Purah somehow found herself in the role of Link's primary physician.
“Why?” The Royal Ancient Technology Lab's director had inquired, “I'm an engineer, not a physician!”
“The Sheikah created his kind in the era of the last Calamity,” the head of the royal family's medical team had responded ever so bluntly, “you are most equipped at dealing with him; being the kingdom's foremost authorities on ancient Sheikah technology.”
“That doesn't suddenly make me a doctor!” Purah had cried ever so not-bluntly. “Linky has conditions, needs medications, preventatives; what about if he's wounded in battle?!”
“The field team can handle wound care. You clearly know far more about his needs than we do.”
“If you just don't want to treat him, you could just say that!” Purah was trying not to raise her voice at the physician, seeing how his voice was calm and nearly monotonous, but the spirited researcher was having a difficult time quieting herself. Was the staff simply refusing to treat Link because of what he was? Were they sincerely concerned with their ability to provide adequate care for anyone non-Hylian? It was impossible to tell, given their insufferable monotony! “Enough people have said one thing to him and done the other, he at least deserves your honesty.”
“You have records.”
“No I don't!” She couldn't help a hand to her face. Why couldn't they just provide care to him? “Most of the records were destroyed; or stolen by the ancient Ordonians. And even if they weren't, this wasn't even considered a disease back then! Why are you making this hard!”
This time, the physician wouldn't even make eye contact with her.
“Would you at least give us the honor of allowing us to contact you should anything concerning arise?” Robbie was, in a word, more collected then Purah. He calmly stopped what he was doing and waltzed over, looking at only the physician.
“...If anything truly major happens, I suppose we could spare him a glance. I make no promises of if we could assist him.”
“Thank you, doctor.”
“...Hmph. Have a pleasant day.” Gathering the little he had placed down, the man in charge of the Royal Family's medical care turned and departed from the Royal Ancient Technology Laboratory.
“Now who does he think he is, shoving Linky off like that?” She crossed her arms and pouted, casting a side eye to her research partner.
“The highest doctor in all Hyrule would be my guess.”
“I'd like to say I can't believe he'd have the nerve, …but honestly, with the way things've been since the Queen passed, I'm not terribly surprised.”
“His Majesty has way too much on his plate to be able to strong-arm the staff into being kinder to our formerly-exiled friends, I'm afraid. Not that it's the monarch's job to be a nanny either.”
Purah shook her head. “No, I don't blame King Rhoam in the slightest. If anything, I blame the nobility for finding every single reason to encourage people to keep Linky and the others as distanced as possible. So what if Her Majesty had me treat an issue of his once? Using a bit of technology on a toddler under her's and a doctor's provision is vastly different from being a young man's entire medical staff!”
“‘Young man’ might be pushing it. He's what? Fourteen?.”
“He's a boy in mind and body, I know,” Purah admitted with a deep sigh. “But the Remnants consider their children to be adults once they've hit that point in puberty where children are possible. I dare not offend their queen.”
“You would think the medical staff would think the same. Link is technically our Zelda's equivalent to a neighboring kingdom. One with a very scary queen at that.” Robbie glanced over to the man in question, who silently hovered over his counterpart under Hylia as she cataloged parts from a disassembled Guardian. “If I were them, I'd keep Link on a fluffy cloud.”
“I'm surprised my sis will go anywhere near him, after the encounter she had with his mom.”
“I'd suppose it'd be hard to advise the Princess though, if you were always avoiding her bodyguard.
“Trueee, it's not like she's approaching Link specifically…” Purah pinched her bottom lip. “Think we can get some weight on ‘im?”
“Think the Castle can afford that much food? He already eats more than the squadron he was on when he was first knighted.”
“Think we should probably try… I know we know very little about how Hylian the Wolfbred still are, but I find it very hard to believe an active fourteen-year-old boy is supposed to be that slim.”
“Should we hire an Ordonian healer, maybe?”
“If we could find one. I know their population's kinda next to nothing now. Can't imagine there'd be a ton of healers that could either move up here or routinely make the trip.”
“He is the queen's son… maybe someone'd be willing to come out here just to keep him intact.”
“It'd be easier if we had more than like, two Wolfbred.”
“You know His Majesty relocated them out of concern for their safety.”
“Yeah, yeah. I know they're probably a lot safer and happier in Zora's Domain. It would just make it more plausible to get a healer up here.”
“You'd think he'd let us give him an exam since the medical staff won't do it?”
“I've been manhandling him since he was a puppy. He'll let me do quite a bit to him.”
“How about his head?”
“Oh, absolutely not. You know Linky won't let anyone touch him there.”
“Well, for the sake of all Hyrule, he better not hit his head.”
“For the sake of Hyrule, we need a better plan for this boy.”
~~~
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