Love in Zora's Domain

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."