Chapter 12: Epilogue

Note: I would like to quickly add that yes, I do want to write some sequels to this. The wedding is obviously one of them, but there were conversations I'd like to write between Link and the future champions that I couldn't justify in this story. So there are a few one-shots that may come in here and there. I'd even like to go beyond into what most of these characters do in peace time, though I accept it'll be more speculative. If you want more from this continuity, keep my user followed. Things will pop up as I come up with them. As for this one, I wanted to use the sidequests to inform the armor storyline, and I ended with the day after the proposal. I feel this narrative has reached its conclusion. If there IS something I didn't touch on, leave it in the comments. If it's short I'll edit it in, but if it's longer, I'll see if I can square it with other ideas I've got.

I do some self-reflection on my thought process at the end of the chapter. And final note, this chapter is the first that uses the story as a springboard for most of its information, instead of the game's timeline (since the true ending of AoC happened last chapter), so if the filling in of time between missions was your main draw, that's done. But if you want how the next day went, here it is. Enjoy!

Link and Mipha entered Zora's Domain after about an hour of sitting in silence, reflecting on the day's events. They had decided to let her father and everyone know about their engagement tomorrow. Link went over to the inn, as per usual, and rented a room for the evening. He had not realized, however, that the innkeeper would instantly recognize his armor as being crafted by a Zora. Link bumbled through the conversation with a near-silent stammer that only he could pull off and made it into his room.

Needless to say, though, a piece of Zora armor made for a Hylian was something worth gossiping about, and the innkeeper spread word to some of the guards who were going on patrol that they should ask about having their own armor remade, as the coloring and design on the Hylian version of the armor looked quite stylish.

Word spread through the ranks of the night guard quickly, and by morning, the consensus among them was that Dento had been holding back his best material, and he should be offering upgrades at a reasonable price, if any at all. When he arrived at his workshop and saw a small herd of off-duty guards waiting for him, it didn't take him long to piece together what had happened.

Well, it seems like you succeeded, your Highness. I'm glad the armor turned out well, but I am curious how everyone will receive the news of your engagement.

While Link rested and a thirst for new equipment spread through the guards, Mipha went to her living quarters and had the first uninterrupted rest she'd had in ages. There had been stressors in her life for so long, it felt nearly alien to go to bed with complete self-assuredness. All of the major events that had piled on to her life for ages had finally subsided. It made the thought of what tomorrow would bring so much more directionless. But she could deal with those feelings later. This was a great day, and she was determined to bask in this feeling tomorrow as well.

As morning came, Mipha awoke with a sense of tranquility. The rest she felt was extremely welcome, and this was probably the first time for sure that she felt like the mindset that had existed throughout the Calamity had finally passed. There was a confidence that everything was going to go well.

And then she made her way over to the inn. And got to hear the guards talking.

"... making armor like that for Hylians, then at least give us the option. Why are they getting the preferential treatment?"

"Good morning!" Mipha said, curious about the conversation.

"Oh, good morning Princess! Please excuse our banter."

"Not at all. You were discussing armor?"

"Yes, your Highness. The night guards who handed off to us had mentioned that the smithy is apparently making Hylian versions of the Zora armor that outclass our own in terms of their focus. I know they've gone to the shop this morning to demand that we Zora be given the same opportunity, but I do apologize for taking up my shift on such frivolous matters."

"I see…" Mipha was not sure how to respond. She didn't know whether to giggle at the thought that her armor had been such a hit, chastise herself for not thinking of this and having Link take the armor off, or rush off to apologize to Dento for what had to be some kind of morning.

But, if she wanted her father to be the first to know, then she needed to get Link over here and address him first.

"Well it's funny you mention the armor," she began. "There actually is an explanation for it, but I must speak to my father about it first before discussing it with anyone else."

Suddenly, both the guard she'd been speaking to and the one who had been listening had the blood slip from their faces. The one who had been talking spoke up. "You- you're going to talk to the king about this? I'm sorry if we were out of line, Princess, but I don't think we need to involve the king in these matters. Or you, for that matter! Please, don't take our statements as anything against either of you." The other nodded in agreement.

Mipha couldn't stifle her giggles anymore. "No, no, I don't mean to get you in trouble. It's just that the armor you saw is actually quite important to something I was going to tell my father about. Is he awake?"

"I believe I heard rumblings around his room. He should be out shortly," the other guard said.

"Excellent. Could you ask him to wait in the dining hall to eat breakfast? I'll be along shortly."

"Yes, Princess Mipha!" both guards said in unison, as Mipha rushed down to the inn. Lucky for her, Link was an early riser too, and he was already in the lobby of the inn by the time she made it down.

"Hello, Link! Have you been waiting long for me?"

Link shook his head, and tilted his head to his bed from the night before, which was somewhat visible and fully made, indicating that he had taken the time to get the room in order and that he hadn't been in the lobby for very long.

Did I really interpret all that from his body language? Mipha thought, amused with herself. I must be getting entirely too used to Link's nonverbal nature.

"Well I'm glad you're awake. And in the armor. We will need to explain at breakfast so that the rest of the Domain doesn't mutiny over Hylians receiving preferential fashion treatment!"

Link's mouth stretched as he nodded in concurrence. He must have heard the hullabaloo that was coming from the guards last night as well.

As they walked back up the stairwell that led to the palace, both Link and Mipha could hear the rumblings from the crowd. The clothing Link wore were all distinctly Zora. (Link had purchased a pair of greaves and found a helm in the past that he thought looked good with the new armor, so he was basically in a Zora battle suit.) Mipha did not think she heard anyone start to piece together what had happened, but she knew it would be public knowledge by the end of the day. All that mattered now was making sure King Dorephan got to hear first.

As they entered the palace and made way to the dining area, they saw King Dorephan with a covered plate in front of him from just outside the doorway. As they made their way into the room, the king greeted them both.

"Ah, Mipha! Good morning! I was excited to hear you wanted to have breakfast together. And Link! What a pleasant surprise. It is always good to see the Hylian champion in the Domain for a visit."

As the two entered the room and went to the table, King Dorephan noticed what Link was wearing. He did his best not to show any changes to his facial expression, but he was aware of where this conversation was headed. Inside his head, he chastised himself for not figuring it out sooner.

I couldn't figure out who that armor was meant for… but that was because I was only considering Zoras, Dorephan thought. I really should have thought of Link - it makes sense given how close they have been…

"Father?"

King Dorephan blinked himself out of his internal thoughts. "Oh, I apologize, my daughter. I was lost in my own mind. Please, tell me what you had to tell me, although I think I can figure it out, hehe."

Mipha blushed a little. "Y-yes. I suppose it is rather obvious now, isn't it? Well, father, as you can see, I have been crafting ceremonial Zora armor for my future husband, and I have chosen Link to be my husband. I came down this morning to seek your blessing on our marriage."

King Dorephan then surprised Mipha, Link, the chef who had been in the next room, focused on preparing the plates, and at least three guards within earshot of his guffaw. "HA HA! How wonderful! Mipha, Link please take a seat near me. I have much to say and a hearty breakfast would be quite fitting for you to have while I speak."

He then addressed the kitchen. "BRING US THE DISHES! And please, prepare the sweet cream and berries! We have much to celebrate this morning!"

The chef, a little startled at the sudden outburst of energy in the room, tried to remain composed as he entered. He admittedly had little understanding of what had just happened.

"Here are the omelettes and wheat, my liege. I will have the sweet cream prepared shortly. What is the celebration that we are hav- EH?" The chef's thoughts were interrupted by Link's armor and Mipha, who had moved to grab Link's arm and was now leaning against him.

"As it turns out, we are celebrating our dear Mipha's engagement! So please, work quickly, good sir."

The chef had been surprised by the image of the princess with a Hylian, but the King's exuberance had swept him up and he found himself excited for this moment. "Yes sir! And Princess, congratulations to you and your fiancé. It is an honor to prepare your engagement meal!"

Link and Mipha both bowed to the chef as they moved to their seats. There was much food, since the King needed a large diet to maintain his strength, and that worked out great for Link, as he was able to scoop up a large plate of his own without feeling like he made a substantial dent in the food. Mipha looked on in awe of just how empty her plate looked when compared to the other two.

As they began eating, King Dorephan started what he wanted to say. "I will admit, Mipha, I have been curious about the armor you've been crafting for some time. I am someone ashamed to admit, Link, that I hadn't entertained the thought of you being the recipient, even though all the signs were there.

"And it's not because I don't think you should be either. You have been a wonderful protector, confidant and friend to my dear daughter for years. Her admiration for you has been reflected in all of the times you come up in conversations. Mipha used to gush about your battle prowess and bravery-"

"Father!" Mipha's face had gone from red and white to completely red. She had not wanted this to turn into a flashback to her youth. Last thing she wanted during this conversation was for this to degenerate into her father sharing baby stories.

The king took note, laughed, then settled down. "I'm sorry, Mipha. The point is that I think you are a wonderful young man who would be a welcome addition to the family; I merely did not consider it thoughtfully because it has been so long since a Zora royal has been married to a race other than Zora. Even among the Zoras of the Domain, it is a rarity due to our preference for a moist climate.

"If you two are prepared to take that journey, though, then this marriage has my full blessing. It brings me joy to see you happy, Mipha, and I know that all of Zora's Domain will feel the same when they see you light up the way you do when you speak of Link to them.

And Link, welcome to the family! I know you are part of the Hylian royal knights and so you have duties across the entirety of Hyrule, but I hope you will see the Zora people as your family as well."

Link, grateful to not be mid-mouthful as the king addressed him, straightened up and gave a firm nod to the king and a smile before diving back into the food.

"Thank you, father. I am so glad that this has gone so well. And you can be sure that I have thought about this for… quite some time," Mipha said, not wanting to admit to anyone in particular about how long she'd been thinking about a life with Link. "I know I will be happy with this decision."

"Then that is all that matters," the king said. "Now bring on the SWEETS!"

Everyone had their berries and cream before heading out to the main area of the palace. Before the Zora king began allowing visitors into the palace, he asked for all members of the Domain to attend an announcement from him.

The Zoras all gathered in the palace by the end of the morning where King Dorephan made the announcement of Mipha and Link's engagement. There were a lot of surprised faces when they realized that the princess was not only engaged, but engaged to a non-Zora. But seeing as most of them already knew and liked Link (heck, most had fought alongside him), they quickly got behind King Dorephan's enthusiasm.

And even those who were more traditional and didn't like the idea of a Hylian marrying a Zora princess, had to admit that Mipha had the look of a princess who had found her other half when they saw how she stood with Link and how she spoke of him.

"My fellow Zoras, I know that this news comes as a surprise to many, but to those who know me best, it is probably more surprising that they didn't see it coming. And for me, it is most surprising that I gathered the courage to ask my future husband for his hand.

"You see, I try to give off the notion that I am a confident leader, commander and healer, and I hope that that is your experience with me, but I guess I felt… isolated from the rest of Hyrule, especially as I've traveled more. It has been difficult for me to show the same confidence in my battle prowess when in areas hostile to Zoras. The heat of Death Mountain, the cold of Rito Village, and the dryness of the Gerudo Desert are all so different from what I am used to, and I had to learn a lot about adapting in ways I never had before.

"And it is for these reasons, that Link has stood out in my heart so strongly. Even when we were young, he didn't show fear, and it made me want to push myself more. When I was invited to be a champion, I did it to protect Zora's Domain, but it was my desire to fight alongside Link against Calamity Ganon at the end that kept me seeking new ways to get stronger, and that training, when Vah Ruta was invaded, kept me alive long enough for aid to reach me.

"I have much to be thankful for over this last period of my life, and a lot of people who I am glad to have in my life, and Link is absolutely one of them. It has been a long time since a Zora princess has sought to have a Hylian enter the family, but I know that he will fit in splendidly, and I hope that you all give him the warm hero's welcome that he deserves.

"And in time, I hope you can see what I do in him. He is a true partner, and I cannot wait to begin our time together."

As she finished, the guards who had fought alongside Link so many times during this calamity led the chant. "ZO! ZO! RA RA RA!"

The atmosphere turned to one of jubilation, and there were congratulations all throughout the palace. Link was never comfortable at large-scale shindigs like this, as he always felt awkward making repetitive small talk with people. Luckily, it seemed most of the attention was not directed his way, so he simply nodded along and accepted the well-wishes of the Zoras who came his way.

After a while, they all dispersed as King Dorephan wanted to have the throne room to himself and his advisors. Mipha and Link were tired after all the mingling, so they went down to the living quarters to nap. Mipha was glad to finally offer Link the guest area meant for ambassadors from the other kingdoms. Link used to stay either there or in her room when they were young, but as he got older, it felt less proper since he was there for personal reasons rather than business.

The two slept for much of the afternoon, but eventually, the time came for Link to gather up his stuff from the inn and head out. He had to report back to the castle to check in with King Rhoam the next day (and give Zelda an update on Mipha - she was curious if anything was wrong that she could assist with. Boy, was she in for a surprise announcement!). Link planned to get to the stable by nightfall and ride Epona the rest of the way once he woke up.

Mipha followed alongside Link to the end of Zora's Domain to see him off on his trip. "I suppose we will be walking along this path a lot, since I imagine this will be where I see you off each time you make the trip to Hyrule Castle."

Link nodded in agreement. Mipha continued, "I was thinking, I'm not sure if you'd thought about it yet, but seeing that you own the house already, in addition to having a living space made in the palace, you should keep your home in Hateno… that is, if you want to."

Link looked over to her. "Ok, any reason why?"

"I think the house suits you, at least in the brief time we were there after the battle. Plus, after all the traveling and interactions I've had across Hyrule, I would like to see outside of Zora's domain once in a while myself. I can't leave for very long all that often, but Hateno is a short trip. Would you mind at all if we used your house as well, from time to time?"

Link shook his head. It actually relieved him to know that the house he had taken so much time furnishing would have much use to go, even after getting married. As they reached the point where they had agreed would be their point of farewell, Mipha decided to ask one final thing.

"Is there anything you're concerned about? You know, about this new part of life we will be starting together?"

Link thought about it. There had been one thing floating around in his head that gave him some pause. He wondered if Mipha had thought of it, but knowing her, she probably did. Still, he wanted to know. "Just one: Are you sure of this? Even if I live to be ancient, by the time I go, you'll still probably have half your life left."

As it so happened, Mipha had thought of such an eventuality. "Then I will spend the second half of my life honoring the memory of the first. I want to create a life with you, Link, and if we live well, then that time, however brief, will be a life worth celebrating and cherishing for as long as I can."

Link nodded in understanding and agreement. It was impressive to Link how profound she could be. The two joined together once more and kissed as the west-moving sun started to get noticeably low in the sky.

"Give my best to the Princess!" Mipha called out as Link turned toward the path that would lead to the stable.

As Mipha turned back toward the Domain, she thought about the life she was now planning - a life she didn't know would have a chance to be this full. She looked upon the coming days and weeks as exciting opportunities, who knew what these days would hold? Fate had put her and all her friends in danger, but now that fate had passed, and yet here she was, ready for her future to truly begin.

She thought, as she headed for home, "Destiny is what you make of it."

Author's note: And that's it! Finished in time for 2021!

It makes me glad to know that so many people have been reading this. I actually had wanted to write a fic right after BOTW ended where Link and Zelda recovered the Triforce and wished the world back to life (LTTP style), and it would have created a Link-Mipha ending. I ultimately decided against it because of my schedule and just how unfocused it felt even planning it out. But Age of Calamity (and the DLC for BOTW) really helped solidify personalities and inspired me to put a spin on the part of the story that always got me emotionally invested.

It's funny how, when you look back, all this effort is made by Nintendo to make the Zora storyline stand out. It has multiple intro cutscenes, has the most possibility for variance, Sidon gets built up as you get closer to the bridge, and the emotions are amplified because there are a bunch of Zora who still remember Link. Heck, in the final cutscene of the game, who is Zelda going to speak with? King Dorephan. They clearly cared about Mipha's story as well as her family's, and it's nice to know a lot of fans took note of it.

I loved the butterfly effect that AoC gave off. Terrako jumps in before Link even has the Master Sword, warns of the Calamity and raises the towers 100 years early. Because of that, the champions are recruited earlier and with more urgency, so the Divine Beasts get more mastery. Link's relationship to everyone develops before he pulls the sword, so he's not as burdened with that pressure, and neither is Zelda because her support system is already in place. Mipha trains more, and as such, isn't killed instantly. Impa is more prominent, and the towers make paragliding and teleporting more usable. Things got a lot crazier, but broke cleaner for Hyrule. I'm impressed with the thought that went into it.

Lastly, I want to talk about Mipha and Link as characters. Mipha struck me as the girl who is confident in her own circle, but also knows there's a big world out there. She wants to see it and contribute, but she's also not sure how she fits outside of her own space. And being the youngest champion (relative to lifespan), she defers judgment to the others a lot. Much of this story, as you saw, was Mipha breaking through a perceived barrier that only she really saw. I noticed in BOTW that she couldn't admit her feelings to Link, even after he'd likely heard about them from Sidon, and so my thought was to give her an arc that showed why that roadblock existed, and give her a way to break through it.

As for Link, honestly the biggest challenge is taking a blank slate character who hardly speaks (and is never heard even when he is speaking in-game), and coming up with a personality that worked. AoC was actually quite helpful by giving Link a few facial cues that guided me (the anger toward Revali, the rock-eating contest). I tried to keep Link's dialogue as minimal as possible and word most of his responses like something that would be an extension of the dialogue options in the games. The only time I really wanted emotion from him was in that chapter with Sidon, and that was specifically because Sidon hit a raw nerve for him. Link is not a big-emotion kind of character, so I wanted to make that emotional outburst count.

Like I said above, I have much some ideas I want to do for sequels and side stories - most of which can be done as one-shots or 3-4 chapter short stories. Let me know what character dynamics you enjoy that might be worth exploring. I already know that Zelda, Impa and Purah have a good dynamic and the Terrako rebuilding sequence that was off-screen last chapter could be funny. But anyway, thanks for reading this one, and congrats on making it through 2020!