AN: The reason Dorphean calls Jakok "My little clam." or "My clam," is because while clams could have pearls inside of them which is why I like Sidon to call Link his pearl, I like the idea of Dorphean calling Jakok his clam as they are the relationship and the thing that comes before Sidon & Link and The clam comes before the pearl. Also clams could also have powerful mussels inside them which could be seen as Dorphean calling Jakok powerful or his powerful knight plus it's a cute sentiment. (Also this chapter is super long.)
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Dorphean's POV
"Let's start from the beginning, your death struck me hard Jakok I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat, and I was endlessly worried about Link. I wanted to go look for him, but I couldn't quite yet. Nalalu hadn't given birth to the eggs yet, I couldn't leave her she wouldn't have forgiven me for that. She knew about you, though. I told her after you died, I told her about us and how we fell in love at a young age but because I was heir to be the next king I had to have a queen to produce a heir myself. Even though we married and had our own children we still loved each other and I never knew how much I would miss you once you were gone. We forced apart by fate." I took a hold of Jakok's hands, gently rubbing them.
"But fate also brought us back together." He said, smiling and kissing my cheek. My eyes widened and I blushed as he smirked. "Will you let me finish my story?" He chuckled, smiling fondly at me. "Yes, go on." I smiled. "After Nalalu went into labour and the eggs starting being laid, I knew not all of them would survive as Zora births go. As the last egg was laid, Nalalu was lost. Before she died, she told me she wanted me to me to be happy and if reliving my memories with you and saving Link and bringing him home would make me happy then she told me to do it. Only one of the eggs hatched sadly and thus my son was born and everyday I am grateful to have him. Shortly after, I was still worried about Link, he was without anyone. I told one of the Zora elders Muzu and the future teacher of Mipha for her to become Queen in the future to take care of her and my newborn son while I took some guards and I left the domain in search of Link.
I found him a good few hours later wandering your home area he was looking for you and had been for weeks alone. I didn't want him to be alone any longer, I told the guards to stay where they were while I approached him to take him home. I was expecting him to run away and that I would have to calmly tell him who I was.....but he didn't. He recognized me from his visit with you to the domain before you died, he ran into my arms and I held him tight, I never wanted to let him go and I swore I never would. Link was the last piece of my brother, my best friend, and my love. After losing both you, your wife and Nalalu I couldn't lose anyone else dear to me. I took him back to the domain and brought him here to the throne room, I knew that Mipha would have been eager to see Link but I didn't want anyone to know about him just yet, I wanted him to settle in. I raised Link privately in the domain which meant there was only certain parts of the domain he was allowed to go to.
The reason I did this is because I wanted him to be primarily focused on not only his swordsman skills but I didn't want people of the domain or the Zora elders questioning him or questioning my decision to raise him separately from my own children and not raising the three of them the same way. I taught Link everything from writing to reading to telling him to put aside him time for his sword training. When he was 15 years old he came to the throne room one day whilst no one was here and told me he wanted to become a knight to honor you, I knew it would happen one day but I certainly didn't know he would come back as the princess of Hyrule's appointed knight. I couldn't stop him from doing it, he was certainly destined for it but I had the fear of losing him just like I lost you. I helped him leave the domain privately to not cause stir and we spoke for the last time until he would return a few years later. He told me he would come back a knight and make both myself and you proud. But he didn't have to be a knight to do that, I was always proud of him and always will be.
It made me so proud every time he called me 'Uncle Dorphean' it was a habit from when he was younger and he's never stopped. He returned a few years later, with Princess Zelda looking for a champion to pilot divine beast Vah Ruta. Someone of valor and skill was being chosen from each region to pilot the divine beasts across the regions in the battle against Calamity Ganon who could only be defeated by the combination of these beast, the sword that seals the darkness and the princess's sealing power. I looked at Link as he returned to the domain, he was now a young adult at the blossoming age of 17. I couldn't be more proud of him in that moment, I did sometimes still see him as that young child near your home after you died but now, he was a powerful knight just like you, he had grown so much despite only being gone 2 years or so. When Mipha saw him again both myself and Link were sworn to secrecy as she didn't know about any of this and still doesn't to be very honest.
I pulled Link aside after everyone left the throne room and that hug was another one of the best moments of my life to see him so strong and grown up and to have such an important role as protecting the princess of Hyrule. The first strike of the Calamity was the most devastating, Calamity Ganon had grown stronger after awakening and the Princess still could not activate her sealing power which was vital to defeating the calamity. Link had awoken the sword that seals the darkness from its slumber and took his role as the Hylian Champion as well as the Hero of Hyrule. The divine beasts and their pilots had been trained for the strike of the calamity.
Revali of the Rito was to pilot Divine beast Vah Medoh, Daruk of the Gorons was to pilot Divine Beast Vah Rudania, Urbosa of the Gerudo was to pilot Divine beast Vah Naboris and Mipha was chosen of the Zora to pilot Divine beast Vah Ruta. They had all been trained but nothing prepared then for what happened. Ganon had taken control of the divine beasts corrupting them with an infestation of malice, with that terrible creatures created by a Ganon appeared within the divine beasts and no champion got out alive. Their spirit became trapped inside the beasts after passing .
Hearing my daughter death and that she could not even be at peace because her spirit was trapped was heartbreaking I was upset, I couldn't believe it that I had lost one of my children. Not too long after that I was informed that due to protecting the Princess's life, Link had fallen in battle ad was life threateningly injured. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. It brought back so many painful emotions that I had when you died, I prayed to the goddess Hylia with all I am. Please, please I have already lost too many important people in my life. Please, protect my son, do not let him have this fate. I hoped and prayed that the goddess would answer my wishes but when word got here that he had to be taken to the shrine of resurrection to avoid losing his life completely, I had no hope left. I sobbed in silence in the privacy of this room, my heart shattered.
My youngest son did his best to comfort me but he of course didn't understand what was wrong and assumed it was because of Mipha's death so I went along with that keeping my real grief to myself. I never mentioned Link to anyone but there was not a day I didn't think about him and held him in my heart.
100 years passed after both deaths and Hyrule fell under Ganon's control, the divine beasts themselves started to act out because of the infestation. Even though 100 years had passed I knew that even if Link had survived the strike of the calamity he would not have outlived it with a Hylian lifespan. I don't what happened across Hyrule but here with Vah Ruta she started to sprout a endless rainfall and it was merciless, nonstop. So I asked guards to search for a Hylian my youngest son and only remaining child who was now grown up had volunteered to go search, he's a strapping young lad, very energetic and friendly despite having to grow up without his sister and with a father who could not let go of his grief.
When Sidon come back and told me he had found a Hylian who was willing to help us as we needed to use shock arrows to calm Ruta and even our most shock resistant Zora could not do it therefore we had to search for a Hylian to wield them. I did not expect to see Link standing there in front of me, alive and well 100 years after hearing he had almost died in battle. I was shocked, ecstatic, relived and confused. Many emotions at once when I saw him again, I wondered why there was a vacant expression on his face as if we had never met before and this was his first time to the domain. I did not ask as if I didn't want to intrude or seem rude but when Link told me he had lost his memory after waking up in the shrine of resurrection only weeks ago after his 100 year slumber it all made sense.
Due to Ruta needing to be shocked to be calmed, after persuading Muzu I gave Link the Zora amour that Mipha had made for him but did not manage to give it to him. He collected enough shock arrows to calm and clad in the Zora amour him and my youngest son who I know could just tell you their name but I think Link should tell you that. They set off for Ruta and were a great team indeed, they managed to stop the rainfall and Link saved Ruta from her corruption, saving Mipha too.
After Link returned after freeing Ruta and her pilot he was thanked graciously by all Zoras, including an apology from Muzu. I noticed Link was without his trusty blade and of course it was another thing he could not remember but would in due time. As I watched my youngest son thanked Link for his help and valor I saw a connection between the two, I knew they had a deeper relationship in their future and well after Link departed to go rest in the inn, my youngest so came to me when a dilemma. He told me about his feelings for Link but felt as if he was betraying his sister as he knew how much she loved Link but never told him. I told him I'm sure his sister would want him to follow his heart and be happy as I do. They did not reveal their feeling for each other then as Link still had a duty to do, he still had one more person to save: Zelda.
Only a while later did the skies near the castle region darken and I knew the final battle with Ganon was in full swing. I only hope the best for Link and Zelda and hopefully this would be the end of everyone's suffering and they did. Link and Zelda succeeded into sealing away Ganon, weeks flew by and Hyrule was returning to its former glory 100 years ago. However the divine beast had started to emit a strange glow and Ruta was no expectation, it wasn't long after that did Link and Zelda return to the domain to investigate. I only had to hear my youngest son's boisterous voice to know they had arrived, I knew he was going to tell Link his feelings now he just had to pick a moment. When they came to the throne room I asked if I could speak to Link alone and during our conversation I revealed everything, about you, about Link's childhood and everything before the first strike of the calamity.
He remembered it all after our conversation and then I let go speak to Sidon after he had something to tell him too. The next morning I saw Link and he asked if I had seen Sidon around so I assumed they had not confessed to one another yet. I told him where he was and waited, knowing that tonight would be a special one. The next morning Zelda appeared in the throne room before the boys did, I smiled as they came in hand in hand and from the fact I could see a mating bite on Link's shoulder peeking out of his tunic. Both boys were flustered as I teased them about it before they admitted they were not in a relationship and were mates. Link and Zelda went off to see what was the problem with Ruta as I gave my son his duties for today.
Link and Zelda returned to the domain with a most unexpected surprise. Link had Mipha in his arms who was barely breathing and had minor injuries, I couldn't believe it. It was like the goddess was given back all that was lost during the calamity's rampage.
I was so grateful to have my family back safe and sound, knowing that Mipha was now alive and safe back home this came as a warning to Zelda and Link as they knew they had to visit the rest of the divine beasts to save the champions within. Mipha got well again soon and she now stood beside me alongside her brother for royal duties. Link and Zelda returned days later, excited to tell us they had saved all champions and they currently healing. Zelda had an idea for all of us and she explained, in case of another tragedy like the calamity we need to be prepared for anything and we can be stronger together. She had the idea that the champions should not be the only ones to pilot the divine beast but they should have back up pilots too and a new generation of champions too. Those who all helped Link on his journey were chosen to be new champion and given the same but new sashes the original champions had.
After reuniting everyone here at the domain, everything was decided. I want you to meet everyone now so we can get to healing you and maybe getting a change of clothes." I chuckled as did Jakok. "Yeah, ok." I told the guards to tell the nearest person to get everyone in the throne room. Jakok stood in front of me as everyone entered. "Can you line up in your respective champions and successors." They nodded as I started to point people out, I started with the obvious two. "Link, Zelda over here please I think Jakok knows you are." I chuckled as they did coming to stand beside him.
"So, this is Revali and Teba of the Rito. They pilot Divine beast Vah Medoh and are the most skilled archers of the Rito." They smiled as they bowed in greeting. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir." Teba spoke gently. "Thank you, and thanks for helping son all of you may I add. You can call me Jakok. No sir is necessary." They smiled at as I continued.
"This is Urbosa and Riju of the Gerudo. They pilot Divine beast Vah Naboris and although Riju is young she is a fearless leader and fighter." "It is a pleasure to meet you, Jakok. Your son has much valor and skill, we are in debt to him for a long time." Urbosa smiled, I nodded. "I'm sure he does, he has a kind heart, always like helping people."
"This is Daruk and Yunobo of the Gorons. They pilot Divine beast Vah Rudania. They are tough and strong on the inside and out and have much power to offer." "It's great to meet ya, Jakok. Your little man is certainly something indeed, a great fighter." I smiled, "thank you, he certainly is something special." Link smiled at us as i introduced the last two and the most important. "Could Jakok meet our Zora pilots privately please, Zelda you can stay if you'd like." "It's fine thank you King Dorphean I think I'll go with Urbosa and Riju." I nodded as everyone else left the throne and the last two stood in front of us.
"Jakok, this is Mipha, grown up a lot I'm sure form when you last saw her." I nodded, "yes you probably don't remember me that well but I did visit here often." Mipha smiled. "No, I do have some memory of you because that was when I first met Link, yes I remember that. Anyway it's a pleasure to see you again Jakok, don't worry I'll heal that up for yo." She gesture to my chest wound. "Oh, thank you it doesn't hurt much but it isn't very nice to look at." I chuckled as did everyone else. "And finally last but not least. Jakok, this is my youngest son and Link's mate, Sidon." He bowed to Jakok and shook his hand with a smile. "Thank you..." Link slinked his way under Sidon's arm in front of Jakok as Sidon wrapped an arm around Link. "Thank you for bringing my pearl into my life. I don't know what I'd do without him, he's my everything."
Jakok smiled and placed a hand on Sidon's shoulder."Thank you, for keeping him safe. I know you will be a fantastic mate to him and I am so happy for the both of you." Link smiled. "Thank Dad, there's something I want to say to you and Uncle Dorphean too. We're happy and we know, you don't have to hide it anymore. We congratulate you so much, don't we?" Link asked Mipha and Sidon. "Yes. We do." They both said smiling at us so I guess Link had a word after I told them everything. "I wanted to tell you I knew Dad, but stupid Rev cut off me when I was going to and I can see how much you love each other after everything the both of you have been through." I wrapped arm around Jakok's waist pulling him close as he snuggled into my arm smiling.
I finally had my family back together, fully.