Chapter 13 - Starting School
Summary: More family life as the children begin their homeschooling.
It was a sunny afternoon in Zora's Domain as Mipha and Link sat holding hands while leaning against a tree by Veiled Falls and watching the activity. Sidon was playing water games with Raypha and Tidon. They were racing up and down the waterfall there, and giggling like crazy.
"It's nice to have fun with a young uncle," said Mipha. "I can see they enjoy playing with him more than with us, and he enjoys playing with them too. Soon they can make friends and play with other children too. Are you happy, sweetheart?"
"You have to ask!" said Link. "I couldn't be happier! I still wonder how I came to deserve all this, being with you, having a lovely family. I always thought I would be a loner like I used to be. You made my life complete and rich beyond words."
"As you did mine, sweetheart," said Mipha. "And beyond words certainly fits you."
"Very funny. By the way, Zelda keeps asking me to send her pictures of the children. I think it's her way of reminding me to take pictures as they grow older. But I don't mind them playing with their uncle now. We get to sit here and spend some romantic time together," said Link as he leaned over to kiss her.
"Mmmmm, that was nice," said Mipha as she returned a long kiss, then rested her head on Link's shoulder. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"
"You don't have to tell me. Actions speak louder … um, I mean catching is better than clicking," said Link. "And I love you, too. See? My Zora education is improving."
"Yes, that was perfect, sweetheart," said Mipha straightening up. "But you just reminded me. Speaking of education, I need to discuss something important with you, namely our children's education. In the Zora community, parents are responsible for educating their children."
"Really? I guess I never thought about it," said Link. "I'm used to having a school where parents send their children. But you're saying Zora parents educate their children?"
"Yes, by and large," said Mipha. "As you can no doubt tell from your time at the domain, we don't have organized schools. Children often follow in the same profession as their parents, so they generally learn from them. But that's not always true. For example, sometimes people offer to serve as a tutor in a certain subject matter. Someone knowledgeable in architecture, for example, may agree to tutor someone else's child who has an interest in that field. We are a community that supports each other. And, of course, with Father being the king and so busy, I had tutors much as Sidon does. But you and I are going to be Raypha's and Tidon's teachers. Are you comfortable doing that?"
"I don't know," said Link, shaking his head. "I'm not sure what I can teach them."
"You can teach them about the geography of Hyrule and the various peoples who live there. You can teach them about the history of Hyrule while I concentrate on Zora history. We will set aside mornings for instruction and afternoons for physical activity. They can play with friends or Sidon in the afternoon, for example, or go swimming with us. And weekends we all have off. If you or I have some work we need to do, the other parent will take over."
"All right, I guess," said Link a bit tentatively. "I'm willing to give it a try."
"What's wrong, sweetheart?" said Mipha as she put her arm around him. "You seem more nervous about this than facing down a Lynel."
"In a way, I am," said Link. "I was a decent student at school, but by no means one of the smartest or a scholar. I'm afraid of making mistakes and teaching them something wrong."
"Just relax," said Mipha. "We're in this together. I'll help you, and it will be fun for you, getting questions from a Zora perspective. And if you don't know something, I probably do."
"Aren't you the self-confident one!" said Link. "You probably do?"
"I did have an excellent education, Master Link," said Mipha pinching him gently in the ribs. "And what I meant is that I probably know the kinds of things the children are likely to ask about."
"Oh, I see, all right. When do we start teaching?" said Link.
"Tomorrow," said Mipha. "Now, let's have some fun in the water. I can see your romantic mood has sunk completely out of sight."
Mipha stood, took Link's hand, pulled him to his feet, and they ran to the water. They were soon playing a game of five-way tag.
After the games ended, the children needed a nap. Zoras prefer to rest in the water, of course, and Link stayed there with his family. Raypha swam over to Link. Without a word, she put her arms around his neck and lay her head on his shoulder. Link held her as he floated feet down with only his head above the water. Then Raypha spoke up.
"Are you comfy, Dad?" said Raypha.
"I couldn't be more comfy, sweetheart," said Link. "You know I love to hold you."
"Can you hum that song you like?"
"Of course," said Link.
He began humming a lullaby that he sometimes used when he put them to sleep, and Raypha nestled her head more comfortably on his shoulder as she closed her eyes. In a few moments, she was fast asleep, and Link stopped humming. He looked over at Mipha, and they smiled at each other. Tidon was already asleep by Sidon. Mipha quietly swam over next to Link and whispered.
"Are you having trouble staying afloat? I can take her," said Mipha.
"Not without a fight!" whispered Link back with a smile. "These moments are too precious to me to give up. But you can join us."
Mipha put her arm under Link's shoulder to prop him up. Then she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
"You're a great Dad," whispered Mipha.
"She is so adorable! And so is Tidon," whispered Link.
"She feels very secure with you," whispered Mipha. "And here you were worried they wouldn't accept you!"
"Yes, I certainly feel pretty silly about that now," said Link.
"And you probably don't realize it, but she came to you because she wants to make sure you're comfortable in the water," said Mipha. "She worries that you are all right. I think she wanted you to hum the song not only because she likes it but because hearing it while she falls asleep assures her you can breathe. It's her way of keeping you safe, too."
"I guess she is a little you in many ways. She is so precious, and so smart! And so is her brother," said Link. "He also checks on me when we play together. Isn't it cute to see Sidon acting like an uncle now?"
"Yes, it makes him feel more grown-up," said Mipha. "Father was telling me that he likes to report on what he did with them, and then Father praises him. He told me you should see Sidon beaming with pleasure."
Raypha stirred slightly, shifted her head a bit, rubbed her hand once against his neck, then was quiet again.
"We had better be quiet and let her rest," said Mipha.
That evening after the children were asleep and Link joined Mipha in their slumber pool, he had trouble relaxing. He kept turning about.
"What is it now?" said Mipha finally. "You're so fidgety that you're making waves!"
"I'm still nervous about tomorrow, trying to think of what I'm going to say," said Link. "You know I dread public speaking, and you kind of sprung this teaching assignment on me with no notice."
"I did that deliberately because I knew you would worry about it, and one night of worry from you was about all I could take," said Mipha. "Relax, sweetheart. You'll do fine. You can start tomorrow by just explaining the kinds of things you will talk about in the days to come. Here, it might help you if you rest your head against mine."
"Will that relax me?" said Link. "It usually does the opposite."
"I was hoping some thoughts might flow from my head to yours," laughed Mipha.
"Very funny," said Link. "But I don't consider this a laughing matter."
"Sorry, I couldn't resist some teasing," said Mipha. "But do lean your head on mine and relax."
Link did as asked, and Mipha gently held him, then caressed his head. He let out a sigh, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.
The next morning after breakfast, Mipha began their instruction.
"Your father and I need to begin your formal schooling," said Mipha. "Except for the weekends, we will have a class each morning. All of us here in the domain went through schooling like this, and you're old enough now. Do you have any questions?"
"What happens on the days you and Dad are busy?" said Tidon.
"If only one of us is busy, the other will teach," said Mipha. "If both of us will be busy, I will arrange to have a tutor available."
"What kinds of things are you going to teach?" said Raypha.
"I will be teaching about our culture and history, the things all of us should know," said Mipha.
Mipha turned to Link.
"I will be teaching about other parts of Hyrule, what they're like, and the people who live there," said Link. "And I can mix in something about my travels, what it's like to journey through the various lands."
"And that is something other children here do not have the benefit of," said Mipha. "Your father has traveled extensively and knows Hyrule from personal experience like few others."
"I'm looking forward to the stories," said Tidon.
"The stories are to help make things more real to you," said Link. "But there is a lot to learn about our great land, and I'll do my best to share what I know. And you should know that your mother also did a fair bit of traveling around Hyrule together with me."
"So, if there are no further questions, let's get started," said Mipha.
Mipha began by discussing Zora history from the earliest recorded times. After an hour, there was a short break. Then Link went over the overall geography of Hyrule and where the various races lived. He said they would go into more detail about each region in subsequent classes.
"Now, you said you would add a story, Dad, about your personal experience," said Tidon when Link came to a natural stopping point for the day.
"Very well," said Link. "Since we spoke about the geography of Hyrule, I'll describe one of my experiences traveling. Next class, we can discuss the Gerudo desert region in more detail, so I'll tell a brief comment about visiting there."
Link paused, cleared his throat, and then began.
"I know it must be hard for you to believe, being so close to water, but the desert can be quite beautiful. Despite the lack of water, some limited plants and flowers still grow there. There are also occasional places where water exists, called oases. Where there is water there are beautiful tall palm trees and the sound of the breeze gently clicking the leaves together can be very restful. Desert days are scorchingly hot, so even a Hylian like me has to take precautions. The nights are quite cold, but the skies are so clear that the moon and stars shine very brightly. I recall camping atop one of the giant statues of the mysterious seven heroines in the northern part of the desert. It was safe to stay there at night, and with a small campfire I could keep warm. It was completely peaceful and quiet there, save for the occasional breeze. And the view was magnificent! As I looked southward across the desert, I could see the Kara Kara Oasis and, beyond that, Gerudo Town, the main town of the Gerudo people. Both glowed in the distance from the lit torches there. Tomorrow I can tell you more about the Gerudo people and some of their history. Do you have any questions?"
"Do you know many Gerudo, Dad?" said Raypha.
"No, only a few and not very well," said Link. "Sadly, the one Mom and I knew best fell in combat. I will cover all that when we discuss recent Hyrule history."
There were no more questions, so class ended, and the children raced off to catch their lunch.
"See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" said Mipha.
"No," said Link. "I felt on solid ground about the topics I covered."
"You mean you felt in the current," said Mipha.
Link made a face at her, and she laughed.
"I'm teasing you, sweetheart," said Mipha. "I don't expect you to know all the Zora expressions, but it's fun to compare them. I think you'll be a fine teacher. Come on. I'll catch our lunch."
"I think I'll do okay teaching," said Link. "They're great kids and are interested in learning. Students like that can make teaching a pleasure."
Mipha took his hand as they made their way to Mikau Lake. The children were playing there, having already caught and eaten their lunch. Mipha dove in and caught two Hyrule Bass, one of which she gave to Link. He had put a cooking pot by the lake some time ago so he could enjoy a meal there, and he lit the fire now then cooked the fish. Mipha waited for him to finish cooking, then they ate together as they watched the children playing.
"I guess this is another milestone in their lives, starting school," said Link after swallowing a bite.
"Another tide in their lives, yes," said Mipha. "Their education won't take too long, but they have a lot of growing up to do. I'm glad you've given them a safe Hyrule to grow up in and live."
"We've given them," Link corrected. "It took all of us. Speaking of which I had better get a picture of them on the day of their first day of school, or Zelda will never let me hear the end of it."
Link went back to the house and retrieved the Sheikah Slate. Then he took a few pictures of the children playing in the lake.
"I'll explain this was right after class," said Link, putting down the Sheikah Slate.
"You still think about her and worry about her, don't you?" said Mipha.
"Yes," said Link. "I know she's surrounded by people now, but I wonder if she's not lonely, and I hope she isn't. She says she's not all work and no play, but her play is in pursuing science and technology. And that's fine, I guess. She loves those things. But I hope she finds love with a person, someone to share her life with, to make everything right. Plus, I know this sounds cold, but we need an heir to keep the royal family going."
"I think she will find the love you mean," said Mipha. "Hyrule is coming back nicely, and her work should be easing as she has capable subjects to handle matters. She is also still very young. I think some handsome and brave Hylian officer will capture her heart. Just give it a bit more time. And I'm sure she recognizes her responsibility to the family line."
"I'll just message her and send a picture," said Link. "I'll feel better knowing she's fine."
Link sent off a brief message and got a quick reply.
Dearest Mipha and Link,
Hi, I'm doing fine, thanks. Please don't worry! Your children are so adorable and to think they're school age already! If I can do anything to further their education, please let me know. At the right time one of the Sheikah scientists here would be happy to instruct them, but I know they are still a bit young yet for that. Let me know when it would be convenient for us to get together. I'd love to share all our progress with you and always enjoy your company. Until next time!
Zelda
"I think she could use our company," said Link. "She says she's fine, but I just have a feeling."
"Why not invite her here?" said Mipha. "Did you notice she just remarked about getting together, not necessarily asking us to visit?"
"You don't mind her visiting?" said Link.
"Not at all," said Mipha smiling at him. "I consider her a friend too. Worried that we'll gang up on you?"
"Very funny," said Link. "I will invite her, and that makes me feel better. How about a swim now?"
"Let's go," said Mipha. "Race you up the falls!"
"You know, someday I'm going to win," laughed Link as he raced her to the water.
"In your dreams, Hylian!" laughed Mipha.
Well, yes, he thought, she was in his dreams. They both raced up the falls to the sound of the children cheering them on. Mipha won easily but grabbed him in a hug as he reached the top.
"You're in my dreams too, sweetheart," said Mipha as if she read his mind.
Then they kissed as the children below applauded.
Life never felt better!