Love in Zora's Domain

Chapter 1 - Early Days and Late Nights

Summary: The first week of married life for Mipha and Link in Zora's Domain. This story begins after "A Tale of Two Princesses".

It was shortly after sunset, and the only sounds were the constant chirping of crickets and the occasional hoot of owls. A half-moon peeked out now and then behind rolling banks of dark clouds. It had rained earlier that afternoon, but the weather was beautiful now, calm with only a light breeze.

A Zora and Hylian couple were moving quietly along the high ground northwest of Inogo Bridge. Inogo Bridge was the gateway to the part of the Lanayru Region of Hyrule that was home to Zora's Domain and the great Zora race. The small bridge offered travelers their first glimpse of the domain's beautiful and distinctive Luminous Stones architecture, and it was an impressive structure despite its short length.

The night was peaceful, a small swarm of Sunset Fireflies glowing near the riverbank. A Hightail Lizard gave up on holding still as they approached, and scurried off into the bushes. It seemed a perfect spot for the two lovers who were traveling together tonight to enjoy a private moment in the moonlight, perhaps share some kisses and a long embrace. And under other circumstances, that's precisely what they might have done.

But they were not alone, and they had not come here for romance.

Below them along the bank of the Zora River were three Lizalfos, two black and the other one blue. The blue one served as a lookout, and it peered back and forth from its perch atop a raft held aloft by four Sky Octoroks. Link had signaled to Mipha he would take care of that one first. He drew his bow and aimed carefully. Then sent three ice arrows its way and the creature was quietly destroyed.

No alert had sounded, and the other two Lizalfos hadn't noticed a thing. One Black Lizalfos was actually a bit further downstream by a campsite with a lit cooking pot. Link had signaled he would deal with that one as well. The other Black Lizalfos was being clever. It camouflaged itself against the green grass near the riverbank, now and then arising to look around, licking its face as it did so. Mipha had indicated by pointing she would deal with that one.

Mipha crept silently down and forward whenever the Lizalfos ahead of her rested, then stopped and crouched in the underbrush whenever it rose to look about. Slowly she made her way closer and closer until the monster was within spear reach. Then she struck it with all her strength using a Sneakstrike, killing it instantly.

Meanwhile, Link had crept within range of the Lizalfos near the cooking fire. Again, he took careful aim with his bow and hit it with an ice arrow, freezing it in place. Then he jumped down, and with a few strikes of the sword that sealed the darkness, the Lizalfos was destroyed. He and Mipha then regrouped at the foot of the Inogo Bridge.

Three more Lizalfos remained to be dealt with. One was a blue one swimming back and forth in the water where the river widened just northeast of the bridge. Another was busy searching for food near some rocks past the far end of the bridge. And a third was high up floating on another Sky Octorok held platform.

Mipha pointed to the water and then herself, indicating she would deal with the one in the water. She made her way silently to the water's edge and slipped in without a splash, unnoticed. Water was her natural element, and she was the Zora Champion. The Lizalfos would not stand a chance against her in water.

Meanwhile, Link crept quietly across the bridge toward the other one on the ground. However, as bad luck would have it, the Lizalfos turned in his direction, noticed him, and prepared to give fight. The Lizalfos first spat at him, then did its battle maneuver, hopping back and forth, preparing to strike. But Link had seen this dance many times in his travels and was not afraid. He waited for the right moment and then struck three times with his sword, the mighty sword that seals the darkness. The Lizalfos was destroyed, and a moment later Mipha came ashore giving him a thumbs up. The Lizalfos on the platform was firing arrows their way, but its aim was poor. Link's wasn't. He dispatched that one with three well placed Ice Arrows as well.