Life in Zora's Domain

Chapter 128 - Looking Ahead and North

Summary: Life goes on, but with more hints at future developments.

It was late afternoon at Hyrule Castle, and the nearly setting sun cast an orange glow through the western window of Queen Zelda's study. She yawned and stretched her arms overhead, then stood up from her desk and walked over to a window facing south. The view was magnificent! On a beautiful day like today, you could see as far away as the green waters of the Faron Sea on the horizon.

Zelda had converted this room at the top of a tall central castle tower into her study for two reasons.

For one thing, it commanded a sweeping view of Hyrule, with windows in all four directions. When she needed to clear her mind, it helped to look out over the land she loved and the places she had visited. Looking at a location would bring back memories of times she spent there, whether on behalf of her father as a young Princess, or journeying with Link before Ganon's attack, or visiting later as the Queen of Hyrule.

The second reason she loved this room was the seclusion that her study offered. It was nicely sheltered from the busy parts of the castle with all their comings and goings. This was her study, not her office, where she conducted Hyrule business. It was a place for reflection, a place for her to be alone and to think. Link had told her he once had a small house in Hateno Village for the same reason. That was his place to get away and think. Anyway, it was her habit to put her Tab on family/emergency only mode when she came here.

She walked to the window facing east, stretching her legs a bit and taking time to admire the view in that direction. Hyrule had changed since she was a child, yet in many ways, it remained the same. On her left was Death Mountain, still spewing molten lava as it always had, and where Daruk and the Gorons lived happily amidst the scorching heat. Glancing further right, you could make out the Zodobon Highlands cliffs near Zora's Domain where Ruta once stood. It was there in Zora's Domain that Link had found happiness and fulfillment in life. At least he had the second time around. Link had explained how things had not worked out well the first time.

She crossed the room to the western window where the sun was setting, and from there, you could make out Spectacle Rock where Urbosa once piloted Naboris. And if you looked further to the right, you could see the silhouette of Divine Beast Vah Medoh perched high above Rito Village, Revali's home. Yes, some things in Hyrule had changed, but a good deal had not.

Finally, she walked to her left and stared out the window facing north. It must be subconscious, she thought, but she always found herself looking out the north window last. For to the north was the mysterious part of Hyrule, the least understood and most magical part of her kingdom.

For one thing, the land to the north contained the Lost Woods, a sinister forest with ominous-looking trees and forever covered in dense fog. It was a danger to anyone who dared wander into it without knowing its secret. There was undoubtedly magic there, for science could not explain it. And at the heart of the Lost Woods lay the Korok Forest, home of the Great Forest Spirit, the Deku Tree. There was powerful magic there as well.

But then if you ventured even further north, you would encounter the mysterious Thyphlo Ruins. They had never fully explored that area of Hyrule or understood what secret kept it shrouded in perpetual darkness. Its architecture suggested it was once a Zonai location, and the road there through the Drenan Highlands was lined with ancient Zonai pillars. Presumably, at one time, the Zonai followed that road to Thyphlo. It must have been important to them, to take the trouble to build such a path and line it with towering stone columns. But why was it important? What had been there? And what had made it turn into the way it had become?

And then looking even further north, beyond the Thyphlo Ruins was the land of North Hyrule whose history Link's daughter, Mila, had only recently chronicled. North Hyrule itself was a mysterious land they had learned of only recently. What was it, only about fifteen years now since Mipha and Link had first set foot there? And they had gone there in search of an element to help Purah's reverse-aging rune.