-Ryo-

They went their own ways. Ryo went to his estate in the inner capital, while Zelda stayed at the palace.

Ryo went to Abhdan and said, "Teacher, I need to press on you a question."

"Oh-ho! Oh? And just what question would seem to torment you so?" The old man chuckled.

Ryo sat before him on the floor. "Some time ago, I intercepted a message from the Shadowmaster hiding out in Mitagi that a boy named Link had been killed by General Ouki, at Chancellor Impa's request no less."

"Interesting... who is he? The name sounds familiar." Abhdan stroked his beard.

"Precisely my own thought. Who is this boy that Chancellor Impa would have the High General go out of his way to kill him. If you may recall, the name was brought up among the list of accomplishments in the first day of battle Ouki reported on."

"Ah, that would be where I heard the name! So Ouki did not, in fact, kill him?"

"No, he did not."

"And what is your question?" Abhdan asked.

"I will get to it, but please, patience. There is a ways to go. I looked into this boy. I had heard of him amongst the ones Zelda had given privilege to when Sheikah Zant rebelled, and brief investigation showed the boy had also been alongside Zelda when she retook the throne. It did not take much digging to find he had come from Jouto. I sent an investigator, and he returned with information. I tell you not what he found in its whole, nor my own ponderings, as it would take far too long. Rather, the result of it all is that I believe this boy to be the son of General Kyou Mitagi."

Abhdan stopped stroking his beard. His eyes widened in shock.

Seeing he had his old teacher's attention, Ryo continued, "I did not believe it, at first. I watched Impa to be sure, and seeing her reaction to the very boy she had tried to kill being told as alive, it gave me the incentive to investigate further. It told me there was something worth looking into. So under cover of wishing to investigate Harken Dragmire to send a shred of information to General Ouki (a cover that was at the same time true and whole to its pretention as much as its diversion) I found information that leads me to believe Kyou Mitagi hid his identity... and was... in fact. A woman. A woman that was impregnated, and pretending to be ill, took a year to go to full term and work on her recovery. During this time Harken killed her, Ouki sought revenge, and the child was hidden away in a nearby village. Jouto. The soldier wanted to honor her memory, and so left a message for the boy to know his mother was a great general. This is as far as I have come."

"And what is your question?" Abhdan asked nervously.

"Teacher, you know I do things on my own. I investigate and invest on my own. I fail and succeed on my own strengths and weaknesses, and so I grow. But this is a matter to which I believe the Sheikah, the Mitagi, and perhaps more have kept a secret hidden so deeply and intently I do not know where further to go. Why did Kyou Mitagi pretend to be a man all her life? I am sure I can find a shred to send me along if I were to secret myself into the Mitagi, or even the Sheikah, but this would tip everyone away. I believe I have come as far as I can on my own, and yet I believe I have stumbled on something worth making a request for."

Abhdan nodded. He sighed, and for the first time, Ryo marveled and the man looked truly as old as he was. Abhdan always had a jolly look, a quick laugh, a childish whim about him that belied his age. Yet Abhdan seemed to sag and age before him. The weight of secrets fell on his shoulders, and Ryo immediately regretted his request. "No, if it bears you this much of a burden, then you need not-"

"No. It is good you have gone this far on your own strength." Abhdan replied sternly. His voice did not have any amusement. For a moment, his old persona of a powerful Chancellor returned. "I know the secret you seek. I should not, but like you are, I was insatiably curious. I regret knowing the secret. The burden is a great one. The lies... The truths. It is difficult to say which is less damaging anymore. It is good you have come to me now, Ryo Fui. You can go no further than you have, as what records there were... was erased."

"Erased?!"

"Indeed. All proof is gone. Everyone made sure of it. Including me. The only proof left are the few who witnessed the lies in the making... But those few then hold power in their hand to overturn kingdoms and dynasties."

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Abhdan looked on his younger student. "As a reward for coming as far as you have, and knowing when to humble yourself rather than prove obstinate and endanger yourself, I am willing to tell you the secret in its entirety. However, I also offer a warning... It will give you no satisfaction. I also hold you to a rule."

"A rule?"

"That you will never use this secret for your own ends."

"You would dare hold me to such a rule!?" Ryo exclaimed, suddenly furious.

"Yes." Abhdan replied. "That is my rule. Do you truly wish to know the secret that is so close, yet impossible to reach? I assure you, learning the secret will torment you as much as not knowing, yet I believe it will do you good to not know and focus your energies elsewhere. The choice is yours."

"Then I choose to know."

Abhdan smiled, and chuckled weakly. "Then you are so much like me... insatiably curious. Very well."

-Zelda-

"Princess... If I may have a moment." Impa said.

Zelda stopped. "Certainly, Impa. What is the matter? Why do you look distressed."

"There is an important matter I need to discuss with you." Impa motioned to a nearby alcove. "If we may?"

Zelda allowed herself to be led along to it. To her surprise, Impa went a step further. Once they were outside, Impa picked Zelda up, and leaped onto the roof before setting her down again. Then Impa lead Zelda to a portion of the roof where it would satisfy her.

"This is... unusual," Zelda said. "You have never taken me up here before. I did not know you could leap that high carrying me."

"I assure you, my legs will be paying for that later." Impa groaned. Zelda chuckled despite the woman's seeming misery.

"You are not as young as you once were, Impa."

"No, I am not. Be careful lest you slip... This place will do. I wished to speak with you where none can hear us."

"There are private quarters."

"And I would not want to risk them putting an ear to the wall or door."

Seeing how difficult Impa wanted to be, Zelda just shook her head. "Very well, very well. Dear Impa, what is it you wanted to say? I trust you will help me back down as you brought me up? Or should I call for a Fae to get me later?"

Impa did not immediately answer. She gulped, wrung her hands. Seeing her distressed, Zelda stopped being sarcastic and rather listened intently.

"There is a... matter, of my own doing, that I am tormented by. So I find I must beg for your forgiveness. I tried to have Link killed."

"You tried to WHAT!?" Zelda snapped. Normally she would not snap, but this caught her completely off guard, and immediately infuriated her beyond rational thought. One of the first people she found she could trust, of her own age group, and someone she could trust had tried to kill him! Zelda's first instinct was to banish Impa and say to realms with it all. Impa had failed her multiple times now and screwed up massively, and now she had gone for someone Zelda actually saw as more than a stranger or foe!

"I tried to have Link killed." Impa repeated. "I offer no excuse, I have failed you many times as it is, and so if you do not wish to forgive me, then I will understand; but if you will allow me, I would like for you to understand why I did."

"You are right..." Zelda seethed. She didn't know whether to have the ice cold persona or a fiery infuriated one. Her eyes and emotions felt ice cold and damning while her blood boiled in her veins. "I am finding it difficult to decide to forgive or not."

"And that is your choice."

"No!" Zelda snapped, and pointed at her. "Do not put this on me of whether or not to forgive you based on nothing more than some merit or friendship! At least try to Dindamn earn it! Words are empty and useless, and now I wonder if truly friendship is as empty and worthless as the words used to mold it!"

"It is not!"

"Really?" Zelda scoffed coldly. "Your actions betray me to the heart, though your words offer comfort. At least be honest enough to admit to hating me. My mother can do that much."

Impa's breath hitched in her throat, and a moment of silence passed between them. For this moment Zelda had compared Impa to her mother, and it had merit. In Zelda, Impa saw more than just pain and fury, but a fragility that was being shattered as much as her heart was being further hardened with ice. In trying to save her, Impa had hardened her heart even more to be colder than ever, less trusting, less open, less warm, and ultimately if Zelda continued to grow ever colder into being a full woman... she would be no better than her mother. And Zelda would perhaps recognize this and accept it. She would accept being a monster.

Impa wanted to weep, to beg, but she could not. She had made mistakes and needed to be strong enough to see them through.

"I swore myself to you, and this I hold myself to. If you want to punish me, I accept it openly, but do not think my intentions anything less than good for you. This is, however, a most difficult situation. I knew it would hurt you, but I chose it because it would also save you. Now I regret it, as I am reminded the boy could be as much your savior as your damnation."

Savior. Damnation.

Zelda juggled the words in her mind. She listened intently, and if Impa was not lying (a thought she found herself having to decide on for the first time with Impa) then it was true, she would be in a difficult position. The thought that it was a difficult position didn't appease her, but gave Zelda the knowledge that it was at least a matter worth knowing.

"Then tell me. I will decide what to do with you after you have explained yourself to me."

"The first thing to know is that King Shorlin swore me to secrecy... But he is passed. And you are my highness. If you wish it, then I will tell you."

This made Zelda hesitate, but only a little. Were she calm, she might wonder what it was that would make King Shorlin swear people to secrecy, and how Link would be involved in it.

"Do it. Tell me."