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~Chapter Seventeen- Double Trouble~

Impa stood between Link and Zelda before the Sleepless Waterfall. Zelda and Link did not yet tell her about what they had seen the night before as they wanted to tell her after getting the stone. Those witches were strong, even possibly stronger than Impa. They stood on top of a stone slab with writing on it.

“Long ago,” said Impa, looking at Zelda, “your father entrusted the Zoras with the task of protecting Hyrule’s sole source of water, this river. As a sign of his trust, after the war, the King gave King Zora the Spiritual Stone of Water and the Zoras continued their life of seclusion from the rest of the world.”

“So, is that why some people say it is a bad omen to see a Zora out of Zora’s Domain?” Zelda asked.

“Precisely,” Impa nodded. “Something is wrong with the water, should that be the case. Outsiders are not allowed into their home, however there is a very special case.”

“Messengers of the Royal Family are allowed to enter,” Zelda said, looking down at the slab. “They need to know the song, though.”

“The charm on this waterfall was placed when you were just a newborn.” Impa pursed her lips and began to whistle a familiar tune: her lullaby.

“That song…” Zelda muttered.

“Yes, your lullaby is the song the messangers of the Royal Family learn. I would have taught Link it, if he were a little older at the time he met you.” Impa looked back to the waterfall and watched as it parted, revealing a hidden entrance to a cave. “We’re going to have to hop across. Link, you carry Zelda, alright?”

Link nodded and swiftly hoisted the princess off her feet and held her in his arms.

“Wh-wha…?” Zelda turned red as she looked at Link. She never realized how strong he was, until now. She knew he carried her through the sewers, but she never would have guessed that he’d be able to lift her so easily. Zelda looked at Link with half-lidded eyes. He had grown up so much more than she had over the past six years. Impa was right, giving him the earring of a Shiekah, which now hung from his right lobe. She remembered what it was like, when she first met him:

“Link? That’s your name?”

“I’m sorry, he’s just very shy.” The fairy that had accompanied Link had told her. The fairy’s name was Navi and she was Link’s fairy partner until about three years ago. “He was not well by Mido, the self-proclaimed leader, and so just about everyone avoided him.” Zelda remembered how much she could relate to Link. She too had people avoid her, just because she was a princess. All she wanted was just one friend of her own, not the daughters of wealthy men, who were terrified of her.

“I won’t avoid him, I promise!” she said as she embraced the young Link. “I have the perfect job for him!”


Zelda snapped back to reality as she felt Link jump across the gap and into the cave. He set Zelda down, smiling at her softly. Zelda looked at him again and smiled back. That smile was all that she needed, to remember Link was just like her: a child wrapped up in adult matters. As the narrow passage began to widen, the sound of groans could be heard from inside the domain.

“Link, come with me,” Impa said, picking up the pace. “Princess, stay on the high ground. If you see any Zora, try to heal them with your magic.” Link ran ahead of Zelda and alongside Impa. Inside the Domain, they gasped in unison at the battered bodies of Zoras scattered all around the domain. “What could do such a…” Impa noticed a Zora nearby. “Are you alright? What happened?” She rushed over and knelt down next to it. The Zora’s fin was bent and it’s smooth, white skin was bruised. Zelda knelt down between Link and Impa and began to administer her healing magic.

“It’s awful…” the Zora said. “ How can such a small thing weild so much power? Did the King send you?”

“Not exactly,” Impa said. “But I believe it would be a good idea to see King Zora.” She stood up and turned to Zelda. “If there are any others, do your best to heal them, but don’t overexert yourself. Link—“ Impa looked over to where Link, was, but he was nowhere to be seen. “He can’t sit still for a moment.”

“I believe I saw him running down to where that… that thing is,” uttered the Zora.

“Princess, you stay here, then,” Impa said. “I’m going after—“

“Gah-ha! Egha! Uaaaaaaah!” Impa turned just in time to see Link being thrown across Zora’s Domain by… the water? No, there was something inside of it!

“A nucleus…” she muttered.

“Link!” Zelda cried as Link slammed against the rock wall. He slid down and landed in the water of Zora’s Domain. She got up and was about to jump in the water to help him back to land, when she bumped into Impa’s hand.

“I’ll get him. That water is not safe, Princess.” Impa jumped off the ledge with a running start. Zelda rushed to the edge and watched as Impa swam to Link’s aid. Once again, she felt weakness inside of her. She could do nothing to help beyond healing, as usual.


Link woke up hours later, lying in what seemed to be a bedroom. As he hopped off the bed, he felt water seep into his already waterlogged boots. He looked down and noticed that he stood in ankle-deep water.As he walked near the door, he heard Impa yelling at someone.

“You saw two witches last night?” Link had to take a few steps back. He had never heard Impa lose her cool before. “Why didn’t you tell me? You’re lucky Link was there to protect you and that he was not seriously hurt!”

“But, Impa—“

“Princess, those witches definitely summoned that monster! They know what we are planning and they are trying to take the stone. The Zora are lucky that the King managed to seal it in that shallow pool of water, but without the stone, that monster can roam free! If you had woken me up, we would have been able to deal with this monster sooner and the zora would not have been hurt!” Link heard Zelda sniffing. She was crying, now.

“I just… I just wanted to do something on my own, for once,” she sobbed. “This whole journey has been one problem after the other! Warro showed me up! He’s weaker than Kuro, yet he can still help, while I…” Link had enough, so he opened the door. “Link!” Zelda said, with her hands over her mouth. Her face turned red as Link embraced her. His mouth neared her ear and he whispered something, handing her the Cane of Somaria.

“O-Okay…” Zelda said, sniffing, wiping away her tears. “Th-thanks, Link.” She hugged him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Okay, you lovebirds, back to business,” Impa said. “Link, I hate to ask this of you after you’ve just recovered, but apparently the Zora’s guardian, Lord Jabu-Jabu has fallen ill. Recently, the king’s daughter, Princess Ruto, was swallowed, while feeding him. From what the king showed us, the fungus in the forest, which Kuro described, is beginning to appear sparsely throughout his body. Originally, I was planning on going in and rescuing Ruto myself, but I have a better plan. Zelda, you come with me and help me defeat the monster in Zora’s Domain.”

“Wha—But Link—I mean, I…” Zelda looked to Link and he gave her a reassuring smile. He seemed to have no problem with it and he pressed the Cane to Zelda’s heart. “Okay… Link, the King needs to give you something before you go into Jabu-Jabu.” Zelda and Impa accompanied Link to the King’s chamber. The led him up the steps to the platform, from which messangers addressed King Zora.

“Ah, you are up,” King Zora said with a hearty laugh “That is good! The young princess, here, was worried sick about you. It’d be a horrible site, if that monster had killed you.”

“K-King Zora,” Zelda said, trying to hide her blushing cheeks, “Link decided to be the one to rescue your daughter. You said that he would be needing special armor? The Gorons did not have time to prepare him to enter the Fire Temple, so I was thinking maybe…”

“Ah, yes, we have prepared soething for all three of you to be precise! I am planning on evacuating the Domain and sealing you two in here with that monster.”

“Using the Water Stone?” Impa asked. “I see… That is a good idea. If we seal the Waterfall with the stone, not even that monster will be able to enter it. Don’t you think we should give it a name, though? It’s such a strong foe that it deserves a name, even if it was summoned.”

“Impa, have you not studied anything at all? It already has a name!” the King laughed. “You’ve heard of the monster that terrorized the Zora thousands of years ago, right? Its name is Morpha.”

“Morpha…” Zelda muttered, letting her mouth get used to the name rolling off her tongue, for the brief time she may use it. Three Zoras appeared in the chamber, holding blue tunics, chainmail, and flipper-toed boots.

“Since these are water based operations ad well, you can’t breathe under water, this armor is mandatory.” The Zoras handed a set of these clothes to each of them. “Now, get ready as I evauate the Domain. By the time you have the Zora Armor on the waterfall will have been sealed. You, boy—“

“His name is Link, sir,” Zelda said. “I apologize for my rudeness.”

“Link, then, you will head out through the tunnel behind me. It will lead you to Lord Jabu-Jabu’s home, Zora Fountain. Your armor has a little extra addition. Lord Jabu-Jabu will only open his mouth for fish, and so you have a hat—that’s what I like to call it—that resembles the tail of a fish. It’s not white, so he will not think you are a Zora. When you see my daughter, tell her that I sent you to get her.”

Link nodded.

“Very well, then. I wish you all the best of luck.The fate of the domain rests upon your shoulders.”


Link sat in the room, removing the tunic that he was known all around Castle Town for wearing. He and Warro both came from the forest, where this problem first began to spread. Kuro had said that the Great Deku Tree was killed after they killed Gohma. If there was a parasite like that inside of Lord Jabu-Jabu, would he end up killing him as well? He could only hope that he did not. He rubbed his cheek, where Zelda had kissed him and thought about the past six years. If only they had acted sooner! If he had gotten the spiritual stones six years before, Ganondorf most likely would have never tried attacking the castle. He had to get the stone. Not just to protect Hyrule, but to protect Zelda, because like it or not, Zelda was the best friend he ever had. He tugged on the last boot and put his gauntlets back on. He walked out of the room, fully prepared for the hardships to come.

The King had already left the chamber. For such a large, fat Zora, he was able to move pretty fast. He saw Impa and Zelda standing near the exit to Zora Fountain. He ran up to meet them, when Impa placed her hands on his shoulders.

“Okay, Link, this is no oridinary thing for you, understand? You are inside a fish. One wrong move and you might kill Jabu-Jabu yourself. Just be careful where you’re swinging that thing, alright?”

Link nodded. He looked to Zelda and gave her a thumbs-up. As he ran off, Zelda grabbed his hand.

“Link…” He looked back and saw her. “I… just be careful, alright?” Link laughed and nodded.

“Well, Princess, let’s get going. You have the Cane of Somaria?”

“Yes, Impa,” Zelda replied.

“You learn how to use it?”

“Yes, Impa.”

“Are you ready?”

“Yes, Impa.”

“Are you going to stop saying ‘yes, Impa?’”

“Yes, Impa.”

“Let’s just get to work,” Impa laughed, pulling the long, dark blow collar of the Zora armor over her facae, covering her mouth and nose. “We’ll even be able to speak to each other under water like this.”

“Amazing,” said Zelda, doing the same. She followed Impa through a small corridor that led to the top of a waterfall. “Y-you want me to jump off this?”

“No, I think diving is a better option. Though, you can try to jump.” Impa hopped over the edge, diving into the water. Zelda stepped back, praying to the Goddesses that she will be safe as she jumped over the ledge with Impa.

Splashing into the water, the darkness of the deep became encompassing as Link swam to the bottom of Zora Fountain, where Lord Jabu-Jabu slept. Link’s body was kept warm by the Zora Armor, and with the water getting colder the deeper he went, he was thankful; for the Zora’s technology. He wondered what the Kokiri would have done, if they had found out that the Great Deku tree was sick, or rather what they would do if they knew Gohma was inside of him. He saw it up ahead: Lord Jabu-Jabu. He swam down to the large fish’s front, floating before the great mouth of the guardian of the Zoras. Jabu-Jabu’s large mouth opened, revealing the abyssal depth it called a throat. A vortex formed around Link, surprising him and sucking him inside the large beast.

Inside, Link stopped his tumbling in the strangely illuminated innnards of Jabu-Jabu. He swam through the giant fish, noticing that the fungus had begun to grow on the outside was growing on the inside. As he made his way into a large, open area, which he assumed was the stomach, he saw something. A zora! She swam over to him and got really close… uncomfortably close.

“Who are you? This armor… did Daddy send you?” she asked, leaning her head close to Link’s, examining the Zora Armor, as he leaned back.


“Princess!” Impa cried out as Zelda’s body was bound by the water that had shaped itself into a tentacle. The princess’s body was lifted up from the water and swung back and forth, the grip on her tightening. Impa quickly got out of the water and ran along the upper area of Zora Domain. All of the water inside was now being controlled by Morpha, so the safe spots were what dry areas there were. As Zelda was flung towards the rock wall, Impa gasped, accelerating her running speed to catch up with Zelda, jump into the air and cushion her. As she slammed into the rock wall, Impa coughed. The Zora Armor was not as protective as her regular armor was. As they slid down, Impa wrapped an arm under Zelda’s chest and planted her feet against the wall. She kicked off and rolled back onto the upper ledge, coughing from her injury.

“Impa!” Zelda cried as she knelt next to her injured attendant. She placed her hand against Impa, when she grabbed her wrist.

“Princess, save your magic for the Cane. You’ll exhaust yourself, if you heal everyone on the spot. I can live,” Impa said. She stood up and brandished the dagger that was sheathed in a scabbard on the back of her waist. “You noticed it by now, too, right? That nucleus is defenseless out of the water. Since we can’t take it out, we’ll have to hit it from within a tentacle.”

“And how’re we supposed to do that? We can’t even get close!” said Zelda. She may be wise, but she was no expert on fighting. This was Impa and Link’s specialty.

“I’ll lure a tentacle out,” Impa said. “It seems to only be able to extend the water by moving itself forward.” She jumped off the ledge and a tentacle extended from the water, and Morpha’s nucleus with it. As the watermade appendage wrapped around Impa, she lifted her arms, so that they were not bound. As the nucleus came near, Impa stabbed into the water, the blade slowing down from the restistance from the water. The nucleus, however moved so fast that the blade but right into it and got stuck right in the middle. As the tentacle turned green from the nuclue’s blood, the Tentacle violently threw Impa against the wall and knocked her out. The dagger stuck out from the nucleus as the tentacle went back into the water.

“Impa!” Zelda rushed over to Impa, when she then turned back to the water. She looked back to Impa, who was bleeding from the head “You…” Her gripped tightened on the Cane of Somaria. “You are dead, now!” Zelda yelled as she swung the Cane, making a block that flew right to the nucleus. It bobbed in the water as the nucleus simply lowered it self. A tentacle rose up and grabbed the block and threw it at Zelda. She ducked as the block slammed into the wall behind her.


“My name is Ruto,” the zora told Link, as they swam through Lord Jabu Jabu. “I’m King Zora’s daughter and princess of the Zora people. I came down here to feed Lord Jabu Jabu, when he swallowed me. He had been sick for some time, so I figured that I could investigate. I haven’t gotten very far, to be honest.”

Link nodded as she spoke. He couldn’t believe that Ruto was a princess. The way the Zora spoke, she sounded like a tomboy. Ruto was probably the exact opposite of Zelda. Up ahead, he heard something buzzing. As they got closer to the source, the two saw a series of glowing lights. The circled around something in the middle of whatever part of Jabu-Jabu’s body they were in. Link and Ruto both thought the same thing: Those do not belong here. Link unsheathed his blade and swam toward the group. As he swung out at one of them, a tentacle extended and gently touched his stomach. In a split second, Link’s eyes widened as electicity coursed through his body.


“UAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!”

“Hold on,” Ruto said, cossing her arms before her defensively. “Daddy didn’t know I watched our warriors train. I hope this works. Ha!” She swung her arms and the fins on them detatched and came spinning towards the monster that was electrocuting Link. They crossed and sliced it in two, before returning to Ruto like a pair of boomerangs. “Alright, it works! You okay?”

Link nodded and then shook his head to focus. His reflexes were reduced underwater and these beats will shock him everytime he got close. He cursed his misfortune of not being able to untilize his bow and arrow. As he swam back to Ruto’s side, the monsters began to circle faster and then attatched to the thing they orbited. The place lit up as the monsters were released, being held onto by some form of leash formed by electricity.

“Bari,” Ruto muttered. “Daddy told me that these things were only native to the Great Sea. Then how did Lord Jabu-Jabu get…” She crossed her arms again. “I’ll make an opening for you! Just aim for the pink spot in the middle! This is the parasite that is infecting Jabu-Jabu: Barrinade!” She uncrossed her arms and the fins detatched again and took out another Bari. The “leash” faded away and the bari began to orbit Barrinade, but faster, it’s range wideneing as the speed increased. As the fins returned, another Bari managed to get caught in between the spinning, blade-like fins. “Go! There’s an opening! Quickly!”

Link swam toward Barrinade and sped up as he got into what he declared the “danger zone”—the spot where the Bari could hit him—and prepared to put all his strength into a slice that will rip right through Barrinade’s soft skin.

Zelda panted as she destroyed another Somarian Block, sending fire into the tentacle of Morpha, however the flames were extinguished the instant they touched the water. She gritted her teeth and created another block.

“This isn’t working!” she yelled, tossing the block into the water. Her arms were growing as exhausted as he magic; this block was smaller than the others. As it was flung back at her, Zelda swung the Cane once more and tried to hit the nucleus. She looked over to Impa and let out a sigh, feeling comfortable using such language at a time like this. “Damn it!” She watched the nucleus circle around in the water as if it was taunting her. Then she saw it: Impa’s dagger. “Of course!” Zelda muttered. She tossed the Cane aside and jumped into the water. No sooner than when she rose up from breath, Morpha’s tentacle wrapped around her. Her arms were bound and then she was swung to and fro and then into the wall. As she slid down she coughed. This pain… This was something she never experienced before. Link must have felt this pain when he fought for her, so many times. She felt blood dropping from her head. She then recalled how Impa had lifted her arms, when she was bound by Morpha. She stood up with a slight sway and ran towards the ledge and jumped off, raising her arms as high as she could. Morpha’s tentacle wrapped around her again and the nucleus came near her. The handle of Impa’s dagger protruded the surface of the water. Zelda quickly took hold of it with both hands and slid it over more, twisting the blade to work it through the harder spots of the nucleus. The tentacle began to shake her violently, before throwing her just as its nucleus was cut in two. As she slammed against the wall, everything went black.


“Princess, Princess!” Everything was a blur as Princess Zelda opened her eyes. She was expecting Link to be next to her, but the voice did not match up.

“Impa?” Zelda asked softly. She began to see clearly and found herself in the room that King Zora had granted her and Impa. She tried to sit up, but a jolt of pain came from her side.

“Just lay down, Princess,” Impa said. “I wish I could have helped you more. You wouldn’t have ended up in this state. I apologize.”

“It’s alright, Impa,” Zelda sighed, laying back down. It most certainly was alright for her, because now she felt that she played a part in helping Link and Impa fight against evil. “Where’s Link?”

“He just returned a few minutes ago,” Impa said. “The Princess of the Zoras, Ruto is also eager to meet you. She and Link fought alongside eachother inside Lord Jabu-Jabu. We’re lucky Link isn’t as beaten up as the two of us. At least one of us will be able to weild the Master—“

“Is it alright if I come in?” Ruto asked. “I assured Link that his precious friend was alright and sent him off to bed. But first things first…”

“What?” Zelda asked. She was really disappointed in not being able to talk with Link and something told her that she was not going to like what was coming next.

“I’d like to invite you to my wedding.” Ruto said, blushing. Her cheeks looked even redder due to the whiteness of her skin.

“Wedding?” Zelda asked. “Who’re you marrying?” Impa’s hand covered her mouth. She obviously knew what had happened. “Impa, why’re you laughing?”

“Nothing, Princess…” Impa chuckled.

“I’m marrying Link of course,” Ruto said, turning redder. “He looked so cool during our fight with Barrinade… Even when it got bloody and scary, he remained composed. It was so… so enchanting.”

“WHAAAAAAAT?” Zelda yelled, rising up. “Ow!” She clutched her side. “You can’t marry Link, he’s mine!”

“Oh, so he’s engaged to you?” Ruto asked, sounding disappointed.

“No, but—“

“Then I beat you to him! He accepted the Zora’s Engagement Ring, the Spiritual Stone of Water, after all!”

“Did you tell him?” Zelda asked.

“Of course I did. He simply smiled and took it from me! Oh, our children will be—“

“NO!” Zelda yelled, turning red. “Link, you idiot!”

Impa just stood there, pondering whether he should break the news to the girls that Link has no idea what an engagement ring or a bride is, but she found this too amusing for her. It brought her joy to see Zelda acting like a teenager instead of a princess.