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sweet sidon (i remember),

Summary:

When he didn’t speak, she nodded, shifting wearily on the grass. “I should’ve known better... You have no memory of me… do you not?” Mipha asked, surprised at the weariness in her voice.

And then he was moving, feet patting against the soft terrain, and she barely had time to react before she was engulfed in the biggest hug she had ever received. Her feet dangled in the air when he picked her up, face hidden in her shoulder as her arms laid trapped in his own. Mipha’s eyes widened when he shook against her, the wet of his tears coating her scales.

---

Or, the author wishes Mipha got to see Sidon in Breath of the Wild, and when she didn't, she wrote her own thing.

Notes:

I'm new to botw, lol. I also really love the zoras.

Please enjoy it!

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

She’s been gone for so long now.

 

Her destiny had been fulfilled. Though she failed the first time, they were successful the second, assisting their Champion knight, Link, and the Hylian princess, Zelda, in shutting Calamity Ganon away forevermore. Vah Ruta had now been returned to the Zora Domain, standing proudly in the East Reservoir without causing it to overflow…

 

And Mipha?

 

Well, she wasn’t locked away in the epitome of her failure anymore, smiling sweetly from her place atop Ruta. She rubbed her hand back and forth against the Divine Beast’s surface, brushing away dust and foliage, all while absentmindedly tapping the brooch that clasped her Champion's cloth together.

 

It has been a little over a year now -- since Ganon’s defeat, that is -- and Mipha was yet to actually visit the Domain. Of course, it made sense to. Now, she no longer had the burden of duty weighing her down, and she could finally return to the beautiful streets of her home without worrying about the next attack.

 

She smiled as she heard her father’s booming laughter, coming somewhere from inside the throne room. King Dorephan was loud when he needed to be, so whoever was speaking to him must’ve made him very pleased to cause the king to laugh so.

 

Patting Ruta, she slid down the side, diving into the water with a satisfying splash. Alas, as a spirit, Mipha didn’t need to swim, but there were some comforts that came with doing things the old fashioned way.

 

She swam with a determined expression, feet kicking behind her as she treaded water ever so often as to reach the Domain quicker.

 

And then she heard it. The laughter.

 

Loud, like Dorephan’s… but higher, gentler… younger.

 

Her heart leaped to her throat as her swim suddenly took a detour. She saw him before he did her, red scales shimmering brilliantly in the sunshine. He was with younglings, small little zoras who each had a bow and arrow in hand. She watched from behind a rock, cursing her blue flames as they seemed to brighten with her heart. Mipha rested her hands on the ground, watching as her little brother dismissed the younglings, and resisting the urge to laugh as they happily dropped weapons to run off.

 

He placed his hands on his hips, chuckling to himself as he made a pile with the bows and the arrows on the ground. She then watched as he dove into the water, swimming towards the net at the end of the river to collect a few more before breaching the surface once again.

 

Sidon had just finished repacking the quiver when Mipha cleared her throat, causing the prince to drop the bag and its contents.

 

She wasn’t sure how to describe the dread that pooled in her belly then, watching the young prince of the Zora rise to his full height to face the noise. She stopped her mouth from dropping, choosing instead to bite her lower lip as she stared at her brother in awe.

 

Mipha spoke before she had time to think.

 

“Sidon! You’ve gotten so big!” She exclaimed, clasping her hands together as she observed him. “You had only reached half my height when I saw you last,” Mipha added, fighting a frown when Sidon didn’t move. He only stared at her…

 

As if she was a ghost.

 

She wouldn’t dwell on it. It was the most sensible. Sidon wouldn’t remember her. He was but a child when she left, for the tail on his head was far too big for his tiny body so long ago… and now he stood taller than her, and that very same tail seemed too small for him now.

 

A decorated prince, she realized, taking in his many jewels and emblems. The crown on his head was still very much the same, a reminder of the boy she once knew.

 

When he didn’t speak, she nodded, shifting wearily on the grass. “I should’ve known better,” she remarked, looking up at the waterfall that led to Ruta. “You have no memory of me… do you not?” Mipha asked, surprised at the weariness in her voice.

 

And then he was moving, feet patting against the soft terrain, and she barely had time to react before she was engulfed in the biggest hug she had ever received. Her feet dangled in the air when he picked her up, face hidden in her shoulder as her arms laid trapped in his own. Mipha’s eyes widened when he shook against her, the wet of his tears coating her scales.

 

He was in shock.

 

“Sidon,” she said quietly, “You must put me down now. It’s difficult maintaining this state in which you can hug me,” she told him, and the man put her down carefully.

 

Her lower lip shook as she craned her neck to look up at him -- he was so big! -- vision blurry as tears began to creep to the surface.

 

“Oh, Mipha,” he mumbled, dropping to his knees in front of her. Even then she had to look up at him, but she didn’t mind. For it meant her brother had a healthy childhood despite the pain and devastation Calamity Ganon had brought with him. 

 

He began to cry again, and she only smiled, willing herself to reach up at rest a hand on his neck. She brought his head down so his crest rested on hers, taking a deep breath before opening her eyes to look into his own.

 

“I hope you aren’t going to apologize,” she said, smiling. Sidon’s eyes widened before he laughed, albeit a bit shaky. 

 

Mipha wasn’t sure how long they stood that way: with blue flames licking her scales and brushing his own, as he sucked in a breath every time he was about to cry. She soothed him with a quick whisper, and he would laugh at the surreality of the situation.

 

When he finally pulled away to sit cross legged in front of, she did the same, running her fingers through the grass beside her and smiling when she caught a few flowers in her hand.

 

“What brings you out of hiding, Mipha?” he asked, and she shrugged, smiling at the chuckle it brought out of him.

 

“I figured it was time to visit the Domain again… before I go to rest.”

 

He hummed, tapping his knee in thought. “What do you mean?”

 

“It requires a lot of energy to remain here in Hyrule with you,” she said, watching his face for a reaction. “I wanted to visit one last time before I bind myself to the spirit realm… just until something or someone of a higher power requires my assistance or company.”

 

A soft oh left her brother as he thought about what she said. He opened his mouth before closing it, shaking his head when he spoke again. “Are you going to see father?”

 

Mipha shook her head, looking at her hands as they palmed the Champion’s cloth she wore. “Only you, sweet Sidon,” she whispered, glancing up at him when she heard him take in a breath. “I hear our father all the time and I know he is well… but you… my dearest brother, I never get to see or hear of you. When I do, you are swimming across our lakes, taking daring dives into the water, going out on patrols with Bazz, Gaddison, and the others -- do say hello for me --”

 

She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing.

 

“But I wanted to see you once more before I go. Just to see you for myself.”

 

Mipha stood then, brushing herself off as she placed the flowers she had collected on the ground once more.

 

“And now I have, so I will take my leave before I delay my visit to Ruta any long--”

 

“Wait!”

 

She stopped, following her brother’s gaze as he stood too, leaning over so that his crest was grazing her own. 

 

“I apologize for my reaction before, sister,” he said carefully, and Mipha opened her mouth to chastise him but he raised a finger to silence her. “I… I hadn’t seen you for so long that most of my memories of you have been sealed away and frozen in time, much like the statue they had erected for you in the midst of the Domain. Seeing you here now, no matter that you are a spirit, it baffles and amazes me. For my dearest sister had returned one last time to visit a boy who she didn’t think remembered her.”

 

He smiled, and Mipha found herself doing the same. “But my sweet Mipha, I do remember you. Even if they are vague and barely there, I still remember your voice and your laugh, your smile when you hit Bazz straight on in training, and the mischievous glint in your eyes when you and Dunma played in the rain. I still remember the way you chastised me when I broke things, only to help me fix them before Muzu could see.”

 

Sidon sighed, pulling her into a hug. “I’ve missed you, sister,” he whispered, and Mipha nodded into his shoulder as her arms wrapped around him.

 

“And I you,” she said, pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek when they pulled apart.

 

“Do say hello to father for me,” she called, stepping into the water. “And Muzu, and Bazz, and the rest of the guard.”

 

Sidon nodded before his features lit up. “Let me take you to her.”

 

Mipha frowned. “I beg your pardon?”

 

“Let me take you to Vah Ruta,” he said again, walking into the water beside her. “You did this for me long ago, and now I wish to return the favour,” he added, wading farther into the blue and gesturing to his back. Mipha grinned in understanding.

 

She held onto his shoulders as he sped through the water, impressing her as he did a few flips and well coordinated dives, only causing her to tighten her grip on him when she almost fell off. A laugh left her when he soared up the falls, mimicking her own movements when she did it for him well over a century ago.

 

Shaking the water from her scales, she slid off him, smiling as he stood next to her.

 

A sad smile tugged at his lips, and Mipha couldn’t help but copy him.

 

“I will miss you,” he said, and Mipha nodded, taking his too big hand into both of her own.

 

“I will visit… not for a time, but I will,” she said gently. “And if you ever wish to talk,” she said quietly, wading away from him as she walked towards the base of Ruta, blue flames shimmering beside her despite the environment they were in. “I will always be here for you.”

 

She didn’t allow him to answer, whisking away so that she was seated atop Ruta again. She watched as he stared at the Divine Beast for a moment, before jumping down the falls, disappearing from her view once more.

 

A serene calm overtook her as she brushed more stray leaves from Ruta’s surface.

 

Mipha, the Zora Champion and princess, was finally -- finally -- at rest.

 

FIN

Notes:

I felt sad writing this... oops. Thank you so much for reading, though! I really love it when people take time to read stuff... even if it doesn't seem too good.

Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated. Much love <3