Chapter Text
They were taught to fear hylians.
There was a very long history of hylians finding, capturing and killing their people for a variety of reasons - fear, fun, proof that their kind existed. The list went on. They all thought the same way, only caring about themselves and impressing those around them with trophies made from the corpses of so-called “creatures” that had families and loved ones.
But as Sidon eyed the ship wreckage, he couldn't help but wonder how these so-called terrible beings could make such captivating contraptions. The ship he was looking at must have been a sight to behold before it sunk, surrendering to the algae and plankton that slowly ate away at its wood. The ornate carvings and patterns still remained beautiful, at least in Sidon's eyes. Even if they were partially rotted. It was massive, it could probably fit the entire Domain if his Father felt so inclined.
There had to be some kind of hylian treasure in there. Something he could add to his-
“Hello? Earth to Your Majesty?”
Sidon was snapped out of his thoughts by a black and white hand waving in front of his face. He turned to see Bazz hovering next to him, spear in hand.
“Ah! My apologies, Bazz, I allowed my mind to wander. What were you saying?” Sidon said, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible.
Bazz chuckled. “You daydream too much. I was saying we should probably start heading back soon. It's almost noon and you know how your Father gets whenever you're late.”
Sidon sighed. “Don't you mean how Muzu gets? And thus how his mood influences my Father's?”
He shook his head. “I swear, he'd be far less uptight if he didn't listen to that old sea sponge so much.”
“Well, you know how he is.” Bazz replied. He began swimming in the direction of the castle, the sunlight from above reflecting on the black scales of his tail. “Now come on, the ‘sea sponge,’ as you so kindly called him, isn't exactly a patient zora.”
Sidon rolled his eyes, but began swimming after him regardless. He snuck one last glance at the shipwreck before they were too far away from it, admiring its beauty for a moment before facing forward once more. As he swam, his large red tail swishing through the current, his mind wandered again. He knew full well why his people hated hylians so much - in fact, he was painfully reminded of it daily - but he just couldn't find it in his heart to hate them. At least not all of them. There were a few not-so-nice people that resided in the Domain, but that didn't mean that every single zora was bad. The same had to apply to hylians, right?
He internally sighed. Even if it was true, there was no way he could get his Father to hear him out. Not after what happened with Mipha.
The Domain slowly grew within sight distance and Sidon prepared himself. You can think about this some other time. Now, it's time to be a prince. A future ruler.
“What do you think this is all about? The patrols, I mean.” Bazz asked, once again snapping Sidon from his thoughts. He hummed.
“It probably has something to do with the sudden resurgence of lizalfos reports recently. Hence why they asked us to keep an eye out for them specifically.”
“Yeah, but we didn't see any. Wonder if Gad and Riv saw anything on theirs?”
They approached the Domain's entrance, a beautiful blue arch made from luminous stone and marble. Intricate designs of seashells and waves decorated the top of the arch, making it feel like the entrance to a paradise rather than a kingdom.
As they swam through it, Sidon turned to Bazz. “Well, we're about to find out. I hope their patrol was as safe as ours.”
Bazz nodded. They swam past the other zora that were waving and asking about how their expedition went (Sidon politely waved and responded, Bazz smiled but let Sidon do most of the talking) and headed straight to the heart of the Domain, where the royal family's throne room and private quarters were located. The castle itself was carved from a dazzling blue marble and shaped like a giant fish, its tail looming over the rest of the Domain like a mountain. The mouth of the fish served as a sort of doorway to the throne room, where Sidon could already see his Father and Muzu waiting for them. Gaddison and Rivan had yet to arrive, which put Sidon's mind at ease a little. That meant he wouldn't get chewed out for not “being a good example of a future king.” (Muzu's words, not his)
They entered the throne room and Sidon’s Father, King Dorephan, smiled warmly at the two of them. The King of the Ocean was also a sight to behold, his navy blue tail was so long and large that it spilled way over the throne. His fins, a beautiful pale sky blue, matched Sidon's almost perfectly had it not been for the yellow on the edge of Sidon's own fins. The King wore his usual royal blue sash and silver jewels around his wrists, similar to the ones Sidon was currently wearing. Even if you somehow didn't know who Sidon or Dorephan were, you'd know just from looking at the two zora that they were related. The throne he was sitting on was made from silver and had sapphires intricately worked into the design, only adding to the glamor and regality of the room. The matching silver crown on the King's head solidified this, making Dorephan himself present an empowering energy.
“Welcome back, son! Bazz!” Dorephan said, nodding to the two of them. “We're just awaiting the arrival of Rivan and Gaddison, then you may get started on your report.”
Bazz bowed deeply while Sidon simply nodded once.
“How was it? Not too troubling, I hope?” Dorephan asked.
“Not at all, Father. It was actually quite lovely.” Sidon said. “It was nice to be able to leave the Domain for a while, even if it was only for a short time.”
Dorephan smiled again. “Good. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, my son.”
“Hmph! Enjoying himself…” Muzu's grating voice interjected. Sidon turned to look at the old zora, who was positioned on the left side of his Father's throne like always. His faded green tail flicked angrily as he folded his arms. He looked at Sidon with a glare that could probably turn one to stone if he had the power to do so.
“Our future king shouldn't be wasting his time frolicking through the reefs like a child. We sent you out for one reason and one reason only, and that was to search for potential threats from lizalfos! Not to waste time daydreaming!”
“Now, now, Muzu.” Dorephan said. “While he may be king one day, Sidon is still just a boy. He's allowed to have fun every once in a while, you know.”
Muzu huffed. “Yes, but not while-!”
“Your Majesty?” A feminine voice interrupted.
Sidon turned to see Gaddison and Rivan hovering in the throne room entrance. He was thankful for their arrival, not just because they were his friends and it showed that they were safe, but because it meant he wouldn't have to keep listening to Muzu's ranting.
“Ah, there you are! We were waiting for you!” Dorephan said warmly. “Come on in, you two!”
The two zora entered, Gaddison taking her place next to Bazz and Rivan swimming to be next to Sidon. Muzu shot one final glare at Sidon before turning his attention to the King, who had cleared his throat.
“As you all know, there's been a sudden resurgence in lizalfos sightings recently.” Dorephan began. “While they have not attacked our people yet, it's entirely possible that they're planning one as it wouldn't be the first time they've done so. I sent each of you in pairs to a different area of the sea, areas that the royal guard have speculated to be the lizalfos’ hideout. Who would like to give their report first?”
Rivan was the first to swim forward. “Gaddison and I searched the West, just as you asked, but we found nothing. Nothing but a few territorial octorocks.”
“We got away before they could harm us.” Gaddison added. “And we didn't see them until the end of our patrol, so it's not like they affected our progress or anything.”
Dorephan nodded. “Well, I'm glad you escaped safely. Sometimes running is the wiser choice as apposed to fighting in some circumstances.”
He then turned to Sidon. “And how about you and Bazz? Did your patrol of the East turn up anything?”
There was silence for a few moments before Sidon swam forward. “Bazz and I saw nothing suspicious on our patrol of the East, Father. No sign of lizalfos anywhere.”
“Nothing at all?” Dorephan asked.
Sidon shook his head. “No. All we really saw was a big shipwreck that-!”
He cringed as soon as the words left his mouth. He cursed himself for getting overly excited and letting himself ramble. He heard Bazz sigh and Rivan sharply inhale. Sidon hesitantly looked up at his Father, whose face was already morphing into a menacing scowl. His sharp teeth were now visible for all to see, sending shivers down even Sidon's spine. He leaned forward, closer to Sidon.
“And I trust you stayed away from this… ship, correct?” He asked, hostility lacing his words. Muzu crossed his arms with a ‘hmph!’ and glared at him once again.
Sidon sighed. “Of course, Father. I know better than to approach such things.”
Dorephan exhaled slowly. “Good. Your safety is of utmost importance to me, not just as a king but as a parent. I hate even the thought of you putting yourself in danger, my son.”
Sidon swore Muzu looked disappointed that Father hadn't yelled at him. He also thought he saw Gaddison rolling her eyes in his peripheral vision.
Dorephan leaned back in his throne, his expression returning to one that was more neutral. He went back to addressing everyone in the room. “We will investigate the North and South sides of the sea tomorrow. You are all dismissed.”
Bazz, Gaddison, and Rivan all started to swim away. Sidon went to follow them, but was cut off by his Father calling his name.
“Sidon? I'd like you to stay just a little longer. I have to talk to you about something.”
The other three zora looked back at Sidon, concerned and curious. Sidon made a waving motion with his hand.
“Go on. I'll talk to you later.” He told them. They looked at each other for a brief moment before exiting the throne room, probably going to their respective homes if he had to guess.
Dorephan then turned to Muzu, who was still hovering in place next to the throne. “This is a family matter, Muzu.”
Muzu looked appalled that the King had indirectly asked him to go away, but he said nothing as he turned tail and swam into the upper part of the castle, leaving only Sidon and Dorephan in the throne room. Sidon swallowed nervously, knowing he was about to get lectured for sure.
“Son.” Dorephan began sternly. “What have I told you about the shipwrecks?”
Sidon sighed again. “Not to acknowledge them.”
“And what did you do?”
“But it was massive, Father!” Sidon protested. “It was impossible to ignore, I mean- it was directly in our path, we probably would have swam through it had we not run out of time! Besides, it wasn't even remotely close to the surface and-!”
“Enough!” Dorephan shouted. Sidon reeled back, instantly shutting his mouth. Dorephan ran his palm down his face, visibly frustrated.
“I don't mean to raise my voice, son. But we've talked about this time and time again - you are not to go near any hylian-made devices, especially the shipwrecks! And Gods forbid you go anywhere even near the surface, where one of them could see you-!”
“But nothing happened-!”
“But something could happen! That's precisely the reason why you're told to stay away from them at all costs!”
Dorephan paused, sighing heavily. “Listen, I just don't want anything to happen to you. You're not just the future heir to the zora throne, but you're also my son, my pride and joy. If anything were to happen to you, I don't think I'd forgive myself.”
He leaned forward and gestured for Sidon to come closer. Sidon obliged, and Dorephan placed his hand on top of Sidon's head fin.
“I know it may seem like I'm being too overprotective at times, but… we already lost Mipha to those land-dwelling heathens. I cannot lose you, too. Especially not to those monsters, or anything made by those monsters.”
He moved his hand down Sidon's face and cupped his cheek gently. “Do you understand, Sidon?”
Sidon exhaled deeply, regret seeping into his mind. “Yes, Father. I'm sorry.”
Dorephan smiled. “Good. You're still allowed to go on patrol tomorrow, but for the rest of the day I want you to remain here, in the Domain.”
Sidon was about to argue, but Dorephan followed with;
“It's so I know for certain that you are safe from harm. Understood?”
Whatever argument Sidon was about to conjure up died on his tongue in an instant. Instead, he simply nodded. “Yes, Father.”
Dorephan grinned warmly. “I love you, son. Don't forget it.”
He released Sidon's face and patted him on the head, causing Sidon to giggle. Dorephan let out a laugh at this, happy to see him smiling.
“You may leave if you'd like. I'm not forcing you to stay in here, you know.”
Sidon smiled and bowed a little. “Thank you, Father. I love you too.”
With that, Sidon swam behind the throne and into the lower hall leading to his bedchambers. Swimming there felt like it took forever, but once he finally got past the seaweed curtain that covered the entrance, he let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He swam over to the marble cliff that jutted out of the wall, acting as a dresser of sorts, and began removing his regalia. The silver cuffs, blue sash, chest and shoulder armor, and silver necklace with the whistle attached were all set in their proper place.
Well, that could've gone worse, I suppose. He thought. At least Muzu wasn't there to make things worse.
He then made his way to his closet, a hollow hole in the marble wall that held all of his more “sophisticated” clothing items for special occasions. He swam all the way to the back and moved the massive piece of luminous stone that was in the corner to the side, revealing a small passageway. This passageway led to a secret room that Sidon and Sidon alone knew about, and he was planning to keep it that way.
Sidon had discovered this place when he was very young, shortly after Mipha's death. He used it for two things; As a place to go whenever he needed space or privacy, and to hide a huge secret that no one, not even Sidon's closest friends knew about.
With only the luminous stone covering the entrance to light the way, the passageway was very dim. But it was alright because the room it led to was only a few yards ahead. He hastily swam into the entrance, moving the stone back over the entrance before turning and continuing forward. He couldn't help but smile as he swam closer to the secret room - just being here was enough to make him forget about the conversation he and his Father just had.
He entered the room and instantly grinned widely. It was small in terms of floor space, but it was very, very high - the “ceiling” reached way above his head by about 30 feet. Luminous stone had somehow been worked into the marble walls and shelves themselves, basking the room in a beautiful blue glow that only got brighter at night. There was a single hole directly above the ground that allowed sunlight to shine down occasionally. It wasn't big enough for Sidon to fit through anymore, but it added to atmosphere in his opinion. The Domain's castle was very old, much older than his great grandfather, who had lived to be 113 and died when Sidon was just a baby, so this room must have been all but forgotten as the years went by. If Sidon had to guess, he assumed that this must have been a library of some sort. The shelves did seem perfect for holding large quantities of books.
The shelves no longer carried books, however - they instead were filled with dozens, maybe even hundreds of hylian items that Sidon had been gathering and bringing here for years.
Yes, his “collection,” as he called it - this was his proudest accomplishment as well as his biggest secret. He'd find most of these items burrowed in the sand or tangled up in seaweed, most likely the result of another shipwreck, and he'd bring them all here to preserve and study them. Ponder over what they were called and used for. If he was lucky, at night he'd be able to sneak out without getting caught and go to old shipwrecks to gather more. The things he found in ships were often much more interesting and seemingly valuable than the ones he found drifting among the waves. He'd found bizarre jewelry, portraits, unnamable devices, weapons, toys, clothing - the list went on and on. Of course, he had no way of confirming that all of these things were what he thought they were, but that was part of the fun. If he was just allowed to go up to the surface and see for himself, even if it was only for a moment, he'd be the happiest zora in the entire Domain. He'd be able to add proper names and purposes to some of the items in his collection.
He knew that his Father would be furious if he knew about this, but he didn't care. This was the first thing he had done on his own, without the supervision of a guard or his Father or anybody. Whether his Father liked it or not, it was something Sidon had put together all by himself and he was proud of that.
Dorephan, like most zora, hated hylians, especially after what happened to Mipha. But not Sidon. They were just so fascinating to him! Their bodies, their hair, their legs - he'd spent quite a bit of time imagining what having legs would be like. Being able to run, to dance, to kick - it seemed so exciting to him! Plus, they made so many cool gadgets and trinkets - like the super tiny trident that Sidon found in the sand once that was barely the size of his hand. It was far too small to be any sort of weapon, so Sidon hypothesized that it was for taking care of their hair - something else that he'd imagined having before. There wasn't exactly much he could do with the long protruding head tail that came down to below his shoulders, unfortunately. He could add accessories occasionally, but that was it - he couldn't curl it or cut it like hylians could with their hair.
He envisioned himself with long, bright red hair, just like his scales. He wasn't sure what color his legs or the rest of him would be, though, as hylians didn't have brightly colored scales like zora. They had this stuff called “flesh” that came in a variety of light and dark hues, from dark brown to nearly sand white. He imagined it was soft to the touch, similar to the white scales that covered his chest, stomach, face, and inner arms and head tail.
That was another thing that baffled him - if their skin was so squishy, why did they charge into fights with other creatures so often? And how did they succeed? He'd heard many tales of hylians hunting not just zora, but all creatures of both the sea and the land. He could see them doing it once or twice as a result of a dare or if their people were hungry, after all he'd gone after fish and crabs for those exact reasons, but to do it all the time? It was beyond confusing.
He sat on the floor of the room - there was no furniture in here, at least not any zora funiture, and Sidon liked it that way. In a weird way, it made him feel normal. Like he wasn't a prince, but just another zora that could sit on the ground and not be fussed over for doing so. He curled his tail around himself, watching as the sunlight shone down on his crimson scales and blue and yellow fins and made them glimmer. He looked around at everything sitting atop the shelves and thought back to the conversation he and his Father had earlier. He knew his Father loved him and he was more than grateful for that - Sidon loved him, too. He also knew that he and Muzu were just doing what they thought was best for him, but Sidon couldn't help but feel frustrated with both of them. He was 18 years old, on the cusp of turning 19, he wasn't a child anymore! He didn't need to be scolded like one! Plus, Sidon never was one for bragging, but he was taller and much more muscular and built than any of the zora in the Royal Guard. He'd been trained for battle and knew how to handle spears and tridents, he was perfectly capable of handling himself, so why couldn't his Father just see that?
He sighed. If only Mipha were still around, she'd be able to tell him. She'd be able to demonstrate that Sidon was just as good as she was, that he didn't have to follow her exact footsteps in order to be successful.
He gazed at his collection and his golden eyes landed on a painting - at least, he'd assumed it was a painting when he found it. It wasn't done on flat stone or shell like theirs down here, but instead it was made of a strange, lightweight material that was stretched over a wooden frame. It depicted an image of a ship, a massive one that was cruising atop the ocean. It had big, white sheets that were supposedly called “sails” that helped move the boat on its own, at least according to his research. There were also tons and tons of ropes on it, many of which were attached to the sails, but Sidon couldn't figure out what a ship needed so many ropes for. Maybe to assist with repairing the sails if they were damaged?
There were people on this boat, they were too tiny to make out their facial expressions but Sidon liked to imagine that they were happy. He wondered what the people on the sunken ship he'd seen earlier were feeling before it crashed. What they were doing out on the ocean.
What had happened for their boat to sink all the way to the bottom.
Sidon shook his head. There was no way for him to find out. With his Father's watchful eye, there was no way he'd be able to sneak away and travel all the way back to the ship to look for answers or items. Plus, while he enjoyed exploring the ocean at night, it was too risky right now. Too dangerous, especially with lizalfos being extremely active in the dark. His Father would never let him leave without a guard.
Unless…
Sidon suddenly grinned. Bazz, Rivan, and Gaddison were all very dear friends of his. They agreed with Sidon's thoughts that not all hylians were inherently evil. If he got at least one of them to accompany him, they could just tell Father that they were headed elsewhere and not mention the ship! Plus, even if Father did find out, he most likely wouldn't until after Sidon was back safe and sound. He'd be showing Father that hylian-made devices and artifacts weren't so dangerous after all. Then maybe one day he'd be able to change his mind about them. Get him to open up a bit more, then, in the distant future, show him his collection!
Then Sidon would be seen as an independent zora for sure!
He giggled fondly to himself. He'd managed to come up with a near-perfect plan to prove himself.
All he had to do was execute it.