Chapter 33 - Nightmare and a Story
Summary: Mipha recalls a terrible nightmare she kept to herself. Link shares the story with his daughter Raypha of when he first developed a crush on Mipha.
It was a cloudy morning as Zora's Domain awakened, its residents emerging from the communal slumber pools, energized for the new day. The laughter of children echoed as they chased each other around the town's central fountain, splashing each other with water. Fresh guards replaced those on night duty as they took up their stations around the domain for the day ahead. The Coral Reef market busily displayed its fresh merchandise, catering to those who liked to purchase a fish on their way to work and not have to stop and catch one for themself. Nestled in their house alongside Mikau Lake, Mipha awakened to see her husband, Link, still in a deep sleep beside her in their slumber pool. His slow, steady breathing suggested he'd remain so for quite a while yet.
He must be exhausted, Mipha thought and began reflecting on their journey home from Hyrule Castle the night before. Had she been too demanding, making Link swim most of the way home after he feasted on Zelda's rich steak dinner? She wanted him to stay fit and healthy. After all, she had cared for him for years now, almost his whole life. But she had to admit her push for his physical well-being wasn't solely for him—it was for her and their family, too. It was her way of putting off a heartbreak that arose from her deepest fear: a future life without him. Though she could heal physical wounds, she could not defeat the march of time. But she hoped that keeping him fit would at least slow its progress.
She hadn't told anyone about a nightmare she had a few weeks ago, partly because she didn't want anyone to remind her of it. But it had been terrible, and it flashed through her mind once more.
On a soft, rainy morning, Mipha, flanked by her grown children, Raypha and Tidon, made their way down the stairs from the throne room for a solemn journey.
"Do you wish any guards to accompany you, Your Majesty?" asked the royal guard on duty at the foot of the throne room stairs.
"No, it will be only a brief family visit to Veiled Falls, and we will all be perfectly safe," said Raypha on Mipha's behalf, as Mipha was too choked up to answer.
"As you wish, Highness," said the guard with a bow.
As raindrops gently caressed their faces, each held a Blue Nightshade flower, its petals gleaming with droplets. Upon reaching Veiled Falls, they reverently placed their flowers at the foot of a humble gravestone situated a short distance from the water. Crafted from Luminous Stones by a skilled Zora artisan, the stone bore a simple inscription: "Link," followed by the words "Hero of Hyrule, Devoted Husband and Father, Rest in Peace." Another year had passed since Link's departure from their world and their lives.
Mipha's loud wail momentarily eclipsed the waterfall's roar - her grief too much to bear after another year without Link. Raypha, tenderly drawing her mother into an embrace, murmured, "It's alright, Mom. I like to think Dad's resting here, lulled by the sound of the waterfall."
Raypha held Mipha close as she sobbed uncontrollably. Then, after several more minutes, she regained a semblance of composure.
"He did love the sound of water, be it rain or a waterfall. We used to joke that his love for water sounds led him to fall in love with a Zora. And every so often, he'd surprise me with a Blue Nightshade, knowing how much I love them."
"He cherished you beyond measure, Mom," Raypha whispered, her voice quivering. "You were the love of his life, and every moment with you was a gift to him."
"As every moment with him was a gift to me," Mipha said softly, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "And every moment without him is an eternity."
Mipha paused momentarily, then continued.
"He also held both of you close to his heart. Being a Hylian, he often questioned if he was a worthy enough parent to raise Zora children. He wanted to be everything he could for you."
Tidon added with warmth, "He was the best and most loving father anyone could ever wish for."
As the rain washed over them, they clung to each other, embracing shared memories, lost in recollections of Link and the mark he had left on their lives. Mipha looked up at the rock where they had shared their first kiss, and her heart beat with longing and sadness. Even though years had passed, the memory of that kiss was still as fresh as if it just happened. When it came time to bury Link, there was no question in her mind where he belonged. This was his final resting place. They lingered in silence for several more minutes until duty called them back to reality.
Raypha nodded to Tidon, and they linked arms with their mother, "We should head back, Mom. Your subjects await."
Then Mipha awoke and gasped her first breath of the day. What a horrible dream! Later that day, she had insisted a curious Link accompany her to Veiled Falls for reasons she refused to explain. And while there, they kissed with abandon in her effort to purge her mind of any lingering ill feelings toward Veiled Falls. She kept trying to forget that terrible dream, but it haunted her weeks later.
Delicately, she pulled her arm from beneath Link's neck, touched her lips to his forehead, and gracefully rose from the pool. Then she silently exited their bedroom, allowing the door to close quietly in her wake.
The children had not awoken yet, so Mipha decided to get everyone breakfast and set out for Mikau Lake. It took a few moments to catch four fish, as they were incredibly energetic this morning. And when she returned home, perhaps the noise of her coming and going had awakened Raypha and Tidon.
"Good morning! And thanks, Mom!" said Tidon. "It was my turn to catch fish today."
"Quiet, snail brain!" hushed Raypha, then whispered. "Can't you figure out that Dad must still be asleep?"
"Oops!"
"It's okay, Tidon," reassured Mipha. "Your father is sleeping soundly. Let's keep one of the smaller fish for him since he had such a big dinner last night."
Once they were settled at the table for breakfast, Mipha reminded them about their meeting that day with her father.
"Don't forget that we are all going to meet your grandfather this morning to discuss tutors," Mipha said. "Depending on each of your interests, tutors will be hired to teach subjects in more detail than what your father or I could do."
"I'm most interested in math," said Tidon.
"I'm leaning toward writing and history," said Raypha.
"That's fine," said Mipha. "And, of course, you will still study other subjects, too."
"Do I need to attend the meeting, Mom?" Raypha asked. "You know my interests, and I'd like to catch up on some reading this morning."
"I guess that's fine," said Mipha. "When your father wakes up, tell him if he's still hungry after the fish, he can have some fruit. We have a bunch of leftover Mighty Bananas in the bowl over there. We didn't bring all we had to the dinner."
"Sure thing, Mom," said Raypha.
After breakfast, Mipha and Tidon left, and then Raypha cleaned up, after which she settled down to read.
A couple of hours later, Link was roused from his dreams by a clap of thunder and the rhythmic sound of heavy rain pelting against his bedroom window. He quickly realized he was alone - Mipha had already arisen. With another thunderclap resonating through the house, it was clear that falling back asleep was not an option. Besides, he had a feeling it was already pretty late. Mipha had made him swim much of the way home last night, and it had tired him out.
"You need to work off that steak dinner, sweetheart," Mipha had admonished him. "I can't believe you chose that over fish! And it's fish from now on, dearest. It's much healthier for you."
He hoisted himself out of the pool, dried himself off, dressed, and stepped outside his room. Surprisingly, he found his daughter Raypha seated alone at the dining table.
"Did the storm wake you, Dad?" Raypha said, looking up with a hint of concern. "You slept pretty late. Please, sit down, and I'll cook your breakfast."
He nodded appreciatively, settling into a chair. "That's kind of you, sweetheart, but where's the rest of the family? I hope they aren't out in this dreadful storm."
As if on cue, another peal of thunder rumbled overhead.
"No, they're all safe," Raypha reassured him, striking a flame to start cooking a Hyrule Bass that had been cleaned and kept fresh on ice. "Mom and Tidon left to meet with Grandfather well before the skies turned angry."
"Did they say why? If Mom mentioned it, it's slipped my mind."
Raypha flipped the fish with practiced ease. "They met to discuss different tutoring arrangements for Tidon and me, depending on our interests and knowledge level."
"And you didn't need to join them?"
She shrugged, "Mom and I discussed matters beforehand, and she knows what interests me. Besides, I wanted to stay home and catch up on some reading."
"What subjects are you especially interested in?"
"I think I'd like to become a better writer," said Raypha. "Maybe with an emphasis on history at some point."
"That's very worthwhile," nodded Link. "Remembering and understanding the past is valuable. Historians bring that knowledge to the rest of us, and we can often learn from history when dealing with current events."
Link observed Raypha carefully as she turned and resumed preparing the meal. With each passing day, her resemblance to her mother grew more evident. Her skin carried the same red hue as Mipha's, and her eyes were much like Mipha's, too. Or perhaps they were a very slightly brighter shade of gold. He wondered if seeing Raypha was like catching a glimpse of Mipha in her younger years, long before their paths had crossed - in fact, before he was even born.
In no time, the tantalizing aroma of cooked fish filled the air. Raypha slid it onto a plate with a flourish. "Here you go, Dad! Seasoned with a pinch of Goron spice, just how you like it."
Link smiled, gratefully accepting the dish. "You're spoiling me these days, sweetheart. And it smells delicious."
She grinned, pointing to a bowl. "I know this fish isn't huge, but Mom said it was big enough. If you're still hungry afterward, there are some Mighty Bananas left over from last night, apparently ones you didn't bring to the dinner. Mom thought they would be good for you, too."
Link looked at his thoughtful daughter, wondering if another reason she might have chosen to stay home was to look after him. After waiting for the fish to cool, Link took a bite and savored the taste.
"Delicious! A perfect start to the day!"
Lightning illuminated the house's walls, followed by a loud rumble of thunder.
"Seeing as we're grounded inside because of the storm, Dad," started Raypha, "perhaps we could continue our conversation."
Link swallowed the bite of fish he had been eating and replied, "Sure, but which one? We've had several conversations, including one about my childhood misadventures."
"I'm more interested in the story of your and Mom's romance. Tidon doesn't seem to enjoy hearing about it, so it's just as well he's not here."
Link chuckled before answering, "Sure, I can try to tell you about it. You'll have to ask Mom about her side of the story. But why do you want to know?"
"Apart from curiosity? I'd like to understand how it happened," she said, "especially between people from different races – a Hylian and a Zora. Plus, getting her half of things should be easier."
Link laughed again as he continued with, "Yes, that might be true. Still, it's not something I can answer easily. I remember when I first had a crush on your mother. But when it turned to love - that's harder for me to pin down. There was also quite a period of time during which I knew I was in love with her but lacked the courage to tell her."
"But why? Was it that difficult to talk to Mom?"
"No, it wasn't difficult exactly," Link said, shaking his head. "It was several reasons. For one thing, we had been good friends for years, and she was always kind and caring towards me. She was actually like that with everyone. So, I couldn't help wondering if what I felt from her was her love for me as someone she wanted to care for but not romantic love. I didn't want to risk losing our friendship by doing something inappropriate. In addition, my status seemed too inferior when compared to hers. I mean, Mom is royalty, the likely future Queen. So I kept telling myself that her father would expect her to wed someone more suited for her position in life than a mere Hylian knight. Furthermore, I wasn't sure if we could even have children together, which would be another argument against having me as a husband. All these reasons made me doubt we could ever be together as husband and wife."
"I guess I can see that, though I would think Mom would have clarified her feelings," said Raypha.
"She probably did, but I was too blind to see it," said Link. "Honestly, she finally forced me to share my feelings by insisting I answer her what-if questions. Later, I had to look up what the subjunctive case was."
"Funny! I'll have to ask Mom about that, too," laughed Raypha. "But when do you think you first started having feelings for Mom?"
"Well, let me describe when I first had a crush on her," said Link as he closed his eyes and reminisced about what happened. "I was in the Hyrule Army back then, and there had been a steadily increasing number of monster attacks throughout Central Hyrule. We were kept pretty busy dealing with them, going on patrol, and such. They couldn't spare a single soldier, so it had been quite some time before I had enough time off to visit Mom. This is how I remember it."
"It's about time we got some leave," Hildon remarked, walking alongside Link toward the barracks. "I'm heading home to see my parents and sister's family. Last I saw my nephew, my sister's son, he was just a baby. Now he's three going on four."
"That's wonderful," Link replied, "Though it's unfortunate you missed some of his early years."
Hildon chuckled, "On the bright side, I avoided his 'terrible two's.' Still, I hope we can bond and that we won't need to wait so long for another break."
"From what I hear, they're bolstering our ranks by doing a lot of recruiting, so maybe there'll be more off-duty time in the future," Link replied.
Hildon looked at him curiously, "How about you, Link? Any plans?"
Link smiled wistfully as he briefly glanced at the ground, "I don't have any real family, but I'm thinking of visiting someone I consider family. She's been like an aunt or big sister to me, and it's been too long since we last met."
"Well, make the most of it. Time passes quicker than you think," Hildon said, patting Link's back as they parted.
Back at the barracks, Link switched out of his Hylian Soldier Armor and into his tunic and trousers. He winced as he changed due to a minor injury from a recent skirmish with a pair of Moblins. He needed to be less careless in combat. After preparing his horse, he set out for Zora's Domain.
The journey was uneventful until a group of Lizalfos appeared in the distance. Each of them had electric arrows, so he needed to take his time and not alert them. Taking on all of them at once would be foolish and possibly fatal. He dismounted, then kept his head low as he moved closer. He positioned himself where he could stay out of sight and safely fire off Ice Arrows that would disable them. After taking care of one, then two, then three more, he finally felt he could move on. But the combat had delayed his travels; the sun was setting, and the sky had darkened by the time he caught a glimpse of the blue fish spire of Zora's Domain in the distance. After hours of travel, he finally reached the familiar entrance.
He tried to remember the last time he was here, almost four years ago. He had been only a twelve-year-old child then, still playing games with his friends. But now, at nearly sixteen, he had grown into a young man. The guards at the domain's gate still recognized him, though. They nodded and let him pass without delay after he left his horse to graze.
The usually bustling plaza was eerily silent yet still held its beauty. Everywhere, water flowed, its soothing sound lulling the people who had already made their way to the community slumber pools to sleep. Zora's Domain was his favorite place, the most beautiful village in all of Hyrule. And it was like a second home to him. In his eagerness, he raced up the steps towards the area below the throne room, where another guard, Galan, greeted him with an enthusiastic wave.
"Is that you, Link? You must be going through your growth spurt. And it's been some time since I last saw you."
"Yes, sadly, I've been busy on duty with the army," said Link as he shook his head. "Monsters are becoming more common and dangerous. Is Lady Mipha available? If not, I'm staying at the inn tonight and can check back tomorrow."
"She might be attending to Prince Sidon, putting him to sleep tonight. Just a moment, and I'll check…"
Link waited patiently, nervously pacing back and forth until he heard footsteps running down the stairs. He spun around to see Mipha rushing down to him. As she spotted him, her eyes widened in surprise, and she stared at him. And as he looked at her, he suddenly felt an attraction for her he had never felt before. His cheeks grew red hot with embarrassment as he fought to control his racing heart. How did he not realize that he had never seen anyone so perfect? She was gorgeous!
Mipha was the first to recover her composure.
"Link!" Mipha greeted him with warmth, "What a pleasant surprise! I'm so glad you visited!"
"Um, it's great to see you, too," Link mumbled, still trying to cope with these new feelings. "I finally got some time off."
"Shall we sit together and catch up?" she suggested with a smile.
"So, that's when I started to feel something for your mother," said Link, returning to the present. "I was so nervous and quiet at first, and I'm pretty sure I wasn't much fun to be with. But as time went on, I became more comfortable. And somewhere along the way, I fell in love with her."
"Thanks for sharing this story, Dad," Raypha replied. "It'll be interesting to hear Mom's version too."
"Yes, it should be," said Link as he rose from his chair and took his plate to wash it. "I think she was just surprised at how much I'd changed since my last visit."
The lightning storm had apparently passed, and the only sound was rain beating against the windows. And a moment later, the front door opened, and Mipha entered with Tidon.
"Oh, you're finally awake, sweetheart," said Mipha, who came to Link, and they embraced and then kissed.
"Yes, and our dear daughter is spoiling me by cooking my breakfast," said Link. "Your meeting go well?"
"Yes, tutors are all arranged and start next week," said Mipha. "And Sidon is getting some new tutors as well. Now that the lightning has passed, should we all get in some exercise and water time?"
"Come on, Ray," shouted TIdon. "We can go on ahead, and I'll tell you how the meeting went."
Raypha and Tidon left and headed at once for the waterfall at Mikau Lake. Mipha took Link's hand to join them, but he stopped her.
"What's wrong, sweetheart?" asked Link.
"Pardon me?"
"You can't fool me, love. I know when something is on your mind. You've been so preoccupied lately with my diet and fitness routine."
Mipha averted her gaze for a moment before looking back into his eyes.
"I've noticed a few changes in you … and they worry me," she said. "As always, I want to do everything I can to keep you well."
"That's alright, but you shouldn't let it dampen your mood," replied Link. "Or, I guess Zoras say, dry up your mood. Like how you always tell me not to fret about the future, now it's my turn to tell you the same thing. I'm convinced everything will work out alright, and we'll be fine. I believe that in my heart."
"There was something else too," Mipha revealed. "I had a terrible nightmare that scared me, but I don't want to discuss it. Just promise me that you'll stay healthy and fit!"
"Don't worry," Link promised her. "I'm going to stick with my diet of fish, fruit, and vegetables. So let's go get some exercise - I think I can seriously challenge you to a race up the falls after all the swimming you've had me doing."
Mipha smiled and squeezed his hand in hers. Like she'd always urge him to do - they should focus on living in the moment without worrying about the distant future.
"In your dreams, Hylian," Mipha giggled.
"But that's where you are and always will be sweetheart," said Link. "In my dreams."
"You're so sweet I'm not sure I want to swim anymore," said Mipha as she gave him a cute smile, gently caressed his cheek, then pulled him close, wrapping her arms around him.
"What about exercise? Oh! Well … I guess we can always swim later," said Link as he held her tight, feeling the beat of her heart and the heat radiating off her body.
Without breaking their embrace, they returned to their room and shut the door.
