The Lost Hero

Chapter 7

It was late when he returned to the lab. Dahvi dropped his pack on the table. It opened as it tipped over, spilling some of its contents out. Dahvi stood before Robbie proudly as Robbie inspected the bag and its contents. He nodded and 'hmm'd' as he went through it, pushing a few items aside into small groups. When he was finished, he straightened and nodded to Dahvi.

"I'm impressed," he said. "You were gone all day and only came back once. What have you been up to this whole time?"

"I met another Hylian who showed me how to skin and cook the deer," Dahvi said. He proceeded to explain how he attempted to build a cart, and then that it fell apart, leaving out the embarrassing detail that he almost killed himself in the process. He told Robbie how he ventured further south and gathered everything he saw, and about the boar that attacked him. He even told him about Mipha and Zora's Domain, and how she fixed his arm and helped him get his things back. Robbie listened intently as he spoke, and when Dahvi finished, a smile pulled at his lips.

"Well," he said. "Sounds like you had quite a day. Have you had dinner yet?"

Dahvi's stomach growled in response and Robbie laughed.

"Alright, then," Robbie said, clasping his hands together. "Lucky for you, I cooked too much for myself tonight. Dinner's on me."

Dahvi eagerly accepted a plate of food from Robbie, relieved that he would not have to fend for himself any more that day. He ate quickly, hardly tasting the food, and when his plate was empty, his stomach was full, and exhaustion suddenly washed over him. He yawned and let his chin rest in his hand at the table, his eyelids heavy.

"Tired already?" Robbie remarked. "There's still plenty of time for work this evening."

Dahvi groaned, and Robbie grinned.

"Well, I suppose you've worked hard enough for today. It will be another early morning for you, anyway. Might as well go rest up."

Dahvi didn't have the energy to voice his displeasure any further. He took Robbie's words as permission enough, getting up from the table and shuffling his way upstairs and into his room.

The room was dark. Though he wanted nothing more than to fall onto his bed, something out the window caught his attention, and he moved to lean against the sill, gazing out over Akkala cast in an eerie glow from the bright, full moon. He hadn't noticed before how beautiful the region looked at night. The region was not lit aglow in vivid colors of greens and oranges as it was during the day. Instead, it seemed peaceful, its colors diluted by the night. In the distance, the moon shimmered on the ocean, and just beyond the mountains to the south, he could see a faint glow from what he assumed was Zora's Domain. He imagined the city of Zoras looked even more stunning at night.

He kept his gaze in the direction of Zora's Domain, his thoughts moving to Mipha, the beautiful Zora princess. He wondered if he would see her again. She was so unlike Princess Zelda; not brash or arrogant, but humble, kind, and sweet. He didn't know what Robbie had in store for him, but he knew he had to see Mipha again.

*****

The next morning, Dahvi awoke before Robbie's horrid excuse for an alarm. It was still dark, but he dressed quickly, then made his way downstairs to prepare breakfast, cooking some of the meat from his hunt the day before and a few of the eggs he had gathered. He even made enough for Robbie, offering him a plate as Robbie made his way downstairs.

"Someone's trying to get on my good side," Robbie said as they sat down to eat.

Dahvi shrugged one shoulder. "Maybe."

"Is it because you want a chance to go see a little Zora girl?" Robbie batted his eyelashes at Dahvi.

"Shut up," Dahvi murmured.

"Well, there will be plenty of time to flirt with girls," Robbie said. "I thought we'd spend the morning going over some of the things you've gathered. I have a few good books here I'd like you to study, too. Can't have you eating a poisonous mushroom, now, can we?"

Dahvi nodded. "What else?"

"Eager to keep busy, hm? Well, I suppose you could spend the afternoon with me around the lab. I'll show you how to grow vegetables, and perhaps we can do something with that pelt you've got."

Dahvi tried not to let his disappointment show on his face. He was really hoping for a chance to get out and explore Akkala some more. But as Robbie laughed, he knew his expression showed enough.

"Don't worry, boy," Robbie said. "I'm sure you'll see Princess Mipha again. Once I'm confident in your abilities, you'll have a lot more freedom to go out adventuring. Yes?"

Dahvi nodded. When they finished their breakfast, he helped Robbie clean up, then they set to work at the table with the items Dahvi had gathered the day before. Robbie had various books spread out around the table as well, each open to different pages, and Dahvi worked to identify each of the plants. Eventually, he had formed two groups, one containing all the poisonous items. The other items he helped Robbie to preserve and stored them away for use at a later time.

It was light out when they finished, and Dahvi followed Robbie outside behind the lab where he tended to a small garden. Robbie showed him how to till the ground and plant and water new seeds. When they finished, they moved on to another section of the garden where vegetables were already starting to grow, and Robbie showed him how to weed and care for the plants, even pointing out which ones were mature and ready to be harvested. And then they harvested what they could, gathering all the vegetables into baskets and washing them off in buckets of water.

It was midday when they finished, and they returned inside the lab where Robbie showed Dahvi all the uses of different animal pelts. He helped Dahvi turn the pelt into a cloak, warmer and thicker than the one he already had, yet much shorter in comparison, meant to be draped around his shoulders. When he finished, he admired his work, feeling proud, and for once in his life, useful.

By this point, it had grown late into the afternoon, and Robbie and Dahvi worked together to make dinner for themselves. And when they finished eating, Robbie brought Dahvi outside, just as the sun was beginning to disappear for the night. Robbie explained how the sun always set in the west - this he already knew. And as the sky darkened, he pointed out the first stars that had started to show. When the night was in full force, Robbie showed him how to use the stars to navigate and find his way throughout Hyrule.

"As you travel, you'll get to know all the landmarks," Robbie said. When they went back inside, Robbie taught him how to properly read a map, showing him all the regions around Hyrule. He explained to him the climate and weather and how to best dress and travel for every possibility.

When Dahvi made it back to his room for the night, he found himself once more drawn to the window where he gazed across Akkala towards Zora's Domain. And with thoughts of Mipha and the Zoras, he fell asleep.

The days continued on in much the same manner as they had when he first arrived. In the mornings, he helped Robbie cook and clean and tend to the garden. When they started to grow low on food, Dahvi hunted in the plains, returning to the lab with fresh meat and hides. In the afternoons, they made more clothing out of the pelts he had gathered. And in the evenings, Dahvi studied the books that Robbie gave him, memorizing all the poisonous plants that could be found not just in Akkala, but throughout Hyrule. Dahvi studied the maps, and at night, the stars, and when he turned in for the night, he looked out over Akkala as he always did. But his mind contained not only thoughts of Mipha, but of the rest of Hyrule. Someday, he would see it all.