Summary: Family life goes on when Mila brings a boyfriend home for dinner. The evil being causes more harm on the way to her objective. After an investigation, Zelda reports the capture of the being's host but wonders what to do next. But is she correct? Link begins a journey to Hyrule Castle with the sword that seals the darkness to confront their enemy while Mipha insists on accompanying him.

It was early morning in Zora's Domain as Mipha and Link slept together in a pool of water. Mipha awoke first, and she remained still to avoid disturbing Link's sleep. As she looked over at him, his breathing was calm, and he was resting peacefully. She smiled, happy for that, and she hoped his dreams were happy ones too.

She remembered how different it was after they first married, how troubled his sleep was back then. He often shivered in his sleep, a sign his dreams were distressing. And sometimes he would even cry out in the night and awaken breathless over some nightmare. Then he would reach over to hold her as if to reassure himself she was really there, that he hadn't lost her somehow. She wished she could have healed him of those nightly terrors back then. But only time could heal those kinds of wounds, not her healing magic. And for the most part, time had cured them. Until recently he had not had a nightmare in years.

But years ago, when he shared the full story of his life with her, she realized it was little wonder he had nightmares. His mind and body had suffered through so much! First came the terrible events of Ganon's triumph as he was overcome at Ash Swamp. Then came the hundred-year sleep that restored his body but wiped his mind clean and forced him to slowly recover painful memories of who he was and what had happened. He struggled to remember things an average person would try to forget. But as he was doing all that his life became a living nightmare, wandering Hyrule alone, continually battling monsters and Guardians all eager to destroy him, and hated as a failure by those who remembered him. He had to accept all that and carry the hurt that came with it, but soldier on to do his duty for the princess and for Hyrule.

And after his first victory over Ganon, the passage of time only increased his pain, not lessened it, as he gradually recovered more of his memory and feelings. He started to remember more about her, times they spent together, his feelings for her, and what they had meant to each other. And he couldn't or wouldn't move on. Most people would have accepted the tragic events and got on with their lives, but not him. Instead, he urged Purah toward restoring the Temple of Time and create a future that would undo so much harm for everyone. But not for him. He was the only one who lived through both timelines to the confusion of his mind yet again. It was a wonder he retained his sanity as his conscious and subconscious mind tried to cope with everything! But though he was a fierce adversary and an unyielding fighter in combat, he remained deep down the kind and caring person she first fell in love with. Maybe it was his love that held him together in the end.

Now suddenly some new evil had emerged, and Link held the sacred sword once again. So, the Goddess must expect him to battle evil once more. But Mipha swore to herself she would not let him battle alone this time. If Link had to fight evil again, she would be right there with him to assist him in battle and to heal any wounds. They were married now, and she still had her skills. She had worked hard to prepare Sidon should anything happen to her, and he had fully lived up to her expectations. If for some reason she did not survive, Sidon would be a capable ruler for their people until Mila was mature enough. Whenever Link received public praise for being the hero, he would always say Ganon's defeat had been a team effort, and indeed it was. And the destruction of this new evil would be a team effort too as far as she was concerned, though she knew Link would argue against it. He always wanted her and the family to stay safe, to take all the risks himself. But she and he were in this together now whether he liked it or not. And she would have the last word on that!

Link finally stirred in his sleep, opened his eyes and noticed Mipha staring at him.

"Good morning, sweetheart. What are you so deep in thought about?" asked Link.

"About how hard life was for you, how lucky you are to have me, and how we are going to work together to defeat this new evil," said Mipha.

"Well, I certainly won't argue with the second part," laughed Link. "I agree with all my heart! And for the first part, yes, life was difficult but I like to remember it had its pleasant moments too. There were peaceful times when I had finished a shrine but it was too late to travel. Then I would camp out by the fire in remote locations that were free of monsters like the very top of Dueling Peaks or on top of one of the Seven Heroines statues in the Gerudo desert and enjoy a spectacular sunset and a calm nighttime and sometimes even spot a falling star. Those were tranquil moments I took comfort in. I wish I could share the experience with you. As for the last part, I would prefer you stay safe here with our family. I'm not sure I need your help to combat this threat."

"That's where I think you're wrong," said Mipha. "But let's not argue now. We need to get up, have breakfast, and get to work. The sword hasn't spoken to you at all?"

"No, and that's usually the way it is," said Link. "Fi can be very talkative like on our first trip to what is now called North Hyrule, or completely quiet like she was all the rest of the time I held the sword. Maybe she will speak when the time is right."

Soon the whole family was up and sitting down to breakfast. Mila had something on her mind.

"Mom and Dad," said Mila. "I'd like you to meet a boy I've gotten to know. Can I invite him for dinner or something?"

"Of course, Mila, you can invite him to dinner," said Mipha. "Have you known him long?"

"Not terribly long," said Mila. "I used to see him now and then, and now it's gotten more frequent. And before you say anything I know I'm way too young for anything very serious. But I would just like you to meet him, so I don't feel like we're hiding."

"We would be happy to meet him," said Mipha.

"Of course, we would," said Link. "If he's important to you, then he's important to us."

"The thing is, though, he's very shy about meeting you both," said Mila. "In fact, he's terrified. I mean he studied about you both in history class and, Mom, you're the ruler of the Domain. You're a very intimidating pair of parents to meet. So, I hope you'll understand."

"Don't worry, Mila," said Link. "I know how he must feel. I used to be terrified of your grandfather but he was actually the kindest person to me once I got to know him. So, please reassure your friend to not worry about us. But, can you tell us his name?"

"His name is Kendal, and his parents are actually both members of the Royal Guard here," said Mila. "In fact, that was how I first met him when his parents were guarding me, and he needed to speak with them. He's not like most of my other friends. He's a bit more serious, but still fun to be with."

"I know who he is," said Midon. "He and I have a class together, the one on Sheikah technology learning how to create Tab runes. He's very smart."

"That's fine, Mila," said Mipha. "We look forward to meeting him. Just let us know what day works best for you two, and we will do our best to accommodate everything."

"Could we do dinner tomorrow? I know that's short notice, but the less time he has to think about it the less worried he'll be. And Mido, please don't act up when he's here," said Mila. "He's going to be nervous and easily embarrassed."

"Don't worry, Sis," said Midon. "I'll be on my best behavior. After all, we could be brothers someday."

"We can do dinner with Kendal tomorrow. We'll order some special food from Lurelin Village to make it a treat for all of us. But seriously, Midon, don't do anything to embarrass your sister," said Mipha. "I won't appreciate that either."

"Does Kendal have a younger sister?" said Lapha. "I play with a girl in my class named Kenra who talks about her brother named Kendal sometimes. Is it the same person?"

"Yes, I think so," said Mila. "He does have a sister your age, Laff. That must be her. I've never met her though."

"Kenra says he's a fun brother, and she likes playing with him, so he must be a nice person," said Lapha.

"He is a nice person," said Mila. "And I hope you all like him."

"And Midon, it would be interesting one of these days to hear what you are learning about Tab runes," said Link.

"Sure, I can talk about that," said Midon. "We could even discuss it at dinner. It would be something Kendal would feel comfortable talking about and might help put him at ease."

When breakfast was over the children left for class and it left Mipha, Sidon, and Link together.

"Wow," said Link. "My daughter is bringing a boy home to meet us. I guess I should have expected that but I thought Zoras would take longer."

"We do take longer before things get serious," said Mipha. "Mila had her growth spurt a bit earlier than most, but we typically don't marry until we are at least 40 years old, though there are always exceptions. Mila is pretty level-headed. She knows to take things slowly and enjoy her growing up years. So, don't get all sentimental yet. If she were a Hylian, she might already be married. Now we need to get to work."

When Mipha, Sidon, and Link got to the throne room and checked for any new reports, the news was all negative. There had been no sign of the Gerudo ferry passenger named Darnia since she had been interviewed leaving the ship at Lanayru Bay. No news was bad news.

Link then went down to the market and put in a rush order for some porgies and crabs from Lurelin Village. They would be delivered next day.

Meanwhile, that same morning in Kakariko Village, Lanon had awoken at the inn and was eating breakfast outside, when he noticed two Hyrule knights ride into town. He recognized one of them as Renton and the other he didn't know. Renton saw him, waved, dismounted, and came over, the other knight walking beside him.

"Lanon, how are you?" said Renton. "This is Sandin, and, like almost everyone else, we're out searching for that Gerudo woman we all got the alert about. You returning from leave?"

"Nice to meet you, Sandin. Yes, just finishing my leave," said Lanon. "I'm due back tonight."

"Where are you coming from?" said Renton. "I mean, what brings you this way?"

"I spent yesterday doing some fishing at Lanayru Bay," said Lanon. "It was very relaxing, a nice way to finish my time off."

"Good for you! You're lucky you got all your time off in before now," said Renton. "All future leave has been canceled until further notice. Finding this Gerudo person is a top priority."

"Do you know why she is so important?" said Lanon.

"Not really," said Renton. "And that actually bothers many of us. We suspect we have not been told the whole story. How can this single Gerudo woman be so dangerous? We know Gerudo warriors are skilled fighters and all, but this seems overly cautious. Anyway, sometimes we soldiers have to live with not knowing everything and the orders were very explicit that we are to treat this person as extremely dangerous and not approach her alone. If we find her, we are to report it at once before taking any further action. Now we need to interview people here to check if anyone has seen her, starting at the inn."

"Well, good luck," said Lanon. "I'll see you back at the castle."

"Yes," said Renton. "By the way, if you should see her on your way back remember what I said. Don't approach her and report her position at once. Anyway, enjoy your last day of leave. We're all going to be very busy until we find this person."

She decided to wait in Kakariko Village until the two knights left. She did not want to ride back with them. And so, it was some time after lunch when she saw the two of them head out to return to Hyrule Castle. Presumably, they had messaged their superior that they had found nothing. Kakariko was an attractive village, and it reminded her of the time she was living as Fandra with the Sheikah in North Hyrule. But Kakariko was more populous, and she noticed a large structure near the center of town. It must be where the village leader resided. Just before lunch, she saw the village leader emerge from her house carrying a baby. She got some unpleasant feelings emanating from that person. She must be a very devout worshiper of the goddess.

But now that the knights had left she had time to take care of the local Great Fairy before continuing her journey to Hyrule Castle. She hated good fairies. Fortunately, all but very few were weaker than her. It was a short walk to the Great Fairy Fountain, and she stared at it for a moment. It was entirely different from the fairy fountains she had known, but no matter. She thought about what she should do, then remembered one of Kakariko's claims to fame and smiled.

She approached the fountain, and the fairy sensed Lanon's presence. With a cascade of bubbles, the fairy burst forth from her pool.

"Greetings, traveler. I am the Great Fairy Cotera. Make an offering, and I may help you," said Cotera.

"How large an offering?" said Lanon.

"For those who can afford it, as I sense you can, I ask for 20 rupees. For those who cannot I suggest a fair price," said Cotera.

"Here are my 20 rupees," said Lanon dropping a red rupee into the pool. "What kind of help do you offer?"

"I generally grant wishes to improve items a pilgrim owns. I cannot affect anyone else, and I cannot grant wishes about wishes," said Cotera. "What is it you desire help with?"

Don't go anywhere Lanon, I'll be right back she thought as she emerged from Lanon's body and assumed her form as a fairy. Cotera cried out when she saw her and tried to flee into her pool, but it was too late. Cotera was enveloped in a thick black smoke that held her immobile.

"My name is Vera, and I am the daughter of Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows, one who lived long ago. As for wishes, I make my own wishes come true. And right now, I wish you to turn into a pumpkin."

She chanted a spell in some ancient tongue and when the smoke cleared what remained in the fairy fountain was a giant pumpkin.

"Now there's a Fortified Pumpkin worthy of Kakariko Village," she laughed.

Cotera was still alive. Vera's magic couldn't kill her. But she had changed her form, and it was not clear how Cotera could turn back. Then Vera returned to Lanon's body as he stood there as if in a trance the whole time. She should leave for Hyrule Castle now. Her only regret was the waste of 20 rupees.

But those Hyrule travelers who happened to be near any of the other three Great Fairy Fountains at that moment would later speak of the wail of anguish they heard, a terrible heart-rending cry they had never heard before. It was the cry of Cotera's sisters as they sensed the harm she had come to. And the Great Fairies at those locations would no longer appear for pilgrims.

It was late afternoon at Hyrule Castle when Lanon finally arrived and reported to his unit for duty. He was told he needed to work a night shift guarding the castle entrance since so many knights were out on patrol. That was fine with him.

Meanwhile, Zelda and Rudin were personally going over reports from the field. Hyrule knights had searched all the major roads and checked those villages close enough for Darnia to have traveled to from Lanayru Bay in the time she had to travel. So far, all the reports were the same: no one had seen her.

"I think we may have to face the obvious conclusion," said Zelda finally. "We are probably looking for the wrong person. I fear Darnia outlived her usefulness to this being and she has moved on to someone else. And now we have no idea who that person might be."

"You may be right," said Rudin. "But we know Darnia left Lanayru Bay, so we should trace what could have happened after that. There are only a few directions to travel from the port at Lanayru Bay. The one that leads into Zora's Domain is pretty controlled for visitors, so I doubt she headed that way. The Zoras would have reported that to us. Besides, if she wanted to blend in with Zoras, she could have stayed who she was or taken over one of the Zora passengers. So, I think her route was in another direction. And I don't think she would have braved the cold and wandered into the Naydra Snowfield area. The obvious direction is west toward Kakariko Village."

"That makes sense," said Zelda. "But it could be anyone in Kakariko Village or someone who was there and left. And we have no way of telling who has been taken over."

"Let's ask for a list of visitors there," said Rudin. "Perhaps someone stayed at the inn."

Lanon stood guard duty at the entrance to Hyrule Castle. He would not get off until midnight or so. Vera needed to keep looking for an opportunity to move on from Lanon. She was getting close to her target now. And she had another trick to play, thanks to Lanon's mind being so open to her. She could erase his memories of her and let him live. He would remember making the trip and everything else that happened to him, just not his encounter with her or the fact she had controlled him. She had been unable to do that with Fandra, Tiray, and Darnia. Their minds were not as open to her. So, her goal now was to advance to another host, ideally one with greater access to the castle proper. Lanon had said the Royal Guards were the protectors of the Royal Family. So that should be her next target. And the fact she could leave Lanon alive meant she could just jump to the next person without making a fuss about killing him. So, that made things much more straightforward. One of her and her mother's forms was as a spider, though she didn't like to assume that ugly appearance. But now she felt like a spider as she waited patiently for her next victim. What fun! And while she waited, she wandered through Lanon's mind and made sure all traces of her were gone from his memory. The only challenging part would be to wipe the memory of what happened just as she jumped from him to her next host. That required good timing. But she was good!

"Wait, what is this?" said Zelda as a new report came in late that evening.

She and Rudin were working late as usual, and she had just received a report that the Great Fairy at Kakariko Village had apparently been replaced with or changed into a pumpkin.

"That is horrible!" said Zelda. "What cruel being would do such a thing? And what being would have the power to do it? I guess this leaves no doubt this creature was at Kakariko Village, and it can't have been in Darnia's body. Did that list of visitors ever come back?"

"Yes, I have it here," said Rudin. "There were four guests at the inn last night. One was a Sheikah and three were Hylian travelers. I have their names here. But what do we do with this information? We have no way of telling if any of them was taken over. Have the scholars here had any luck figuring out the symbols on that stone? Apparently, it had the power to seal this being in. Can't we just reproduce the stone without understanding it?"