A Champion's Love: Chapter 2
Chapter 2: A Royal Meeting
Word Count: 4553
CW: None
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The journey to Zora’s Domain was rather grueling. Every corner you turned there was a Lizalfos trying to spear you, part of the road was blockaded by Octorocks trying to shoot at you, and at some point on one of the higher bridges a black Moblin had come out of nowhere in an attempt to surprise attack you.
Luckily, though, Prince Sidon had been speaking to you in that instant and managed to warn you in time. In fact, Sidon had been shown up many times along the way to reassure you. The constant encouragement was doing wonders for your confidence, and you were rather starting to like his cheery and upbeat demeanor.
You checked the map on your Sheikah Slate frequently to make sure you weren’t straying from the path. At one point you were walking up one of the higher points of the path, near a dam called the East Reservoir Lake. You could see a spout shooting up in the distance- but you couldn’t tell if it was some kind of steam or mist. It looked so concentrated that it almost seemed like a stream of water shooting in an upright direction, which seemed almost physically impossible.
Pulling yourself up over the rocks to investigate, you look over and gasp at what you see. Something massive was submerged in the dam’s water. You could see part of its body, clearly something man-made, with whirring, red-glowing parts. A large spout, almost like a trunk, was rising up out of the water, shooting a furious and constant flow of water up into the sky.
‘That’s the Divine Beast Vah Ruta… that’s what’s causing all the rain. That is much bigger than what I was imagining.’
You had a realization: the scope of the situation at hand and what was truly at stake. When you continued on the path to Zora’s Domain, you found your feet going at a quicker pace than beforehand.
…
Before long you found yourself walking along the Great Zora Bridge, and looking around in awe at the region before you. The architecture was astounding- it had been built using many luminous stones, no doubt. The massive fish statue at the top intimidated you just a tad. The whole place was just so… grandiose. And somehow it fit Sidon perfectly.
At the end of the bridge you made your way up the small set of stairs, having to hold onto the railing to avoid slipping as the entire place was covered in water, causing the smooth flooring to become quite slick beneath your boots.
The sight of Sidon running over to greet you causes you to smile widely. He walks through the arched entryway which was flanked on either side by a Zora guard. “I’ve been waiting for you!” he exclaimed bombastically, striking his signature pose as you took the few extra steps to approach you. The two guards beside him both chuckled, clearly amused with the Prince’s peppy behavior.
“Welcome! Behold the pride of my people, Zora’s Domain! Now I shall introduce you to the king. Hurry, this way!” he explained, before turning and heading up a tall staircase. You could only assume the king was somewhere beneath that large fish sculpture, it seemed to be a centerpiece of the area.
Passing by the two guards who both offered you quaint hellos, you made your way through the plaza, passing by young Zora’s who were running around a statue excitedly. You paused in front of the statue before heading up the stairs though, as something about it seemed to draw you in.
It was a tall statue of a gorgeous Zora woman. She held a meticulously carved trident in her hands, and looked down at you with an expression of sweet sincerity and care. Whoever carved the statue must’ve been quite fond of the woman it portrayed. She also looked a tad like Sidon, but you weren't sure if you were imagining that. Perhaps she was an ancestor of his, his mother or grandmother, or something along those lines.
You couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something that felt familiar about her. You knew it was more than just the resemblance to Sidon. ‘Did I know her a hundred years ago? Did I know her before the calamity?’
You managed to tear your eyes away from the statue and walked up the right staircase, up to the next floor. At the top of the staircase you could see an elder Zora shocking himself repeatedly with a shock arrow. Concerned, you jogged up the steps towards him and could hear him speaking, or more so rambling, to himself.
“KYAHHH! Lady Mipha! Watch THIS! I, Seggin, the aptly named Demon Sergeant, shall strike down the Divine Beast Vah Ruta!” he ranted, standing over the shock arrow victoriously as though it were a monster to be slain.
You cleared your throat and leaned over to try and catch his attention. “Um, whatcha doin’?” you asked curiously, a bit concerned for his well being. After what Sidon had told you about the Zora and electricity, you wanted to make sure this man wasn’t going to seriously injure himself.
The elder Zora turned to you and visibly jumped, clearly quite surprised by your presence. His expression then turned to one of anger, however. “You… you’re that Hylian! Finally, I can avenge Lady Mipha!” he exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at you, “It has been a hundred years since you last showed your face here! Now I, Seggin, will cut you down myself!”
“What, uh… what do you mean?” you asked, clearly quite confused. A pair of guards who flanked the upper staircases were watching the scene unfold before them, and you quickly wanted to diffuse the situation before anything drastic happened.
“Playing dumb, eh?! Nice try, but you cannot fool me, Champion! You were unable to protect Lady Mipha from Calamity Ganon! It has been a hundred years since we lost her… poor Lady Mipha… how heartbreaking…” he went on, continuing this angry rant but growing much sadder now.
‘This Lady Mipha must’ve been a very important Zora… but he speaks as though it’s directly my fault that she passed on… that can’t be true, right?’ you wondered, crossing your arms as you watched Seggin look away from you, his expression now distraught.
Your lack of memories from a hundred years ago was starting to heavily annoy you. You wanted to remember what happened. You want to know who this Lady Mipha was so you could console this elder Zora who’s still very broken up about what happened even a century later.
You plucked up your courage and captured his attention once more. “I won’t fail her again. I won’t fail any of the Zora again,” you stated confidently, though Seggin didn’t seem at all reassured.
“Hmph! There is no way we could ask for your help now, after all this time and after all that has happened! So says I, Seggin, the Demon Sergeant! Even if this body of mine is destroyed… I will drown Ruta in shock arrows myself! And in doing so, Lady Mipha’s regrets shall be alleviated,” he concluded, looking down at you with an expression of pure distaste… and almost hatred. It was a look that unsettled you greatly.
He turned back to his shock arrow, before quickly doubling back to make a final statement. “If you understand anything of courage, then get out of my way at once!”
You nodded your head glumly and stepped up the rest of the stairs. The two guards who had been listening in quickly returned to their stoic posts. You heard Seggin resume his touching of the shock arrow, and you considered taking it so he wouldn’t hurt himself but decided against it. He probably wanted to be left alone.
Instead you turned to the massive staircase in front of you, split on either side around a statue of the Goddess Hylia. Pausing in front of the statue, you gulped nervously, feeling the weight of the situation on your shoulders once more.
‘Goddess, give me strength.’
…
On your way up the staircase, you had some questions in your mind. What was the king like? Does he look like Sidon? Is he as kind as Sidon? And after that run in with Seggin, you were just hoping that he didn’t hold a grudge against you after something that occurred a hundred years ago which you still didn’t even remember.
Arriving at the top of the stairs though, your eyes went wide at the sight. A tall Zora, at least three times Sidon’s height, sat in a throne submerged in a small pool. His scales were a stark navy blue, quite the opposite of Sidon’s, which contrasted with the bright red sash tied around him. He wore jewelry and accessories quite similar to Sidon’s, with silver braces around his neck, arms, and the tail that sprouted from the back of his head, golden ropes, and blue jewels.
He seemed to be in a conversation with Sidon and a shorter, elder Zora as you entered the throne room. The sound of your boots on the smooth cut flooring drew the attention of all three, stopping their conversation. As you walked forward to stand before the king himself, Sidon offered you a pure-hearted smile, clearly one of encouragement. The elder Zora across from him merely scowled at your presence.
Stepping up onto a small pedestal, you looked up at the king as he gazed down at you. ‘Should I bow… state my name and purpose? How do I go about this respectfully?’ you wondered, but before you had a chance to try anything the king began to speak, his voice clear and easily heard due to his sheer size.
“Ah. You must be the Hylian that Sidon brought here, correct? You did well to come all the way here! I am King Dorephan, ruler of the Zora.” he introduced himself, offering a smile as though he could sense how nervous you were. He suddenly became very intrigued and bent down a bit when his eyes caught something on your person. “Hm? That object upon your waist… is that not a Sheikah Slate?”
“Yes sir, it is,” you replied in confirmation, nodding your head. King Dorephan had a knowing look on his face, and at the same time both Sidon and the elder Zora had expressions of realization, all of which greatly confused you.
“Now that I have gotten a good look at you, it is all too clear who you are… you are the Hylian Champion!” he grinned, before pausing for a moment as though he were thinking. “... Do not tell me you have forgotten me…” He wore a similar look as the one that Impa had on her face back in Kakariko after you’d confessed you didn’t remember her.
“The Hylian Champion?” Sidon interjected, an astonished look on his face, “You can’t mean THE Champion? THAT Champion?! So that’s where I have heard your name before! What a fateful coincidence that we would cross paths!”
“I cannot believe it. The Hylian Champion has appeared before us… we have met numerous times, I'll have you know,” King Dorephan mused thoughtfully, sitting back in his throne, “Ah… so many memories! My mind is overflowing with nostalgia, my friend. I had heard a terrible rumor that you had fallen in combat, but it appears that you have managed to survive. Extraordinary!”
You shuffled your feet at the mention. It still miffed you that you were completely unaware of whatever accident occurred that wounded you terribly enough for a century long restoration. “I’ve been asleep since then, your majesty, it was the only way to save me. But… I’ve lost all my memories in the process,” you explained to them, rubbing the back of your neck with your hand in an attempt to soothe your nerves.
A look of confusion crossed over the king’s face, and he leaned down as he spoke, “Come again? You say you have lost your memory? But surely you must remember my precious daughter, Mipha, yes? You do, do you not?” he questioned, and you froze up on the spot, a sense of guilt filling you.
You cleared your throat, before slowly shaking your head no. And there again were those crestfallen expressions you were beginning to get used to at the mention of your lack of memories. “No… I’m sorry, I can’t recall her.”
“I cannot believe it… have you truly forgotten my dear Mipha as well? You and Mipha were so close… yet you do not remember her?” he asked, and the questions were only weighing down on you more and more, “Young hero… please look upon the beauty of Zora’s Domain.” he continued, moving his head in such a way that he gestured out to the plaza.
You turned, and when looking out from the throne room you were able to see the entrance of the Domain, and part of the statue of the Zora woman you had been looking at earlier. Piecing together the clues in your mind, you figured that that statue must’ve been of Lady Mipha. ‘No wonder I was so distracted by it earlier… she is someone from my past.’
“Do you see that stature? Does gazing upon Mipha’s immortalized form still not jog your memory?” King Dorephan continued on, his voice now edged with a more saddened tone. You shook your head no again as you turned to look back at him, and he sighed heavily, regarding you with a more inquisitive look, “Well, perhaps your memory will return in time. I dearly hope so.”
Sidon took a step forward to join the conversation again, your eyes meeting his as he gave you a sympathetic look before he turned to the king. “Father… I do not believe discussing my sister is helping matters at the moment. She seems confused.” he suggested, and you quietly thanked him for his help.
King Dorephan nodded and smiled at his son, “Oh? Yes, of course. But first, it is worth noting how remarkable it is that Sidon brought a champion here without realizing it! That is quite a feat, my boy!” the king chuckled, making Sidon blush a bit as he grinned at you.
‘He’s rather cute when he blushes… wait, what am I thinking, that’s completely inappropriate-’ you thought, chastising yourself for letting your mind stray in such a way.
“I doubt not that you have endured a great many trials. Still, I must ask you to hear my plea.” King Dorephan said, his voice now a more serious tone as he drew your attention back to him, “now then. Hero… I must inform you that Zora’s Domain is in danger of vanishing because of Divine Beast Vah Ruta. I shall do you the courtesy of speaking bluntly. We alone cannot stop this beast. Will you lend us your strength?” he inquired, and right before you could answer with a resounding yes, you were interrupted.
“What?!” a shrill voice cried, and you turned to see it was the elder Zora who had been standing silently all this time, “King Dorephan! My liege! Please do not speak so! To ask a Hylian for help… why, the very thought of it curls my fins!”
‘Oh… so he’s like Seggin. Lovely.’
King Dorephan shook his head at the elder Zora’s protests, “Muzu, I expected more of you. How can you still protest?”
Sidon, however, looked much more upset than his father. “Muzu! It is rude to speak that way to your king and his guest. The champion is here because I invited her! With such unprecedented rainfall, we have no choice but to rely on the aid of a trustworthy Hylian. Have we not already discussed this and arrived at that very conclusion?” he retaliated, though his voice softened as he turned to look at you, “She is the key to saving Zora’s Domain. I have no doubt in my mind.”
The king had been nodding his head as his son spoke, clearly agreeing with every point the prince laid down. “Indeed! She is a Champion, through and through. As things now stand, Zora’s Domain… Nay! Perhaps all of Hyrule is doomed to be swallowed by the sea. This is bigger than all of us, my friend. Zora and Hylians alike must put aside our differences and band together.” he declared in a level-headed tone, yet Muzu could still not see eye to eye with him.
“Have you forgotten already, my king?! We cannot trust these lowly Hylians!” he fumed, and your face screwed up at that.
‘Lowly?’
“A hundred years ago, they abused the power of an ancient civilization and turned Hyrule into what it is today! And that is not the least of it!” he continued, his fists visibly shaking in anger. He paused though, folding his hands behind his back as he turned to face the floor sadly. “It is their fault that Lady Mipha was lost to us…”
Everyone in the room remained silent for a few still moments once he was done talking. With concern on your face you turned to look back at Sidon, and while you could tell he was still upset with Muzu’s comments on Hylians, you could see the sadness in him as well. Everyone seemed to be able to sympathize with Muzu’s sadness over the loss of Mipha.
Breaking the silence, however, King Dorephan spoke again. “… Divine Beast Vah Ruta has great power. It has the unique ability to create an endless supply of water. Of late it has been mercilessly spouting water into the air. As a result, this area has been plagued by heavy rains. For us Zora, water and air are as one, so you would not think this would be quite so critical of a problem. Sadly, the rains have filled the eastern reservoir nearly to the point of flooding. If the reservoir bursts, as it soon will, I fear immense damage will befall not only Zora’s Domain, but also the area downstream for us. There, Hylian lives are in very grave danger-” he explained, but was cut off by a loud rumbling and trumpeting noise.
You turned, and it was very clear where the noise came from. To the east of the kingdom where the reservoir stood, the spout was visible high up in the distance, coming straight from the Vah Ruta.
“Hmm… the Divine Beast is crying out once again…” King Dorephan murmured as you turned back to look at him, “The Divine Beast Vah Ruta… your princess, Zelda, often studied the Divine Beasts. That is, in the time before the Great Calamity. According to her research, the orbs located on Ruta’s shoulders are mechanisms that can control the water it generates. However, they require electricity to work. These orbs are clearly out of control now because there is no electricity coursing through to stop them.”
“Seggin, who is quite shock resistant for a Zora, hit one with a shock arrow. Sure enough, it slowed the water a bit. Unfortunately, as I explained to you earlier, we Zora are terribly vulnerable to the power of electricity. Perhaps because we could not safely strike it with enough electricity at once, the water soon returned to its full force.” Sidon interjected, offering you a smile as he spoke, “that is why I went in search of a Hylian who could help us! I am certain you have already figured this out, but we need you to use shock arrows to get those orbs working properly again! I will aid you in any way I can, of course. Please, hero… I beg of you. Help me stop Ruta’s rampage of destruction!”
All three of them were looking at you now, expectant looks on their faces. You stepped back, feeling awkward where you stood with all the sudden attention. “I, um…” you mumbled nervously, unsure of how to properly answer. It was such a daunting task. You weren’t sure if you were prepared for it yet. You wanted to help, you truly did, but it almost seemed like too much.
Screwing up your courage though, you explained what Zelda had managed to tell you days previously through her spirit; how boarding the Divine Beasts would help in reclaiming them from Ganon.
“What?!” King Dorephan asked, clearly quite curious, “Princess Zelda herself instructed you to board the Divine Beast and appease it from within? So then… Princess Zelda is still alive?”
You nodded your head, “Yes, in Hyrule Castle. I believe she’s been alive this whole time keeping Calamity Ganon contained,” you explained to them, watching a look of astonishment settle on the king’s face.
“I do not believe it… she was alive this whole time, just as you were! The events of a hundred years ago cannot be altered, it is true. But if we can regain control of the Divine Beasts… they may yet prove useful in sealing Calamity Ganon once and for all!” he realized, nodding his head, clearly approving of the plan.
Sidon turned to you, with a look of curious consideration, “I did not know you had such grand ambitions…” he murmured, before breaking out into a confident grin, “Wondrous! Naturally, I shall help too! Once it has stopped rampaging, you can easily climb inside it. Come, champion! Let us appease Ruta together!”
His sheer excited and confident nature was beginning to rub off on you, and it seemed to ease you into the task at hand. “I’m in. Let’s do this!” you agreed, giving him a smile just as bright as the ones he gave you. He seemed to appreciate the gesture.
King Dorephan had been watching the two of you, clearly quite pleased you seemed to be getting along well already. “Thank you, hero. Truly. We are in your debt. Our goal is the same. That means our meeting was nothing short of destiny. Now then, allow me to offer you this gift as a show of faith.”
A pale blue Zora, presumably a servant of the royal family, walked over holding a chest when King Dorephan beckoned him. You reached out and popped open the lock on the silver chest, and gasped at what was inside. Pulling it out, you marveled at the armor you had just been handed. It was a gorgeous, deep blue with silver encrusted designs melded into it. The sleeves and back had scale decals, and the gloves and neckline had intricate blue crystals and even luminous stones embedded into it, and judging by how it felt in your hands, it seemed as though it would fit you perfectly once put on.
“T-thank you, your majesty,” you quickly said once looking the armor over, caught off guard by such a special gift but by no means complaining.
“So long as you wear this, you can ascend waterfalls just like a Zora,” the king explained, “please, take good care of it.”
Once again though, Muzu interrupted. “King Dorephan!! Surely you do not really intend to give this outsider the Zora armor! Countless generations of Zora princesses have gifted that armor to the one they have sworn to marry!” he complained, and this revelation staggered you.
‘... What? A gifted declaration of marriage? I can’t- I can’t accept this now... can I?’
“Princess Mipha made that one there with her own hands! It is far too important to entrust to a shady Hylian! She may be a Champion, but Mipha had no such relationship with her. So why should SHE receive such an honor? This is just too much, my liege! I do not understand it one bit!” he exclaimed, before storming off out of the throne room and descending one of the staircases.
The three of you watch him leave before King Dorephan decides to speak, “hmph. That Muzu is not easily swayed once his mind is set. You must understand… he was in charge of educating my dear daughter, Mipha. Naturally, she means a lot to him… just as she means the world to us. Ever since we lost her to the Calamity, he has grown to despise Hylians. I hope you can forgive his rudeness… but what shall we do now? I tasked Muzu with finding the shock arrows we will need to appease Vah Ruta. But now he has rushed off in a huff…”
“Do not let his words concern you, I will work this out with Muzu. I shall return shortly!” Sidon declared, and you turned to watch him run out of the throne room to follow Muzu.
“Sidon… I suppose that means you are going to tell him…” King Dorephan sighed behind you, before raising his voice to speak directly to you, “Champion, Muzu is most likely at the square down below. Would you mind going down there? I would like you to try and speak to him.”
You nod your head before stepping out of the throne room, looking down at the armor you held in your hands. Curious, you pulled it on, slipping it over your head and fitting the arm bands and gloves correctly. Miraculously, it fits you perfectly.
‘It’s almost like Mipha made this… for me?’
Getting back down to the plaza below, you could see Sidon and Muzu standing before the statue of Mipha, stuck in a tense argument. Stepping up to the two of them, you cleared your throat to catch their attention. Sidon quickly stopped what he was saying to look down at you, and it seemed as though the sight of you in the Zora armor had shocked him.
Muzu however was not nearly as impressed. “Hmph. You came all the way here, but it was in vain. I have no desire to speak with you.” he grumbled, not even bothering to look your way as he spoke.
“Listen well, Muzu. There is something you need to know.” Sidon slowly said, in a more serious tone than he normally used, “She who stands here… is the one whom my sister, Mipha, had feelings for. I was only a child then, so I did not know it myself at the time. But it is so. I grew up hearing my father tell stories, some of which were about my sister’s undying love for a Hylian.”
You were staring up at Sidon with wide eyes as he explained. ‘A princess? His sister, in love with me?’
“What?! No,” Muzu protested, and you almost agreed with him this time, “you cannot fool me with such a fanciful lie. Not this Zora! How could Lady Mipha possibly have feelings for a Hylian like her?! The facts are clear. She remembers nothing. Even when she looks upon Princess Mipha’s statue.”
“It is the truth, Muzu,” Sidon argued, “Though you never knew it, she was ever in Mipha’s heart.”
You gazed up at the statue of Mipha as Sidon spoke, his words growing somewhat distant as you focused less and less on the conversation. This time when you looked at the statue, something clicked in your mind, as if pieces of a puzzle were finally fitting together. Suddenly Mipha’s face looked more familiar than before.
A spark lit in your thoughts, and you were pulled from the moment at hand when a memory came to the forefront of your mind…
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