Held Onto By A Thread

Chapter Eleven

Mipha witnessed the battle up on Vah Ruta hardly able to hide her joy. They had succeeded! Finally, Hyrule could be at peace and their duties would be relieved. Her thoughts turned immediately to who she desired to share all her newfound free time with. It was all too easy to fantasize, sometimes hours at a time. Ruta let out a loud bellow. Warmth flushed across her face, "Yes Ruta, I will still be visiting you too.", she sighed. A lower satisfied noise sounded at her response.

Her body began to disappear in a bright light, startled she yelped and closed her eyes. The rustle of leaves danced noisily in the nearby trees, greeting the subtle wind that whispered to each one of them. There were no trees in the Domain.. Peeking one eye open, she could see the deteriorating castle still stand tall before her even with the confrontation of a centuries long formidable foe. A hand reached out to her shoulder. "Looks like Ganon's atrocity did not stand a chance against you." That voice. It was feminine, projecting such a confident tone. "I'm glad to see you've made it out alive." The Gerudo Champion smiled. "I am just as happy to see you as well Urbosa.", Mipha mirrored her smile.

"My, it seems you two have succeeded just as well.. , you must pardon me I was certain you would be met with a more miserable fate.", came a second voice. "Here I thought that we would no longer have to put up with your feathered @ss..", Urbosa chuckled. "I assume that some electricity of yours has fried your brain... Shocking.", Revali smirked. Before their backstabbing could go any further, a pair of large arms enclosed around them.

"Hey, we really showed ol Ganon who's boss, right guys!", Daruk gleamed.
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"Guys?" The three were struggling for air being compressed tightly together by the Goron's strong arms. "Oh, whoops." He promptly let go sending them staggering. "Mu. Must you hug so hard?!", Revali shouted completely winded.  Conversation resumed among the Champions, sharing their near death experiences inside each of their Divine Beasts and what mysterious force had brought them here.

Everyone aside from Mipha, her head turned in expectancy and worry. Left and right her amber eyes surveyed the surrounding grass before them. That is until she heard a high pitched scream. It sounded like the Princess. They looked up at one another, their thoughts all the same. Weapons drawn, they rushed into the direction from where it came. The grass gave way, each blade pulverized beneath them. Zelda came into view, she appeared safe, though her face looked of terror.

"Princess? What seems to be the pr-", Daruk never finished his sentence, stopping dead in his tracks. Revali and Urbosa gasped, their heads hung low. Mipha was the last to reach the group, "Is everyone alright?" Her eyes followed to what had caught everyone's attention and her heart dropped. There in the blood-stained grass lay the one who means the world to her, heavily bruised and skin burned.

"L-Link..?" Her Lightscale Trident came crashing to the ground as she instantly crouched down beside her beloved. Crimson hands shook violently, bringing them up to his face then neck. "I-I can still feel his pulse!", she fumbled for words, tears beginning to well up in her soft eyes. He had multiple broken bones. An arm, three ribs, severe open wounds.., someone with this many critical injuries could.. could..No. she couldn't give up on him. Not when he needed her most. To see him in this condition was torture enough, she never imagined she could feel. He had already lost so much blood. Mipha gave it her all, her mind concentrating on her love for him but his injuries were too severe. The first drops started to fall, seeping into Link's tunic. "Link, ple-please get up..", she pleaded. Mipha did not care what anyone thought right now all that plagued her mind was of her lover being killed by that hideous creature. Her sobs intensified, "You-you pr..promised we would spend some t-time together-", Mipha's voice cracked, tears streamed down her pale face. By some miracle, Link regained his consciousness coughing out a splatter of blood and his eyes halfway open. "Link!", she choked out. "Hold on I c-can heal you!"

"Mipha..", he managed weakly reaching out his free arm to touch her face. His wish had come true.. to see his love again was all that he could ask for. Her touch, still so comforting even with the throbbing pain all over. The thought dawned on him that their future together wouldn't be possible. He felt he owed her an apology. "I'm sorry for.." Link's face scrunched at the excruciating pain. "For.. always worrying you, ever since we were young..", he sadly smiled reminiscently. "Please stop talking you're making it worse!" As he tenderly caressed her face, her tears trickled down his hand, along with his own clouding his eyes. She was so beautiful in the sunlight, how had he ever gotten so lucky? His hand grew weak slipping down her cheek. Mipha grabbed ahold of it, pressing it back to her damp face. "N-no! No! Please don't l-leave me love!", she whimpered in between her desperate cries. In a barely audible whisper, but just loud enough for Mipha to hear he murmured, "I love you w-ith all my heart..", his breathing shallowed. Mipha couldn't feel a response, her lip quivering as she let go of his hand.

'Love.' The word echoed into the ears of the ones who stood near. When it processed, they were taken aback a step in disbelief and sorrow. All except Urbosa remained solemnly in place. She had a keen eye for even the smallest details and knew of the two dancing around each other since the announcement of the Champions. Mipha's faint blush every time Link was anywhere close to her. The fury in Link's eyes soften, searching for her first after every battle. Their yearning open gazes at one another when the other's attention was focused else where. It was almost unknown to everyone, almost.

Stifled cries resonated their surroundings as she wrapped her arms around Link's lifeless body. They were witnessing the quiet and graceful composure of their dear friend shatter before them. Not only that, but her heart as well. None of them knew what to do, how to react. It was as if the words died right in their throats and packed themselves tightly together. They had won the war, but in doing so it costed them the life of a man, a knight forced to leave behind everything he achieved and cared for.

His legacy.

His friends.

His lover.

Mipha's world was in shambles, all she had ever wished was to be with her beloved once the Calamity was over. And it had taken him from her. Her breathing started to come in more gasps, tears blurring her eyes, and ears rung as she clung to his tunic. She felt confined within her own body, only the muffled sound of voices reached her ears. "M..ph.. Mipha! ..are y.ou..o.kay?" Her eyes felt so heavy.. she could not fight it.. her vision faded into darkness.