Chapter 6 - Home and Family

                                    

                                          
Summary: Mipha and Link return to Zora's Domain after a month's absence and resume their family life.

                          
"Aargh!" Link exclaimed as he jerked awake to the smell and feel of a fresh fish on his face. He opened his eyes to see Mipha and Sidon looking down at him, with Mipha unable to control her laughter.
                          
"Now be a good brother, Link, and thank Sidon for catching your breakfast," laughed Mipha.
                          
"Thank you, Bro," laughed Link recovering his composure and exchanging a fist bump with Sidon with one hand as he grabbed the Hyrule Bass from his face with his other. "Fish in the face or not, it's good to be home. Did I sleep that late?"
                          
Mipha and Link had returned from Hyrule Castle very late the prior evening and had fallen asleep almost instantly.
                          
"Not very late," said Mipha. "But I should tell you that the price of our acceptance back into Sidon's family is five adventures with him, including one after lunch today. Father said our little prince was quite sad over our month-long absence."
                          
Link got up, reached out, and hugged Sidon.
                          
"Oh, I'm sorry, little brother," said Link, sadly. "I missed you too."
                          
"Hello Leenk," said Sidon smiling at him.
                          
"Wow! You're speaking now, Sidon?" said Link.
                          
"Father says he's still timid about it, but he's speaking more now," said Mipha. "So, we need to encourage him. Pretty soon he'll be speaking more than you."
                          
"Very funny," said Link. "I guess you'll never let me forget that I was too quiet and not the best company. But with a little encouragement from you, I did manage to squeeze out the most important words in my life when I told you I love you. And I do love you."
                          
"Just a little encouragement?" laughed Mipha. "But yes, those were the words I wished to hear from you, and I love you too. Now you had better get dressed and have breakfast. Father wants to welcome you home, and we need to drop Sidon off for his lessons this morning."
                          
Link got up, put on his Zora armor, then went to the small kitchen and cooked his fish as the other two waited at the table. Then he sat down to eat.
                          
"I gather you two already ate?" said Link.
                          
"First thing this morning," said Mipha. "I knew Sidon would be excited that we were back, and I missed him. I missed him very, very much."
                          
Mipha leaned over and kissed Sidon on the forehead, and Sidon smiled at her.
                          
"Where are we having our adventure?" said Link between bites of fish.
                          
"Someplace nearby, like Veiled Falls," said Mipha. "We can take Sidon there for lunch and play afterward. I want to visit Ruta right after we drop Sidon off and before Ruta gets too upset at me."
                          
Link nodded as he chewed another bite of fish. He had long since come to accept Ruta as a member of the family as far as Mipha was concerned. And Mipha had told him he needed to be on good behavior to earn Ruta's acceptance. Sometimes it almost seemed like Ruta was jealous of him, but Mipha said it was nothing like that. Ruta was only looking out for her, wanting her to be happy.
                          
"And, Sidon, what kind of enemy do you want to battle today?" said Link.
                          
"A Lynel," said Sidon grinning and flashing his teeth.
                          
"Wow! A Lynel!" said Link. "Are you sure you're ready for that? They're pretty powerful enemies. I think you might need your sister's advice on how to defeat a Lynel."
                          
Sidon looked over at Mipha, and she smiled and nodded her head.
                          
"I can help you," said Mipha. "But it is a difficult enemy, Sidon, so you'll need to be brave. I know you can do it, though! Are you finished now, Link? Father wants to see you."