Chapter 2

The evening passed into night, and through to the early morning. Mipha slept fitfully; the news brought to her by Tekmo repeating itself again and again in her head.

War. Between the Zoras and the Hylians. Mipha could hardly wrap her mind around the concept: such a thing was unfathomable even at the worst of times during her days at the domain. How could things have gotten so bad, she thought?

There was a gentle but firm knock on the door. The morning sky was still dark, and the sun had yet to show its face.

"Oh...One moment please!" she called out wearily. The day was at its coldest, and without the fire lit, a chill hung in the air within the house. Taking her time to get out of bed and light a candle, she slowly took her aching bones to the front door and opened it.

Tekmo stood on the other side, alongside a pair of Sheikah soldiers, one female and one male.

"Good morning, Lady Mipha." he said quietly as not to disturb the neighbourhood. "My apologies for the early start, but the less commotion we cause, the better. Are you ready to leave?"

Mipha yawned, still shaking off her tiredness. "I am," she revealed, gesturing to a travel case in the corner of her room she had painstakingly packed throughout the day following Tekmo's arrival. "Though I will need some help with carrying my things. How do we propose to get to Kakariko Village?"

A little smile broke out from Tekmo's face, and he stood aside to reveal their mode of transportation: a horse and carriage. "The carriage has plenty of water inside, so you will be hydrated during the journey."

It was a nice gesture, Mipha thought. "Thank you Tekmo. And your companions?"

"Lady Mipha, please let me introduce you to Alannah and Mazia." Tekmo said, gesturing to the woman and man respectively. Each bowed upon introduction. "They'll be travelling with us as security detail. That, and someone has to direct the horse." Both Alannah and Mazia had goggles on their faces, and were dressed in the same Sheikah garb as Tekmo. Miphs found it slightly difficult to tell the two apart.

"Thank you, and well met: the both of you." Mipha said. "Before we leave, I need to deliver this letter. I imagine I'll be gone for some time, so somebody needs to look after the house while I'm away."

Mipha handed a letter to Tekmo: Mazia stood forward and took it from her. "Allow me, Lady Mipha. To which house?"

"Number 53, Mazia; thank you."

With the quickness and silence that the Sheikah were renowned for, Mazia sped into the village to deliver the letter. As he did, Mipha closed and locked the door behind her, and slid the key beneath a stone sitting beside the door. She let out a long and laborious sigh: it had been a long time since she had last left Hateno, and it had never been for a cause as serious as this. A deep unease sat within her heart.

She turned, and cast her gaze towards the end of her garden, where a single tree grew. By the foot of the tree was a stone, and the focus of Mipha's attention.

"I'll come back...my love." she whispered to herself, out of earshot of all others.

And with that, she walked slowly, cane supporting her, to the carriage. Both Tekmo and Alannah helped her into the cozy carriage, where two buckets of water were placed for her feet. She sat, the carriage window offering a good view of the outside world, and before long Mazia had returned. The horse whinnied and the carriage started to move. The lack of sleep and exhaustion easily overwhelmed Mipha, and she fell into a deep sleep minutes after their trip had begun.

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"We have arrived, Lady Mipha."

Mipha was startled awake by the declaration, and hastily looked outside her window. The view outside, though one she had not seen for many, many years, was instantly familiar to her: thatch roof cottages, green shrubbery and trees dotting the settlement, and all around them were tall stone mountains, as if they were situated in the centre of a large bowl.

They had arrived at Kakariko Village.

Tekmo opened the door to the carriage as Mipha rubbed her eyes. "Welcome to Kakariko Village, Lady Mipha," he said. "Have you been asleep the whole time?"

Mipha yawned. "I have, yes. When you get to my age, Tekmo, sleeping becomes an easier task to fulfil. That, and I was woken at a very early hour."

"My apologies once again, Lady Mipha." Tekmo said sorrowfully. Mipha couldn't help but find something charming about the humility that Tekmo seemed to proffer at every given opportunity. He seemed genuinely understanding of the strife he was putting her through, and determined to make things as painless as possible. She'd even found it charming that he'd prepared buckets of water for her to dip her feet in during the journey to keep her hydrated.

She gave a warm smile to Tekmo, who seemed a little surprised. "It's okay, Tekmo. Thank you for being so considerate of me."

Tekmo blushed. "O-of course, Lady Mipha. Now, I will go in and speak with Impa to ensure she is ready, and then Mazia and Alannah will help you up the stairs."

"Thank you Tekmo."

During the wait, Mipha could hear the curious noises of the village folk, musing about the carriage that was parked in front of the main temple. She wondered what must have been going through their minds: did they receive many visits like this these days? She cast her mind back as far as she could to remember the last time she came to the village. To her disappointment, she couldn't remember. The consequences of old age sadly, she thought.

Impa. Now this was somebody Mipha remembered well. She cast her mind back to the time of the Calamity. She remembered Impa as a fierce and proud woman, whose impeccable fighting skill and leadership commanded the utmost respect from her peers. The two often fought side by side together, repelling the hordes of monsters that the Calamity wrought upon the land of Hyrule. She remembered the time fondly, knowing now how the fruit of those past efforts. It shocked Mipha to know that she was still alive: it had been well over a century or so since the Calamity had been brought to an end. For a Zora, that seemed like a perfectly normal time to be alive, short even, but for a Sheikah? Mipha wondered with genuine curiosity of what Impa could be like now. Not since her exile had she last been in contact.

The carriage door opened, this time by Alannah. "Lady Mipha, Impa is ready to see you. Please give me and Mazia an arm each, and we'll help you down…"

She took her time, going up one step at a time, flanked by Mazia and Alannah. A crowd gathered at the bottom of the stairs to witness the elderly Zora slowly ascend the steps to the main residence hustling and bustling with curiosity at the scene unfolding before them. Mipha warmed up as she climbed the stairs, and found at the top that she relied very little on her cane. Guards opened the door to the main residence, and inside, Mipha cast her eyes on Impa.

Whom Mipha had once remembered as the strong and powerful warrior was now a little old lady, sat cross-legged on a cushion, within the residence. Her face was incredibly withered and ravaged by time, and upon her head sat a large hat, which obscured her face completely with the tip of her head. Impa looked completely different: unrecognisable even. But Mipha knew at once the warmth in her smile and her demeanour: 150 years had not changed that. She couldn't help but feel a smile emerging on her own lips.

"Mipha…" Impa spoke quietly. "It's been so long...far too long."

"I...I can't begin to explain how it feels to see you again," Mipha uttered, her mind flooded with the memories of the two as younger warriors, battling against the forces of evil. Upon Impa's beckoning, Mipha stepped inside, and the doors behind her closed.

The two were alone; not even Tekmo, Mazia or Alannah had stepped in with them. It was a truly private audience.

A small chair had been set up near Mipha for her to sit in and a small table with two steaming hot cups of green tea had been set aside.

"The feeling is mutual, Mipha," Impa spoke. "Though I wish our reunion could have taken place under more pleasant circumstances. It pains me to have to bring you all the way here from your exile to talk to you."

"Please, Impa," Mipha reassured. "Your delegates have assured me that the matter is of the utmost importance. I have heard...that we are on the brink of war." She took her seat, as Impa let out a long sigh.

"It is true." Impa spoke, a heaviness in her voice. "A Zora by the name of Repherhan now sits upon the throne, and his leadership has resulted in the deterioration of relations between Zoras and Hylians. He has claimed to hold royal blood, and so I must begin by asking you Mipha: does he speak the truth?"

Mipha closed her eyes, her face sorrowful as it turned to the smouldering fire of the torch hanging by the wall. "Yes..." she revealed. "I...I have never met him, but I do know of a grandson named Repherhan. The conditions of my exile were...quite harsh. It was not only me, but my entire family that agreed to abdicate from our royal rights and duties. Including Sidon...and all of my sons. As per the conditions of my exile, my only form of communication with my family was to be through letters, screened by those at Zora's Domain to ensure we were not sending secret messages. As such, I know only of grandsons and granddaughters through these letters. My second-born, Herah...he told me of a son he bore himself, named Repherhan."

"I'm sorry, Mipha." Impa hummed. "I know recounting this experience of your exile brings you great pain."

Tears had started to form in Mipha's eyes, glistening in the light of the torch flames, but she continued. "I agreed to such conditions of my exile to preserve the future of the domain and the legacy of defeating the Calamity." she spoke solemnly. "To hear that my efforts may be in vain…"

Mipha wiped her eyes and looked back at Impa. "That is why I have come. I anticipate that you see a role for me in preventing this war."

Impa nodded. "That is correct. The Sheikah have always willingly acted as intermediates to all races within Hyrule, promoting positive relations and prosperity among us all. But even this situation is becoming dire. War is a very real possibility; the Rito, Gerudo, the Gorons...they have all turned away from this rising conflict in fear of being dragged into it. We all fought so hard together during the Calamity so that we could share a prosperous future together. To see that future now at risk, and entirely of our own doing...we must do all we can to prevent it"

Wiping her last tear away, Mipha cleared her throat.

"So..." she spoke. "What is to be done?"

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Impa proceeded to explain the events that led to the current situation. King Repherhan's ascension had brought with it two key issues. One was a longstanding issue: access and maintenance to Vah Ruta. Since the end of the Calamity, Hylian and Sheikah technicians were regularly dispatched to all four corners of Hyrule to ensure the Divine Beasts were regularly maintained and kept in working condition in anticipation of another Calamity requiring their use. King Repherhan believed this to be a futile expense, and had ordered the maintenance to be restricted, and eventually stopped. This was a key source of tension, and the standoff was contributing to worsening relations.

The second was a more recent development which inflamed the situation: a pack of Lynels had recently settled on Ploymus Mountain and were terrorising the Zoras. Attacks from shock arrows were resulting in casualties, and the Zoras could not fight back alone. Normally, the Hylian Army would be sent in to give aid and drive the Lynels away, but given the recent tension around Vah Ruta, they were refusing to aid unless they could once again access the Divine Beast. King Repherhan saw this as an act of hostility, almost a declaration of war, and was now threatening to use force against the Hylians if they would not help.

Thus was the situation. As Impa spoke, Mipha nodded away, eyes closed, digesting the situation as thoroughly as she could. At its end, she opened her eyes again.

"I understand. So Vah Ruta is the cause of the tension, and the Lynels have brought tensions to a tipping point."

"Very succinctly put, Mipha." Impa hummed, sipping her tea with both hands. "We no longer have access to any Zora delegates, as they are being restricted from leaving the Domain. Zoras outside the domain are very rare: yourself being one of them."

"I see..." Mipha hummed. "But I sense you have a role for me to play in addressing the situation at hand. I would like to hear it."

"Of course." Impa agreed. "As Tekmo must have told you, we would not have approached you and broken the conditions of your exile unless we had an appropriate reason to do so. This is no exaggeration: you may be the only person who can now diffuse tensions. There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, you are King Repherhan's grandmother, and a beloved figure in the domain. I believe your statue still stands tall and proud in the centre of the domain."

The statue, which was built to honour Mipha's part in the success of defeating the Calamity, depicted her wielding her trident.

"Another reason relates to Vah Ruta. Since the end of the Calamity, it has required no new pilot, as have all the Divine Beasts. The connection between you and Vah Ruta, and what it symbolises in the defeat of the Calamity, ensures you as an immortalised figure in the Domain. We have reason to believe you still hold considerable power and influence amongst your people, even after all these years. As such, it's our only hope that you can go to Zora's Domain, speak with King Repherhan, and try to reverse the series of events that are leading us down the path of war. I appreciate this is a very big ask: please understand that we had no other option."

Mipha sat in silence for a short while.

"I understand," she said with steely determination. "And I accept. I will speak with Repherhan."

Impa let out a contented chuckle, diffusing the weight of the occasion. "I'm glad!" she hummed. "When the world is falling apart, it falls to little old ladies like us to set things right!"

Mipha was taken aback by the remark at first, but eventually started to chuckle herself. "Yes, I suppose little old ladies like us do have to step in from time to time!"

The two little old ladies shared a hearty chuckle together, and spent their remaining time together catching up on each other's lives, drinking green tea and setting the world to rights.

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Mipha was given a private room in the main residence for the night, and had prepared to set out for Zora's Domain the following morning. The journey would be substantially longer, and she was unsure of what reaction she would receive when she showed her face to her people once again. On the floor of her room, she once again found herself wanting for sleep, and instead cast her mind back to older times as she gazed into the gentle candlelight beside her.

The Lynels, she thought. She had encountered many, especially during the Calamity, but she would never forget her first time…

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"Mipha, I really don't think you should be up here."

"I'm not leaving you to face that thing alone, Link."

"I'm being completely serious, Mipha. Go back to the domain. Now."

"No, Link!"

It was as if the very thunder and lightning around them echoed the anger and frustration that Mipha felt in that moment. Link had resolved to battle the Lynel that had made its home on Ploymus Mountain. Mipha knew how dangerous the Lynels could be: Zoras had struggled for centuries and beyond with dealing with them. But in spite of this, Link marched on to the top of the mountain. Mipha's newfound feelings for Link had only intensified in the days following her revelation, and it was these feelings that drew her close to Link. She didn't want him to face the Lynel alone: she clutched her Lightscale Trident tightly and was prepared to fight.

The night was heavy with rain and powerful thunder, and both Link and Mipha were sodden to the bone. For Mipha, this brought her no discomfort, but Link looked no worse than a drowned rat.

Link, taken aback by Mipha's sudden snap, fell quiet and continued his ascent quietly. Worried, Mipha followed him insistently. They said nothing to each other as they reached the peak, accompanied only by the sound of the cracking thunder, howling wind and pounding rain. It was the dead of night, and visibility was incredibly poor towards the summit.

Near the peak, Link crouched in anticipation. "Get down, Mipha" he whispered sharply. Mipha obeyed, and the two hid just behind the peak of the mountain.

"Is it there?" Mipha asked. "Can you see it?"

"I don't know. Stay down: I'm going to take a look."

As Link slowly stood up, Mipha whispered urgently: "Be careful, Link."

Mipha stayed crouched as Link made his way over the top and vanished out of sight. Her knuckles now white from clutching her trident tightly, Mipha anticipated the terrible roar of the Lynel, gathering all her courage to jump out at the first sign of danger. Link be damned, she thought, she wasn't going to let him get hurt.

But there was nothing. No roar, no battling sounds: just the thunder and the wind and the rain.

Unable to stand the suspense, Mipha slowly stood, and cast her eyes across the summit. Link stood alone in the middle with the Master Sword drawn, the pure light of its blade piercing the darkness around him, illuminating the heavy raindrops as they fell around it.

There was no Lynel in sight. Mipha tentatively walked out onto the summit, towards Link.

"The Lynel…" Mipha spoke, just loudly enough to be heard through the rain. "Where is it?'

"I don't know…' Link replied. "I... don't like this."

"Link, I'm here for you, I will not leave your side."

"Mipha, please," Link said, slightly pleading. "I have a really bad feeling about this. Please go back."

"I'm not leaving you Link!"

"But why?" Link pressed.

"Because I…"

Mipha suddenly found herself catching her words. What was she trying to say? Link looked on, bemused. "Because I don't want to see you hurt, Link. Ever. I…"

Link sighed. "Mipha, I don't want you to get hurt either. Please, don't get yourself hurt just for my sake. Just…"

"I can heal you if you get hurt." Mipha pointed out.

"But Mipha, I can't do the same for you." Link warned. For the first time, there was compassion in his voice. "If you get hurt, then what am I supposed to-"

Link stopped abruptly. Before Mipha knew what had happened, Link had lunged directly at her, swept her to one side, and the clash of metal rang out behind her. A titanic roar screamed out into the night. It was the Lynel titanic and terrifying, eyes yearning for blood.

Link's words rang in Mipha's head: if he got hurt, then she could still heal him. But he was right: if she got hurt, then they were both in jeopardy. She felt ashamed and embarrassed that she'd put herself in this danger, and scrambled away to one of the rocks near the edge of the summit. Turning around, she witnessed the mighty duel between Link and the Lynel.

She saw the unfolding battle only in glimpses. In the darkness, she could hear the roaring and the grunting of the Lynel, Link's battle cries, and the swinging and clashing of metal. But with every strike of thunder and lightning, a still, silhouetted image of the two combatants flashed like photographs. Mipha saw the great, terrifying size of the Lynel, with its large jagged axe, dwarfing Link in comparison. She saw Link standing his ground, his swordplay keeping the demon monster at bay. The next thunderstrike, Link was on his knees, and Mipha screamed out to him in desperation. On the third thunderstrike, Link was back to his feet, and it was the Lynel that was reading back on its hindlegs, repelled by the valiant hero. Through it all, the Master Sword retained its glow, dancing fiercely through the blackness of the night.

Suddenly, the Master Sword started to shine brighter than before. Link was standing still, his sword drawn backwards. Mipha heard a final, blood curdling roar from the darkness. The sword then spun around Link, and Mipha saw the grace of his movement, dancer-like, as he executed the move. She could also see that the Lynel, which had been charging at him, had been cut deeply to the heart by this piercing move. Its agonizing scream melted into a gurgle, and through the light of the sword, Mipha saw the great beast falling to its knees, before collapsing sideways into a heap on the ground.

Link had felled the Lynel.

A convulsion of pain ran through him, and Link fell to his knees. Without hesitation, Mipha sprinted towards him, her heart pounding with both joy for the immense act she had witnessed, and the fear of seeing Link doubled over in pain. The Master Sword remained glowing, illuminating them both.

"Link!" Mipha cried as she reached him. "Oh Link, that was amazing! You did it! You defeated the dreaded…"

"M-Mipha…" Link uttered. "My a-arm…"

Mipha looked down to his arms; he was tightly clutching his right arm, his left hand completely soaked in blood. The sight was nauseating, for Mipha hated blood, but she beckoned to Link to release his grip so she could see the full extent of the wound. At first he was hesitant on account of the pain, but eventually Link relented, and released his grip. The resulting sight was even worse: a terrifyingly deep gash right to the bone had been cut across Link's arm. It was no doubt a work of the Lynel's savage axe. Blood poured out of the wound, and the bone was visible within the chasm of weeping flesh.

"Link…" Mipha uttered. "Oh, Link!"

She did not hesitate. At once, she rested the injured arm beneath a hand and hovered the other above the wound. In an instant, her healing magic, emitting a gentle glow as it activated, poured out from her and into the wound. Normally Mipha would have to call upon her compassion to summon her healing energy, but on that night, she found it pouring out of her relentlessly. She did not doubt how she felt at that moment, and how effortlessly her healing powers flowed out of her.

Her heart was bound to his now. It was so, so much more than just being in love.