Mipha woke the following morning to a bad omen. A commotion ran rife in Zora's Domain. Guards rallied, and civilians were shedding tears. Rising from her bed gingerly, filled with dread from the terrible sounds around her, she rubbed her eyes.
"Tekmo…" Mipha called out, spying Tekmo from the corner of her eye at her door, spying outwards. "W-what's happening?"
"Terrible news, Lady Mipha," Tekmo relayed. "The Lynels struck last night."
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Up in the throne room, Repherhan looked upon the scene in despair. A Zora guard had been ambushed by one of the Lynels during a patrol near Ploymus Mountain. Lying on the floor of the throne room, with his breastplate shattered, the victim lay motionless.
A shock arrow was embedded deeply into his chest. Other guards were surrounding him, their hands stained with blood from carrying their fallen soldier from the place of his last stand.
Kodas, who had been waiting outside of Mipha's room, spotted her as she was coming out. He quickly ran to her.
"Lady Mipha…" he said quickly. "There's been a terrible incident."
"Take me to him." Mipha asked. "I must see my grandson...and see what has happened for myself."
Kodas was taken aback by the sudden command, but quickly reminded himself that he was in the presence of one of the original Champions. He nodded: "Yes, Lady Mipha. Please come with me."
As Mipha emerged into the packed throne room, she saw first-hand the wretched work of the Lynel. She felt weak in the knees as she witnessed the bloodshed that had been wrought upon the poor Zora guard.
"My goodness…" she uttered, moving closer to the corpse. She couldn't take her eyes away from the stunned expression on the guard's face: one of twisted pain and agony. She felt her stomach weaken at the sight.
"We found him like this. There is no doubt this is the work of a Lynel." one of the guards uttered. "That's the fifth guard this month…"
As Mipha looked up, she saw Repherhan looking directly at her. His face was one of anger and anguish. A fire burned in his deep-set eyes.
"Now do you see?" He growled at his grandmother. "The threat we all face? And still, no help from the Hylians!"
"Repherhan, this isn't the time…" Mipha said, stepping around the corpse towards her grandson. "This isn't the time to…"
"Do not lecture me, grandmother." Repherhan cut across sternly. "This is the price we pay for our inaction. If we do nothing, the Lynels will continue to kill us off, one by one, until our domain is overrun! As King, I can't let that happen."
"Repherhan…" Mipha urged. "I don't know if I can change your mind but before I leave, please take my advice...don't do this. Find a compromise; something that both saves our people and prevents all-out war at the same time. That compromise must exist, otherwise what did I fight for all those years ago?"
"That was a long time ago…" Repherhan murmured regretfully. "Times have changed, and you must face reality. Look upon our fallen kin, and you can see why this fallacy of peace you keep preaching will never work."
Mipha had had enough. She turned around before Repherhan could see the tears welling in her eyes. "You... you're impossible! You'll be the death of us all…"
And with that, she exited the throne room.
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At Inogo Bridge, Mipha, Tekmo and Kodas rejoined with Mazia and Alannah, who had been camped out by the edge of the bridge, waiting for Mipha's return. What Mazia and Alannah hoped to be a happy reunion did not turn out to be so. Tekmo looked deflated and ill. Mipha looked incredibly tired.
As Tekmo went to Alannah and Mazia to help prepare the carriage for Mipha, she and Kodas stood back.
"Lady Mipha...I'm sorry you had to see that." Kodas said quietly, out of earshot of the others.
"You have nothing to apologise for Kodas." Mipha replied. "I have never seen the domain in such strife since the Calamity. It's such a difficult situation. I understand how horrible it must be, to have to make decisions when the Lynels wreak such havoc, but waging war with the Hylians is not the answer!"
Kodas remained silent. Mipha turned and looked up to him. "Can I ask for your personal opinion on something, Kodas?"
"It depends, Lady Mipha." he responded. Kodas stared out to the sky above him, somewhat uncomfortably.
"The citizens of the domain, all the other Zoras...what do they make of this?" Mipha asked.
Kodas remained still. His stern expression was fixed in the horizon ahead of him. Eventually, he let out a defeated sigh, and his posture sank a little.
"Lady Mipha...never in our history has our house been more divided." he admitted. "Yes, there are those who agree with King Repherhan's decision to banish all outsiders from the domain and from entering Vah Ruta. There are even those who are fully prepared to die in this war. But the civilians, and some of the military too...they are trapped. It's to die in a war, or die at the hands of Lynels. We would never seek to openly question King Repherhan's rule. That said...it was as you said in the throne room. Compromise is what we need. We cannot defeat the Lynels on Ploymus Mountain alone, but war will inevitably destroy us. There has to be a middle ground."
Kodas then turned to Mipha. "I say this to you Lady Mipha because there is no other option left to us. King Repherhan has been blinded by something, be it pride or stubbornness. For the short time you were in the domain, the people have now seen an alternative. It will only grow with time, and with it, the hope of compromise. This…is my belief."
"Kodas...thank you" Mipha said earnestly, taking Kodas's hand with her own. "I will travel to Hyrule Castle. I hope that I will be able to do something there."
"Then please, make haste!" Kodas urged, looking down to Mipha. He then quickly looked around as if to check they were entirely alone, he leaned in to whisper: "If what I have been hearing within the domain is true, then King Repherhan had ordered that all remaining Zoras outside of the domain who are able to fight return within the next two weeks. After that, he will be launching an all-out attack on Hyrule Castle. Please...you must find a solution to this dilemma before that happens"
Mipha felt grim, and her grip of Kodas's hand loosened. "Two weeks...then I haven't long at all."
"You can do it, Lady Mipha." Kodas urged one more time, kissing her hand. "Now fly swiftly, and travel safely. We hope to see you soon...in a future without unnecessary bloodshed."
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Mipha has fallen straight asleep again moments after the carriage started its journey, succumbing to her fatigue and age. She felt guilty acknowledging the relief that she felt now she was back in the carriage, alone, and away from the prying eyes and unending attention from her people. Trying to readjust to such attention after so many years of solitude was a difficult task.
Hours later, she awoke to the sounds of a gentle rain falling from outside her window.
"Tekmo…" she called out. "Where are we?"
"The Lanayru Wetlands." Tekmo replied from outside the carriage. "We're pressing on to the Wetland Stable so we can stay the evening there. That should put us within a day's travel to Hyrule Castle."
Mipha pulled the carriage curtain open to see Tekmo riding alongside on one of the convoy horses. She noticed that Alannah and Mazia were missing, and asked about them.
"I sent Mazia back to Kakariko Village to update Impa on the current situation." Tekmo explained. "Alannah, meanwhile, has ridden ahead of us to Hyrule Castle to seek an audience with them, ahead of your arrival."
Mipha sighed with relief. So taken with her visit to the domain, she had not even given consideration to informing others of her plans. "Thank you, Tekmo. I really appreciate all that you're doing for me."
"Think nothing of it, Lady Mipha." Tekmo replied with a smile. "Like you, I wish to see peace prevail over violence. I also wish to see you through this safely. After all, you are the last of another era. If you were to fall, then on my shoulders that responsibility would fall. Not being funny or anything, but…I would like to avoid that"
Mipha stifled a giggle at the comment. "Of course," she agreed. "Let's both keep safe."
"There is something you might want to know though," Tekmo added.
"Oh, and what is that?" Mipha asked.
"Your efforts...are not going unnoticed."
"What do you mean, Tekmo?"
Tekmo brought his horse a little closer to the carriage, and spoke in a hushed voice.
"News travels very quickly around Hyrule, especially since the Hylian/Zora standoff. There's a heightened sense of awareness to anything newsworthy. Our network of Sheikah spies are well plugged into this all across Hyrule. Lady Mipha: there is a growing sense of excitement about your re-emergence."
Mipha's eyes opened in slight shock. "But how? I thought our journey so far has been discreet. I haven't been using my name outside of Zora's Domain."
"I suppose class is permanent," Tekmo said quietly. "Even though you hide under the name of Milady, some will know a Champion when they see one."
Mipha looked down into the buckets of water in which each of her feet were placed. She felt slightly uneasy that the world was waking up to the knowledge of her existence once again.
"I don't know how to feel about this…" Mipha hummed.
"I...I can't tell you how to feel, but I think you're on a very special journey." Tekmo said. Mipha looked to him as he spoke: his eyes stayed firmly on the road ahead of him, his head unmoving. His long, white hair below in the gentle wind.
"All around the land, people are living in fear of another impending war. The Gerudo, the Gorons...even the Rito: their response to this rising crisis is to turn inwards in fear, protect their own, and not get involved. There is a sudden chasm of leadership amongst them all. But just as things looked to be their worst, you arise from the depths of exile. Older? Yes: much, much older, and not the Champion that those remember you based on your deeds of the past. But you are still a Champion: one of the original deniers of the Calamity. And the cause that you've once again taken on your shoulders: it is reframing you as a new Champion in the minds and hearts of all those who used to believe that war was an inevitability. You, Lady Mipha, are giving the people of Hyrule hope once again. And slowly but surely, I feel the very land around us is awakening to this, to turn to you as the one who can prevent a new Calamity from emerging. A Calamity of our own doing Lady Mipha. I know the feeling must be quite daunting to have such a responsibility weighing once again on your shoulders. But know that I will stand with you, in the name of peace. I've only really known you a few days, and even then I don't really know you as a person. But I can say this…"
He looked at Mipha, and took in a considered breath "You are a remarkable woman, Lady Mipha."
Mipha allowed the words to sink in and rest next to her heart. It brought about a groundswell of comfort and purpose within her.
"I will not fail," she said. "I will give my life to this cause, if I must."
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The following day, Alannah returned with great news: Mipha's request for an audience had been granted. Queen Hylia, the current reigning monarch of Hyrule, was keen to meet. However, the meeting was to take place in secret. In Alannah's hands were detailed instructions for the group to follow.
At the stroke of sundown, meet at the western bank of the Hyrule Castle moat.
And so they waited. They moved around Hyrule field, whiling the time away as the morning transitioned to the afternoon, and the blazing afternoon sun started to phase into a hazy evening sunset. The three then moved to the western bank, accompanied only by the sporadic wildlife on Hyrule Field, and waited.
They did not wait long. From beneath the bedrock of the castle, a lone light emerged from the darkness, illuminating the gentle turbulence of the water. A pair of guards, one rowing and the other wielding a torch, were on the boat. Both were dressed in the traditional soldiers armour. As they came into sight, Mipha (now standing with cane in hand on the sandy shore of the bank) caught sight of their armour glinting in the light.
The same armour that Hyrule's soldiers wore when fighting the Calamity, Mipha thought.
As the boat reached the shore, the soldier wielding the torch hopped out of the boat and landed knee deep in the water.
"This way" he said, and extended a hand. Mipha turned to both Tekmo and Alannah.
"Thank you, both of you...and Mazia too," she said earnestly. "I won't forget all the help you've given me thus far."
"It is our pleasure, Lady Mipha." Tekmo replied, as the two Sheikah bowed together. "And good luck."
Mipha took the Hylian guard's hand and was helped into the boat. The two guards hoisted Mipha down onto the seat in the boat. And with that, she was slowly rowed away back towards the castle. Tekmo watched as the light of the fire became more and more dim, until it eventually vanished.
"The fate of Hyrule is resting on you now…" Tekmo whispered to himself.
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In years gone by, Mipha had heard plenty of stories about Hyrule Castle. One of those stories was the fabled docks: cut beneath the bedrock of the castle. Many tales of secret escapes and rendezvous centered around the fabled dock. But until now, Mipha had never seen the dock herself.
Now, sailing slowly through with the two Hylian guards, Mipha couldn't help but wonder whether she one day would be the subject of a similar tale. The dock was everything that she had heard of in the stories. The dock was more resembling a cavern: jagged rocks and stalactites hung from the ceiling, and around them, the moist, uneven walls were faintly illuminated by the amber glow of the torch. The waters were calm, but droplets of water would fall from the roof on occasion and strike against the bed of the most. It's sound reverberated through the cavern. It was a surreal and less than ordinary place, and Mipha knew that the stories did the place justice.
At the far end of the cavern was a mooring station, where a few other dinghies were floating. There were a number of Hylian guards waiting at the dock. The boat pulled in, and the two soldiers in the boat helped Mipha out onto the platform.
As she steadied herself after stepping up onto the dry land, one of the captains stepped forward.
"Welcome to Hyrule Castle" he said. "Queen Hylia has asked for us to escort you to one of the castle gardens, where she will meet with you. I hope this is okay."
Queen Hylia, Mipha thought. She was unsure of how many generations of royalty there had been in Hyrule since Princess Zelda's time, but she knew that Queen Hylia, named after the goddess herself, was a direct descendant, and current ruler of Hyrule. She felt the nerves rise a little in her chest as the reality of her situation dawned on her. This was not her cosy house in Hateno Village. This wasn't even Zora's Domain.
Mipha was escorted by the guards up the stairs leading to the interior of the castle. From there, she was guided down a number of corridors, staircases and grand rooms of splendour. Mipha passed by intricate suits of armour, numerous immaculate portraits, statues and busts, a grand library, and much more on her own way to the meeting spot. Through it all, she said nothing, and took it all in. Even back in her heyday, she never had much opportunity to tour the inner depths of Hyrule Castle. Either that, she reasoned, or her memory must have been failing her.
Eventually, she was led out to a small walled garden. Other than her and the guards, she was alone. The walls of the garden ensured the place was a private area.
"Queen Hylia will be with you shortly," the guard explained upon their arrival. "Please wait there until then."
"Thank you." Mipha acknowledged.
The guards shut the gates to the garden. And just like that, she was alone.
Mipha moved to a bench on one edge of the square, walled garden, and rested her weary bones. The night sky, with its blanket of stars, was in full bloom. Mipha looked up to them, and admired their beauty. She then studied the garden. Criss-crossing paths met in the middle, demarcated by a small fountain. Shrubberies bearing all sorts of berries and fruits lined the edges of the gardens. Benches with gold-lined arms were also dotted across the outer edges of the garden. Between the crossing paths were a few trees and patches of flowers, all arranged in a symmetrical pattern.
It was a pretty little garden, Mipha thought. But as she sat there, she felt a strange sensation. It was a sense of familiarity: something about the garden was bringing back a memory to her.
Suddenly, Mipha's eyes shot open. She remembered this garden, of course she did!
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"I can't thank you enough, Mipha."
"Princess Zelda...please think nothing of it."
Mipha and Zelda were sitting together on a bench, looking out to the private garden. It was a sunny morning made tenfold more glorious by the fact it was among the first mornings of a new era: a post-Calamity era.
"I still feel I should thank you. You, Revali, Urbosa, Daruk...your descendants, even Master Kogha... everyone! I'm just so happy that we were able to seize victory!"
Zelda's happiness and positivity were truly a tonic for Mipha to behold. She beamed at Zelda, also feeling the exhilaration of victory.
"I'm glad too," Mipha said. "We all fought so, so hard. It often felt at times that it wouldn't be enough, but thankfully it fell in our favour in the end. I've hardly had the time to think about what the next steps are!"
"Yes...amidst all this excitement, it is difficult to plan what must be done next" Zelda agreed. "The war has caused a lot of damage to this land, and I'm sure the scars will be felt for generations. Beginning to heal those wounds should be our priority moving forward. I'm certain the task will define not only the remainder of my father's reign, but perhaps my own too. I am keen that we can use our efforts in defeating the Calamity to seal even stronger ties across all of Hyrule's inhabitants."
"I think that sounds wonderful, Princess Zelda," Mipha said. "I'm sure when the time comes, you will be a fantastic Queen. I hope you invite me to your coronation!"
The two shared a giggle. Ahead, a flotilla of butterflies hovered around an orchard of Silent Princess flowers within the garden. They caught Mipha's eye, and she admired them from afar. "I have to say, this garden is quite wonderful. I'm incredibly surprised it survived in this state, despite all that has befallen the castle…"
"I am, too," Zelda hummed. "It is a rather secret garden, with very little strategic importance. There were other untouched areas as well, though this place is by far the nicest. Sadly, the rest of the castle is in dire need of repairs. I wish we could have held our celebratory feast here, but I'm equally pleased that the Mabe Village Ranch have agreed to host such a feast."
"I'm sure the ranch will make fantastic hosts!" Mipha said, hardly able to contain her excitement. "It's going to be so nice for us all to be together in celebration. Great music, delicious food, maybe even a bit of dancing…"
Deep down, there was another reason she was looking forward to the feast. Without a doubt, Link would be there. Prior to the war, Mipha's nerves had often gotten the best of her. But battle by battle, she grew stronger both as a fighter and as a person. The shy, young Zora Princess had gained some confidence at last, and when she thought of Link, her nerves were mixed with a healthy dose of happiness and love. She hoped, deep down, that she could soon share that love with him. She kept thinking of their moment on Vah Ruta, and what could have been. They had fought side by side many times since that moment, and their bond had been forged in the flames of battle. Mipha could now only wonder if there was anything more to it. She hoped the feast would give her the chance to find out.
"It will be fantastic," Zelda said definitively. "And I'm so glad you're here too, Mipha. I've grown so close to you all as Champions, but with you...I feel as if we're on the same level. You're like a sister to me."
The comment brought humbled silence from Mipha. She knew that Zelda had no siblings, and that her own deep love for Sidon as a brother was one of the finest emotions one could feel. For Zelda to consider her in the same way almost brought a tear to her eye. "Th-thank you Zelda…" she uttered, placing her hand gently upon Zelda's.
Zelda nodded with a smile, and then turned her gaze to the butterflies. From the corner of her own eye, Mipha could see a saddened expression creeping onto Zelda's face.
"Truth be told...such is my trust in you, Mipha, I wanted to confide something in you. Please keep this between us?"
"Of course," Mipha said, turning to Zelda. "What could be troubling you?"
"It's Link," Zelda revealed. "I'm...I love him."
"O-oh…"
Mipha's heart froze. She suspected it, but to hear the words come from Zelda's lips hurt more than she anticipated. Mipha did her best to hide the intensity of her fear under lock and key within her heart, but it proved difficult. "And...and does he love you back?"
She could not describe the relief she felt when Zelda told her no. "At least I don't think he does: he has not said anything to suggest it. I hope to find out over the coming days if he harbours any feelings for me. It's just…"
Zelda pressed her hands close to her heart, her voice full of warmth, sincerity and hope. "It's just that me and him...we've been through so much together these last few months. He has always been by my side and I-I'd be a dead woman many times over if it were not for him saving me each and every time. It's because of him that I was finally able to awaken my power. It's silly to think that I was so focused on training, praying, and wishful thinking, that the true key to unlocking my power was not endless devotion, but simply love. That moment in Korok Forest, when I saw Link under attack by Astor and those ghastly apparitions...when I saw that his life was at risk, I just felt it inside me. What he meant to me then, and what he means to me now. It was love, Mipha…"
Mipha had not been listening until the last few words. She had been wrestling with the insanely uncomfortable feelings inside herself. She hated the petty feelings that she felt brewing within her heart, but if Link truly were to love another…
She snapped out of it. "Yes, I know the feeling."
"You do?" Zelda asked. Suddenly becoming as excited as a gossiping aunt, she leaned closer to Mipha. "Who is it Mipha? Please tell me: I swear I won't tell anybody else!"
It was safe, Mipha thought. Safe enough to speak of him without mentioning him by name. "Well...there is this man...back at Zora's Domain. One of the royal guards.. I'm afraid you won't have met him."
"Oh, that's so romantic, Mipha…" Zelda cooed. "So what is he like? Is he strong? A sensitive fellow perhaps?"
"He's…" Mipha said. She closed her eyes, and couldn't fight back the sadness that she now felt. She felt defeated, resigned even. And embarrassed that she felt this way. Dealing with the Calamity was within her reach, but love…
"He's the most wonderful person I have ever met," Mipha said quietly. "And...I have no doubt that I love him more than anyone I have ever loved before. Even thinking of him makes my heart pound faster: it's almost as if he has this maddening hold on my senses. I...when you said that you loved Link, I know exactly how that feels."
Because I love him too, she thought.
"But I take it he doesn't know, does he? Similarly to how Link doesn't know of my own feelings?"
"That's right, Zelda," Mipha confirmed. "...There was a chance, before the Calamity emerged and we were bound to our duty, that I could have told him how I felt. For Zora royalty, it is tradition for female royalty to craft a suit of armour for the man they wish to propose marriage to. Before the Calamity struck...I had crafted that armour."
Mipha suddenly felt Zelda's hand in hers. It was a friendly hand, and Mipha couldn't help but feel worse about her envy, knowing how close a friend Zelda had become.
"Mipha…" she said quietly. "When our celebrations here are complete, you must go back to him. Give him the armour and tell him of your love. I would like to think that we fought and risked our lives not only for the future of Hyrule, but so that we could all have the opportunity to do the things that we didn't do before this all happened. Knowing how fragile life can be...we must seize the chance when we can to do the things we wish to do, so that we may never die in regret."
"I wish...I just wish I knew how he truly felt for me, too…" Mipha whispered, her voice quivering.
"And me too, for Link." Zelda added. She then took Mipha's other hand and clasped them both within her own. "Mipha: in the name of love, let us bind our courage together, and do what we feared in our past life. As long as we have each other, and the other Champions and all our friends and family...we will be alright."
Mipha nodded, her facade intact, but her heart hurting deeply.
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Mipha looked to where the butterflies used to gather. The small bundle of Silent Princesses still grew in the patch she remembered them being.
"They're beautiful, aren't they?"
A soft voice spoke from the entrance to the garden. Mipha looked up to see a tall woman, dressed in an outdoors turquoise royal gown, with long, greying blonde hair and a kind face. Her hands were held together in front of her, and she projected a warm and radiant glow, summed up in her calm expression. She stood alone, with nary a guard in sight.
"You must be...Queen Hylia, correct?' Mipha asked. The lady nodded.
"That is correct, Lady Mipha," she said. "Welcome to Hyrule Castle."