The shore of East Reservoir Lake stretched wide and glittering under the early afternoon sun, its shallows warm enough to steam faintly where the light hit. Dragonflies skipped along the reeds, each buzz and flicker a reminder that this place was supposed to be calming—serene—perfect for beginners.
And, apparently, perfect for one overly excited Zora prince.
Sidon had been waiting for you with all the stillness and patience of a hyperactive thunderstorm. The moment he spotted you approaching, his entire posture brightened—shoulders lifting, fins perking, tail swishing in wide, sweeping arcs that sent soft splashes across the sand.
“There you are!” he called, voice booming with the joy of someone who had never once known embarrassment or hesitation. “I feared you might have escaped me! But the lake has been calling your name!”
His enthusiasm hit like a physical wave. Sidon strode toward you with long, confident steps, each one making tiny whirlpools bloom around his ankles. He circled once—like a large, aquatic predator trying to assess whether its tiny land-dwelling friend might bolt—then beamed down at you with eyes bright as amber glass.
“You are prepared, yes?” he asked, even though you hadn’t said a single word yet. “Ah, do not worry! The shallows are perfectly gentle. They are practically hugging the shoreline today!” He didn’t seem to register your tension so much as he registered that you were not yet in the water, which to him was the only true problem here.
Sidon clapped his hands together, splashing droplets everywhere. “Come! I will show you there is nothing to fear. Why, this water is my home! And you—”
His grin widened.
“—are in excellent hands.”
He reached for you with all the carefulness of someone who believed he was being delicate, even though his idea of “delicate” still involved lifting you as if you weighed less than a bucket of lakewater. One strong arm swept around your waist, pulling you against the cool, smooth plane of his chest.
“Up you go!”
You had barely gasped before he had you completely off the ground, held securely against him, dangling just enough to remind you how easily he could do this.
Sidon laughed—a bright, ringing sound that echoed off the cliffs. “Ha! Look at that! Already closer to the water and you did not even need to step!” He puffed out his chest proudly. “Efficiency!”
He carried you forward with easy, powerful strides, each one sending ripples fanning ahead of him. The moment the lake touched his feet, his entire body seemed to relax—shoulders dropping, posture loosening, tail trailing lazily behind him through the shallows.
“You see?” he said, glancing down at you with genuine confusion and fond amusement. “Nothing dangerous lurks here. The lake is peaceful today… welcoming, even.”
The water climbed around his calves… his knees… while you remained safely elevated in his arms. Sidon adjusted his hold, sliding his palm beneath your back to steady you as he waded in deeper. His voice softened only slightly—still buoyant, still thrilled, but gentled just enough to show he was paying attention.
“I promised we would not go far,” he murmured, shifting you closer against his chest as he reached the point he’d deemed “shallow enough.” “And I keep my promises.”
He stopped.
The water lapped at him. Sunlight danced across his crimson skin. Your feet hovered just above the shimmering surface.
Sidon tilted his head, a teasing glint sparking in his eyes.
“Now then,” he asked, a roguish grin tugging at his lips, “is this so bad?”