Chapter 28 - Like Father Like Daughter
Summary: Astra returns to Zora's Domain and meets with King Dorephan and Prince Sidon. While there, Astra partly explains her origin, and Sidon recalls Link's last day visiting the domain. Meanwhile, Paya's husband, Talan, infiltrates the Yiga Clan hideout, but things go differently than planned.
It was a dark, cloudless evening at Zora's Domain, and the moonless sky was sprinkled with bright stars. The domain's majestic architecture glowed a soft shade of blue and looked even more impressive than in the daytime, leading many tourists to spend the night there to see it. Cold, clear water flowed from one level to the next, and this was an ideal time for sleeping to the soothing sound of splashing water. But three people were instead keeping late hours tonight.
Astra had used Zelda's Sheikah Slate to travel to Zora's Domain via the Ne'ez Yohma Shrine and was having dinner with King Dorephan and Prince Sidon in the throne room. The dinner ended hours earlier, but the conversation lasted into the night. The chief topic of the evening had been Mipha, of course. Astra shared stories of Mipha from the victory timeline, while King Dorephan told stories of Mipha from when she was a young girl, a period in Mipha's life that overlapped both timelines.
"And my sister did that entirely on her own?" asked Sidon. "She traveled far out to sea to explore a lost Zora temple?"
"Yes, and successfully navigated through the structure and found the artifact hidden there that was needed, an item called the Lens of Truth," said Astra.
"Amazing!" said Sidon. "That took courage. There are some dangerous creatures in the sea."
"But it sounds just like Mipha," said King Dorephan, nodding and smiling. "From a young age, she was adventurous. And she worked hard to live up to whatever was expected of her, pushing herself to the limit."
"And she pushed me to the limit too!" said Sidon. "But were her actions well-received upon her return?"
"Everyone was very proud of her, of course, as she showed once again she was a true Champion," said Astra. "But as you can imagine, her family had been worried sick about her safety, taking on such a dangerous mission entirely on her own. In the end, I think it brought Mipha and Link even closer together, as they agreed to accompany each other on any future adventures. The whole family was happy to hear that, for both their sakes."
"I could well understand that," said Sidon, nodding his head.
Sidon waited a moment, then continued.
"I wonder if you could clarify something, Astra, but refuse if you feel you cannot," said Sidon. "I know Her Majesty, Queen Zelda, wishes some of what happened to you to remain a secret, at least for now. But can you not explain to us how you came to be Link's daughter if he was faithfully married to Mipha?"
Astra thought for a moment, then spoke.
"I will tell you what I can, based on what I learned from my father's journal, but still respecting Her Majesty's wishes," said Astra. "His journal takes several chapters to cover what happened, but the short answer is that Link was put under a spell cast by a powerful witch that tricked him into believing his life with Mipha existed only in his imagination."
"How is that even possible?" Sidon asked.
"As you know, my father's mind was already damaged, having once lost his memory. This witch used her magic to make it seem that Link's time travel failed by returning him to the Temple of Time at the instant he departed. To all appearances, he never left. My father insisted that the time travel had succeeded, and he had been living a life with Mipha. He did his best to convince everyone he wasn't delusional. But of course, he could prove none of it."
"Yes, of course, I can see that," said Sidon.
"Link had two allies at first in Purah and Robbie, who had tested the Temple of Time beforehand as best they could and claimed it should have worked. Purah at first thought perhaps Robbie had failed to check everything carefully, but Robbie swore he had. But Zelda lost confidence after seeing what happened: the apparent failure and the two scientists arguing over what could have gone wrong. She refused to permit any more tampering with time, fearful of what else might go wrong, perhaps causing something terrible to happen to Hyrule."
"Given the circumstances, her concern was quite understandable," said Sidon.
"Anyway, those who knew my father also knew that he had been obsessed with trying to be with Mipha somehow. Some thought that perhaps the failed time travel experience had damaged his mind even further, compounded by his past mental injuries. And given his years of obsessing over Mipha, it was felt his mind had invented a fictional life with her, including a family."
"That must have been agonizing for him," said Sidon.
"This witch apparently took pleasure in causing the suffering of others," said Astra. "Anyway, it took some years, but faced with everyone in Hyrule telling him he was delusional and doctors even providing medicine to cure him, Link gave up. He finally accepted what he was being told and moved on with his life, eventually marrying someone. But after a time, the witch was subdued and her spell over him broken. Then Goddess Hylia set things right and undid the timeline damage, returning Link to Mipha and his family. But in her mercy, the Goddess allowed me to live in the other timeline, the victory timeline, until I turned seventeen."
Astra paused to take a drink of water, then continued.
"My father felt terrible about the whole affair, of course. Though he loved me, he never wanted to hurt Mipha. But Mipha came to understand it was not his fault and accepted me, even welcoming me like family. Mipha is a kind person with a loving heart like no other I know. And, well, I think that's about all I can say."
"And that is enough, thank you," said Sidon. "At least from evil came love and a blessed outcome."
"Speaking of my father, I wanted to ask you about the last time you saw him. He wrote in his journal about his last day with Zelda but not about his last visit here. Perhaps it was too emotional for him?"
"Perhaps," said Sidon. "Give me a moment to collect my thoughts."
Sidon paused for a minute, then explained what happened as he relived the event in his mind.
"The year was 121, and Link's last visit here was on the first day of the eleventh month," said Sidon. "I can remember the date so precisely because I recall it happened at the very beginning of the month, and someone that morning had remarked that 11 times 11 equals 121, the month squared equaled the year. Anyway, it's coming back to me now."
It was afternoon as Link dismounted, petted his horse, gave her a pair of apples, then left her to graze at the far end of the Great Zora Bridge. He said hello to the guards on duty as he walked the rest of the way into the domain. Everyone knew him by then. When he reached the plaza, as was his custom, Link stopped to place a Blue Nightshade flower at the foot of Mipha's statue and knelt to say a brief prayer. Then he looked up to see Sidon watching him from the level above as Sidon stood there, looking out over the plaza. They waved to each other, and then Link climbed the stairs to join Sidon.
"Welcome!" said Sidon as they shook hands. "I thought that was you when I noticed a rider in the distance. It's been a few weeks since your last visit."
"Yes, it's been too long," said Link.
"Have you lost weight? You look trimmer than last I saw you."
"Maybe a little," laughed Link. "I've been working out to get back into top shape, doing some combat training."
"Whatever for, Link? Are you planning to fight Ganon all over again?" laughed Sidon.
"Ha, ha," laughed Link along with Sidon, but his laugh seemed forced, hollow, as if it was really no laughing matter. Then Link continued, "But exercise is always a good thing, and I want to be sure I can still fit in your sister's armor."
Link looked down at Mipha's statue after he spoke and grew quiet. It seemed to Sidon there was something on Link's mind, but he respected Link's privacy and didn't inquire.
"Well, I'm glad you finally returned," said Sidon, breaking the silence after another moment. "We can have dinner with Father, and then I hope you will stay the night so we can chat."
"Dinner sounds great. I was hoping for that," said Link. "But I'm afraid I need to return to Hyrule Castle tonight. Zelda wants me to spend the whole day with her tomorrow."
"I see," said Sidon, not really seeing, as it was unusual for Link not to spend the night whenever he visited the domain. Link was always inclined to extend his visits, not cut them short.
Dinner was pleasant enough as the three of them chatted about events throughout Hyrule and the latest news. But Link seemed even quieter than usual, distracted. He didn't speak his mind until it was time for him to go. Then he became emotional, and it was clear he wanted to say something before leaving.
"I, well, I just want you both to know how much spending time with you has meant to me, means to me," said Link. "You've treated me like family these past four years, helped me with my loneliness and gotten me through some dark times. Thank you for that."
Link paused, but before Sidon could say anything, he continued.
"I also want you to know how sorry I am for not being here when Mipha needed me," said Link. "She was always there for me when I needed her, ever since I was a child. But I let her down, let both of you down, and let all your people down. I know her loss hurt you deeply, and I'm sorry - sorry from the bottom of my heart."
At that, Link suddenly broke down and couldn't continue. Both Sidon and King Dorephan were surprised to hear Link say this, for they had made it clear years before that they both held him blameless. But apparently, Mipha's death haunted him all over again, as if the wound was fresh.
"It's okay, Link," said Sidon as he put his arm around Link's shoulder to comfort him. "You're blameless for Mipha's death. Your sworn duty was to protect Zelda, and you couldn't be in two places at once. Besides, by the time everyone knew what was happening, it was already too late."
"And we know how much you share our grief, Link," added King Dorephan. "We know you loved her. To me, you are and always will be the son-in-law you should have been."
"And to me, a dear brother," said Sidon. "Please let us not hear any more of this, taking the blame on yourself."
"Thank you, that means a lot to me, hearing you say so once again," said Link as he recovered his composure. "I am very grateful for how you treated me, and I want to thank you for that before I … before too much more time has passed. I love you both. You've truly been the family I never had."
"Then Link said farewell and left on his horse. I watched him as he rode off into the night. Father and I both realized something was wrong, as Link was behaving so differently. And we were right, of course, for we never saw Link again. That visit was his goodbye. We always wondered what happened to him afterward. But now, thanks to you, Astra, we know Link spent the next day with Zelda, then departed from the Temple of Time that night."
"Thank you," said Astra. "All that was new to me."
"Well, this has been a fascinating meeting, and I hope we can do it again soon," said King Dorephan as he realized it was getting late. "It makes my dear Mipha come alive again in my thoughts and gladdens my heart to know she found the happiness she so well deserved."
"And you are welcome here anytime, Astra," said Sidon. "There is no need to make an appointment. Father and I love talking with you about Mipha."
"Thank you. I was happy to come here and spend time with you both," said Astra.
Then Astra grew silent and turned her head to look off toward the plaza where Mipha's statue was visible. It reminded Sidon of Link and that he did the same thing on his last day here. Sidon and King Dorephan exchanged a glance, and then Sidon finally spoke up.
"Forgive me, Astra," said Sidon. "We spoke to you as if only our feelings mattered, like we were inviting a bard to return and resume telling their tale. But you are not a bard, Astra. Like your father, we would like you to consider us family. I can't imagine how hard it must be for you to leave all those you love behind. If spending time with us brings you any solace or comfort, please give us the chance to do that. We want to be here for you too, Astra."
Astra turned back and smiled.
"Thank you," said Astra. "I do feel lonely sometimes and miss my family. And although I spent most of my years growing up at … home, I have many fond memories of time spent here, too. You are among only a few people I can reminisce with about my past, something I never want to forget."
"And I will echo what Sidon said, that we want you to feel our domain is your home whenever you wish," said King Dorephan. "We would both love you to stay here as much as you like."
"Now we have tired you out with tales of my sister," said Sidon as the hour was late. "I've reserved a waterbed for you at the Seabed Inn, and I hope it will bring you a good night's rest."
They exchanged goodnights, and Sidon walked with Astra to the plaza as he needed to make his customary evening visit to Mipha's statue. Then Astra continued to the inn and slept soundly.
The next morning, feeling refreshed, Astra returned by Sheikah Slate to Hyrule Castle in time to join Zelda for breakfast.
"Did your visit to Zora's Domain go well?" Zelda asked as they sat down to breakfast together.
"Yes, very well," said Astra. "Thanks for letting me use your Sheikah Slate, by the way. Much as I began growing comfortable riding a horse, I find using the Sheikah Slate much better. As for my visit, King Dorephan and Prince Sidon both made me feel welcome there, and they enjoyed learning about Mipha in the other timeline. I had to explain how I came into being but did so without disclosing who my mother is."
"Yes, I'm sorry about that, sweetheart, but I would like to keep that a secret for now until we know things are safer," said Zelda. "I fear it would only make you an even bigger Yiga Clan target."
"I understand," said Astra. "Besides speaking of Mipha, I asked about my father's last visit there, and that was enlightening. Link never wrote about it."
"That's interesting," said Zelda. "It's almost 21 years ago to the day now. I remember it was the day before he spent his last day here with me."
Zelda paused for a moment and looked off into the distance, remembering, then continued.
"After we agreed to use the Temple of Time, Link was almost exclusively focused on preparing for combat, looking forward to his chance to save Hyrule and be with the one he loved," said Zelda. "He kept so busy he didn't have time to reflect on the other side of things - that he was leaving his life here behind. But as the day of his departure approached, I think he began to realize he would never see those of us who were close to him anymore. And it was difficult for him, as in the interest of secrecy, he could not let on what was about to happen."
Zelda paused again, then looked over at Astra, reached out, and took her hand.
"And I imagine it was the same for you, leaving everyone who loved you without letting them know in advance," said Zelda. "And this time Link is one of those left behind, so he must understand how all of us felt."
Zelda sighed, then her thoughts returned to the present.
"Anyway, enough reminiscing. We need to discuss the next steps for dealing with the Yiga Clan," said Zelda. "My understanding is Talan is trying to scout out their hideout, so we should have more information about that soon. The Gorons have stepped up mining Luminous Stones, and the Rito have agreed to fly them to the Thyphlo Ruins. The Gerudo have agreed to provide extra soldiers to help us destroy the Yiga Clan spies throughout Hyrule. And the Zoras have agreed to patrol the rivers and waters to prevent any escape that way. We're finally getting close!"
Meanwhile, the night before, in Kakariko Village, Paya, her husband Talan, and their daughter Layna were secretly meeting in Paya's residence.
"I know you feel you must do this, but I'm anxious about it," said Paya. "Sneaking into the Yiga Clan hideout is incredibly risky. You don't know what to expect."
"Honestly, Father, can you not get invited to visit openly as Pangha?" Layna asked. "They believe you are one of them."
"I will, of course, be going there as Pangha, sweetheart," said Talan. "But it will take time to get approval for my visit. It's better for me to just go there on my own."
"I don't like this," said Paya. "Is your going there of such vital importance?"
"I believe so, and I have two goals. First, I want to confirm the location of the hideout entrance and the means of entry that Astra discovered. And second, I want to get an idea of the hideout's layout and perhaps how many soldiers may be there."
"I don't know," said Paya, shaking her head. "It's one thing to use stealth to conceal yourself from others, even other Sheikah. But to conceal yourself from all the Yiga in their very hideout?"
"I have a backup plan, just in case I'm discovered."
"I can see your mind is made up. When are you planning to go?" said Paya.
"Tonight, right after dinner," said Talan. "It's a moonless evening and perfect for a mission of stealth."
"I'll make dinner for you, Father," said Layna as she stood up to go out. "I'll get the ingredients now. You're eating a stew made with Silent Shrooms, Silent Princess flowers, Blue Nightshade flowers, Stealthfin Trout, and some Sneaky River Snails mixed in. And don't even think about refusing it!"
"Excellent idea, Layna!" said Paya, rubbing her hands.
"Ugh!" laughed Talan. "How does such a stew taste with all those things mixed together?"
"The point is the stew will be rich in stealth enhancing ingredients, Father," said Layna.
"And may its taste, bitter though it may be, linger on your tongue to remind you of the need to be cautious," said Paya.
After dinner, Talan snuck out a rear upper-floor window, climbed up the peak behind the house, then retrieved a horse he had left grazing there. His horse was solid black and fitted with a Sheikah-made bridle and saddle designed to improve its concealment.
It was about a five-kilometer uneventful ride to a spot close to the Thyphlo Ruins. Talan left his horse there, electing to make the rest of the journey on foot. The night was clear, and the buzz of insects and the distant howl of a wolf were the only sounds until he neared the entrance to the ruins, where the gurgle of the swamp that surrounded it grew louder. So far, he had detected no one but proceeded cautiously and took his time. When he was ready, he entered the blackness of the ruins.
He remembered where Astra had said the hideout entrance was, and so he proceeded to the eastern side of the ruins. At one point, he saw a torch moving in the distance and heard some voices, presumably a pair of foot soldiers on patrol. But they were moving west and did not pose a threat. After several minutes of careful travel, he finally reached the location where the hideout entrance was supposed to be.
The spot was amid a courtyard of sorts with tall Zonai pillars on three sides, some partly damaged. There was a raised platform there and two smaller columns or pedestals on each side. A piece of Luminous Stone stood atop each pedestal that glowed in the darkness. After waiting behind a pillar for several minutes to ensure no one was nearby, Talan approached the left stone, pressed it twice, walked to the right pedestal, pressed the stone three times, then returned to the first stone and pressed it twice. A block on the platform floor slid open, revealing a Luminous Stone-lit stairway that led down into the ground.
Talan took a few steps down the stairs and noticed a large Luminous Stone on the wall to his right. Pressing it once closed the stone block above his head. And presumably, pressing it again would open it.
There was no sign of life or movement yet, so Talan continued down the steps. The end of the stairway led into a passageway also lit with Luminous Stones that continued straight for a while, then bent slightly to the right. A few steps further was a doorway on his right. Moving carefully, he could see that the room was empty save for a table, some chairs, and a few wooden crates. Passing the doorway, Talan continued until the passage forked. To his right, he could hear voices and see the flicker of torchlight. To the left was a stairway leading down to a lower level. Talan thought he could make out four or five different voices to his right, so he went left instead.
Talan noticed the hideout structure was quite ancient and, from the wall carvings, clearly of Zonai origin. Long ago, it must have been related to the building above ground. Luminous Stones were used everywhere for illumination, built into the very walls themselves. But torches were apparently used where more light was needed. The Yiga Clan must have learned of this place somehow and adapted it to their purposes.
Talan made his way down the stairs, at the end of which the passage turned sharply left and led to a long, thin room with four stone pillars that presumably helped hold up the ceiling. This thin room opened into a larger room at the far end and was lit with three flaming torches, two on either side of a stairway that led back up somewhere, and the third torch was at the far end. Here again, several wooden crates were scattered about.
Talan could make out voices coming from the stairwell to his left as he moved from pillar to pillar. When he reached the fourth pillar, he could see the large room had four more torches, four more pillars, and even more crates. He moved quietly from crate to crate, not trying to hide but not making any noise, either. There was a small door to the left as he entered this room, but he never got to reach it as his luck finally failed. A Yiga Clan warrior, who had apparently been resting behind a crate, noticed him, stood up, and challenged him, holding a knife to his chest.
"Who are you? I don't remember ever seeing you here before?"
"My name is Pangha, and this is my first time here."
"Why are you sneaking around?"
"I wasn't sneaking around. I am unfamiliar with the layout of our hideout, but did not wish to disturb anyone, as I know it is late," said Pangha.
"My name is Dorak, but I'm afraid I can't just accept what you say. Give me your knife, Pangha."
Talan let Dorak take the knife that he kept tucked in his belt.
"Now, you need to see Master Kohga, and he can decide what to do," said Dorak. "I hope he's still awake."
"Perfect!" said Talan. "I came here hoping to meet with Master Kohga."
Time for Plan B thought Talan as Dorak led him back to the thin room he had just passed through and then up the stairway to a large circular room to meet Master Kohga.