They eventually made it to the city where Rusl knew the king and queen lived. As Cado said, there were many more Hylians than he had ever seen in one place. He followed closely behind Cado as the Sheikah lead him through the city on foot until he found himself at an old shrine on a hill. There, he met the old leader of the Sheikah, Impa.

She looked at him curiously for a moment, then offered him a smile.

"Well, Rusl. I'm glad to be able to meet you."

Rusl frowned up at her. "Why?"

"Oh, well," Impa started. "I've just heard so much about you. And I'm glad you're here safe."

Rusl shrugged a shoulder. "I guess."

"We're going to put you in a good home," she said in an attempt to reassure him. "There are other kids there, a couple around your age. You'll meet Telma tomorrow. How does that sound?"

"Whatever."

Impa's lips pinched together. She sneered up at Cado. "He's lovely."

Cado grinned. "I'm sure it only gets better."

"Lady Hylia," Impa started. "You better give me someone useful out of this!"

"I'm sure he'll be completely adequate."

"I'm going to get the laziest hero yet."

Rusl looked between the two Sheikah. He met Cado's gaze, but Cado offered him no explanation.

As promised, the next morning, Rusl was whisked away once more, this time by a Sheikah woman, leaving Cado and Impa behind in the city. The woman offered no conversation, which relieved Rusl, as he did not want to have to answer more questions for more adults. Within the hour, they had pulled up to a large farmhouse set on an open ranch. He looked out the window as a woman came out of the house. She was plump and dark skinned, and though her features seemed hard, her eyes were kind and hopeful as the woman stepped out of the car.

Rusl jumped out of the back seat of the car. He looked up at the woman that waited for him, a smile on her face, and he scowled at her. She put her hands on her legs as she bent down to greet him, and smiled.

"Hey there, Rusl," she said. "I'm Telma. How old are you?"

His first instinct was to make a rude comment, but feeling the glare of the woman beside him, he chose to bite his tongue. "Ten," he muttered.

Telma hesitated as she looked him over, then straightened. "Alright, Rusl. Do you like animals? I've got tons."

Rusl only shrugged.

"Why don't you head to the barn there?" She pointed toward the building. "Check 'em out for a little bit."

Rusl kicked at a small rock. "K."

Telma watched the boy disappear into the barn, then turned her attention to the woman in front of her. Her gaze narrowed. She knew all the social workers, but did not recognize this one.

"Who are you?"

The woman smiled. "Impa sent me," she said simply.

Telma's eyes widened. "So," she started. Her gaze moved back to the barn. "That's him?"

The woman nodded. She handed Telma a manilla folder, and Telma skimmed through its contents. "It took a long time for us to get him, but Impa said she didn't want him in the care of anyone else."

"So, what's his story?"

"He's been bounced around in foster care for a while," she explained. "Parents have been in and out of jail most of his life. They both when in about two years ago, likely for the next five to ten years."

"Yeah, I know," Telma said with slight annoyance. "You know what I want to know."

"It started almost a year ago," she said. "He was sent to a therapist when he apparently started having nightmares. He started to get violent, and they tried to diagnose him with anything they could. He eventually took off. Ended up somewhere in Eldin, at the edge of Hyrule, where he killed two men."

"Killed?"

"We're certain it was out of self defense," she said. "Hylian magic. I don't think he knows about it, or has control over it."

Telma frowned, and the social worker continued.

"Foster parents wanted nothing to do with him. Impa got word and had been trying to hunt him down ever since. When the Sheikah found him, he was a runaway. Pretty badly beaten."

Telma's stomach knotted. "Fools," she spat. "No child should be treated that way."

"Well, he's here, now. Impa would have him no where else."

"So, it's true then," Telma said. She looked after him toward the barn. "His son will be the Chosen Hero."

After exchanging pleasantries with the woman, the Sheikah left the ranch, and Telma made her way into the barn. She found Rusl inside, standing on top of a hay bale that he had dragged in front of a stall door. He was peering inside at the baby goats that had gathered around the door to regard him with curiosity. She cleared her throat, and Rusl turned toward her. After a moment, he hopped off the hay bale, but made no motion to move closer to her.

Telma put her hands on her hips. "So, what do you think?"

Rusl shrugged. He had his hands in his pockets and he was kicking at a stray piece of hay.

"Did you see all the animals?"

Rusl nodded.

"What's your favorite?"

He averted his gaze, suddenly turning very shy. He pointed sheepishly toward the horses in their paddock, and Telma smiled.

"You like the horses, huh? Why?"

Rusl shrugged again. "I dunno. They're big and scary."

"Are you afraid of them?"

"No!"

Telma laughed. "Well, would you like to go over and pat them?"

He shook his head quickly.

"That's alright," she said. "Whenever you're ready."

Rusl met her gaze, then took a moment to study her. "You look like me."

Telma looked at him, puzzled for a moment, then in realization, her hands moved to her ears. "Oh! Yes, yes I do."

Rusl's brows furrowed. Though Cado said he would be safe there, he still felt a sense of unease. "That means you're bad."

Telma frowned. "Why am I bad?"

He shrugged.

"Do you think I'm bad?"

"I dunno."

"Then why do you say I'm bad?"

"Because." His forehead creased deeply. "You're like me, and I'm bad."

Her brows knit together. "Why are you bad?"

He shrugged again.

"Did you do something bad?"

He met her gaze, his eyes sad. "Yes."

"Was it an accident?"

His lip began to tremble. "Yes."

"Then I guess you aren't bad, then, right?"

Rusl gave no response. He stared at his feet.

"I know bad things have happened to you, Hunnie. But I promise you, those bad things won't happen to you here. I will protect you. Because me and you, we're the same, right?"

Rusl met her gaze.

"Do you believe me?"

He paused for a moment, then nodded.

Telma smiled. "Good. I think we'll make a good team."

"Why does everyone think we're bad?" he asked.

"Well," Telma said softly. "I guess probably because we are so different. People don't understand us and why we're different, and sometimes, that makes them afraid. And when people are afraid, well, sometimes they do stupid things to try to make themselves feel better. It doesn't make it right."

Rusl nodded, as if he understood. "I was afraid," he said. "And mad. And I accidentally hurt people." His eyes started to water. "But I didn't mean to," he said, choking up. He met Telma's gaze. "Is that why I'm bad?"

"Oh, Hunnie." Her heart broke for the child standing alone before her. She got to her knees and pulled him into a tight hug. "No, no, Hunnie. You're not bad at all. It was an accident. Accidents happen all the time."

"I don't want it to happen again," he sobbed.

"Are you afraid it will?"

He nodded against her.

Telma pushed him away, keeping her hands on his shoulders, and met his gaze. "We'll work on it together," she said. She didn't believe he would be able to use that power again, but she didn't want to dismiss his fears. "We'll make sure it doesn't happen again. Okay? I'm on your side, now, Rus. I won't let anything happen to you. I make that promise to you."

Rusl wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand and nodded.

"Good." She got back to her feet. "Now. How about we go see your room?"

Rusl's eyes lit up. "I get a room?"

"Well, of course. Haven't you had a room before?"

He shrugged. "No. Not really. I mostly shared rooms."

"Well, this one is all yours," she said with a grin. "No sharing."

Rusl followed Telma out of the barn. She spoke as they walked toward the house, explaining to him that he would have to help out with chores around the ranch. But Rusl wasn't really listening. He was looking over his shoulder at the horses grazing in the paddock, and he smiled.