Links Champion: Mipha

Chapter 3

Mipha jerked awake at a random sound in the distance, making her heart race. Even though she'd slept under the stars dozens of times before, her guards where usually there to keep watch.

Now it was just her and Link, who was definitely out of commission. She decided it was best if she took watch again and reignited the fire which had died out.

This kind of silence around her was a bit eerie, the closest sound being Links heavy breathing.

She went over and put her hand against his forehead: it was still pretty warm and she thought he still had a fever.

Links face cringed at her touch, either having a dream or not used to people touching his head.  'He'll just have to deal with it for now.' She thought and sat on a log, now fully awake.

Mipha wished her soldiers would come back. She must have miscalculated how long it would take for her platoon to get to Kakariko in this cold weather.

She stoked the fire a bit, Sure that no one would attack this late at night.

Suddenly Link shot up seeming disoriented and started wheezing and coughing. Mipha rushes over to him, dropping her stick.

The Zora Princess knelt down next to him  as he tried to control his coughing and get himself to calm down. He hugged himself tightly and Mipha crouched next to him, rubbing his back and using a bit more healing magic.

The glow from her hands seemed to help Link calm down a bit and notice her sitting next to him. Then, she quickly got him some snow and let it warm by the fire to melt.

"You should start feeling well soon." Mipha commented as Link shivered next to her even with two blankets on.

Link nodded as if saying: 'I hope so.' Then looked up at the stars realizing how dark it was. Mipha smirked at him.

"You've been out since the afternoon." She explained. His eyes widened, attempting to stand, then Mipha grabbed his hand forcing him to stop from getting up, trying not to notice herself squeezing his hand.

"Rest." She commanded using her "Queenly" voice. Link tensed looking over at Epona, then relaxed his shoulders in defeat, sitting back down next to her. She greatly noticed he didn't let go of her hand, making her face heat up.

She was thankful for the dark though. "You can't just keep running around Link...even heroes need breaks once and a while." She decided to say.

Link sighed. "I know." He whispered, looking at his lap, the fire illuminating his face, which was full of worry.

"I...just wish Zelda would let me protect her...she...just doesn't seem to want me around." The Champion commented, wincing as if hating himself for talking bad about the Hyrulian Princess.

Mipha sighed, letting go of his hand, hoping he didn't notice. "Well, I think Zelda just doesn't realize that sometimes even Princesses need help." She said, looking at him.

He nodded, the wind beginning to pick up. Link began coughing again, shakily taking a drink of his tea. The way the wind sounded put Mipha on edge. 'There could be a storm coming.' She thought hoping that wasn't so.

She was worried that if that did happen Link would struggle to get to a safe place wherever that would be. Link shivered and began coughing more, despite the warm tea. Mipha swallowed anxiously not sure what to do.

It was only her, Link and there horses....her soldiers wouldn't be able to find them if they went to ride out the storm. She decided to wait and see what the winds would do and if they would get worse.

"H-hey, Mipha?" She heard Link over the wind even though she was sure he was still whispering. She approached him and knelt next to him so she could hear him.

"Um...d-do you have any food?" He asked, seeming a little shy. Mipha smiled. "Of course...I have some rations left." The Zora Princess replied and got the rations out, giving Link two of them. He smiled for once at her and nibbled on the rations.

"Th-Thank you." He said. Mipha nodded and joined him on the log. "I-I don't even kn-know where sh-She is at the moment to be honest." Link chuckled dryly.  Mipha wasn't sure what say, letting Link talk it out.

"You know how Zelda is...she likes to do her own thing."  Mipha said, hesitating to put her hand on the Champions back too aware of the closeness between them. Link nodded, a  frown on his face and he started coughing again.

"I...I think I'm going to lay back down." Link whispered, sighing, only having finished half of a ration.

Mipha nodded. "I'll let you know if the winds get worse." She said as Link made to lie down. She was alone in the darkness again.

                                                                         ....

The winds where getting worse...somehow Link was sleeping through it, but Mipha new they needed to get to higher ground or a cave.

She remembered thinking she saw a cave somewhere farther back.'Hopefully it isn't occupied.' She thought going over to Link to shake him awake.

He startled awake, making Mipha jump. "We need to move...the storms growing." She said, motioning to the wind. Lin blinked the sleep out of his eyes, adrenaline seeming to wake him up.

"I want you to ride my horse with me to the cave so I don't lose track of you and Epona, alright?" Mipha said. Link nodded, however he didn't seem to be fully awake as they got ready to pack the horses and get on them.

Once everything was ready, Mipha put out the fire and let Link climb onto her horse first; she'd told him she'd bring Epona along so he wouldn't worry.

Then she grabbed the reigns from behind Link who looked like he was having trouble staying awake.

'I'm positive there's a cave back there.' Mipha thought as she trotted back where they came, the winds stirring more.