Waking that morning was not an easy task for Mipha. Her eyes opened wearily as she felt Tekmo rubbing her arm gently to wake her. The stars were still out, and it was as if she hadn't slept at all.

"Lady Mipha…" Temko said, his voice sullen. Mipha could see as she slowly woke that Temko didn't seem okay. Gone was the more relaxed Tekmo she had spoken to last night, and in its place was a more nervous, anxious Sheikah. She also noticed that Tekmo had already packed the carriage, save for Mipha's sleeping tent.

"Tekmo…" Mipha yawned. Mornings were usually difficult for her given her age, but today even more so. She tried to get up, but her body rebelled in waves of stiffness and aches. Eventually, she needed Tekmo's help to get to her feet. "How long have we got?" she asked wearily.

"Not very long," Tekmo said, already beginning to pack up Mipha's tent the moment she stepped out of it. "I'd say the sun will rise in about two hours or so."

"Have you slept?" Mipha asked. Tekmo said nothing but hummed a 'nuh-uh' to her as he folded up the tent materials and wrapped them in string. He then turned to Mipha.

"I hate to be the one to order you around, Lady Mipha, but I need you in the carriage as soon as you can manage," he said. "As soon as I've finished packing, we'll finish the journey to Zora's Domain. I...Hyrule needs you at your sharpest in the next few hours. Everything possibly hinges on this."

Mipha did not protest for one moment, and took herself to the carriage to try and rest further whilst Tekmo cleared up the rest of the campsite. Within minutes, he had finished loading the carriage, and they were on the move.

Between there and Zora's Domain, neither said a word. Mipha had hoped to catch some sleep before arriving at the domain; sleep evaded her. In the haze of waking up, she wondered why Tekmo was so quiet, but she reckoned the same feeling imbued in him that morning was also awakening in her.

It was fear.

How could have things reached this state in her life? Her majority of her life had been a long and quiet exile. An exile which was supposed to prevent any further tension between Zoras and Hylians from ever rising. And yet despite her efforts, things had deteriorated to this stage; a real war was possible. She was in disbelief even thinking about it. There hadn't been a war in Hyrule since the Calamity, and at least the enemy then was a clear enemy of which all denizens of Hyrule could unite against. But if Repherhan was going to have his way, then there was only one outcome.

A civil war. And the thought of it sickened Mipha to her stomach. Lives would be lost. Livelihoods destroyed. And depending on how bitter and painful the casualties were, it threatened to drag all of Hyrule's denizens into it. The very fabric that tied Hyrule together was under threat.

Knowing that her actions in the next few hours could sway the course of history sat itself deeply in Mipha's chest. It was a familiar feeling; one from many, many years ago. Sadly, this time, her fellow Champions weren't there with her. Neither was Link. She had to face this alone.

.

.

.

From a distance, a Zora scout could spot the carriage from a number of miles away. The scout turned to his companion.

"It's the same carriage Lady Mipha rode in last time she visited," he hummed to his companion. "Send for Kodas. It's best if he meets them at Inigo Bridge."

.

.

.

As the carriage drew closer to Inigo Bridge, Mipha could see that many more Zora had gathered at the bridge than the previous time. They were all armed to the gills; around twenty Zoras in all gardner in shining metal armour, all clutching ornate and beautifully sculpted spears. Stood amongst them all in a grander, more bejewelled set of armour was the Zora who had escorted her before. Mipha could not quell the dread rising in her chest.

"I think that's Kodas!" she called to Tekmo at the front of the carriage.

"It is." Tekmo confirmed. "They've definitely rolled out the red carpet for us this time around. I just hope we don't have to go through the same fuss as before."

Tekmo stopped the carriage. The Zoras all watched him wordlessly as he jumped from the driving seat and opened up the carriage door to help Mipha out. As Mipha got out of the carriage, she managed to get a much better look at the brigade of Zoras that had come to meet her. They didn't look very happy.

Kodas walked out of the pack and towards Mipha.

"Lady Mipha." he addressed.

"Kodas," Mipha replied. "It's good to see you again. May I ask what is happening here?"

"We have stepped up our security of the domain," Kodas replied curtly. "Are you here to see King Repherhan again?"

"I am." Mipha replied, putting on a strong front. She could not mistake the fear that she felt inside her though. She knew that in moments, the Hylian attack would begin. "Is that alright?"

Kodas slowly looked back to the pack of Zoras behind him, pausing for thought. There was an uncomfortable, tense silence that hung in the air.

"...Of course, Lady Mipha." he eventually replied. "I can take you and your companion to the king. However do be warned that his time is at a premium, as he is very busy making preparations. I'm afraid we cannot accommodate you as we did before"

It wasn't what Mipha wanted to hear at all. Judging by the armoured Zoras, the tense atmosphere and Repherhan's unavailability, she could only fit the pieces together to fit one dreaded conclusion.

"I understand, and thank you," Mipha said. "If he would still have but a few minutes to speak with me, then I would like to take that opportunity."

Kodas nodded. "As you wish, Lady Mipha."

.

.

.

As Mipha and Tekmo journeyed upon the backs of Kodas and a fellow gatekeeper through Zora River to the domain, Mipha's worst fears were confirmed completely. The calm river that had once swan through so freely was now manned with a multitude of armoured Zoras, operating as checkpoints throughout the river. Mipha looked around her during their trip and saw not only this, but teams of Zoras dragging large rafts up the river. Piled high upon the rafts were a multitude of instruments designed only for conflict: swords, shields, spears, plates of armour and jagged helmets. All of their resources were being pulled towards the domain, and it was clearer than ever that the Zoras were arming themselves for a conflict.

They were preparing for war.

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.

.

Eventually, the group reached Zora's Domain. By the turquoise gate leading to the inner sanctum of the domain, makeshift turrets were being constructed; guard towers designed to protect the domain threats. Mipha could also spot additional towers being constructed by some of the waterfalls that lined the edges of the domain. Even during the Calamity the Zora had never thought to construct such ugly towers around the domain to protect themselves. Such were the bonds between the races of Hyrule back then that there was no need for such an ugly display of protectionism.

But it was real, and in front of her eyes. Mipha could scarcely believe her own grandson was following through on his desire to wage war with the Hylians.

Kodas led her and Tekmo to the steps leading up to the throne room, which had three times as many guards lining the staircase as before. Kodas went to inform Repherhan of Mipha's arrival, and were soon beckoned to ascend the steps to the throne room.

Every step Mipha took, her heart beat just a little bit faster. It all came down to this.

As she entered the throne room, she witnessed every Zora council member sitting in their chairs, almost as if they had pre-empted her arrival. She and Tekmo walked to the centre of the room, and the line of armoured Zora guards closed behind them, trapping them within the room.

Upon his throne, garbed in a fantastic and dazzling set of royal silver armour, was Repherhan.

"Grandmother…" he said quietly, seated upon the grand throne. "I had a feeling you would return."

"Repherhan" Mipha said, taking a step forward. "I wish to speak with you. What is the meaning of all this?"

"Of what?" Repheran retorted. Mipha gestured to everything around her, as if the very domain she had entered was not the one she knew.

"The guard towers," she said. "The convoys filled with weapons, the checkpoints in the river, all these guards. Please tell me it isn't what I think it is, Repherhan."

Repherhan remained stone-faced in front of his grandmother. "I told you before that your efforts have been futile. Nothing you can do will change my resolve to protect the Zoras from devastation. You can't change the course I have taken."

Determined, Mipha pressed on. "I went to Hyrule Castle after we last spoke, and I spoke with Queen Hylia. They have agreed to help you with defeating the Lynels on Ploymus Mountain."

"It matters not what they have agreed to," Repherhan spat. "I will not allow a single Hylian to enter the domain boundaries. You're very lucky I've allowed your friend here to even step foot within my chambers."

Tekmo flinched. Repherhan's size easily doubled that of his own, and he knew in a one on one fight he couldn't stand a chance. But Mipha remained strong.

"Why won't you let the Hylians help you?" she argued. "They've said they want to defeat the Lynels, and they will! Isn't that what you ultimately want? To stop the Lynels terrorising your people? Our people?"

"Your people, is it?" Repherhan growled. "How quickly you seem to have forgotten your position here."

"Surely you can't want the death and destruction you're aiming to wreak…" Mipha retorted, disbelief lacing her voice.

"What I ultimately want is the safety of the Zoras!" Repherhan yelled back. "And the Hylians cannot be entrusted with our safety!"

As they argued, Tekmo felt his own nerves rising. His gaze was fixed firmly on the small portion of sky he could see from the window of the throne room. Ever so slowly, the blackness of the night was beginning to cede to the light. Shatterback Point was just within his view as well.

"My grandson…" Mipha begged. "Please, you must reconsider! If we work together with the Hylians instead of opposing them, then we can purge Ploymus Mountain of the Lynels that have been devastating this domain! They aren't here to subjugate the Zora race in any way, shape or form! If they were, then how is it that I'm here before you now, when they could have very easily done away with me?"

From the corner of her ear, Mipha could hear the odd council member beginning to murmur. She could feel that some may have started to listen.

"You've been swayed by their honeyed words…" Repherhan murmured.

"King Repheran, if I may…"

Everyone's heads turned to the source of the voice. It was one of the more elderly council members, who had stood up to make his voice heard. "Perhaps Lady Mipha has a point. If the Hylians truly meant us harm, they would not have let her live. She is a living legend amongst us after all, and symbolic of our race."

The comment brought louder murmurs from certain members of the council. Mipha suddenly had the feeling that the council was more partisan than she thought. She suddenly remembered what Kodas had told her before; that many Zoras still revered her and that her return to the domain had sparked a new interest amongst the denizens of the domain.

"Councilman, you cannot seriously propose that we work together with the Hylians to defeat the Lynels?"

Another council member, younger and more fiery, had stood up to debate the older council member.

"Look upon Lady Mipha, my fellow councilmen and women," the older councilman spoke. "She is proof that the Hylians truly wish us no harm. Perhaps all our preparations for war may have been a mistake."

It was clear this was an issue that hadn't arisen overnight. Mipha could tell that the issue of the Hylians had been brewing amongst them all for a significant amount of time, long before Mipha had ever arrived at the domain.

Repherhan remained silent, almost deep in thought. It pleased Mipha to see that he was almost considering what his council was debating.

"Listen, my grandson," Mipha said amidst the rising debate. "It is clear the Hylians wish you no harm. We want to work together towards a more common good: can you not see this?"

But amidst the furore were also comments to the contrary:

"She is lying, my liege! She only works for the Hylians to see our downfall!"

"She knows not what she speaks of. I say we continue our preparations and make war!"

Repheran suddenly slammed the butt of his spear against the ground, silencing all chatter within the throne room.

"Mipha!" he bellowed. "Tell me this, then! If what you say is true...if the Hylians do mean us no harm...then you must surely know what steps they wish to take to rid us of the Lynels." In almost a challenging tone, he leaned forward a little. "So tell me. What do they have in mind? When will they attack?"

The sky had been growing ever brighter during the whole exchange, and Mipha knew that the time was now at hand.

"They...they are attacking as we speak."

A round of gasps ran through the throne room. Repherhan's eyes widened, almost taken aback at the revelation. His grip upon his spear tightened, turning his knuckles white. Almost as if on cue, a Zora guard came rushing through into the throne room.

"King Repheran! Hylians spotted on Ploymus Mountain!"

Mipha cast her gaze towards the named mountain. Through the sky, gentle wisps of blue light were falling from the sky onto the mountain itself. To a layperson it would have been seen as a trick of the eye, or a phenomenon of the natural world. But Mipha knew it was the effects of the teleportation devices the Hylians were using. She knew that in the present moment, Queen Hylia was up there, her life at risk.

Impassioned, she stepped closer to a dead silent Repherhan. "My grandson, don't you see? This is clearly proof that the Hylians mean us no harm! If they wished to attack this domain, then they wouldn't have landed on Ploymus Mountain. They would be here, right here, right now! But they're not here; they are up there on the mountain, battling the Lynels this very moment!"

Repheran remained still; Mipha was now full of energy and was directing her speech to the council members.

"But they cannot do this alone! Alone, they may fall to the Lynels, and the Zoras will be next! But if we fight now and fight together, we can defeat the Lynels! Our people will be safe again, and we can carve a new way forward; one that does not involve us tearing the lives out of each other! Please, please, I implore you, assemble your best soldiers and join the Hylians in battle!"

She spoke to a throne room divided. A number of council members cheered on in support, clearly expressing no appetite for war and very much wanted to march up the mountain themselves to do battle. Others shook their heads, or even yelled damnation back at Mipha for daring to suggest such an action. But one thing was clear: the roars of the throne room were deafening.

That was until Repherhan slammed his spear against the floor. "Enough!"

His voice was full of rage, and the entire room silenced. Mipha turned back to Repherhan, who had now stood up. His face was one filled with rage.

"You…" he seethed at Mipha. "...How dare you!"

"Repherhan!" Mipha exclaimed. "What do you mean?"

"You...you dare come here and implore to my council how we should act?" Repheran growled. "You dare come here and drop Hylians on our doorstep with no advance warning? And then expect me to order commands to follow YOUR instructions?"

Mipha felt slightly taken aback. She stood back a little, paling in comparison to her towering grandson.

"Repherhan, I…"

"Silence!" Repherhan's voice boomed. "I will not hear any more from you. I am King Repherhan: King of the Zoras! Ruler of Zora's Domain! And I will not be taking orders from the likes of you! Now hear me!"

He turned his head to address his council. "Accepting the Hylians offer of help was never, NEVER an option! What you have done here Mipha is tantamount to sacrilege! I should have you executed for this!"

In shock, Mipha tried to fight back. "Don't you see what you're doing, Repherhan? You're allowing people to die on Ploymus Mountain, all for your foolish cause! Please, I am not asking much, but you must reconsider!"

"I said SILENCE!" Repherhan bellowed. He then stood forward, facing down to Mipha who was almost cowering, leaning on her stick, exhausted and frightened. "I finally realise what this is all about. This is not about the Zoras, or the Hylians, or even the Lynels. This is all about you, isn't it?"

Mipha was astounded. "W-what?"

"Don't play coy with me, grandmother," Repherhan spat. "I do not doubt for one minute your loyalty to the Zoras. I do not doubt that half of the council here agree with your plan of action, and not mine. After all, on the issue of the future survival of the Zoras, I can appreciate that many options have been discussed, and that it's not a simple matter. But what enrages me more than anything, and steels my resolve in my own convictions is you, Mipha."

Mipha took another step back, and suddenly realised Tekmo was right behind her in support. She sensed things were turning ugly.

"You were, and should have always remained in exile, Mipha." Repherhan continued. "I know our history well. At a time when our issues with the Hylians threatened to boil over back then, all thanks to my grandfather, you did the right thing and gave up the throne. You sent yourself and our family into exile. You saw sense. But now..it appears that sense has deserted you with age. You've been coveting this throne and a return to your old ways for so long that you just couldn't resist it, could you? To show you face here and throw commands around, issuing pleas; all this when you have no appreciation of who truly is in power here!"

Mipha began to feel anger boil in her chest. She would not stand for such accusations. "Repherhan...do you really believe I had any choice in this?"

"Of course you did!" Repherhan argued back. "You could have just stayed in your cosy little exile as you agreed, but you had to come out and stick your nose in business where it doesn't belong!"

"I had no choice, Repherhan!" Mipha yelled, her voice no longer contained by age. "It was the Hylians who approached me to implore that I end my exile to prevent another war from happening. A war which, is being waged by my own grandson's hands. It's sickening!"

"Sickening, is it?" Repherhan challenged. "You believe my actions and instincts are unfit for one who would hold this station? Do you seriously believe that you know better than me?"

"If it were me, Repherhan, I would have dealt successfully with the Lynels right now. Zoras wouldn't have died needlessly, and many more wouldn't have to fear losing their lives in a futile, pointless conflict."

These comments sent a few gasps around the attendees within the throne room. Very few had ever heard such insolence spoken towards the king before. Many looked to Repherhan to see how he would react, expecting a violent outburst.

But instead, he chuckled quietly. "So...it is as I thought. You do think you know better than me. In that case…"

Suddenly, he threw his spear to the ground towards Mipha, prompting another round of gasps from those in attendance. Mipha looked upon the spear thrown at her feet in horror.

"Repherhan, you cannot be serious…" Mipha uttered.

"Isn't this what you've truly come here for?" Repherhan spoke commandingly, his tone increasingly menacing and accusatory. "To order me around and tell my people who they should do? If that is the case, then by all means do it. But if I have to defend my throne and my people, I will."

"I will not fight you." Mipha growled. But Repherhan slowly started to advance towards Mipha.

"What you have done here, Mipha, is challenge me directly," Repheran accused. "You parley with my council, drop Hylian soldiers on my doorstep. You... you used me…"

There was a sudden bitterness in Repherhan's voice. Mipha could hear it clearly, and suddenly she wondered how Repherhan really felt. The one buckle in his voice had belied the rest of his bravado. And from the corner of his eye, Miphs could spot a single, glistening tear.

But despite this, Repherhan continued forward. As he advanced, she suddenly feared that she would have to pick up the spear and try to fight. Fear wracked her whole body, but she tried to stand firm.

"Repherhan, please stop this…" Mipha pleaded quietly. "I know you're only trying to protect our people, but don't make this about you. This isn't about you, or me for that fact. It's about the Zoras, and ensuring that we can live with all races of Hyrule in harmony! Isn't that what we all want? Not more fighting?"

But Repherhan wasn't listening. He continued to advance, and was suddenly within striking distance of Mipha. The atmosphere in the room became unbearably tense, and the discomfort radiating from all the council members was palpable.

Tekmo, unable to bear the tension and fearing for Mipha's life, suddenly jumped in front of her and pulled out a blade.

"Stop it, Repherhan!" He yelled. "She's too old to fight you! But I was given the sworn duty to protect Lady Mipha, and I'll do so until the end!"

"Ha!" Repherhan snorted. "You little knave! I'll crush you where you stand!"

"Enough!"

Tekmo suddenly felt something grab at his waist. Spinning around, he gasped.

Mipha, enraged, had grabbed Tekmo's teleporter and clutched it in both of her hands. Her fingers rested on the button that would activate it.

"Lady Mipha!" Tekmo exclaimed.

"What are you doing?" Repherhan growled. "What is that thing?"

"I've had enough of this!" Mipha shouted as loudly as she could, her blood now boiling. "I can't stand aside here and argue with you, Repherhan. You've completely forgotten what it is to be a king, and while you sit here and espouse that you only wish to protect the Zoras, Hylians are dying on their feet up there on Ploymus Mountain! What good is it protecting the Zoras if you're only going to look inwards and turn everybody against you!"

"Grandmother, what is that device?" Repherhan growled, though a little quieter now. There was a hint of concern in his voice, which Mipha picked up on. Tekmo dared to approach her; he knew fully well what would happen if she pressed the button.

"I'm sick of listening to you talk about how you want only the best for the Zoras, when all you want to do is divide them from the rest of Hyrule! This wasn't what I went into exile for! This wasn't what I abdicated the throne for! And this isn't what you were put on the throne for either! So if you're not going to do your job like a proper king…"

Mipha stood back, her heart thumping on her chest. She was going to do it.

"...then you leave me no choice but to go up there and do it for you!"

Repherhan realised it at that moment. As she spoke, he noticed her gaze was darting towards Ploymus Mountain. He knew what she was going to do.

"Mipha, wait…" Repherhan pleaded suddenly. But it was too late.

"Goodbye Repherhan." Mipha hissed.

She pressed the button. Tekmo gasped.

"Lady Mipha!?" He yelled. "Noooo!"

"Grandmother!" Repherhan yelled.

Mipha suddenly transformed into a figure of flashing blue light, and her form began to dissipate into the ether. Tekmo rushed forward in vain, attempting to stop the teleportation. But he was far too late.

The last thing Mipha saw before fading away into the sky was the look of terror on his grandson's face. She allowed a tear to fall from her eye, splashing against the ground of the throne room. It would be her last tear shed upon that ground.