Summary: Mipha's dearest wish for a reunited family comes true, but she and Link pay a price with ten years of partially false memories. Mipha defends her decision to Link while King Dorephan fills in what he remembers. The children consider how to view their changed parents and Mila gets emotional over the risks they take.

Mipha, Link and family made their way from their home on Mikau Lake to have dinner with King Dorephan and Sidon. It was early evening on the day Mipha and Link returned from the Temple of Time, a mission in which Vera was destroyed, but they had been sent back to the past. They used that opportunity to warn King Dorephan of the Yiga Clan attack at which he lost his life. Now their four children were walking ahead of them, talking to one another, while Mipha and Link lagged behind.

"At some point, we need to tell our family what happened," said Link. "There is no way we can cover for ten years of changed history, even if we hope most of what happened is similar. The only decision is when to tell them and how."

But Mipha seemed to be paying no attention. She first took Link's hand then changed her mind and put her arm around him, and he then put his arm around her. Link glanced over at her, and she looked happier and more excited than he had seen her in years.

"Are you listening to a word I say, sweetheart?" laughed Link. "You've been ecstatic since we got here. You need to come back down from the clouds."

"You mean to come back up from the seabed? Yes, I'm listening," said Mipha. "But I feel so happy right now! This is what I always dreamed, for all of us to be together, for Father to live to see all his grandchildren. Despite Purah's warnings I trusted my heart and the goodness of the Goddess, and thank Hylia, it worked! We need to visit the shrine and say a prayer of thanks."

"Yes, that would be very appropriate," said Link. "I already do that every day I can. We can let the children go on ahead."

"I wonder if the children will have trouble dealing with the fact we experienced a different ten years of their growing up," said Mipha.

"Well, hopefully, there is a lot of overlap," said Link. "It's going to be confusing. But I have a good deal of experience dealing with these kinds of things, so you can just follow my example."

Mipha and Link stopped for a moment by Hylia's shrine at the foot of the stairs to the throne room. They bowed their heads, and each said a silent prayer of gratitude. Then they joined the rest of the family.

"Ah, we're all here now," said King Dorephan. "Let us sit down and enjoy today's family meal. As usual, anyone can bring up any topic they like, but we rotate whose turn it is to start, and if I remember right, today it is young Link's turn."

Everyone sat down to dinner.

"Yes, I'll start," said Linky. "I joined the swim team at school and..."

"What!?" said Link, interrupting in his surprise.

"Relax Dad, I volunteered to be the team's scorekeeper," said Linky. "Of course, I'm not competing against Zoras in swimming races."

"Oh, sorry," said Link.

"One of the boys on the team teased Linky about it though," said Lapha. "He said it was too bad there wasn't a princess in his life to make him some armor."

"Oh, really, Laff? Someone actually said that?" said Mila, annoyed someone was picking on her little brother. "Next time Princess Tila visits here from North Hyrule, I'll ask her to accompany me to the competition. I know she'll be happy to hang out with Linky after the race. That should make whoever teased him think twice and clam up."

"It's okay, Mila, I can take the kidding," laughed Linky. "But I'm always happy to see Princess Tila. Anyway, my next topic involves Laff, so maybe she can take her turn to tell us about it."

"Sure," said Lapha. "In our class, we started discussing how different races have different ways of expressing the same idea. For example, Hylians say 'he's playing with fire' when someone is doing something dangerous, and we say 'he's swimming with lightning.' So, Linky and I agreed to bring a list of ten different Hylian and Zora expressions about the same thing to share with the class. The teacher said we could ask our parents for help if we get stuck."

"That sounds interesting," said King Dorephan. "You should share the list with all of us when it's done. I think it would be instructive and entertaining. At some point, it would also be interesting to add Gerudo and Goron expressions, too. Anyone want to go next?"

"My project for the Sheikah Technology class is a variation on a weather rune but adapted for water conditions instead of air," said Midon. "It involves taking different kinds of readings and making projections. The instructor thought it was an ambitious project, but if I did well, she felt I could submit it to Hyrule Castle for approval. That would really be exciting for me!"

Who is the instructor?" said Link.

"You forgot already, Dad?" said Midon. "Her name is Dr. Manah, and she is one of the Sheikah scientists on loan to us from North Hyrule. You met her once."

"Oh," said Link. "Well, I hope your project is successful."

"I'll go next," said Mila. "I won the first round of our debate competition. I'm really enjoying debate and hope I can keep improving. I think it develops critical thinking as well as strong speaking skills, something that will be valuable for me to have. The second round is tomorrow."

"We all hope you do well," said King Dorephan. "No doubt your own skill is most important, but you may have inherited some of that ability from your mother. She was always excellent at reasoning with me and helping me think twice about my decisions, and still is."

"If it involves skilled public speaking, you certainly didn't inherit it from me," said Link. "I'm still nervous if I have to speak in public. It was another reason I didn't mind missing the twentieth-anniversary victory celebration."

The room was suddenly quiet, and Link looked around.

"Dad, are you alright?" said Mila, sounding concerned. "You and Mom attended the celebration. You even told us about it, for example, that Revali behaved better than you expected. The rest of us stayed home with Grandfather and Uncle Sidon."

He hadn't thought of that. But now he remembered that the reason they had been reluctant to attend the celebration was that it happened on the anniversary of King Dorephan's death and because Mipha was Queen then. With King Dorephan alive and the risk to the Domain smaller, they must have decided to attend. Now, what to say?

"I misspoke. I should have said I wouldn't have minded missing it," said Link.

King Dorephan looked closely at Link, but then thought it best to move on to another topic.

"Anyway, Link, now that the children are done, perhaps you can tell us what happened this time after you went to Hyrule Castle?"

"And please don't leave anything out, Dad," said Midon. "We like to hear about your adventures in detail."

"Well," said Link looking over at Mipha. "Perhaps Mipha wouldn't mind telling the story? My fish gets cold when I speak too long, but hers doesn't."

"Very well," said King Dorephan. "Mipha, would you mind telling all of us?"

"Yes, certainly Father," said Mipha, giving Link a look. "Um, but to avoid repetition perhaps one of you could tell us what you already know?"

No one spoke at first. Then Midon spoke for everyone.

"You told us there was an evil creature that could take over other people," said Midon. "That's why we had all the extra security. Then Queen Zelda told you she thought she knew where the creature was hiding and you both left to help battle it. That's about all we know."

"Well, alright," said Mipha glancing at Link. "But I notice Link has just now finished eating his fish, so perhaps it would be better if he tells the story since he engaged in more of the combat."

"Would one of you please tell us what happened?" laughed King Dorephan. "You two are going around and around each other, like you're caught in a whirlpool."

"Very well, Father," said Link, the look Mipha gave him leaving little doubt he had better not try to push it back on her again.

Link proceeded to relate the story of how they finally uncovered Vera's real intentions, the race to the Temple of Time, and everything up to and including Vera's destruction. He did not mention the time travel event.

"Oh, Mom!" cried Lapha. "That thing was inside you? How horrible! How did you feel? Are you alright now?"

"I didn't feel much," said Mipha. "Just that I was no longer in control of my actions. The being only needed me for a short time and was eager to return to Dr. Purah. I'm glad the experience was short lived. And I'm fine now."

"And Dr. Purah is alright, too?" said Mila.

"Yes, everyone is fine," said Mipha.

"Well, that is a fascinating story," said King Dorephan. "And now that we have all finished our meals, Sidon, perhaps you wouldn't mind taking young Link and Lapha home. I know Mila and Midon probably want to meet with friends, or perhaps Mila wants to prepare for her debate tomorrow. I would like to speak privately with Mipha and Link now."

"Of course, Father," said Sidon. "Last one home is a freckled frog!"

Sidon, Lapha, and Linky raced out and down the steps heading for the east bridge and home.

"Alright," said King Dorephan once the three of them were alone together. "I know you both well enough to sense something is wrong, but I did not want to press the matter in front of the children."

"Yes, Father," said Mipha. "And we planned to tell you anyway, but because of the children, we were reluctant to say more. Our battle with Vera had more to it than we told everyone. It ended up with all of us being sent back in time to over eighty years in the past. We are the ones responsible for that letter you received many years ago warning you of the Yiga Clan attack. I am happy you followed the instructions in the letter."

"I see," said King Dorephan. He paused to think some more.

"I always assumed that something terrible affecting me or our Domain was averted by that letter. And from the way you behave, I can only assume it was my death," said King Dorephan. "I owe you my life then."

"Yes, Father. But it also means everything we remember from that day to the present is false, at least in part," said Link. "We need to learn all the significant things that happened. Like our house, for example. That never existed in our timeline. We're concerned about how the children will react, though."

"Yes, I see," said King Dorephan. "In any case, I think you must tell them. You will not be able to hide it since it will become clear to them you don't remember something important. You already 'forgot' Midon's instructor's name and that you went to the celebration."

"Yes, Father, you're right," said Mipha.

"I understand your reaction earlier now, Mipha. And catching up on those years should include the three of us, too. Before you speak with the children, let us spend tomorrow together and go over everything I can remember. I will clear my appointments for you. I know this has been a tiring day for you both, so I will wish you good night and speak with you tomorrow," said King Dorephan. "But let me hug you once again my dearest daughter. I am trying to imagine how hard it must have been for you, though I am confident you managed in the end."

"A hug would feel very good right now, Father," said Mipha. "It was difficult for me, but now that's over."

Mipha hugged her father then they said goodnight and left.

"By the way, thanks for setting such a fine example for me of how to handle these types of situations," laughed Mipha. "I knew it wouldn't be that easy."

"Yes, I guess I was a little overconfident," laughed Link. "I probably set an example of what not to do."

"We'll have to get used to walking to Mikau Lake now," said Mipha as they headed toward the eastern bridge. "We seldom went there when we were younger since it was so close and we liked more privacy. But it is a scenic spot, and you can swim up the waterfalls to some more nice locations. The builders did an excellent job with our house, by the way, making it blend in with the architecture of the Domain. Do you feel like waiting a bit before we go inside? I would like to discuss what we plan to say to the children."

"Of course," said Link. "As for what to say, I think we just explain that in the timeline we all lived in their grandfather was killed. We took the opportunity to change that event. To everyone here, it will just be a story that never happened. But it means we have a lot of false memories, and we need to replace them with real ones over time. That's what we need the children to understand. And then maybe we should meet individually with each of them to learn more. As I think more about it, the conversation with Lapha and Linky may be the hardest. In a sense, we missed their entire life, and they may feel we gambled with their very existence.

"No, that's not true," said Mipha. "Remember, Purah made additional runes in case something went wrong? The first thing I did on my call with Sidon was to ask about the children. If Lapha and Linky had not been born, I would ask Purah to return us to the way we were. I would not sacrifice our children, and I know Father would agree with that decision. But, thank Hylia, we did not face that."

They reached the house and paused outside for a moment. They could hear Sidon, Lapha, and Linky laughing about something inside. A fox scurried off into the darkness while a cluster of fireflies glowed near the water's edge.

"I like this house," said Mipha. "We all have a lot more room and privacy here."

"And for me, the sound of the waterfall is so soothing," said Link. "I think I'll fall asleep instantly every night here."

Mipha smiled at him, that gentle but inviting expression of hers as she looked straight into his eyes. Link gazed back at her, then realized her point and broke into a laugh.

"Sorry, I must not be thinking," he laughed. "I mean when we're both in the mood of sleeping."

They went inside and said goodnight to everyone. Sidon left to return home, and the two young ones went off to their rooms. Mila and Midon were old enough to stay out later, but Mipha and Link were both too tired. Link undressed and joined Mipha in the pool, then took her hand.

"So, you're back to being a princess," said Link. "I'm glad. That's how I remember you best. It's funny, but when any of the others spoke to me about 'the princess,' they always meant Zelda. But I would think of you as well every time they said it. Didn't they know you were a princess, too? Anyway, I love you, and am happy this has worked out and made you so happy."

"I love you, too, and I am happy, but also very sleepy now," said Mipha softly. And almost before she finished speaking, she was fast asleep. Link leaned over and gently kissed her. He was fast asleep himself a moment later.

Next morning when Link woke up, Mipha was already up, and the children were eating breakfast.

"There's some cooked fish left, Dad," said Linky. "Mom said you needed to rest."

"Thanks, I was pretty tired, but I feel great now. And good morning everyone," said Link.

"Mom has been singing to herself all morning," said Midon. "It's nice to see you both so happy for some reason. But it's late, and we need to go now."

They all exchanged hugs.

"Good luck with the debate," said Link as he hugged Mila goodbye. "I know you can do it."

The children left, and Mipha spoke with Link.

"I think a good many things are the same in this timeline," said Mipha. "I found both anniversary necklaces you gave me in our room."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Link. "I was hoping I could re-use that idea for our twenty-fifth. But I found the ring you gave me, too."

"Sorry, sweetheart," laughed Mipha. "But you have five years to work on it. If you're done with breakfast, I want you to come with me. And put on your armor, we have a couple waterfalls to navigate. We have plenty of time before our meeting with Father."

"Whatever you say, my princess," laughed Link as he bowed. He put on the Zora Armor.

"Come on," said Mipha taking his hand. They walked out their door then made their way into the water and over to the waterfall outside. Then they swam up to the next level.

"One more to go," said Mipha as they made their way to the next waterfall and then up it.

"That was exhilarating," said Link catching his breath. "It's nice here."

"Yes, this is a pleasant location, Lulu Lake," said Mipha. "We couldn't go here easily when you were young because you didn't have the armor yet and it's a long hike. But I like it here. I hope you are as happy as I am about what we did."

"Yes, of course, I'm happy," said Link. "Just seeing how happy you are is rewarding enough."

"At the time, though, you seemed very reluctant," said Mipha.

"Well, I've been through this kind of thing before, and it scares me," said Link. "It even scares Dr. Purah. I remember conversations I had with her the first time we were planning time travel. Purah is a scientist, and she wants to know the results of her experiments, what will happen, especially if it affects other people. She does have a spot of recklessness in her when it comes to self-experimentation. But with the Temple of Time, there are just too many unknowns to figure out what will happen. When I used that Timeshift Stone to visit you from the future at Ruta, Dr. Purah was meticulous after I returned, checking all the Sheikah Towers for any kind of anomaly. And I only met privately with you, no one else. So, you can imagine how concerned she gets over larger changes. The last time I used the Temple of Time I had to convince everyone that there was virtually no chance things could be worse off when I traveled back to before the Calamity. I told them I would bring back knowledge of what to expect if nothing else, and we just needed to find a way to make sure people believed me and didn't think my lack of memory meant I suffered from brain damage. Hence the diary incident. And why do you think Purah just created more than one rune? She realized we might do something to affect the future, and wanted a backup plan."

"I understand," said Mipha. "Dr. Purah is very logical, and I respect her for that and all her scientific skills. And though you're not always as logical, I respect you very much, too. But sometimes you have to have faith, to trust what your heart tells you. Sometimes you need to take a chance. And I know you believe that, too. You were following your heart as well. Now, this very moment, you and I are together, and that happened because you took a chance. Have you forgotten that Ruta and I saved your life from Waterblight Ganon? You expected to handle that abomination easily on your own but misjudged parrying one of its energy beams. So, all your and Zelda's and Purah's logical plans could have crumbled to dust at that instant had you been killed. But you took a chance. A chance that with some planning but also with goodness and love on our side, we would save Hyrule with less harm to everyone. And that's how I feel now, though on a much smaller scale. So, let's make this work together."

"Yes, I will, sweetheart," said Link. "You know I will. And Fi said that I was being rewarded by the Goddess for all I did, so I do have faith in her goodness, as I said before. Now what?"