Between the Lines || Link x Mipha

Chapter 38: Still 1/2

A dark air filled the once lively forest. The Koroks were not bounding with as much joy as they normally would. It was because they knew the heaviness that the day brought. They knew what would be happening, and they were worried for the safety of not only themselves, but their beloved guests.

Valik leaned up against the entrance of their trunk-like refuge. His eyes scanned around every corner and tree limb. Tayli was sat on a chair near the cooking pot, and she could only imagine what horrible things were being done to the Domain. She said a silent prayer in her heart, hoping that her family and people were safe.

Three Koroks entered into the main room from the shop just to the right. Two of them held a plate of mushroom risotto. They raised the plate up to the pregnant princess, and she carefully took the hot plate.

"We made one for Mr.Valik too!" One of them chimed.

"Thank you. Go ahead and get his plate. I'll bring him over," Tayli smiled and the three Koroks hurried off to get the next plate. "Valik, come here! They made lunch for us!"

Valik peered behind him, but returned his gaze to the forest, "Thanks, but I'm not hungry."

The Koroks waddled up to Tayli and seemed confused that Valik was not with her already. She grabbed his plate and stood up, setting her own plate on her chair.

"You didn't eat breakfast. At least eat something," Tayli nudged the plate of food to him.

"I don't have time, Tayli. I can't let my guard down."

"You can multitask. Eat and watch," she nudged the hot plate against his arm, and he gave her a side eye. She only returned his gaze, "Valik, you are a soldier. A soldier fights and does a lot of crazy, athletic things. A soldier cannot do all those crazy, athletic things without energy, and where do you get that energy from?" Valik groaned at her valid reasoning. "See? If you want to protect me and make sure that this forest is safe, you need to take care of yourself."

"Fine," he begrudgingly took the plate, and Tayli returned to hers.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

A soldier's spear clashed with a Yiga footsoldier's carver. Chaos ran throughout the Domain. Both armies were scattered about, fighting each other both in and out of the once peaceful city. No children or civilians were seen as they had been evacuated to surrounding towns, cities, and villages. It was only the Zora Guard who had stayed behind to protect their beloved home. The entire royal family, including Dorephan, were separated. They divided their strength and fought on all sides—Dorephan to the South, Mipha to the East, Sidon to the North, and Klay and Liana to the West.

Serdin rushed swiftly through the Domain. He scoured every room, every hall, every nick and cranny, but he could not find Tayli—not even Valik. He busted the door down to their room, and he grew angry as he found it empty and almost untouched. He stomped to their nightstand and ripped the drawer open; nothing but papers and photos. He hurried to their closet and opened it to find nothing but clothes and garbs.

"NO!" Serdin threw a Yiga knife, and it hit a vase on their table. It shattered, the flowers falling limp as the water drenched them. "Where are you?! Face me, cowards!"

He waited another moment, hoping for some sort of reply, but there wasn't. He had searched all throughout the Domain and the entire Lanayru Region, yet it was all in vain. The Yiga leader roared and began tearing the room up. He shattered glass, tore apart pictures, sliced furniture, he made sure every inch of the room was tainted with his anger. Little did he know, Mipha had arrived at the Domain. Thanks to Latch, she had gotten word that Serdin was running amok in the Domain. She was more than ready to deal with him once and for all. She knew exactly where he would be, and when she saw the Yiga leader shaking with rage, she breathed in an air of courage.