***ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY**

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In Sotto Voce

By The Wolfess

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Chapter 7

Located on the north side of Hyrule Castle, the Loftwing Tower was considered an oddity of ancient architecture by modern builders. It was designed with huge open spaces on the top and sides of the tower with a single, narrow staircase that wound straight up around the central pillar. The floor was originally just planks of wood laid over wooden beams. It was thought to allow easy landing for a species of legendary bird called the loftwing that were said to be roughly the size of horses. Since loftwings had ceased to visit the tower for hundreds of years, suspected to have gone extinct, most of the holes had been sealed in the sides of the tower using new stonework to increase structural integrity. The floor had also been reinforced with actual stonework for humans to tread while caring for the new birds housed in the tower.

These days, breeds housed in the Loftwing Tower fell into three categories: sport, messenger, or courier. The sporting birds were falcons, hawks, eagles, or owls, and they were used for hunting mostly by those nobility interested in such things. Zelda had her own white falcon here, though she didn't hunt very often. The messenger birds were mostly pidgins, hawks, owls, or a few ravens. Lastly, the castle had a few falcons, eagles, larger owls, and even some pidgins that transported items larger than your standard rolled message, and these were the courier birds.

These were all carefully trained and cared for by tradesmen called aviators who devoted their lives to bird husbandry and training. Aviation was a trade that traced its origins back to the time of legends, when Hylians supposedly rode loftwings in the sky. Those aviators who believed in such tales took great pride in this history. In the modern age, aviators took positions throughout Hyrule, sometimes working for noble families or for specialized masters of the craft who rented out their services for rupees. Nonetheless, aviation was an ancient and well-respected profession, and none in the country were better than those who took up residence in the Loftwing Tower. So prestigious were these positions that those who became Tower Aviators were not only considered Grand Masters of the craft, they also lived in the tower itself and rarely left it. Their job was to pioneer the trade through research. Currently they were researching ways to breed desired characteristics in certain breeds of bird, as well as some smaller experimental goals. They rarely had to deal with people or distractions, which left them open to focusing exclusively on furthering the trade of aviation.

After the two Sheikahs' initial meeting, Elder Kishla chose to take the morning to introduce her successor to their current Tower Aviators and explain her relationship with them. Impa had then taken the week to write introductory messages on tiny bird scrolls to send out to each of the informants in hopes of establishing their new relationship and retrieving information. She could only work on it during her free time with the princess, so it had taken longer than she had thought it would. On her part, Zelda had been writing in a journal more and more during free time. Every now and then she would sneak a look at the Sheikah when she thought Impa wasn't looking. Of course, Impa was always looking. That was her job. She wrote Zelda's behavior off to awkwardness with the new dynamic in their relationship and tried not to read too much into it.

At first, that awkwardness between them was shared. Ruto's words still lingered in the back of her mind, but they had crossed a line now and there was no going back. Impa had decided that if they were going to pursue a more informal relationship, the least she could do was ensure she did not initiate contact unless necessitated by Zelda's prophetic dreams. Instead, she waited for the princess to reach out to her, and the Sheikah responded in kind. So far, they didn't touch much more than they had before. Zelda had taken her hand twice that week and they stood closer together when they were alone, but they had not shared a bed again. The big change, so far, was in how they spoke with one another. Around others, they were stiff and formal as was appropriate. But when they were alone, or with Ruto or Link, then they spoke informally as friends. Zelda had even begun to confide the feelings and thoughts she kept private in Impa, and to inquire about Impa's feelings. The warrior wasn't usually a 'feelings' kind of person, but when Zelda asked she answered to the best of her ability. They were learning about one another, and every day was a little more comfortable than the last.

Impa had the tiny scrolls in a pouch on her hip as she followed the Elder to the top of the Loftwing Tower. "We use different breeds for different informants," Elder Kishla was explaining, "in order to use the bird that is the least conspicuous for the informant to receive. Pidgins go to the peasantry, Owls or Falcons are sent to the nobility, and either birds of prey or ravens are sent to our informants hiding in or near enemy territory." They had reached the top of the tower, where the Head of the Order of Aviators, Grand Master Peregrine, was working with a unique-looking eagle with red-tipped feathers and a golden head. He turned when he heard them approach, the unique eagle shifting to perch on his shoulder.

Grand Master Peregrine was a thin man with a light physique. He wore a traditional aviator's suit, comprised of thick leather plates sewn in strategic places on a cloth bodysuit. Compared to most suits, his had more leather than normal—practically covering his whole body—and the leather was tooled with intricate designs reminiscent of feathers. He wore a leather helmet on his head that covered his ears, except for a hole to allow him to hear. White hair poked out from underneath the helmet. His eyes were very wide and piercing, his nose was a huge beak, and he had a trimmed, white chinstrap beard. All in all, Grand Master Peregrine had the same visage as the birds with which he shared his name.

"Elder Kishla," he said, bowing a little. The eagle just stepped backward as his torso bent forward, and then returned to its original spot when he straightened. "What can I do for you?"

Kishla returned his bow. "Hello, Grand Master. I am here to introduce my replacement. I am retiring, as you may have heard, and Impa will be working with you from now on."

Grand Master Peregrine turned his gaze on Impa. "I see," he said. "She seems a bit young for this, doesn't she?" Impa shifted with discomfort. It wasn't the first time that someone had spoken about her as if she wasn't in the room, but it was still awkward.

Kishla nodded. "Yes, young, but quite capable I assure you. She has her messages prepared and categorized."

The Grand Master nodded. "Very well, very well. Produce them, then, and I shall dispatch the birds."

Impa fished the messages out of her pouch and handed them to him by category—peasants, nobles, and enemy informers. As he bustled away and started tying them to bird legs and dispatching the birds, Kishla explained. "Grand Master Peregrine comes from a whole family of aviators. He is the eleventh generation, I believe, and quite talented. That bird on his shoulder is the King's Eagle, specially bred to perform all three functions, and reserved only for his majesty's use. When sending your messages, we only deal with the Head of the Order. The less hands that are involved in seeing the messages, the less likelihood that the identities of your informers will get out. Now, although I trust Grand Master Peregrine, I never take gambles with our informants' identities. I stay close enough that I can see everything he does with the messages and that he doesn't read them."

Impa nodded her understanding, and they were quiet as they watched the Grand Master send the last of the birds off. When he was done, he came back to where the Sheikah women were watching. "The birds know their jobs. They'll deliver their messages and wait for a reply message. Once they have been supplied with the reply, they will return directly to you. Just whistle the bird song to release them from service and they will return here to the Tower for recuperation."

Impa bowed. "Thank you, Grand Master Peregrine. I look forward to working with you." He nodded and promptly turned away, returning to his training with the King's Eagle. He was obviously not one who enjoyed more conversation with other humans than was necessary.

Kishla led them back down the Tower steps and out into the central courtyard. "Young one, will you be joining me for meditation this morning?" the elder asked.

"No, thank you Elder Kishla," Impa replied. "I have plans I must take care of."

The elder eased down to her spot in the garden and prepared to mediate. "Very well. I will see you in a week. Do not neglect your mediation while we are apart."

Impa bowed and took her leave. She did indeed have other plans that day, and she was excited to get started on them. She had been thinking about it all week, and finally, two days ago, she had sent an owl ahead to prepare her surprise for the princess. The king had instructed her to get Zelda out of the library and into the world. Impa had a full day planned for them that she hoped the princess would remember fondly in the weeks to come.

The Sheikah warrior cut through the gardens to reach the stables. Once there, she found the young stable boy who had readied Zelda's horse their second day together and asked him to get two horses ready, and to make sure neither of them would be recognizable to the public. The young boy nodded and ran off to do as he was told. From there, Impa took a servant's passageway to reach the princess's room. She had been wearing something warmer and drabber for the visit to the birds, so she washed up and changed. She wore her nice blue uniform, the one that Zelda liked. She didn't wear the armor plates with it today, instead strapping some leather greaves to her shins and leaving her arms and shoulders bare, except for the leather gauntlets she normally wore. Strapping the Great Sword to her back, Impa checked herself in Zelda's three-sided floor-to-ceiling mirror and then left the room.

The Sheikah made a bee line for Zelda's classroom. The princess was reading a book as Master Shaddrick kneeled by Ruto's desk and helped the Zora girl with the mathematics they were working on. Impa stepped just inside the door and cleared her throat, softly.

Master Shaddrick was a younger man with dusty brown hair and large glasses. He always had a book with him about a mythical race called the Ooccoo who supposedly helped the goddesses create Hylians. Given the opportunity, he would ramble about the creatures at the smallest hint of interest. At this very moment, the book was on his desk. He looked up at her and adjusted his glasses as she entered the room. "Oh, Captain Impa. Hello. Can I help you with something?"

Impa bowed a little. "Yes, please. May I take the princess for the remainder of the day, Master?"

Master Shaddrick nodded. "Yes, of course, go ahead. She is well ahead in her studies." In fact, he seemed almost pleased that Zelda was doing something OTHER than studying.

The princess blinked a little, as if waking up from a dream. Impa smiled. Whatever book she was reading must have been very engrossing. As soon as Zelda's eyes cleared, it seemed to click that they were leaving. She threw Impa a questioning look as she stood and put her book back where she could pick it up tomorrow. Ruto, on the other hand, glared at them both. Impa knew she would be angry she could not come. Truthfully, that was half the reason why the Sheikah had wanted to pick Zelda up during class. Impa just grinned at both princesses and nodded her head toward the door.

"Impa, what is this about?" Zelda asked once they were out of the classroom and walking down the hall.

"I have a surprise for you," Impa answered.

The blond Hylian was looking more and more confused by the moment. "For me? What is it?" She laughed at herself and shook her head. "Never mind, that is a silly question."

Impa couldn't help but grin. "Yes, it is. Now, come on! Follow me." Without warning, she burst out in a run and sped down the hall.

Zelda laughed, but she ran until she caught up to Impa. They raced through the halls of the castle toward the stables, their laughter bouncing off the walls. Servants poked their heads out to look, confused by the fact that their princess was running…and laughing…and with someone her own age. Rumors would fly that night, but the two women didn't care. They burst out of the castle into the stable yard with their cheeks flushed and their chests hurting from laughing while running. The stable boy brought the horses out right away, and Zelda looked at them with increasing confusion.

"You're giving me a new horse?" she asked, not recognizing the steed they brought out. She cocked an eyebrow at the Sheikah.

Impa look incredulous. "Of course not. Get on the horse."

"Oh fine," Zelda said, and she thanked Impa when the Sheikah helped her up into the saddle. Once Zelda was settled, Impa mounted the other horse and nudged the mare forward. Zelda followed, and they trotted out the main gate leading down to Castle Town.

Once they were outside of the castle walls and the huge wooden gate was closed behind them, Impa slowed them from a trot to a walk. She brought her horse as close to Zelda's as she dared and just smiled at the princess. Zelda blushed and looked away, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, peaking at Impa out of the corner of her eye.

Impa shook her head. "No reason," she said. "How has your morning been, princess?"

"Dull," Zelda answered, squinting her eyes, "but you are not going to waive my question."

"I always watch you," Impa answered with a shrug. "That's what I am supposed to do, remember?" She grinned, feigning innocence, but Zelda just raised an eyebrow. She would not be fooled. Sure, she already knew the most likely reason, but Zelda was becoming familiar enough with the Sheikah to know that to be open with such an intimate look meant that there was something more behind it.

Impa sighed and looked ahead of them as the trees lining the cobblestone road to the castle began to give way to the buildings and walls of Castle Town. "Fine, if that is your wish. In the interest of following up on your request to articulate my feelings more, I will try to answer." She narrowed her eyes a little and stared ahead of her as she tried to figure out how much to tell and how to tell it. "I feel…as if I have taken real steps toward fitting into the role I have been given. Captain and Guardian to the Princess of Hyrule are both large shoes to fill. And today is special." Her expression clouded a little with apprehension as she continued, her voice a little lower. "There is darkness on the horizon, I know that. There will be more pain and war before there is joy in the world, I know that too. I trust in your visions." Impa looked back at the princess, her expression suddenly tender and grateful. Zelda couldn't help but smile in return "But today, princess, you are just Zelda and I am just Impa, two friends spending a day in town. Today, I know that you are and will be safe. That's why this day is special. For one day, at least, you are out of danger, and I can treat you to something you are not accustomed to. I don't think I'll be able to do this very often in our lives together. So, to answer your question, I looked at you 'strangely' because I am happy and grateful to be sharing this sunny day with you."

The Sheikah looked down at her saddle horn. She hadn't meant to say quite so much, but every day it felt safer to speak her mind, even when protocol said otherwise. The more that Impa got to know her, the deeper the affection she felt for her. It was easy to be together when she stopped raising so many walls between them. Whatever caution she was taking before be damned, Impa thought. If Zelda started asking questions, Impa would answer them, and they would have an adult conversation about why it wasn't possible. Today, it was much more important for Impa to make the princess smile and feel special than to avoid her on the pretense of protecting the line of Hylia. Let the goddesses figure out their own problems. Today, Impa would do her best to show the princess things that she had never seen. Today, she would delight in Zelda's smile, Zelda's laugh, and, if she was lucky, Zelda's gentle touch.

Next to her, Zelda was looking at Impa in the same way the Sheikah had been looking at her a moment before. It was Impa's turn to blush, and Zelda's turn to gaze upon the white-haired older girl with admiration. It felt ironic to the princess that she was able to make a world-wise warrior such as Impa blush even though surely the Sheikah had more experience with relationships and displays of affection than Zelda did. Then again, it was funny to Zelda that Impa could be attracted to her in the first place. Still, she did like Zelda, the princess was increasingly aware of that now.

Now that she knew what had been causing Impa to be so distant before, Zelda had been trying to stand off more and not tease. It had been surprisingly difficult to restrain herself, a curious fact that Zelda purposefully did not dwell on. Today, though, the Sheikah's words were so sweet, and they were alone, and Impa was so beautiful with the sunlight sparkling in her hair. Zelda steered the horse right next to Impa's. She held her hand out, the unspoken request in the gesture left hanging between them. Impa raised her eyes to meet the princess's gaze and took her hand. Butterflies fluttered in Zelda's stomach, as they always did. She swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat. Their fingers twined together and they held on to one another as the horses clopped slowly toward the town.

Impa pulled her horse to a stop just before they reached the town. She let go of Zelda's hand and reached around to grab a small satchel she had with her. "Put this on for a moment," she said, pulling a simple blue cloak out. "I have something for you to change into when we reach our destination, but until then I don't want you to be recognized." Zelda did as she was told, pulling the cloak tight about her to cover her nice dress and the hood over her head to hide her face. Satisfied, the Sheikah nodded and led the princess into the city.

The morning was in full swing in Hyrule Castle Town market. Merchants were lining the side streets peddling their wares, while the citizens of the town—peasants and nobles alike—all mingled together as they rushed from one destination to the next. Zelda looked around from atop her horse, her eyes wide. Sure, she had traveled to the town before, but only in Royal Regalia and with a full guard to make sure she would be safe. People always stopped and stared at her as she passed. All movement froze, as if her presence demanded a kind of reverent pause. She had never seen the people like this, full of life and excitement as they went about their normal days.

"How do they not recognize you?" Zelda asked. "You are my guard. It would follow that the young woman traveling with you would be the princess, would it not?"

Impa shrugged. "Some might recognize me, yes, but only because I lived here for a few years. Most of these people are too low in the hierarchies of Hyrule to have heard of my promotion yet. They just assume that I'm coming to visit my old master with a friend."

Zelda grinned. "Wait…are we?" She thought back to one of their first times together, when Impa had told her that Rauru could help her learn her element. Could this be Impa's surprise? Impa turned down a side street, all sly grins, and did not say a word. She would keep Zelda in the dark as long as she could.

The Sheikah stopped their horses just in front of a quaint little home. The house was a two story, thatched roof cottage that had cedar shingles with a mild wave. Along the bottom story, it had river stone walls that faded to the standard white cottage-siding from the top story to the roof. The front yard was fenced by a well-kept hedge already in full green, and various flowers and plants were beginning to bloom in the flower beds. Impa tied their horses to the hitching post out front, helped Zelda down, and then walked them up the cobblestone path to the front door.

It was only a moment after Impa knocked until they heard movement within. She didn't recognize the man who opened the door. He appeared to be of an age with her, and only a few inches taller. He was broad of shoulder and wore a simple red tunic. Impa knew the tunic to be Rauru's preferred garb for his trainees, the color usually signifying which element—or combination of elements—that trainee preferred. If this young man was a trainee, his element would be fire. Impa's tunic had been blue with red accents because she was dual-element.

Something about this man put Impa on edge. She attributed it to the harsh look in his eyes and the hard planes on his face. His facial tattoos also surprised her. The area from his eyes upward was tattooed black, with two black spikes extending down his cheeks, making his face look oddly shadowed beneath his shaggy, medium-length blond hair. He had a little stub of blond beard on his chin which he used some gel to shape into a hard spike jutting out from his chin.

"Volga, who is at the door?" came a voice from within. Impa smiled. She knew that aged voice.

"It's me, Master Rauru! Impa," she called.

An old, bald man with a handlebar mustache and chops that were pure white appeared behind Volga's statue-like form. He was wearing golden robes with yellow and orange accents. The sleeves were so long his hands disappeared within them. "Why, it is you!" the old man exclaimed. "Come, Volga, where are your manners? Move aside and let our guests in!" The silent young man bowed his head and did as he was told. Rauru ushered Impa and Zelda into the main parlor and Volga closed the door behind them. "I received your owl," Master Rauru was saying as he sat in his favorite chair in the front parlor. Zelda and Impa sat on the couch opposite him. "Is this the young lady, then?"

Impa nodded. "It is, Master. She is not dressed in appropriate attire, however, so may I use the upstairs bedroom to help her change?"

"Yes, yes, of course! Volga is using your old room at the moment, so you will have to use the guest room. Your Naginata is in there, by the way. You said that you wanted to take it with you."

Impa stood with her satchel slung over her right shoulder. "I do. Thank you very much. We will be right back." She took Zelda's hand as she led her up the stairs. Volga skulked off to the side down below them and watched as they ascended. Impa narrowed her eyes at him and he looked away.

When they came to the guest room, Impa closed the door behind them and locked it. She did not trust that Volga character one bit, but she wasn't going to worry the princess today. When she turned around, Zelda was grinning at her. "This is my surprise, is it not?" she said, bouncing on her toes a little. "You are going to help me find my element!"

Impa nodded and pulled some dark blue clothes out of her satchel. "Yes, that is the surprise. But I still don't want him or anyone else to know who you are, so I brought this Sheikah outfit for you to wear. It's an older outfit of mine, but it's still in good condition. It should be about your size."

Zelda laid each piece out on the bed as Impa handed them to her. There was the main body suit, the leather plates that went over that, the cloth wraps, the shin guards, and more. Once it was all laid out, Zelda looked at it all with a puzzled expression. She picked up one piece and then another. Blushing a little, she looked back at her protector. "How…uh…how do I put it on?" she asked, looking sheepish for not knowing.

Impa blinked and then her brow furrowed. "Well…ah…I didn't think about that. I guess I can help you. It's a little hard to explain."

Zelda nodded and removed the cloak. The Sheikah put it back in the satchel for Zelda to wear when they rode back to the castle. It would be just as awkward for Impa to show up back at the castle with a random Sheikah in tow as it was for her to come to town with the Princess of Hyrule. Underneath the cloak, Zelda was wearing a green sleeveless dress over a cream-colored peasant-top shirt. The middle portion of the dress was a corset that laced up the back, and the shirt stuck out of the top, covering the princess's arms and bodice. Lacing up that corset had been a painful process that Impa had helped her with this morning, and now Zelda brushed her hair over her shoulder and bowed her head down so that the Sheikah could unlace it.

Impa swallowed a little as she approached. The knot she had tied this morning was at the base of the corset, right at Zelda's waist, and the white-haired woman picked it out now as carefully as she could. Once the strings were free, it was relatively simple to pull them out one by one. At least, it was supposed to be simple. As the princess's gentle perfume filled her senses and the soft skin of the back of her neck seemed to beg for Impa's lips, it became apparent that simplicity was a lie. The Sheikah grit her teeth and restrained herself, focusing instead on pulling the strings out of each eyelet until the corset was loose and Zelda was able to pull it off. She handed it to the Sheikah and began to step out of the skirt and petticoats as Impa put the articles of clothing away and tried not to look.

Dressed in nothing but her underclothes, Zelda handed the rest of her clothing to Impa and picked up the bodysuit. "Is this one first?" she asked, her voice soft and her eyes not quite meeting Impa's.

"Uh, a-almost," Impa silently cursed herself for stuttering. Zelda usually had a servant come in and help her undress, or, if she did have Impa help, she went into her private room to finish after the Sheikah helped her with the corset. They had never actually had to be in the same room while Zelda was undressed before, and the Sheikah couldn't believe she hadn't thought about that possibility before. Somehow, she had assumed that Zelda knew how to put on a Sheikah uniform. The Sheikah had thought that she could wait outside while the princess dressed. Now she couldn't recall why she made that assumption and she was obviously very mistaken.

Still, Impa composed herself and crossed the room to Zelda. The princess was shy and vulnerable, and the Sheikah would not make her stand like that while she got her own impulses under control. "These wraps here," Impa said, picking up the longest of the white bandages. She held them up for Zelda to see and then placed them in the princess's hands. Pulling aside her own loose blue top, Impa gestured to the bandages around her chest. "Do you see how tightly these are wound?" Zelda nodded, and the Sheikah continued. "When you are in battle, it is helpful for your breasts to be bound flat so that they don't move around. It's more practical than traditional Hylian battle attire for women. The breastplate you would normally wear is fine for protecting your breasts, and looks fine to others looking at you, but they leave you too free and the movement can be painful when you are actually fighting. Binding them prevents that. Does that make sense?"

Zelda nodded. "So, I should wrap them around my chest like yours?" she asked. At Impa's nod, Zelda started wrapping them, and then shook her head and undid it. It was too loose. She tried again, but this time it didn't feel like it was in the right place. After a third attempt, the princess sighed in frustration. "Could I see how you did it?" she asked. Impa had gone to look out the window, and she came back at Zelda's question.

"Of course," Impa said. She slipped her free arm out of the top of her uniform and let the fabric hang loosely over the metal armor belt she wore around her abdomen. Unhooking the straps that held her breastplate in place, Impa set it on the bed and then held her arms out for Zelda to get a better look at how she had wrapped her own chest.

Zelda circled around her protector to get a better look. Impa had started in the middle of her sternum in the front and wound the bandages around to the left, but it was not her chest binding techniques that drew the princess's gaze. Zelda had never seen so much of the Sheikah's skin exposed before, and her breathing felt strained as she observed the muscles in the Sheikah's back and shoulders, the tan color of her skin, and the paler areas where the skin obviously saw less sunlight. She looked so strong, but not in an exaggerated way that made her look like a man. There was still a softness to her shoulders alongside all the obvious strength she needed to wield large weapons. Zelda had not expected to see such a captivating combination of power and elegance in the same human body. Fascinated and forgetting herself, the princess reached her hand out and traced her fingertips up the middle of Impa's back, following the line of her spine and stopping at the edge of the wraps.

Impa shivered a little and her muscles twitched under Zelda's unexpected touch. The princess gasped a little and withdrew her hand. "I am sorry," she whispered, curling her hand into her chest.

"It's okay," Impa said, not moving from where she stood. Zelda had asked to see, and the Sheikah would wait until the princess gave her permission to dress again. "It…it doesn't bother me."

"I—I think I understand," Zelda said, stepping away from Impa's body and turning away. "Thank you for letting me see your technique. You may dress now."

Seeing the princess successfully maneuvering the wraps and not looking at her anymore, Impa closed her eyes and sighed. She shivered again as she picked up her breastplate, her skin tingling where Zelda's fingers had so gently caressed her. Binding the metal in place and pulling her shift back on, Impa adjusted it and then turned to observe Zelda's progress. The princess had successfully bound her chest and was holding the end of the wrap and looking confused. "Here," Impa said, crossing over to her. "Tuck it in like this." She took the bandage from Zelda and tucked it into itself on the side, underneath the princess's arm. "It can tuck in the fold, and if you have it tight enough it shouldn't slip out or loosen," Impa explained.

Zelda turned to face Impa. They were standing very close, and a light blush painted the princess's cheeks. "Thank you," she said, looking into Impa's eyes.

The Sheikah swallowed. She was acutely aware of how scantily clad the princess was, and how close together they were standing. It would be so easy to pull the princess into her arms and kiss her in this moment. Instead, Impa stepped back. "You're welcome," she said, retreating from Zelda's intense gaze. "The bodysuit is next." She picked it up from the bed and held it out to Zelda. The princess slipped inside. Once that was on, it was simpler for Impa to hand her the different pieces and instruct her in how they attached to the rest of the suit.

"Luckily, your hair is already braided, so we just have to slip this barb into the end and wrap the tail a little, then wrap your face and head in the turban so no one recognizes you," Impa said. Zelda smiled and turned so Impa could put on these finishing touches. As the Sheikah worked, the princess's mind drifted back to the way Impa's skin had felt underneath her fingers. She was glad that the face wrap hid the way a blush crept back into her cheeks.

Impa finished the costume by strapping some small throwing daggers to each of Zelda's thighs and pulling out a small vile of liquid. "I purchased this solution on the black market a few days ago," she explained, shaking it up a little. "There is a potion-master down the street who specializes in mixtures that will change one's appearance. I won't insult your intelligence by explaining why." Zelda nodded, and Impa continued. "This solution will change the color of your irises to red, like a Sheikah. But it washes out with water, and you will need to put more in every three hours or so to maintain the effect. Also, make sure not to cry. Crying will wash it right out."

Zelda nodded again, and Impa tilted the princess's head back. She put three drops in each eye and instructed Zelda to close her eyelids and keep her head tilted back for a minute to allow the solution to do its work. When the princess straightened her neck and opened her eyes again, they were a bright Sheikah red. Impa wiped the extra liquid off Zelda's cheeks with her thumbs and smiled. "There, you look like a perfect Sheikah," she said. Her hands stayed on the sides of Zelda's face for a moment, stroking her cheeks, until Impa realized what she was doing and dropped her hands to her sides.

"Do I look convincing?" Zelda asked, trying to look at herself. It felt strange not to be wearing skirts or dresses, but she also felt as if she might enjoy the extra freedom of movement.

"Yes!" Impa exclaimed. "Go look in the mirror if you don't believe me."

Zelda crossed to the looking glass on the other wall. It wasn't as big as the one she had in the castle, but if she stood far enough back she could see herself just fine. Her eyes widened and she turned her body this way and that so she could really get a good look. "Wow," she murmured. "I barely look like a woman."

Impa smiled and nodded. "You have a slight form," she said. "If you ever need to hide your identity, Zelda, this would be perfect. You could easily pass yourself off as a young Sheikah boy. Even I would not recognize you if I hadn't helped you change."

Zelda spun around, enjoying how the new outfit felt and how free her limbs felt. Impa laughed a little at her enthusiasm, and Zelda just grinned at her in response. "What shall I call myself?" she asked. "When we see Rauru, he will want to know my name."

"I took the liberty of giving you a name already," Impa answered. "I hope you don't mind. I told him your name is Sheik. It's a traditional gender-neutral Sheikah name, so you can use it no matter what gender you tell people you are. Really, Zel, you could pass for both."

"Sheik," Zelda said, as if testing the name on her tongue. "I like it!" she finally exclaimed.

"Great," Impa said. "We should get down there then." She crossed over to her bag and tied it shut, Zelda's original dress folded away inside. Before heading to the door, Impa walked to the closet in the corner of the room and opened the door. She pulled a large weapon from inside it and closed the door again. Zelda's eyes widened as Impa swung the weapon around once and then slammed its butt on the ground and slung the satchel over her shoulder.

"Is that your naginata?" Zelda asked.

Impa nodded and slid her hand up and down the red shaft. "It is," she said. Her eyes caressed it like a lover, and Zelda felt an odd twitch of something strange in her heart, as if, for half a heartbeat, she wished that Impa would look at her that way. She cut the thought off before it could fully form. "This is a legendary weapon," Impa was explaining. "It is called the Sheikah Naginata, and it has passed from one matriarch of our tribe to the next. There are many legends of its power and magical properties in battle. I will tell you some of them one day if you want."

Zelda nodded, examining the weapon closer. It had a shorter red hilt and a blade shaped like a wing made from some unknown black metal that seemed to shimmer. It was like a raven's wing. A large gold and red Sheikah eye fastened the wing-blade to the shaft, and a strip of turquoise was tied around the blade just above the eye, almost as decoration. "I would like that very much," the princess said. She was always interested in learning legends she had never heard before.

Impa nodded and continued. "There is no weapon more powerful than the Sheikah Naginata, except for the Master Sword of course. My mother is the matriarch of our tribe now, not me, but she passed it to me when I left. It was an unusual gesture. She told me that she was giving it to me because she thought that I was ready, and to signal to our tribe that if anything should happen to her, the tribal leadership will pass to me."

"I hope that is no time soon," Zelda said.

Impa hefted the weapon over her shoulder as if it weighed nothing, which Zelda knew couldn't be true. "I agree," the Sheikah said. She opened the door and gestured outside. "Shall we?"

Zelda nodded. "Thank you." She left the room and started down the stairs, her Sheikah guardian close behind her. Impa set the satchel at the base of the stairs while Zelda went to the living room.

"Ah, I see you are ready," Rauru said. He pushed himself up out of the chair. "Impa said in her letter that your name is Sheik, correct?"

"Yes," Zelda said, bowing in respect. Knowing that she was not supposed to be a princess, she did a man's bow, and bent lower than she normally would. She was in the presence of a Grand Master after all. Impa came to stand beside her, Sheikah Naginata in hand, as master Rauru continued.

"Well then, well met Sheik. I am Rauru, Grand Master of the Magical Arts. As Impa has probably told you, I specialize in helping young people discover their natural elements and train them to use their element in battle. Impa was one of my star pupils," he shot an affectionate look at her, and the Sheikah waved him away.

"You give me too much credit, Master," she said. "I could not have learned without your tutelage."

Rauru laughed a little, a twinkle in his eye. "Yes, well, be that as it is, you still have natural skill and discipline. It cannot be helped if I brag about my best work." Rauru started walking toward the back of the cottage before Impa could respond, knowing the two Sheikah would follow him. They exited out the back door and found themselves in an exceptionally large training area. There were weapons of all kinds in an enclosure to the left, and straight in front of them was a huge practice square. In the middle of it, Volga was practicing with a dragon-spear taller than he was. Just as Impa suspected, he was a fire-wielder. It came off his moves in powerful, uncontrolled bursts. When he noticed them watching him, he stopped. He was breathing hard as he looked at them, his expression unreadable, and small puffs of fire escaped from his lips with each exhale.

"Volga is exceptionally skilled with fire, as you can see," Rauru said. "Among his own people, he was known as the Dragon Knight. Unfortunately, he has little control over his power, which is why he is here. To unlock his untapped potential, and to help him learn control. Actually, Impa, his style of fighting with that Dragon Spear is very similar to your own. I would be interested in pitting you against each other. You have much more skill and control than he does, but I think his sheer power will put you on your toes…?"

Impa shook her head. "No thank you, Master," she said. "We are not here to pit me against your current trainee. We are here for Sheik."

Zelda raised her eyebrows. "Actually, I would be interested to see you fight as well," she said. She was grinning behind her face mask, and Impa could see the mischief in her eyes.

"Please? For your old master?" Rauru said. "It might be the last time I get to see you fight, with your new appointment. It was kind of the princess to let you and young Sheik here visit for the day, but I doubt she will spare you very often in the future."

Impa sighed. She tilted her head to each side to loosen up her neck and started rotating her shoulders. "Very well," she said. "If you both insist, I'll do my best."

Standing in the middle of the practice square, Volga twirled his spear around and grinned. He held it out to the side when he was done, standing in his ready position. Something about him still made Impa feel uneasy. She was trying to put her finger on it as she stepped into the practice square opposite him. She spun her naginata around her back and then in a circle in front of her. She finished by slamming the butt of its shaft into the ground in front of her. There was such power behind the gesture that the cement dented and cracked. On the sidelines, Zelda gasped, and Rauru shook his head. "I just got the old one replaced for that very reason," he said, clicking his tongue.

Volga stepped to the right, and Impa circled to follow him. They danced around one another for a few moments to get a feel for each other. Volga radiated power and overconfidence. His stance was slightly casual, as if he wasn't expecting a real challenge. Impa, on the other hand, was cautious and light in her stance, bouncing from foot to foot at a rapid pace with her weapon at the ready. She held the naginata at an angle with both hands, the wing-blade pointed downward and the butt of the shaft up by her cheek.

The Dragon Knight made the first move. He jabbed the point of his spear forward, a burst of flame shooting out at Impa along the point of the blade. Even as Impa leapt to the side to dodge, her naginata was twirling around toward the fire. She caught it on the blade and combined his fire with her own. It swirled up and down the length of the Sheikah weapon for a just a heartbeat as Impa twirled it in the air. Trailing the tip of the blade along the ground, she left a circle of fire burning around her feet as she flung the rest of the fire in Volga's direction. It landed around him in a line of flames as tall as he was.

He shouted and jumped back. Impa squelched the flames with her free hand, as if curling it up into her palm. The trainee was holding his arm and panting, obviously hurt. Impa stood back and watched him, her red eyes sparking. Something told her that he was not the type to back down from a single burn.

The Sheikah read him correctly. He leapt forward in a charge, twirling his spear in the air in front of him. Fire spread from his hands down the length of the spear. As it twirled, the flames trailed behind and created a windmill effect. Impa jumped backward as he ran at her, but she couldn't avoid such a powerful frontal attack—at least, that was Zelda's thought as she screamed Impa's name and clutched her breast in fear. Rauru just smiled and placed a comforting hand on Zelda's shoulder. "Just wait," he said.

Volga continued pressing his attack, and Impa continued to back away. Soon, it became obvious to Zelda that her Sheikah protector might be maneuvering the dragon knight. When Impa got him where she wanted him, Zelda saw a slight shift in her weight distribution. She went from being back on her heals in a defensive stance to being up on her toes. Before Zelda could ask why, the Sheikah leapt straight up in the air. Fire swirled around her as she rotated her body in the air. It looked to Zelda as if Impa's naginata was made out of fire, in the same way that her great sword could sometimes be made of water. The dragon knight was too engrossed in pressing his attack forward to be able to stop himself and turn around when the Sheikah woman landed directly behind him. Her naginata caught Volga in the back, fire bursting from the flat of the blade that she hit him with and setting his clothes aflame.

"AHH!" he screamed, dropping his spear. He ran to the side, where a large tub of water sat for just such an occasion, and jumped in. He sighed as steam rose around him.

As Impa turned to face the princess, there were trails of fire still swirling around her. The red light danced in her hair and reflected in her eyes. A sheen of sweat glistened on her skin, and waves of heat rippled around her like an aura of power. Zelda's mouth hung open, her tongue dry and forgotten. The memory of how Impa's skin and muscles had felt under her hand in the upstairs bedroom leapt, unbidden, into the princess's mind and she swallowed hard. For once, she didn't try to banish the memory as Impa approached and the fire died around her.

"Are you okay, Sheik?" the Sheikah asked, concern lining her features. "I heard you scream."

Rauru chuckled and clapped his hands together. "She was merely frightened for you," he answered, his eyes dancing with merriment. "One who has not seen you fight with your natural weapon cannot know there would be nothing to fear. You were delightful, child! Simply marvelous!" Volga approached just then, as silent as always, and dripping wet. He seemed to be gritting his teeth and glaring at Impa. "Oh, don't be angry Volga. Take this as your next lesson. You always think that power and a forward approach are the best tactics, and against weaker foes you are correct. But I knew from that start that it would be no contest between Impa and you. She has much more control over her body and her magic. No matter how powerful you are, you cannot touch her. I have been trying to teach you this, but you refused to even attempt. You can learn a lot from Impa."

Volga bowed toward Rauru, the movement stiff and not as low as it should be. "I will try to learn, Master," he said. He then bowed toward Impa, so shallowly that it might actually have been more of an insult than a show of respect. "Thank you for your lesson," he said, his tone more of a growl than speech. "I would like to face you again someday."

Impa bowed in return, and her bow was much more respectful of a fallen opponent. "I look forward to the rematch," she said. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she shot a weird look at Zelda. The princess was still just staring with her mouth hanging open. Closing her mouth, Zelda blushed bright red behind her face mask. Luckily, Rauru didn't notice as he was already walking toward his weapon enclosure and talking to them over his shoulder.

"Now, Sheik, thank you for indulging my little teaching session. Please follow me," he said. The two Sheikah hurried after him. The old master led them into the enclosure and turned to speak once they were all there. "Now, the first step to discovering your element is choosing the weapon or weapons you feel most comfortable with. Finding your weapon is a deeply personal search, so Impa and I will wait just outside while you look at what I have here." He pulled Impa out before the Sheikah could protest, leaving Zelda alone in the weapon-filled enclosure.

On the walls, she saw Goron-made Great Swords like Impa's (which must be where she got hers), alongside spears, swords, bows and arrows, and all manner of other weapons in various styles and sizes. She even saw a huge gauntlet with a ball and chain, along with a massive hammer, a strange silver scale, a decorated book, a wooden spear, a parasol, an ornate staff, and all manner of odd items, many of which Zelda couldn't imagine being a weapon to begin with.

Once Zelda had walked around once, she went around again and started really picking up items and feeling them. She found a rapier that she liked a lot. She had been trained in fighting with such a weapon, and she knew she would be able to use it well. Along with that, there was a strange baton that she couldn't seem to take her eyes off of. Not knowing how it could be a weapon, she decided to take it anyway. Perhaps Rauru could explain it to her.

When she brought her two weapons out of the enclosure, Rauru came over and smiled. "Ah, the glittering rapier and the baton. I am surprised. These are strange choices for a Sheikah."

Impa came to Zelda's side. "She is not your normal Sheikah," she said, smiling. Something about the way she smiled and the way she held herself made Zelda feel as if her protector was proud of her choice, even if she did not say it.

Rauru clapped his hands together again. "Very well, then come to the practice square. Impa, Sheik knows you better than me so I will need you to help in my stead." Impa nodded and went to stand in the practice square along with Zelda. "Let us begin with the rapier, as I think that will be an easier introduction for you," said Master Rauru. Zelda nodded and handed the baton to him. "Now, go stand across from Impa. Very good. And set your rapier on the ground beside you, for now." Zelda did as she was told, and she and Impa looked at one another as Master Rauru began his explanation.

"You see, Sheik, finding the element inside of yourself can be difficult without help from someone who already knows and has mastered their own elements. It should be someone you are comfortable with, as any unfamiliarity or discomfort can get in the way of the spirit connection that is needed for a successful guidance to self-discovery. Impa and I spent a good month getting to know one another before her spirit would let me get close to it. She was quite a challenge. We do not have that much time to help you, so I am hoping that your connection with Impa is deep enough to allow her in."

Zelda didn't quite understand what he meant, but Impa seemed to, so the princess nodded. "Good. Now, Impa, you know how this works. I will be right here if you have questions, but I won't interrupt." He went to sit on a chair by the house and monitor them. Volga grunted and went inside the cottage, obviously disgruntled and irritated by his loss.

Impa smiled at Zelda and held her hands out between them, palms up. "Don't pay attention to that guy," she said, her voice quiet. The air around them seemed suddenly still and silent. "Just put your hands in mine and close your eyes." Zelda nodded. She placed her palms on top of Impa's, just low enough so that the skin of their fingers would touch. Impa's fingers were very warm, as if somehow still touched by fire. Zelda looked from their hands up to Impa's face. The Sheikah's eyes were sparkling. "Close your eyes," she whispered. Zelda closed her eyes.

"Turn your thoughts inward," Impa said, her voice merely a whisper in the air between them. "Shut out every outside stimulus, including me. You are trying to find that silent space inside of yourself where you soul is." At first, all Zelda could feel, hear, or sense was everything outside of herself. She heard the birds and the trees, the bustle of the city outside of Rauru's wooden gate. She heard the old man sitting in his chair, rocking as he watched them. She felt the warmth of Impa's body radiating through her clothes. She smelled the scent of sweat, fire, and something uniquely Impa that was familiar enough to seem natural. Impa was always with her, always watching. Being with Impa was like being alone with herself sometimes. Impa was a part of her.

Then all the other sensations faded, until only Impa and herself remained. Zelda stepped a little closer to the Sheikah, so focused on trying to find that space of solitude inside of herself that she didn't realize what she was doing outside. Outside, her hands slid along Impa's arms. Their bodies got closer as Zelda's hands moved up Impa's arms and down her sides. They came to a rest on the Sheikah's hips, and then slid behind her. Zelda's arms wrapped around Impa, her chin coming to rest on the Sheikah's shoulder as her head leaned up against the side of Impa's head.

Their bodies were touching and completely entwined now. Neither of them seemed to realize the embrace they found themselves in, as both of their eyes were closed. All outside sensation faded away, even the sense of separateness between their bodies. Zelda felt as if Impa was a part of her. The Sheikah's presence was somehow wet, like water flowing through the princess's body, but contained the heat of fire. It's okay, a voice inside Zelda said, Impa's voice. I'll guide you. Keep reaching. Zelda reached deeper, and the water of Impa's presence seemed to flow within her, guiding her. They came to a space within Zelda's spirit where the water stopped, and Zelda felt Impa's presence begin to fade. Don't go, she wanted to say, don't leave me. I'm right here, Impa's presence said. I won't go until you ask me to. But you need to discover what's in there for yourself. Zelda turned her attention back to the space. She stepped inside, as if stepping inside a room. Even Impa's presence was gone here. There was nothing and no one but Zelda and the empty space inside of her spirit.

Except that it wasn't empty. It was dark inside, and Zelda found herself wishing that she had a light to guide her. As soon as she wished it, the light appeared. It wound around her and within her, and it sparked somehow with an electric energy. Inside of her, Zelda could see a golden triangle now. Full of light and thunder, she reached out and touched the strange, mythical triangle within her spirit.

Outside, unbeknownst to her, Zelda's body began to glow with a bright light and jolts of electricity leapt off her like strikes of thunder. Impa's spirit began to retreat, as if sensing the outside physical danger, but, unconsciously, Zelda held her all the tighter. She wasn't ready to let go, not now when they were finally close.

"Sheik!" It was Rauru's voice. But where was it coming from? He wasn't in here. And who was sheik? "Sheik! You must let Impa go! You will hurt her!" But she would never hurt Impa. Impa was a part of her. Impa was the person meant to be her companion. A million lifetimes, a million different relationships and roles, but Impa was always there. "Open your eyes! Princess Zelda, OPEN YOUR EYES!" At the sound of her name, Zelda's eyes opened, and she immediately clung to Impa's body as tightly as she could and screamed.

They were floating a meter high in the air. Wind and light and electricity swirled around their bodies, along with every other element. Fire and water and darkness and earth all swirled around her too, none of which were as strong as the light and thunder that kept them aloft. On the back of Zelda's hand, the Triforce of Wisdom glowed brightly in the early afternoon air.

"Zelda." It was Impa's voice, and it was gentle. "Zelda, look at me. It's okay. Look at me." The princess raised her head from where it was tucked in the crook of Impa's neck and found the Sheikah's eyes. Impa smiled. She reached up and touched Zelda's cheek. "See, everything's okay. Just take a deep breath and let us down. I won't let you go."

Zelda nodded and took a deep breath. As her heart rate slowed and her body began to calm down, the light and wind and electricity all died. They drifted down, each element disappearing one at a time, until their feet finally made contact with the ground. All that remained was the light of the Triforce flowing around Zelda, and soon that faded as well.

The princess was shaking. Not caring about the fact that Rauru had said her name, or who might have seen their display over the fence, or the fact that her body and Impa's were still pressed together and entangled and what that might look like, Zelda tucked her face in Impa's chest and held on as tightly as she could. Despite the warning not to, she began to cry.

"You should have told me that she was the princess!" Rauru's angry voice was saying.

"I'm sorry," Impa replied, her hand rubbing Zelda's back. "I didn't know…"

"No, you didn't," Rauru snapped. "Do you think that she didn't know her element yet because no one had bothered to find out?"

"Well…yeah," Impa said.

"Well, you were wrong. They tried when she was young, and the moment that the acolyte got close to the Magical Core of her soul, the Triforce of Wisdom tore his soul to pieces thinking he was an invader. His body died a week later. She is more powerful than anyone alive. So you could have been killed!"

"But I wasn't," Impa said. "And now she knows. It'll be better this way."

"You weren't ready for that, Impa, and neither was she. I should tell the king and get you expelled from both her service and his guard. You both could have died."

"No, please, Master, I'm sorry. Look, we're safe. Please don't tell anyone."

Rauru sighed. Zelda could hear him pacing, and she could feel the tension that had crept into Impa's body. Becoming aware of how improperly close they were, Zelda pulled away from Impa. Even as her hands dropped away from the Sheikah's waist, the princess regretted letting her go. She wanted to take the Sheikah in her arms and hold her there forever. The feeling was so intense that it was frightening, and that fear crept into Zelda's gaze.

Impa saw it and hung her head. "I'm sorry," she whispered, curling her hands into fists at her sides. Zelda realized that Impa must think that the look in her eyes was because she was afraid of what had just happened, but that wasn't true at all.

"No, Impa," she said, stepping forward again. She touched the Sheikah's shoulder, but the touch was light and brief. Zelda could still feel the Sheikah's presence inside of her, somehow, and even that small touch brought on that intense feeling of longing and love. The princess dropped her hand, her body still shaking, unable to handle the connection.

"If you want me to leave your service, I understand," Impa said. She turned her back and picked her naginata up from where she had dropped it. Her knuckles were white as she gripped its shaft in both hands. "I just…I just wanted to give you a gift…I'm sorry…I didn't know."

Zelda swallowed and stepped forward. "No," she said, her voice firm. She stood close to the Sheikah and placed both of her hands on Impa's back. The connection was growing fainter now, but Zelda could still feel the intensity of it, along with a little hint of the anguish in Impa's heart. "No," Zelda said again. "Do not be sorry. I am not angry with you or afraid. Please, Impa, look at me."

Impa turned around and looked at Zelda. The princess took both of Impa's hands in her own and smiled. "Rauru will not repeat a word of this," the princess said, loud enough for the Grand Master to hear and understand that her words were a command, not just a statement. "He will say nothing to no one, for if he does I will have him locked away in the deepest dungeon for treason." Her voice was edged in iron, and she turned her head to glare at him. Her tears had made the artificial red run out of her eyes, and they were half blue and half red as she met the Grand Master's gaze.

Rauru bowed low. "I understand, your highness," he said. "I will not say a word. I—I will leave you alone now." He scampered back into his house, frightened of the promise on the princess's face.

When she turned her eyes back to Impa, they were gentle again. She rubbed her thumbs over the Sheikah's knuckles and smiled. "Did you hear what he said?" she whispered.

Impa still looked glum. "That I could have killed you and should be banished for it? Yes, I heard that."

Zelda laughed a little and shook her head. "No. The part where he said that they hadn't been able to get close before. The Triforce of Wisdom thought the acolyte was a threat and defended me."

Impa furrowed her brow. "Yes, I heard that. Why do you seem so happy about it?"

"Do you not see?" Zelda whispered, searching Impa's eyes for understanding. Their connection seemed to be seeping out by the moment, leaving them as two people again. It wasn't as easy to tell what Impa was feeling or thinking as it had been just a moment before. "The Triforce accepted you, Impa. It accepted you inside me and it embraced you, as I did. Look at your body…are you harmed at all?"

Impa looked down at herself. Her clothes weren't even torn. "No…I suppose I'm not."

Zelda nodded. "You were in the middle of all of that with me. You should have been torn to pieces too, but it would not hurt you outside or inside. What the legends say…that I am the reincarnation of the goddess Hylia, and you are the companion reborn to be at my side…it is all true. Could you not feel it? The countless lifetimes we have shared? I felt them as if they were all happening at once. It was amazing…"

Impa sighed. She had felt them, all right, and she had also felt every thought and emotion and feeling taking place in Zelda's body. It hadn't been like that at all with Rauru. With Rauru, she had felt his presence long enough to help her find her magical core, and then he was gone entirely. With Zelda, though, when their souls had connected it was like they were one. And when Zelda asked her to stay, Impa couldn't leave. It was as if the princess's desire became hers, and she knew that her desire became Zelda's.

"Yes," Impa whispered, her expression pained. "I felt our lives together. I felt you, age after age, young and old, through war and peace, and all at once it seemed. I've…I've never felt anything like it. I didn't expect for that to happen. Zelda…I know you could feel what was inside me…I'm so—"

Zelda placed her finger on Impa's lips, stopping her. "Shhh," she said, shaking her head. The smile had been wiped from her face. Her expression was serious, sad even, and slightly scared. Impa started to speak again, but Zelda shook her head again. "Please," she whispered. "I am not ready…"

Impa swallowed and nodded. The princess dropped her finger from Impa's lips, and her hand from the Sheikah's hand. They stood apart, two people, two souls, unsure how to move forward. Impa couldn't talk about what had happened, and she didn't know how to proceed next. Zelda wouldn't talk about what happened, what she knew Impa felt. She wouldn't talk about it or think about it, not yet at least, because what she found herself wondering as they stood apart as two people was why she still felt it. If Impa's attraction and feelings were one sided, why weren't they gone with the rest of her? The thought of what that could imply was too dangerous, too forbidden. She had to carry on the line of Hylia. How could she do that if…if…

Suddenly there was a crash inside, and they could hear Rauru scream. Impa took her naginata in hand and ran toward the sound. Zelda followed with her rapier. They burst through the cracked door. "Master Rauru?!" Impa shouted, her weapon at the ready. "Rauru, where are you?"

They heard coughing in the front parlor. Inside, Rauru lay on the floor amid the splintered ruins of his coffee table as blood ran onto the ornate rug below him. Impa fell to her knees beside him and started checking his body for the wound. He coughed again, and soon the Sheikah found it: a hole in his side where a short metal weapon had jabbed in and cauterized the flesh on its way out—likely Volga's dragon spear.

"What happened?" Impa asked.

Rauru coughed again. "Volga…" he rasped. "He—he turned into a…a real d-dragon! He was leaving…I thought he was g-going…" Rauru coughed again, and more blood seeped into the floor. "t-to tell the king…I t-t-tried to st-stop him…." He broke down in coughing again.

"Shh," Zelda said, kneeling down at his side as well. "It is okay, we understand. You do not have to finish." Rauru nodded and closed his eyes. Impa's eyes started to water.

"No," she whispered. "Please, he can't die."

Zelda frowned and looked down at her right hand. It was starting to glow of its own accord. Going on a hunch, she reached it over to the master's bleeding side and covered his wound with her hand. Beneath, she could feel his flesh starting to move. The light grew brighter for a moment, and then it faded and died. Zelda pulled her hand away.

Impa peered at the wound—or where the wound had been. "It's gone," she said. She looked up at Zelda, her eyes wide with amazement. "It's gone. You healed him."

"It…it was just a hunch," Zelda whispered.

Between them, Rauru groaned in relief. "A good hunch," he croaked. "Impa, help me to my chair." The Sheikah did so, and when he was sitting, he looked up at Zelda with his eyes narrowed. "It could be that you received your powers now for a reason. And…well, that was the most unusual guiding process I have ever seen." He looked at Impa now, and then back to the princess. "You came into each other's lives for a purpose. I can see the bond between you now that you have joined, and I have never seen its comparison in my lifetime. Do not be afraid of the connection you share…something tells me that you will need it."

Impa crouched down in front of the old man and put her hand on his knee. "Master Rauru, did Volga say anything on his way? About where he was going or why he attacked you?"

Rauru squinted his eyes. He was feeling so weak from the blood loss, and his mind felt fuzzy. When it came back to him, and his eyes widened again. He turned his gaze on Impa, his expression full of doom. "He said that I would be the first casualty of many before the night was over. That his partner was already here…."

Zelda touched Impa's arm. "My dream," she murmured. "The shade wears a royal skin…Impa, if they're already here, then…"

Impa's eyes widened. "Then they're in the castle," she finished Zelda's thought and leapt to her feet. "We have to go. Now."

Zelda stood as well, but stopped and looked at Master Rauru. "Are you sure we should—"

"Go," Rauru cut her off. "I am fine, thanks to you. Just take this baton with you and go." He held out the baton that Zelda had left behind with him. The princess took it, with her thanks, and then she and Impa ran out the front door to their waiting horses.

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Author's Notes: Revised chapter uploaded May 2022. Please find original author's comments below.

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Hello everyone. A long chapter that has been a long time in coming. I had to edit the previous six chapters before I would be ready to post the new one, and I wanted to get some writing done on Stasis.

Anyway, this was also a varied and…charged…chapter, if you know what I mean. I hope you enjoyed it!

Thank you for reading and please review!