Successors

In Ruta's Shadow

The Champion's Festival.

The rest of Hyrule might share a similar day of remembrance for the Calamity's casualties, Horano did not know, but this one was strictly Zora.

It was to honor the sacrifice of Princess Mipha, who surrendered her long life to a set of Hylians that had not done any grand endeavors to win her favor.

Princess Zelda and Prince Link, they were dear friends of her lovely Mipha. But the elders had already turned against them. Stripped Link of his title, even. They were still angry about Mipha's death, but Horano assumed they held a grudge against the gentle Wolfbred.

After all, he did reject Mipha's marriage proposal.

But in the Hylian prince's defense, he was already engaged to another. It was only fair to Zelda, who may have even been with child by that time. Horano did not know whether the golden little woman was expecting at the time Mipha proposed to Link, but that changed nothing. Link was already engaged to her, and had he been in love with Mipha instead, he wouldn't have said yes.

Neither of them deserved the elder's punishment, which involved "forgetting" to remember that Link was the Prince of Hyrule and Zelda's husband. Not even Rhoam tried to make the world forget his daughter was married.

No doubt the elders would work to change Hylian history in the minds of future Zora youth, but that would not work on her: the shadow of the Divine Beast Vah Ruta, inactivated in the Rutala Dam's waters, reminded her of the truth.

Horano truly believed that Mipha's death was not a malicious act by either Link or Zelda, but rather a tragedy that was accounted for when Mipha accepted their plea. She was not a selfish soul, after all. While it did not lessen Horano's mourning, especially on this special day, it was important to remember alongside.

Zora were beginning to gather at Mipha's newly-finished statue. She wondered why they did not gather at Vah Ruta. Later today, she decided, she would visit the place where her princess fell. As she went to pick up the Lightscale Trident, she stumbled upon the small Prince Sidon. "Oh, my prince. Are you alright?"

His young eyes looked up at her. "I miss Mipha..."

"I do too... we all do."

"Why did she go?"

"Because Hylia needed her..."

"Will Hylia need me?" His voice was so vulnerable.

"I don't know, Sidon... but maybe. You're the future of the Domain, if by some reason the Royal Family survived, Hylia will likely need you to help the kingdom."

"Will I see Mipha again after?"

"Maybe. Only Hylia knows." She braced his back. "But today, let's celebrate your sister, how about that?"

...

Although the entire domain made an appearance at their late Champion's statue, she was the only soul sitting in Ruta's shadow. The quiet fit the somber mood, but she also wished someone had come.

After all, what better way to remember a late Champion than by spending time at their Divine Beast?

"Excuse me?"

Horano's attention flipped to a tall woman standing at the entrance. At first glance, the woman's clothing made her seem like a Hylian, but striking red hair and a muscled body revealed her to be a middle-aged Gerudo. She had been a confident soldier, it seemed, but she no longer had that Gerudo fury. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Would it be alright if I came and sat by Vah Ruta? I didn't know if it was Zora-only or not."

"You're welcome to sit here. It would be lovely."

"Thank you, kind Zora." The Gerudo came and sat beside her, looking up at Vah Ruta.

"If you don't mind me asking, who are you?"

"My name is Esosu. Former Captain of the Gerudo Palace Guard."

"You're from Gerudo Town?"

"I used to be."

Horano blinked in confusion. "Used to?"

"I fled when Chief Akeku succeeded Lady Urbosa. She rules the Gerudo with an iron fist, forcing them to abandon Hylia and Hyrule. I now live in Hateno Village, been there about a year."

"Ah! We share something in common. Our elders are trying to force us to forget that Champion Link was married to Princess Zelda and Prince of Hyrule. They are angry at him for refusing her marriage proposal and then taking her to that fateful battle."

"It's sad enough that my people have turned against Hyrule. But the Zora have been long-term allies with them..."

"The King is still in favor of Hyrule, it is just some of our elders that are not."

"Ah!" Esosu nodded in some relief. "What is your name?"

"I'm Horano. I'm a guard for the Zora Palace."

"A small world!" Esosu declared with a few claps.

"Indeed." They looked back up and the elephantine mechanical beast that rested noiselessly in the reservoir. "Do the Gerudo visit Naboris?"

"Not that I am aware of. We tried to find it right after Lady Urbosa fell, but couldn't find it in the blowing sand. I left shortly afterwards; I don't know if they ever found Naboris."

"How is the late prince's family doing?"

Esosu startled a little at the sudden subject change, but promptly responded. "They still hurt. I don't know if his father will ever heal... He didn't lose just his son, but his son, his daughter-in-law, and their baby. I believe it was too much loss for his old heart. The Duchess will be alright, but I don't think she'll ever move on. Even a year afterwards, she still pulls me aside to show me something new that reminded her of her brother. The whole village still grieves, he was beloved by all of them."

"Ah," Horano sighed sadly. "I hope her father will soon find peace, and that she will heal enough to live. She's got so much life ahead of her, it all will be wasted if she can't move on from her past... when her brother was alive..."