Dorephan sat back against his throne, watching his son pace back and forth with his hands folded behind his back. The last time he'd seen his youngest child in anything resembling such a state was when he had forbidden Sidon from going to fight a giant octorok that threatened a Hylian village. Much like his older sister, he was ruled primarily by a compassionate, if occasionally reckless heart. It made it difficult for the young Prince to think rationally at times, especially when others were in need. Even so, Dorephan hated to admit that he was surprised that his normally optimistic son was this angry. Though, he couldn't blame his son as even he felt simmering anger when he thought of how the true nature of his daughter's condition had been kept from him for the last century.

"How could they keep this from us!?" Sidon nearly shouted as he crossed the room for the dozenth time, his hands clasped behind his back, his tailfin trailing behind him agitatedly.

Of the many responses that came to mind, he chose silence as his son continued to pace at his feet. While the more rational part of him understood the why of the question, he wasn't able to be entirely dispassionate about the situation. Despite knowing in his heart of hearts that his daughter had been out there somewhere, he had spent years in turmoil over her absence. From what Purah had told him, they had been uncertain of whether or not Mipha would survive within the Shrine of Resurrection, and after she had cut off contact with her sister, she lost all updates concerning the Sheikah's observations of the Champions.

"Did you know?" Sidon asked as he rounded on him. The King resisted the urge to look away as he saw his late wife's eyes in the Prince's glare. Though she had never given him that look, it still pained him to see the hurt in those normally bright, golden eyes.

He was grateful that Muzu had chosen to return to Mipha's side after accosting Purah about her involvement in the situation. While he had always had high expectations where the Princess and Prince were concerned, those expectations had been compounded upon Mipha's disappearance. It was almost like he was trying to cope by having Sidon accomplish enough for two separate people. As a result, he would most certainly have started lecturing the Prince, which would have only worsened the situation.

"I had my suspicions, but I was certain of nothing," the King responded patiently, choosing to ignore the implications of the question. He knew that Sidon could not have possibly understood what it was he was truly asking. For the Prince of the Domain to imply that his father had not only had knowledge of his sister's fate but intentionally kept it from him was a serious allegation to make. Regardless, Dorephan understood that his child was confused, hurt, and in desperate need of answers that even he did not possess.

"How long have you had these suspicions?"

"Do you remember the rogue Guardian that nearly made its way here after the Great Calamity?"

"What does that –" The Prince stopped as Dorephan held up a webbed hand, taking a moment to collect his thoughts as his eyes drifted to the eerie green that reflected of the metallic surfaces throughout the Domain below. He'd always had a special love of the night as the soft glow of the moon would fill the Zoras' home with its gentle light. The serenity the moon brought with it was something the bright rays of the sun could never hope to match. Unfortunately, the moon's quiet light was blocked out by the incessant rain and the clouds from which it fell.

"The Guardian didn't find its way here by accident," Dorephan explained quietly. "No, it was following a Hylian Knight who had come to deliver a message from the Hylian Champion." He paused, noting the way his son seemed to recoil at the title that had belonged to his older sister's best friend. It wasn't shock or disgust, but rather, it was the same reflexive action he took every time he knew something that the King did not. Regardless, Dorephan understood that he was answering the questions now. There would be enough time to ask his own later.

"He told me that your sister had fallen on the field of battle and that the Hylian Champion carried her off the field himself." There was that flinch again. If the Zora King hadn't known any better, he might have wondered if Prince Sidon was hiding Link somewhere within the Domain. It certainly would have been a wise decision considering the Council's feeling toward the Hylian Champion. What was more, he couldn't say he would have been surprised to find out that Link had somehow found a way to survive especially if what he'd heard about Mipha's apparent lack of aging was true. Regardless, that was something to reflect on later. "The Knight then told me that he had personally seen her to a place called the Shrine of Resurrection. He was uncertain as to whether or not she would survive, however, he seemed to think that she at least had a chance."

That burden had been almost too much for him to bear, making the wound that the Guardian had dealt to his brow meaningless by comparison. From that day on, he had to live with the knowledge that there was a small chance that she had survived, but he might never be able to see her again, or that she hadn't survived her slumber and that he would never be able to put her to rest as their customs dictated.

While he had lived through several centuries, the last one had been the longest and most painful, and he had no doubt that the constant turmoil he'd hidden away within his heart had taken decades off his life.

"He also gave me this," Dorephan continued, hiding that grief like always as he leaned down and opened a chest that lay beside him. A chest that had remained with him ever since that day. From it, he pulled a beautiful trident with wave-like prongs that had been made to commemorate the birth of his daughter.

"The Lightscale Trident?!" Sidon gasped. "But how? We sent it drifting down the river." The King smiled as he heard a tinge of the usual excitement in the Prince's voice.

"A part of me believed that she may still be alive," Dorephan murmured as his finger traced a wave-like appendage. Even as an addition for mere aesthetics, it was quite sharp. "I had Dento forge a copy before the ceremony. That was what we sent down the river." He set the trident down gingerly, worried that he may damage it.

"I'm sorry," Sidon said suddenly as his face fell toward the floor.

"Whatever for?"

"I… wasn't thinking when I said those things," his son replied as his face fell further toward the floor.

"Listen to me," Dorephan murmured as he leaned down toward his confused child, "you have every right to be angry with me. I could have shared my thoughts about your sister's fate with you, and maybe I should have, but I did not want you to have live with the same pain I have lived with."

"But, was that not a comfort to you?" Sidon asked, finally looking back up at his father. "Would it not have been better to believe from the beginning that she might be alive?"

"Sidon… I was never able to move on. I could not grieve as you could. I have not been able to rest for these past years because I did not know if she was dead or if she would make it back home before I passed on from this life." The King leaned back as he eyed his son, doing his best to decipher the complex range of emotions on his child's face. There was hurt, anger, sadness, loneliness, and if the King was right, it was not all directed at him. "You are not just angry with me, are you? You are angry with her as well, are you not?"

Sidon lowered his head again before nodding slowly. "My dear sister is alive and has finally returned, and I can barely find it in myself to be happy… You must be disappointed to have a son as petty as me."

"Look at me," Dorephan commanded gently but firmly, waiting until his son returned his gaze to continue. "Your sister would never willingly hurt you, but she has hurt you, even if it was unintentional. This may sound odd to you, but I would be concerned if you were not just a little upset."

Sidon pursed his lips as he wiped at his eyes. "I still feel this is wrong."

"Remember that, like everything in this world, these things are fleeting. This too will pass in the river of time."

Sidon nodded shakily, refusing to speak as he finally regained some semblance of his composure.

"Now, why don't you take a few minutes to collect yourself, then go wait by your sister's side. I imagine that she will be overwhelmed when she awakens and will likely need a friendly face."

Again, Sidon nodded, allowing the action to turn into a small bow before taking his leave. Dorephan watched his son step out into the torrential downpours that had been raging for weeks. While some would have been of the opinion that the rains would benefit them, that wasn't quite the case. Despite the Zoras' swimming prowess, he'd heard reports claiming that some of his people had been washed down the river. Several search parties had been dispatched to find them, but only a few had returned, reporting that several of the inhabitants simply weren't equipped with the skills and stamina to return over land. So, many of the knights had chosen to remain and protect them until they were able to return.

Seeing the threat the Divine Beast posed to his people had been one of his biggest reasons for agreeing with the Prince when he claimed the need for a Hylian to aid them.

Of course, considering all that had happened, the King was finding himself more and more convinced that the Hylian Champion had indeed survived and was on his way. He had grown to know Link over the years he had spent in the Domain and, as such, he bore the Hylian Champion no ill will. While many believed it had been his fault that Mipha had been lost, Dorephan knew well that Link would have died before any harm had come to either of his children. He could recall a time or two in their youth that had shown as much.

He found himself remembering the young man fondly and, as he did so, he leaned down to open another chest that rested beside him. From it, he drew an intricate piece of armor, crafted from hardened, blue scales with a single white scale, while the underarms were made from lighter, black scales so as not to hinder movement. The spaulders and vambraces were crafted from a silvery, highly reflective metal and inlaid with hearts.

It was tradition among the Royal Family for every Zora Princess to craft armor for the man she intended to marry, and Mipha had made hers for the Hylian Champion. While he had been hesitant to support the decision, as it would leave her a young widow, he understood what the young man had meant to her. And he also knew that she had always been fascinated by Queen Ruto, who herself was said to have taken a Hylian hero as her consort.

As he gazed down at the armor, he began to reflect carefully on the fact that both Muzu and Sidon claimed that his daughter appeared to have not aged a decade. With that in mind, the King decided he would work under the assumption that Link was also alive and, knowing the Hylian Champion as he did, knew he could not be far behind. And so, he folded up the armor and placed it on his lap before leaning back against his throne, waiting for a yet another familiar face to return home.


"All you have to do is write a letter and send it down the river."

Mipha looked down at the bank that she and her mother stood on, not quite understanding the point her mother was trying to make. As far as she knew, the spot was where young girls sent letters down the stream, hoping their future husbands would find them. "But mother… I am not looking for a husband."

"It's called the Bank of Wishes dear, not the Bank of Husbands," Nera chuckled gently as she knelt down next to the Zora Princess. "All you have to do is write a letter to a friend, and that friend will surely find you."

Mipha frowned at that. While she did sometimes feel lonely, her mother and father were always there when she needed them. She saw no reason to look for a friend when she had everyone she needed.

"Dear one," the Zora Queen murmured as she set a finger under Mipha's chin, using it to raise the girl's gaze to meet her own, "I know you believe your father and I are all you will ever need, but we will not be around forever. I just want to make sure that you have people you trust beside you when we move on from this life."

"But mother…"

"Shh, dear," Queen Nera murmured gently. "Only Hylia knows when our time will come. This is why I need to prepare you now so that when I stand before the Goddess, I can rest easy knowing that you will not be alone."

"I… understand."

It was a lie. The young Princess really didn't understand why her mother was saying such things as she appeared as lively as she ever had. Yet, she spoke as though she might pass the very next day. It was all so very much for Mipha to make sense of.

Her mother must have understood this as she smiled sadly as a hand gently cupped Mipha's cheek. "Just promise me that you will try, dear."

"I will."

She had been fast asleep when Muzu had come for her.

He was so busy rushing the young Zora Princess to the infirmary that he hadn't taken the time to explain to her what was going on. Unfortunately, even the speed at which they were walking was not enough to escape the dread that seeped through her. Queen Nera, her mother, had been in the infirmary for weeks now, fighting an illness that refused to leave her be. Despite the intensive care she received, the Queen's health had continued to deteriorate rapidly.

The young Princess had attempted to heal her mother using her own magic, but her own lack of mastery of her magic made the attempts useless. She could barely call upon it at the best of times, and even when she did manage to access it, it was weak, suitable only for the smallest of injuries. Her mother's ailments were far beyond what she was capable of treating, meaning Mipha could only sit by her mother's side, her heart aching as she watched her once-vibrant mother wither away, her once vibrant scales fading to the dullest greys.

Muzu had to drag her into the infirmary, as she had stopped seeing what lay in her surroundings. Even without her sight though, she had walked through rows and rows of waterbeds enough times to know exactly where her mother lay. Upon her arrival at the Queen's bedside, though, she barely noticed that her father stood beside her with her younger brother in his arms.

"Hello, my dear." Despite how little energy she had left, Queen Nera still tried to sit up and greet her daughter. Even though she couldn't quite manage it, she still graced her eldest child with a loving smile as she reached out to Mipha weakly. The young Zora took her mother's hand gingerly and held it close.

"I-I'm sorry." It took all Mipha had to not break down. The crushing guilt she felt was only compounded as her mother's smile didn't falter.

"Whatever for?" Nera asked, the warm smile never leaving her face for an instant.

"I can't make you better," Mipha whispered quietly, choking on the words as she said them. She had realized not long after her mother failed to improve that it really was her fault. She had been gifted with a power that no one else in the history of their people had possessed, yet she couldn't use them to save her own mother.

"Child, none of this is your fault. Though you were gifted with miraculous powers, they were not meant for me."

"But –"

"No buts," Nera chided, chuckling even as she struggled to draw breath. Even now, she found a reason to laugh and to smile, but Mipha wished she wouldn't.

"I'm sorry, mother."

"Oh Mipha," Nera chided as she brought her hand up to her daughter's face, cupping Mipha's cheek as she continued, "always apologizing when you have no reason to."

Even before she had finished speaking, the Queen's breathing had become more labored.

"Mother?"

"I need you to promise me something, dear."

"Anything," Mipha replied desperately, hoping that the promise would somehow do what her powers could not. Unfortunately, it was to no avail as her mother's breathing continued to deteriorate rapidly.

"I need you to promise me that you won't blame yourself for this," she gasped out.

Mipha nodded quickly, even as she did the very thing she was promising to do.

"Good." Nera's hand slipped from where it had been resting. Mipha quickly grabbed onto it, some small part of her hoping that the action would keep her mother close by. "My one regret," she murmured quietly as the light in her eyes began to fade, "is that I won't be there to hold you as you grow."

"Mother?" Mipha asked quickly. Her heart nearly stopped as her mother's hand went limp and her breathing stopped.

"Mother!" Despite Muzu's protests she climbed up onto her mother's bed and put a hand on her mother's forehead. She felt a familiar, surge of power and for a moment she smiled, thinking her mother would be okay. All too soon, the energy dissipated, and Nera still lay motionless.

"Mother!" she cried out again. She tried again to summon her powers but the powers her mother had called miraculous remained out of her reach.

The Zora Princess felt a hand on her shoulder, trying to take her away, but Mipha clung to her mother stubbornly. While she knew it was hopeless, a part of her clung to the belief that clinging to her would be enough to keep her from passing onto the next life.

"Don't be silly, young Lady. Your mother is- " She heard Muzu's voice break as he fought to keep from breaking down. Tears began to collect in her own eyes as she heard Muzu, who had always conducted himself with the utmost control, trying to choke out his lecture. Mercifully, it was short as the Elder could barely get the words out.

Her little body shook as she sobbed into her mother's chest, wishing that the Queen's arms would wrap around her as they had in the past. Mipha felt the large, strong arm of her father wrap her up gently and pulled her away. She went willingly this time, curling up like her sleeping brother as her father held her close. She wanted so badly for that to be enough, but the tears just wouldn't stop.

She was so distraught that she didn't even notice as the King knelt next to his deceased wife and gently placed his forehead against hers. She didn't notice as he returned to his feet when he had finished his silent goodbye. She didn't notice as her baby brother was handed to Muzu, nor did she notice as her father took her to her room and sat next to her as she cried herself to sleep.

The only thing she noticed, the only thing that registered, was the large void that had wormed its way into her chest.


She lay on her back, staring up at her ceiling dully. The young Zora had spent a few days believing, hoping, that her mother's death was just a bad dream. Mipha had spent those days in her room waiting for her mother to come to check in on her as she always had.

The late Queen never came.

Muzu would come to visit her daily. At first, the Elder had been understanding and unusually gentle, something that she couldn't quite grasp. While Muzu had never been malicious in any way, he had always been one of little patience and could be quite sharp when his expectations were not met. However, as time went on, he became angry with the Princess as she refused to accept his claims about her mother's death even after they had sent her body drifting down the Zora River. He would lecture on about how she needed to come to terms with the loss. Each passing day found Mipha's own ire increasing as Muzu continued to prod her. One day, she finally snapped at her mentor, something she had never dreamed of doing even on the worst days. The Elder had recoiled, looking at her with so much hurt that she almost regretted snapping at him.

Though Muzu had left, the anger remained with her. No matter what she did it remained at her side as though, through some twisted logic, it was supposed to be her friend. It burned her insides, made her want to scream and shout the worst kinds of things at people, especially her mother. Part of her wished that Muzu would come back and be angry with her, just so that she could flay him with her words. She hated it, hated how it made her feel, but most of all, she hated how she couldn't get away from it.

One day she sat facing her wall with the overbearing anger coursing when she heard someone enter her room. She whirled around, ready to snap at Muzu only to come face to face with her father. She stared at him, unsure that it really was her father that she was seeing. He had greeted her quietly, but she hadn't extended to him the same courtesy.

His sad gaze did nothing to prevent her from lashing out bitterly at him when he tried to speak. Every awful thing that she had wanted to say finally escaped her lips, yet the outlet she had desired did nothing to alleviate her suffering. It was only made worse as her father simply observed her sadly as shouted very hateful thing she could think of. She wanted him to be just as angry as she was. She wanted him to fight back. She wanted to feel that her anger was justified.

Dorephan wrapped her up in a delicate embrace after she had finally lost the energy to continue. Being too surprised to resist, Mipha let her hold him as the anger that had been burning her up for so long finally abated. Her relief was short lived though as something come to replace the burning. Tears flowed freely as the King continued to hold her, rubbing her back gently as she sobbed into his chest. Neither said anything, letting their actions speak for them as they both grieved the loss of a loved one that had been ripped away far too soon.

Upon waking, she felt a subdued sense of surprise. As she had looked around her room it looked as though the color had bled out of the world around. All that was left was a listless grey that permeated everything. Even her once bright red scales took on a colorless appearance, just as her mother's had in the weeks before her death. Mipha couldn't be too bothered by the disturbing change, especially since everything she felt was as grey and subdued as the world around her. Whatever meaning had been in the world around her was lost as she stared listlessly at the ceiling overhead.

What did anything matter when everything could be torn away so cruelly?

Muzu had come back after her father's visit, but she couldn't find it in herself to be even the tiniest bit grateful for his consideration. He had tried speaking with her, but between most of what he said being unintelligible and her own lack of interest in speaking to him, she couldn't muster up the energy to respond. Eventually, the Elder gave up altogether and instead settled for holding her hand, but even that was lost on her. A small part of her found some dark humor in the Elder's attempts to comfort her. Muzu didn't realize that his efforts were in vain as there was nothing left to comfort. All that remained was the empty shell of a girl who used to be, just like her mother's body was an empty shell of a woman who used to be.

During one of his visits, it occurred to her dully that her mother would be so disappointed in her. Disappointed in the way she had locked herself away, in how she had treated her family so coldly, in how she had stopped seeing the beauty in the world that her mother had so readily enjoyed. At the thought, she suddenly hated the lifeless grey she saw everywhere. She hated the loneliness that had been clawing at her heart for longer than she had cared to keep track of. Most of all, she hated the fact that she had let herself come to such a state.

At that moment, she vowed that she would make her mother proud once more. But more importantly, she vowed that she would give her a reason to rest easy.

Though it wasn't much, she finally turned her head to her mentor and locked eyes with him for a brief moment, finally acknowledging his presence. It wasn't for long, but she finally gripped his hand in return as returned her gaze to the ceiling above. He said nothing, but she could feel some of the tension and sadness leave him even as she felt another stab in her heart.

After Muzu left, she forced herself to sit up and look around. She cringed as she saw a tray of food laying uneaten on her table, not having any idea when that had been brought in or who even would have brought it. She really had allowed herself to become far too encapsulated in her own woes.

The Zora Princess felt no desire to eat, but she dragged herself to her feet and ate anyway. She didn't know when she had last eaten, but she knew it had to have been quite a while. She ate despite her lack of appetite, despite how cold and flavorless it was, and despite the fact that it was one of her least favorite meals. Her mother had always made it a point to remind her that eating what she did not care for would not kill her. In fact, it would teach her true gratitude as some people did not have the same comfort of being able to eat even what they did not like.

To make the late Queen proud, she would eat what had been provided even though she was miserable.

Once finished with her meal, she moved to her wash basin, taking a few seconds to stare at her reflection before taking a sponge and scrubbing the grime from her body. She wasn't sure how long it had been since she had last bathed but, judging by the grime that covered her, it had been far too long. It took far longer than it should have, but eventually, she was clean.

Mipha had forgotten how nice it felt to be clean, and that feeling, as small as it was, lifted her spirits just a bit. And she clung to that as she sat back down at her desk and pulled a piece of parchment towards herself, determined to finally fulfill a promise she had made.

"To Whomever finds this letter,"

She gave the words a dissatisfied frown as it occurred to her just how impersonal and formal the words sounded. In her limited experience, formalities were often dropped between loved ones.

The young Zora thought back to what her mother would have said as she continued staring at the nearly empty sheet of parchment before her. The late Queen would have told her to write something heartfelt, something that would have told the letter's recipient something about her. Mipha wasn't sure what lay in her heart anymore; however, as she gently placed the tip of her coral pen to the page, she traced lines and curves that became words and those words became sentences.

The letter's contents were a mystery to her when she had finished, as she hadn't really taken the time to think about what she had written. Mipha found she wasn't terribly concerned though, as she found her main motive wasn't to seek a friend but to keep the promise she had made. She rolled up the letter and placed into a small clay jar that she had never found a use for. The young Zora then set off for the bank that her mother had shown her a lifetime ago.

Many of the denizens of the Domain stopped and stared at her as she passed them, staring at her as though she were a ghost. Mipha gave each a quiet greeting and a small smile but never slowed down, quickly passing them by as she continued toward her destination. She left the beautiful metal structures that made up her home and began the precarious journey towards the Bank of Wishes.

A small voice in the back of her head reminded her that she was more than capable of swimming there and that it would be faster and safer. She quieted the voice, reminding herself that speed wasn't what she wanted. Mipha and her mother had hiked the first time they had traveled to the Bank of Wishes together and now replicating that journey felt like one of the best ways to honor the deceased Queen.

It was late afternoon by the time she finally reached her destination. She took in the scenery around her, allowing it to whisk her back to her first visit with her mother. It had been a happier time, but those times were gone now, replaced by a bittersweet realization that such times could only survive in her mind. But it was time to move on and finally make peace with the world.

The young Zora waded out into the water and placed the jar carrying her letter into the peaceful river. Mipha watched solemnly as the little jar bobbed away, wrapping her arms around herself as the tears came yet again. A part of her believed that this was a form of betrayal. Even though she had a promise to keep, it felt like she was letting go of her mother.

Another part of her felt that maybe, just maybe, there was hope for a brighter future as she noticed a few fish with bright scales darted around her legs.

She stood in the shallows of the river long after the little clay container had floated away, wanting just a little more time before she had to say goodbye.


"Why are you so booorring?" Sidon whined. "You finally came out of your room and all you do is study and train with Seggin. When you aren't doing that, you're walking. You don't even go anywhere, you just walk."

Mipha pursed her lips as she tried to form an explanation he would understand. While studying and training with her trident weren't her favorite things, they required so much focus that she couldn't sit and wallow in her loneliness.

"Sidon- "

"I know, I know," Sidon pouted with crossed arms, "you have responsibilities, a reputation to maintain, and a routine to keep, blah, blah, blah." He sighed and hung his head low. "You won't play with me anymore."

"I will play with you tomorrow."

"That's what you said last time…"

Mipha clutched her hands in front of her as the other Zora children stared at her as though she was a fabled monster. She tried to find a diplomatic answer that her younger brother could understand but those stares were the reason she didn't play with them. Every time she had tried to play with Sidon and his friends, they treated her as an outsider. Without fail, she would wind up a bystander, watching from the edge as they played. Then one day, Muzu had found her trying to play with them. He had become so angry with her and the children that he had gone on a tirade about how to properly conduct herself. She had been an outsider before but now, she was a threat to their fun.

She tried her best to avoid the children kindly. Being alienated by her generation tore at her, but she saw no other option. The older generations loved her, but they didn't know her. They only held an idea of her and a rather distorted one at that. Her father was her only hope of companionship, but he had become busy in recent weeks, meaning that, outside of Seggin and Muzu, she had spent much of the past few weeks very much alone.

That being said, she felt rather terrible that she had not made time for her brother. Though he tested her patience often, he was, at heart, a sweet and energetic child who just wanted to know she loved him. Even so, she didn't want to risk him getting in trouble by involving herself in his games. Muzu had a habit of cracking down even more where she was concerned, and she didn't want Sidon to have to undergo that.

She was too distracted to notice the small form sneaking up on her.

"I'm sorry Sidon bu- "

"Tag!" She lurched forward as she felt someone crash into her from behind. She looked over her shoulder quickly to find a young Hylian boy grinning up at her.

"What?"

"I was it and I tagged you," he replied with a large grin.

That wasn't exactly what she had meant to ask, though it occurred to her that asking what a Hylian child was doing in the Domain was rather rude. That rudeness would have only been compounded when she remembered that she'd heard several of the elders discussing the fact that a Hylian child had come to live among them. She'd thought nothing of it, as she had been rather busy studying with Muzu.

"Linny," gasped one of the Zora girls, "that's Lady Mipha. You can't- "

"Mipha?" he asked. The Princess tilted her head slightly as his sky-blue eyes light up in recognition. While it wouldn't have been odd for him to have heard of her, there seemed to be something more than name recognition in those big, blue orbs.

"Yes. And you are?" she asked politely. While she hadn't been overly fond of the way he had chosen to initiate their meeting, she understood that was more her fault than his own. He'd had very little way of knowing that she wasn't there to play.

"Link," the Hylian boy replied proudly.

"It's very nice to meet you," Mipha said as she extended a hand out to him.

"I'm not falling for that one!" he cried as he danced away from her.

"What?" she asked, her smile faltering as her hand fell slightly.

"You're still it! I don't wanna be it again!"

"I see," the Princess responded uncertainly. She was familiar with the game of tag, as she and her mother had played it a time or two themselves. As she observed the blonde-headed child, she felt a strange desire to take part. To let lose for the first time in what had been years. She had spent so long devoted to her studies and responsibilities that she had forgotten what it was to have fun.

She suddenly felt the impulsive urge to lunge forward to tag him, which she obeyed before she had a moment to think about what she was doing.

"Too slow!" Link laughed as he danced out of the way.

A part of her thought it was inappropriate for her to be any more involved with the game than she already was. For once she chose to ignore that voice.

She could tell that Link was far too quick for her. The others were also likely out of her reach as they had backed away from her nervously, waiting for her to once again ruin their game. All except Sidon, who sat on the ground still pouting.

"There, there Sidon," she said with a playful smile. She reached down and patted him gently on the head. "It is going to be all right."

"No, it isn't."

"I'm sure it will be." She edged away from him carefully, not want to alert him before she had the chance to put ample distance between herself and her younger brother. She had already committed to taking part in the game, and she wasn't about to just hand him a win.

"How?"

"Well, Sidon… you are it!" She dashed away from her younger brother quickly.

"Huh…"

She looked over her shoulder laughing as she saw understanding dawn on his face.

"Hey, no fair! Mipha!" the Prince shouted after her. He jumped to his feet and dashed after her.

She smiled joyfully as all the other children laughed. They closed in on the two siblings as some came into taunt Sidon. Finally, the Prince got ahold of a young girl.

"Aww," she complained. "Linny, I'm coming for you!"

"Just try and catch me Kodah!" Link shouted back.

And on and on the game went. Mipha lost track of the time as she became fully immersed with the others. She was able to call out to each of them by name now and they seemed to have forgotten that she was a Princess. Even in the midst of the chaotic game, Mipha was careful to treat the others gently. No matter how hard she herself was shoved or grabbed, she made sure to just barely make contact. She was quite a bit larger and stronger than they, and it wouldn't do to hurt someone because she couldn't maintain control.

Link gave the Zora Princess a mischievous grin after Gaddison finally managed to tag him. His body jolted towards her but his lunge was a feint to set her off balance, and it succeeded in doing so. Exploiting the opening he had created, Link rushed her, his hand outstretched toward her.

"Lady Mipha! Prince Sidon! What do you think you are doing?!"

Mipha's heart jumped, then fell as she recognized Muzu's voice. She straightened and dusted herself before turning to face the Zora Elder.

"Here comes grumpy gills to ruin everything." She suppressed the urge to shake her head at Sidon's sour tone. While she could understand his frustration, that did not excuse showing disrespect for someone that had devoted much of his life to taking care of the Royal Family.

"I asked what you are doing," Muzu repeated tersely.

"We were having fun til you showed up," Sidon replied sullenly.

"That is no way to speak to an elder, Sidon," Mipha cut in disapprovingly before Muzu could retort. Normally, the old Zora would have given her a slight nod of approval. This time, though, he did not acknowledge the mild chastising she had given her brother, which worried her even more. Whenever she took such measures in his hearing, he would respond with a less lengthy and harsh lecture.

"You two will come with me."

Neither of the two argued as they knew they knew that tone and what it signaled. It meant that they would be dragged before their father, where they would be forced to listen as Muzu informed him of how they had disappointed him.

As they made their way to the throne room, Mipha thought back over her experience. She found that even though it had ended on a sour note, she didn't regret it in the slightest. It had been so long since she had worn such a genuine smile, and she decided that there was nothing wrong in getting to know her peers. After all, they had found her to be unapproachable before but now there was a chance that she could come to know them. She held her head high as she followed Muzu to her place before the King of the Domain.

"Muzu," the King greeted as the trio entered, "Mipha. Sidon." As always, her father sounded of tireless patience despite knowing what must be coming.

"I caught these two roughhousing with the other children!"

Dorephan raised a brow, which was his way of saying he didn't understand the issue that was being raised. "And what precisely have they done wrong?"

"They have shown a complete disregard for proper decorum!" Muzu sputtered. "As members of the Royal Family and heirs to the throne, they need to command the respect of our people, not be rolling around in the muck with them! What would King Rhoam or the leaders of the other tribes think if they saw our Princess and Prince –"

"Have either of them fallen behind in their studies?"

"I'm sorry?" Muzu replied, clearly baffled by the question that had just been posed.

"Have either of them fallen behind in their studies," her father repeated impassively.

"I do not see the relevance –"

"So they have not?"

"No…"

"What game were they playing?" her father asked as he leaned forward, suddenly seeming far more interested in the conversation. It surprised Mipha to see him so invested, as she had imagined that he would be apathetic, what with the much larger issues he had to deal with on a daily basis.

"My lord, that is irrelevant!"

Dorephan frowned, but he wouldn't have the chance to respond.

"We were playing tag!" Sidon jumped in excitedly.

The King regarded Sidon carefully as a small smile played at the corners of his mouth. Then he turned to Mipha. Being held in her father's gaze had always been comforting to her, as he seemed to see through her exterior and lovingly accepted what he saw, despite her imperfections. Being able to communicate with him without words was something she would always treasure as it struck her as purer. There was no need for formality, no need for small talk, it was just a connection between two loved ones.

His eyes searched through her far longer than they had Sidon. Finally, he leaned back and returned his gaze to Muzu.

"I see no problems with them playing with the other children. As you have said, neither is allowing such excursions to affect their studies and Seggin has assured me that Mipha is making remarkable progress in her combat training. There is no reason that they should not be enjoying some free time."

"But my lord- "

Muzu stopped short as Dorephan took to his feet without warning. The towering King stepped up to the Elder. Setting a hand on Muzu's shoulder, Dorephan leaned until his head was level with his advisor's. He murmured something in Muzu's ear, then straightened and motioned for his children to follow.

Mipha had to suppress a giggle as she followed behind. She had chanced a glance over her shoulder to see Muzu more flabbergasted than she'd ever seen him. The Elder opened and closed his mouth, apparently unaware that even had he spoken, no one would be there to hear.

She sped up so that she matched her father's pace, not wanting to be left behind when Muzu finally regained his composure.

"If I may father, what did you say to Muzu?"

The King slowed and looked at her over his shoulder. She hadn't been able to see it before, but a playful grin was splitting his face.

"You're it," he replied.

Sidon and Mipha exchanged an awed glance. Though this had not been the first time their father had played a joke on Muzu, it still surprised them whenever he did so. After a few seconds, they started laughing at the absurdity of the situation.

The laughter of the two siblings was drowned out by their father's own.


Later that same night, Mipha passed the throne room, returning from one of her walks when she heard Muzu arguing with her father. She had intended to keep going but she heard her name mentioned.

"It is not her place to be rolling around with the riff-raff."

"Tell me Muzu, what has the boy done to deserve your scorn?"

Mipha was wondering what boy her father was referring to. She had been playing with several that day, a few of which were children of members of the council. Referring to them as riff-raff was quite a stretch. Sure, they had no compunction about getting themselves dirty or skirting the line of what was socially acceptable, but they were a far cry from what she would have considered to be poor influences.

"He is a nuisance! Since he has come along, he has been a negative influence on our youth. Now he is trying to corrupt your children. He should be thrown out before he can do any more damage than has already been done."

It was then that it occurred to Mipha who Muzu was referring to. If he was calling for someone to be thrown out, it couldn't be anyone other than Link. He was the only outlier she could think of as he was the only one that was not a Zora, and so the most likely candidate for being exiled from the Domain.

She found that she too had devoted a lot of thought to the young Hylian. She found something appealing in those energetic, bright eyes that had been so ready to include her in their fun. What was more, she still wondered about the recognition she'd heard when he repeated her name. He was certainly an interesting character, and she hoped she would be able to get to know him better.

Regardless of her own personal desires, it was becoming increasingly apparent that trying to spend too much time with him may wind up causing him more harm than would do her good. She found that end result to be unacceptable.

"What damage is this?"

"As I was saying earlier," Muzu replied tightly, "I have never seen such poor conduct from Mipha and Sidon."

Her father was quiet for a long time, causing her to worry that he might actually be considering sending him away. When inquiring about him to a few of the adults that seemed to know him, she had found that his village had been destroyed during a raid, and he had fled to the Domain as he had been friends with a young girl among their people. As far as she knew, Zora's Domain was the only place he had left to go.

"Has it perhaps occurred to you, my old friend, that he may be the key to helping her develop as a leader? If she is to be the Princess and Queen our people need, then she must be one of them as well. If associating with Link will help her do so, then I will support it."

"But he is- "

"Enough!" Mipha flinched as her father snapped at Muzu. She had never heard him speak to anyone, let alone Muzu, in such a manner. "What is it you desire Muzu? For my children to conduct themselves 'properly?' Then perhaps you should start examining your own behavior, advisor. How often do I allow you to overstep your own bounds? How often do I allow you to question me in front of my children, the council, or any citizen that comes before me?"

The Zora Princess' heart went out to Muzu as she could all but see him trying to formulate some sort of response, but being unable to when confronted by such questions.

Eventually, she heard her father sigh in exhaustion as his normally cheerful tone was drug down by a weight she'd never heard before. "I am sorry, old friend, but you must realize that your way will only make it harder for the poor girl. She needs to earn the love of her peers now before she becomes unreachable on the throne."

"My Lord, I just-"

"Do you wish for her to become bitter and resentful?"

"That is not at all my intent," she heard Muzu reply quickly.

"Then let her be a child while she still can."

"…As you wish," Muzu replied, his voice full of sorrow.

She hid quickly as the Elder exited the throne room. The old Zora lacked his usual proud posture as his shoulders sagged, drawing his entire form down. She knew her mentor well, and as such, she understood that despite how harsh, unforgiving, demanding, and stubborn he was, he truly did care about her and their people.

"While I am glad that you are finally behaving your age, there are some habits that would be best unpracticed." Her insides froze as her father's voice emanated from the throne room. Knowing that it would be useless to look for a way out of her current situation, she quickly entered the throne room and presented herself before her father. She fought the desire to look away as he regarded her with an unusually austere expression. "I don't think eavesdropping is particularly appropriate for anyone, young lady."

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to intrude."

"How much did you hear?"

"More than I should have," she answered honestly. Though she hadn't exactly been thinking when she had stopped to listen, some part of her had known that it was wrong.

"I see. Well try not to make a habit of it," Dorephan chided softly. His frown faded, giving way to a fond smile as continued holding her in the center of his gaze, "it has been too long since the two of us could speak as father and daughter. How are you, my dear?"

"I am well, thank you."

"Good." Dorephan leaned forward and gave her a searching look. "Now, how are you really?"

"I… don't know," Mipha replied as she wrapped her arms around herself. How she felt really came down to the day. Some days, she felt like she had swum several feet forward, only to feel as though the current had pushed her back further the next.

Her father said nothing, nor did he need to. She knew that he would wait as long as needed for her to finish.

"I am well enough most days, but there are still times when I struggle to get up in the morning," she admitted. Whether or not she spoke the words out loud, she knew her father would find out eventually and trying to prevent him distress by trying to mislead him would only make it worse.

Dorephan closed his eyes as she continued.

"There are times when I wonder if I will ever truly move on…" It had been years since her mother's passing, yet it often felt like she had made little to no progress moving on. That void that had found its way into her heart had remained where it was. While she could live with it some days, other days were a struggle to not break down in front of everyone.

Quiet reigned as both father and daughter said nothing. Eventually, the King sat back and opened his eyes, staring far above her as he remained lost in thought.

"Everyone that we meet," he started slowly as he refocused his attention on her, "everyone that we allow into our lives are all so very different. As such, each one will create a place in our hearts that is so uniquely their own," Dorephan sighed as he continued, "when we lose that person, a hole is created. We often try to fill those holes with other people or things, however, nothing is able to take the place of that person."

Mipha nodded. She knew him well enough to know that he wasn't done speaking yet. Dorephan continued gathering his thoughts.

"The true struggle of loss is not learning to fill that void, it's learning to live with it."

"So I will always feel this pain?"

"You will always feel it to some extent. Maybe not as much as you feel it now but nobody will ever be able to take her place in your heart."

The words provided her a strange sense of comfort as she mulled them over quietly. It wasn't so much the thought of forever missing her mother, but rather, that she could do so without having to feel guilty about it. She had come to understand that the late Queen had wanted her to live her life without being held back by guilt and grief, but her inability to escape her loss caused the Zora to feel dissonance. To hear that some part of her would always feel that pain was like being given permission to struggle with it so long as she didn't allow it to overcome her.

"Do you miss her?" she asked. It was just now occurring to her that she rarely asked him how he was, let alone asking if he had come to terms with his own loss.

"Every day," Dorephan murmured.

"Did she know that she was going to die?" she asked carefully. She had spent quite a lot of time reflecting on her mother and, upon those reflections, she had come to notice that a few years before her death, Queen Nera had been acting abnormally for her. While the largest example she could think of was their trip to the Bank of Wishes, but that had been strange. That had marked the time that her mother had started pushing her harder when it came to meeting new people and developing deeper relationships.

"I think she knew long before the sickness took hold," Dorephan replied solemnly. "Not long after your brother was born, she began to act differently, almost like she was preparing for something inevitable."

"Was she scared?" Mipha's voice cracked slightly as she asked.

"I think her only worry was for you and Sidon," her father murmured. "Her peaceful manner never left her, even when she thought no one was watching her." He chuckled suddenly, "she used to joke about how, at the rate I am 'growing,'" he said as he patted his stomach, "that I would be joining her soon."

Mipha winced slightly. Her father may have found it funny, but such jokes weren't to her liking. She had already lost one and was nowhere near ready to lose the other, making it impossible to enjoy such jokes. Her father gave her an apologetic smile, though she had the distinct impression that it was more for her benefit than him being at all remorseful.

"Is there anything else you wished to ask me?"

"Do you intend to send Link away?"

"No, I do not intend to send him away. Besides," Dorephan said sadly, "we would have nowhere to send him from what I hear."

"Thank you," Mipha replied. She was grateful for her father's generosity toward the Hylian child as Link had shown her a lot of kindness earlier that day. While she had been taught that one shouldn't be kind simply to repay a kindness, she still believed in repaying it when possible.

"Before you take your leave, there is one thing I must ask of you. Please try to keep your 'escapades' with the other children away from Muzu. This has been quite a stressful time for myself and the Council, and having Muzu working himself up over this will not help.

"Has something happened, father?"

"Nothing you need to worry about my dear. Now, will you do as I have asked?"

Mipha nodded. She was tempted to press her father for answers; however, she knew that he would not answer. Had it been something he wanted her to know, he would have explained the situation rather than dancing around the topic as he just had. She would just have to make peace with the unanswered question.

"Thank you. Sleep well, child."

"I hope you do as well."


"Link, are you sure you are okay?" Mipha asked worriedly. Her friend was much quieter than normal, and he'd been paying more attention to the ground than the various intricacies of the environment around them. Even though he tried to fight it, she could see a frown vying to be the dominant expression on his face.

"Yeah," Link sighed, "Kodah and I just got into a big fight."

"If you would like, we could postpone until you are feeling better."

"Are you kidding!" Link exclaimed, his normally cheerful side returning in an instant, "I've been waiting to see Naydra since you told me about her!"

"Then we should be on our way," the Zora Princess replied with a small smile

Link followed her out of the Domain towards the entrance that led to the Veiled Falls. The Princess couldn't help but notice that despite his excitement moments prior, he had quickly become downtrodden again as they made their way through the bustling city. Unfortunately, due to the number of people that she had to exchange brief pleasantries with, she hadn't been able to inquire into his emotional state until after they were outside the city.

"Link?"

"Hmm?"

"May I ask what you and Kodah were fighting about?"

"Oh… that." The boy sighed as he ran a hand through his unruly hair. "Kodah was snooping through my stuff and she found a personal letter of mine."

"Why would be upset about a letter of yours?"

"She thinks it's a love letter. She made me… she made me choose between her and the person who sent it." With those words, the Princess understood the problem. Kodah had a blatant crush on Link, which the Hylian seemed completely oblivious to, which amazed the Princess, as she was rather possessive of him, and easily became jealous when other girls, even Gaddison and Mipha herself, spent what she deemed to be much time with the Hylian.

"May I ask who you chose?" Mipha asked timidly. She had no desire to upset him by asking too personal a question and the further she pried, the more uncomfortable he became.

"I told her that I didn't have those kinds of feelings for either of them," Link replied as he started rubbing the back of his head. "But she told me I had to choose one. I… didn't choose her… She didn't take it very well," he muttered.

"I am sorry."

"Not your fault. Besides, I finally get to see a dragon!"

Mipha giggled as he shifted from a sullen mood to his usual excitable self. It seemed that not even a fight with one of his best friends was enough to put a damper on his spirits for long, something for which she was grateful. While she always enjoyed spending time in his presence, she didn't like the way he withdrew into himself when he was in pain. She much preferred it when he was loud and just a little obnoxious, as he didn't censor himself then.

"So what makes this spot so cool?" Link asked as they climbed the steep incline that led to the top of the falls. As usual, Link made his part of the trek much more difficult, as he almost obsessively climbed every large stone they came across. It slowed their progress considerably, but the Zora princess didn't really mind.

"Well, the spot is not really so different from any other, but it is where my mother brought me when we watched Naydra together."

"Your mother?"

"Yes…"

"Are you sure she would be okay with you bringing me?" Link asked somberly.

It was a question she had asked herself well in advance, but she had come to the peaceful conclusion that her mother would have welcomed the idea.

"I think she would be thrilled to know that I trusted someone enough to bring them here," Mipha replied quietly, sending him a warm smile, which quickly faded to worry. "Are you all right?" Link had noticeably slowed down as his face once again fell, signaling the start of his withdrawal. "You don't –"

"I just really miss my mother."

"I'm so sorry to have made you think of her."

Link shrugged. As far as she had seen, he wasn't one to carry grudges, but that only alleviated her discomfort a bit.

"Would you tell me about her?"

"She always used to talk about how I had my father's eyes. Something about how they sparkled like his. When I would get in trouble, she always used to sit me down and tell me why I shouldn't go and do stupid things, then she would sigh and say 'what am I to do with you?'" He stopped but even so, Mipha didn't speak. She felt that maybe there was more he wanted to say. They shared some very similar qualities, and so she knew that sometimes it could be difficult to say everything one wanted to say.

"Whenever I would get scared, she would hug me and tell me that everything would be alright. That my father was watching over me and would help protect me. I just wish he had protected her too," he muttered dully as he looked up at the sky. "I guess even he couldn't keep everyone safe."

"Link…"

Their hike continued in silence as Mipha regretted asking about her friend's past. He still had quite a lot to work through, from the looks of it, and while sometimes talking about one's pain could help, it could also serve as an unnecessary reminder. She couldn't help but believe that her questions had only done the latter.

They finally reached the tops of the hills and the Zora wordlessly began leading the Hylian towards a pond that fed into a small waterfall.

"Thanks, Mipha," Link said quietly as they settled on down at the edge of the pond, laying back to stare at the starry sky above.

"For what?" Mipha was genuinely confused about why the Hylian would be thanking her.

"Kodah only likes to talk about happy things, but… sometimes I need to talk about sad things though."

"You are welcome. I hope you know that you can always talk to me."

"I do," Link replied with a smile.

"Have you gotten into the Bazz Brigade yet?" Mipha asked as they saw no sign of Naydra.

"Yep."

"And how did you manage that?" she asked innocently. Seggin had been scoffing about it all morning during her training.

"By giving Bazz sword lessons," Link muttered. "I actually think he may be hopeless."

"Hmm?"

"I thought maybe he just needed someone who believed in him. Now I think that he just wasn't made to swing a sword," he sighed.

It was odd to hear Link sound so pessimistic about something. He was normally as optimistic and encouraging as her younger brother, yet here he was, admitting that a situation may be hopeless. It was almost amusing to her.

"Well, at least you are trying. Sergeant Seggin gave up a long time ago."

"What does the Demon Sergeant have to do with Bazz?"

"Didn't you know? Bazz is his son."

"What!?" Link cried incredulously. "Bazz is the son of the Demon Sergeant?!" She had to repress her urge to laugh at the disbelief that reverberated through the question.

"Is that so hard to believe?"

"He nearly cut his foot off at practice this morning!"

"Oh dear," Mipha murmured as she brought up a hand to hide her smile.

Once again the two fell quiet. As they lay silently, gazing up at the stars above, it occurred to Mipha that Link had once made a promise that if he had joined the Bazz Brigade, he would try and convince them to let Mipha in as well. She had found that he always kept his promises, and she hoped now wouldn't be any different. The Zora Princess had become quite fond of the small group of children, despite their antics. They had a proclivity for getting into trouble, but it was often amusing, even to the Council.

"One time, my mother told me that the stars were windows into heaven and that the people we lost used them to watch over us… do you think that's true?"

Mipha left her thoughts of the Bazz Brigade behind and turned them to her ideas of the afterlife and Hylia.

"I believe that those who loved us are always with us, even though we can't hear or see them." She turned to find Link with a dissatisfied frown, which she imagined had been on her own face when reflecting on such things. "Unfortunately, that rarely makes things easier."

Link said nothing as he continued staring at the sky above. Mipha kept her gaze fixated on her friend's face, somehow wishing that she could ease his pain. Though her healing powers had developed greatly, even she couldn't mend a broken heart. All she could offer was her companionship, for whatever that was worth.

Link's face morphed to grin as a bluish light filled their surroundings.

"Naydra," he breathed excitedly.

Mipha looked up to find Naydra twisting through the air as her iridescent blue scales glowed with a mesmerizing light.

"Beautiful, is she not?"

"Yeah..." the Hylian breathed.

"Naydra has guarded this land since ancient times. Her presence and continued blessings are the reason that we are not overwhelmed by monsters."

"She keeps this land safe?"

"As much as she can, but…" Mipha didn't finish. She only had an inkling that something was wrong with the world. Months ago, when she had spoken with her father about Muzu, he had let slip that something was wrong. After that, she began to notice how distracted and on edge her father and the rest of the Zora Council had been. Jihato, the Zora historian, had been called away several times to Hyrule Castle over the past few months for reasons that she was not aware of. The Zora Princess could only hope that she was wrong about the storm she sensed on the horizon.

"But even she can't save everyone," Link finished glumly. "She still looks awesome."

"She is a sight to behold."

"And someday I'll meet her in person," Link said, unwavering determination in his voice.

"Meet her?"

"Yeah!" Link cried as jumped to his feet. "Hear that Naydra!" he shouted as he cupped his hands around his mouth. "I'm gonna come visit you one day!"

Mipha marveled at the young Hylian. No matter how the world tried to beat him down, he was always ready to get back up with a smile on his face. She noticed a scratch on his arm that had escaped her attention before, likely received as he climbed up and down every surface he could on their way there.

As Link lay back down, she reached out gently placed her hand over the scratch. She let her healing magic flow, repairing the damage in a few seconds. Mipha wasn't sure what had caused the improvement of her powers, but she was grateful as, now, she could heal most any minor injury that she came across. She began to believe that in time, she would be able to heal anything short of death. The Young Princess' only regret was that it wouldn't be in time to save her mother.

As Mipha drew her hand back, Link grabbed it and held it tightly in his own. Mipha sent him a questioning gaze but he didn't look away from Naydra. She gave his hand a comforting squeeze and, to her surprise, he returned it. The Young Zora Princess smiled warmly as she wished that every day could be like this, quietly spent in the company of a dear friend.


A/N: So, just a quick heads up, Not only will the second (yes there's still a second) memory be quite a bit different than the original (unlike this one), it will also have an interlude chapter between it and this one. I know that a few people complained that the original memory sequence droned on for too long, whereas they didn't in the Rito arc (and they're roughly the same length). I don't know if this is because people just enjoy Revali's arc more, or if the break provided by the interlude helped to keep it from being too much. Either way, I thought it might be worth a shot.