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mako-bones · 3 years

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Year Walk (A Zelpha Story)

I have this posted on AO3, but I'd like to post it here as well! This is the second chapter, and it's under a cut since it is kinda long.

Chapter One: The Walk Begins

Chapter Two: Since We Were Kids

Word Count: 2342

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Oh, Jabu-Jabu, this may be the worst day of my life.

Mipha's face was flush with bright blue as the floor slowly receded, flooding out in murmurs and gossip per the request of King Dorephan.

"It IS about lunchtime...Let the Council take a recess and we will return tonight. Mipha? A word. In private, please."

Yes, this was quickly transpiring into the worst day of her life.

The two took a left, into a spacious room decorated in the abundance of silver and aqua blues. Narrow columns served as the only vague doors, but no one was around to think of eavesdropping on the King and Princess.

Dorephan stopped and faced his daughter.

Anxiously, Mipha wrung her hands together, debating between meeting her father's concerned eyes or easily focusing on the wall elsewhere. Although it was hard to ignore his deep, rumbling voice as he hummed.

"You look tired, Mipha-"

"Father, what day is it?" Mipha blurted out again. "What time is it? I-I can't seem to remember what happened yesterday, or the day before that. And I apologize in advance , but I don't know what's going on-"

"Mipha." Dorephan knelt down, resting a hand on her shoulder and squeezing gently. He lifted another hand to his chest. "Take a deep breath. In...And out..."

While her eyes closed, and she slowly inhaled a shaky breath, she missed the way Dorephan's gaze turned to great worry, but disappeared when she opened her eyes again.

"Could you tell me how you're feeling? You've never been one for bad mornings...And yet, I've never seen you so scared before."

Mipha ran her hands down her face, dropping them into her lap. Slowly, she recounted the events of her nightmare. Leaving out the grisly, goreish battle, and the deja vu paradox she seemed to have found herself in.

It was her and Ruta, against a fearsome enemy. Alone and afraid.

Dorephan scratched at his chin, staring intently at the floor as he listened. Eventually he sighed. "I knew this was a mistake."

"Father?"

"Mipha...You looked so happy when the Hylians and Zorans unearthed the Divine Beast. It was quite endearing, seeing how excited you were when you’re usually so serene. But...Is this truly what you want?”

“Not because it's expected of you, or thrown upon you.” He continued. “But deep down, I encourage you to consider what this truly means. Do you understand?"

Deep down, she did. And she also did not.

She had to be the pilot. Her family, her home, her entire world counted on her. No one would know what it meant to be killed by the monster inside the belly of the beast, and in a strange sense, it was hers to conquer. Again and again all alone, so be it. So long as no one else had to.

And she nodded. "Yes, I understand." She took another breath in and out. “If it’s alright, Father…”

“Go ahead.” Dorephan finished, nodding. “Be mindful of the time, however.”

Mipha’s grateful smile was wobbly and drained, but she dove forward to hug Dorephan tightly before finally taking off through the halls again.

This time, she went the back way, avoiding the flood of curiously wandering Hylians and Zora.

In the East Reservoir Lake, Vah Ruta sat in the same spot she did a year ago. Or was it yesterday? It was the same spot that Mipha had remembered.

Perched between sand and water, her trunk was lifted high into the air, her head tilted to peer at the sky. She did not move, not even as Mipha swam closer.

“Although this may seem like the first time, weren’t you there when the world ended? Was that really you, or was it your ghost and mine?”

No move.

Mipha raised herself from the water, turning and sitting on the shore. The elephant towered over her even more so, its silhouette casting a gigantic shadow over the Zora. Mipha kicked her feet in the water as she continued to ramble.

"Nightmare or not, something was real. Something happened, that much I believe. Though I'm not quite sure how...Or why...At least I have another chance. We have another chance. All the things we never got to say or-"

"Is that you, Princess? Ah, I would know that voice anywhere."

Grass and leaves crunched beneath high heeled shoes, brushed away by a long azure dress. Mipha jumped, eyes trailing up Zelda's dress until she met her dark brown eyes.

There was a look that Mipha couldn't recognize, paired with her smile that didn't quite reach.

"Are you feeling alright?" Zelda asked, finally stopping a few steps away. Her neck craned upwards and she squinted.

"And I thought you did not want to be a pilot. Yet..."

"I was just...Becoming familiar with her, that's all." Mipha said. "I don't really mean what I said at the Domain. I panicked."

"I know." Zelda flashed another smile. "I could see it in your eyes. What had you so rustled? Was it me? I know we haven't had much time to meet since we were kids, right?"

"Right." Mipha nodded, and slid back into the cool water. She gestured to Zelda to follow along the shoreline. "It was only a bad night, Princess. And a hasty morning--But now that you're here, it's becoming much brighter."

Zelda playfully rolled her eyes, kicking a small branch aside. "I can say the same about you."

She paused, and then quietly said, "You seem...Different, now."

"Different?"

"In a good way!" Zelda added quickly, raising her hands. She laughed in a short bark, tucking her hair behind her reddened ear. "I only meant that...Uh...It's just nice to see you again."

They had reached the end of the lake, where a wide pier was stocked with benches, beds under luminous stone canopies, and even snacks in chests nearby. Zelda plopped down on one of the benches while Mipha lingered in the water, leaning on her crossed forearms.

"I do hope I've changed since we were children. You...Also seem different." Mipha squinted, but she couldn't place it. Was it her hair, or maybe her blushing cheeks?

Speaking of blush...

"Have you and Link gotten along well enough?"

Zelda's eyes blew up wide. She looked horrified, confused. She sputtered and sat up straighter. "Link...?"

Mipha blinked, wondering if she should press on or backtrack while she was still ahead. "Your bodyguard, yes? The knight that--Is very skilled in his line of work."

"I-I haven't heard of anyone like that, Princess." Zelda cleared her throat. "Are you a fortune teller now, as well as a Pilot and future queen?"

Mipha sank into the water, cheeks dusting blue. "How do you know for certain that I'm a Pilot? I could easily say no, you know."

Suddenly a rumbling and grinding of stone made both women jolt up, Mipha spinning around to face the noise.

Vah Ruta began to raise her trunk, slowly backing into the water. Zelda tilted her head, ready to begin documenting as she noticed it sinking into the water. But only halfway...

It lifted its trunk, and spewed water like a broken fountain straight into the air. In only a few seconds, Mipha felt heavy raindrops beating down on her skin, rippling the water in a mini rip current.

"Ruta?!" Mipha lifted her head from the rough waters, a scowl on her face. "We talked about this, don't you remember? We are going to have another talk about this...Later. Oh, don't look at me like that, that was very rude!"

Mipha shook her fins out, huffing. To a Zora, it was hardly any different than a light shower. No clothes to ruin, no skin to prune and wrinkle. But for Hylians…

Oh, no. It was then that Mipha realized that Zelda was still standing, clothes ruined and her fingers no doubt beginning to wrinkle. Her face and expression was covered by her soaked hair, but she was staring up at Ruta. Then at Mipha as she quickly jumped out of the lake.

“Princess! Oh, I hope your dress isn’t ruined. Come with me--Surely there’s something at the Domain you can wear as your clothes are mended to. Is that alright?”

“Ah…” Zelda pulled apart her hair to reveal a dazed expression--She couldn’t believe what just happened, and neither could Mipha. “R-Right. Thank you, Mipha.”

As they quickly hurried to the nearby stairs, Zelda turned her head back to stare at Vah Ruta, still in shock. That had never happened before…

"It's not everyday I find something to be surprised about," Zelda mused as she pulled the silver comb through her hair--Short, brown locks that were beginning to bounce with lively curls.

"Is this about the water, Princess?" Mipha turned with another towel in hands, a scarce fabric in the Domain--But luckily there were a few on hand for the unexpected guests in the palace. "I apologize for-"

"Ahaha, no!" Zelda shook her head. "It’s just that...You spoke to the Divine Beast with such...Familiarity. And although it seemed rather playful, teasing us with that rainstorm...It obeyed you immediately."

Zelda rested her hands in her lap, staring at Mipha through the vanity's mirror. "...It just goes to show that there's more sentience to these machines than anyone could have assumed. It raises more questions about the relationship between a Divine Beast and its Pilot. It's fascinating, is all.

It makes me wonder how the rest of the chosen Pilots will follow..."

Mipha blinked, stopping short in her walk to deliver more towels. She had completely forgotten about the others. Revali, Daruk, Urbosa...Did they have the same nightmare, too?

"You're staring." Zelda's eyes flashed with worry, checking her own appearance again. "Did I forget a tangle? Is there a frizz where I can't see?"

"Oh, no, Princess. It's quite beautiful, if I may say." Mipha stepped forward, setting down the cloth to hover a hand near Zelda's head. "It looks...Different, than I remember. What did you do differently?"

And then it hit Mipha, right after the words escaped. At one point, she had remembered Zelda's hair being thick, and long. Always braided tightly down her back in a multitude of elegant braids, decorated in gold to match her dark brown skin. She gasped.

"You did cut your hair!"

Zelda's eyes widened, before she smiled. "Yes, I did." She laughed, a melodic sound that brought a faint blush to Mipha's cheeks.

"I...like it this way. I like it this way." Zelda repeated, nodding her head in confidence. "And there's plenty of hairstyles I can experiment with now. One for every occasion!"

Mipha hummed, and gently trailed her fingers through the ends of the curls.

"It fits you perfectly." She sent a warm smile to the mirror, and stepped back to give Zelda room, hands clasped together.

Zelda's cheeks flushed, but she quickly finished brushing her hair back and pulled it back out of her face. "There's something I'd like to ask of you, Princess."

When she asked, the entirety of the Domain was asking too. The King was waiting, subtle worry etched into his expression.

"Graceful Princess of the Proud Zora, will you accept the humble call to stand with me against the evil that may threaten my home and yours, and become the Pilot to steer Divine Beast Vah Ruta?"

The whole world was holding their breath, and Mipha's heart thrummed in her chest like it did the first time--The theatrics of it all never failed to give her stage fright.

"I accept."

And it was sealed. Mipha turned from the cheering crowd, looking up at her father who only smiled reassuringly with a small nod. He seemed like he was holding back many things, keeping it under a calm expression in the gaze of his only daughter.

"Father...You won't have to worry about losing me ever again. I swear it this time."

"I won't lie." Dorephan let out a sigh, drumming his fingers in a slow rhythm. "As a father, I'm always worried for the wellbeing of my children. But you rise to this challenge with such determination and courage that I cannot stand in your path, only walk next to you and pray that you'll return home safe and sound. In my heart, I know you will. Yet it is still hard to let you go."

Dorephan looked over Mipha's shoulder. "Princess Zelda."

Quickly, Zelda waved to another Zora guard she had been speaking to and stepped to the dais, bowing. "Your Majesty?"

"I understand that the plan is the same?"

"Ah--Yes, Your Majesty-" Zelda reached for the Sheikah device on her hip, flicking away droplets of water as it powered to life under her touch. She tapped away, focused and calculated. Mipha curiously glanced over, watching a detailed map of the land and its various landmarks flicker across the screen.

Colored lines and grids drew across the map, obviously hand-drawn in their wobbly

curves.

In the region over Zora's Domain, a tiny creature similar to Ruta animated its trunk on screen.

"Everything is still on schedule. Princess, tomorrow we'll head for Hyrule Castle to regroup our supplies and soldiers, and then begin our journey to the next region of Hyrule, in regards to the next Pilot."

"In that case...take good care of each other." Dorephan nodded to them both. "I have no doubts in my Mipha's abilities, but I surely do not mean to downplay your own strengths. I only ask that you watch each other's backs...Whatever the case may be...In and out of battle."

Zelda and Mipha both glanced at each other, a faint smile shared between them.

And Dorephan, sitting back and waving them off, his fears begrudgingly took the backseat as he nodded to himself. Of course there would be a flood of Hylian and Zora guards to accompany them; But there was always something special about placing your faith in a friend...And their faith in you.

#botw #breath of the wild #legend of zelda #mipha #fic time; year walk #fic time; mipha naphela #princess zelda #zelpha #age of calamity #hwaoc #fanfiction

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mako-bones · 3 years

Text

Year Walk (A Zelpha Story)

This is Chapter Three! Posted on AO3, but I'm also posting here as well!

Chapter Two: Since We Were Kids

Word Count: 1320

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There were few occasions that Mipha could recall stepping past the azure bridge of Zora's Domain, where smooth, cold stone became soft and prickly, soft grass.

It was a rare occasion, even rarer than rare. Mipha made a face as she looked up at the sky, dark rain clouds still lingering from the last rain, and then down at the ground, where the earth was muddy and bleak. This couldn't be how it used to be.

Squish. Squish. Squish.

"Is there a problem, Princess?" Zelda finally stopped and turned back, tilting her head as she noticed Mipha startle and uncomfortably move faster to catch up.

"Perfectly fine!"

"Wonderful! Are you excited to travel? It will take us a few hours to make it down the mountain, where the carriage is." Zelda changed the topic to dampen the silence.

"Quite, actually. It's not often that us Zora travel out past our homes." Mipha glanced down. And when we do, it's only natural to move by water.

That thought stayed firm in her mind--Zelda had made the long trek uphill after all! It was only fair, respectful and considerate that Mipha accompanied her back down.

Still, Mipha couldn't help but step slightly awkwardly to avoid the dampened grass, and dark mud puddles scattered across the path. Like a strange dance, one that Mipha hadn't ever practiced before.

"How long did you say it would take? I'm just curious, is all."

"Oh, well," Zelda tapped her chin thoughtfully. "It took us at least a day to get up here. Lots of leftover rain from the season made it difficult to maneuver slides and rocks. But now that we know the way, and with your expertise of your home, I'd say it shortens our hike to only about four more hours."

Oh, lovely. Well, there could be worse circumstances. Ignoring the awful texture (or trying to), Mipha kept her spear far from dragging in the dirt, slow and precise spins until the first time they decided to stop to rest.

Mipha recognized it by the water. All the bridges may have looked the same, but the geography around it always spoke a different story. "Oren Bridge."

Zelda waved a silent command to the other Hylian guards, and they slowly sat down with a small sigh along the riverbank and mountain walls. "It's a nice place to catch our breath. Feel free to do what you must. The fish in these parts are quite fresh, right?" She was talking to Mipha.

That didn't sound too bad--Not a bad idea at all!

Looking between Zelda and the river, Mipha set her Trident down against the bank and stepped back--With a gust of strength and precision, she leaped into the river with a splash, almost sighing as the cool water flushed her scales and tiny fish scurried away.

She hoped not too much time had passed, swimming through the shallow river to chase fat fish; One for her, but there was enough for everyone.

With a Staminoka in her teeth, Mipha peeked out of the water just barely. The soldiers were chatting to themselves, a tight circle of men and women. Zelda was sitting farther away; Legs crossed and furiously scribbled something without pause.

"Princess!" Mipha called, but Zelda's head did not move. She licked the tip of the quill, and continued.

"Excuse me!" Mipha turned to the knights, waving her hand a little. "Do you all eat fish? I'd be happy to catch some for you!"

Some nodded excitedly, some shook their heads with a scrunched expression. To each their own! Mipha glanced once more at Zelda, and with a small smile she flipped over in the water.

In only a few minutes, fish were piled up on the bank for the knights to cook. No bite marks, no stress.

And Zelda had finally moved. She sighed, pulling her hair back and leaning against the rock wall. Her eyes settled on Mipha, carrying the catch to the knights and their waiting fire. The tip of the quill tapped gently against Zelda's chin.

She glanced down at her notebook, and back at Mipha, eyebrows furrowing.

"Perhaps..." She muttered, and then scratched out some key words. "No, no..."

"Are you hungry, too?" Mipha's voice was suddenly much closer, and her shadow stretched over Zelda. Drops of water wet the dog-eared pages.

Zelda slammed her book close, hands overlapping the other to protect the leather bound journal. "W-What? Oh! Yes! I'll assist you in preparing lunch."

"No need." Mipha replied, and outstretched a plate full of fish and greens. Diced mushrooms laid underneath a golden browned filleted fish, and fried herbs sprinkled around the bowl.

"One of your soldiers brought an entire bag full of cooking supplies! From your castle and mine alike. Here, take it! There's plenty for everyone."

Gently setting the bowl to Zelda's lap, Mipha took a breath of relief, before sitting across from Zelda, mindful of the wildflowers growing around them. A few silent and still moments passed before Mipha finally glanced over again, and her eyes widened at the same time as Zelda’s, staring straight at the Zora Princess with unnerving focus.

Zelda stabbed her fork into her plate and cleared her throat. “I’m terribly sorry, Mipha. I was lost in my mind.”

“What were you thinking about-?”

“Mushrooms-” Zelda replied quickly. “While we were walking, I noticed how this mountain grows a plethora of Stamella mushrooms. I wish I had the time to forage for them, but we really must be on. Time is of the essence.”

“Really?” Mipha turned to the soldiers, still not even halfway done with their meal. Their boots were kicked off and their weapons in a pile against a dead log. “For a few minutes, I believe...That’s more than enough time to grab one or two mushrooms, right?”

With lowered eyebrows, Zelda looked between her soldiers, and then the beaten path sheltered by arching pine trees and the occasional Summerwing butterfly. She pursed her lips, hand moving through her hair.

Mipha tilted her head, thinking about looking for a spare rainbow where there were leftover puddles and clouds, and searching for them with company. Her eyes widened as Zelda frowned even more.

“No.” Zelda stood up, and marched over to her soldiers, her stance causing them to straighten up and ready their gear hastily. “Come on, now- Hurry up. We have to be at the bottom of the mountain before it gets past four o’clock.”

Smoothing out her outfit, Zelda tugged at hre gloves and flexed her fingers, before turning to lead the way herself. She passed Mipha a glance, nearly unreadable it seemed. “I’m sorry,” She said, picking up pace again. “Maybe next time.”

“Of course,” Mipha nodded. She knew how important responsibilities were, and how quickly time flew when no one paid attention. But as they passed by the little path full of vibrant mushrooms, soon waving them goodbye from the other side of the river, Mipha pursed her lips.

The coachman, dressed in a deep blue coat and white trousers, opened the door for Zelda to step in.

“Your Highness…”

He raised an eyebrow, subtly glancing around the Princess.

He could have sworn he was told there would be at least one more guest travelling with the--

“Present!”

Mipha sprung from the lake nearby, arms full of her spear and mushrooms. Zelda’s eyes widened to the size of boulders, especially as the soaked plants were generously handed to her by the Zora Princess.

“Ah, there we are.” the Coachman nodded, unsurprised in the least. He flicked off a droplet of water on his sleeve. “Your Highness.”

Mipha smiled as she nodded and followed Zelda inside the lavish carriage. Once everyone was inside, the driver climbed up to his seat, fastening his coat and hat. “If everything is on schedule…” He squinted up towards the sun, and nodded to himself.

“To the kingdom we go.”

#botw #breath of the wild #legend of zelda #mipha #zelda #fic time; year walk #fic time; mipha naphela #princess zelda #age of calamity #hwaoc #fanfiction

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