Life in Zora's Domain - Part Two

Chapter 64 - Family Update

Summary: In the Victory Timeline King Dorephan asks his daughter Mipha for an update on the family. Mipha uses some old memories to steer Link into doing what she wants.

Mipha awoke to the soft light of a cloudy morning in Zora's Domain, finding herself floating beside her Zora husband Link in their slumber pool. The room was still, the quiet only broken by the distant splashing of the Mikau Lake waterfall and sporadic bird calls from outside. A quiet bedroom was something she was getting used to, for it wasn't always so.

For many years of their marriage, if she awoke first, it was to the rhythmic sound of Link's slow and steady Hylian breathing. She wasn't used to it at first, and found it adorable. It reminded her of the time he fell asleep in her lap before their first kiss at Veiled Falls. But Link also had some getting used to with respect to her sleeping habits. She recalled him panicking the first time he awoke to find her not breathing, not realizing Zoras use their gills when asleep in the water.

Anyway, she needed to get up soon. Her father, King Dorephan, wanted to meet her over breakfast. And much as she was in the mood to make passionate love with Link right now, he definitely needed more rest. Link had exhausted himself yesterday, so that would have to wait until later. Mipha recalled their evening together.

It was just after dinner when they decided to swim in Ruto Lake for some exercise. Link suddenly stopped as they swam by a second waterfall, and exclaimed,"Wait! This waterfall sounds different."

"Of course it does, sweetheart," Mipha replied with a fond smile. "As a Zora, you can hear sounds above and below the range of Hylian hearing, especially in the water. Is this the first time you've noticed?"

"Yes," said Link. "Or maybe not. I may have sensed that the three falls by Mikau Lake somehow each sounded different, but I never focused on it. Now that I know what to listen for, I'm more aware of it. Or maybe I'm just hearing some things more clearly now. Let's check out some more falls."

And so they spent the rest of their evening exploring every nearby waterfall, Link excitedly noting their differences in tone and volume. By the time they finished and headed back to their house on Mikau Lake, it was dark, and Sunset Fireflies flitted around the nearby evergreen trees.

"So, which waterfall sounded the best to you, sweetheart?" Mipha asked as they walked hand in hand.

"Without a doubt Veiled Falls," answered Link with a smile. "It had the most beautiful and soothing tone."

"Now you know another reason I took you there that morning when we shared our first kiss," Mipha said, a hint of playfulness in her voice. "Perhaps its music affected you somehow, even though it was beyond your Hylian hearing. It must have given you the courage to kiss me."

"Maybe," said Link with a grin. "Or maybe you just have too cute a smile, and I gave up trying to resist it."

"Whatever works!" she said as they laughed, then entered their house and headed straight to their room. Which was another reason Link would still be tired this morning.

Mipha gracefully emerged from the pool without disturbing Link, her movements silent and fluid. She tiptoed out of their house, then descended the grassy path to the bridge that led to the Domain itself, greeting the guard on duty with a gentle nod and a cheerful good morning. She sent a message in silent mode to Link's Tab about where she would be in case he awoke before she returned as three Blue Sparrows flew off upon her approach. Then she finally made her way down and up stairways to the throne room.

"Good morning, sweetheart," King Dorephan greeted her warmly as she entered, pulling her into a quick embrace. "We're each having a Hearty Bass to start the day."