Chapter 31: Others Only See Our Masks
Impa crossed her arms and leaned against the wall behind her. She had been so long out of the game, she had forgotten how often the only thing that anyone found was disappointment. "And you're certain?" She asked the three of the best spies among the Sheikah in a small tavern room, hours before daybreak.
"I'm sorry, Lady Impa," Sidaj, the youngest of three spoke up. He stood before the hearth, as far from Impa as he could reasonably be. Two weapons that Impa could tell, poisoned darts in his sleeve, and one knife in his boot. Oh, and the knife he kept on his side, but that was normal and obvious. "We've gone over everything. We coordinated, even doubled back over each other's work." He seemed apologetic as she glanced to Impa between averting his eyes in shame.
"I've spoken to every Gerudo merchant known to be in the city during the Moblin assault, and half the soldiers that arrived with the Matrons" Puraz had died the usual white hair of the Sheikah into a deep red to match the people of the desert. Five weapons on her, ignoring the curved Gerudo sword she wore. Needles in both sleeves, two knives one hidden in her hair the other in her boot, and lastly what appeared to be climbing rope was a kyoketsu-shoge with the blade hidden within.
"There's nothing to find," Kieve slouched in his chair. The only one of the group who felt comfortable sitting down during their clandestine meetings. Impa looked him over three times. No weapons. Not even a stiletto safely tucked away in a glove. All he was armed with were various reports stacked in a pile in front of him.
"Very well," Impa said. "Sidaj, I want you to switch your focus from the guards to the poor. Focus on the areas nearest the walls of Hyrule Castle."
"Of course, Lady Impa," he said.
"Puraz, the only other Gerudo who may know anything are Ganondorf's personal guard."
"Looks like I'm going camp chasing then."
"Careful, I've spoken with several of them. They are more intelligent than they at first seem."
"Of course, I understand the risks," Puraz said, then she slouched her shoulders and gave a wild grin, looking for all the world like she had just attacked a village with a group of desert raiders. "I know how to handle Gerudo warriors," she continued in a perfect Gerudo accent, before the grin disappeared and her shoulders raised once more in a rigid stance Impa knew all the Sheikah Needles were taught to stand in.
"Alright, you two, dismissed."
Puraz gave Impa a nod before she glided out of the tavern room. Sidaj stayed a moment longer. "I'll be certain to bring you something useful this time. I promise, Lady Impa."
"Well," Impa said as the young man bowed as if he was speaking to a duke, "get on it then." Once he was gone, Impa looked to Kieve, who only looked amused by the interaction. "What is that about? You vouched for him. I trusted you with that."
Kieve shrugged, then knit his fingers behind his head and leaned back into them. Drumming the tips of his fingers on the thinning hair of his scalp. "Give the boy a break. He's working with a living legend."
Impa sighed. "I'm not a legend."
"The Needle who managed to give forewarning of Ganondorf's raid on our home? And then after stalling his force down long enough for us to mount a defense managed to carry a crying baby through the battle, past the enemy lines without being discovered?" Kieve shrugged. "What else would you call it?"
"Someone who performs their duties."
"Same thing, to a boy like Sidaj, Puraz too, she just hides it better."
"Not you?"
"No," Kieve smiled, "I've had to drag you to a cot after you drank yourself to a stupor, more than once. Seeing someone soil themselves in front of you shatters the illusion of perfection."
Impa sighed, she liked Kieve, but forgot how annoying the man could be when he set his mind to it. "Please tell me, you don't spread those stories."
"Of course not," Kieve yawned and stretched before he returned back to resting his weight on the chair. "Let the young have their heroes. There are few enough in the world as it is."
This was another surprise, when she worked with Kieve over a decade ago he had been fresh from his training and strictly professional when on the job. Now he looked like a bored merchant half the time. And yet, who else among the Sheikah did she truly trust for the task she needed him for? Everyone else she could think of was dead or simply worse at the job than him.
"Is there anything further you found, about the other task I gave you?"
Kieve stopped his drumming, and went to his papers, shifting to the bottom. He passed the last over to Impa.
She could not help but smile as she looked at the paper, written in the Sheikah alphabet, backwards, and through a cipher. "Starting letter?"
"Nem."
It used to be so easy for her to alter the letters in her head. Now she needed to go through each letter, individually. By the Goddesses she was out of practice for this. But after far too much time she was able to piece it together.
"This was it?"
"Everything he's done since I started watching him. It's normal, boring even. I expected at least a little excitement from an unmarried man of his age. But no, it's simply dull."
"And you're certain that there was no time where he was alone with any of the Gerudo?"
"The only time he's alone all day is when he spends his time in that study. After he left it yesterday I went in and searched around the place, no one was hidden inside. Though I saw the entrance to one of the passages in the ceiling, but when I inspected it, it was clear that it had not been opened in decades and likely couldn't be opened if someone wanted to."
"Good, boring is what we want. Keep watching him," Impa tore the paper into pieces and threw them into the hearth. "You're comfortable with this assignment?"
"Spying on my own king?" Kieve shrugged. "Of course, that's the job."
That was it, no qualms, no compunctions. Just the job Kieve had to perform. It did not matter that she had technically asked him to commit treason against the crown. Kieve did not seem to care, it was why he was one of the best. Had she been that way once? Her superiors had never asked her to spy on the crown, but more than once she had looked upon lords and priests of some importance. She had always obeyed without hesitation. Those weren't even the missions that drove her to the bottom of a bottle.
"Do you miss this?" Kieve finally got out of his chair and stretched, Impa heard the bones in his back crunch into place. Had it truly been so long since they worked together that his body ached like her own? She still remembered him in his twenties that made other Sheikah swoon. Now he was balding and his belly hung noticeably lower. Were ten years really so long?
"Miss what?"
"The game! Obviously. You've been cooped up in this castle for over a decade. I'd have gone mad. A woman of your talent wasted on… child care. Like you are some wet nurse."
"No, I don't miss it." She lied. "And I am not a wet nurse."
"No offense meant," Kieve smiled and held up his hands in apology. "We all know the security of the princess is important. But you could be so much more. Think on it. We could all use a living legend." Then he nodded, walked past her and left the little room, leaving his papers behind.
Impa sat down in the chair and looked through each of the reports. She wanted to be bored by them, it would make it easier to know that she had taken the right path in life. That she did not need to do this spywork. But even though the words were only slightly more detailed than the verbal accounts each of her fellow needles had given the whole process of decoding and thinking about what each scrap of information meant was enthralling.
Like coming back to a favorite book after years without touching it.
Kieve had been right, of course. Sidaj and Puraz knew their business well. They gave their accounts in a crisp clear manner. No word wasted, any opinion or personal analysis they formed given but on separate lines of text so it would never be confused with the actual information given. But even after she had gone through all of them, it all led to nothing. No new evidence to explain how the Moblins entered into the city. No secret connection with the Gerudo.
Nothing she could show the king so he would understand what was going on. In truth, she did not even have a clear idea what was happening. A boy and a fairy visited her, climbed a tower without rope or spikes announced his father was a tree and Ganondorf had killed him.
None of it made sense, and no one had anything resembling proof. If she went to the King with nothing but the words of children or -even worse- prophecies, she'd be laughed out of court. She needed one thing, that was it. One solitary scrap of evidence that Ganondorf was performing actual crimes. Not chopping down trees outside of Hyrule's control. Not the supposed words of Goddesses that had long ago left Hyrule. She needed tangible proof that Ganondorf had been behind the Moblin raid. Then she could end this whole charade.
But whatever else the Gerudo was, he was careful. She almost respected him for it. Almost.
Once she finished the reports, she tore each of them up and tossed them into the fire. She watched them burn and could not help but smile. As disappointing as the lack of information was, she did love this. The gathering of information, the breaking of laws, the sneaking around. She did love it.
Not as much as Zelda, she told herself. But she did love it.
Impa knocked on Zelda's door. "Princess, are you ready?"
"What?" came a voice from inside. Then after a moment. "Of course, I'm coming. Give me a moment."
Impa sighed, Zelda's voice wasn't that drowsiness of just waking up. No, she had simply lost track of time again. What had she been doing for the last few hours?
The door opened up revealing Zelda adjusting her dress. Her hair was a mess, as if she had been laying in her bed until moments before. That would have been fine with where they were going, but the cream white dress and jewelry that hung from her neck and ears did not match that appearance. "Good morning, Impa. I want to thank you for coming to get me today."
Impa sighed, she was still doing that forced kindness thing. She did not know what got into the girl, but what could she say? Stop being nice? "Good morning, Princess," Impa entered the room. "You have forgotten where you're going this morning haven't you?"
"What? No? What?"
"Rauru this morning, your highness. We can't have you walking through the streets of Castle Town dressed like that. You need to change."
Zelda groaned, "Ughh, of course. I mean- thank you for informing me, Impa." She ran back into her boudoir returning a moment later with a worn and slightly dirty blue dress that one would see a hundred times walking throughout the streets of the city, and a brown cloak pulled over her head. "There, I'm ready."
Impa knelt before the girl and started to tuck some of the loose strands of hair into the hood.
"I have it," Zelda said as she instinctively pulled away from Impa's hands. "I said I-"
"Just let me work, your highness." After a moment's hesitation Zelda let Impa fix her up to be presentable. The princess had apparently not bathed, which suited her current disguise well enough. But she had a few bags under her eyes. She would need to talk to Rauru. Of all the spells he had to teach her, he gave her a way to create light from nothing? Did he expect the girl to ever sleep again when she could read all night without anyone noticing?
"You're right, sorry, Impa. I did not mean to snap." Zelda said. "After Rauru, what else do I have today?"
"I think, it would be good for you to take the afternoon to rest. There are no meetings that need your presence for the day."
"And what meetings don't need my presence?"
Nothing gets past this one. "Your father has two scheduled, the first with the banking guilds. The next with a collection of landowners from the East to discuss how the Moblins are disrupting grain to the city."
"And you didn't think those need my attention!" Zelda pulled away from Impa's hands to look Impa in the eyes. "Those sound incredibly important!"
"You can't do everything, princess." Impa licked her thumb and tucked the last annoying strand of hair that refused to align with the others. "There, you're presentable." There was a balance to such a disguise, the golden hair of the royal family was recognizable, but they were far from the only people in Hyrule who were blond. Tuck it away so it's not noticed, but don't draw attention to the fact that all hair is hidden. Just the smallest hint that she was blond underneath the hood would work the best to get them to the temple without incident.
"But I should be there for important affairs of state. I need the landowners to know who I am."
"They do. Trust me, everyone in the kingdom knows who you are."
"You know what I mean. They have to see that I am just, intelligent, kindhearted."
It would be best if you mastered actually being kindhearted first. "You'll have more opportunities for that in the future. There are no Gerudo involved in any of the meetings, I have checked."
"That's not the point. But, since you brought them up have you found anything useful?"
Impa sighed, "No," she had to admit. "I have three of the best spies in the kingdom working on it, but they have thus far come up empty."
"Really? They have nothing on them, we can use? You told me that one of them murdered both of her sisters."
"I told you she tricked both of her sisters into killing each other so she could take over the tribe. And that's not a secret to hold over her, to the Gerudo that proves she is cunning. They value those traits."
"There has to be something they want. Something we can do to them to make them more loyal to us than to Ganondorf."
"I will keep trying, your highness." Already thinking like a spymaster, something that was not altogether what Impa would want for the girl. It was one thing to teach her how to protect herself, to make her independent and able to survive whatever came her way. It was another to see how quick she took to the lessons that Impa's old masters taught, the necessary evils that keep a kingdom secure. And Impa hadn't even told her them.
She was clever, far too clever. But cleverness had a way of justifying itself whatever actions it took. But what was Impa to do? Not obey her princess? It did not feel right. She knew it made no sense, she just sent a spy on her own king a gross betrayal of trust as any she had done. But not Zelda.
"Come on," Impa said. "Through the castle, without anyone noticing you. I mean everyone this time, Zelda. Not just the nobles and knights, you need to be mindful of the servants. Understood?"
And with a solemn nod of her head, Zelda disappeared into the hall as silent as any student Impa had ever taught.
It always took thrice as long to move through the castle when this way. But Zelda was definitely improving. She moved steady, when she needed to walk in the open she moved quickly but slow enough to not draw attention to herself. She was patient, her head always peaking around to find the opening in how those within the castle moved. She would get faster with time, but as a student, she was doing quite well. It was almost infuriating really. It wasn't that Impa wanted her student and beloved princess to fail, exactly, but everything came too easy to her. It would do her some good to fail at something from time to time.
But today was not the day of a great failure. Zelda and Impa made it out of the castle and climbed the walls without a single person catching more than a glimpse of them. And that was trick with being a spy. It wasn't that you were invisible, it's that you aren't worth noticing.
Impa and Zelda slid over the wall and landed hard on the ground. Zelda tumbling forward, first her knees and then her palms hit the grass. "Ahh," she said as she wiped the grass from her hands and dress.
Impa landed softly beside her. A bit showy, perhaps, but always good to let the princess know she still has a way to improve. "Very good. No one noticed today."
"Of course not," Zelda said with a grin. Then she shut her eyes and sighed. "I mean, thank you Impa. For teaching me. I hope that I am improving adequately."
"You are," Impa said. "You don't need to apologize just for being pleased with yourself."
"Of course, Impa. Sorry, Impa."
Impa sighed, they walked in silence as they made their way through Castle Town to reach the temple. All around them were people. Too many for Impa to thoroughly analyze all of them, but she gave it her best effort focusing on those who came too close, those whose movements did not quite fit into the natural pattern of the bustle of the city.
Archer, with a bow unstrung rounded a corner. No harm there. Knife salesman, his shop had not changed in any noticeable way since the last time they visited the city square. Still always keep an eye on wherever there are open knives. The baker's wife was running a bit quicker than normal toward her shop, running a bit late in the morning.
All normal as far as Impa could tell. Even the few Gerudo merchants that were now a common fixture in the city did not pay them any attention. She watched as one of the Gerudo entered a shop, then she stopped. Her eyes widened. It couldn't be. Why were they here? The inquisitors never left Kakariko. But there one stood, wearing the white mask with the red eye of the Sheikah drawn upon it. Several Hylian children all around him. It was said that they enchanted those masks, allowing the wearer to see into the minds of the captives Impa brought them.
And this inquisitor was staring directly at Zelda.
"Impa?" Zelda whispered. "What's wrong? We're almost there."
What did the inquisitor want? It had to know who Zelda was. Someone of strong will may be able to fool the mask, but that took training or at least mental preparation.
The inquisitor's hand reached up and loosened the straps of the mask that held it onto his head. He pulled the mask away.
It wasn't an inquisitor. It wasn't a Sheikah at all. A Hylian with short brown hair and a wide smile, waved the mask around several children that stood around him. "And other masks I have," he said to the children but his eyes never left the princess. "Wonderful masks that will delight and terrify all at my new shop."
How did he get it? An inquisitor would never give up one of their masks. What had he seen? A thorough look indicated he had no weapons on him, unless they were tucked away in the bags he had on his back. But those would be no use to him now.
"Zelda, get to the temple," Impa whispered low enough so no one nearby could hear her.
"Where are you going? Impa!" Too excited, her words too loud. But Impa could not stop now.
A flick of Impa's wrist and a poisoned throwing knife slipped between her fingers. She held her hand down, so no one would see the blade, not until the very last moment.
As Impa moved toward him, the man finally turned his eyes away from Zelda. His smile never wavered for a moment. "Why children, go ask your parents for rupees if you wish to visit me. We're going to have such a wonderful happy sale. Tell your parents now. Go." The four children around him all spread out before Impa reached him. All the better, it would be easier to deal with him with no one paying too much attention. "Hello," he pointed that too-wide smile at Impa. "What a delightful surprise this proved to be."
He did know, but how much? Impa lifted her arm, until the blade rested against his ribs. A simple nick and the poison would start to take effect. This one was no warrior, nor was he particularly large. One would do it. "Where did you get that?"
"My, you must have met with a terrible fright haven't you? Something out of your past, perhaps? Or maybe a vision of the future?"
Whatever he saw, it was too much. Far too much. Impa pushed at the blade.
"Stop!" Zelda shouted. Impa turned to see what the princess was doing, but she was just standing there. Her eyes fixed on the blade in Impa's hand. Around her, others were turning to see what the commotion was about.
The blade disappeared up her sleeve.
"My, this is far more attention than you wanted, isn't it?" The man whispered. "Here's what's going to happen. I'm going to put my arm around your shoulder and together we'll have a big laugh about the confusion of your little daughter there." Her skin crawled as the arm draped itself over her. "Three, two, one." Then he threw his head back, and Impa thought he was going to have some boisterous fit of laughter. Instead came what she could only call a giggle. A teetering sound that felt more ominous than joyful.
Around them, the crowd started to turn back toward whatever they were doing beforehand.
"What are you doing?" Zelda demanded, at least she moved close enough to whisper. Then she got a confused look, shook her head slightly and looked at the Mask of Truth still in the man's hand.
"Oh it was just a misunderstanding," he said before he carefully took off his packs and slid the mask inside.
"Who is this man?"
"I, my dear girl, am a happiness salesman."
"You can't sell happiness."
"Oh but I certainly try. I suppose you would wish to know the means through which I sell happiness. Masks are my preferred medium of spreading joy."
"Masks?" For once that normal tone of skepticism returned to Zelda's voice. "Why would you sell just masks? There can't be a lot of business in that. Why not complete costumes or just clothing in general?"
"Oh, never, never, never. How silly a thing to suggest," and again came that giggle.
"I'm not sil-" Zelda's mouth shut tight. "Of course," she said after a moment. "Well, as an apology for any inconvenience we may have caused you. Maybe I could purchase one of your masks?"
Impa sighed, far too verbose for a common girl, not that there was much a chance the salesman did not know who she was already.
"What a wonderful idea!" he clapped his hands together in front of him before he turned and opened up the massive bag. "In fact you look to be one well in need of a mask."
"Thank you, but why-?"
"How better to disguise yourself?"
"How did you know?"
The man did not answer, simply smiling wider. "Or perhaps, you want a mask to reveal who you truly are inside?" From the bag the man pulled out a mask that was clearly in the image of King Liotidos. Zelda took a step back away from him. But he was not done. Next came a pirate with a bandanna and eyepatch. Then a ghost. Then a wizard with pointed hat and white beard. Then some creature made of stone. Then a mask of a Sheikah Needle, or at least, what the common people thought a Sheikah Needle would dress like with pieces of cloth covering as much of the mask's face as it could. "Do any of these speak to you? No? Wait, I have it! The perfect mask for you." His hand reached into the bag and tugged around until his smile went even wider than Impa thought was possible. He pulled out a mask of brilliant white and gold. A woman's visage, her eyes closed and a feathered hood framing her head. The goddess Hylia herself. "Such exquisite craftsmanship on this one, if I do say so myself."
"Go to the temple," Impa whispered. "And I shall deal with this one."
"No," Zelda said, she stepped back to the man and took hold of the Sheikah Needle mask. "I'll pay triple, for any discomfort myself or my companion caused you."
"Oh, no, no," the man said. "You two are clearly not wealthy enough to pay triple. Consider it a gift. But perhaps you can repay me in a different way. There is a mask I'm looking for, an old mask, in the shape of a heart. Quite unique really, perhaps you can keep an eye out for it for me."
"I don't really know of any masks."
"Perhaps not, but perhaps you've seen it before many times and have forgotten that it's important? Or maybe you'll stumble upon it. Though now I think we must say goodbye. Such a wonderful meeting, wasn't it? Full of joy and surprises. And perhaps we shall meet again? If you find an old heart-shaped mask, come and visit my shop. Together we will spread such happiness."
"Well," Zelda managed to say as she clutched the mask to her chest. "Thank you. I- yes. Thank you." Zelda nearly ran away from the man. Impa gave him one parting glare before she followed the princess.
"What were you going to do to him?" Zelda whispered.
"He knows who you are."
"Obviously," Zelda said. "But we can't go around threatening my people. He's not an enemy. What if others saw my protector trying to -I don't know- threaten my subjects. They would hate me."
Far more permanent a solution than threaten, for a man who robbed a Sheikah Inquisitor. "He's not a Gerudo you mean," Impa said. "The crown has more enemies than just Gerudo."
Zelda did not have a response to that. A rarity that Impa usually savored, but today she did not feel like savoring anything. She glanced over her shoulder, the mask salesman simply stared at the two of them, unblinking, his smile stretching unnaturally across his face.
When they reached the doors to the temple, one of Rauru's students had already opened it for them. "Welcome," he said, giving a respectful nod to both of them once the doors were shut and no one could see them. "Rauru has already gone below to prepare for your lesson. I could lead you to him, if you wish."
"Thank you, uhm," Zelda said, her face scrunching together as if trying to think.
"Jakob," the young priest said.
"Jakob, yes. I'll be sure to remember it this time. I promise."
"If it pleases you, your royal highness." The man seemed confused what to do for moment, then simply bowed and led the pair down into the hidden depths of the temple.
Zelda tried to engage the priest in conversation, about what Impa could not think. She did not like walking into the temple. Never had. All the things she had done in her time as a Needle? All the lives she ruined. All for the good of Hyrule she knew. But when she was a child the priests told her that the Goddesses wanted their children to be virtuous. How could one be virtuous and perform the duties of a Needle?
What would the Goddesses do if they knew she was planning to return to that man later that night and permanently solve any problem he may cause? Nothing good, she knew.
"That's so fascinating," Zelda said, though Impa could hear how forced the sentence sound. So did Jakob by the look of him, though he knew enough not to question a princess.
"Yes well, here you are. Rauru," Jakob nodded his head to the high priest and then bowed to Princess Zelda.
"Thank you, again, for all your help." Zelda said as the man walked away.
"You seem in a cheery mood today," Rauru said. "Princess, Lady Impa."
"Yes," Zelda stepped into the room and clasped Rauru's hands and looked him deep in the eyes. "I want you to know that I truly value you and what you are teaching me. And that I respect you and everything you and your order has done."
"Ahh," Rauru glanced to Impa then back to Zelda. "Well, thank you princess. Get to your seat and start your exercising calling forth and releasing magic. We're going to start a new spell today. Give me a moment." He waited until Zelda was sitting down, a look of concentration on her face before he stepped out of the room and closed the door. He stepped away from the room and beckoned for Impa to follow him far enough away so Zelda could not hear unless she had her ear pressed to the door.
"Is something wrong, priest?"
"I was going to ask you the same question," Rauru looked over his shoulder at the door. "Has something happened to the princess? She is acting strange."
Impa sighed. "It is just something she's been doing the last few days. I don't know what it is, but she seems to have gotten it in her head she needs to be friendlier to people."
"Yes, well that's good I suppose," he brushed at his beard. "She's not very natural at it."
"It comes across forced, I know. We'll work on it."
"My child," Rauru patted her on the shoulder. Impa tried not to shrink away from the touch. She was no one's child, even if she knew the old priest meant no disrespect. "It is not all on you to do everything for her. I think that is something we've both been in error about. What if I let her join the lessons with the rest of my students? They're older than her, certainly, but she's mature for her age. She needs to learn how to interact with more than just us crusty old adults."
"That is actually not the worst idea I've heard."
"I have been at this for awhile. Not with princesses, admittedly, but other than her let's call it intellect she is not so different from other children I've known. But I feel there is something more. Something is troubling you, my daughter. Do you wish to speak about it."
"No," she could handle her own issues. The last thing she needed was a priest to give pleasant lies to her. "But there is something I think I should warn you about. There is a man outside, a new shopkeeper, he sells masks."
"I've met the man. You think something is wrong with him?"
"I know there is, I think he wants one of the items in your vault."
"Ahh," Rauru said, he did not seem particularly perturbed. "Many have tried, the temple has stood for centuries. It will not fall under my watch."
"Perhaps, but when dealing with a snake it is wisest to deal with it before it is prepared to strike."
"He will be dealt with, Lady Impa. Thank you for your concern, but we have our ways."
"I don't wish to offend, but this business does not seem particularly priestly. Perhaps allow me to deal with him." I should have just not told him. I could have returned this night no one the wiser.
"No, I will take care of it. I do not wish for you nor the princess to be bothered by this man ever again."
"And you think you're the one to do that?"
"There are many ways to deal with such issues that do not require me breaking my vows, Lady Impa. The world is a harsh place, and we must not delude ourselves on that matter. I have dealt with such issues before, though thankfully not for many years."
Did the man truly think that a harsh reprimand or a simple word would set the man right? The priest seemed a good man, but her time as a Needle had told her that an enemy left alive was one more knife in the back to worry about.
"I can see you're skeptical. But I promise you, he will be dealt with." He frowned and nodded to himself. "As to what other issues you may be dealing with, I find prayer helps me, in these difficult times. Perhaps, you would like to take part in a service some day. Or we could simply arrange for a discussion just between the two of us, if you would find that more comfortable."
"Thank you, Rauru. But I am well, I'm telling you."
Rauru gave a friendly pat on her hand. "My door is always open, if you change your mind. The Goddesses are forgiving of our flaws. Even when we are not."
"I'll keep that in mind," Impa smiled and gently pulled her hand from the old man's grasp. He meant well, but even the Goddesses must have their limits. And she was certain she had passed them decades ago.