"… And we of the Bazz Brigade are sorry to see you go." Mipha's heart went out to the leader of the notorious "Big Bad Bazz Brigade" as he tried to choke out the rest of his official farewell to Link. Had it not been for years of training in maintaining her composure, she would likely have been reduced to tears, much like the children that surrounded Link. Thankfully for the young leader, everyone took the line as an invitation to further converge on the Hylian for their own personal farewells.

Mipha watched sadly, a bittersweet smile on her face as she watched Rivan and Sidon cling to Link, demanding that he come and visit as often as his training for knighthood would allow. The Hylian child maintained his ever upbeat grin, but she could see her own pain and apprehension mirrored in her eyes. Though she had been certain that his choice to leave the Domain had been difficult before, she now understood that he was struggling with his departure just as much as she was, if not more.

Next was Gaddison who, despite being renowned for her reserved nature, gave him a stiff hug before stepping back quickly and challenging him to yet another swimming challenge upon his return. Link, ever ready to accept a challenge he had no hope of winning, readily agreed with a large grin.

Bazz followed suit with a firm handshake, reminding Link that he was welcome to rejoin the brigade whenever he returned to the Domain. The poor child was still choked up, but he did his best to keep from being overwhelmed as he took a step back and nodded.

The Princess couldn't help but notice that Kodah was standing back a little way, looking miserable and conflicted as her eyes flitted between Link and the ground.

To Mipha's surprise, Sergeant Seggin, Bazz's father, also stepped forward. While she knew that Link had spent a significant amount of time training with the Demon Sergeant, she had been of the opinion that he was unmoved by Link's departure. The fact that he took time to not only show up to the farewell but thank Link for mentoring his son while also complimenting the Hylian child was a surprise to her.

The few other adults that were present wished him well on his journey, as well as advising him to try and stay out of trouble. She couldn't help but let out a small giggle as she heard the laughter in their voices, as well saw the way that Link rubbed his head, clearly embarrassed by some of the memories he had created with them.

Finally, Kodah dashed forward and flung her arms around him. Though Mipha couldn't make out most of what the young girl said, she thought she caught part of an apology as Link returned her hug after a moment. While the Princess was naturally curious about what had transpired between the two, she stopped herself from entertaining thoughts on it for too long. They had been drifting apart for quite some time, and she was happy to finally see them reconciling themselves, even if it was just as Link was leaving. Besides, it was none of her business, and she didn't want to intrude on such an intimate moment between friends.

Finally, Kodah let go and retreated, flashing Link one last pained smile before turning her eyes back to the ground.

At last, the sparkling blue eyes turned to her and she felt her heart break a little more.

She stepped up to her friend, slowly wrapping him into a warm hug, which he returned. "I know you have to go," she murmured quietly, "and it isn't fair of me to ask you to stay. All I ask is that you come back to us when you are ready."

"I will," he replied just as quietly, sounding more determined than she had ever heard, which helped to soothe her doubts just a little.

"I am glad. And Link," she started as she stepped back and looked him in the eye again, "thank you… for everything."

The Hylian grinned at her, playfully flexing as he gave her a toothy grin. "Of course, Milady."

She shook her head in amusement as he gave everyone one last goodbye before turning and leaving them all behind. Had he not made his way along the path out of the Domain safely several times before, she would have accompanied him herself, just to make sure he wasn't in danger. Fortunately, he had, and so, she wasn't forced to prolong the goodbye as she watched him disappear down the path. Mipha felt horribly selfish for being relieved, but she had already suffered one long goodbye and was far from eager to experience another.

She remained where she was as nearly everyone else left, leaving Bazz, her younger brother, and herself to watch quietly even though there was nothing to see. Eventually, she decided that they had spent far too long there, and so, she picked Sidon up, and placed a hand on Bazz's shoulder, gently guiding him back into the city as he gave another long sigh.

"I already miss him," Bazz mumbled as he wiped at his eyes for what must have been the hundredth time.

"I do too." Despite her own grief, she had decided that she wouldn't break until she was alone. Because of how close she was to Sergeant Seggin, she had been there for much of Bazz's life. While they had never been anywhere near as close she and Sidon were, they had grown closer since Link had come into their lives. While she didn't think he thought of her as his older sister, she considered him to be her younger brother, and so, she was as determined to be strong for him as she was for her own brother.

She would be the shoulder he could cry on, even as she wanted a shoulder of her own, but she wouldn't resent him for that.

After all, there would be plenty of time for her to shed her own tears later.

Mipha let out an exhausted groan as she settled down on her bed, too exhausted to even heed the cries of her empty stomach. Another day, another series of meetings, idle pleasantries, and tending to her people's needs that left her feeling utterly drained. While she loved her people, and felt no resentment toward them for their needs of her, whether it was healing or listening to their concerns, it still left her feeling hollow most days. The constant stream of faces, voices, desires, needs, and expectations nearly overwhelmed her on a daily basis.

Some days, it took all she had to not break down and cry under the weight of the Zoras' expectations of her. She knew that she was capable of meeting them, but that offered her no comfort as she lay, staring up at her ceiling dully. Knowing that she was able to meet everyone's expectations only added to her stress, as it was a reminder of her failings and shortcomings. It was more often discouraging than it was humbling, and that only served to sap of her will to continue even more.

She sighed as she heard a soft knock at the entrance of her quarters. Despite how much she wanted to lay down and rest, she couldn't bring herself to turn away whoever it was.

"Come in," she called as gracefully as she could muster, as she sat up. While she might have taken to her feet under normal circumstances, being visited in her private rooms meant that it was someone close to her, and surely they would understand.

Sure enough, she recognized the small footsteps and familiar sound of a tail fin dragging across the ground.

"Sidon? What are you doing up at this hour?"

Her little brother finally came into view, carrying a small platter of food with as he looked around nervously. "H-hey, big sis."

The Princess shook her head as he walked over and offered her the plate awkwardly, not quite able to meet her eyes as he did so. Apparently, he was even more aware that he shouldn't have been wandering around in the middle of the night than she was.

"I know, I know," he said, still refusing to look at her as she took the plate from him, "I shouldn't be up right now, but I couldn't sleep, and I didn't see you at dinner earlier, so..."

Mipha smiled at the sweet child as she set aside the platter and wrapped her arms around him, picking him and setting him in her lap, where she held him as she pet his tail fin gently. Though he was still a child, he had done quite a lot of growing up over the past year. Perhaps he had come to understand what was required of their father and of them, or maybe his friends in the Bazz Brigade had come to have an effect on how he viewed other people, or maybe it was the memory of Link and how he would go out of his way to help others that had sparked a change in Sidon. Whatever the case was, he had gone from being jealous of her time to finding quiet ways to support her. Often, she would find notes on her desk from him that were essentially "I believe in you!" or found that the ingredients for her elixirs had been mysteriously restocked, and now it seemed she could expect late night visits if she were to miss dinner. While she didn't approve his being out and about, it was outweighed by her appreciation for all he tried to do for her. "Thank you, Sidon."

"You're welcome," he replied quietly.

Mipha frowned as she looked up, now concerned by the lack of his normal energy and enthusiasm. It was usually a sign that something was weighing on him heavily, and she hoped it was not her. Though his gestures to help her make it through her days meant the world to her, she had done little to reciprocate which was enough to fill her with guilt. Hylia forbid that her state was what was weighing on his young mind. She wasn't sure she could live with that.

"Is everything all right?"

"Yeah..."

"Would you tell me if something was wrong?"

The pause that followed her question only increased her concern. It was highly unusual for Sidon to act this way, and that only happened when he was exposed to something that he was far too young to have to deal with.

"… It's not fair," the Prince finally replied.

"What?"

"It's not fair," he repeated as he turned to face her, his small face twisted in discontent as he looked up at her with his sad amber eyes. "You spend all day taking care of everyone, but who's taking care of you?"

"I… see," Mipha responded quietly, taken aback by the question. It was something she hadn't taken time to think about. Then again, she rarely took the time to think about her friends anymore. With every passing day, it felt like she was growing more distant from them, and that hurt. To make matters worse, the people around her had become so enthralled with the idea that she was more than just a Zora that many had forgotten that she too had her limits. It wasn't unusual for her to be interrupted during meals, despite Muzu and her father's insistence that she be given time to recuperate.

While she felt needed, she didn't feel close to her people. Not like she had felt close to the Bazz Brigade, not like she had felt close to Link, and not like she had felt close to Sidon. No, more and more, she felt like she was being separated by some unbridgeable gap, and that left her feeling horribly isolated, except for the few times she got to spend with Sidon, her father, or even Muzu.

"I wish Link would come back," Sidon muttered as he turned back and around and leaned back into her.

"Link?"

"Don't tell me you don't remember him!"

"I didn't think you remembered him," Mipha explained calmly as she looked back down at the small Zora in her lap. "You stopped talking about him a couple of months after he left." While she wished she could say that she had dealt with his departure from the Domain relatively well, the truth was there was rarely a day where she hadn't thought about him at least once. What was worse was that she had tried to write several letters to him over the course of the past year, but she scrapped each of her attempts, as none of them properly conveyed what she really wanted to say to him. Regardless, life continued on like a flowing river, and she refused to be left behind by it again.

"I always saw how sad you looked when I talked about him, so I decided to stop."

"On, Sidon, there's no need to worry about that. If you wish to talk about him, then do so."

"I used to be jealous of him," the Prince grumbled. "I thought he was trying to steal you away, but now… I want him to come back."

"And why is that?"

"So that you'll have somebody to take care of you."

Mipha closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around her younger brother just a bit tighter. Even though he likely still missed the Hylian, his thoughts were still focused on her and what she needed. What she had done to deserve a brother as selfless as him was something she would never know, but she would certainly take every opportunity to thank the Goddess for him.

Be that as it may, she still didn't want him to worry about her. He was far too young to have to deal with such heavy thoughts. He should have been out, playing with his friends and getting into trouble while he still could. "Sidon, do you trust me?"

"Of course!" he replied, a little bit of his old energy surfacing in his voice.

"Then believe me when I tell you that I will be all right. Yes, I am tired, but you don't need to worry about me."

"Okay..." She could tell from the sound of his voice that he didn't quite buy her statement, but he said nothing more.

Though the conversation was finished, Sidon sat where he was, keeping her company as she ate the fish he had brought her, and that was just fine with her. She had forgotten how much she enjoyed spending time with him even when she was struggling to stay awake. Her only regret was that she had been unable to offer him more comfort. It stung to know that of all the people she was failing, it was him that she had failed most, and so she silently vowed that she would try harder for his sake. To smile even when she wanted to cry, that way he wouldn't have to worry.

At some point, he little brother fell asleep where he was, and so, she lifted him up gently and carried him to his room. She laid him down gingerly before turning to return to her own bed; however, before she left, she looked back at her sleeping brother's face, remembering all that he had done for her over the past months. She smiled softly as she stepped over to his desk and grabbed a spare piece of parchment.

"Dear Sidon,

I know you will do your best today, just as you always do.

Love,

Your big sis."

She rolled the small note up, using a spare ribbon to tie it closed before placing it by his wash basin, where she knew he would see it. Once again, she found herself at his door, smiling fondly at him one last time.

"Goodnight, sweet Sidon."

"I am not comfortable with Hylians digging through our lands, especially if they are looking for a weapon of some sort," Dento announced to all those attending the Council meeting.

Mipha wasn't terribly surprised by the statement, nor did she even entirely disagree. While King Rhoam had honored the treaties between their people and had actively tried to improve relations between Hylians and Zora in general, that did not change the fact that he was asking quite a lot of them. Not only had her people never seen evidence that a fabled weapon was hidden within their lands, but requesting that outside parties be granted access to excavate Zora territories was still an outlandish request.

"I agree," Sergeant Seggin replied, "it is one thing to ask us to search for it ourselves, but another to request that we allow them to do so in our stead."

Mipha chanced a quick glance up at her father as several other members of the Council shared their thoughts. "They have yet to tell us why they believe such a weapon is necessary." Her father watched the discussion unfold, utterly devoid of expression.

Sometimes, she wished he would show more of what he was thinking if only to ease her own concerns. Seeing as this was one of the more important Council meetings she had been asked to attend, she was overcome with nerves, and while she was certain her opinion on the matter wouldn't be asked, the Princess couldn't help but do her best to quickly formulate some response to every point, most of which she would have been embarrassed to try and articulate.

"Muzu?" her father asked suddenly, breaking her out of her nervous reverie.

The King's closest advisor cleared his throat before stepping forth from his place on the other side of King Dorephan. "I do not think anyone will be surprised to hear that I have little love for Hylians." If this had been anything but a council meeting, Mipha would have expected to hear a few gentle jabs or see a few smirks at the comment; however, no one in attendance so much as batted an eye at the statement. "I, like most everyone in this room, remember all too well their past transgressions."

Mipha knew that statement to be true, despite not having been alive during the reign of what would have been King Rhoam's great grandfather. Many of the council still harbored grudges toward Hylians, despite several Hylian generations passing since those days. Even her father had not spoken highly of a few of the past kings that he had dealt with.

"That being said, it would be unbecoming of us to ignore that King Rhoam has not only abided by the treaty but has also granted us several concessions that have allowed us to prosper these past decades." Muzu fell silent for a moment before turning to King Dorephan, "should our King decide to grant the Hylians their request, then he will have my support." With that Mipha watched, floored as her mentor returned to her father's side. She had never heard anything approaching positive sentiment from him, yet he had just spoken highly of King Rhoam. To say that someone had not only held themselves accountable but gone beyond was among the highest praise one could receive from the Elder.

Judging by the stiff fins, wide eyes, and slackened jaws, she was not the only one who was surprised by the Elder's declaration.

No sooner had Muzu resettled then the rest of the council began speaking up, clambering over each other in an attempt to respond to the advisor's words. After several seconds of the disorder, silence returned almost immediately as a guard made his way across the throne room, the light scraping of his armor and the sounds of his feet lightly landing being the only noises to disrupt the quiet.

King Dorephan bent down, allowing the guard to murmur whatever message he was carrying into his ear before nodding his gratitude and sending the knight on his way. "Unfortunately, we will have to excuse Lady Mipha from the rest of this meeting."

"What?!" the Council collectively asked, which was almost echoed by the Zora Princess herself.

"It would seem that there is some sort of commotion in the plaza," Dorephan explained calmly. "Seeing as my daughter has little knowledge of what we are discussing, I believe it would be in our best interests to have her resolve the issue."

While the concise explanation sounded reasonable to Mipha, she couldn't help but feel that her father was omitting something. She could see mirth hiding just at the edge of his serene expression, which made her wonder what joke he was hearing that no one else could.

"My King, this is highly irregular."

"What is regular and appropriate are matters of social norms, master Muzu. Is that not, in essence, what you have taught my daughter?"

"Indeed..."

"And is it not regular for our people to respect the wishes of their King?"

"… Yes."

"Then you should have no qualms with this, old friend," Dorephan finished quietly before turning to the Princess. "Can I trust you to handle this, my dear?"

Again, that same mirth leaked through his normally stoic face; however, she decided to wait to try and decipher what was going through his head. Regardless of what she was seeing, a prompt and confident response was expected of her.

"It would be my pleasure," she responded dutifully as she bowed her head deeply. With that, she politely excused herself from the meeting before stepping out into the sunlight, needing to shield her eyes for a moment as the sparkling Domain overwhelmed her eyes for the briefest moment. Despite the discomfort it caused her, she had to admit the bright lights and warmth of the sun was a welcome change from the drizzling of the past few days. While she loved the rain, the gray tones it brought with it could hamper her mood if not experienced in small doses.

Once her eyes had properly adjusted, she made her way down the steps that led toward the plaza, reflecting on what could have possibly required her presence. If it were something that required more than the presence of a knight, then typically a member of the council would attend to it, and if it was beyond even them, then her father would personally see to it. To send her to deal with it, especially during a council meeting that she had been asked to attend, meant it must have been something important, yet she couldn't reconcile that with the amused smile she'd seen in his eyes. Surely something that was so important would not have been a laughing matter.

Unfortunately for the Zora Princess, she was unable to reach any conclusion as she finally entered the plaza, which, to her surprise, seemed to be as calm as ever. There were certainly many Zora bustling about, tending to the day to day of their lives, some of which stopped to greet her before continuing on as though nothing had happened. The only thing that stuck out to her was the Bazz Brigade heckling a hooded figure. Normally, Bazz, Rivan, Gaddison, and even Sidon would be training with the Zora knights at this time, yet they stood before her, jumping up and down excitedly around what must have been a simple traveler.

"Sidon," she called out as she approached, hoping to receive a decent explanation from the excitable Zora Prince. Of all the children in the Domain, he should have known best that harassing visitors was unacceptable.

"Hey, big sis!" Sidon exclaimed as he caught sight of her and dashed to her side, "can you believe it?!" She frowned at him as he grabbed on to her hand and tried to drag her over. "Can you believe he's back?"

"Sidon, what is going on? Why are you behaving this way?"

"What do you… oh!" the Prince gasped as he stared up at her, wide-eyed. "You don't know!"

"Know what?" Mipha asked, using every ounce of her patience to rein in her exasperation. While a part of her was thrilled to see Sidon so exuberant, the rest of her was frustrated that he had seemingly regressed so far. "Sidon, you should know better than anyone -" she suddenly felt much more self-conscious as the hooded figure turned to observe her "- that we do not climb on our guests."

"But -"

"I understand being excited but that is no -"

"It's okay, Mipha."

The Zora Princess froze. Setting aside the fact that only her father and brother addressed without a title of some sort, she recognized that voice. It was deeper than she remembered, but the voice was still unmistakably that of an old friend. "… Link?"

The figure, who had silently moved toward her and Sidon, pulled back his hood. He was much taller than she remembered, with longer hair and eyes that sparkled much less than she could recall. Much of his round and childish features had begun to give way to a sharper, more angular facial features and his shoulders were wider than they had been, but, despite all of the changes, she recognized one of the best friends she'd ever had.

"Yep," he replied with a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes, which flooded her with concern even before she had time to process his return. "Sorry it's been so long."

"Is everything all right?"

"Yep!" Again, his reply lacked the gusto she remembered.

"Well, I am so happy to see -"

"So, this is why you were excused from the meeting?"

Mipha again suffered emotional whiplash as she heard Muzu's cool voice from behind. While it wasn't exactly aggressive, she heard a faint coldness in his tone that told her the next few minutes needed to be handled with the utmost care, or else Link's return would be disastrous.

Before she could respond, Link approached Muzu, his once vibrant face, every ready to smile, now impassive. To both her and Muzu's surprise, Link knelt his head in respect for the Elder, as was her people's custom. "Master Muzu," he greeted quietly before straightening himself and pulling out a rolled up piece of parchment. "From Master Jihato."

Muzu stared back at Link for several agonizingly long seconds before taking the letter. "Lady Mipha, I expect your friend here to not become too much of a distraction, are we clear?"

"Yes."

"Good," he replied coolly. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have matters that I must attend to." His piece said, the Elder turned on his heel and walked back up the steps, leaving them alone.

Mipha let out a sigh of relief, thankful beyond words that Link had shown Muzu respect that he hadn't in years past. Though she imagined that Muzu was far from pleased to see the Hylian again, she took solace in the fact that he appeared to have been temporarily pacified. Be that as it may, she couldn't imagine she would have much time, as she was certain that Muzu would have her back to her regular duties at the first opportunity.

She would just have to make use of the time she had.

"There was something I was hoping to show you," the Zora Princess stated as she turned back to Link.

"Hey, we had -"

"I think we should get back to training!" Sidon exclaimed excitedly, cutting off Rivan.

"But -"

"Prince Sidon is right," Bazz interrupted, far more calm than the excitable Sidon. "We missed a good chunk of our training today, and we can't slack off too much or else we'll never make good knights."

"Yes, exactly!"

"I've got a few days," Link added. "We can still play later."

"Alright," Rivan grumbled.

The Zora Princess felt guilty as she witnessed Rivan and Gaddison's faces sour, just as she knew that Sidon and Bazz were hiding their own discontent. Whether the two young Zora were actively corroborating or they had worked together by happenstance, she was grateful that they were willing to make such a sacrifice for her.

She would have to find some way to repay that.

As Bazz led his brigade toward the training grounds, Mipha led Link out of the Domain, making a quick stop to pick up a few supplies that she would need for the trip before guiding him up the cliffs that surrounded the vibrant city. They traveled on as the sun set, turning the bright yellows and blues to oranges and reds which cast long shadows across the landscape. The entire time, a painfully awkward silence hung over them, killing what few attempts at conversations had been made before they could even truly begin.

Finally, after several long hours of walking, they finally made it to Toto Lake. Mipha set her bag of supplies down before motioning for Link to join her. While she was eager to share what was below the surface, she wanted to be sure that Link would enjoy it as much as possible. She knew that he had a fascination with exploration, and was eager to indulge him; however, she wanted to share it with him without regrets.

"I know you said that nothing is wrong, but..."

"..."

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but -"

"It's been rough," Link muttered quietly. "I've only made one friend, and..." he trailed off as his gaze shifted to the sky above, clearly remembering several things that he looked determined to keep down. "I'm happy to be back home, but I know I have to go back," he finished as his eyes swiveled toward her.

Her heart broke a little at his words, and his omissions. She remembered clearly the night that he had told her that he needed someone to talk about his hardships with, and now, he was barely opening up at all. It hurt that someone who barely knew her would open up to her so easily, yet one of her closest friends could barely manage a complete thought with her.

"I'm sorry..." Link muttered quietly.

"Don't be," she replied quickly. "I should not have pushed you so hard."

"It's okay." He flashed her a small smile. "I missed you."

"And I you." Though barely any words had been spoken, the Hylian's face relaxed and settled into a small smile. It wasn't as large as she remembered, but it was still present, and that set her at ease.

"What did you want to show me?"

"Ah, yes," she said, a smile of her own growing as she reached into the bag and pulled out a necklace that held a rather large, white scale. "Before we go, you'll have to put this on. It's a White Scale," she explained, answering his unasked question, "you remember what they are, do you not?"

Link nodded.

"Well, they have many strange properties, one of them being that they can help a non-Zora hold his breath longer."

Link frowned at her disbelievingly.

"It's true," she insisted, feeling mildly defensive. Her own White Scale was just a few short years from coming in, so to see his disbelief was almost like a jab at a part of her. An unintentional jab, but a jab all the same.

"Okay," Link muttered as he took the necklace and placed it around his neck, setting the small metal frame that held the scale over his chest.

The young Hylian looked rather dashing with a white scale over his chest, making the young Princess wonder what he would look like in Zora armor. She had always liked how the color black had complimented blue, and she couldn't help but think that the typical metal adornments that made up most armor of Zora make would help to bring it all together.

"You okay?"

"Y-yes!" Mipha squeaked, her voice several octaves higher than normal as she quickly turned back to her bag, hoping to hide her burning face. She wasn't sure when she had even started entertaining such thoughts, as it would still be a few years before she could even think of marriage, and even then, there was no reason to make any rash decisions. Sure Link was different than she remembered, but underneath that impassive exterior, she could see the same fun-loving, caring, and endlessly patient interior. Of course, he had also become much more handsome in -

She became even more flustered as she tried and failed to stop that line of reasoning, causing her to fumble with the luminous stones she had brought with her. After several seconds, Link knelt down next to her and reached in, taking both stones and standing back up.

The Zora Princess took a few deep breaths, grasping at what was left of her decorum before retaking to her feet. "T-thank you."

Link nodded, waiting quietly for her direction.

"I came up here one day when my father granted me a day to rest and found something I thought you might like. Follow me." Mipha stepped into the lake, enjoying the cool water's embrace as she waded in with Link not far behind. Once she reached the drop-off, she turned back to her companion, "please don't lose your luminous stone. You will need it to find your way around. And if you need to come up for air, let me know so I can help you find your way out."

"Out?"

Mipha smiled as she motioned for him to follow before slipping under the water's surface, making sure that Link was still behind her, she set off, cutting slowly but gracefully through the water as she made her way to a small temple at the lake's bed. While she couldn't see it yet, even with the light her luminous stone provided, she had been so enthralled by the sight that she was certain that its location had been etched into her mind.

After a minute that seemingly lasted forever, the green glow emanating from the stone she held lit up the fine masonry that made up the underwater temple. While the luminous stone's glow didn't extend nearly as far as she would have liked, it was enough to make out certain details, such as the fine carvings of Jabu Jabu, her people's patron, and the algae that covered much of its surface.

She turned back to her companion, utterly thrilled as she gauged his widened eyes. During the time she had spent with him and the Bazz Brigade, the Zora Princess had come to find that the Hylian had a special love when it came to exploration, and the more out of the way the location was, the more determined he was to get there. She had no doubt that he would have heard the same stories regarding Toto Lake that she had and that he would have eventually found his way there on his own. Thankfully, she had gotten the chance to show him herself, and not just so that someone would be there to remind him to return to the surface for air. No, something about sharing in a hobby he loved was satisfying to her and, though it was selfish, she wanted to continue to do so.

He glanced at her, flashing her the first genuine grin she'd seen on his face since his return. She reciprocated the gesture before setting a hand on her chest, asking him silently if they needed to return to the surface for air.

Link shook his head, gesturing back toward the temple excitedly.

Mipha giggled quietly, which sounded odd even to her ears underwater; however, she wasted no time on such small matters. Once again taking the lead, Mipha swam a little ways away from the base, where she had discovered a hidden entrance to the temple hidden beneath a massive boulder. She would have missed it had she not spent ample time around Link, who could spend hours poring over every nook and cranny he could find. As they approached, she felt her own excitement escalate as this would be the first time that she had entered the temple as well. Though she had found it quite some time ago, she had only traversed the tunnel far enough to confirm that it indeed led into the structure. Now, she would finally get to see what lay at the end of it.

She made sure that Link was still close by as she entered the tunnel. Thankfully, despite his inferior swimming skills, the Hylian had managed to stay close and, together, they entered the tunnel.

Slowly, dirt and clay were replaced by cracked and worn stone, most of which was covered in growth and slime that the Zora Princess didn't particularly care to explore. What did interest her, however, was the variety of fish that swam around them, some of which approached them curiously before darting back to their schools. It was a sight to see, as she was used to most fish that were big enough to eat fleeing from her, but these were no more afraid of her than her companion or her younger brother.

Eventually, the passage widened into a dimly lit, large, rectangular room. Encrusted in the walls of the temple were identically sized, evenly spaced luminous stones; however, their glow had dulled considerably with age. Thankfully, their own glowing stones still shone bright enough to help them see a few feet ahead. While Mipha was curious to explore the entrance and the hallway that led deeper into the structure, she was more concerned when she felt Link immediately swim upwards. Worried that he may not have been able to hold his breath for much longer, she followed after him, finding relief in the fact that the top half of the room had what appeared to be a large air pocket, which Link had already breached. She joined him, suddenly very anxious as she heard him gasping for air. She had known that there was a good chance that the journey would push Link to his limit, but she hadn't imagined that the effects of the white scale would last such a short time.

"Are you all right?" She couldn't believe that she hadn't noticed the danger he was in. It was enough to make her consider turning back then and there.

"Fine," he coughed out. "That took longer than I thought."

"I think we should go -"

"No," he interrupted firmly. "We're already here."

"Very well," the Zora Princess replied hesitantly. "Please let me know if you need help."

"I will."

The duo remained where they were for a few more seconds, giving Link ample time to catch his breath before diving back down. Though there was little to see, both took the time to carefully scour the walls carefully, looking for anything that was remotely of interest. They were rewarded with a damaged inscription describing the temple's purpose. According to what Mipha could make out through the moss and damage, the structure had been built in honor of her people's patrons, Jabu Jabu, and Queen Ruto. Though their mention was only a fraction of what had been inscribed, it was enough to pique the Zora Princess' curiosity. Though little was known of either figure, she knew that they had both protected the Zora since ancient times and that both had fought alongside the Hero of Time. Considering the fact that it had been built to commemorate two of the Zoras' most important historical figures, she was surprised that the temple had faded into more of a local legend than anything else. It made her wonder if Muzu and Kapson, her teacher in regard to Zora spirituality, knew of this place. She couldn't imagine either willingly let the building fall into such a state of disrepair and decay.

After another trip to the pocket of air above in order to give Link another opportunity to regain his breath and to explain the inscription, they ventured back down, finally ready to explore the depths of the temple, or at least, what they would be able to reach of its interior.

Thankfully, the hallway was short and, to Mipha's relief, led to a section of the temple that was no longer underwater, meaning that she and Link would at least be able to explore without having to worry about her friend being unable to breathe; however, she quickly forgot about that small comfort as the room she pulled herself up into nearly took her own breath away.

Unlike the previous room, this one was well lit as hundreds of small colonies of fungi covered the rounded walls and floor, glowing brightly against the darkness. While the blues and greens emanating from the caps were beautiful, they weren't what had caught her attention. What was truly breathtaking were the seven statues that lined the circular walls, each one representing one of the seven Sages that had aided the Hero of Time. While each one of them intrigued her, there was one that held her fascination more than the rest.

At the far end of the room, larger than any of the other sculptures stood Queen Ruto. Though Mipha had seen several depictions of the legendary figure, she was constantly surprised by how different the ancient Zora Queen looked. She had more fins than any other Zora Mipha had seen, and all of them were longer and thinner than any she'd seen before. Her head was also a different shape, being more of a rounded rectangle than the elliptical shape that many of her people shared. It reminded the Princess of her younger brother, though the appendages at the sides of his head were far thinner.

Queen Ruto stared down at her with a small, playful smile in much the same way her father would when he knew something she did not. It was quite jarring for the young Princess to see, as she had come to associate a calm, cool, and powerful demeanor with her ancestor. Here, it was almost the exact opposite, with Ruto warmth and affection emanating from the statue in waves. Mipha found it endlessly fascinating that such a thing could be conveyed, especially from someone who she felt so intimidated by, yet she found herself gazing back up at her ancestor, feeling a newfound connection. If even Ruto, the most beloved queen that had ever led the Zora, had a soft side, then maybe Mipha could be a leader worthy of her people as well.

"Queen Ruto?" Link asked, causing the Zora Princess to flinch. She had been so entranced by the sculpture that she had forgotten Link was there as well.

"Yes..."

"What's that?" Link asked, leaving her side to approach the foot of the statue.

Mipha followed him with her eyes, finally seeing what had caught his attention. A small compartment, containing a thin box, had been carved into the pedestal that the sculpture stood on. She understood what the Hylian was moving to do even before he reached it. "Link, I think you should leave it be."

"Look at the inscription," Link replied quietly.

"What?" Mipha asked, prompting the Hylian to motion toward neat lettering that she had missed before, which read "For those who have earned a Zora's trust."

"Do you trust me?" Link asked as her eyes were drawn to his.

"I do," she answered quietly. Whatever was in the chest, she had faith that he would not desecrate or otherwise misuse it. If it was a gift of trust, then she would willingly give it.

Link nodded before turning back to the chest. Kneeling down, Link took the chest and opened it slowly before drawing out a deep blue cloth.

"What is it?" she asked as she stepped forward to take a closer look.

"A tunic."

The garment glittered as Link unfolded it, shining brilliantly as it caught the light from the fungi that surrounded them. "Those are scales," Mipha noted, no small amount of awe filling her voice. She had an idea of what the item might be, and if she were right, it would be something she had never anticipated she might witness. It was said that during the era of Queen Ruto, the Zora had mastered the ability to make clothing that would allow members of the other races to breathe underwater like the creators of the clothing themselves. "Try it on. There is something I wish to test."

"You sure?"

"Do you trust me?" she asked, sincerely curious as to the answer. He now knew that she trusted him and now it was time to see if that trust was reciprocated.

"Yeah." Without waiting for her to ask again, Link removed his currently soaked tunic and replaced it with the dark blue one. It was a little large on him; however, Mipha thought he looked rather dashing in the color. With a few more years of growth, it would fit him rather nicely. Regardless, she discarded the thought quickly, as it wasn't what she had wanted to test.

Once the Hylian had finished adjusting the belts and buckles so that the piece fit him better, the duo renewed their search, finding yet another pool of water that led deeper into the temple. She dove in, waiting for Link to join her. Thankfully, Link didn't keep her waiting as he broke through the surface a few seconds later. She watched her friend carefully, taking in the way he looked down at the tunic. When he finally looked at her again, he motioned up to the surface.

"This is weird," he said once they were both breathing air again.

"Are you able to breathe?"

"… I think so."

"Good! So… would you like to continue exploring?" She knew that it was already quite late and that to continue exploring would mean that she would get little to no sleep by the time she finally returned to her quarters, but as she and Link spent the next few hours exploring the temple and learning much about the secrets it held, both above and below water, she found she didn't much care. Even when the time came for them to leave, and Link folded the tunic up and returned it to its place, she enjoyed every minute in his company.

And on the way home, he finally started letting down the walls that he had built up around himself. It really had been far too long.

"Take that!" Rivan cried as he lashed out with a practice spear. While the young Zora had been hesitant to take part in the training regime that Bazz had set up for them to prepare for their training as knights, he had grown into it and was never late for a session. While they still heard the occasional complaint, he, like all of the brigade, had been doing quite a lot of maturing over the past few years. Now, he took to his responsibilities without needing to be asked.

"No, take that!" Gaddison retorted as knocked the blow aside effortlessly and countered, lightly rapping her opponent in the ribs despite the speed at which she had moved. While she still had yet to hit her growth spurt, she was just as strong, if not stronger, than Bazz and Rivan, and for good reason. She would spend hours training relentlessly long after the rest of her comrades had retired for the night, sometimes going for so long that Bazz or Mipha had to stop her and send her home before she collapsed from exhaustion. Of course, the brigade's leader had recognized her skills and dedication and had dubbed her "The Heroine," which Sidon and Rivan had readily agreed to.

Rivan grunted as he stumbled back, tightening his grip on his practice weapon before charging at his sparring partner yet again.

"Poor Rivan," Bazz said with a grimace as the Heroine tapped him yet again. "He's made a lot of progress, but..."

"It is good that Gaddison is controlling her attacks," Mipha noted as she and Bazz continued watching the match. "I doubt that Rivan will suffer anything more than a few bruises."

"He'll be fine," the young leader agreed. "She acts pretty rough, but she's actually pretty gentle."

Mipha flashed him a small smile as the spar continued. Bazz had grown the most out of all of the Big Bad Bazz Brigade, even going so far as to drop the "Big Bad" from the name as he worried it didn't convey the right message. While it had started off as more of an excuse to go on "cool adventures" as he had called it, he had put the effort in to grow into his position as the Brigade's superior officer, even going so far as to seek the Zora Princess' tutelage. Unfortunately, Mipha wasn't well versed in how the knights chose to lead, but she had offered him what she could. Thankfully, Bazz had taken those matters to heart and, with what she could only assume was a natural affinity for leadership, he had started to become quite the influential presence, even with the young Zora who weren't a member of the Brigade.

Though Sergeant Seggin, Bazz's father, had apparently been unaware of just what kind of reputation his son had, it had not escaped Mipha's notice. When King Rhoam and his daughter, Princess Zelda, had paid them a visit, looking for something referred to as a Divine Beast, Bazz and Sidon had managed to distract many of the children, so that they weren't subject to the tension that had been building among the older generations. When the Divine Beast Vah Ruta had finally been discovered, the leader of the infamous brigade had swayed the children from trying to travel up to its resting place, and when Mipha had been dubbed their Champion, much to many of the Zora's dismay, including her little brother's, Bazz had taken it upon himself to reassure as many of the children as he could that she would be just fine.

Perhaps he had started the Big Bad Bazz Brigade on a whim, but Mipha had no doubts that the decision would make him just as influential as his father. He was already considered to be quite the role model by many of the adults, including Muzu, and was beloved by his peers as well.

The Zora Princess took quite a lot of comfort in knowing that even should she fall in the battle that lay on the horizon, the Domain would be well taken care of by her brother and Bazz as well.

Her thoughts soured slightly as she reflected on the coming battle. While she had felt an instant connection with Ruta upon seeing the magnificent machine for the first time, not a day went by in which she didn't question her former enthusiasm to be named pilot. It had, admittedly, been a rash decision based on how cute she found Ruta to be. It hadn't even occurred to her when she had insisted that she be considered that she would be fighting for the fate of her people and their kingdom. She would readily raise her trident to defend them, but she wished she had been more rational. Perhaps then someone more skilled and more worthy would have been named the pilot.

Regardless, at the end of the month of, she would be traveling to Hyrule Castle to be named a Champion of Hyrule, and while she wasn't exactly looking forward to the inauguration ceremony itself, she was excited to see a certain someone.

With the increased Hylian foot traffic through the Domain, Mipha had heard many rumors concerning an extraordinarily skilled and powerful knight, one so impressive that he had even managed to find and draw a legendary blade known as the Blade of Evil's Bane. Even though the rumors were never accompanied by a name, Mipha had known who it was. And so, she could only feel a swell of pride when Link had returned with a strange blade strapped to his back.

Unfortunately, much like all of his visits, it had ended far too soon. In fact, his most recent trip had ended so abruptly that she hadn't even had time to rebreak down his walls, as had become the custom between the two of them. She hoped that her visit to the Castle would give her the opportunity to at least try and slip through the stone walls he had erected around his heart. He had become so quiet and despondent that she could rarely think of him without being overcome with worry, and though her presence may not have done much, she hoped it would help ease his burdens in some way.

She also hoped her visit would give her the opportunity to get some accurate measurements of him; however, that was far from her primary concern. What was most important was making sure that her friend was well and, to that end, that meant that all other matters, including matters of the heart, had to come second. As much as she wanted to tell him about how her feelings had changed over the years, and what he had come to mean to her in that time, she was more concerned with his emotional health.

Besides, she doubted she had the words to tell him, but maybe there was another way to let him know when the time came.

"Are you okay?" Bazz asked, breaking Mipha out of her reverie.

"Yes. I'm sorry, I was just thinking."

"About Calamity Ganon?" Sometimes, it was easy to forget that Bazz, like most people, had his own fears and concerns. He let them slip through so rarely that it was always a surprise for the Zora Princess to hear even the slightest misgivings from him.

"… Yes." In truth, her thoughts had drifted to other, more personal matters such as the materials she had gathered for a special project of hers.

"Do you… do you think we can beat him?" Bazz asked quietly.

A wave of sadness rolled over her as she finally saw some of the trepidation that the child had been hiding. She wasn't sure when he'd become aware of the encroaching danger or how he had come by it, but it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that he was now living with dread for a battle that was not his to fight.

"Of course we will defeat him," Mipha replied with more confidence than she felt. "While I may not be the strongest of our warriors, I have heard stories about how strong the other Champions are, and with Link there to fight alongside us, I believe there is no reason to worry."

"But -"

"Bazz," she interrupted chidingly, "I know you are concerned but do not be. This is not your fight and worrying will only do more harm than good."

"I know."

"Do you wish to help?"

"Yes," Bazz replied resolutely over the sounds of weapons clacking together in the background.

"Then simply remember that everything will be all right. You will only be a child for so long, and you should not let that time waste away worrying about things that you cannot change."

"Okay," Bazz replied after a moment of silence.

The sorrow still clawed at her heart as she continued observing the child in front of her. She knew all too well that whatever she said, Bazz would continue to silently worry about the impending return of the Calamity. Whatever comfort she could supply would only be temporary, but she decided to not let that stop her. "Now, Captain Bazz, your brigade mates tell me that you are quite the formidable warrior yourself. May I ask for a demonstration?"

Bazz's eyes widened, lighting up with a childish energy that had been absent a moment prior. "Absolutely, Lady Mipha!"

The young Zora took to his feet and marched toward Rivan and Gaddison, calling out to them in order to set up a three-way spar. While their match started off in an organized manner, with only two engaging with each other at a time before switching off to engage another, the orderly nature was lost when Prince Sidon appeared out of thin air to launch a surprise attack. Mipha could only place a hand over her mouth to try and hide her laughter as her younger brother proudly announced "surprise attack!" before lashing out at Rivan. Her laughing fit only grew more severe as a four-way argument broke out about whether or not the Prince's announcement was justifiable, all while still trying to maintain their spar. With one or two exceptions, there was very little she would have changed as she watched the Bazz Brigade momentarily lose themselves in their play.

When the match was finally over and everyone was returning home, Mipha found herself wishing that moments like that could have lasted forever as she and Sidon walked back home hand in hand, with the Prince excitedly trying to recite the events of the match to her. But, just as all things had their end, so too did moments of simple fun when one could forget about all of life's woes.

Mipha's eyes opened slowly, staring vacantly at the ceiling of her quarters as she processed everything that she had just witnessed within the depths of her mind. She had suspected that she and Link had been close before waking up in the Shrine of Resurrection, but she had never imagined that Urbosa's jokes about her having feelings for the Hylian Champion might have so much merit to them.

Perhaps they were truer than she had realized.

She had also known that she would have left some people behind, but she had never imagined just how much she had lost. The Council of Elders, Muzu, her father, and especially her younger brother, who had likely needed her more than she had realized.

She sat up slowly and gazed around her room, her attention immediately being drawn to Muzu and Sidon, both of whom sat next to her, sleeping soundly. Even in his sleep, Muzu clasped her hand tightly as though fearing he might lose her again if he let go for even a moment. The Zora Champion knew that she shouldn't be surprised by how much older Muzu looked, but it was difficult for her to grasp just how much older and more worn he appeared.

And her brother. He had gone from a small child whose tail fin had dragged across the ground to a tall, confident young man. To her, it was like he had been the small rosy-cheeked boy who had to crane his neck back to smile at her to towering over her in the span of a few hours. It was nearly impossible for her to take in.

"Sidon," she murmured, causing the Prince to jolt awake as though she had shouted.

"Wha-?" he asked tiredly as his eyes flitted around, still a beautiful shade of amber despite how exhausted he was. His eyes widened as they settled on her. "Mipha," he murmured, his arms moving to embrace her before freezing and finally dropping to his sides

A lump formed in the back of Mipha's throat as she watched him open his mouth and closed it again, unable to find words as he looked away.

"I should be overjoyed that you have come back," he muttered, "and I am. But if I am to be truly honest I am terribly…" The young Prince was unable to finish as he took a deep breath.

"You are upset," Mipha finished.

"I know you didn't mean to leave us. I know you didn't mean to leave me, and I know this-this is not fair to ask," Sidon continued as his voice cracked, "but how could you do that?"

Mipha swallowed as she tried to hold her tears back as she watched wipe at his eyes. While she had been worried about how much pain she had caused, no amount of preparation could have readied her to see the distress in her brother's eyes. She had hurt him just as her mother had hurt her, and she wasn't sure how she was supposed to ask forgiveness for that. Even though he still had their father as far as she knew, even though he'd had Muzu, and the Bazz Brigade, and whatever other friends he had made, she had still left him, and that was something that she wasn't sure she would have forgiven were she in his place.

"It's awful, I know. Here you are after one hundred years, alive and well, and yet I am still so... angry."

"Sidon…"

"Why?" he asked, his voice beginning to rise in volume. "Why didn't you come back? Why did it take you so long? Didn't you know I needed you?" Sidon took a deep breath, before asking one last question. "Why am I still so angry?"

Mipha looked on, full of sorrow as her baby brother sat refusing to look at her as he fought a losing battle to maintain his composure. She knew well that Muzu was a strict and unforgiving mentor when it came to keeping oneself in check, even in private. The poor young man must have been feeling powerfully if his decorum was cracking to such an extent.

"Do you remember mother?" she finally asked. The Zora Champion wouldn't have been surprised if the answer was no.

"What?" Sidon asked, his face twisting into a mix of confusion and frustration. "What does mother have to do with this?"

"Do you?" she asked insistently. While what she had to say wouldn't offer him any deep insight into his grief or his anger, maybe it would help him to forgive himself for how he felt.

"Barely," he sighed.

"After she died, I was so terribly angry with her. I should have been celebrating her life but instead, I locked myself away for a long time. Some of it was hurt, but I think some of it was to spite her for leaving me. I think… I think I may have hated her for a time," she admitted, feeling overwhelmed by shame as her gaze finally dropped. "So, I understand if -"

She was cut off as Sidon's arms wrapped her arms around her and pulled her into a hug that could have crushed bone. "Don't ever say that again!" he whispered fiercely. "I spent so long being angry with you for disappearing but I never hated you, just like you never hated mother. So please, never say anything like that again," he finished more calmly than he had started.

She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around him as he continued to hold her.

"I've missed you," he murmured softly as his arms loosened just a bit.

"And I you," Mipha replied just as softly. There was still so much hurt left between them, and so much healing to be done, but the Zora Champion couldn't help but feel a spark of hope. They had taken the first step to recovery, and that was often one of the hardest steps to make.

A/N: I would like to officially thank Nintendo for nuking a large part of two years worth of planning with 1.5 minute teaser. Thanks guys.