Chapter 26

Ashei let out a yawn. Despite the sleep she had gotten, her legs still felt sore. Glancing at the clock in her room, she could see it was late morning. Odd because she and Shad got up early to begin their search for Kafei. He was adamant about that. Then Ashei noticed the lack of weight on the other end of the bed. Shad was not in their bed. In fact, he was nowhere in the room. Odd because, typically, he would often wait for Ashei to wake up.

Maybe he was washing up in the bathroom or waiting downstairs. The anxiousness of looking for Kafei is more than likely making him impatient. That was the logical answer.

Ashei then got herself ready for the day. She let her pigtails flow down her shoulders rather than tie them in her usual braids, mostly because she lacked the energy. Walking around a good chunk of Castle Town yesterday was tiring. The thought of doing it again made her groan, but she would not dare complain. Not when someone dear to Shad is missing.

Once dressed, Ashei made her way to the bathroom. Shad was absent. Okay, so maybe he's somewhere else. Probably chatting with someone. The first person she ran into was Cawlin, rubbing his tired eyes. He claimed he had not seen Shad. Peatrice was the next person Ashei went to, but her answer was the same as Cawlin's. Ashei then tried her luck downstairs.

Groose and Strich then said he hadn't seen Shad this morning. Neither could Orielle & Fledge because they were preparing breakfast. That all came down to Sheik, Ilia, and Zelda, who just happened to be in the main room.

"Good morning, Ashei," Sheik greeted her.

"Hey. Is Link up yet?"

"He's still sleeping," Zelda sounded annoyed by her answer. "I'm giving him another half an hour before I go to wake him up."

"Damn…" Ashei breathes out, making the others concerned.

"Is everything okay?" Ilia asks.

"Have you seen Shad anywhere?"

"You don't know where he is?" Sheik did not expect Ashei to ask that. "I assumed you both had already left or were still sleeping."

"I can't find him anywhere in this house. No one else here had seen him."

"Maybe he's walking around Lower Castle Town somewhere?" Zelda suggested.

"If he is, then why not tell me or somebody else?"

"Are you looking for Mr. Shad, Miss Ashei?" Agitha strolled up to her.

Ashei knelt down to reach the little girl's eye level. "Have you seen him? It's important."

Agitha nodded. "I saw him early this morning. I woke up early because I had to pee really bad. When I left the bathroom, Mr. Shad was leaving his room. He asked me to give you this when you woke up." The little girl held up a folded piece of paper. "But before I do, he wanted me to ensure you wouldn't get mad."

"Why would I get mad?" Ashei was confused by that.

Agitha only shrugged. "That's what Mr. Shad said."

Ashei accepted the paper. Unfolded revealed it to be a letter. The handwriting and penmanship she instantly recognized. Upon reading the letter several more times to make sure she read it correctly. All she had to say in response.

"That idiot!"

Her voice was loud enough that it bounced off the house's walls. Loud enough for the other residents to jump in fright, including waking Link up, and for people outside walking past the place to hear. Everyone near Ashei winced at the sudden loudness of her voice.

"Everything okay here?" Groose poked his head into the room.

"Groose, is Midna busy today?" Ashei asked him.

"Uh, I don't think so. Why?"

"Cause I need some help finding my wayward boyfriend!"


Shad knew this was perhaps the stupidest thing he had ever done. He knew how upset Ashei would be for doing this. But Shad was desperate to find any clues to Kafei's whereabouts and couldn't wait any longer. So he decided to see where he had agreed to look. Something more familiar than the majority of Castle Town. The Noble District.

Shad had always felt like an outsider when being among nobles. His family was different from the average member of the upper class. His parents mingled far more with the 'lower class' citizens than their peers. And they had a residence in Kakariko rather than within the Noble District. Despite their oddities, they garner great praise from the previous royal family. If he had to guess, that's more likely why many nobles respected his parents.

It had been a long while since Shad stepped foot into the Noble District. He supposed he could find clues to what may have happened to Kafei. Shad hoped not to run into trouble, like what happened to Zelda yesterday. Shad felt terrible for the poor girl having to deal with the likes of Vaati of people. If Kafei wasn't missing, Shad would've offered to infiltrate the nobles. He would've blended in with no problems. No one suspected his involvement with The Resistance. As far as he knows, that is. The Sokol name was well-known throughout Hyrule, so many would know who he was.

Other nobles gave him odd looks. Very few he did recognize, but none of them approached him. Then again, the reason most likely has to do with his clothes. They weren't the worst, but they're not exactly the best, especially for noble standards. He mentally scolded himself for wearing his better clothes to Death Mountain, which he had yet to clean out the volcanic ash & the smell of sulfur. Shad was not fazed by such looks. He was somewhat accustomed to it.

When his parents were still alive, the nobles always paid more attention to them, while they barely acknowledged Shad. Or, at worst, downright ignore him. At a very young age, Shad knew he was different from the other nobles, especially his peers.

The noble's children had deemed Shad odd. Whenever he did try to talk to them, they found excuses to leave. When their parents forced them to include Shad, they would leave him out of the conversations. They would let him say a few words if they were nice enough. Or make him the subject of their jokes. Some were more mean about it. They always played it off as 'harmless jokes,' but last time Shad checked, jokes are funny when everyone is laughing, not when one person is hurt.

This stopped when he conveniently hit puberty. All of a sudden, some of the people who teased now tried to gain support. Shad supposed their families finally urged them to no longer antagonize him but seek his favor since the Sokol name has many benefits. In his teens, noble boys include him in their more 'manly activities.' Things such as hunting, fencing, or horseback racing. Shad knew they didn't want him around, but they continued to do so for their selfish gains. Things that Shad were not good at. Noble girls pretended to be interested in the things Shad was in the hope of gaining his affection. When his parents died, none of those boys & girls spoke to him at their funeral or after. They never even sent a letter to check how he was doing.

Experiences like that are why he values all of his friendships. His friends in The Resistance, the Gorons, and Kakariko were genuine. They didn't pretend around him. They all like him for who he is.

And now one of those friends was missing and had continued to elude Shad.

"Perhaps I should've thought this more thoroughly," Shad mentally scolded himself. "Ashei has more than likely realized that I'm gone by now. Hopefully, I can find something about Kafei. Or, at the very least, handle myself."

"Halt! You there!"

Shad's heart skipped a beat. Two men strolled over in Shad's direction. They were dressed in garb the same as those part of the royal guard. Shad knew he was in trouble. There is no other reason to believe otherwise. Both men had suspicion written on their expressions.

Shad cannot afford to panic. If he did, it would make the men even more suspicious. Perhaps Shad could talk his way of it. "Can I help you, gentlemen?"

"What do you think you're doing?" The first guard sharply asks Shad.

"I'm sorry."

"You heard me loud and clear. What are you doing in this neighborhood?"

"I'm merely walking through. Surely that's not illegal."

"You keep looking around, hoping no one will notice you." The second guard, who was bigger than his partner, crossed his arms. "What are you looking for?"

"Nothing. I'm only passing through."

"Better watch your tone."

"What tone?" Shad stated confusedly.

"Sir, please remain calm." The first guard lifted his hand, signaling to stop. The second hovered his hand over to the sword on his hip. Shad knew he had to pick his words carefully. He could whine up dead or worse if he said the wrong thing.

"I am merely looking for a friend of mine."

"A friend? Here?" The second guard scoffed. "There's no way your type has friends in this part of town. I'm betting you're scooping out places to rob. Why else would you be here?"

"Now you've got me all wrong-"

"Why? You calling me dumb? That's what you're saying?" The second guard moved closer. His chest was inches away from Shad as an act of intimidation. Shad knew this guard was merely trying to provoke him into doing something perceived as a threat justifiable enough to arrest him.

He had seen it in the past times he had been in Castle Town. The first time, he witnessed a pair of guards like this one harassing a man who had clearly fallen on hard times. Shad couldn't even recall what the poor man did to get the guard's attention. Whatever it was, he was sure the man didn't deserve to be taunted and pushed into the mud. That wasn't enough for the guards.

They baited the man into lashing out against them. To them, they were justified in brutally beating him. 'Excessive Force,' he had been told. The guards beat the man for everyone to witness. Once they were done, they shackled the man and dragged him away. To this day, Shad has no clue what happened to the poor man.

Which was why he was trying to avoid sharing the same fate.

"I'm not saying anything of the sort," Shad stated calmly. "Look, there's clearly a misunderstanding. I suggest we all walk away before one of us does anything foolish."

Shad started to walk. His path was blocked by the other guard. His stance showed that he was also trying to square him up. "And what makes you think we'll do that?"

The air was tense. Shad was caught in between the two guards. The one in front had his hands near some shackles, while the other had his hand on the hilt of his sword. They clearly intended to intimidate him further.

"What do you both think you're doing?!"

A large middle-aged man marched on over. The man had yellowish hair, accompanied by a mustache and goatee. He was dressed in a fine red cloak with a blue tunic underneath.

"Lord Waters." The guard in front of Shad spoke. "This situation is none of your concern. We have everything under control."

"Do you, really? Do you fools know who this is?" Lord Waters placed his fists on his hips expecting them to answer. The guards could give him confused looks, much to the man's annoyance. "That young man is Shad Sokol. Son of the late Lord Abraham & Lady Mesha Sokol."

The guard's expression went fearful. The second guard that had tried to intimidate Shad grew unsettled. Shad, on the other hand, gave a 'he's serious' type of look.

"We didn't know!" The second guard shakily claimed.

"You both didn't allow me to reveal my name," Shad stated sarcastically.

"Now, who's the dumb one?" Shad also thought to himself almost smugly.

Lord Waters crosses his arms. Eyes stared at the guards with sternness. "I suggest that you both release him. Unless you want me to report to your superiors. The king may be on vacation, but I'm sure his court would love to hear that you were harassing the son of esteemed members of Hyrulian Society."

The two guards back away from Shad. Faces remained nervous. The first guard bowed his head.

"W-we apologize for the…inconvenience, Lord Sokol. Forgive us."

"Begone, you two!" Lord Waters bellowed, waving them off. The two guards scamper away like dogs with tails between their legs. The man went on over to Shad. "Are you alright, son? Did they hurt you?"

"No, they didn't.

Lord Waters let out a relieved breath. "Thank goodness for that. I couldn't believe they were harassing you! How could they do such a thing?"

"Well, I'm not exactly in my Sunday Best."

"That is still no excuse to harass you like that. Not every noble has to wear nice clothing in this place. Judging someone's character based on how they dressed? That's absurd!"

"I'm sure you made that clear with them."

"Hopefully, those soldiers learned their lesson. With that being done..." Lord Waters wraps Shad into a hug. "It's good to see you again, Shad."

"Nice to see you. Thank you for helping me, Lord Waters."

"Shad, please. You can call me by my first name."

"Alright. Thank you, Ademar."

The man pulled away. "How have you been? It's been a while since I saw you."

"Oh, you know. Doing my…own thing. How's your business?"

"Same as usual." Ademar's face brightens. "Say, I was just on my way home to have lunch. If you're not busy. Would you like to join me?"

"Oh, I don't want to be a bother."

"It's no bother. You're a friend of the family. And I think you could relax after what those idiot guards tried to do."

Before Shad could protest, a loud grumble echoed from his stomach. His face flushed with red. Ademar merely chuckled. "Goodness. Have you eaten anything?"

"I might've missed breakfast…" Shad answered meekly.

"All the more reason why you should join me."

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt. I can't stay long."

"Fair enough. Come along now. Everyone back home will be happy to see you. My daughter especially."

Ademar took the lead while Shad walked alongside him. The young scholar kept his head low. He wasn't expecting to meet up with another old family friend, especially while searching for Kafei. But he could turn away a kind invite from Ademar.

"I wish our reunion happened under better circumstances," Ademar spoke shortly into their walk. "I'm sorry you had to deal with those soldiers, my boy. They've acted more harshly since that assassination attempt on King Ganondorf last month."

"I've…I've heard about that. Only bits & pieces." Shad paused for a moment. "They say a member of The Resistance did it."

"To be honest, I think it was the work of a lone radical. Not saying I support The Resistance, but I wouldn't needlessly blame them for every attempt against King Ganondorf's life. Everyone, regardless of their crimes, deserves fair judgment."

"What happened to the assassin?" Shad already knew the answer, but he had to cover his tracks. While he knew Ademar was a good person, he could not risk giving him any suspicion that he was part of The Resistance.

"Suicide. Flung himself off a building." Now that part did make Shad cringe since he did not know the method.

"Sounds nasty."

"It does. Enough of the down talk. We're almost to my manor."

The pair arrived at a large home. A place that Shad had been to previous times beforehand. Waters Manor. It was bigger than the Sokol Manor back in Kakariko. The same thing could be said for the inside. Shad recognized all the decor that always greeted him in past visits to his old life. There were paintings, along with fine furniture. Many were in the color of blue. Like the ocean, Ademar once told him. More lavish than the Sokol manor. A fragrance of lavender lingered in the air.

A young woman with reddish-brown hair and a mole near the right side of her nose around Shad's age greeted the men when they entered the foyer. She wore a simple maid dress. "Welcome back home, Lord Waters. Did you have a pleasant outing?"

Ademar nods. "I also ran into an old friend." He gestures to Shad.

"Hello, Maggie," Shad gave an awkward wave.

"Goodness! Shad!" Maggie panicked and bowed her head. "I-I mean Lord Sokol!"

Shad frowned at the way Maggie said that title. He could not fault her for doing so. After all, she was a servant in the Water's household. Maggie's father was also a servant that worked for the family until he died in a tragic accident when Maggie was young. Ademar took her in, basically raising her alongside his daughter. Maggie grew up to be a handmaiden for Ademar's daughter. Because of her status as a servant, it was in her nature to refer to other nobles by their titles.

Hearing the title 'Lord Sokol' felt foreign to Shad. When his parents died, it made Shad head of the Sokol family. In the five years since he rarely ever used that title. He felt unworthy to be called that, making him feel less of a person. Especially when his friends outside of The Resistance call him that.

Few in Kakariko did refer to him as Lord after his parent's passing. It did not last long when Shad clarified that he didn't like hearing his friends call him that. Even Yunobo asked if he had to call him 'Lord.' Shad remembered the relief on Yunobo's face when he told him he could still refer to him on a first-name basis. When he asked why, the Goron told him.

"It felt like greeting a stranger rather than a friend."

Which is why he won't let Maggie call him that. Like Yunobo, she, too, was an old friend. Even if she was a servant.

"You don't have to refer to me by my title, Maggie. You are my friend, after all," Shad assured her.

Maggie lifted her head back up. "Sorry. A force of habit. Protocols, you know."

"Shad is not always one for protocols. That's what we love about him," Ademar beamed proudly. "Is my daughter here?"

"I'm here, father," A woman about Maggie's age entered the foyer. Someone that Shad knew. The only noblewoman his age who had a genuine friendship since they were children

"Ah, Mila! Look who I found in town." When Ademar gestures to Shad again. Mila's eyes widen slightly with shock. Clearly, she was not expecting to see him.

"Shad?"

"Hey, Mila." Shad gave an awkward smile. "How…have you been."

Mila straightened herself up. Turning her surprised expression to a neutral one. "Quite fine. It has been a while since we last spoke."

"Yes. A few years, I think."

"Two, in fact," Mila responded bluntly.

"Two too many," Ademar proclaimed. "I invited him to have lunch with us."

"Only if it's okay with you both," Shad clarified. "I know my visit is sudden."

Mila took a second to think. "It's quite fine. I suppose it would be a good way to catch up."

Ademar clasps his hands together, emitting a clap sound. "Splendid!"

It wasn't long until everyone was in the dining room of the Waters Manor. Plenty of times in the past, Shad had meals with them when his parents had brought him over. Despite being classified as a servant, Maggie was also allowed to eat with them. She was considered part of the family. The meal in question was a gourmet mixed with meat & vegetables.

For the first half, Shad awkwardly ate his meal. He tried to avoid the gaze of Mila. The young woman's expression was unreadable, though Shad had to guess she was neither upset nor happy to see him. They didn't leave on the best terms the last time they talked. Maggie would occasionally pass nervous glances to Mila, then to Shad.

Ademar did not pick up the unsettled tension between the pair. "How is the food doing for you, Shad?"

"Great," he said before taking another bite.

"Piper has always been a splendid cook. Dare I say it she's better than the cooks at the castle." Ademar chuckled at his little joke. "So, tell me Shad. What have you been up to since we last saw each other?"

"Oh, you know…doing my own thing."

"Like being with that mercenary group." Mila casually took a bite of her lunch. Her statement caught her father's interest.

"Mercenary?"

"Yeah. I do mercenary work," Shad confirmed.

"Really now?" Ademar looked at Shad curiously.

"You seemed surprised."

"Please don't take any offense, but…you never really struck me as the kind of person who gets involved in that line of work. I figure you would be a scholar."

"I do, but I wanted to use my knowledge to help those in need. I can't do that hiding in my big house. I needed to go out and get my hands dirty if I needed to."

"Spoken like Abraham. That's the kind of thing he would say. Goddesses, I miss him and Mesha. They deserved better than to die in that accident." Ademar glances away. "Forgive me, Shad. Thinking about them hurts sometimes. They helped me out a lot, you know. Especially after we lost Mila's mother to her sickness."

"Nothing to apologize for. Mom & Dad were your friends."

"I am unsure if they would…approve of you being a mercenary, but I'm certain they would be proud. Also, it's not like you're running around with The Resistance." Ademar heartily chuckled as he took a drink, oblivious to the nervous expression on his daughter.

Shad raised a brow. "How would that be worse than me being a mercenary might I ask?"

Shad had never really heard Ademar's full opinion on The Resistance. Bits and pieces of conversation, but never a full-on view. Shad had never asked in the few times he saw the Waters family in the first three years since he joined The Resistance.

"Don't get me wrong. I understand the leader, Impa, being upset about her people being banished from the land. Frankly, I think it was unfair to exile a whole group of people based on the actions of a few rogue members. Ganondorf could behead me for treason for saying that, but I think that was too extreme."

"If only you knew the truth…" Shad thought solemnly, recalling the horrors of Ganondorf's attempt to genocide the Sheikah. The public doesn't know.

"That being said, The Resistance isn't fully innocent either. Theft. Vandalism. Breaking out prisoners. And even killing. If they're trying to change things in Hyrule, that's not how I would do it."

"What do you suggest?" Shad inquired.

"Not entirely sure, but I think diplomacy would be a good place to start. Both sides need to meet in a calm, neutral environment to talk with one another. They can reason with one another."

"And what if one side cannot be reasoned?"

"Even the most extremist person can be reasoned with the right amount of diplomacy. It is how conflict is solved. Violence only prolongs conflict. Diplomacy is how Hyrule stood strong for ten thousand years. If both Ganondorf and The Resistance can see that, maybe they could put this civil war to an end."

"I suppose that's a compelling argument." Shad tried to sound to agree.

Seconds later, a servant entered the dining hall giving Ademar a letter. The man read it for several moments. A frustrated groan followed.

"Are you alright, Father?" Mila asks.

"I'm fine. There's just a problem at the office that needs me to fix," Ademar explained. "I'm afraid I have to get going."

"I should probably head out too-" Shad started.

"No need. You barely had the chance to catch up with Mila. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you hung around here. Much like when you were younger."

"I do not wish to overstay-"

"You're not overstaying," Mila insisted calmly. "I would like to spend some time with you."

Ademar kissed Mila's head. "I'll see you later, dear. Farewell to you, Shad. Hopefully, we'll meet again under better circumstances."

With that, Ademar exits the room. The sound of the front door of the manor shut followed. Silence lingers in the air. Shad sat still nervously while Mila watched him with her neutral expression. Shad opens his mouth to speak. Mila lifted her hand up, allowing herself to speak.

"Walk with me in the garden. Maggie, make sure no disturbs us."

"Yes, milady." The handmaiden bowed her head.

Shad walked alongside Mila in the gardens of the Waters Manor. The plants had many types of flowers found throughout Hyrule. Vegetable & Fruit based plants also grew here. There was also a pond filled with beautiful Arowana fishes. The pair strolled through the garden for several minutes, not saying a single word. Mila kept her eyes forward, not taking one glance to the person on her side. Shad wanted to speak but figure it would be best to wait for her to talk which she eventually did.

"You didn't intend to visit me today, did you?" Shad's gaze looked down with a solemn expression. That seemed enough for Mila. "I figured. You haven't really tried to visit your friend for the past two years."

Mila's tone, while calm, was sharp. Enough to leave a sting in Shad's chest. "Mila…I'm sorry for how things were the last time we saw each other. I never intended for you to find out-"

"-That you're part of The Resistance."

Shad hastily shushes her. "Keep it down. If anyone heard you-"

"Maggie would never do that to you. She considers you a friend as much as she does to me. And the other servants would never turn you in. I wouldn't allow it."

"Better safe than sorry. You're already in enough danger with you knowing I'm affiliated with The Resistance."

"Well, I know who to thank for that."

Shad gives a stern look at her, stopping in his tracks watching Mila take a few more steps ahead. "I never asked you to follow me after I left the gala that night."

"Can you blame me?" Mila retorted, her back facing him. "For the three years since your parents died, you visited less often than you used to. When you did, you never told me what you were up to while we were apart. That night at the gala, I was…fed up. I only wanted answers, plain & simple. I was worried about you. If I followed you, I thought I could get you to talk." She glanced over her shoulder to say, "Of all the things I expected , I never expected to see you slicing your dagger on someone's throat!"

Mila faced away, growing eerily silent. Shad's face turned with guilt, recalling the night in question.

He had been assigned to meet with a contact to gather important information. He could only meet up at a gala hosted by one of the noble houses. Being a noble himself, Shad was perfect for the job. No one would suspect him of being an agent for The Resistance. As far as anyone knew, even now, he had been traveling.

Shad was not totally surprised that Mila had also attended the gala. For a small portion of the night, they hung around like they used to do before Shad's parent's death. Eventually, Shad had to break away to find his contact, much to Mila's displeasure. Shad met up with him. They led Shad to a secluded spot away from the building. Shad was sure that no one had seen them leave. He had no clue how wrong he was.

The contact laid out the information right before they were murdered by a man who revealed himself to be Ganondorf's Spy and that he had fully intended to bring Shad to him. Knowing that the spy knew his identity & affiliation with The Resistance, Shad was left with two options: let the spy escape, painting a target on Shad, and a bigger one on the Resistance. The second option: End the man's life. He didn't want to do it. Shad took no pleasure in it, but it had to be done, or everything would be compromised. A brief struggle later, the spy was no longer of this world when Shad sliced his throat. Just when everything was well, Shad made another grim discovery.

Mila followed him and saw everything.

He would never forget the look in her eyes. A mixture of confusion & pure horror. Shad quickly calmed her down. He had briefly explained why he had done it, revealed his allegiance to The Resistance, and firmly instructed her not to tell anyone what had happened. They quickly returned back to the gala. No one knew either had left. For the rest of the evening, both had to resume how they acted earlier before the killing. Like nothing even happened. But this time, Mila kept her distance. Every so often, she gave him quick glances. They went on as if nothing ever happened.

Shad tried to approach Mila again when the gala ended later that night. She could barely even look him in the eye. Nonetheless, he further explained his position in The Resistance and why he joined them. He also explained he had no choice but to kill that man, or Shad and everyone else he knew would be in danger. Mila promised him that she won't tell anyone about what happened, nor his involvement with The Resistance. Then she suggests, in a cold tone, that he should get going. That was the last time they had spoken.

"Mila…" Shad slowly approaches Mila placing his hand on her shoulder. "I never meant for you to see what happened that night. I took no pleasure in killing him. Do you think I did it for the bloody hell of it? I did it because I would've been public enemy number one if he escaped. Not only that, but Ganondorf would go after everyone associated with my family just to get to me. Including you, your father, and even Maggie." Shad paused for a moment, removing his hand from Mila's shoulder. "And the reason why I haven't visited you was because…I didn't think you wanted to see me again after night. I kept a secret from you for three years, and you found it out in horrible way. And I am so sorry for that."

Shad turned away from Mila, waiting for her to start berating him. But something else happened instead. He felt Mila's arms engulf him in a hug.

"I hate what you did, but I could never hate you. I know you would never do anything out of malicious intent. I missed you…I was starting to wonder if you were dead. You're the closest thing I have to a brother. I don't know what I would do if something happened."

Shad couldn't move for a second. Finally, he returned the hug back. Taking in the solace that Mila, his childhood friend, did not hate him. After several minutes, they pulled away.

"I am relieved that you don't hate me," Shad told Mila.

"And I'm relieved to see you're not dead."

Shad let out a small chuckle. "Believe me, I don't intend to."

The young woman crossed her arms, lifting her head to look around the garden. "I remember how much we used to spend time in these gardens. How much we played here when we were kids. How many times we had lunch sharing gossip when we got older. My favorite is whenever we get new plants, you would look them up to see how me & father could take better care of them." Mila's lips curve into a sad smile. "I miss those days. Things seemed so much simpler back then. I wish we could go back to them."

"Me too…" Shad uttered.

"You've changed a lot."

"I haven't been the same since I lost Mom & Dad. Though I can guess I'm not the only one who changed."

"Watching your friend kill someone probably can do that." Mila remarked dryly. "I'm sorry…That was probably uncalled for."

"It's alright."

"But…It brings up something I've wanted to ask you for the past two years: Are you sure what you're doing is the right path?"

"Of course. I can't sit by knowing what Ganondorf is doing outside the city walls. Not only that, there are less fortunate people than me who need my help. That includes my friends. One of them is missing right now."

"A friend of yours is missing? Who?"

"Kafei. You've met him a few times."

"Kafei?" Mila muttered to herself quietly. "Didn't he have purple hair?"

"Yes, he does."

Mila let out a quiet gasp. She appeared as if she was having an internal argument with herself. Her eyes widened like she had made a shocking discovery. Shad was alarmed by her sudden change.

"Mila? Do you know something?" Shad inquired with urgency.

The woman faces him. "A few months ago, Maggie & I were in town hanging out. A group of soldiers appeared suddenly, raiding a building. They were people being dragged out in cuffs. Some sort of black market they were running. Among them was a young man with purple hair."

Shad felt his heart drop. "Was it him?"

"I…I don't know. I didn't get a good look at his face. The people were taken to the castle. They were executed in the square the next day."

Shad felt his skin get cold at the revelation. "Including-?"

"I didn't see him. The purple hair guy. Either he died under custody-"

"Or he's locked up in the castle," Shad concluded.

"We both know what happens to prisoners in the castle. They never leave there free & alive. Only when they're dead or led to the chopping block. If it is Kafei…I'm truly sorry, Shad."

Shad places his hand on his head. His gaze was away from Mila. The details she had shared had to make sense. How many Hylian young men have purple hair like Kafei's. Hylians tend to have more unusual hair colors than Humans. Even then, purple hair was rare. There were only two people that Shad knew had that color. Kafei's father, who's long dead, and Kafei himself. There was simply no other explanation.

Suppose this individual that Mila had mentioned is Kafei. In that case, there's a good chance that he's a prisoner in the castle dungeons! By the Golden Goddesses, that had to be true! Shad felt an odd mixture of feelings. The joy that he finally found a clue to where his lost friend was. And horror to where that friend might be.

"Are you alright, Shad?" Mila called out to him.

"I-I'm fine."

"I'm sorry about your friend. I may not have known him as well, but I know Kafei was a kind enough man. One could hope Ganondorf granted him mercy."

"I very much doubt that," Shad muttered. "I have to get him out of there."

"I doubt they would let him go if you ask them to. You can offer them so much money, but they'll probably only provide you a visit."

"I don't mean that way."

"What do you mean?" Shad looks at Mila. Then he looks down at the dagger to his belt. The same blade, Mila recalls, Shad had used to kill that man. It dawned on her what Shad meant. "You're not suggesting that you break into the castle, right? Tell me you're joking."

Shad didn't give his answer, but Mila could tell by the look on his face. "If you're thinking what I'm sure you're thinking, let me quickly tell you: drop it. Do you really think you can break into the castle?"

"I wouldn't be doing it alone. My people are here," Shad retorted.

"You mean your friends within The Resistance? You think they pull it off unscathed?"

"We've had tougher missions before. We can pull this off."

"Are you certain of that? Are you certain you won't get captured and killed?"

"We are fully aware of the risks."

"Are you really? You've done this before?"

"N-…No. None of us have ever broken into the castle."

"Then you can't be certain that everyone goes well?" Shad didn't have anything to say back to her. Mila continued on. "Are you sure of this?"

"Breaking into the castle?"

"No, I mean…Are you sure about The Resistance?"

Shad gave an intriguing look. "What do you mean by that?"

"I am no fan of Ganondorf by any means. Perhaps things would be better if he wasn't the king," Mila trailed off.

"But…" Shad continued.

"I don't think how The Resistance does things is a way to help Hyrule."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Like what father said. Theft. Vandalism. Freeing prisoners. And…murder. Your group seems to have a tendency for violence & chaos. Even you, the last person I expected to do such things."

"We try to avoid them. Most of the time, when it happens, it's out of hands. Sometimes even unavoidable. Do you expect us to politely ask Ganondorf to stop terrorizing the populace?"

"Of course not. Ganondorf is guilty of this too. Like Father, I believe Ganondorf and your group should seek diplomatic solutions."

"I wish for that too…" Shad agreed with her. "Unfortunately, Ganondorf is not the diplomatic type."

"Have you even tried?"

"...We haven't-" Shad was cut off by Mila's scoff.

"Then how would you know if you don't give him a chance? Ganondorf does have…harsh methods, but even the most extremist of people can be reasoned with. With reason, you could find peaceful resolutions, stop this civil war, and save lives on both ends. No one else would have to die. And you wouldn't have to risk your life."

Shad's expression grew grim. Same as his voice when he spoke. "Ganondorf is far from reasonable. If you have seen the things he's done. What I've seen him do to innocent people in this land...How many lives he's ruined. He'll spill the blood of anyone, regardless if you're guilty or innocent, to keep hold of his power. That includes condoning the cruel acts of those who work for him. Just before I came here, I was being hassled by soldiers who didn't know who I was."

"W-What?" Mila was shocked to hear such a thing.

"They thought I was a thief. It was luck that your father was there and intervened. The soliders backed off once they learned who I was. I was lucky because of my status. But there are many more who aren't so fortunate. That is what Ganondorf is allowing. You believe me, right?"

"I know you wouldn't lie about that…" Mila glanced away briefly. "But I don't want my friend killed fighting for a lost cause."

"So that's what this is…Do you think I'm taking part in a lost cause? That's what you think The Resistance is?"

Mila straightened herself up. "How much do you trust your leader? Impa, is it?"

"I trust her with my life. Many in The Resistance owe their lives to her."

"And in return, you fight her battles?"

"Most of us do it by choice. Impa doesn't force, or threaten us or the people we love. And if we don't, she lets them stay with her. She provides for them. Give them a life."

"Sounds as if you have a lot of faith in this Impa."

"She's not the anarchist that Ganondorf got some people to believe. She wants peace & stability restored in Hyrule."

"And how will she do that? Chopping off Ganondorf's head?"

"If that's our only solution."

Mila was disturbed to hear that. "And if your group manages to accomplish that, what's next for this country? The royal family is dead. Who will take over Hyrule with them gone?"

Shad couldn't formulate an answer to any of those questions. Impa never explained what would happen after Ganondorf and his forces were removed from power. He had no idea what Impa had in mind.

"You don't know, do you?" Mila spoke after minutes of silence. "Does she even know? Or is she too warped up with revenge for Ganondorf banishing the Sheikah. That's the main issue I have: The Resistance doesn't have a full on plan."

"I never claimed Impa is perfect," Shad started. "But she had done far more good for Hyrule than Ganondorf had done since he stole the throne. The Resistance seems to be the only thing keeping Hyrule safe. The soldiers are not much help. And neither are the nobles."

"There are nobles that don't agree with Ganondorf. Some of us want things to be better. My father urges Ganondorf to seek peaceful solutions. I try to help too. Yesterday, I was at the Town Palace when I saw Vaati hassling a tourist woman. I could tell what he wanted from her. I stepped in pretending to be a friend, and he backed off."

"You think he would stop there? Who says he didn't go to a different part of the city and forced himself on some other poor woman who can't do anything about it because he works directly under Ganondorf?"

Mila had no answer to that. She let out a defeated breath.

"I know you want peace. So do I, Impa, and everyone else in The Resistance. But there are points in war where peace is not always a solution. Had you asked me five years ago, I would have believed that. Ganondorf plays dirty. How do you think he stayed in power for these past eighteen years? He isn't afraid to do whatever it takes. If not him, he has the likes of murderers, backstabbers, and rapists like Ghirahim, Cole, and Vaati to do his work. Unfortunate as it sounds, we have to play dirty back sometimes."

Mila still didn't say anything. Shad gently held her hand. "I get you're worried about me. I'm not asking you to agree. I want you to at least understand why I'm doing this."

"I don't fully, but I can somewhat understand." Mila looks back at Shad. "I only hope you're smart enough to know what you're doing."

"I am being smart about this. It's how I'm still here five years later. Alive, with no one suspecting me. The closest I came to death was when I took an arrow to the back."

"An arrow to what now?!" Mila was shocked to hear such a thing from Shad.

"That was a few years back. I'm only alive because I had a friend with me. If she wasn't there, I would've bled out to death had I made the trip back to our hideout."

"How many times have you come close to death?"

"Several times. None were as harrowing as that. Few I got out on my own. Other times my friend helped me out."

"The same friend that saved you from the arrow?"

"Yeah…She's helped me a lot since I joined The Resistance. In return, I help her too."

Mila noticed the smile Shad had when he described this friend of his. She also saw the light flush of red on his cheeks. "She's more than just a friend, isn't she?"

"You could say that…" Shad straightened himself back. "Speaking of which, I should probably get going. She's probably looking for me right now. I might've not told her what I was doing."

"Don't let me keep you. Try to make an effort to visit me if you can."

"I'll try." Shad started to walk but then stopped. His back facing Mila, he glances over her shoulder. "I know I didn't plan to visit today, but it was good to see you again. Hopefully, we'll meet again under better circumstances."

"Shad…" Mila called out to him before he could leave the garden. "Good luck with your search for Kafei."

Shad nods back in acknowledgment and resumes walking. Maggie greeted him when he returned inside. She offered to escort him to the door. Shad was happy to accept.

"She cares for you. You know that, right?" Maggie spoke up when they reached the door. Shad nodded in response. "She fears that you'll get yourself killed. Every time there's a public execution, she gets afraid that she will see you up there."

"I can assure you that won't happen."

"I believe that, but I suggest that you be careful. One could only be lucky for so long."

"I have not pushed it, nor even dare."

Maggie didn't say anything for a moment. "She won't turn you in. Mila hasn't told anyone else. Not even Lord Ademar knows."

"If she hasn't turned me in back then, I'm sure she never will. But it is nice to know." Shad turns to her. "Did they ever say anything about the man I…"

"They deemed it as a mugging gone horribly wrong. No one suspects you were involved."

Shad let out a breath of relief. He knew he left nothing to tie him to that man, but hearing it was relieving. Maggie continued on. "Another thing. Your secret is safe with me as well."

Shad held Maggie's hand with complete gratitude. "Thank you. Please keep looking out for Mila."

"Like I ever stop doing that. She is my dearest friend."

"Good. You take care as well."

Shad exited right outside of the Waters Manor. He took a deep breath through his nose. Gazing at the sun's current position, he figured he should start making his way back to Lower Castle Town. Ashei is probably searching for him. No doubt she would reprimand him for his stunt. But it wasn't totally pointless.

For one thing, he finally got a possible clue about Kafei's whereabouts. Shad did not know how Kafei winded up with those people. Mila mentioned that they were running some type of black market. Whenever something like that was involved, it would mean the people running and/or helping run it tended to make loads of money. Kafei joins up to help make money for Anju & her mother.

And as an unexpected bonus, he finally patched things up with an old friend. Or at least they were on better terms than the last meeting. He still was worried for Mila and everyone else in the Waters household. Part of the reason why he never told her about his rebel work for the first three years was because he did not want to put them at risk. Mila knowing of his involvement alone, put her at a considerable enough risk.

If Ganondorf found out, he'll use every cruel method he could think of to get information out of her. If that did not succeed, then the king would hurt Maggie and her father, who has no clue. Mila knew very little, but Ganondorf would not care how much she knew. All he cared about was making an example.

Shad could pray that Waters' household never faces the wrath of Ganondorf.

Unbeknownst to him, Mila went to a secluded section of the manor. A small room with a small statue of three figures representing the three Golden Goddesses stood at the other end of the room. Closing the door, she kneeled at the foot of the figures. She clasps her hands together, lowering her head and eyelids.

She prayed for Shad not to end up on the executioners platform.


First chapter of this story since Tears of the Kingdom came out! I've already completed the story and enjoyed the game greatly! Hope you guys liked this chapter. Though I have other stories I still care about this fic. One day I will finish it.

I wanted to expand Shad's nobility background and I figure this was the way to do it. Next one we're focusing on Auru.

Favs, Follows, and Reviews are appreciated!