and slew the beast for himself, with Link by his side. They returned to meet with Zelda for dinner that evening, thinking they had snuck out successfully until she noticed the smell.
Sidon laughed to himself, his voice soft. "His gifts can be a bit... unconventional, but never thoughtless." He felt a pang of guilt when he caught Mipha staring at the Hylian in question, who had now taken a break and sat in-between Impa and Zelda. Mipha said nothing, only hummed.
A question lingered on his lips, weighing the odds of the conversation derailing. He didn't want to hear the answer, but he had to know.
"Have you given him the armor yet?" he kept his voice low and his tone careful, ready to change the topic if something went awry.
Mipha snapped her gaze back to Sidon's face, her eyes wide. "What?"
"The armor."
The fin on Mipha's head began to flick as she stuttered over her words. "When did you- How do you know about that?" After a few seconds of Sidon's uneasy silence, she connected the dots. "In your future?" she gasped. Her hand came up to hide half her face as if to shield herself from Link's eyes. She had sounded hopeful, but the tremor in her fingers gave her away.
Sidon pursed his lips. "I do believe he has it."
"Yes, but," Mipha shook her head, "he doesn't know. The Calamity struck when I finished making the armor. I gave it to him because I knew it would help in battle, but I haven't yet told Link why or what it means... I had no time to tell Father, either." She stole a glance in Sidon's direction. "I assume you already know the implications of that."
A giggle made it past her lips despite herself. "I never imagined I would talk to you about these types of things," she mused. "My little brother, a fully-fledged prince."
Sidon allowed himself a small smile as he tossed away the now-bare skewer and sat next to his sister again. "Well, Muzu refused to end our lessons until I memorized every Zora custom, so it is not as if I wouldn’t learn eventually."
He squinted his eyes. The sun had set behind the mountains, casting its last golden beams over their camp before the night settled in. He could not see it, but he could sense that somewhere, something loomed.
"Does Link wear it?" Mipha's voice sounded small.
He suddenly regretted mentioning the armor. Sidon did not mean to hesitate as long as he did; he felt Mipha get more anxious the longer he went without speaking.
He tried his best to put it delicately. "Yes, he does. It is quite useful to him when he is in the Domain. But frankly, sister, I don't believe talking about my future would be beneficial to us right now. Many things have not yet come to pass, and our success here is not guaranteed. I don't want you to worry about something that might not even happen."
She placed a reassuring hand on his wrist. Sidon smiled weakly and patted it with his own.
"Oh, Sidon. How much worse can it get?" Mipha motioned to everything around them, from the exhausted soldiers to the ruins of a once-bustling village. He tried not to think about the smell of scorched flesh that seemed to follow them everywhere.
"I- So many things could be worse. I don't think anyone here could fathom how much worse it can get... or how miserable things became where I am from." A shaky breath parted his lips. "So many souls have perished, and most of the continent was left in ruins. Communication between peoples was largely lost, and Zora elders regarded Hylians with nothing but contempt until Link changed their minds."
"I knew it would be a hard fight with many losses. But," Mipha shook her head, "that does not make any sense. We are allies, and we always have been." Her gaze found Zelda's for a moment before looking away. "Father is reasonable. I don't understand why-"
"Because you never made it home, Mipha."
Sidon clenched his eyes shut, trying to keep his voice from breaking. "You never made it home, and the elders blamed the Hylians for that." It was a misplaced grudge, he felt, considering the Hylian king himself was amongst the casualties.
"A statue was built in your honor, and I'm afraid to admit that if it weren't for it, I'd have forgotten what you look like." He allowed himself a sad, quiet laugh before looking over at his sister. “So please, I do not want to burden you with what I know since I will try my best to ensure that this war plays out differently.” Sidon exhaled, determined, “I won’t lose you again.”
“Little brother,” Mipha placed her hand on her chest, “How long have I been gone? How long have you been alone?”
A cold breeze rippled through the camp. Out of the corner of his eye, Sidon saw Link shiver. “That does not matter, I will protect you here.”
“It matters to me.” Mipha wrapped her arms around him as best as she could, holding him tightly. “Of course it matters to me. I can heal any wound, but I cannot heal your heart, so the least I can do is listen.”
Sidon hugged her back, pensive. The years tended to blur together, but Link was always quick to remind him how long he had been asleep. “A century. I have missed you for a century. But worry not, for I have not been alone.”
Mipha pulled away, her eyes brimming with tears. “I am so sorry I left you behind.”
Sidon felt a knot form in his throat as he saw her cry, but he pushed past the feeling in order to speak. “You have always been in my heart and by my side. Thanks to you and a very treasured friend, I have never lacked company.” He flashed her a smile, “Do not worry. Back home, I am the happiest I have ever been.”
Wiping at her eyes, she could not help but return the smile. “That is very good to hear, Sidon. Forgive me for prying, but may I ask who this companion is?”
“Ah, yes. He is right over there, being pulled away from another rock roast. Muzu finds him quite strange sometimes, but Father adores him.” Sidon pointed over to the campfire, where Terrako chirped angrily at Link’s feet and Zelda said something about indigestion. Link pouted but obeyed orders anyway, choosing to clean his sword by the firelight instead. He caught Sidon and Mipha staring at him, and acknowledged them with a nod.
Mipha giggled. “He has always been kind to our family. I believe I am… justified in my affection for him.”
Sidon wondered how his Link was doing, if he was eating well, if he was resting, if he went out on horseback rides when he needed a distraction from diplomatic duties. He wondered if anyone had noticed he was gone, if Link would be waiting for him when he came home. If he came home.
He took a deep breath. He was tired and thinking too much; all he needed to focus on was the battles in front of him to help take down the Calamity. Still, he stole one last glance at the knight in the distance.
“You are right, sister. It is impossible not to love him.”