Year Walk Chapter Eleven: Abide and Hinder
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Summary: Divine Beast Vah Medoh is not working as intended, and Revali has not been seen in Rito Village for days. Urbosa has a plan to wrangle the chaos.
Word Count: ~2.1k
Warnings: Anxiety mention, nightmares
Notes: This was going to be one big chapter, but the word count was already over 3k words and a lot of moving around, so I decided to split into two parts. Please enjoy this new format! The whole chapter will be included in the promotion post, enjoy!
Credits: Poster made in Canva, reblog banner made by @cafekitsune
Mipha's mouth went agape. The cold ran bitterly through her veins. The frost on her cheek brought the pain akin to being slapped in the face.
She might as well have been slapped.
It took an embarrassing moment for Mipha to find her words. "I- I am Mipha Naphela of Zora's Domain, and I assumed that you are Revali…?"
Revali's eyes flicked up and down her body, though not an ounce of joy or interest was visible. He rolled his eyes at his name, shifting his weight before sharply moving his shoulder.
"Just. Revali. Do all royals like you prod around the privacy of a citizen's home, looking for something interesting? I know I am quite the feat, however I'm afraid I'm not giving autographs tonight."
He turned away, grumbling as he picked out a few scarce supplies to heal, but kept his distance still. He did not sit, nor did his feathers relax around Mipha, no matter how gentle or concerned her voice was.
Heal him! Mipha's voice shouted at her. For goodness sake, do something!
And Mipha opened her palm, expecting the thrum of magic, the watery blue aura to call to her hand, and she could finally show Revali something worth remembering. But her palm was trembling, and she could feel no magic, no healing in her soul.
Everything that made Mipha the Zora Princess, the Champion of Vah Ruta, had been stripped away. Now she was shaking on the balcony, freezing in the dark amidst a proper stranger.
"I apologize." Mipha whispered, needing something to say before she ran away. "I…The others have already eaten. Dinner has long been over. But here-"
Before Revali could question, Mipha stepped into the cover of the hut and set the bowl of steaming soup on the closest table.
"Good night, Revali."
And she darted.
Rito Village was made for flying: If you wanted or needed to get away, you could take to a ledge and leap, letting your wings carry you as far and fast as you wanted.
Mipha, however, was not made of wings, and every staircase was filled with Rito, sharing stories and good cheer that made Mipha's mind slip a little more. How could she be joyful? Things were wrong.
Mipha kept her composure; Her gaze panned the wooden floors, her hand sliding across the rough textured stone until someone called her name. She almost didn't respond; the voice sounded so far away, but moving her gaze made her realize that the speaker was a respectable distance, only a few steps.
"Your Highness!"
A light blue Rito waved at her. "You must be cold, aren't you? We have space for you and your crew! Or, ah- Your party? Your…Group?" He scratched his head. "…. It's ready, anyway. You're welcome to get some rest. Princess Zelda and Chief Urbosa are there already."
Mipha forcibly inhaled, catching her frazzled spirit enough to accept. She snuck inside the open hut; Urbosa peered into the Winter night, her heavy coat hung up on a rack near the door. Her shoulders were tense, red hair braided and swaying in the wind.
Zelda was nestled in many more blankets, wrapped in a cocoon of coziness, sleeping soundly. Her hair was wrapped up in a silk bonnet, and a matching blue mask covered her eyes from any world distractions. She looked comfortable, and Mipha wished she could say the same.
Urbosa finally spoke, took a deep breath, and reluctantly turned from the ledge. "Very different from what I'm used to, but I'll manage. And how are you finding things, Mipha?"
Urbosa's eyes settled on her, and something of concern flickered over her expression. "Mipha?"
Mipha squeezed her eyes shut, quickly sitting on her bed with her back turned to Urbosa. As much as she wanted to apologize for her behavior, she was fighting with the instinct to run away, scream, and wail.
And suddenly, a warm hand gently placed on her knee. Mipha dared to open her eyes, staring pointedly at the swirls and symbols on Urbosa's pants. The reflection of light beamed from gold trimmings on her sleeves. The sparkle of her earrings, but she could not meet Urbosa's eyes.
"Urbosa, I'm sorry." Mipha inhaled again. "I…I don't feel quite like myself anymore."
"It's been a very long, intense few weeks, my Mipha. I cannot blame you for feeling disconnected. You especially," Her eyes darted to Mipha's coat, where her scar would be visible and tender.
"You've been through so much, and have kept your grief all alone."
Moving slowly, Urbosa took a seat next to Mipha on the bed. "I have a story that I like to tell Zelda on difficult nights. Would you like to hear it?"
Mipha removed her coat and gloves, setting them aside, before silently returning to Urbosa's side. "If it's no trouble..."
"It was a dark, quiet night in the desert. A young vai woke up in her room and quickly noticed that her older sister was nowhere to be found. But even stranger, a trail of peculiar white flowers bloomed through the cracks of the streets. It lured the curious vai away through the east gate onto cold sand, sure that the flowers had something to do with her missing sister. And when she had wandered far away, something happened…."
Indeed Mipha intended to listen to the whole story, yet Urbosa's voice moved like smooth waves, gentle and warmed by sunlight, that even the frightening details of the story were not pure darkness but a path to hope. Mipha leaned into Urbosa's embrace, her eyes heavy and her heartbeat slowing to a serene pace.
At some point, Urbosa covered Mipha with a blanket and another for warmth. "Sleep well, my Mipha."
---
Absent-mindedly, Mipha fiddled with the ruby brooch holding her cloak together. Her eyes wandered over the buffet table for the third time, yet her plate was hardly half-full of more than a few slices of smoked bass.
Her appetite had been absent since the previous night, gone with the wind like Revali; Strange enough, no one had seen him, and the Rito warriors had flown off to the Hebra mountains with extra bows, spears, and arrows.
She stared at loaves of bread while listening to the village elder speak with Urbosa at the other end of the table.
"It seems our villages share an influx of trouble." Urbosa said. "Blood Moons are scheduled, but the most recent one was completely unpredictable. Many vai were injured, and those injuries still linger in them."
There was a particular pause; Urbosa's head turned to glance at Mipha and Zelda nearby before the elder grunted.
"This Blood Moon has brought trouble for us, as well. Monsters have become comfortable--Or desperate for food, I oughta say. It's my fear that the village will succumb if they are not stopped. The warriors have left, but some return with missing feathers, frostbite."
"I will be glad to lend my aid to you. Tell me when and where, and I will join the fight."
Mipha shook her head to rouse her out of her thoughts, finally noticing the food losing steam on the table. She pursed her lips at the bread and cheese, fish, and berries.
"Oh, what's this?" An array of vivid colors caught her eye; A single slice of fruit cake was left on a tray, which wasn't savory or terribly tart.
Mipha reached for it at the same time as Zelda.
"Oh!"
For a heartstopping moment, Mipha's hand grasped Zelda's, squeezing her fingers. A jolt of electricity and warmth rushed to Mipha's cold hand with a wave of terror.
With her face fired up in a dark blue blush, Mipha snatched her hand back, stumbling over the air until she could only press her hand to her cold face. 'What is happening to me? I can hardly keep myself together!'
"Princess, I- I did not see you," Mipha explained and glimpsed Zelda bowing her head. Was she flustered as well?
"It was I that did not realize." Zelda shook her head and gestured to the cake. "You were here first, Mipha. Take it."
Mipha's heart fluttered away to her stomach. She hesitated, glancing at her plate. "What if we...? Share it...?"
Zelda smiled. "We can share it."
If she was flustered, she hid it very well. A chord in Mipha rang out in her mind, 'You're a princess! This is just a friendly gesture, a moment between friends.'
Mipha closed her lips and passed a polite smile, holding out her plate as Zelda equally cut the slice in half.
"There we go. Mm, I love these kinds of desserts. Have you ever tried...Well, it's quite uncouth. I shouldn't recommend it."
"Recommend...what?"
"-Monster extract, of course! It turns any dish into a devilish violet, and I can only imagine what the essence of monsters will do to one's insides. Perhaps you'll glow, or wake up with a new ability to growl and pick up a weapon over raw steak."
"Zelda!" Mipha giggled. "Where do you even find that concoction?"
"I wish I could study it. I could make my own with all of the remains from the latest Blood Moon. But alas..."
Zelda stabbed a piece of cake and twirled her fork around as she chewed.
"Maybe after all of this is over."
Breakfast was over as soon as it began, and Zelda set off for a hill called Piper's Ridge; Ancient columns rose high into the sky, a quiet Sheikah shrine, and most of all, Vah Medoh perched among the beige rock.
Her stone wings were pressed together, her head frozen and forever staring into the cold Hebra sky. Glyphs and patterns should have glowed a brilliant turquoise, but only amber lines outlined the Divine Beast.
"There's been no movement at all?" Zelda frowned, and the Rito guard beside her shook his head.
"It's strange. Revali's supposed to be the Champion, yeah? It was moving perfectly fine before we got your announcement. As fine as a machine can, I guess. After that day...Silence."
Zelda hummed deeply, flipping to a heavily written page in her journal. Mipha eyed it, curiously trying to make out the scribbled handwriting.
The pen lines were written heavily, deeply set into the paper. 'Urbosa -- Vah Naboris' 'Mipha -- Vah Ruta' 'Revali -- Vah Medoh ?' 'Daruk-- Vah Rudania??'
'Prophecy following...Speak with oracles, ' Mipha read, 'Praying' 'Powers absent.'
Zelda snapped her book shut, tilting her head back to the Divine Beast. "Well, that's concerning. Has anyone seen Revali today?"
The Rito took a deep breath, turned towards Mipha and Urbosa, and pointed between them; An awful storm brewed in the distance, hovering over the mountains far into the horizon. Rugged peaks of sharp mountains loomed in dark shadows.
"He took off early in the morning, but the blizzard I wrote to you about is that way. I would not recommend going there, Your Highness."
Zelda frowned, peering in the pointed direction. Mipha could see a plan brewing behind her dark brown eyes, thoughts, and ambitions building up like coals on a fire.
"With all due respect, we are allied in peace and war."
Urbosa took a deep breath through her nose, lifting her chin. "Zelda. You are a priority in this war, your safety must be ensured at all costs. I allowed you to test the weather, but I will not let you walk blindly into a storm."
She turned her attention to the Rito guard, who straightened his posture quickly.
"Show me the way, give me a weapon, and I will fight alongside you. Zelda is going to stay here."
"What?!" Zelda lit up in defiance, but Urbosa heard nothing of it.
"And Mipha will accompany me."
Mipha jolted, the sound of her name ripping her from her thoughts. "Me? Oh, Urbosa...O-Of course."
The Rito looked just as shocked but quickly snapped his beak shut and cleared his throat. "Let's not waste any time, then."
Mipha swore she could see steam rising from Zelda's head, fist clenched, the other gripping her journal, and Sheikah Slate to her chest.
She took several deep breaths to calm down but trailed alongside Mipha silently as Urbosa talked with the Rito guard.
"Perhaps it is best that you don't risk injury.... It's not very fun." Mipha said. "We will be back before you know it."
Zelda glanced at Mipha, and her eyes slowly moved ahead. "Sitting idly, waiting when all of my loved ones are fighting, working...I abhor it."
She hesitantly opened her hand. Her palm upturned to the air. They both watched as absolutely nothing happened.
Mipha bit her lip, folding her fins closely. What could she say that hadn't been said or thought of that hadn't drifted like a ghost in her mind for weeks?
"One day, you'll get to fight alongside everyone. It will be a day worth waiting for."
Mipha's mouth went agape. The cold ran bitterly through her veins. The frost on her cheek brought the pain akin to being slapped in the face.
She might as well have been slapped.
It took an embarrassing moment for Mipha to find her words. "I- I am Mipha Naphela of Zora's Domain, and I assumed that you are Revali…?"
Revali's eyes flicked up and down her body, though not an ounce of joy or interest was visible. He rolled his eyes at his name, shifting his weight before sharply moving his shoulder.
"Just. Revali. Do all royals like you prod around the privacy of a citizen's home, looking for something interesting? I know I am quite the feat, however I'm afraid I'm not giving autographs tonight."
He turned away, grumbling as he picked out a few scarce supplies to heal, but kept his distance still. He did not sit, nor did his feathers relax around Mipha, no matter how gentle or concerned her voice was.
Heal him! Mipha's voice shouted at her. For goodness sake, do something!
And Mipha opened her palm, expecting the thrum of magic, the watery blue aura to call to her hand, and she could finally show Revali something worth remembering. But her palm was trembling, and she could feel no magic, no healing in her soul.
Everything that made Mipha the Zora Princess, the Champion of Vah Ruta, had been stripped away. Now she was shaking on the balcony, freezing in the dark amidst a proper stranger.
"I apologize." Mipha whispered, needing something to say before she ran away. "I…The others have already eaten. Dinner has long been over. But here-"
Before Revali could question, Mipha stepped into the cover of the hut and set the bowl of steaming soup on the closest table.
"Good night, Revali."
And she darted.
Rito Village was made for flying: If you wanted or needed to get away, you could take to a ledge and leap, letting your wings carry you as far and fast as you wanted.
Mipha, however, was not made of wings, and every staircase was filled with Rito, sharing stories and good cheer that made Mipha's mind slip a little more. How could she be joyful? Things were wrong.
Mipha kept her composure; Her gaze panned the wooden floors, her hand sliding across the rough textured stone until someone called her name. She almost didn't respond; the voice sounded so far away, but moving her gaze made her realize that the speaker was a respectable distance, only a few steps.
"Your Highness!"
A light blue Rito waved at her. "You must be cold, aren't you? We have space for you and your crew! Or, ah- Your party? Your…Group?" He scratched his head. "…. It's ready, anyway. You're welcome to get some rest. Princess Zelda and Chief Urbosa are there already."
Mipha forcibly inhaled, catching her frazzled spirit enough to accept. She snuck inside the open hut; Urbosa peered into the Winter night, her heavy coat hung up on a rack near the door. Her shoulders were tense, red hair braided and swaying in the wind.
Zelda was nestled in many more blankets, wrapped in a cocoon of coziness, sleeping soundly. Her hair was wrapped up in a silk bonnet, and a matching blue mask covered her eyes from any world distractions. She looked comfortable, and Mipha wished she could say the same.
Urbosa finally spoke, took a deep breath, and reluctantly turned from the ledge. "Very different from what I'm used to, but I'll manage. And how are you finding things, Mipha?"
Urbosa's eyes settled on her, and something of concern flickered over her expression. "Mipha?"
Mipha squeezed her eyes shut, quickly sitting on her bed with her back turned to Urbosa. As much as she wanted to apologize for her behavior, she was fighting with the instinct to run away, scream, and wail.
And suddenly, a warm hand gently placed on her knee. Mipha dared to open her eyes, staring pointedly at the swirls and symbols on Urbosa's pants. The reflection of light beamed from gold trimmings on her sleeves. The sparkle of her earrings, but she could not meet Urbosa's eyes.
"Urbosa, I'm sorry." Mipha inhaled again. "I…I don't feel quite like myself anymore."
"It's been a very long, intense few weeks, my Mipha. I cannot blame you for feeling disconnected. You especially," Her eyes darted to Mipha's coat, where her scar would be visible and tender.
"You've been through so much, and have kept your grief all alone."
Moving slowly, Urbosa took a seat next to Mipha on the bed. "I have a story that I like to tell Zelda on difficult nights. Would you like to hear it?"
Mipha removed her coat and gloves, setting them aside, before silently returning to Urbosa's side. "If it's no trouble..."
"It was a dark, quiet night in the desert. A young vai woke up in her room and quickly noticed that her older sister was nowhere to be found. But even stranger, a trail of peculiar white flowers bloomed through the cracks of the streets. It lured the curious vai away through the east gate onto cold sand, sure that the flowers had something to do with her missing sister. And when she had wandered far away, something happened…."
Indeed Mipha intended to listen to the whole story, yet Urbosa's voice moved like smooth waves, gentle and warmed by sunlight, that even the frightening details of the story were not pure darkness but a path to hope. Mipha leaned into Urbosa's embrace, her eyes heavy and her heartbeat slowing to a serene pace.
At some point, Urbosa covered Mipha with a blanket and another for warmth. "Sleep well, my Mipha."
---
Absent-mindedly, Mipha fiddled with the ruby brooch holding her cloak together. Her eyes wandered over the buffet table for the third time, yet her plate was hardly half-full of more than a few slices of smoked bass.
Her appetite had been absent since the previous night, gone with the wind like Revali; Strange enough, no one had seen him, and the Rito warriors had flown off to the Hebra mountains with extra bows, spears, and arrows.
She stared at loaves of bread while listening to the village elder speak with Urbosa at the other end of the table.
"It seems our villages share an influx of trouble." Urbosa said. "Blood Moons are scheduled, but the most recent one was completely unpredictable. Many vai were injured, and those injuries still linger in them."
There was a particular pause; Urbosa's head turned to glance at Mipha and Zelda nearby before the elder grunted.
"This Blood Moon has brought trouble for us, as well. Monsters have become comfortable--Or desperate for food, I oughta say. It's my fear that the village will succumb if they are not stopped. The warriors have left, but some return with missing feathers, frostbite."
"I will be glad to lend my aid to you. Tell me when and where, and I will join the fight."
Mipha shook her head to rouse her out of her thoughts, finally noticing the food losing steam on the table. She pursed her lips at the bread and cheese, fish, and berries.
"Oh, what's this?" An array of vivid colors caught her eye; A single slice of fruit cake was left on a tray, which wasn't savory or terribly tart.
Mipha reached for it at the same time as Zelda.
"Oh!"
For a heartstopping moment, Mipha's hand grasped Zelda's, squeezing her fingers. A jolt of electricity and warmth rushed to Mipha's cold hand with a wave of terror.
With her face fired up in a dark blue blush, Mipha snatched her hand back, stumbling over the air until she could only press her hand to her cold face. 'What is happening to me? I can hardly keep myself together!'
"Princess, I- I did not see you," Mipha explained and glimpsed Zelda bowing her head. Was she flustered as well?
"It was I that did not realize." Zelda shook her head and gestured to the cake. "You were here first, Mipha. Take it."
Mipha's heart fluttered away to her stomach. She hesitated, glancing at her plate. "What if we...? Share it...?"
Zelda smiled. "We can share it."
If she was flustered, she hid it very well. A chord in Mipha rang out in her mind, 'You're a princess! This is just a friendly gesture, a moment between friends.'
Mipha closed her lips and passed a polite smile, holding out her plate as Zelda equally cut the slice in half.
"There we go. Mm, I love these kinds of desserts. Have you ever tried...Well, it's quite uncouth. I shouldn't recommend it."
"Recommend...what?"
"-Monster extract, of course! It turns any dish into a devilish violet, and I can only imagine what the essence of monsters will do to one's insides. Perhaps you'll glow, or wake up with a new ability to growl and pick up a weapon over raw steak."
"Zelda!" Mipha giggled. "Where do you even find that concoction?"
"I wish I could study it. I could make my own with all of the remains from the latest Blood Moon. But alas..."
Zelda stabbed a piece of cake and twirled her fork around as she chewed.
"Maybe after all of this is over."
Breakfast was over as soon as it began, and Zelda set off for a hill called Piper's Ridge; Ancient columns rose high into the sky, a quiet Sheikah shrine, and most of all, Vah Medoh perched among the beige rock.
Her stone wings were pressed together, her head frozen and forever staring into the cold Hebra sky. Glyphs and patterns should have glowed a brilliant turquoise, but only amber lines outlined the Divine Beast.
"There's been no movement at all?" Zelda frowned, and the Rito guard beside her shook his head.
"It's strange. Revali's supposed to be the Champion, yeah? It was moving perfectly fine before we got your announcement. As fine as a machine can, I guess. After that day...Silence."
Zelda hummed deeply, flipping to a heavily written page in her journal. Mipha eyed it, curiously trying to make out the scribbled handwriting.
The pen lines were written heavily, deeply set into the paper. 'Urbosa -- Vah Naboris' 'Mipha -- Vah Ruta' 'Revali -- Vah Medoh ?' 'Daruk-- Vah Rudania??'
'Prophecy following...Speak with oracles, ' Mipha read, 'Praying' 'Powers absent.'
Zelda snapped her book shut, tilting her head back to the Divine Beast. "Well, that's concerning. Has anyone seen Revali today?"
The Rito took a deep breath, turned towards Mipha and Urbosa, and pointed between them; An awful storm brewed in the distance, hovering over the mountains far into the horizon. Rugged peaks of sharp mountains loomed in dark shadows.
"He took off early in the morning, but the blizzard I wrote to you about is that way. I would not recommend going there, Your Highness."
Zelda frowned, peering in the pointed direction. Mipha could see a plan brewing behind her dark brown eyes, thoughts, and ambitions building up like coals on a fire.
"With all due respect, we are allied in peace and war."
Urbosa took a deep breath through her nose, lifting her chin. "Zelda. You are a priority in this war, your safety must be ensured at all costs. I allowed you to test the weather, but I will not let you walk blindly into a storm."
She turned her attention to the Rito guard, who straightened his posture quickly.
"Show me the way, give me a weapon, and I will fight alongside you. Zelda is going to stay here."
"What?!" Zelda lit up in defiance, but Urbosa heard nothing of it.
"And Mipha will accompany me."
Mipha jolted, the sound of her name ripping her from her thoughts. "Me? Oh, Urbosa...O-Of course."
The Rito looked just as shocked but quickly snapped his beak shut and cleared his throat. "Let's not waste any time, then."
Mipha swore she could see steam rising from Zelda's head, fist clenched, the other gripping her journal, and Sheikah Slate to her chest.
She took several deep breaths to calm down but trailed alongside Mipha silently as Urbosa talked with the Rito guard.
"Perhaps it is best that you don't risk injury.... It's not very fun." Mipha said. "We will be back before you know it."
Zelda glanced at Mipha, and her eyes slowly moved ahead. "Sitting idly, waiting when all of my loved ones are fighting, working...I abhor it."
She hesitantly opened her hand. Her palm upturned to the air. They both watched as absolutely nothing happened.
Mipha bit her lip, folding her fins closely. What could she say that hadn't been said or thought of that hadn't drifted like a ghost in her mind for weeks?
"One day, you'll get to fight alongside everyone. It will be a day worth waiting for."
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