The Heroes of Hyrule °Wattys 2017°

In Mipha's Honor

For hours it had seemed as though they, the two saviors of Hyrule, were the only ones in existence-aside from the occasional passerby with a donkey or a fellow traveler. The corner of their world appeared empty.

"We have our work cut out for us, Link." Zelda tossed a sidewise glance at her knight.

"We will reclaim a new golden age for Hyrule," He shifted in the saddle, "You even said so yourself."

"If we defeated the Calamity, then how hard could it possibly be to reconstruct a nation?..." Zelda, primarily speaking to herself, allowed her mumbling voice to trail off.

Her head tilted upward at the pink afternoon.

"I cannot help but to take notice that you incessantly look over your shoulder. If I may ask...why do you insist upon doing so?" Zelda sounded concerned.

"I'm sorry to say that it is a habit of mine. I couldn't be too careful when Ganon's monsters pursued me at every turn." Link's horse had begun to toss her head.

"There is no longer anything to worry about concerning those creatures, they all died off with the Calamity. I do suppose we have our own battle scars-you and I."

Link patted Epona's neck, "-And what of the blood moon. How much do we truly know?"

"As much as I hate to admit it, we know nothing of the return of monsters or how the blood moon will affect our world...only time will reveal the answer."

Zelda, lost in her conversation, almost didn't realize that they were at the bridge's entrance to Zora's Domain.

"The ride did not take as long as I thought it would have," She told Link, "We'll leave the horses here, I don't expect that we will be gone for too long."

They dismounted and both grabbed the reins of their horses to position them by the side of the entrance, as not to hinder anyone else from crossing.

Now they walked, side by side, crossing the great bridge. Link glanced over her and took notice that her eyes looked as if they were made of glass and her gait appeared mechanical. It seemed as though she was walking to an execution. Zelda kept her eyes forward and expression listless.

Link didn't have to ask the reason for her change in emotion, for he know full well the flood of thoughts that must be racing wild through her mind at the sight of Mipha's city. Link too, felt his heart grow heavy as he recalled his old friend.

The Zora started to take notice. They all turned their heads and glared down at the tiny Hylian pair down below. One mother hushed a small child who kept asking, "What is it, Mother? What's the matter?" The domain was a motionless collective now. Zelda thought that their eyes were burning into her, for their very own princess had sacrificed herself in her name, yet she continued to walk across the bridge with little hint of intimidation about her.

"Zelda," Link turned and whispered to her, "...Zelda..."

She turned her head away from him, while maintaining her stoic expression.

"They are good people, and kind. I promise. You were a friend of Mipha-everyone here knows th-"

"-Don't mention Mipha, not now please," Her reply was a hoarse whisper.

As they walked into the domain, Prince Sidon was awaiting them with a toothy smile.

"Link! I knew you would come back to us! And Lady Zelda, it's a pleasure to finally meet you as well."

"Prince Sidon," Link's head gave a quick nod to Zelda, "It's nice to see you again-under better circumstances as well!"

Zelda's mechanical motions became fluid again, "I hope to become great friends in the future, Sidon-prince...Prince Sidon," She stammered.

This was the one Mipha had told her about, her little brother, now Mipha's age, maybe a little older. It was difficult to believe that the little one she had heard so much about was now being addressed as a prince. She immediately noted the similarities in them both before saying, "We have come to pay our respects to a dear friend of ours."

A small, almost unrecognizable flicker of anguish flashed onto his face before Sidon raised his eyes with understanding. A sad smile was plastered over his face, "You've come to honor my sister-how kind of you both to come so far to see her."

"It's the least we could do. Your family deserves to hear more about her-as does the people of Zora. I want them to see the true Mipha, how she was outside of the battlefield."

"-Of course, the people of Zora have a good idea of what she was like, but there are a few details about her that you all may find of some importance or small moments we had shared with her that we hold dear to our hearts." Link piped up.

"We can't wait to hear all about them, please follow me."

Sidon led the two Hylians to a large chamber where Mipha's father, the size of a small whale, sat with aging eyes that had seen so much despair in his many years of ruling the Zora.

"And so the Champion returns to me, a princess in hand..." His voice was deep.

Both Link and Zelda knew to kneel and they did so, only to be told not to by the Zora King.

"You two Hylians have saved your entire nation, yet you still kneel to what used to be your superiors. Please, I ask of you not to kneel, if at all, I should be the one bowing to you both."

As Link and Zelda stood now before the king, Sidon told his father, "They have come to tell the people of Zora about Mipha, starting with us."

And so Zelda began to unfurl the events that occurred so long ago, the moments she had with Lady Mipha, the healer, the Zora Champion, but above all, her friend. She shared with them, the wisps of memories that struck in the back of her mind when she saw Hyrule field where they played as children. Zelda told them about the many times when Link, the hero now stonefaced beside her, scraped his knee and ran to none other than Lady Mipha so she could heal him.

"...All of those days, she never was too tired or too busy to let me tell her about my research. Link and I had the privilege of befriending the purest of souls, and the kindest of hearts..." Zelda absentmindedly wiped the warm tears out of her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Indeed," Link said under his soft breath, "She will walk our minds forever. We won't forget what she has done for Hyrule."

He was silent before continuing.

"I met her spirit inside of Vah Ruta when I reclaimed it. The last words she spoke to me were 'save Princess Zelda.'"

King Dorephan muttered amongst himself, "She was selfless even in death..."

Zelda clasped her palms together, "It goes without saying that Hyrule must be restored to its former glory, and Link and I would like to seek the aid of Zora's Domain to help rebuild Hyrule...in Mipha's honor."

Link's agate blue gaze darted over to Zelda, as the smallest of smiles crossed his face.

Not two days, and she was already picking up the pieces of her nation-not as a princess, but as a queen. He knew that her father would not have been more proud of her in this very moment.

"Of course! We certainly believe in both of you. It would be the greatest of honors to help you both, wouldn't we, Father?" Sidon said merrily.

"Not only us-but all of Zora's Domain-simply cannot thank you enough. We would be happy to assist in whatever ways we can."

Prince Sidon beckoned the two heroes to join him upon the balcony. Within a fleeting second, a hush washed over the mass of people.

"My good people of Zora's Domain, you have witnessed the return of our saviors, and to them we our indebted greatly. Princess Zelda of Hyrule has chosen us, above all, to heal this nation just as our dear Mipha had healed our soldiers on the battlefield."

Sidon waited a few moments for the cheers to simmer down.

"Well, what do you suppose we say to rebuilding Hyrule!?!"

Now the crowd was gleeful with claps and hollers. The trio on the balcony were all smiling radiantly.

Sidon raised a fist high in the air, "For Mipha!"