Miracle Boy

Chapter Fourteen: Link's Danger

"Papa!" Timothy called. "The Zora girl's awake!"

The girl's eyes fluttered open. She blinked blearily and shook her head. "What happened? Did I pass out?" She sat up so fast that she almost collided with Timothy. "Is Link alright? Where is he?"

"Calm down now, miss. Your friend is being cared for by the doctor over there. He's all bandaged up and being given a sedative to keep him asleep for a while," Timothy told her in a soothing voice.

The girl's lip trembled. "Is he going to make it?"

"We don't know yet, miss. I'm sorry..."

The Zora burst into tears, sobbing, "it's all my fault, it's all my fault..."

Timothy held her close and rocked her back and forth. "Now, now, miss. Don't you be worryin' over your friend, here. He'll be alright. Something tells me that he's a miracle boy."

The Zora sniffed. "He is a miracle. He hurt himself on purpose...he saved my life."

Timothy squeezed her. "He's very brave. Didn't make hardly a noise while we were movin' him."

The girl pulled back all of a sudden. "I'm sorry to lay all that on you. I don't even know your name."

"It's alright, miss. It makes a person feel better when they talk to someone. I'm Timothy, by the by."

The Zora smiled. She liked the sound of his voice. It didn't quite fit his face; it was deep and rich, slowly rolling off his tongue like sweet honey. "I'm Lenae."

"Lenae? That's a nice name. The boy is Link, right?"

Lenae nodded. "Is Navi here?"

"Who's Navi?"

"Link's fairy guardian. She went to get help after he..." Lenae shook her head to clear away the memory.

"It's okay, Miss Lenae. You needn't speak of it. I'm sure the fairy will be found. Maybe she'll find you. At any rate, you be lookin' half-starved. How 'bout we get 'cha into the kitchen. Mam made some soup earlier and I'm sure it'll do ya good..." Timothy helped Lenae stand and led her into the kitchen. She turned, craning her neck to see over the doctor. She breathed a sigh. Link was pale and his lips were cracked and bleeding from dehydration, but he looked alright otherwise. She allowed Timothy to lead her away.

The moment she left, Link's entire body gave a jolt that rocked the bed. His face contorted with pain and he let out a strained moan. The doctor rested his hand on Link's bare chest and held him gently. He slowly relaxed and his breathing eased.

"I'd better stay here until he's well. We don't want any spur-of-the-moment emergencies that could require immediate care." The doctor smiled at Malon, who was keeping a cool compress to Link's forehead. "You'd make a wonderful nurse, Malon. Maybe one day when you're older, I could give you a lesson or two?"

Malon smiled. "That's kind of you to offer, Doctor, but...I think I want to stay here and work on the Ranch. Although, lessons would be appreciated. It'd be nice, just in case one of the animals get sick or something."

The doctor laughed. "Indeed! You're a rancher at heart, just like your mama and papa."

"Thank you, sir."

Beetle chewed his lip. "Um...doctor? If he does heal...what'll become of his legs?"

"I don't know yet, Beetle. We'll see though. Something tells me that we'll get our answer very soon."

Link slept peacefully for the rest of the evening. His fever seemed to go down, and his painful and sudden jolts stopped altogether. Mrs. Lon-Lon, a tall, brown and silver headed woman called Mallory, returned home from shopping in Kakariko with her twin daughters to find her bed occupied and three extra mouths to feed. She honestly didn't mind; she loved people and cooking, and fretted endlessly about Lenae and Link.