Kingdom of Power, of Courage, and of Wisdom

Interlude - Pride's Failing

-Zora Cavern, Link-

The following day Link rose from the water early. The light was low in the caverns and guards stood at the far end of the tunnel. Len was nowhere to be seen, so Link did some exercises while he waited. He kept it light.

Len arrived and checked on his bandages. She continued to show amazement at his progress. "Do all huma heal like this?" She asked.

"Nah, I have always been special. Needed it too. Otherwise I would be long dead." Link commented. He raised his arms as she changed the skins. "I can't begin to tell ya how many times I've been kicked by a horse, hit on the head with a beam, swarmed by demon chickens..."

"I don't know what this 'chicken' is, but it sounds dangerous. May I advise avoiding them in the future? I would say you are well enough to leave my care and meet with Siren Prise. Just come in every morning for a bandage change for the next week."

"You got it." Link agreed.

She escorted him out to the waiting guards and the warrior Zora took him further. Link's head spun constantly, looking at every little thing. He nearly stepped on a Lesser Zora, one that looked remarkably like a spider and accidentally kicked one of the hunch-back turtle ones. Zora were in such variety! Some slithered, some walked on legs like man, some had really tiny legs like a spider. One albino looking Zora stood ten feet tall and was as thin and gangly as a young tree!

The outer wall of the massive cave had a spiralling ledge that reached ever higher up to the ceiling, as well as down into the water so far the light could not reach. It was from this ledge in which all other tunnels started. A few rope bridges extended across to give a shortcut. Water flowed down the spiral in a gentle manner due to the waterfall at the top that flowed off the edge into the pool below.

Nearer the top of the spiral, where the great waterfall entered, was another tunnel with guards. A set of red curtains with a three-pronged spear symbol on it covered the entrance. Link was escorted within.

Within the small tunnel, Link realized this was their form of a home. Down a step, Link stepped into still-water ankle deep. Around the room were an assortment of furniture that was the weirdest looking he had ever seen. Several were a kind of giant mushroom with hundreds of wavy arms reaching for the ceiling. Giant shells glowed dimly on the walls. A long yellow-squishy sponge sat by the wall, on which a Zora relaxed. He saw a Zora sitting on one amidst the wavy arms leaning against them as if it were a chair. From the bone and scale armour he looked like he was from the warrior caste of a higher grade than the others.

Two more Zora entered in. They both looked reminiscent of the Siren caste. The first was average height and build in comparison to a man, and had a distinct feature of having fins on his legs and arms, although not looking near as sharp as the warrior Zora. From his build he was masculine and older. He had some wrinkles, but the biggest clue was the almost sickly shade of his scales and the sleight difficulty he had in walking. He took his time and sat at what looked like a polished rock in front of the mushroom with wavy arms. He leaned against the wavy arms.

The second Zora to enter was the same Siren Link had seen before. Princess Ruto. She was just taller than Link. She was also flat-chested, which by Link's first impression, meant she wasn't yet physically developing as a woman. Though one can easily argue he is just putting human standards of woman onto her.

Despite these things, the thing about her to draw his attention most was a metal clamp around her lower jaw up to her nose-gills, and the defeated look in her eyes. She walked two paces behind the older one, like any obedient slave would, and kept her head bowed only looking at the floor at her feet. She kept her hands clasped before her.