Life in Zora's Domain

Chapter 54 - Moving On - Part 1

Summary: Thinking about Laray's loss, Link wonders about the path his own life might have taken had he been unable to reunite with Mipha. Everyone enjoys a late breakfast at the house on Mikau Lake and recalls their favorite songs at The Cross Currents concert. After an afternoon with Epona, Link gets together with the Big Bad Bazz Brigade for a round of drinks and some reminiscing. Mipha and Link begin working to introduce Laray to some acquaintances, hoping she will make new friends.

For a change Link was the first one awake. The house was quiet, so he knew the children weren't up yet. And Mipha was still sleeping peacefully right next to him.

Mipha wasn't breathing, and he smiled, remembering the first time he noticed that. He should have realized but didn't back then that Zoras don't need to breathe when they sleep in water: their gills take over. But as an air-breathing creature, his instinct when someone stopped breathing was to quickly try to revive them, which is what he did the first time he noticed it with Mipha. It was right after they returned from their honeymoon, a time when they were alternating each night sleeping in a traditional bed and a pool of water until he became comfortable sleeping in water. He had awoken in the water with Mipha and noticed she wasn't breathing. He cried out her name and shook her awake. She thought it was funny at first, but his heart was in his throat. She did sympathize with him afterward, realizing the scare she had caused him, and so soon after he had just lived through losing her. But he was used to it by now.

He closed his eyes and relaxed, remembering everyone had a late night after the concert and would probably sleep late. And everyone had a great time, even Laray. He would have to spend time with Laray and introduce her to some people she could hopefully make friends with. He sympathized with her, someone who lost a loved one so young in life. How could they help Laray move on? It was actually only by the grace of Hylia and Purah's genius that he was not in the same situation.

And that made him think about what path his life might have taken if he was in that same situation. His life was so intimately bound to Mipha's for so long now it was hard to think back and imagine anything different. But what would his life be like if Purah had been unable to restore the Temple of Time?

Would he have gone through life alone? That was entirely possible, maybe even likely. He was used to being by himself back then. He had wandered alone throughout Hyrule and grew comfortable doing it. If so, where would he have lived? Would he have lived out his days in his little Hateno Village house surrounded by memories? He was comfortable living there. It was quiet and secluded, and he found it conducive to doing his writing. And Dr. Purah sometimes still worked at the lab nearby. He could visit her now and then.

Or would he perhaps have lived by Zora's Domain, to be near his old friends and Mipha's father and brother, two people who shared a love of Mipha and didn't mind reminiscing about her whenever he wanted to? At least in Zora's Domain, he would have some company, and it was where he would have lived had things gone as planned. It always made sense for him to live there if he married Mipha. She had family there and was next in line to be their ruler. He had no reason to be anywhere else with her.

Or would he have gone back to Hyrule Castle and continued to serve the Hyrule Royal Family? There he could do his part in helping to rebuild Hyrule. He had actually done that for a while but had gotten bored and restless. Zelda didn't need his protection anymore, or his company either, other than to reminisce. She was so busy with her duties as a young Queen back then.

Or perhaps would he have never settled down anywhere, reverting back to being a wanderer?

Given what he remembered of his state of mind back then, being alone seemed the most likely scenario.

But was it possible he would not have gone through life alone? Would he have finally moved on from his feelings for Mipha, remembering her as his first love, but eventually finding love with someone else? If so, who would that other person be? Of course, it could be someone he never met before. But what about the people he already knew back then?