Life in Zora's Domain - Part Two

Chapter 26 - Astra Gets a Scolding

Summary: Astra's solo mission to the Thyphlo Ruins upsets Zelda and earns Astra a rare rebuke. Afterward, Astra takes some time off to express her gratitude to someone who offered her help on the first day of her arrival.

It was evening at Hyrule Castle, and the residence area was quiet save for the occasional sound of a security guard making the rounds. All the bedrooms were dark, save for Zelda's. And that was because Zelda wasn't sleeping but sitting in bed, rereading the extract from Link's journal that Astra had given her.

Zelda was most interested in the journal within the journal: the parts Link had written before he knew what really happened. Link's writing was hardly that of a romantic novelist. However, there were still some sweet parts, including his marriage proposal to her at Sanidin Park, their honeymoon, and then the first few years of family life with their lovely daughter Astra. Link had begun writing about Astra on the very day of her birth, 125–10–01.

A Star Brightens Our Lives

A beautiful star shone upon our lives today, one in the heavens and one here in Hyrule. The sky was lit today by a strange new star so bright you could even see it in the daytime. The Sheikah scientists who study such things said it might be a star that burst into temporary brilliance. But here in Hyrule today, I became the father of a beautiful little girl. Zelda and I are thrilled! Of course, our daughter must be named Zelda, as that is the Royal Family tradition. But I will call her Astra. I believe that the star above us is a good omen for her, a sign that our daughter's life will be happy. I dearly hope so. I know mine is now. I couldn't be happier!

There was much more about their family life after that, of course, covering their years together. There were separate chapters as Astra turned one, two, three, and then four. It was late by the time Zelda reached Link's last chapter, the one that began with Astra's fourth birthday.

Chapter 4 - Four Years Old

Zelda and I held hands and shook our heads as we passed another year in our daughter's life. Why must time go by so quickly?

We planned a party at dinner for Astra but had agreed to do whatever she wanted during the day. She chose a picnic at Hyrule Forest Park in the morning, have lunch there, then go sailing with me on our small sailboat in the afternoon. Of course, we agreed. We both wanted to make this day special for her.

The picnic was fun as Astra chased after squirrels, and later, we played hide and seek. Zelda helped her find me hiding behind a large bush, and she laughed with delight when she did. She is so cute! We got her a larger toy sailboat when she turned three, and she likes to sail it when we picnic at a place with water, like the Sacred Grounds. Other times she pretends she and I are sailing in it.

Zelda wiped away a tear as she put down the journal. However written, it was still a sweet story, a love story, really, with romance and a happy family being together. It was the tale of a life that might have been had things happened differently - had the Temple of Time failed to work. And though in the end, it hadn't happened, save for Goddess Hylia's saving of Astra, it still touched her heart. Zelda came away from her reading with an even deeper love for Astra. She finally lay down, closed her eyes, and slept.

The following morning, Zelda awoke to the sound of her cat meowing at the foot of the bed.

"Good morning, Mia. I overslept, didn't I?" said Zelda as she got out of bed, petted Mia twice, and then opened the bedroom door for her. "Off you go to breakfast!"

Mia meowed once more, then scampered out the door and down the hall, making her way to the kitchen where one of the staff would feed her. Mia was a friendly cat and would graciously allow anyone she passed on her route to pet her unless she was rushing off to a meal. She knew her way between the kitchen, Zelda's office, and her bedroom. And though she was free to wander anywhere, she was in the habit of ending up in Zelda's office during the day and her bedroom at night.