#LIKE WHEN HES GRIEVING MIPHA

[smallandangry24]

I don’t know what is more heinous: not being able to pet dogs in Zelda or not being able to hug Sidon

[noraiir-arts]

Does anyone else have very complicated ways of shipping?? like when i say "i ship them" i don't mean "oh they love each other so much they kiss each other and will be together forever" i ship characters but in a way that's unique to only them and/or only in certain scenarios

Like, for example Zelink- I think pre-calam zelink was one sided, i dislike post-calam zelink, but i sort of like totk zelink (yes i know they are the same two people) but only certain dynamics??? but i also think that its the type of love that goes unsaid, they just look out for and support each other, maybe its not entirely romantic but they are closer than friends. It's the type of closeness you can only get by knowing that no matter what lifetime you are in the other will always be there. I don't think its necessarily the type where they hide behind pillars to make out, or try to stay in a committed relationship, but more of a tired love, one that has been renewed throughout hundreds of lives, each time being something different.

But take skyward sword, i believe that it's easier to see romantic zelink here

or Miphlink - I don't really ship this, but it's a tragic one-sided love story that Mipha knew was doomed from the beginning. The other woman. Was never given enough time to tell Link how she felt, yet even if she had time he might not have returned her feelings. Now he barely remembers her. Maybe 100 years later she's a little embarrassed of herself, of what she wrote in her diary. Maybe it was a simple crush, mistaken for undying love and has dwindled over the past century. But now it's a sad love, the type where she grieves for what used to be, and what never will. But after being saved from Ruta she switches her sights towards the domain. She can see how much her brother has grown and is so proud of him. She knows Link will never remember her fully, but maybe it's for the best. No matter what, she will always be there to heal his wounds.

Tbh i was dragged into Revalink kicking and screaming, but now it's one of my favorites. - Their dynamics work so well, but oh no it's so sad. Started from a one-sided "rivalry" to some sort of friendship. Link never hated Revali, he didn't even dislike him. And Revali just wanted Link to be impressed, to understand why he was chosen for his role as pilot, and he wanted Link to prove himself to Revali (honestly i can go on a on about why revali was harsh to link in botw if anyone wants me to) But over time they both start to realize that they are more similar to each other than any of the other champions. They weren't born into noble families or blessed with magic. Revali learns about the vigorous training Link underwent after pulling the sword, and Link learns that Revali isn't the son of the elder or was an important figure in his village before becoming a champion, but a simple warrior just like Link. Their friendship grows and they become a great team, surprising mostly everyone. Maybe it grows into something more. Maybe neither of them know it. Maybe they just never admit it. Revali knows Link doesn't remember him. He doesn't want him to. He tells Link not to go asking about him to the princess. It's for the best, he will still be there to help Link after all. Maybe it's cruel to keep him from knowing. Well, Revali will be gone soon anyway. Maybe he hopes that Link will at least remember good things about him.

Honestly I love revalink aus, they are my fav!!

I think of Zelimpa (aoc) like a mix of how i described miphlink and revalink but im too tired to explain it rnnnnn

oh also urbosa/zelda's mom but i think that goes unsaid

but anyway these are just a few. Most of the time i can't use words to exactly explain something pictured in my head, (synesthesia is so silly) but i tried my best

[elliethecat]

Zora May post three let's fricking go bfbdbdhshd

Zora May is hosted by @prisiidon, and the prompts I used were "Sentimental" (from 2023), and "Tears"

(This is one of my shorter fics, but it's fine :3)

It was late at night, and most everyone in the domain was asleep. Sidon couldn't sleep, however, as whenever he closed his eyes he was overcome with horrible nightmares. Nightmares about the night The Calamity struck Hyrule and killed the champions; no, killed his sister. Sidon was overrun with the memory of the day he found out that his sister died.

It made him feel weak, like he was a failure because he was still grieving the loss of his beloved sister. Sidon didn't want anyone to know that he was still grieving his sister's death after one hundred years. Muzu's to blame for this fear, because of course he is. Muzu would get angry at Sidon if he so much as cried when around him.

Sidon couldn't sit here like this, so he gently let go of Link—who was happily sleeping by his side—and slipped out of bed. The King quietly tip-toed around the palace, and once he got out to the domain, he turned to go to Mipha Court. He never went anywhere at this time of night, but he needed to.

Once Sidon arrived at Mipha Court, he walked up the steps to where the statue of Mipha was held. Each step felt like it took a million years, and Sidon felt like he was going to crack at any moment. Kings shouldn't cry is what Sidon thought as he walked up to the statue, though he was very wrong. Everyone cries sometimes, and being a king doesn't mean that you cannot show your emotions.

The statue of Mipha was beautiful—the moonlight made it even better. It captured the beauty of Mipha perfectly. Sidon gently ran his hand over the smooth stone of the statue. It lacked one thing: the warmth of Mipha. No one would feel her warmth ever again, as he lost it the day Waterblight Ganon killed her where she stood.

“Mipha,” Sidon whispered, “I'm so sorry that I wasn't there for you. If only…”

And with that, Sidon burst into tears. If only I was the one who died, is what Sidon was going to say. Sidon knew that both King Dorephan and Muzu loved Mipha more than him. She was perfect, or as perfect as a Zora could be, and Sidon wasn't as perfect as her. Sidon had to wear a mask to appear comparable to Mipha, while in reality he wasn't anything as wonderful as she was.

Sidon sat there for a while, crying and mumbling to the statue of the late Princess Mipha. Then, the King of the Zora heard the sound of boots clicking on the stone. Sidon turned around, and his lover—Link—was standing there. Link quickly rushed to Sidon's side, throwing the King into a hug.

“Sidon! Are you okay? What in Hylia's name happened?!” Link said, his voice filled with concern.

Sidon didn't say anything, all he did was sob into Link's shirt sleeve.

Link, with no other options, just let Sidon cry in his arms. No matter what the hell was happening to Sidon, Link would take care of his king and make sure that he was okay no matter what. Link patted Sidon's back and gently rubbed his cheek, before he softly kissed Sidon's crest. Even though Sidon was still an emotional wreck, Link could tell that Sidon's sobs got lighter with the kiss. Link even grabbed Sidon's tail and gave it a little nibble, which drew a small laugh from Link's king.

“I'll ask again, what happened, Sidon?” Link asked after Sidon calmed down enough.

“It is just that… I miss Mipha, and I know that everyone would be happier if she was here instead of myself…” Sidon mumbled.

“What?! No! I wouldn't be happy if she was here instead of you! You're amazing! She was amazing too, yeah, but I wouldn't trade you for anyone!”

“But what about Trello, Muzu, and the other old Zora?”

“They can fuck off if they say anything like that! You know what? I miss Mipha too, but saying that everything would be better if she was here and you weren't? That's insane!”

Sidon smiled slightly, and in response Link squeezed him tightly.

“C'mon Sidon, I'll make us some food.”

“Okay Link, thank you so much…”

Link helped Sidon off of the ground, and he walked with him to the main area of Mipha Court. Sidon and Link sat down by the campfire, Link lit it, and quickly kissed Sidon's crest again. Link then went to catch some fish while Sidon was embarrassed as all hell. Once Link got back, he put a pot on the campfire, put some sort of oil in it, threw the fish and some salt in the pot, and started to cook. It was a simple meal, but Link was making it, which made it way better.

Once both of them were done eating their fish, Link took the pot off of the fire and jumped into Sidon's arms. Link accidentally pushed Sidon to the ground, but Sidon didn't mind one bit. Link nuzzled Sidon's neck as they laid on the ground, and Sidon let out a soft chuckle. Eventually, both Link and Sidon got prtry tired, so they decided to just fall asleep right there.

“Good night, Sidon,” Link said, a soft smile on his face.

“Good night, my precious pearl. Sleep well,” Sidon responded, his eyelids becoming heavy.

The two then fell asleep, cuddling in each other's arms while they laid in the grass. Sidon's slumber was filled with thoughts of Link and happy memories of Mipha. Although Mipha was gone, Sidon had stories of her from Link and his father, and he had his own happy memories of her.

[moonmilkfairy]

can Mipha fans like…not bring up zelda every time they talk about their ship? how are you going to say Link didn’t love Zelda or care about her at least to some degree when:

- Link states in his diary that “I remembered all the things we've been through. Even just a little bit sooner, I wish to see [Zelda] smile again with my own eyes.”

- he remains by her side even after Calamity Ganon is defeated. there is no need for him to continue to stay with Zelda following the Calamity, as the threat of evil is vanquished. yet, Hateno villagers state that Link and Zelda are always together, and it’s odd to see one without the other.

- Paya’s diary: “I wonder if Master Link is in love with Princess Zelda…” speaks for itself.

- in BotW, Link actually SPEAKS to Zelda???? aka, something he isn’t comfortable doing with many people… and he voices his burdens to her about his silence and anxiety. Impa also states that Link “was a comfort to her [Zelda].”

- when Zelda cries in the Spring of Power, he turns around, and it’s implied that he comforts her somehow. if he didn’t care about her, he’d just maintain his stance guarding in front of the spring.

- the whole scene when they’re fleeing in the woods. Bro. as her charge, he should have kept running and pulling Zelda along; however, he allowed her to grieve. he allowed her to stop and weep in his arms. even his expression towards her was tender.

- in her own diary, Mipha states that Link is “ever looking past her, into the distance.” in the events of BotW, it’s pretty blatant that Link didn’t speak to anyone and grew distant with Mipha. they were friends when HE was a CHILD, however… (eyebrow raise. everyone seems to ignore that Mipha was so much older and more mature than Link - in Zora years, whatever - but this is so odd to me. you’re going to ship a character with someone who watched them grow up??? odd.)

- “Zelda didn’t deserve Link” “Zelda hated Link”What. literally WHAT. “the princess’s love for her fallen knight awoke her powers.” “the princess herself only had eyes for her escort, her own knight attendant.” SIT DOWNNNNNN.

anyways I may just be bitter fr but I will NEVER stand for Princess Zelda slander

[avionvadion]

Sorry for the double ask but my curiosity is itching me. What instances of Zelink do you ship? Since you said you’re particular about your Zelink

Skyward Sword is the biggest, lol. I don’t really ship it in BotW, but in TotK I do. In OoT I’m too convinced they’re actually siblings, but in Twilight Princess they barely interact at all.

They just need to actually have chemistry for me to ship it. Like, they need to actually know each other. In Skyward Sword, they’re childhood friends. They grew up with each other.

When Link sees Zelda, he gets this absolutely adorable smile on his face and you just know he loves her. And after they get separated, every time they reunite, Zelda tries to run to him before Impa pulls her back. When she reveals she’s actually reincarnated Hylia, she says, “I’m still my father’s daughter. I’m still your Zelda.”

In BotW, sure, it’s said Zelda’s “love for her fallen knight awakened her power” but at that point in time it just feels kinda one-sided. She’s a dear friend of Link’s, but I don’t get the feeling he was in love with her.

Totk, though??? Where several years have passed??? When they’re walking together in the beginning, observing the ruins, and you can see them interact??? The way Zelda checks up on him and crinkles her eyes in a smile, the way Link takes the torch from her without her even needing to ask??? The way it’s hinted that they live together, and how Zelda’s diary says Link never leaves her side, so she had to have a secret study built in a well? How she has an extra hair tie for him in said well???

How Zelda hid his new tunic to surprise him, behind a puzzle of all things, because she probably knows he likes puzzles and wanted to challenge him a little??? The way she told Link to find her, knowing she wouldn’t be herself after she transformed, and was trusting him to help her remember???

Totk Zelink is just. It’s like an evolution of their dynamic in BotW. Zelda always cared for Link, but Link had been going through such heavy depression- it’s also more hinted that he had feelings for Mipha (at least to me)- and then he died. All of his friends were dead. He woke up a century later. Everything was left behind. He had no memories.

Link had to grieve and move on, and save what was left. He had to remember, he had to heal. And in TotK we get to see that healed Link. He moved on from the past. He moved on from Mipha. He found a future with Zelda. But now Zelda is missing. She doesn’t remember who she is. He has to fight and help her remember, just as she once helped him through his lost memories of her.

It’s. I dunno. It just feels like poetry.

I hope this makes sense, lol.

[phoenixesse]

Future's Present

I wrote this drabble because I love the champions and their descendants so much, especially Revali and Tulin. I HAD to write something for them, and here it is :) Please enjoy!

Please note that there are totk spoilers for all four of the Regional Phenomena main quest parts.

Despite the insistence of those at Lookout Landing, Link does not decide to travel up north to the freezing Hebra region first. He instead travels east to Kakariko Village, intent on visiting an old friend, reminiscing on a journey long past. 

Zora's Domain was naturally the closest from there. The muck had plagued them and their swimming abilities, so when Link arrived to help, he was tasked with seeking out the Zora Prince. 

He hadn't been to Zora's Domain in some time. There was really no way to tell how long it had been between when he and Zelda explored the castle, to when he woke up, after all. 

When he arrived and washed off the statue in the main area, Mipha did not greet him. Instead, a beautiful new carving of him riding Sidon to Vah Ruta was in its place. 

There's a sting of melancholy. 

It really shouldn't be there. Link's had his time to grieve, moreso than so many others were given the privilege. 

He doesn't think he could ever love Mipha in the way she did him, but at least he could hold onto her kindness like she'd held onto him with her grace.

It's hard to admit he misses her. All of them.  

-

He was told Sidon was located on Ploymus Mountain, stopping the tainted water at the source. When Link arrived, he paused, hand falling from where he'd been holding his weapon. 

The Zora had created a beautiful place named 'Mipha Court' in his time away, to honour their fallen princess. Somehow, Link knew she would've adored it. 

At the highest point, following the blue stairs with the water that flowed down them, was Mipha's statue. He looks over to the East Reservoir Lake, close to where Ruta used to be. 

There's an apology on his lips he can't say. He looks over to Sidon, hyper-focused on his task. 

He's glad she's been honoured to the highest degree and loved just as much as when she was alive.

-

He treks through the Eldin mountains next, embracing the not-so-scalding temperatures this time around. While visiting the back of Death Mountain, he notices the Lizard Lakes, reminding him of memories everyone wants to forget. He looks up higher on Death Mountain, only noticing a shrine waiting for him. He takes in a long breath. It was going to be no easy feat to reclimb all the way up. 

-

It's off-putting to see so many Gorons unravelled by their new food discovery, and even worse when Yunobo is completely unlike himself by seemingly his princess's cause. 

Luckily, the mask he's wearing breaks after a brief scuffle, and Yunobo is more than happy to fight. 

As they walk through the city on their way to cure whatever had plagued Death Mountain, the Goron Stone Memorial sits repolished, lights glowing in the eyes of each warrior carved. Daruk sits in the middle of them all, continually overlooking Goron City. 

"Do you think it looks alright?" Yunobo asks. "I had some help from my guys at YunoboCo, and I think it turned out pretty good!" 

Link nods. Protector, indeed. 

Daruk was a man of strength and heart. To see him stand as tall as he did on Rudania eases the ache in Link's heart ever-so-slightly. 

-

In the wake of another round of re-exploring Hyrule, Link wonders how easy it will be to travel to someone grounding. Having made up his mind, that's how he ends up all the way across the continent at the Gerudo Hideout's doorstep. His Ascend ability comes into great use, and after explaining his harsh methods, he's redirected to Riju's location. 

Her training seems to be having mixed results. She wields lightning as easily as Urbosa once did, but her aim is only truly guided once Link shoots an arrow to the correct destination. 

Her pride in her abilities is clear, heralding them with the passion Urbosa once did to protect the people important to her. 

The desert is once again shrouded in sand, making many areas unchartable. A certain camel stirs in Link's mind. The tower to see the map (when he could) sat right beside where it used to be. Before his long trek through the Gerudo Desert, he had sat on the steps, looking over it. The dragon that started to reside there made the spot look so small in comparison. 

After catching up on the reason for Gerudo Town's vacant state, Link learned of new enemies that came to swarm the Gerudo, and they seemed to have very few vulnerabilities. Riju's power of lightning is useful indeed, being one of the only things able to strike foes down. 

When the town is saved, she insists on following an old legend to dispel the sandstorm and kill off the Gibdo, hopefully for good. While preparations are being made, Link departs by her bedroom, happy to see her beloved sand seals upkept. 

He passes her diary on the way to the courtyard, eager to hear about the spoils he'd won. However, a few lines catch his attention in passing, and he stops. 

Riju speaks of her worries about The Upheaval, which comes from a place of little surprise. Her uneasiness continues into thoughts of Zelda and himself and their disappearance. She talks of the fortifications in place for Gerudo Town and how much she believes she can do against their new enemies. It ends with her speaking and leaving for training, advice Zelda once gave her at the forefront of her mind. 

"Oh, Lady Urbosa, if only you were here with us. Watch over us all in these dark times, and keep Zelda and Link safe..."

Link turns away, wandering outside to the courtyard. She's just as quick-witted as he remembers, which comes as no surprise but is a relief nonetheless. She also seems to be the only one to mention Urbosa, her importance still weighing on her mind. 

Her fury, her passion; he sees it so clearly in Riju. Urbosa's legacy was well placed in her hands.  

If there was only one person to keep the memory of such a woman alive, he's glad it turned out to be her.

-

The Hebra region is cold, much more than usual. The locals he's come across all tell of a never-ending blizzard, one that has broken the Rito's bridge and put their community into a heavy drought from food and shelter. 

From the Lucky Clover Gazzette, Link looks forward to the shrouded village. The Gazette isn't far, luckily. It's crowded and homey, with very few travellers and a story-hungry manager, but he's taken a few jobs from there, and it seems to be an alright place. 

He huddles by the fire, waiting for morning. He breathes in the cool air and the smell of smoke. He's finally arrived at where he was supposed to go in the very beginning.

After gliding over the bridge to arrive at Rito Village, Link explores what seems to be the vacant spiralled suburb. Snow piles mound from every surface, and all the rooms are empty.

The shops are still open, run by the children of the village. 

"The adults are gone," They say. "They went to find food and shelter. We're okay running everything while they're gone, though!"

Link thought being the sacred knight was a weighted burden at sixteen, but even then, he was chosen for it. There was always no hesitance when the thought occurred that he'd do alright. But these children? Running a whole village on their own? It makes him feel a tinge of guilt for not saving Zelda already, and putting this in their hands. Wasn't this something he was born to do?

He finds Tulin, Teba, and Saki talking on a certain landing covered in snow. It's indistinguishable from every other place in the village at this point. 

Tulin must be around twelve years old now, claiming his independence with his promising, above-average skill set. Another kid with the weight of their world on his shoulders. 

When he notices Link from afar, his eyes light up with glee and excitement. It makes him wonder why it took so long for him to get here. 

Tulin has grown, that much is easy to see. Teba sighs and shakes his head once his son eagerly takes off on his next adventure. He tells Link that he can't leave, his new mantle as chief connected to overseeing the village in its darkest hour. 

So Link follows, trekking up another mountain and into the mouth of a large cave. 

Tulin's gone far, far ahead, exiting out of the other side and glaring up at some monsters. His tenacity is admirable, but it could be seen as foolhardy. Many of the Rito through the cave praised Tulin for his skill but sighed regardless, his lack of cooperation becoming a further frustrating trait. It's an echo of a person Link once knew, this child training to become a champion but seemingly held back by an inner flaw. 

Tulin's excitement is still palpable, even once he tells Link his bow was stolen. With his power to control the winds and Link's skill as a halfway decent archer, Tulin retrieves his bow, happier than ever. 

As he inspects said item, his smile fades, and his expression downturns. 

"Link? I don't think I should've rushed off like that." He clutches his bow closer. "They all warned me, and I didn't listen. I just thought that because I had some better skills, I wouldn't need anyone else's help. I just didn't want to see them hurt, especially when they're all working so hard for the village."

Link's eyes widen, and he wonders if a certain loner would've said the same thing if he'd been this age. 

He places a hand softly on his shoulder, rubbing it in what he hopes is a comforting gesture. Tulin peeks up with broad eyes. He dashes into Link's stomach, wings wrapping around his back. 

Link hesitantly places both of his arms around the boy in return. 

"You know, I really think I get it now. Teaming up with you was so fun! And it makes things a lot easier too." Tulin pulls back. "I think I'm ready. Let's go to the Sky Islands and save Princess Zelda!"

As they fly over, the catharsis settles, and the blizzard seems a little less harsh. 

-

The Sky Islands in Hebra are a gigantic collection of ships based on an old myth that was very questionably true until now. Sheets of cloth line nearly every one, creating a space to bounce from ship to ship. As they near the eye of the storm, the wind grows harsher, and even the paraglider has trouble flowing through the gusts of wind. Tulin is just as strong here as he is on the ground, the only tell of struggle through his squinted eyes. 

Finally, as the storm reached its apex, one last ship stood in the way. As Tulin bursts Link forward, he latches on to the side of the ship, eventually able to pull himself up. With one more bounce, the clouds clear, and finally, finally, the far edges of the horizon sing in prominence. 

The two fall, eyes marvelling at the sky between one held breath- one held moment of stasis and the next. 

Vah Medoh had been one thing but was so secluded in comparison. Even though Link had travelled through the sky so much already, he understood Rito's love for it only then. 

The center of the storm housed the ship of legend in all of its splendour. With five turbines to activate throughout the three floors of the ship, they were going to be there for some time. 

But it was eventually done. 

Another of Ganondorf's creations, Colgera, waited for them from beneath.

Link and Tulin were blown into the sky as the giant monster attacked. 

By utilizing a combination of well-placed arrows, Tulin's gusts, and dodging the spikes and tornados thrown their way, the monster fell in defeat. 

Tulin, upon touching the sacred stone, becomes acquainted with the Imprisoning War from his ancestor and told the same as the other sages. 

'The Sage of Wind', they'll now call him. A title heavy for a kid, but accepted wholeheartedly of his own volition. Another guardian has been born into Rito Village.

He looks at Link with pride he's only seen very a few times before. He won't let him, or any of the others, down. 

-

Link stumbles by a woman as he makes his way to the top of the village upon their return. She makes passing, polite small talk with him, mentioning Vah Medoh's perch. She says it casually as if it's not a bad thing to remember. 

It makes him breathe a sigh of relief as she wanders away.

-

Teba is overjoyed to see the two of them when they return. As their conversation about the Stormwind Ark dies down, Teba turns to his son, unclasping the bow on his back. Tulin looks around in surprise. 

"I did tell you that this bow would be yours someday when you came into being a warrior." 

Tulin nods, his wings gently wrapping themselves around the bow. Link sees his eyes travel down the blue ribbon attached, and feels his own breath catch. 

"Dad... thank you," Tulin says. "I'll prove that I'm a worthy enough warrior to use it." 

A small gust ruffles the trees nearby.

Teba nods, Saki behind him smiling. Tulin finally turns to Link.

"I think I'm going to look into the Stormwind Ark to figure out what

happened to Princess Zelda, so I might be gone for a while. But that doesn't mean I'll be gone forever, so come back soon, okay? I might have new information for you!" Link nods. "And don't feel like you're ever alone. I'm the Sage of Wind now, and my avatar will be supporting you for as long as I can!" 

Link blinks, a small smile peeking through. He was going to be undoubtedly an unforgettable ally.

-

The adrenaline from his final adventure before the last battle finally wears off as everyone departs for the highest point of Rito Village. 

There's no one else around, and the snow has finally melted the village's cold exterior and could finally be inhabited again. 

Link turns his head to a sign a little ways away, noting that the Rito had polished it from his last visit with a red and white feather-like trim. 

It reads: 'Revali's Landing'.

The pattern on the wood from it has not seemed to age. The Rito symbol sits proudly, even still, a shining beacon of hope for those who come across it. 

How fitting that a bow passed from a great warrior, to a fighter and chief, and finally to his proven son was received in that very place. 

The Rito did not speak of Revali, it seemed. They, like the rest of the world, had moved on in small ways over one-hundred years. 

While his name may not have been spoken, it was softly known. From how well-kept the landing was to the passing of a torch. Tulin had the same force of a gale, and the power few Rito could harness would not go to waste in his care. 

Even with such sentiment, Link couldn't help but feel a tad sympathetic for Revali. He would've hated not being mentioned more. He would've hated his sympathy. Link could laugh.

He doesn't.

He kneels down and runs a hand over the largest part of the Rito symbol. A sudden thought comes to him, and he sorts through his bag. 

The sun starts to set, and pinks and blues flood the horizon most over the Hebra and Tabantha regions. Link leans up against the post of the landing, limbs too tired to find a proper campfire. 

He drifts off to sleep, finally a pseudo-peace lightly blanketing his mind. 

-

In the middle of the landing site, three Blue Nightshades lightly ruffle through the wind, steady. 

I had forgotten you a lifetime ago, but in this one, I won't allow that memory to be lost.

EXTRA:

Link blinks awake, the full moon high in the sky and darkness shrouding the atmosphere. He stretches, briefly regretting his decision to sleep on the wood. 

The flowers he'd placed sit peacefully, untouched. Maybe he'd backtrack a little with the idea now in mind. Maybe put some Swift Violets in the middle of Mipha Court? Or Sundelions in front of the giant Goron Statue? Or even Electric Safflina on Riju's desk? 

A pitter-patter of footsteps worms its way around until the source is at his side. 

"Sorry, I didn't wake you up, did I?" Tulin asks.

Link shakes his head.

"Phew, that's good. Couldn't sleep?"

Link parses with the thought for a moment. He tilts his head from side to side with a sheepish half-smile. 

Tulin smiles, taking a seat next to Link. "Me neither. I mean, I'm so glad to be the Sage of Wind! But... I guess I've never really thought about what that meant. More exciting new adventures for sure!" He looks to the moon. "I know we can protect Hyrule. It's just a matter of time!"

Link nods quickly, smile stretching. 

"It's nice to see the sky so clear again. You can actually see the moon!"

Link agrees. He hopes Tulin notices. 

They sit in silence for a few more minutes, Tulin's eyes still on the sky. 

"I like the flowers, by the way," Tulin says softly. "I'll make sure they won't get hurt while I'm around."

Link nods appreciatively. 

"You know, I actually met Master Revali once before. It was a long time ago, and I don't fully remember what happened because I was so young, but I ask Dad about it as often as I can, because he was there too!" Link stares, wide-eyed. "Dad told me I accidentally followed him into a portal back in time, where the calamity was stopped, and no one died!"

Tulin's eyes glow. 

"Master Revali saved me that day! He's really just as great as everyone said! And a lot nicer once you get to know him." Tulin chuckles. "I have his bow now. I told him one day I'd be worthy of it! I wish he could've seen me master it!"

Tulin falls back onto a post with a yawn. 

"Link, do you think- since you knew- ugh, actually, never mind." He shakes his head. 

Link tilts his head to the side in a questioning look. He hopes it's comforting enough for Tulin to keep going and be unashamed of doing so. 

"It's kind of a stupid question." He laughs awkwardly. "Like I know dad already is, and I don't have to prove anything to anyone but- do you think that... Master Revali would've been proud of me?" 

Link's eyes widen twofold, and for one of the very few times in his life, he acts on an impulsive emotion alone. He reaches behind Tulin, clutching him in his arms. He shakes his head up and down vigorously, unsure if the kid can even feel it. 

"You really think so?" Oh no, he sounds a little sad. "Thank you, Link!" Tulin laughs openly instead. "Thank you so much!" He reciprocates the hug, a wide smile pressed into Link's upper shoulder. 

When they pull away, the moon has already lowered significantly from the start of their conversation. Tulin yawns again. 

"I'm guessing you're going to have to leave tomorrow morning? Lots of stuff to get ready for the final fight, right?"

Link finds himself reluctantly nodding. 

"That's okay! I know you and everyone else are going to do awesome, Link!" Tulin yawns a third time. "I'd invite you to where we live for the night, but there's not that much room. Do you mind if I stay out here tonight?"

Link shakes his head.

"Awesome." Tulin leans his own head against Link's shoulder. "Good night, Link. And thanks for everything."

Sleep comes to the pair far easier this time. 

-

At the same time, for the briefest of seconds, the water calms in every lake. The rocks and lava silence their thunder. A faraway bolt of lightning strikes an enemy. A light breeze ruffles through a trio of flowers, the chosen knight, and the Rito's upcoming greatest warrior. 

Riju writes another entry into her diary, the next day looking even more promising. 

Yunobo says goodnight to every Goron still awake after a hard day at work. 

Sidon watches a shooting star fall from afar from the King's throne, attaching every single hope he has onto it.

A blissful peace settles over Hyrule. Even though there are many challenges yet to overcome, for one night, everything seems like it might turn out okay. 

[breathlesslink]

Chapter Nine — New Phase

t.o.c ; << | >>

Link could have been back earlier, but he needed a minute.

Nothing could have prepared him for the Divine Beast. He expected fighting, but puzzles? He didn't think he'd also have to use his brain instead of just his brawn, but that made some sense since the shrines were also predominately puzzles.

The small underlings of Ganon's weren't difficult. Just little sentries, designed to look like mini guardians. The creature of malice that had defeated Mipha, however, was different.

She called it 'Waterblight Ganon', a small manifestation of his power sent to destroy the Champions and claim the beasts as his own like he did the other Ancient technologies. Link could see how a monster like that would be difficult to beat.

After Vah Ruta traveled her way to a spot to aim her beam at Hyrule Castle, Link took a break.

He sat on the grass next to the Beast, staying there long after Mipha's spirit had disappeared.

His chest felt heavy. Grief was already a strange emotion— he'd known that from when he lost his parents. But to grieve someone you don't remember meeting? He didn't even know what he was grieving. Mipha was apparently a close friend, consoling him on the days when Zelda became a bit too much to handle.

He remembered her, but only a bit. He knew that he knew her. He knew that they were close, but that was it. To learn that she had crafted the Zora Armor he wore because she wanted to marry him—

The Zora Armor.

You would think it looked so cool. He had to get back and show you. He knew you would love to hear about what happened.

Link groaned and stretched, sore from the fighting and dreading the trek back to the Domain. But he was excited too, to see you again and tell you about everything that happened.

———

A delicious smell wafted through the openings of the inn as you and Kodah worked tirelessly over the cooking pot, countless servings of seafood paella being churned out as word of Vah Ruta's defeat began to spread.

Zora's noticed her return to her original place high above the Kingdom hours ago, but Link had yet to come back. You tried to ignore the anxiety that rested deep in your stomach and focus on the dinner in front of you, but you couldn't help but watch the front of the Domain as you helped serve the Zora citizens their feast.

"Staring isn't going to make him magically appear, you know." Kodah teased. You rolled your eyes.

"I'm just a little worried. Vah Ruta has been fine for a few hours now. What if he's so injured that he can't make it back?"

"I think you're full of blubber." Kodah scooped another serving of paella for a Zora in line. "You of all people know that he's supposed to defeat Ganon. Do you really think he'd let something like this get him so easily?"

Considering he almost died before, maybe.

But you didn't want to say that, so instead you shrugged, tossing in another batch of shrimp to the pot.

"I put my full faith in him. But he's still Hylian at the end of the day. He's mortal. Might not be dead, but he could be hurt."

"You say you don't doubt me, but it sure sounds like you do."

There was a beat of silence as you processed the third voice that joined the conversation, and then your ladle fell to the ground.

You whipped around, unable to contain the smoke that stretched across your face as you rushed towards Link. He had a grin of his own, but it quickly faded into a look of surprise as you practically tackled him to the ground in a tight hug. Link took the brunt of the fall as you landed on top of him, but if it hurt he didn't show it. Instead he hugged you back, his arms sliding around your waist and squeezing. His cheek rested on your head.

"What took you so long! Are you okay?" You pulled away only a few inches to inspect him, but seeing as though he seemed fine you returned to your spot under his chin.

"Just needed a breather. Solving a bunch of puzzles and fighting an entity that's just a mini Ganon takes a lot out of you.

"And I bet the puzzles were harder than the fight." You snorted.

"That's just rude." Link playfully shoved you off of him, sticking his nose in the air. He didn't deny it. "What is that smell? I'm starving."

As if on cue, his stomach rumbled. You laughed and stood up, offering your hand to him. Link took it and hoisted himself up, the task a bit more difficult with how tired he was.

"Kodah and I made a huge seafood paella dinner for everyone to celebrate. We made sure to make enough for you when you came back."

"Oh my goddess, really?" Link's mouth watered as he watched you scoop a serving for him. "You're the best thing to ever happen to me."

You slightly flushed, but ignored his comment in favor of making your own plate and informing Kodah of your departure to eat with Link. You led him to a more secluded area, away from the crowds, figuring that he'd had enough of the socialization for a while. You certainly had.

You watched as Link took a tentative bite of the paella before diving in. You couldn't help but laugh. "You're gonna choke if you don't slow down."

"You go do the shit I did and then tell me that again."

"I would, but you said I'm not allowed." You joked, playfully pouting.

Link rolled his eyes. "Right. And after experiencing it, my rule still stands. If anything, it stands even stronger."

"Really? It was that bad, huh?"

"Uh, some parts were." He put down his utensils for a second. "It's draining, that's for sure. I, uh, saw the old Champion."

"Mipha?" Sidon had given you the rundown after returning from Link.

"Yeah. I remembered her. It sucked, but in like a different way than usual." You stayed silent, so he continued. "Like, obviously I knew her and was close with her. So I should be grieving her death, right? Except, I'm not because I don't remember her. So I only feel guilty now, because I feel like I should feel worse about it and that makes me feel even worse but in a different way. And it doesn't make any sense but—"

Link's rambling was cut off as you laid your hand on his. His eyes shot up to meet yours, the calming aura reflecting in them helping to soothe him a bit.

"Link, your circumstances are one in a million. There's a lot of things that should have happened, or ways that things should be, but guess what? It didn't happen. You've got to navigate an entirely new life— you're still in the same body as 100 years ago, but everything is different now. The land, the times, even you seem more different than how you described how you used to be. You told me that you never talked, but now you're so talkative.

Maybe 100 years ago you'd grieve properly, but even then is there even a right way to grieve? Everyone handles it differently. You feel guilty for not remembering her, right?"

Link nodded, averting his eyes in shame. You squeezed his hand.

"From what you do remember, do you think she'd want you to be sad about it? Or do you think she'd want you to just think about the happy times you can remember?"

"Definitely the happy times." He had a far-away look in his eyes, probably playing the few memories he does have of Mipha in his head. "She was always about being strong and looking on the bright side."

"And she believed that you fit her mindset so similarly that she wanted to marry you! You, of all people. Marriage material? I don't know about that—"

"Hey! I'll let you know I'd make a perfect husband." Link huffed and sent a grin your way. "It's not like I would've married her anyways. When I remember her, I get the feeling that I loved her as more of a sister than anything. I didn't even know about the Armer being made."

"And what cool armor it is." You laughed.

You'd brought up the marriage subtly, wanting to get Link's input on it without him teasing you for caring so much. When Sidon told you of Mipha's story, you questioned whether Link returned her feelings or not. You hated to admit, but you were definitely a little jealous. Not in a romantic way, of course.

In more of a "You're my first friend in a very long time and I don't want anyone else to have your attention" kind of way. Yeah. You had one more question to curb your jealous curiosity for the day, though.

"If not Mipha, what about Zelda? Isn't it like a fairy tale come true for a princess and her knight to fall in love?"

"No," Link laughed and shook his head, as if it was some absurd idea. "Zelda hated me up until a few days before Ganon attacked, I'm pretty sure. Plus, she was into some other knight at the castle. That's another reason why she was so mad that I was her knight and he wasn't."

"Oh come on." You felt better, but now you just wanted to tease. "There's no way a guy like you wasn't drowning in women."

Link flushed, and you bit back a laugh. "N-no! I told you, I didn't even talk to anyone! I was so focused on being a knight, and then being the Champion, I didn't have time for anything else."

"You for sure had women eyeing you. There's no way you didn't. You're too handsome for that."

Link continued to flush. He'd mentioned many times before that in the past, the burden of protecting Hyrule kept him stoic and quiet, but you had to tease him. His social skills were never entirely up to par.

"Stop messing with me." He finally let go of your hand and grabbed his utensils again to finish the paella. "What did you do when I was gone?"

You looked at your plate for a split second, trying to make a decision on what to say. Link would be so upset if you fought a monster alone, but you would like to think he'd also be proud.

You remembered moments before the fight, when the Yiga member taunted you from the trees. He beckoned you back to Gerudo under potentially false promises of knowing your brother's location.

"I just healed. Rested and went on a walk or two to keep my muscles from getting stiff."

"That's it?" Link didn't sound convinced. "Very unlike you to actually listen to Doctor's orders."

"Yeah, well," You paused for a second, trying to think of literally anything to defend yourself. Sometimes, telling the truth is the best lie you could create. "I just didn't want to hold you back from any more of the journey, so I wanted to get better as soon as possible."

Nobody ever said it had to be the truth of the current situation.

"Oh please," Link waved his hand, "I'd carry you on my back across Hyrule if I had to."

You didn't have a solid response to that and you were nearly certain Link was unaware of the feeling he just gave you in the pit of your stomach. You needed to change the subject.

"How long do you think it'll be until we reach Gerudo?"

"I was planning on hitting Elden next since its closer. Any reason why?"

Bad change of subject.

"Uh, I just miss my family there a bit. But if we're going to Elden first, I can wait. No worries."

You wouldn't show that it was indeed major worries, but perhaps when Link was off fighting the Divine Beast on Death Mountain you could scout another Yiga soldier and make them give you more information. It didn't feel right doing all of this behind his back, but you were feeling more and more desperate to reach Hiro with every passing moment, especially now that you knew your next move.

You always worked best alone during the little missions that the Yiga had sent you out on. It was taking all of your self-restraint to not just up and leave now to find Hiro, but you also felt a sense of responsibility towards Link. Like it was your own personal mission to protect him from the Yiga and any other threat that may come to him during his mission.

You knew the minute you realized who he was that your old way of life would no longer work. You needed to adapt and find new ways to solve your issues in your new phase of life.

Your new phase with Link by your side.

[transskywardsword]

Okay RANDOM ask- but I wanted to ask what's your personal characterization for Sidon as I was super curious about that potential fic concept AND I trust your character judgment! I'm also really want to write him for Wild's chapter of hyrules curse and I was just having a bit of difficulty figuring out how he'd approach messy arguments! Also I'm super excited for whatever fic concept you pick <3 though admittedly I am a bit biased for political conflict and competent yiga...

gosh answering this was so hard, simply bc i still struggle with writing sidon. it gets hard to give him depth when he's, well, the sunshine fish man in canon. My biggest thing with sidon is making sure to establish how his biggest positive character traits, like positivity and undying faith in others, lead to negative ones. his positivity is a toxic coping skill he's developed from loosing his sister and such to the calamity. his faith in others leads to him putting too much on his loved one's shoulders, which leads to failure, which then leads to overprotectiveness. he's a mess of emotion under the smiles-- i get the vibe that he is still young for a zora, like 19ish in hylian years, and that he has a lot of maturing to do-- something that he himself is all too aware of. in botw, he is surprised when king dorephan compliments him and tells him he has done well in saving the domain, and in totk he seems equally taken aback that dorephan wants to crown him. i think he really thinks lowly of himself; he couldnt save his sister, and in botw couldn't save the domain without link's help. in totk that fear of failure translates to overprotectiveness surrounding yona. basically, i see him as a mess of contradictions: positive to the point of toxicity, believing in others but not himself, and having faith in the skill of others while becoming fiercely overprotective at the slightest hint of their failure. i think he carries a lot of unresolved trauma that he covers with smiles; instead of allowing himself the chance to grieve mipha, he works himself to the bone to be a better prince and smothers his loved ones, like we see with yona. honestly, the more i write him, the more i see his 'i believe in you' being increasingly desperate and more to reassure himself than others. he wants to believe he is doing the right thing, and if assuring someone that they are perfect for the job helps, then damn it he'll take what he can get!

as for messy arguments-- what i fall back on with this when writing sidon is taking his fears and turning them to anger. he's a very emotional person and feels everything at 110%, so when he's frightened, he lashes out. he has a hard time being rational given how his coping skills are all over the top emotion, and without his toxic positivity to keep him going he quickly gets overwhelmed. he puts so much on others shoulders that he fucks things up for himself and for them without meaning to, and having been raised a prince, is not known for backing down when he thinks he's in the right-- or even when he knows he's wrong. he's a good guy, but being raised royalty is still being raised royalty, and admitting he's wrong is hard

i hope this was helpful? im still figuring the fish man out and hopefully i get that settled before i finish my current fic and start the sidlink one oops

[1tsjusty0u]

god after this im so tempted to make a totk fic where link is in like. a Termina Hell. because it Looks like his hyrule but its not- things thatre supposed to be there (the icy texture is gone around the hebra divine beast hole, the divine beasts and shrines and the shrine of resurrection ((that would mess him up So bad)) animals and fruits like durians and rhinos) arent and things that werent there (mabe lake(?), the bottomless pond which was the bottomless swamp but geographical features changed which ive noted in an unposted theory of sorts, ocotorock lake, lily pads???, caves that have clearly been part of the world before but are never in botw and if they were opened up by ganon then why are there ruins in there like how did they close up) are there. his house isnt his house anymore. npcs arent who they used to be At All??? its like the sheikah never existed?? and nobody mentions it (not even Robbie which, he made tech for you!!!! wheres cherry???????) and like. sure mipha is mentioned and she has a court (though her statue has been replaced in central zoras domain and like. look how the zoras viewed her after death is complicated and matyring her while also literally forgetting who she actually was but instead focusing on her image and what she represented wasnt the greatest thing. theres probably a better representation of her than that statue. but them replacing it??? and moving it so far away???????????? like. i was so mad before because i thought they just got rid of mipha entirely. like if the statue was replaced with something Other than link and sidon or just. something related to mipha!!! then it wouldnt have been that bad. ok sorry. but anyways and shes mentioned in sidons holdup (not wanting others to die, which is fair), but otherwise thats it. truthfully it isnt that bad (its still Bad dont get me wrong. but at least shes mentioned </3) however paired with the other champions treatment (little to no mention) and also there being no evidence of the shekiah tech and the divine beasts (except for a reference to vah medoh), its just. its almost like they werent important when they Were. i know moving on is like. important. however that doesnt just mean you forget someone entirely. both in like repeating history terms but also in grieving and how instead of grief growing smaller the world grows bigger in that one diagram. theres still offerings to the dead and such across cultures its. ofuejdjndndndnd biting the bars of my cage. sorry anyways!!

its just. it would be so jarring. termina clearly isnt hyrule and link knows it. id argue it actually helps link to a certain degree, maybe helping others helps him help himself + skull kid and tatl and tael and him understanding each other snd that jazz. but if this (totk) was termina it would only ruin link as a person/his mental state. from the above and also just. no one mentioning anything. not zelda knowing ganon and ganon not mentioning being like. half sealed. its like a divine prank on him (hey tp). how long would it take him to realize that this Isnt his hyrule- that that zelda isnt the one he knows, nor the champions and him seemingly (besides sidon) being the only to remember them, or that the people he met back in his hyrule arent the same ones here, or that even the divine beasts, things he probably didnt like before, he now misses because theyre just gone. funhouse mirror world. how does he get out, or is he just going insane? maybe if he could just find them- find the beasts, the shrines (theres depths holes where some used to be- they have to be out there. they have to be. please), find whatever evidence left by the champions, the sheikah, just maybe they can remember! or maybe hes trapped here, eternally tortured because of something he doesnt even know about. maybe he did this to himself. please let him out

[honest-khmyh]

Playing Tears of the Kingdom and seriously loving every minute of it so far - there’s so much to do, the battles and puzzles are harder, and the world is stunning and expanded much more than I had expected!

But playing it also makes me feel sad and miss BotW a ton.

I haven’t done all main story quests yet, including the 4 main quest dungeons, but it seems like because we are getting powers and themes that predates calamity from 10,000 year ago, we just ignore what transpired in the Calamity???

I can headcanon and justify not seeing the Sheikah Towers and shrines and divine beast, not having the Champion’s powers and Sheikah slate anymore. But so far I’ve not encountered overt mentions of the old Champions besides in location names, even though they were such prominent and legendary figures in the last game??? Like so far I i haven’t even heard any character mention the champions by name, even though Yunobo is literally a descendent of Daruk, and Sidon is Mipha’s little brother??? The only thing I have right now is the Champion’s photo in Zelda (Link’s) House in Hateno. But otherwise, my weapon, shield and bow display are gone, and I had hoped they transferred my data from BotW to see the Champion’s weapon hung there.

Another example why this upsets me so much: And Yunobo literally had Daruk’s protection in the me last game and wore a boyscout(?) scarf in the champion’s colour. Where did both of these signature qualities go???? And Yunobo has the Boulder Breaker but never mentions how he got it? Is it’s a replica or not? (Did Link and Zelda went around and gave them to the new champions during the gap years between games????)

Revali’s landing still exist by name. Daruk’s mountain carving (?) in Goron City is there. But the fuck they did to Mipha’s statue???? How could they replace her I am so mad when I realized it’s different when I arrived to the Domain??? It seems OOC that Sidon would let that happen? Like naming a place as Mipha’s court seems like an ill compromise.

I get moving forward past the grieving, but it doesn’t mean we need to forget these prominent and legendary figures?

I loved the Champions so much in BotW and AoC. Playing BotW puts us in the narrative that not only Link was trying to remember his past comrade, but to also honour them by carrying a piece of their power with him. It’s both for him to kick Ganon’s butt on behalf of his dead comrades, and also for the Champions to show their faith in him and also tell him he’s not alone. To lose all of that now feels like Link is losing his friends all over again and this time more completely and I hate it. :’(

[brendathedoodler]

I love how the AS!colors take the roles of the deceased champions. They would totally rock with those funky large Sheikah pets. Speaking of champions....care to elaborate on Loft's bunch?

Admittedly the Skyloft champions are among the less developed concepts I have so far, but I’m happy to share what I do have and the ideas I’ve got so far!

Before I continue though, it’s good to know that all the champions (with the exception of the Gorons) are humans on Skyloft.

Let’s start with Revali, a key element in the story. Revali takes on a sort of Groose-like role, and though he was never particularly friendly with Wild, the two had been close before. Well, close for them, as two very closed off and competitive guys. They were rivals and always used the other as a way to try and improve themselves. Wild had generally been the better swordsman, while Revali was the superior flier. Both were close in skill, and always eager to one up the other.

Then Wild returned from his fall and took Revali’s worry as hostility. Before, Wild had been excellent at reading him, but now there was just… Nothing. No recognition, none of the same competition they’d had before. It’s all gone. Wild is a stranger in his friend’s skin, and Revali would be lying if he said he didn’t resent him for it. That resentment doesn’t stop him from diving to the surface after Wild, though, and it doesn’t stop him from doing what he can to help. This is his world too, and he’ll be damned if he just stands idly by and lets some amnesiac dumbass do it all on his own.

Mipha is another key player. She’s Skyloft’s main doctor and healer, and everyone firmly believes that the goddess blessed her with healing magic. She and Wild had been close before he fell, though they’d never had anything official. She does her best to help Wild in his recovery, though she doesn’t believe he’ll get any memories back. If he does, it probably won’t be much. She understands that they won’t ever have what they had before, and of course grieves that, but she also wants to do what she can to help him. She’s the person Wild goes to if he wants to connect with the past he doesn’t remember. He goes to her for questions, because he trusts her to answer honestly. Besides, he does enjoy her company, he just tries to give her space because he’s sure it’s hard for her. Her and Sidon’s home is always open for him to stay at.

When Wild first arrived back on Skyloft, he stayed at their home. He planned to sneak out in the night, but Sidon caught him and convinced him to at least stay the night. Mipha realized then that no matter how much she wanted to keep him here where she could keep him safe and healed during his recovery, he’d try to escape anyway. She decided then that she wouldn’t try to make him stay, and just hoped that he’d come to trust her enough to come to her when needed (and he does).

Sidon is an entirely different matter. He knew Wild more as the guy his sister liked, but the two didn’t really cross paths all that often before (though did casually know each other, since Skyloft is a rather small place). Wild has begun to befriend him now, since Sidon doesn’t have the same sort of expectations others have since he didn’t know Wild all that well before. Nowadays he’s Wild’s hype man; he’ll cheer him on for a cool dive he did, a cool monster he killed, or for slaying a literal god. Actually, he refers to Wild as “the godslayer” quite often, and it’s one of the first things the chain hears from someone when they arrive at Skyloft. Needless to say, it sparks a lot of questions towards Wild and he answers none of them (at first; he admits some of it eventually but in the moment he’s more concerned with visiting his friends who are probably worried about him disappearing again).

Daruk is actually just vibing on the surface with other gorons. He meets Wild pretty early on, back before he visited Skyloft for the first time post-amnesia. He was covered in mud, walking on all fours, and being followed by a strange ghost-like woman and a giant bird. Wild didn’t speak to him (he hadn’t yet found his voice), but seemed content to listen to what he was saying. Daruk gave him some advice, pointed out some fruits that he’d seen other organic creatures eat (since he seemed hungry), and told him stories about places he’d been.

Later on, Daruk met Wild again. He was cleaner now, had started speaking, and was well into his recovery by then. He explained his situation with the memory loss over a rock roast (Fi sat back disapprovingly but couldn’t stop him from munching away). Daruk, being a comforting dad figure, listened intently and did his best to cheer Wild up after that conversation. It helps that Daruk is a friend who had never known Wild at all before the memory loss, and someone who didn’t understand humans like him well enough to really see how different Wild is from the rest of them. It’s a nice change of pace.

Urbosa’s role isn’t quite solid yet, but the idea I have for her is that she heads to the surface sometime after Wild does and ends up traveling with Flora and Impa in their quest, acting as another guardian and protector of her (as well as a motherly figure). Impa (based more on SS Impa than BotW Impa) and Urbosa do not get along at first. Impa thinks Urbosa is getting in the way of her duty and pointlessly interrupting, while Urbosa respects Impa for protecting Flora but isn’t thrilled that she’s sticking around now that she’s here to help. They eventually become good buddies, though, and even after it all goes down, Urbosa spends time with Impa’s elderly self in the temple.

I’m not entirely sure what to do with Riju yet, but I have a few concepts. I do think that her family will eventually become the gerudo, and currently are known for only having daughters. She and Sidon both go on a quest with Wild on the surface, but I haven’t figured out what those quests are specifically. Anyway, she’s got a lot of pressure from her family and her quest with Wild is a break from that, but also accomplishes something that she believes will make them proud. That’s why she goes on the mission in the first place, but by the end of it she’s more focused on enjoying her time with Wild and exploring the surface. (She does make her family proud though, and when Urbosa hears about what she’d accomplish, she’d insist that she was always proud of her).

[alphascorpiixx]

A Hatchday Gift

Miphlink Week Day 6: Hatchday

Link tries to think of a gift for Mipha's hatchday.

Rating: G

Words: 1924

Tags: Grief/Mourning, Memory Issues, Flower Symbolism, Canonical Character Death

Read on AO3

@miphlinkweek

---

He didn’t have a proper gift for her. Link rifled through his collection of materials for the third time. He had flowers, fish, and precious stones. Enough memories of his past had returned to know that nothing in his possession was Mipha’s favorite flower, fish, or stone. No matter how hard he tried to remember or how many times he sorted through his belongings, he still failed at picking which could be her favorite.

At least he’d remembered her hatchday.

After several days and a few discreet questions to the other Zora, Link nearly sobbed with relief when the date finally came back to him. It was still a week away, giving him time to find the best gift to lay at her statue. He just had to find out what an adequate gift would be.

For the next three days, Link laid flowers at the base of Mipha’s statue. Chrysanthemums grew on Lanaryu’s mountain slopes and riversides. He collected a bundle of red and white chrysanthemums and gently placed them at Mipha’s feet. If the other Zora saw him do so, they gave him the space to grieve. Each day, Link brought new flowers to replace the old ones while silently wracking his brain for a more personal gift.

On the fourth day, Sidon met him by the statue holding a bundle of rosemary and purple orchids. They weren’t native to Zora’s Domain, so Sidon must’ve found a traveling merchant or trekked beyond the Domain to find them himself. Link nodded wordlessly, but his smile conveyed his gratitude. They placed the flowers together.

-

By the fifth day, Link still remembered nothing about her gift preferences, and Mipha’s hatchday was two days away. Guilt gnawed at him for delaying his journey to Goron City. Vah Ruta had been calmed, but the great lizard shape of Vah Rudania still circled Death Mountain.

He glanced at where Vah Ruta now stood sentinel over the Zodobon Highlands. He’d considered leaving the flowers at the foot of the Divine Beast rather than the statue, as the statue was a memorial and not her true grave. But a whisper in his heart assured him she would have favored this choice. Her spirit no longer haunted the Divine Beast, and her statue was in her home and surrounded by her family.

Link cleared the dying flowers from her statue. He hadn’t brought new ones to replenish them. His mind recalled a conversation they’d once had while basking in a field of wildflowers. Mipha had enjoyed the sight and scent of flowers, but bouquets weren’t her choice of gift. She preferred flowers wild or cultivated but not cut. She’d said they were better off growing in their natural life than dying in a day. The long-lived Zora rarely decorated with cut flowers. They used jewelry and metalwork or occasionally textiles. The flowers Link had brought were more to soothe his own soul while he thought of something more suitable.

The thought of jewelry sparked an idea. Mipha always wore jewelry in silvers and blues that complimented her lovely red scales. Link had sold his last sapphires a few weeks ago. But the hills of Upland Zorana had mineral deposits. He placed a single chrysanthemum before departing. Sidon watched in solidarity but did not place anything himself. They shared a silent agreement that the flowers were not meant to make the statue a shrine to Mipha. From the Zora’s stories of the Champion Festival, it was Mipha’s wish to be remembered rather than mourned. The gifts from Link and Sidon were gifts of remembrance from a lover and a brother, not offerings from worshippers.

Equipped with a hammer from the Hammerhead workshop, the armor Mipha had crafted, and her Lightscale Trident, Link swam up the waterfalls. He’d polished the armor to a shine that morning, and he glimmered like a Zora in the water. The armor also protected him from the enemies he encountered. The bokoblins fell to the Lightscale Trident, but the spitting lizalfos got a shot in before he struck it down. He avoided the Guardians’ searching eyes and hunted for mineral deposits. They mostly contained luminous stones, which would make a suitable gift in a pinch if he could not find a sapphire.

But the golden goddesses smiled on him, and the last ore deposit gave him two sapphires. He had no time to travel to Gerudo Town and have them crafted into jewelry, so the uncut gems would have to do.

He returned in the afternoon. Sidon remained in his place beside the statue. He gave a soft smile at Link’s approach.

“Will you ask Dento if these could be added to the statue’s base?” Link said, showing Sidon the sapphires.

Sidon nodded. “I will. It’s a good gift. She always loved sapphires and opals.”

Opals. The memories struck Link like the lizalfos. An opal in his hand as he presented her the gift for her hatchday. The delighted smile on her face and shine in her eyes. Her melodious voice explained how she loved the iridescence of opals.

"They contain all the colors of other gemstones within them."

Mipha’s favorite gift was opals. And Link had none for her and two days left until her hatchday.

“Link?” The concern in Sidon’s voice brought him back to the present. “Are you all right?”

“I’m—I’m fine,” Link said through a choked throat. He blinked the tears from his eyes. “I forgot about the opals,” he whispered. “I didn’t find any.”

Sidon flashed his grin. “I’ll help you! We’ll search Tal Tal Peak first thing tomorrow!”

Link managed a grateful smile.

-

He left the Domain at dawn to meet Sidon, hammer in hand. Sidon had arrived first and cleared out most of the monsters lurking on the peak. Link lended his aid, and the Lightscale Trident sang through the air. Although the sword was his main weapon, his body fell back into the familiar movements of spear combat. Sidon fought very differently from Mipha, wielding twin spears rather than one and with fewer flips than Mipha’s graceful dance. But he was no less skillful, and they dispatched the monsters with ease.

“It is always a pleasure to fight alongside you, Link!” Sidon said, slightly breathless from the fight.

Link smiled and shrugged at the praise. It was unnecessary for such a quick skirmish, hardly a battle at all, but he was used to Sidon’s enthusiastic admiration. It was a wonder this young adult Zora was the same as the small child he knew a hundred years ago, always at Mipha’s heels and giving Link the disapproving frowns of a younger brother. They were true friends now, united by shared grief, warrior spirit, and easy companionship.

They searched the entire morning. Sidon passed the time with a mostly one-sided conversation about the day-to-day life of the Domain. Link contributed a word or two occasionally, but Sidon never required anything more. He was happy to fill the silence, and Link was happy to listen.

They paused at noon for a quick bite to eat. Sidon fished in the water while Link lit a fire and cooked a few apples. The Sheikah Slate swung against his leg when he sat down. Link bit back a curse. They’d wasted half a day when he could have used the slate’s sensing technology Symin had upgraded it with. He flicked through the compendium for a picture of the ore deposits. He couldn’t use the sensor for opals specifically. His fingers hovered over the map. Wouldn’t it just be easier to see if any opals were available to buy? Gerudo Town was known for gemstone jewelry, there were likely some to purchase.

Link shook his head. He’d spent this much time looking for Mipha’s gift already. He’d find an opal with Sidon’s help or not at all.

The sensor indicated southward. Link paraglided down while Sidon leapt off the side of the cliff and dove into the lake below. They explored the small valley between Tal Tal Peak and the mountains above the reservoir. There was a lake—more of a pond—in the center of the valley. The Sheikah Slate’s sensor increased frequency as they drew near.

A stone talus rose out of the water. Link threw the hammer at the ore deposit on its body. The hammer chipped off amethyst and pieces of luminous stone. Sidon descended on the talus, spears a whirling storm.

The talus’ arm caught Link's shoulder. The armor absorbed the worst of the blow, but his shoulder burned with pain, and he could not raise his trident. Sidon directed the talus’ attention away from him while the cool light of Mipha’s grace washed over his body and soothed his arm. His lips moved in thanks to her spirit.

Sidon wore down the monster, and Link ran in for the final attack. The mineral broke under the Lightscale Trident, and the stone talus burst into smoke.

Link rolled his shoulder, a minor ache still lingering. The prizes of the fight were scattered in the water. Mostly luminous stones, but Link spotted a few gems among them.

“Link, look!” Sidon shouted. He grabbed a gem from the water and held it out for Link to see.

An opal. The opaque white surface shimmered with a rainbow of color in the sunlight. Link covered his hands over Sidon’s and said, “Thank you.”

-

The talus battle had not lasted long, and they arrived back at Zora’s Domain before evening. Link placed the opal and the two sapphires at Mipha’s statue. Sidon spoke with Dento, who said the job could be finished in time by Mipha’s hatchday anniversary tomorrow. Link offered his help in cutting the gems, but Dento waved him away. They both knew his skills were fighting with weapons, not smithing or crafting.

He spent the rest of the evening sitting at the top of Veiled Falls, listening to the water and resting the Lightscale Trident on his knees. He and Mipha would sit here at nightfall and watch the Domain glow with the otherworldly light of luminous stones. The stones’ light was said to be the souls of the dead. When he walked through Zora’s Domain, Mipha’s spirit resided among every stone and gilded rail, every drop of water and beam of sunlight. The Zora people held her spirit in their own souls, her memory living on within them.

-

Dento finished his work mid-afternoon on Mipha’s hatchday. The day was not an official holiday in Zora’s Domain. The Champion Festival was meant to honor Mipha and her trident. But there was a palpable air around the Domain that day. Even though Mipha wished her people to remember her with joy instead of grief, the heart often had a difficult time letting go of old hurts.

Link knew that well.

But sorrow was not the only emotion in the air. There were smiles and well-wishes. The Zora loved their fallen princess, and with Vah Ruta now freed from the Calamity’s control, they could at last begin to heal.

Link found Sidon in his customary place at Mipha's statue. He greeted Link with a wide, gleaming grin and stepped aside so Link could see the new additions to the statue. Dento had shaped the gems into the three-crescent symbol of the Zora. The top crescent was the opal and the other two sapphires. The sunlight caught the gems in a perfectly glimmer of blue and prismatic iridescence.

His fingers brushed over the symbol, and he gazed up at Mipha’s tranquil face.

���Happy hatchday, Mipha.”

---

A/N: From what I could find about flower symbolism:

Chrysanthemums - love

Rosemary - remembrance

Purple orchids - admiration, royalty, respect

[rioviaa]

I just realized I never even got to the part where the royal guard uniform context comes into play omg.. can i continue cooking? im going to keep cooking. also little side note link is selectively mute and uses asl to communicate in this au!

In the cell he is assigned Bazz as his guard. He is one of the very few zora who still hold a deep respect and fondness for the hylian champion, having been personally trained and befriended the young hylian at the time before the calamity. He helps Link regain short spurts of memories of mipha and explains the zora’s hostility towards the hero. Link feels a twinge of guilt in his heart when bazz first speaks on his people’s behavior and more so the prince’s weariness of him. whenever bazz is unable to join the boy and further explain all he has missed through his 100 years slumber he is left with his thoughts. The guilt ridden deep within is a blessing and a curse. He feels relief that he still has some remnants of the person he was before but also burdened by all the lives he had let slip through his frail fingers. For days link is left alone in a dirty humid cell, forever carrying the weight of the accident that destroyed Zora's Domain. After being in that rotten cell with close to zero food (except for the scraps of bread and apples bazz was able to sneak in) the king demands his attendance before him and the council. To sum it up: he’s furious. To have been kept a secret such as this for an entire week and by his own son and people?? To have been working day and night to keep his people’s minds at ease and also protect the hylian she once loved as companions by forcing to separate the two races apart even though deep within he yearns for the lively domain his home once was with everyone in union. Only to find out a very hylian is being tortured and left to starve beneath his very throne in dungeons created eons ago for use of locking away pure evil? And not only ANY hylian but the very hylian who held the sword that seals the darkness, was the assigned knight to the princess of hyrule, and whom his fallen daughter held very dearly! King dorephan renders everyone speechless as he defends the frail chained hylian kneeling before him. “My people are no savages to hold such innocent lives under such deathly conditions. My people are kind. My people are loving. My people grieve, yes. But my people never use their grief to wreak havoc. I do not recognize my people no more. I raised you not like savages. I raised you not like cruelty. And most importantly our dear princess raised you not to lay a single ill intended finger on who she once named beloved.” The room grows in tension as the king reprimands his very people. And shows disdains for his very son’s actions. That very son who now has his dorsal fin lowered as a sign of respect and false guilt. Inside that very zora is raging in confused anger. Why must he allow this hylian who my sister was manipulated by to walk to her very death be given the freedom to roam around their domain as they pleased? Why was father so forgiving? Does he not remember loosing dear sister? Does her sacrifice mean nothing to our people? I refuse to allow her fallen soul to be tainted by such betrayal. she finally knows peace and now this hylian trots into our domain without a single ounce of remorse and now I’m to be kind to them?

(Little scene skip because I haven’t written in years so I’m literally just word vomiting here)

after king dorephan reprimanded his people and his son for their actions he declared link to have free of passage in the domain while they worked together in solving their predicament of vah ruta creating endless rains in their domain. the council was not pleased but heaven forbid they disagree with their king. Dorephan urges link to have peace of mind, that what occurred during the calamity was none other than the evil of calamity ganon’s doing. But link (as always poor guy seriously) accepts all criticism and takes full accountability for what transpired during the calamity and works to gain the zora’s trust once more. For the sake of hyrule. For the sake of Zelda. And also, for a little bit of himself. The old self. The dead one that is. The citizens still carried doubts, however, and would whisper amongst themselves or usher their children inside their homes whenever link was seen around the domain. These moments would shift the Hylian's mood from anger to sadness, especially when the youngsters would protest simply out of curiosity. Sidon, however, is especially reluctant in this regard. And proves to be an arduous process for the gaining of his trust. (this is where that sweet enemies concept rolls in). There were countless instances where they’d be in the middle of a meeting where one would let a comment spill and suddenly a full blown argument would explode which usually lead to sidon screaming that he’s a pathetic good for nothing hero who failed hyrule. failed their dear mipha. failed the so called princess of hyrule that left them all to die at their most direst time of need. a failure who should’ve never been saved. Bazz as the captain of the guard was allowed entry into these meetings for this very reason and would always try to deescalate these heated arguments but he would always end up in between of one or the other with unsheathed weapons and needing to forcefully pull them apart.

..so this is how I find out tumblr has a word count that i seemed to have exceeded.. we shall pause here then..

ok so I recently purchased the dlc and with that came loads of new story (which I adore tremendously!!) but it also came with new armor and one set particularly stood out to me: the royal guard uniform. I have pretty much been holding off on doing mipha’s champions’ ballad (because pain) but i decided to finally go for it. Now where am I going with this? Well. I had just obtained the royal guard set and was walking through zora’s domain when a little idea struck me:

Context: What if after the death of the king’s treasured daughter, Princess Mipha - a death that the zora blamed entirely on Link, causes the rest of the zora people to become weary of not only the hylian champion but as well as all hylians. thus creating a division between the zora’s and the rest of hyrule. this sudden change of mindset for the zora affected not only the trading systems, diplomatic relations, and personal relationships between both regions but also the nearby regions began to grow weary on where they should stand. for a 100 years this sort of rivalry grew to the point of both regions either growing to fear each other or actively become hostile towards the other whenever given the chance. tensions continued to grow. king dorephan is saddened by how his people’s mindset has drastically changed to hating the fellow hylians that once roamed and adored his domain. now either party would either flee at the sight of one or the other. leaving the domain to be filled with a looming silence. or they would storm into the grounds of the other with weapons unsheathed, piercing screams filling the once harmonious land. Torn by his grief of his fallen child and the hostility of his people towards any hylian who might dare wander too close to the domain, the king of the zora domain demands a permanent lockdown on their home. No one goes in. No one goes out. for the sake of his people and the hylian’s safety. at least that is what he has tried to convince himself for the past decade.

Then a miracle appears.

Link wakes as he normally does so in game and goes on about through his journey as he was intended to. When suddenly an obstacle halts his path. Quite literally. Zora’s domain is engulfed by a huge almost luminescent dome that prohibits any sort of entry. link is conflicted so he roams about the domain for days on end in hopes of finding any sort of answers but comes short when suddenly on the third day something occurs. He had completed his rounds of circling the domain for any sort of sign of entry when he feels the hairs behind his neck rise and the feeling of being watched becomes apparent. he goes into a defensive stance and begins to quickly glance around his surrounds without moving a muscle. He is about to call it quits, blame it on a fox in a bush nearby when he hears a muffled splash of water to his right. He quickly shifts his feet to face the sudden sound to then be face to face with a zora in glistening armor, piercing yellow eyes resembling the very sun above their heads and scales as red as the blood moon that looms over the vast lands of hyrule that wreaks havoc in its path. A zora trident flashes in his view, it’s deathly piercing spears leading directly to his chest. Instinct overtakes and it’s not long before he unsheathes his weapon and hears metal against metal clash, causing a piercing sound to ricochet. He slightly winces at the powerful clash clearly overpowering his still weakened state. once he catches his bearings on the blockage that possibly just saved his life from being filleted into a fine royal cuisine topped with peppers, salts, spices and hylian rice on the side link takes a moment to further study the figure before him. a zora he takes note. A very. Tall. Zora. Very very intimidating. But also alluring. With a large dorsal fin resembling a hammerhead shark and teeth so large they could probably kill him with a single bite. His (totally respectful) staring of the zora is cut short when a group of more zora, all different in size shape and color approach and surround him on all sides with their own tridents pointed towards him, sharp eyes throwing their own daggers. the tall (gorgeous) zora seems to take advantage of link being distracted and jerks his trident upwards thus releasing its hold from links sword and making him stumble backwards for a few seconds before catching his feet a mere inches from the trident a zora behind him had pointed towards his back. That same trident is then aimed closer towards him followed by the glistening trident of the taller zora that had almost killed him seconds ago. This is a threat. He is being threatened. They have murder in their minds and eyes. And link is the unfortunate prey.

This has gotten.. long.

But basically their first meeting is nothing but hostile and threatening. Far from the kindhearted gestures and replaced by hesitance and guilt. He is probably thrown into a cell for further questioning in his reason for being so near the domain and his identify.

[dreamskept]

one of the first thing sidon does with the divine beast ruta is explore. he familiarizes himself with its innerworkings, its abilities, how to operate it (at first, you gotta operate it from the main terminal, but as your bond strengths you’ll be able to communicate it and tell it to move without the main terminal). but after a couple minutes in the main terminal room he comes to the realization that this is the room where his sister was killed :grimacing:

[tigergendermoved2tigergender]

YESSS like I want to like Mipha and Sidon! The Zora are all fun to talk to and hypothetically Sidon should have the most compelling arc of all the sages. But they just missed the mark.

Mipha has almost no presence beyond being nice and liking Link. The biggest sense you get of her comes not from her actual memory, but from the way the elderly of the domain are still so devastated about her death 100 years later as if if happened yesterday.

I reread her diary just now and almost all of it is dedicated to her talking about how much she likes Link. In the memories, I can think of maybe one time where she speaks up among the crowd? Right before Ganon emerges, she starts to tell Zelda that it helps to think of Link when she uses her healing powers, but gets cut off. Even in the first memory (Link's ceremony) she does not speak up in defense of Link while Revali criticizes him or otherwise interject.

I do think there is something kind of interesting in how Mipha seems to just accept her fate. In her diary she mentions crying among her family when it becomes clear she may die against Ganon, but she seems to have the deepest sense of the weight the fate of a Champion has (not counting Link or Zelda here) and the greatest levek of acceptance about it.

Daruk is very confident in his own abilities and seems to not totally get what's going on with the Calamity at all. Revali is overconfident and too desperate to prove himself to let himself feel fear. Urbosa is a seasoned warrior and knows the risks of battle, of course, but she has her own personal desire for revenge against Ganon since he brought shame to the Gerudo people. But Mipha has little reason or desire to prove herself, except maybe to get Link's attention. She just knows that either she will win, or she will die, as soon as she becomes Champion, as evidenced by what she tells Sidon about protecting the domain in the DLC memory. Everyone knows they might die, but Mipha is the only one who has accepted it.

I also think it's kind of interesting how Mipha's legacy is upheld by the grieving older Zora of the domain. The young adults of the domain don't really seem to remember Mipha personally, and the children and particularly young adults weren't alive in her time. The only people that remember her as a person are her father and the elderly who are so overcome with grief that they have put their young deceased princess on a literal pedestal and warped the story to demonize Link against what Mipha would have wanted.

Particularly, I find this to be interesting because of how it is relevant to Sidon. Sidon was a toddler when Mipha died, and likely wasn't really old enough to fully understand the circumstances of her death. He just knew that his big sister was gone, he had new responsibilities, and that all the adults around him were now miserable. The version of Mipha that Sidon grew up with was the tragic martyr and beloved princess of the Zora people, and not his big sister. I wish they had addressed how this could have affected him in the games, beyond Sidon's fear of letting Lady Yona see action because he doesn't want to lose anyone important to him again. Alas

Idk. I like Sidon and think he's cute and a good bro but I don't feel like there's much of an arc that he goes through or anything of the like. Mipha is also cute and tragic but everything I've thought about her comes more from her lack of existence in the story than anything she ever did.

Me 🤝 you : Thinking Sidon is overrated

Seriously I really do want to like him but somehow they failed to make the ONLY sage who has living memory of a champion, his own sister, not interesting lol

IM SOOOO HAPPY THAT IM NOT ALONE it felt like the whole world (lelda community) was my enemlie on this

and LITERALLY thats so true?? they also did mipha dirty too 💔 as if her personality/character doesn’t go past being so kind and having a crush on link . like cmon theres gotta be more in there somewhere (knocking on the glass of her enclosure)

[avionvadion]

Warning: If you plan to defend Rhoam in any way, shape, or form for being a shitty dad, block me now. I'm not having that argument. A shitty dad is a shitty dad.

Okay, but can we please mention what a great dad Dorephan is to his kids in comparison to a certain toxic king who did nothing but verbally and emotionally abuse his daughter???? Also the fact that Dorephan seemed to actually encourage Mipha’s crush on Link, despite her being a Zora and him a Hylian???

But I have thoughts and I have theories, so. I wanna ramble about them, lol.

Tldr; King Rhoam is a toxic and abusive dad, King Dorephan is a blessing. Only certain Zora can have kiddos with other races. The rest lay eggs. EX: Queen Rutela

In both Breath of the Wild and Age of Calamity we see King Dorephan as a kind, loving, single father to his two shark children and a benevolent, wise king, whereas King Rhoam, also a single father and a seemingly benevolent ruler, is nothing but harsh on his daughter.

Despite Zelda spending years upon years of trying to awaken her spiritual power, working herself to the bone and struggling and struggling to the point of self deprecation and mental breakdowns, Rhoam has constantly insulted her and called her useless, stating that she isn’t trying hard enough.

He even tells her that the citizens are calling her a failed princess, who will inherit a failure of a throne. In Age of Calamity, we see that after her mother/his wife died he took away the one comfort she had and forced her to grow up and start her training early, never allowing her a moment to relax or even really grieve. She saw Link as a living reminder of her own failures, and treated him coldly at first in reaction to her own self-anger.

But while Zelda seemed to be the only princess in her lineage that could not awaken her power, she was good at other things. She was good at learning, good at experimenting, good at working with the Guardians and the Sheikah. She was doing everything she could to create an advantage over Ganon as she couldn’t awaken her power, and King Rhoam, her father, called her efforts and interests childish and useless.

She was Zelda. Not a scholar. All she was good for and needed to focus on was awakening her power. Something she wasn’t trying hard enough at in his eyes, despite her praying everyday to the goddess for nearly eleven years, for hours on end, while performing research in the side.

It isn’t until King Rhoam dies during the Calamity that he actually acts like he cares for his daughter, and AoC tries to redeem his actions, but that doesn’t change how he treated Zelda during the last eleven years after his wife passed away. He’s an abusive asshole. He may not have hit his daughter, but he’s inflicted enough mental and emotional wounds to give her a complex about it and that is not okay.

And then there’s King Dorephan. A fifty foot tall whale of a Zora. He loves his son, Sidon, and his daughter, Mipha, but he’s still a wise and benevolent king. Mipha was his eldest, and she was both an accomplished healer and- while not the strongest soldier- she was highly skilled with a spear.

He was initially unwilling to let Mipha pilot the divine beast, as he knew what danger it could spell for his daughter and he wanted her safe, far away from Ganon. But when Zora was invaded, it became clear they were not prepared for the oncoming threat.

He allowed her to pilot the beast, on the promise that she return safely, and it’s stated in her diary that both Mipha and Dorephan were holding back tears during that conversation. When the Calamity happened and all the champions died, a statue of Mipha was built within the domain and many Zora grew to hate Hylians, blaming them for their beloved princess’ death.

But not Dorephan, and not even Sidon, as they knew Ganon was the one to blame. Dorephan knew Mipha was doing what she believed best, both for her and her people, even though it broke his heart. He also knew of her feelings for Link, as he told little Sidon stories about the Hylian Hero and the love Mipha held for him.

Sidon is an honest Zora, and Mipha purposely withheld the information from Muzu as she knew he would not approve. But despite this, Muzu was aware Mipha was making the Zora Armor, and seeing as Dorephan is the one who bestows it upon Link in the end… he knew as well- and he knew exactly who it was for.

He never scolded her, never told her to withhold her feelings despite them being different species. Mipha felt safe talking about Link to her father, so much so to the point that she was confident enough to make the Zora Armor- something that is their version of a marriage proposal.

Dorephan knew, and he encouraged her feelings. He would have fully allowed her to marry Link, should the Hylian reciprocate her feelings.

Which leads to my theory thoughts.

King Dorephan was clearly supportive of Mipha and Link, despite her being Zora and him Hylian. Based on the Gerudo alone, mixed marriages are a thing. Males are just super freaking rare in the Gerudo bloodline, so any mixed kids take after their Gerudo mother for the most part. Gerudo women actively seek out men from other races because they’ll go extinct otherwise. It’s… weird, but that’s a thing.

If Link and Mipha married, the big questions remains of- would they be able to have kids? That’s a tricky thing to answer. A perfect example is Queen Rutela from Twilight Princess!!!

That said, I don’t think ALL Zora could have kids with a Hylian or even Gerudo.

I believe it would firmly depend on the type of fish they were- like how Sidon is a hammerhead shark. If you know shark biology, you… know what I’m talking about. Now I don’t know how female fish work… but considering male sharks have the equipment, it’s safe to assume female sharks do as well. Considering that Rutela is the mother of Ruto (a hammerhead shark) and Ralis, she was definitely descended from a shark Zora since her husband was very much not a shark.

So Mipha could potentially have half-Zora/half-Hylian children with Link. Same with Sidon if he ever fell for a Hylian/Gerudo/Sheikah who has the ability to get preggers.

But like I said- not every Zora could have mixed kiddos. It would have to depend on the type of fish they were; which is probably why we haven’t seen any Zora and Hylian/Gerudo couples outside of Mipha and Ruto’s feelings for their respective Link’s. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Most Zora canonically lay eggs, but certain Zora could carry babies in their womb or get people from other races preggers.

So I firmly believe it’s possible, just… very specific.

Also it’s fictional, so write and draw what you want, lol. Take my theories with a grain of salt. It’s six am and I need to sleep. Hope you enjoyed my rambles. Good night! 💕👌 I’m still losing my mind over the fact that Rutela is a canon Zora/Hylia mix.