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Hundreds of scents waft through my nose as I sort my herbs on my table. There’s scents from sweet, to sour, to outright disgusting, but all together the herbs provide a pleasant scent, completely filling the medical room.
It always smells like this in here, fragrant scents overwhelming my nose. During days I’m too tired to heal with my power I always keep some herbs handy, just in case. Luckily the children always are delighted to fetch the plants for me around the domain, so I don’t have to do that part, but I’m the only one in the domain who knows what each of the plants do, so it’s up to me to sort them.
Raindrops begin to thud on the roof as I work in silence, mind drifting away as I listen to the steady beat of the water. What is Sidon doing right now? Last I saw he was with the other children. Hopefully they stay out of trouble. Maybe I’ll take him on a picnic tomorrow, to spend some time with him. He’s been good lately, growing more mature as he gets older.
Finishing sorting the last of the herbs, I stand up and stretch my sore muscles out. It’s dark outside although it’s only midday, angry clouds covering the sky. Looks like a storm is brewing. Hopefully there isn’t any lightning, or I will have a busy night ahead of me.
Hesitating, I consider taking a break. But… I should begin to prepare electric remedies, just in case the storm does have some lightning. No time to rest, I always need to be prepared. I will never let a Zora die due to my laziness.
I will never make that mistake again.
Before I could move, thunder boomed across the domain. The warning bell rung, a loud, booming clang that shook the buildings all around. I heard thundering footsteps as people ran to our safe space, which we planned out during lightning storms such as this.
Guess it was going to be a long night after all.
Two quick bangs were knocked at my door as I scurried to gather electric safflina and hearty truffles. The electric safflina was to eliminate any electricity left in a Zora’s body, and the hearty truffles were for me when I got too tired to keep on using my power.
“Come in” I call out, quickly getting out my masher used to crush the plants into fine grains.
A sudden gust of wind flows through the room as the door whipped open, wind growing in ferocity outside. Some plants on my desk flew away, but I quickly grabbed them before it could make a mess, putting a weight on top to make sure it didn’t happen again. Gaddison and Bazz came running through the open doorway, carrying an unconscious Hylian between them.
“This hylian was trying to run to the domain for shelter right as the storm hit, but was struck before he could make it. We carried him here, and removed all his metal weapons, which we have here.” Bazz reports as he and Gaddison lower the boy onto the service bed, and put his sword next to him.
I could see a bright red wound slashed down his neck, angry and enflamed. The hood he had on soaked up most of the blood, but I couldn’t see any other wounds he had because the hood was obstructing his face. Luckily hylians were not as vulnerable to lightning as us Zora are, but the deep scratch will still scar.
“Thank you for bringing him, now go to the other Zora and send anyone who needs any help.” I respond, hands already moving to make an ointment to relive the pain when he wakes.
“Good luck!” Gaddison calls as they hurry out the door, trying not to get any of the pouring rain inside.
After grinding various herbs into a fine paste, I carefully sit beside him, moving the sword away. There’s something about the hilt that catches my eye as I touch it, the peculiar design of the wings on each side, and the triangle pattern at the base.
It’s the sword of legend I realize, the sword that is told about in all of my childhood stories. It perfectly matches the description that all the books describe it as.
I turn to the person laying beside me. If this person carries the master sword, then he must be…
I carefully push pack his hood.
It’s Link.
I freeze for a second in shock, but then quickly make my hands move again. I haven’t seen him… well it’s been a very long time. He’s grown so big, almost doubling in size since the last time I’ve seen him. His face is so… mature now, features more defined, slight stubble growing on his cheeks. He lost his childhood cuteness, and gained features that make him very… handsome.
That’s a thought for later though. Right now, he’s injured. I grab the paste I was grinding up and gently apply it to the wound. Searching around his head, I don’t see any other wounds, but there still could be ones hiding underneath his shirt. I’ll have to wait until he wakes up to look at his bare torso to see those.
He begins to stir, eyes fluttering open. He grunts in pain as his eyes focus on my face, fully coming into consciousness. “Mipha?” he whispers in a hoarse voice.
“Hello Link” I whisper back as I begin to rub the cream into his neck again. It needs to stiffen up a little before I could let it rest on his neck, where it will remain until it heals. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
He softly laughs, which turn into sharp coughs. “Yeah.” he sighs, closing his eyes again.
“Where does it hurt?” I ask, finishing massaging the cream into his neck. He flinched as I touched a tender spot. That’s enough rubbing for now there.
“My back and neck are stinging a lot, and my head is pounding. I can’t remember too much, I remember running here as fast as I can… then a loud bang… then I woke up here.” he grunts.
“I’m sorry” I sigh. “Drink this, it will help with the electricity.” I hand him a small bowl of crushed electric safflina. He tentatively takes it and pours it into his mouth, grimacing at the foul taste.
“I’m going to need you to turn around to see the injuries on your back.”
Letting out a loose breath, he nodded.
Pushing his arms out, he slowly tries to lift himself up and turn over, but promptly fell on his back again as his arms spasmed out from beneath him. He hissed in pain.
“Do you need help?” I offered. He nodded his head in defeat. Putting the bowl down, I help him turn himself over, grunting as his fresh wounds protested.
I took in a sharp breath as I looked at his back. His shirt was half melted, able to see through it to see his muscular back. However, his tanned skin was marred with scars, some looking red and enflamed, and others looking years old. At least years worth of lashings. “What… happened?”
Flinching, he gruffly told me“Being the princess’s soldier takes a lot of discipline”. His muscles tensed up, not only the electricity that was running through his veins. Sore subject then.
I rest my hands on his back and begin using my power to close up the wounds. My power could still feel some lightning in his blood, so it wasn’t working at full strength, but it will have to do. I can try to see if I could get rid of the scarring, but so close to the incident it will be hard to do something that big with my current strength.
I quickly change the subject away from his old scars. “We’ve missed you here at the domain, especially the kids. Well, they aren’t kids anymore, but to us older Zora they still are. They always ask if you would ever come to visit. Guess after you recover you can see them again.” As I talk, I see his shoulders loosening, becoming relaxed again. Good.
He nods, but doesn’t say a word, slowly relaxing under my massaging arms. “Why did you come this way anyway?”
“I… came as a messager.” he forces out, pain coming back as I use my power to heal more sensitive areas.
“For whom?” I curiously ask.
“Zelda. She’s about 3 traveling days behind me. She sent me ahead so the Zora could prepare for her arrival.”
“What’s she visiting for? The princess hasn’t come here for a long time. Only the king has made appearances here and there, but never with his daughter.”
“She… Her majesty wanted to request if you would like to be the Champion of the Zora and pilot Vah Ruta.”
My hands stilled as I considered his words. Me… the Zora champion? I would never have though. But… I would rather it be me then anyone else in the domain. Better to protect my family then seeing them do the work for me. I don’t think I could live with myself if someone else died in the place that I was meant to fill.
“Yes. Of course I will.” I confidently reply.
He nods his head again, acknowledging my acceptance. “Zelda will be pleased.”
We rest in a comfortable silence as I use my power to heal him, listening to the patter of the rain and the occasional thunder as I consider what this request means for my future. I will need to train more, get into better shape to protect my family, and this kingdom. Maybe Link would be willing to spar with me, to spend some time together after all these years apart.
That would be nice.
He’s quieter now, I notice. By now, he usually would break the silence with a random thought, something silly to make me laugh. Yet he remains silent in his pain, not uttering a sound. What has happened in these years away, scarred not only his back, but his soul through his skin?
He may not only need my help to heal this unfortunate lightning strike, but need help to heal his soul.
As the rain pour on the roof begins to slow and stop, I finished healing his final wound. Looking at my work, I’m pleased with what I’ve done, yet I wish there was more I could do to help him. Not today.
“You’re all done.” I smile as I get up and reach for my pre-prepared meal, a fish garnished with hearty truffles to restore my energy. Through the window I see the clouds outside have turned back to a fluffy white, sun casting rays through the room.
“Thank you Mipha.” He quietly said as he got up from the couch, stretching out his back. “It feels much better.”
“Anytime Link.” Lightly touching his sunlit face with a small hand, I look deep into his eyes. “No matter what, I’ll always heal you. Please let me know if you ever are hurting, physically or mentally. I will be happy to help.”
Pausing, he cocks his head to the side. After some consideration, he turns away, averting his eyes. “I’m going to say hello to everyone else now the storm is over. Enjoy your fish.”
I watch him as he walks away and opens the door. Looking back at me in the doorway, I see sadness in his eyes, tucked away from the light of the world. Taking a deep breath, he walks out and softly closes the door, clicking shut.
Sadness pricks at my heart at his rejection of my help. He used to be so open to me, yet now he’s closed shut to the world, not letting anyone see in.
What hidden wounds is Link hiding away?
Taking my first bite of my meal, I make it my goal to help him heal while he’s here.
That’s what family is for anyway.