Chapter 117 - Apple Picking
Summary: Tila works on a gift for her husband. Link and Astra go apple picking. Mipha and Mila take a hike together.
It was early morning in Hyrule Castle, and it began in her mind as a point of light, then brightened as it grew larger, sending out bright golden rays. The golden light contrasted sharply with the black emptiness behind it, and from within the light, a voice spoke. It was a woman's voice, and it sounded kind, caring, loving even.
"Dear Zelda, my sweet child, you are very special to me. Protect yourself from any who would harm you. In the fullness of time, as you grow in years, you must also grow in wisdom, strength, and courage. Someday I may need your help," said the voice.
Then Astra woke up.
She saw it was morning, and she stopped to think about her dream. Who was speaking to her, and why were they calling her Zelda? This was the second time she had a dream like this. The first one happened soon after that evil Zora attacked her and Uncle Link.
Anyway, she needed to get ready for breakfast. But at least there were no tutors today, and she remembered Uncle Link was visiting later. It should be a fun day!
In Zora's Domain, Tila sat alone with Mipha in the kitchen after breakfast.
"Thank you so much for your advice, Mother," said Tila. "It's been difficult doing this without my husband noticing, and I've had to work on it when he's out. Without your guidance, I wouldn't know what to do. I want to surprise him and have this ready, so he can keep up with Tara in the water now that she's swimming so much better. How does it look so far?"
Tila held up a set of almost complete Zora Armor she had been working on.
"It looks almost perfect," said Mipha. "I think it just needs a little more work around the shoulders. I'm sure he'll love it, and it's a shame your people don't have the same custom as ours. But I suppose the legend that was the origin of our custom, the defeat of the Lizalfos general, happened with my people's ancestors, not yours."
"Yes, we've never had this tradition," said Tila. "But it is a nice one. I imagine your husband must have been thrilled when he received his armor from you, right?"
"He was when he finally saw it," said Mipha. "He thought the bundle I was carrying was our picnic lunch."
"Really? That's so funny!" laughed Tila.
"We were both on the shy side back then, so it was complicated," said Mipha.
"Let me hide this now," said Tila. "Link is waiting for me in the plaza with Tara. We're going to Veiled Falls this morning to give Tara some variety."
"Have fun!" said Mipha.
Tila hugged Mipha, then hid the armor and left to join Link and Tara.
Young Link and Tara were standing by the fountain in the plaza, and Tara was splashing and stamping her feet in the water. Just then, Larena walked by and saw them.
"Link! And here is Princess Tara!" said Larena looking at Tara. "Oh, she is adorable! Can I hold her?"
"Hi, Larena," said Link. "Sure, if she'll let you."
Larena squatted down and said hello to Tara, then reached out for her. Tara looked at Larena, then looked at Link.
"It's okay," said Link nodding to Tara.
Then Tara reached out and let Larena pick her up.
"You are one beautiful little girl!" said Larena hugging her.
"She's smart too," said Link. "She can already say a lot of words."
"Really?" said Larena. "Can you say my name? La- ray-nah?"
Tara looked at her.
"Say Lah-ray-nah," said Larena.
"Lah-nah," said Tara.
"Almost! It's Lah-ray-nah," said Larena.
"Lah-ray-naaaaaaaaaaaah," said Tara and smiled at Link.
"I bet she would say it properly if Tila were here instead of me," said Link. "She likes to tease me by lengthening the final sound."
"It's cute, and congratulations! She is a real charmer, Link," said Larena, putting her down. "Well, say hi to Tila for me. I'm off to meet your brother at East Reservoir lake."
"Bye," said Link, as Tara resumed splashing in the fountain.
When Tila reached the plaza, Tara saw her and went running to her.
"Mommy, Mommy, Mommy," said Tara as she reached out her arms, and Tila picked her up and hugged and kissed her.
"I just love my precious little girl!" said Tila.
"She's been running around and splashing in the fountain," said Link as he leaned over, and Tila bent down to exchange a kiss. "What took you so long?"
"I was discussing something with Mother, sweetheart," said Tila. "I would have thought you'd be grateful for more alone time with Tara."
"Oh, I am, I am," said Link. "I just wondered. Shall we go?"
Tila put Tara down, and they held hands as they began walking to Veiled Falls. Two guards nodded to them as they crossed the western exit. Then, when they passed by a tree on the way there, Tara pointed and said, "tree," then looked over at Link and smiled.
"You never get tired of teasing your Daddy, do you?" laughed Link. "Now, please tell me what it is again?
"Treeeeeeeeeeeeee," said Tara and then she giggled.
"I knew it!" laughed Link, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm going to splash you for that, you little cutie!"
Tara giggled again. When they reached the falls, Tara raced into the water and briefly chased a frog, then began swimming.
"Now, when she's a bit bigger, this is a perfect size falls where we can teach her to swim up it," said Tila looking up at the waterfall. "It's big enough to be challenging, but not so big that it's discouraging."
"We?" said Link. "I'm not sure how I can help teach her."
"Well, I mean, just do whatever you can, sweetheart," said Tila. "Come on, let's swim. And I'm sure Tara is looking forward to your splash."
A bit later that morning, Link had finished breakfast and was getting ready to travel to Hyrule Castle to spend the day with Astra.
"Are you taking public transport, Dad?" asked Mila. "I highly recommend it! The days of swimming or riding there are pretty much over given how fast the ferries travel now."
"I agree," said Link. "That trip to Rito Village sold me on it. And I'm fine, Mila. You don't need to see me off."
"Give Astra a kiss for me," said Mipha. "And please explain to her why I can't come with you this time because I'm helping out with Tara. Tell her when Tara's a bit older, I'll visit her with you again. Astra mostly wants to spend time with you anyway."
"I'll be sure to let her know," said Link. "Speaking of Tara, give her a goodbye kiss for me. I know you said they're all swimming at Veiled Falls this morning."
Link exchanged goodbye hugs with Mipha and Mila. Midon was out, and Lapha had been visiting with Purah all this week at Hyrule Castle. Link made his way to the ferry stop, and there was one Zora couple he didn't know waiting there as well as two guards on duty watching the location. He nodded in greeting, then boarded the ferry to Hyrule Castle when it arrived.
The trip was uneventful and, as arranged, he met Astra by the Castle dock.
"Hi, Uncle Link!" said Astra as she rushed to him, and they exchanged a hug and kiss.
"Hi, sweetheart," said Link. "Ready for some sailing?"
"Yes, and some apple picking too," said Astra holding up two empty sacks.
"I love apples, and that should be fun," said Link. "Let's be off then. The boat awaits your orders, Captain!"
Astra laughed as they boarded, then she maneuvered the sailboat until they were sailing swiftly down the Hylian River. The current was strong, but Astra steered the boat expertly, keeping to the middle of the river.
"This looks like a good place to stop, Uncle Link," said Astra as she steered the sailboat onto the flat sandy shore along the western side of the river a bit south of the Orsedd Bridge.
"You sail perfectly, Astra," said Link as he jumped out and pulled the boat onto shore, then picked up the two empty sacks.
They planned to pick apples at the Applean Forest, and Link took Astra's hand, helping her out of the boat, then they walked together toward the forest.
The weather was mild and sunny, a beautiful day to be outdoors. Warm Darners hovered in the air near the shore, their wings beating rapidly, then flitted away as you approached. As they entered the wooded area, a squirrel froze, stared at them for a moment, then scurried away into the tall lush green grass. If you were lucky, you might see the occasional deer feeding near one of the trees. The animals were used to having the forest all to themselves, as it was a quiet and peaceful spot. True to its name, all but a few trees in this small forest were ripe with apples. Link pointed to a beehive on one of the tree branches, and Astra nodded, understanding they should keep their distance from it.
"This is one of the best places to pick apples!" said Astra. "I used to come here with Zel sometimes, but she's too busy these days."
Astra looked a bit downcast after her last remark.
"You know your sister loves you just as much as ever, Astra," said Link. "It's just that she has another person in her life now that she needs to spend time with. It's like Aunt Mipha not being able to come with me this time because she's helping with baby Tara. As new people come into our lives, we have to make room for them, spread out our time more, since we only have the same amount of time each day. For instance, after you were born, your parents could not spend as much time with your sister as before, but they didn't love her any less."
"I guess you're right," said Astra. "But I'm glad you still come to visit. I have a lot of fun sailing and talking with you!"
"And I have fun with you too," said Link giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "Come on! Let's pick some apples."
Astra and Link went from tree to tree, and sometimes Astra would climb up to reach apples, but she had no difficulty doing that. After an hour or so of gathering apples, they had more than enough.
"I think we could feed half the castle," laughed Link as they lugged two full sacks of apples back to the boat and left them there. "I hope we don't sink on the way back!"
"That would be funny!" laughed Astra. "Can we sit down? I'm a little tired now."
"Of course, sweetheart," said Link. "I came here just to spend time with you."
"Let's sit by that big tree over there," said Astra pointing to a large tree close to shore.
After making their way there, Astra and Link sat next to each other, leaning against the trunk of the tree. A gentle breeze shook the leaves now and then as they sat quietly for a moment, enjoying their surroundings.
"I remember when I was smaller, I would fall asleep in your lap after we went sailing," said Astra smiling at him.
"I remember that too, sweetheart," said Link. "Those were precious moments to me. And you still can if you like. You're not too big for a nap. A nap is always good, no matter how old you are."
"Maybe later," said Astra. "Right now, I feel more like talking."
"Of course. Is there something on your mind, sweetheart?" said Link.
Astra was quiet for a moment, then spoke up.
"One time, I overheard Mom talking to my sister about you," said Astra.
"Go on," said Link.
"Well, Mom was saying that you were courageous and the best fighter she ever saw. You weren't afraid of anything," said Astra. "And Mom was telling Zel to remember that it was thanks to you that Hyrule is safe now."
"Well, that was nice of your Mom to say so," said Link. "I did do my best to protect Hyrule, but your mother also played a big role, as did the Champions. We all did everything we could, and it wasn't something any of us did on our own. And I was certainly afraid sometimes, everyone is. But I became less afraid as I gained experience and confidence in myself."
"But you did fight a lot of monsters, right?" said Astra.
"Yes, there were a lot of monsters back then," said Link. "Right here, near where we're sitting, there used to be an evil giant with one eye we called a Hinox. But all those things are gone now, sweetheart, and you needn't worry about them."
"I know," said Astra. "But there can still be bad people, like that Zora that attacked you."
"Yes, evil always seems to return no matter how often we destroy it," said Link. "We just have to stay vigilant."
"What does vigilant mean?"
"Be prepared, not relax or get too comfortable and take our safety for granted," said Link. "I'm not sure I'm explaining it well. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I think so," said Astra.
Then she paused again before going on."
"Did you ever have strange dreams, Uncle Link?"
"Sometimes," said Link. "I'm sure everyone does at some point."
"Ever since what happened here with that Zora, I have had two strange dreams," said Astra. "The second one was last night."
"Nightmares? I'm so sorry for what happened, Astra, and I know that must have been a terrible shock to you," said Link. "At least the bad person who did that to us will never trouble us again."
"No, they aren't nightmares, almost the opposite," said Astra. "Mom said as I grow older, I will have different kinds of dreams, and that it's normal. But in this dream, there is a voice speaking to me from a bright golden light. It's such a sweet and kind voice, and it speaks to me like a mother talking to her child."
"Are you sure you're not dreaming about your actual mother?" said Link. "She is a rather special person, you know."
Astra paused for a moment.
"No, it's not Mom," said Astra. "Her voice is different. And this voice tells me I'm special, that I need to take care of myself and grow up to be a good person, that she might need my help someday. And her tone is just so loving as if she cares for me and worries about me. I don't know how else to explain it."
"I don't either, sweetheart," said Link thinking about it. "The mind can sometimes play tricks on us. I've certainly dreamed of things that didn't happen. On the other hand, some say that when we dream, we grow closer to the spirit realm. In any case, her advice is sound. You do need to take care of yourself and grow up to be a good person, which you're already doing."
"But the funny thing is that in my dream she calls me Zelda," said Astra. "She calls me by my sister's name."
Now that gave Link pause, and he wondered if the surprise showed on his face. Because in his misadventure with Timela in the broken timeline that resulted in Astra being his and Zelda's child, Astra's real name had been Zelda. Astra was the nickname Link gave her because of the bright star in the sky that appeared on the day of her birth. But who here knew that? Only him. Well, and Mipha, too, since she had read the diary he had brought back with him. And the Goddess Hylia, of course. Link began to wonder what it could mean.
"What are you thinking about, Uncle Link?" said Astra breaking his thoughts.
"Oh! Sorry, Astra," said Link. "I was just thinking about what you told me. I'm not sure what it means, sweetheart. But don't worry about it, and just follow her excellent advice. Is there anything else on your mind?
"No," said Astra yawning. "Maybe I will take that nap now. All that climbing and apple picking tired me out."
"Go right ahead, sweetheart," said Link as she rested her head on his shoulder, and he put his arm around her and cradled it with his hand.
After a few moments, her slow and steady breathing told him she was fast asleep. Link sat quietly, holding her and looking down at her. He gently brushed some of her soft blond hair away from her face. She was such an adorable little girl, but there was no doubt she was getting bigger, and he was glad for these chances to spend time with her. But her dream only reinforced what Fi had said, that she may be destined to play a role someday. May that day be long in coming, he prayed. She was still only a seven-year-old girl with a lot of growing up to do. He would keep an eye on her, though, and help her learn whatever he could teach her. She stirred briefly in her sleep, and he gently patted her head. She nestled her head against him further and reached for him, touching his chest. Then she sighed, still asleep. Link closed his eyes for a moment.
Meanwhile, back in Zora's Domain, Mipha was in the room they used as a study reading over some meeting materials on her Tab when Mila came in.
"You okay, Mom?" said Mila. "The house seems so quiet now!"
"Yes, I'm fine, sweetheart," said Mipha. "You have nothing to do?"
"I don't feel like working, and Kendal has extra guard duty because of the alert," said Mila. "Do you feel like a walk or a swim?"
"Of course," said Mipha smiling. "Which do you prefer?"
"Maybe a walk this time," said Mila. "Let's walk across the great bridge."
"Fine," said Mipha.
They made their way out of the house and down through the plaza and onto the Great Zora Bridge as guards greeted them as they passed by. The weather was sunny and mild, and a small flock of Blue Sparrows took flight as they walked. Light white clouds drifted across the sky, and a small gentle waterfall cascaded onto the rocks to their left. The peaks of the cliffs glowed a beautiful icy blue in the sunlight, and at the far end of the bridge, you could see green grass, pink and purple shrubs, and the tall evergreen trees that surrounded the area. Mila glanced around.
"I'm so happy Link and Lapha returned to live here," said Mila. "I haven't seen as much of Hyrule as you and Dad, but I can't believe anywhere else is as beautiful as here. I think it's the perfect place to live and raise a family."
"I agree. Your father and I are thrilled too, and not just because we believe it's the best place to live," said Mipha.
At the end of the bridge, they walked to the left, then followed the winding path marked by glowing blue lights toward Ruto Mountain. The path zig-zagged, and a Hot-Footed Frog scurried out from under a rock and into the bushes. As the road passed east of Ruto Mountain, they spotted a solitary Blue Nightshade growing alongside the cliff.
"Oh! My favorite flower!" said Mipha as they stopped. "I love them, especially at night, when they look so pretty."
"Shall I pick it for you, Mom?" said Mila.
"No, we can just enjoy it growing here in the wild. You know, I still remember your father asked me what my favorite flower was on our wedding day. I didn't know at the time why he suddenly did that, but then sometime later he told me why. In his old timeline, he used to lay a Blue Nightshade flower by my statue each time he visited the Domain. He guessed that I would like that flower, and said he was happy when I confirmed it. It's so hard to relate to the things that happened to him that never happened anymore, but I understood. Your father is a very loving and sentimental person inside, Mila. But I think you already know that."
"I do, but you never told me that story," said Mila. "It's so sweet, but kind of sad too."
The path began to descend as it rounded Ruto Mountain then curved sharply.
"Let's stop here," said Mila.
They walked to the edge of one of the cliffs and stood side-by-side, looking out over the area. To the northwest, you could make out Death Mountain with its rivers of red lava. To the southeast, you could see snowy Mount Lanayru, home of the Spring of Wisdom. To the southwest stood the huge plateau where Divine Beast Vah Ruta once stood when it targeted Hyrule Castle. Speaking of which, Hyrule Castle itself was visible in the distance to the northeast. Directly below them was a small opening where water gushed to the land below, and Ruto's Crossing, the structure that spanned the great Ruto Lake. It was quiet here, only the sound of the water could be heard.
"I hate to say it again, but this is just so beautiful," said Mila.
"Yes, it is," said Mipha. "I'm glad we walked here. I haven't been here in a while."
Mila grew quieter then, and Mipha looked over at her.
"Is anything wrong, sweetheart?" said Mipha.
"I guess I'm just fearful about this new danger," said Mila. "Kendal said something is brewing, but we don't know what it is. So, all we can do is keep a sharper lookout."
"Yes, I know," said Mipha as she put her arm around Mila. "But look on the bright side. I believe we are better prepared than ever, and we have more advanced technology. Whatever danger threatens, I believe we will find a way to overcome it."
"I wish I had your positive outlook, Mom," said Mila. "But I suppose you're right."
Mila smiled, then reached out, and they embraced.
"Have faith in the powers of good, sweetheart," said Mipha. "Our victories don't always come easily or without cost, but they have always come."
Then they turned and began the walk back home.
Meanwhile, in the Applean Forest, Astra opened her eyes to find herself resting on Link's chest with him fast asleep.
"Wake up, Uncle Link!" laughed Astra as Link opened his eyes. "You fell asleep too!"
Link shook his head and smiled.
"That I did! I guess we were both tired from apple picking," said Link.
The sun was lower in the sky now, and it would be sunset soon. And the trip back to Hyrule Castle was against the current, so Link knew he might need to do some rowing.
"Come on! Let's bring those apples home," said Link.
They got up, made their way back to the boat, and were soon underway. The breeze from the south helped somewhat, but the reverse current was strong, and Link did wind up doing a good deal of rowing. Thank Hylia for the rest, especially with the extra weight of the apples! When they arrived back at Hyrule Castle, they left the boat in the care of one of the guards and gave the two sacks of apples to another guard to bring to the kitchen. Then they made their way back to the living quarters and Queen Zelda's office.
Astra ran to her mother for a hug and kiss when they arrived.
"Did you have fun with your uncle, sweetheart?" said Queen Zelda as she hugged Astra.
"Lots of fun! I steered the boat all by myself too. And you won't believe how many apples we picked! Way more than I ever picked with Zel!"
"I'll believe it when I see all the apple dishes the kitchen starts serving," laughed Zelda, giving her another squeeze. "But I'm glad you had fun, sweetheart. Can you stay for dinner, Link? We'd love to have you, and it's almost dinner time now. Where else can you find such a fine meal?"
"Nowhere, and come to think of it, I didn't have lunch! Of course, I'd love to stay," said Link. "I'll take a late ferry back home to the Domain. I must commend you, Zelda, on how well the Hyrule transportation system works. I never thought I'd take to it, but it's efficient and relaxing. "
"I'm glad to hear it," said Zelda. "I still go horseback riding occasionally, and I still enjoy it. And when I ride, I sometimes think back to our many trips together. Our horses were our friends back then, weren't they, Link? You were especially close to yours, as fond of Epona as she was of you. Epona was so fond of your uncle, Astra, that she wouldn't let anyone else ride her! And so, I guess we lost that closeness to nature. But motorized transport is easier and faster. I think almost everyone prefers it."
"Yes, I miss horseback travel sometimes too," said Link. "Epona could often sense danger before I could, and I thought of her as a dear friend. Her daughter is a fine horse, too, by the way. But time marches on, and we progress. For example, we would have all loved to have Tabs back then, wouldn't we?"
"You didn't have Tabs, Mom?" said Astra in surprise. "I'm so sorry!"
"We managed somehow, sweetheart," laughed Zelda. "But I think it's almost dinner time. Freshen up now, and we can meet in the family dining room in a few minutes. Zelda is eating out with Randall, and Rudin is away inspecting the Akkala Citadel, so it's just the three of us tonight. And I want to see all the many pictures I'm sure you took of your darling granddaughter, Link. I still can't believe we're coming to be grandparents!"
Link Tabbed Mipha that he was staying for dinner, then met in the family dining room. The dinner was poultry, rice and vegetables, and of course quite tasty.
"Can you live without fish tonight, Link?" asked Zelda. "I didn't know you would be staying for dinner."
"Of course!" said Link. "I've grown partial to it, but you know me. I can eat just about anything."
"Did you and Uncle Link used to eat together a lot?" said Astra.
"A long time ago, when we traveled together, sweetheart," said Zelda. "We stopped at stables sometimes, and we each cooked our meal. We even exchanged meals once for fun and teased each other about it. Your uncle cooked heartier meals while my dishes were lighter. It was a way to relax after a long day."
"It sounds like you both had fun together," said Astra.
Zelda and Link both smiled at each other.
"We sometimes did," said Zelda. "We had good and bad times together, but we like to remember the fun times most of all. But it wasn't all fun, sweetheart. And trust me, life is much better for everyone now."
After dinner, Astra said good night. She had some reading to do for class tomorrow and was going back to her room.
"Thanks for a fun time, Uncle Link," said Astra as they exchanged a hug and kiss.
"I had fun too, sweetheart," said Link. "And remember who loves you as much as there are stars in the sky, okay?"
"How can I forget!" laughed Astra. "You say it every time! But it's nice to hear."
Then Astra kissed her mother goodnight and ran off to her room.
"She so looks forward to your visits," said Zelda.
"I'll try to visit more often," said Link. "It's easier getting here now, and I can see she misses the time she used to have with her sister. Also, as she gets older, I want to help her all I can."
"Yes, I can see she misses time with Zelda," said Zelda. "I've been trying to make more time for her as well, as has Rudin. And of course, I welcome your help with her. You understand things better than anyone. Now I want to see all the pictures of little Tara."
Link handed Zelda his Tab after opening the pictures.
"She's so adorable, Link!" said Zelda as she swiped through the pictures. "I love her gorgeous dark blue eyes! Wait? That's all the pictures?"
"I've been too busy playing with her to take many pictures, Zelda," said Link. "I'm sure Mipha has more, as well as Tila and Link."
"She is so cute, Link," said Zelda. "I can't wait to see her in person. How are Tila and Link doing?"
"Very well, and thank you for Link's reassignment. We're all thrilled to have him home with us."
"Of course," said Zelda. "There was no longer a good reason to keep him here, though I'm sure Zelda will miss his companionship. I think they had many interesting conversations together, and she trusted him completely. But I'm happy to have him remain in our service. The Royal Guard occasionally still seek his advice. There's a lot of you in him, you know, and he's quite brave and a very skilled swordsman too."
"I know, and Mipha and I are both very proud of him," said Link.
Link looked at his Tab as Zelda handed it back to him and checked the time.
"I should be going soon," said Link. "Revali looks great, by the way. I attended his Rito Village ceremony as Zora Ambassador."
"I'm glad to hear it," said Zelda. "I would have asked Zelda to attend, but she was still on her honeymoon. Are you and Revali getting along any better?"
"It seems so," said Link. "He was quite friendly this time. He even gave me an archery lesson."
Zelda laughed.
"I think he's been dying to give you a lesson for thirty years, if for no other reason than to show off," laughed Zelda. "But I'm glad things are better between you two."
"And how are you, Zelda?" said Link. "It's good to see you, and you look great!"
"I'm fine, very happy for my daughter Zelda, but just a bit apprehensive over this missing scientist issue," said Zelda. "It seems someone was funding this person's research. The fact it was done so secretly and resulted in his murder does not bode well. We've upped our security here, and I assume you've done the same at the Domain."
"Yes, we have," said Link. "But we still have no idea what we're looking for."
"I agree. I've asked Dr. Purah to think about possibilities," said Zelda. "I think your younger daughter is here with her this week to help brainstorm a bit. Well, I shouldn't keep you, or you'll miss the ferry. Give my love to Mipha and the rest of your beautiful family. And take care of yourself, Link. You know that Hyrule and I both still need you."
"I'll do my best to continue to serve you," said Link. "I do keep myself in shape. And give my love to your family, as well. I expect pretty soon I'll be congratulating you on another addition to the family."
"Very likely," laughed Zelda as she reached out, and they hugged goodbye, holding each other for a moment.
"I mean it, Link," said Zelda quietly. "Take care of yourself."
"And you do the same, Zelda," said Link. "Both Hyrule and I need you too."
Then they parted, smiled at each other, and Link left for the ferry terminal.
It was late and dark by now, the crescent moon obscured by some clouds. But the pier was well lit. He Tabbed Mipha that he was on his way home.
The late ferry was not at all crowded, and only two young Zora couples boarded, returning home to the Domain. He had boarded first, and they all nodded and greeted him upon boarding, then took their seats, their arms around each other, lost in each other's company. Young love thought Link. They had probably gone to Castle Town for some shopping and a meal or two perhaps. Speaking of which, he should get Astra something beautiful for her next birthday. Maybe a visit to the Starlight Memories jewelry store was in order on one of his visits. He smiled to himself. Those shopping trips were always an adventure if Tanya was working! But he remembered Mila telling him he could shop their store by Tab now, and order without even visiting the shop. That was certainly easier, but it just didn't seem as much fun. It was sort of like what happened to travel by horseback. It was more efficient now, but something was lost too.
The ferry was about to cast off when he heard a voice he thought he recognized shouting from the pier to wait. The first officer waited, and a young female Zora made her way on board. Then she noticed Link.
"Dad? What are you doing here?" said Lapha as she took a seat next to him, and the ferry finally cast off.
"I was visiting Astra," said Link. "This is a nice surprise, sweetheart! You're coming home, I assume?"
"Yes, I've been spending time with Dr. Purah," said Lapha. "But, we're done for now."
The ferry picked up speed as they both sat back and watched the dark water flow by.
"We'll be getting home late," said Link. "Did you and Dr. Purah make any progress? Queen Zelda mentioned you were brainstorming the missing scientist issue."
"We've narrowed things down a bit," said Lapha. "But nothing for certain. I want to speak with Aldora tomorrow to see if any of our thoughts make sense, given what she knows. How is Astra, by the way?"
"Fine, fun to be with and getting bigger," said Link. "We went sailing and picked apples. We both enjoyed it."
The ferry made rapid progress, and soon everyone disembarked at the pier and made their way back to the Domain. Lapha and Link continued to the house and quietly opened the door. As expected, everything was quiet.
"Goodnight, Dad," whispered Lapha as she hugged him.
"Glad you're home again," whispered Link. "And goodnight."
Link made his way to his room, and Mipha was still awake, waiting up for him.
"Glad you're home, sweetheart," said Mipha as they kissed. "Did everything go well?"
"Yes, fine, and sorry that it's so late," said Link. "We can talk tomorrow. You must be very tired."
"Fine, talking tomorrow sounds good," said Mipha as she yawned. "But I want us to hold each other. I always sleep better in your arms."
"It's where we each belong, sweetheart," said Link. "And I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."
They both entered the slumber pool, held each other, and soon fell asleep.
Meanwhile, far away at the Foothill Rest Area, a traveler on a motorized cycle rode in from the south and got off to stretch his legs and refuel. Lenard was on duty, as he usually worked the night shift, his dog Bandit keeping him company. They didn't get too many travelers late at night, as most preferred to navigate the roads toward the Eldin Region in daylight. As Lenard watched the traveler, he suddenly recognized him as the same one from a while ago.
"Wait! You were here not too long ago, right?" said Lenard.
"That's right," said the traveler coming closer. "My work takes me through here now and then. You're very observant."
The traveler reached down and patted Lenard's dog on the head. The dog wagged its tail, enjoying the attention.
"Bandit, isn't it? I see Bandit's better behaved this time," said the traveler.
"Yeah," said Lenard. "He usually does behave well. If I remember, you thought last time you ran over a squirrel, and the scent of your cycle bothered him, right? He kept barking at it."
"You have a good memory, too," laughed the traveler. "That's right. I just need a minute to refuel, and I'll be on my way."
"Yes, thanks again for the business," said Lenard.
The traveler refueled the cycle, then sat down on it, waved to Lenard, and was on his way back to the Eldin Region, the headlight illuminating the road.
"That went much better, didn't it?" said the traveler as he sped off. "Things are looking up."
