Seashells | BotW

Chapter 2 -

T.w.
Broken Bones
Mention of Injury And Death

3rd Person POV-

Link's eyes fluttered open and the light shining in his eyes burned them and made them water. His whole body felt slightly numb, like the tingling feeling he felt if he sat on his foot for too long. He raised his arm up to cover his eyes and sheild it from the light that shone in whatever room he was in. He heard a soft, happy gasp from next to him and he glanced to his side. Sidon was sitting next to the bed Link was laying in, smiling at Link now.

Link smiled weakly back at him and began using his arms to push himself up so he could sit against the wall. He groaned out in pain and his arms shook. Sidon moved closer and wrapped his arm around Link's shoulders, supporting him as he sat upright.

"Hey, there, my friend," Sidon smiled at the Champion. Link smiled again at him.

"Hi," his voice was raspy and quiet, different than what he was used to hearing whenever he spoke. "What.." he paused. "What happened? How long was I out?" Sidon gripped Link's hand and squeezed it tightly.

"You said you were going to fight the Lynel on Ploymus Mountain and you left the Domain," Sidon began. "You returned that evening, and, from what I heard, you were covered with blood and had a stab wound on the center of your torso. Rivan told me to head over to the Seabed Inn as quickly as possible, and that you were gravely wounded. I got here and you were laying in this bed, with bandages around your chest and leg. They told me that you broke a few of your ribs and fractured your leg. You lost consciousness shortly after they finished bandaging you, and you slept through the nighttime. It's almost midday now."

Link frowned and looked down at his torso, which was, indeed, heavily bandaged. The bandages covered his middle and upper torso, and wrapped around his shoulder. He sighed and threw his head back in pain and slight annoyance.

"So.. why the inn?" Link asked.

"Oh, you didn't know?" Sidon asked. "The inn doubles as a medical wing. The innkeeper and the owner of the general store next to it are medics." Link hummed and pressed his hand against his bandages. "Are you alright, my friend?" Link hesitated before shaking his head slowly.

"No," he spoke very quietly and quickly. He hated to admit such a thing. "I feel really bad. My body hurts, and it's my own fault. I should've waited to fight that Lynel." Sidon squeezed Link's hand tighter, and Link squeezed back. "..Am I at least going to be able to move, even like this?" He gestured to his broken body. Sidon hesitated before responding.

"...I don't know," he finally decided. "But, based on what those medics were saying, it might be a few days, at least, before you're able to stand. You also can't put too much pressure on your chest, which means no sleeping on your stomach, and no wearing tight chest armor for a while." Link groaned quietly and swore under his breath. He hated not being able to do anything for himself.

"Okay.." he said, mostly to himself. "..where's my shirt?"

"Ah," Sidon stood and walked over to a small desk and grabbed Link's blue Champions Tunic, handing it to Link. "Thay had to take it off of you to put your bandages on." Link smiled at him.

"Thank you." He slipped the garb onto his body and smiled. The shirt was comfortable, and he liked being able to look down and not have to see those humiliating bandages every time. He hummed and smiled contentedly, wrapping his arms around his stomach. Sidon smiled at him before gesturing over to the general store next door to them.

"Would you like something to eat?" He asked Link. "They have rice and fish over there; Sizzlefin Trout and Chillfin Trout. I can also go and catch you some Hearty Bass or Hyrule Bass. I can cook you something if you'd like. I've heard that eating can help you Hylians heal your wounds faster." Link smiled at him again.

"Sure, I'd like that," he said. "I don't really have a preference for which fish to eat, either. I'll eat any." Sidon smiled at him and walked out of the inn towards the general store. Link waited a few moments to make sure Sidon was out of sight before he threw his sore legs over the side of the bed, wincing quietly.

He wasn't waiting to heal before he left; he wanted to get up and walk now. His legs shook as he began to stand up on his own, using the bed and the wall as support for himself. He let out a quiet groan and stood up more. The more he stood, the more stabbing pain he felt in his leg. He bit the back of his hand to suppress the sound of his loud pained groan. His breathing picked up speed and began shaking, along with his entire body. He shifted his weight to his right leg, which made the pain a bit more bearable. He sighed and stood for a few moments.

"Link?" He looked up at the doorway of the inn and saw Sidon, looking at him disappointed. "Link, you're not supposed to stand up yet." He walked over to Link and gently scooped him up in his arms and set him back down on the bed.

"Sorry," Link said simply. "I don't like not being able to do things for myself." Sidon sighed.

"But if you stand on your leg, it will take longer to heal!" He hugged Link softly. "Oh," he reached for a beautiful blue and white marble plate with cooked fish on it and handed it to Link. "Here. I got you some food."

Link slowly grabbed the plate from Sidon and looked down at the cooked Hyrule Bass on it. He hesitated before grabbing the fish and taking a small bite of it. His eyes suddenly lit up and he felt like he had much more energy than before. He took more and more bites of the fish, finishing it in a few minutes.

This same turn of events happened again and again over the course of a few weeks; Link would wake up, Sidon would bring him food, and they would keep each other company for the day. Sidon would occasionally help the medics change his bandages and they would talk with each other about what they remembered about Mipha, hoping that Link would get his memories of her back. They both enjoyed each other's company more than they would admit.