Life in Zora's Domain

Chapter 48 - A Shadow Arises - Part 5

Summary: Family life goes on when Mila brings a boyfriend home for dinner. The evil being causes more harm on the way to her objective. After an investigation, Zelda reports the capture of the being's host but wonders what to do next. But is she correct? Link begins a journey to Hyrule Castle with the sword that seals the darkness to confront their enemy while Mipha insists on accompanying him.

It was early morning in Zora's Domain as Mipha and Link slept together in a pool of water. Mipha awoke first, and she remained still to avoid disturbing Link's sleep. As she looked over at him, his breathing was calm, and he was resting peacefully. She smiled, happy for that, and she hoped his dreams were happy ones too.

She remembered how different it was after they first married, how troubled his sleep was back then. He often shivered in his sleep, a sign his dreams were distressing. And sometimes he would even cry out in the night and awaken breathless over some nightmare. Then he would reach over to hold her as if to reassure himself she was really there, that he hadn't lost her somehow. She wished she could have healed him of those nightly terrors back then. But only time could heal those kinds of wounds, not her healing magic. And for the most part, time had cured them. Until recently he had not had a nightmare in years.

But years ago, when he shared the full story of his life with her, she realized it was little wonder he had nightmares. His mind and body had suffered through so much! First came the terrible events of Ganon's triumph as he was overcome at Ash Swamp. Then came the hundred-year sleep that restored his body but wiped his mind clean and forced him to slowly recover painful memories of who he was and what had happened. He struggled to remember things an average person would try to forget. But as he was doing all that his life became a living nightmare, wandering Hyrule alone, continually battling monsters and Guardians all eager to destroy him, and hated as a failure by those who remembered him. He had to accept all that and carry the hurt that came with it, but soldier on to do his duty for the princess and for Hyrule.

And after his first victory over Ganon, the passage of time only increased his pain, not lessened it, as he gradually recovered more of his memory and feelings. He started to remember more about her, times they spent together, his feelings for her, and what they had meant to each other. And he couldn't or wouldn't move on. Most people would have accepted the tragic events and got on with their lives, but not him. Instead, he urged Purah toward restoring the Temple of Time and create a future that would undo so much harm for everyone. But not for him. He was the only one who lived through both timelines to the confusion of his mind yet again. It was a wonder he retained his sanity as his conscious and subconscious mind tried to cope with everything! But though he was a fierce adversary and an unyielding fighter in combat, he remained deep down the kind and caring person she first fell in love with. Maybe it was his love that held him together in the end.

Now suddenly some new evil had emerged, and Link held the sacred sword once again. So, the Goddess must expect him to battle evil once more. But Mipha swore to herself she would not let him battle alone this time. If Link had to fight evil again, she would be right there with him to assist him in battle and to heal any wounds. They were married now, and she still had her skills. She had worked hard to prepare Sidon should anything happen to her, and he had fully lived up to her expectations. If for some reason she did not survive, Sidon would be a capable ruler for their people until Mila was mature enough. Whenever Link received public praise for being the hero, he would always say Ganon's defeat had been a team effort, and indeed it was. And the destruction of this new evil would be a team effort too as far as she was concerned, though she knew Link would argue against it. He always wanted her and the family to stay safe, to take all the risks himself. But she and he were in this together now whether he liked it or not. And she would have the last word on that!