Life in Zora's Domain

Chapter 170 - Digging for Clues - Part 2

Summary: Link struggles to recall the thefts from his former timeline and comes up with a plan to do so.

It was a late evening in Zora's Domain as Mipha spoke with her longtime friend Laina.

"Congratulations again!" said Mipha. "It's been a terrific party, Laina, and Link and I both look forward to attending your wedding."

"Of course, Miphy," laughed Laina. "I see your husband is over by the snack table."

"Yes, that's his favorite spot," laughed Mipha. "But this is the last dance coming up, so I'm going to tow him back onto the dance floor. Thanks again for having us."

"You've been such a good friend for so long. It means a lot to me you came," said Laina. "And you had better be there for my wedding!"

They hugged, then Mipha went over to Link.

"Last dance, sweetheart," said Mipha.

"Oh, already?" said Link after he swallowed a handful of cooked snails.

They held each other close and danced, and when the music stopped, they shared a kiss. Then they said their goodbyes and began the walk home.

It was a clear, calm evening as Mipha and Link held hands and finally reached the bridge that led to the path up to their house by Mikau Lake. The party had lasted well into the night, and everyone at home was no doubt asleep. The chirping of crickets and the intermittent hoot of an owl were the only sounds besides the increasingly loud splash of the waterfall as they neared the small lake. Link had been quiet most of the way back.

"I especially enjoyed Laina's party, didn't you, sweetheart? She had music more suitable for our generation, and there was wave after wave of songs we could dance to. I hope she has the same type of music at her wedding...," said Mipha, but then she noticed Link wasn't paying any attention and instead was staring at the ground as they walked, lost in thought. She stopped walking and tugged at his hand.

"Hello?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm really sorry, sweetheart," said Link, snapping out of his reverie and turning to her as he gently squeezed her hand.

"Are you okay, dear? You've been acting very distracted most of the day. What's on your mind and bothering you?"

"I shouldn't let it bother me, but it's those thefts I told you about earlier that I learned of on our ambassador call. They've been preying on my mind ever since. It's frustrating! I vaguely remember something like that happening before, and if I can only recall more details, it might help solve these crimes. I'm pretty sure I learned about the thefts after I awoke from the Shrine of Resurrection, you know, the other timeline."

"Is it possible you wrote about them in your journal?"

"It's possible, and I'll certainly check, but I doubt it," said Link, shaking his head. "I used my journal to help organize recovered memories about events that took place before I was placed in the Shrine. But things I learned on my own after I awoke from the Shrine I recorded in a log on the Sheikah Slate I had at the time. Whatever I learned about those thefts would likely be on that Sheikah Slate. But that Sheikah Slate no longer exists, of course. So, I have to rely on my memory, and it's been frustrating. I keep thinking I'm getting close to remembering something, but then it slips away."

Mipha sighed and put her arm around him.

"I know how persistent you are when you're tackling a problem and how you never like to give up. But you know it worries me when you think back to that timeline so much. You risk having nightmares again, sweetheart, and it hurts me to see you suffer from them."