The Scales That Bind

Chapter 13: Mipha's Crossing

Mipha stood beside Link, her shoulders slumping forward weakly as her lover kept her up with an arm around her midsection, his own head lazily resting atop hers as it fell to the side. The two of them had gone quiet as Dorephan remained with his face having fallen into his hand, mustering the courage to look upon his battered daughter standing before him. Beside Mipha and Link, the self appointed 'Big Bad Bazz Brigade' had been standing together attentively, though, in their childish reverie, had quickly restarted to a collection of excited whispers as they recounted the events of just an hour ago. To the couple's other side, Tovar stood, in near the same weak state as his peers, refusing to damage his pride by taking a seat- much as Mipha had chosen.

"Oh my god! and that uppercut!" Rivan whispered quietly, just catching Link's ear, as he recreated the action at his two pals, turning toward Sidon, "Right?! and Gaddison! That was so...so- Whoa! Just POW!"

He threw his arms to the side to simulate Gaddison's heroic action, hopping up and down as he attempted to quell his excitement, leaving Gaddison to rub her arm as she peered away, embarrassed, "It wasn't anything special..."

"It totally was!" Rivan assured, quickly turning toward Bazz, "Wasn't it?!"

Bazz only grinned, turning toward her with a approving glance, "I'd say Gadd is a true heroine, indeed."

"Cut it out!" Gaddison whined, covering her face with her hands as her embarrassment overwhelmed her.

Snickering, Rivan crossed his arms, proud of subduing his cohort, though Bazz's appreciative smile gleamed true before he reached out to pat Gaddison's shoulder in praise, though it earned him little in the way of her ending her recoiled stance. Before he could speak further, Dorephan's voice suddenly rang out through the throne room, forcing all the children to fall into line, arms at their sides.

"And what of the other two..?" he finally managed to speak, guiltily, lowering his hand to reveal himself in a show of courage.

Tovar raised his shoulders valiantly, though his somber voice betrayed anything he could have demonstrated as such, "Vakem has passed on. Melepha is not far behind. She clings to life, though hopefully, most of her wear, now, is from exhaustion. That, and performing arts that she had yet the ability to control- her arm has been torn up."

Dorephan nodded slowly, "And yet I find you here, Tovar, standing, of all things."

The soldier grinned, "With all due respect my liege, I'm not about to end the streak of servicemen giving their after-combat reports; I believe my son, of all people, would have scolded me greatly for such an offense."

The King sighed at his subordinate's choice of actions, though let him be, simply continuing on as if to hurry past the details to allow the man a rest, "Speaking of your after-combat report..."

"Sir!" Tovar shouted as he saluted, earning a hasty emulation from Rivan, who slowly returned to normal upon realizing Bazz and Gaddison hadn't done the same.

Link lowered his face closer toward Mipha's ear, whispering to her, "Are you sure you're okay?"

In a second, she replied with a nod, "As long as I have you here to keep me up, I-"

"Dear, you're the only thing keeping me standing right now," Link interrupted with a grin allowing Mipha to bury the side of her head further into him as a helpless sigh left her before her own smile.

"Yes, about that!" Dorephan suddenly spoke up louder, quickly turning toward the four children at the other side of the rotund room, eyeing them critically, "I would very much like to know what four children were doing assaulting such a dangerous threat to our home, one of them being the Prince, no less! I would expect my own son to have something of a grasp on what danger is!"