Princess Zelda is returned to her father unharmed. He gives Impa his gratitude but she explains that the true heroism lies with Faito; a fearless warrior who stepped in to save the Princess from a malevolent kidnapper. The two fought a fierce battle in the hallowed halls of the Temple of Time and Faito emerged victorious. The King laps up the fabricated fiction and orders Sir Victor to present him with a knighthood.
With no recollection of the night's events, Faito awakens the next morning in the Castle's medical ward dazed and confused. His bemusement is only amplified at the news of his prospective knighthood. Impa sits at his bedside with a pot of freshly-brewed tea and tales of a brave and courageous knight who rescued the Princess from a terrible fate. He blushes at her hyperbolic flattery and worries how he will cope with his newfound fame.
That afternoon, while the sun is shining and the streets are packed with the noise of town criers, Impa decides to pay a visit to Imogen's apartment on a quest for much needed answers. The maid prepares her a selection of cheese and biscuits and joins her at the dining room table.
"So, you doubtlessly have a lot of questions for me right now…allow me to explain myself."
Impa sits back and listens intently as she unveils her true identity.
"I'm not a native of these parts…nor of this time-period. I hail from an era in the distant future. I was sent here on a mission to prevent the kidnapping of our fair Princess. I rode the currents of time and wound up at the very place we encountered Count Caedis: the Temple of Time. From there, I was expected to blend into the local area, seek employment within the Castle, and adopt an entirely new identity. I became the happy-go-lucky maid which you befriended after my countless attempts at acquaintanceship. I admit: I used you to obtain vital information. I knew somebody within the Royal Court was to betray the King. I even attempted to alert him myself through discrete means."
"You played the fortune-telling hermit in that theatre production." Impa nods, gradually piecing the puzzle together.
"Indeed. My efforts proved in vain, and only served to create divisions within the Royal Court and fractured His Majesty's marriage. So instead, I turned to spying on each of the Royal Court members. I noticed you frequenting the Milk Bar under the cover of darkness each night to deliver letters to the Count, and so I knew you were involved somehow. I tested your moral stance by inviting you to assist in the intervention of Captain Cassida's smuggling business. Needless to say, you passed."
Impa casts her eyes over the mountain of newspapers piled on the bed. "You purchased the Castle Town Times to monitor any rumours and keep up with the date. You knew when the kidnapping was going to take place."
"It's true." Imogen confesses. "I was sent here with nothing but a perfectly-preserved news article from the day of the kidnapping, which I purposely left on the table for you and Faito to discover in my absence. It was critical that there be no mention of my name in any accounts of these events, and so I arranged for you and Faito to follow me to the Temple of Time. Just as I had hoped, Faito was accredited for rescuing the Princess, and thus my identity remains a secret."
"So what it your true identity?"
"You've probably determined that already." she smirks. "I am like you. I too am a member of the Sheikah tribe. I am learned in the magic of the ancestors we both share, and I was dispatched here on behalf of our tribe."
"It's comforting to know that our tribe continues to thrive long into the future." Impa smiles. "But what of Caedis? Is he too a long-lost member of our tribe?"
Imogen shakes her head. "Caedis is…something else. Something much more malignant. Yet he is nothing to be worried about for the time-being. One day, he will return…fortunately, you will be long gone."
"An infinite number of questions play effervescently on my mind…" Impa's eyes wander. "You hold the answers to so many."
Imogen smiles. "Some secrets are best kept hidden. What fate has in store for you, Impa, is a legacy beyond any other…"
She rises from her chair and strolls over to the bed. From beneath her pillow, she plucks a mystical blue instrument with a mouthpiece and seven holes.
"My mission here is complete, and henceforth, it is time for me to leave. Unfortunately, this means it is time for us to exchange our goodbyes."
Impa nods with understanding and joins her in a warm-hearted embrace.
"Before you go," the Royal Attendant chimes. "Answer me this: will I ever bear a child of my own?"
Imogen hesitates. She gazes upon her with the characteristic crimson eyes and platinum-blonde hair and a gentle smile.
"If you so wish."
The Sheikah sorceress steps back and lifts the wondrous instrument to her lips. She plays a sweet sonata that encapsulates a river's flow and fills the room with an enchanting blue light. Impa closes her eyes as the melody caresses her ears, whisking her thoughts away to an unforetold story. When she opens her eyes, she finds herself alone in an empty apartment, blessed with a new notion of wonder and life.
