Chapter 10 - First Year
Summary: The hatchlings grow and begin to interact with their parents. Link promises Mipha he will put aside his Hylian aging concerns and concentrate on raising their family together.
It was a week after Raypha's and Tidon's hatching, and it was Mipha's turn to catch some fresh fish while Link remained at home. They had agreed to alternate some of the work, each of them taking turns finding and preparing food and periodically cleaning the water. Keeping the two little ones fed was a busy undertaking, and Link was amazed at how much they ate each day. The two hatchlings did little more than eat, swim, and sleep, but mostly eat. They were born with teeth, but they weren't strong enough yet to bite very hard, so needed fish cut into small enough pieces for them to swallow.
As he waited for Mipha's return, Link stood staring at the nursery tank watching the two tiny Zoras swimming about and building their muscles. He never tired of watching them when he could, and was fascinated by the miracle of life before him. They looked like miniature Zoras but not in the right proportions yet and with some features not fully developed. For example, their hands were still small compared to their fins, and their tail fin, head, and eyes were oversized compared to the rest of their bodies.
Occasionally, if their paths crossed, the two of them would stop swimming and stare at each other for a moment. It was cute to wonder what was going through their minds when they looked at each other. They never tried to bite one another, so they knew they weren't food. As Link gazed at the tank, Raypha stopped swimming and seemed to look back at him through the transparent sides. He smiled and wiggled his finger at her, but she didn't react. He imagined at this point, their attention was mostly on their immediate underwater surroundings, and he wasn't sure how well they could see him. Mipha would know more about their stages of development.
It was hard to believe, but he was a part of them, their father. It was even harder to think that someday these two tiny creatures would tower over him as full-grown Zoras, a prince and princess of the domain no less. And one of them was even destined to rule Zora's Domain someday. It was incredible! His child, the child of a simple Hylian knight of humble origins, would eventually be the King or Queen of Zora's Domain. He smiled and shook his head at how amazing that was. Not that he would ever live to see that happen, of course. He doubted he would even live long enough to see Mipha crowned Queen. If he were lucky, he would live to see his two children through their Zora adolescence. A Zora aged one hundred was still in the prime of life, and many lived to past age two hundred. As a Hylian, he would be fortunate to live another sixty years or so.
The girl, Raypha, had reminded King Dorephan of Mipha and she did look like he imagined a typical baby Zora might look with her red skin pigmentation and golden eyes. But the boy, Tidon, was different. He had inherited Link's blue eye color, and that would be quite distinctive for a Zora. Everyone would know Tidon was different. He wondered if that would bother Tidon growing up. Would other Zora children pick on him, make fun of him? He hoped not. The Zora people seemed very tolerant, not mean spirited like that at all. He had always been made to feel welcome here, and he remembered the warm reception they gave him at his wedding. If anything were likely to cause resentment, his marriage to their domain's pride and joy would have. But he never sensed any bad feelings toward him at all. So perhaps Tidon would be accepted as he was as well. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Here he was worrying about the distant future again, probably needlessly.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Mipha's return.
"I catch, you cut, that's our deal," laughed Mipha as she brought in three fish. "Two of the fish are for us."
"That was fast! Right away, sweetheart," said Link.
Link took one of the fish and brought it to the kitchen to cut into small enough pieces, then returned and put some into the tank. As expected, the food was soon gobbled up.
"I can see they are already quite a bit bigger than the day they hatched," said Link.
"Yes, all that food has to go somewhere. In less than a month or so we will need to move the two children to one of the slumber pools in our house," said Mipha. "I told you they would grow fast."
"Can they see us yet do you think?" said Link. "I waved at Raypha when she stopped and seemed to look at me."
"Probably not very well yet, but they might be able to see us to a limited extent," said Mipha.
"I can't wait to start playing with them!" said Link. "They are so adorable, Mipha, with their tail fins so long compared to their bodies."
"Yes, their tail fins will look too long at first," said Mipha. "Later, their bodies will start to catch up. They will start to have their growth spurt in about twenty years more or less, and that will take some time to finish. What you would call your adolescent teenage years won't end for a Zora until almost age fifty."
Mipha noticed the empty look on Link's face.
"I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have mentioned all that now, but this is not the time to be thinking about that," said Mipha as she gently touched his cheek. "I need your mind in the here and now to help me raise two beautiful children. Promise me you will do that and stop worrying about what the future may hold."
"You guessed my thoughts, but I promise," said Link taking a deep breath. "Every minute I have with you and my family is a blessing from Hylia, and I should be grateful for it. I won't forget my promise. How long before they eat again, do you think?"
"They will probably sleep for a bit now," said Mipha. "Then they will eat again when they wake up. You and I can eat now. Until they get a bit bigger, we should keep an eye on them while they eat to make sure all is well."
As predicted, having eaten, the two hatchlings sank to the bottom of the tank and slept. Link made his way to the kitchen and cooked his fish, then joined Mipha in the dining room where they kept the nursery tank.
Just then, a guard knocked on their door, and Mipha answered it.
"Lady Mipha, a package from Her Majesty Queen Zelda just arrived addressed to you and Master Link," said the guard.
"Thank you, Marlon," said Mipha.
Marlon bowed and left, then Mipha brought the package back to the dining room and opened it. It contained a Sheikah Slate and a note.
Mipha read the note then handed it to Link.
Dear Mipha and Link,
Congratulations! I just received notice of the happy event, and I'm thrilled for you both. The children have such beautiful names, and I can't wait to see them when my visit is convenient.
In the meantime, I am letting you borrow this Sheikah Slate so you can fill it with pictures of the children growing up. If there is anything else I can do, please do not hesitate to ask.
Link as a father? I can't wait to see it! Hopefully, the children will teach him to talk.
Love to you and your new family,
Zelda
"Nice note, but she can never stop teasing me about how quiet I was," said Link. "That's wonderful having the Sheikah Slate, and very thoughtful of her."
"That was very thoughtful. As for Zelda's joking criticism, you deserve it! You were pretty quiet with me too. How's the fish by the way?" said Mipha after Link took a bite.
"Fresh and delicious as always," said Link. "Despite being burnt as you put it."
"It's good you've taken a liking to fish," said Mipha. "I've already mentioned it's much healthier for you than the things you used to eat. You need to take care of yourself now for your children's sake. And mine too, sweetheart."
"Of course, and I intend to," said Link. "I've always valued keeping fit, and I don't plan to change now. I want to be able to wear that armor you made for me."
"I'm glad to hear it," said Mipha. "You look cute in it, and I'm not about to make another set!"
Mipha ate some of her fish then spoke again.
"You know our lives are forever changed now," said Mipha. "We will have our fins full with the little ones before you know it. When they're older, I need to teach them to catch fish and later how to swim up waterfalls. I did the same thing for Sidon. And speaking of Sidon, don't forget we both need to make time for him. He loves your adventure games, and he is still a child himself."
"I understand," said Link. "As I told you, I love playing with Sidon, and I won't neglect him. He is adorable too."
"He is! And when our two little ones are older, Sidon can help you play with them and teach them things," said Mipha. "Have you finished eating yet? I want to take a quick swim with you in the lake here while they're asleep."
"Done!" said Link getting up and taking her hand. "Race you to the top of the falls!"
"You're on!" laughed Mipha as they ran to the lake and dove into the water.
Despite Link being out the door first Mipha still beat him to the top of the falls, and they landed in the upper level of Mikau Lake next to each other laughing.
"One of these days I'll beat you, Zora Princess," laughed Link.
"In you dreams, Hylian knight," laughed Mipha.
Then she put her arms around him, looked him in the eyes, and gave him her cute smile. He responded by pulling her close, and they kissed, a quick one at first, then a longer one as they savored the taste of each other's lips, then a kiss that went on and on as their passion grew. He gently stroked her back and enjoyed the feel of her incredibly soft, smooth skin. And she pulled him closer and caressed his neck with one hand as she prolonged their kiss. Then they finally made love, and afterward floated with their heads above water and their arms around each other.
Link had found early on that Mipha was more passionate in water, and thanks to her assistance, he had managed to adapt to the environment. He might not be a Zora, but she seemed satisfied with him. And he was more than satisfied with her! Her transformation from shy and meek to passionate lover was remarkable, and something only he was privileged to experience. Whenever they made love, he felt so fulfilled and not just physically. She conveyed a sense of how much she loved him and wanted him, and he hoped he made her feel the same way about his feelings for her. For he could not imagine loving anyone more than he loved her, and she was perfect for him in every way.
"What are you thinking?" smiled Mipha as she watched Link stare at the water, lost in thought.
"Oh! Sorry. About how much I love you," said Link looking up.
"And how much is that?" laughed Mipha.
"I hope you already know it's more than anything in the world," said Link as he leaned forward and kissed her.
"That's nice," said Mipha. "The same as I love you. You're a wonderful husband adapting to my water needs, sleeping with me in the slumber pool, making love to me in the water. I know all that hasn't been easy for you. But you've made me very, very happy, sweetheart. And now with two adorable children, I don't know how much happier I can be. After everything we went through, life is so sweet right now."
"It is," said Link. "Given my nature to look out for trouble, it almost scares me how perfect things are now. But my goal in life now is to raise our children and care for all of you, and I promise you I will do my best."
"I know you will, sweetheart," said Mipha as she gently touched his cheek, then brushed his hair back from his forehead. "And don't worry about us, things will be fine. I am here for you too. Now we should get back and check on the little princess and prince."
They made their way home, and the two hatchlings were both still asleep.
As the days went by the two children grew and grew. After a month Mipha said it was time to move them to a slumber pool where they would have more room. Mipha made sure the water in the pool was fresh and the level not so high they could jump out, while Link carried the nursery tank to the bedroom next to theirs and carefully poured the water with the hatchlings into the slumber pool. They immediately began swimming, exploring their new surroundings.
"Here, watch me," said Mipha to Link.
Mipha reached down, put her hand just below the surface of the water, and wiggled her fingers. Tidon sensed it and swam over to her hand. He looked at it carefully for a moment, then grasped one finger with his two tiny fins. Once he had hold of her finger, Mipha gently moved her hand while Tidon held on.
"You try it, Link," said Mipha.
Link repeated what Mipha had done, and at first, nothing happened. But eventually, Raypha swam over to him and grasped his finger. And Link smiled the biggest smile ever as he gently moved his finger and felt the grip of his tiny daughter. Mipha looked at him and how happy he was.
"Oh, isn't she the most adorable!" exclaimed Link. "Look at how she's holding onto my finger! She's hugging me, Mipha! I can't believe it!"
"I can see Daddy's little girl has already got her fins around you," laughed Mipha. "Let me guess who is going to be the authority figure in this family and who will be twisted around her fin every time?"
"They are both so adorable!" said Link. "I can't believe they can interact with us already."
"It only gets better with time," said Mipha. "Next time it's your turn to play with Tidon, and I'll play with Raypha. That way, they will get familiar with both of us."
Mipha gently detached her finger from Tidon's grasp, and Link did the same with Raypha. The two children resumed swimming, and Mipha went to get more fish for them. Link was still smiling. This was his first physical contact with one of his children, and he couldn't get over it.
These days Link slept in the bed in the same room as the children so Mipha could sleep in the water in their own bedroom. One night Link woke up to the sound of a splash and walked over to the pool. Both children were awake, so Link went to the kitchen, cut up some fresh fish, and returned with it. As usual, the two of them gobbled it up. They didn't sleep quite as much as before, so they continued to swim after they ate. Link lay down on his chest by the pool his head at the edge and put both his hands in the water, wiggling his fingers. Each child swam over to him and took a finger in its grasp. By now, their hands had grown, and their fins were attached to the side of their arms. Link slowly pulled his fingers through the water and each little Zora held on for the ride. Link laughed. He kept playfully moving his hands back and forth, watching the little ones holding on. He wondered if they would bite him, but they didn't. They seemed content to hold his finger and let him gently pull them through the water.
Mipha had heard Link cutting up food in the kitchen and wanted to check on the children. She tiptoed to the adjoining bedroom and saw the hero of Hyrule lying on his stomach with both hands in the water, gently pulling the two children. She smiled. This was another example of what was so amazing about Link and one reason she fell so in love with him. If you were a creature of evil, he was a terrible person to meet, a ruthless adversary who would do all he could to destroy you. But the other side of him was so kind and gentle and playful that it was hard to believe it was indeed the same person. But it was. He was the fiercest enemy of evil but the most loving person she had ever known.
Link heard a noise and looked up to see Mipha watching him. She had quietly entered the room while his attention was on the children.
"You are certainly a dedicated father, waking up to feed and play with them in the middle of the night," laughed Mipha.
"Look! They both let me pull them through the water at the same time holding onto my fingers," said Link excitedly. "They are so cute, Mipha. I love them!"
Mipha sat next to him where he lay on his chest and put her hand on his back.
"You're not tired, sweetheart?" said Mipha.
"Not anymore," said Link. "This moment is too precious."
"And you were worried if they would accept you?" said Mipha. "The way you spend so much time with them, I wonder if they will accept me!"
Link laughed but continued to play with them until they got tired, let go of his hand, and then fell asleep.
"Now we can sleep too," said Mipha. "It warms my heart to see what a loving father you are. Not that I didn't expect you to be, but it's nice seeing it."
"I love them," said Link. "I can never thank you enough for giving me this life, the chance to be a father. But you're right. We had better get some sleep."
As Mipha predicted, the two children kept growing and could eat more at each meal now. So their feedings became less frequent. They could also play more now, and at two months old Mipha had another surprise for him.
"We can go in the water with them now," said Mipha. "Just get in carefully."
"Seriously?" said Link. "I would love that."
Mipha and Link both slid into the pool, and the children swam over to look at them. Mipha put her face under the water close to Raypha as Link watched from above the surface. Raypha looked back at Mipha, gazing into her eyes. Then Raypha wiggled her tail and swam toward Mipha brushing against Mipha's cheek, touching her with her fins.
"That's amazing," said Link. "It's like she's hugging you."
"You try it now," said Mipha after she pulled her head from beneath the water. "Take a deep breath first as you Hylians say."
Link did as Mipha suggested and while Tidon was swimming near Mipha's chest, Raypha came over to look back at Link. Then Raypha swam toward him, but instead of brushing against his cheek, she brushed against one of his ears. Then she reached out and grasped his ear with her hands and held onto it. It was so cute! But he needed to breathe, and he pointed at his ear. Mipha noticed his predicament and gently pried Raypha's hands from his ear so he could surface. Link rose and gasped for breath, then burst out laughing.
"She likes my ears!" laughed Link.
"It looks that way," said Mipha as Raypha swam around the pool again. "We should get out now and get them some food. They may need to rest soon too. But you can see how alert they are already."
Now each day they looked forward to sharing the water with the two children and playing with them if you could call it that. As they approached three months, the children would stop to look at Mipha and Link in the face when they entered the pool. It felt strange to be face to face with these little people.
Around this time, the two also began interacting with each other more. Mipha noticed it first and called Link's attention to it.
"Look how they are swimming side-by-side," said Mipha. "That's not an accident. They are becoming more aware of each other. And they sometimes stare at each other, then reach out and touch hands. It's beautiful!"
Link watched as the two swam circles around the pool but kept in position next to each other.
When the children finally reached three months, Mipha said it was time to start preparing their lungs.
"Watch what I do," said Mipha. "You lift them gently from the water and hold them. They may squirm about since they have never been out of the water before, but you need to hold onto them. Hold them over the water in case you lose your grip. It may take a minute or so, but suddenly they will involuntarily take a breath of air. Let them breathe in and out twice, then carefully return them to the water. We need to do that twice a day for the next week or so. And we should alternate children. We will gradually extend the time out of the water over the coming weeks, have them take more breaths. Do you understand?"
"Yes, perfectly," said Link. "Let me watch you first."
Mipha carefully grasped Raypha, then gently lifted her out of the water. As expected, Raypha squirmed in her grip suddenly out of her element and Link could see Mipha was gentle in how she held her but careful not to drop her. After a moment, Raypha suddenly took a breath and seemed almost surprised at herself. Raypha took another breath, then Mipha carefully returned her to the water.
"That was your first breath of air little princess," said Mipha. "Alright, your turn Link with Tidon."
Link repeated the maneuver with Tidon, and almost dropped him back into the water as his squirming was relatively energetic and Link was trying to be gentle. But Link managed to hold on, and Tidon took his first and second breath shortly afterward. Link carefully returned him to the water.
"Perfect!" said Mipha. "We keep doing that each day, gradually increasing the number of breaths. Soon they won't fight you when you lift them from the water as it won't be such a shock to them."
"They are so cute!" said Link. "And they are a real handful to hold."
"They are cute, aren't they?" said Mipha. "I'm reliving some of my time helping to raise Sidon. Eventually, you can hold them in your arms for a while and cuddle them. But you worry me, sweetheart, you really do."
"What do you mean?" said Link.
"You're so attached to the two of them. I can see you wanting to keep cuddling them, not being willing to return them to the water," laughed Mipha.
"I won't forget," laughed Link. "I worry about keeping them out of the water for too long. I want everything perfect for them."
King Dorephan visited once a week and Sidon almost every day, with Link and Mipha alternating playtime days with Sidon. Sometimes Sidon liked to stay at their home and play with the babies, doing the same thing Link and Mipha did with their fingers.
"Did you used to do this with me, Sis?" asked Sidon as he played with the two of them.
"Yes, of course," said Mipha. "And so did Mother and Father. All of us loved you."
"They've gotten so much bigger so soon," said Sidon.
"Yes, they will keep growing fairly quickly for a year, then slow down a bit," said Mipha. "After a year they can stay out of the water as long as they want. But you'll see they will still prefer the water, feeling more at home in it."
"The boy, Tidon, has Link's eyes, doesn't he?" said Sidon.
"Yes, and that is unique for one of us," said Mipha. "The girl Raypha seems to take after me according to Father."
At slightly over five months they could stay out of the water long enough to briefly hold in your arms, and Link was ecstatic! He would lift a child from the water and then hold the child in his arms, gently patting them. They would sometimes rest their head on his shoulder, and he could feel their little heart beating against his chest. Then, after a few minutes, he would hold them in front of him and look them in the face. They would look back at him now and reach out for his nose or ears, which caused him to burst out laughing when they grabbed a tight hold of it. Their grip was getting stronger, and he needed to be careful when dislodging it. Once he needed Mipha's help when Raypha got an especially good hold on his ear.
"I think she twisted it a little," laughed Link as Mipha gently dislodged her and took her back to the water.
"She knows how to get your attention already," laughed Mipha. "You can start talking to them, you know. They won't understand, but it's good for them to hear our voices."
So the two parents would talk to the children when they held them before returning them to the water. And at six months the little Zoras began to answer back, making sounds as they learned to use their voice. By seven months they were saying 'ma ma' and 'da da' as well as other sounds. And it was around this time the children started to treat their two parents differently.
It started with Link holding Tidon in front of him. Tidon reached out with both hands and began clapping them together on Link's nose repeating 'da da' over again. The blows weren't hard, and they made Link laugh. Link kissed Tidon on the cheek, said he loved him and returned him to the water. Then he picked up Raypha. She said 'da da' too but reached for one of his ears and started pulling at it. Again Link had to laugh. After a while, he gently detached her hands from his ear, kissed her, told her he loved her and returned her to the water.
With Mipha, they were different. They would both say 'ma ma' to her, but Tidon would stroke her cheek with his hands and lean against it. And Raypha, to Link's increasing jealousy, would press her mouth against Mipha's cheek as if to kiss her.
"I wonder why I don't get a kiss?" said Link finally after a session in the water with the children where a happy Mipha got a kiss from both children.
"You will," laughed Mipha. "Don't you understand what they're doing? They are intrigued by your nose and ears. Somehow they instinctively know you shouldn't have them and are trying to help you by pulling them or swatting them off of you so you will be a normal Zora. They'll learn and give up eventually, and you will get just as many kisses as me."
Link and Mipha would also take time to point things out to them, like 'fish' or 'hand,' trying to teach them words and get them to repeat the sound.
At eight months they could take the two little ones swimming in the small lake by their house. Their lungs were healthy enough by then to breathe while the parents carried them the short distance there. Mipha swam underwater with them, and you could see them watching what she did when she caught a fish. They couldn't do that yet, but she said it was good for them to view it. They sometimes chased a fish that swam too close, but the fish was still too fast and agile for them. Sidon sometimes joined them and played with them underwater also.
"How do you teach them to catch fish?" asked Link after one session in the lake.
"By watching me do it," said Mipha. "They have to learn to do it for themselves at some point. I will bring a fish closer to them so they can practice. When they're a bit older, we have to let them catch their food. If I always catch a fish for them, they will never learn."
They began saying more words past nine months, and the parents held their hands as they took some steps on land. They were also keeping more normal hours sleeping through the night, though also taking naps in the morning and afternoon. Mipha would sing a Zora lullaby to the children at their nightly sleep time, which was something Link had never heard before.
May gentle waves of love Protect you from above. Close your eyes little ones And happy dreams will come. May Nayru protect you And her grace flow through you.
"That's beautiful when you sing like that," said Link after the children fell asleep to her singing. "I've never heard you sing before. You have a lovely voice."
"It's a Zora tradition," said Mipha with a smile. "Mother used to sing me to sleep, and I can still hear her voice in my mind. When they are older, they will probably want a sleep time story instead, and we can take turns doing that. I'll tell them a Zora story one night, and you can tell them a Hylian bedtime story the next. I want them to appreciate both of our cultures. But for now, singing works best. You can hum a lullaby to them tomorrow if you like. Do you know any?"
"Some," said Link. "I've heard some, but I don't ever remember hearing them as a child. Also, my singing is nowhere as good as yours."
"It's the soothing sound of your voice that matters," said Mipha. "Don't pass up this opportunity."
So, they took turns humming a lullaby at sleep time as the babies floated, listening until their eyes closed and they slept.
"When they are a bit older, old enough to understand, we can each give them their own room," said Mipha. "But for now, they are used to being together and separating them might upset them."
Finally, it was one year since the two children hatched, and so much had happened.
As the first anniversary of their birth arrived, King Dorephan and Sidon stopped by.
"How is everyone?" said King Dorephan upon entering the house. "Not that I imagine much has changed from a week ago."
"Everyone is fine, Father," said Mipha. "They're just a little bigger than a week ago, but always happy to see their grandfather and uncle."
"Let me give my two beautiful grandchildren a first-year anniversary hug," said King Dorephan. The children had learned to call him 'papa' before they could say 'grandpa,' and it stuck for now.
"Here, let me help pick them up for you," said Link as he reached into the pool and lifted first Tidon and then Raypha, and handed them to King Dorephan as he sat down and put them on his lap.
"Happy first year anniversary," said King Dorephan as he kissed each of them in turn. Raypha said 'papa' and reached out to stroke his cheek. Tidon was quiet but snuggled against him with a hug.
"I think anything I say would sound repetitious by now," said King Dorephan. "I know you're tired of hearing how cute they are and how much Raypha looks like you, Mipha, and how energetic Tidon is. There, in the guise of not saying anything, I repeated it all. And I suppose you're tired of hearing how quickly the time has gone by too. But they are so adorable, just as you and Sidon were at that age. Thank you for helping me relive those happy moments. Here, Sidon, you should wish them a happy one year anniversary too."
Sidon came over and kissed each in turn while King Dorephan held them. Raypha reached out for Sidon and said 'cl cl,' the closest thing to 'uncle' at this point. Tidon said 'cl cl' too and also reached out.
"See, they want you to hold them, Sidon," said Mipha.
"Can I?" said Sidon.
"If Father helps you, of course," said Mipha. "Sit down next to him."
Sidon sat next to his father, and King Dorephan passed Raypha to Sidon. Raypha reached out, and they hugged each other.
"She's so affectionate!" said Sidon.
After a moment, King Dorephan took Raypha back and passed Tidon to Sidon. Tidon grappled onto Sidon and pulled him close, then hugged him.
"And Tidon has a such a firm grip," said Sidon. "He's going to be strong, I think."
"Maybe he will be like his father," said King Dorephan. "But you can see how attached they both are to you, Sidon, from all your visits and playing with them. Pretty soon they will be having adventures with you and Link."
"That will be fun! Three against one!" said Sidon.
"I assume you meant they are on your side," laughed Link. "But that's fine. You'll just have to face stronger enemies, that's all."
"Are you two doing anything later?" said King Dorephan. "If you're not busy, perhaps we could all have a celebration dinner together tonight. And please bring the children!"
"Of course, Father," laughed Mipha. "I know that's why you invited us."
"Well, we will be off now, and I look forward to seeing you tonight and getting a few more hugs," said King Dorephan. "Come Sidon."
After exchanging hugs King Dorephan and Sidon left.
"I think it's time for their nap," said Mipha. "Especially if we are taking them to dinner with Father."
Mipha returned the two children to the pool.
"The year did go by fast," said Link after Sidon and King Dorephan left. "As we lived it, watching them grow, it seemed to go slowly. But now, look at them. They can catch their food. They can walk. They just have to learn to speak better."
"I know," said Mipha. "That will take another couple of years before they speak well. We need to keep talking to them and teach them. But congratulations! You and I both made it through our first year as parents. Father will want to watch them more now, and Sidon can start to play with them. I promise the second-year will be even more fun than the first as they play with us more and understand things better."
"I'm ready for it," said Link. "It's funny, though. I want them to keep growing up so they can do all those things. And yet a part of me wishes they wouldn't. But I understand, it's life, and I'm looking forward to the next part of our journey together. It's also funny that with Raypha I will be taking care of a little you, as you used to take care of a little me."
"And I'm sure you will do a fine job. Yes, it's our journey together, sweetheart," said Mipha. "That's what it's always been about. Didn't you know? It's about us having a life and a family, and all built on our love for one other. You could say our journey together started in earnest with a kiss at Veiled Falls."
"And I have you to thank for that," said Link. "It was you coaxing me to express my feelings that helped all that happen. I wanted to tell you how I felt, but I was too afraid of losing your friendship. And I kept talking myself out of saying anything to you because of your royal position. You finally gave me the courage to speak up."
"Why, I thought courage was your middle name, my handsome Hylian Hero of Hyrule," laughed Mipha.
"I like the h-letter alliteration," laughed Link. "But my courage must not extend to matters of the heart, my pretty perceptive pelagic princess," said Link."
"Not bad, sweetheart," laughed Mipha. "Come here!"
They kissed and put their arms around each other as the two children slept in the slumber pool. What an incredible year it had been!