Summary: Zelda's concerns about Astra prompts Link to reveal her parentage. The Yiga Clan works to ignite the third and final flame.

It was a rainy evening by Hyrule Castle as a steady downpour soaked the grounds and large raindrops pattered against the castle windows. Queen Zelda, Mipha, and Link were seated comfortably inside the small family dining room, enjoying dinner together, a nearby fireplace keeping the room warm and dry. The room had been filled with laughter most of the evening, the latest topic being some pranks the two had pulled on Link over the years.

"Link, I still remember the look on your face," laughed Zelda as they reminisced. "I wish I had my Sheikah Slate handy for a picture."

"I remember that incident," laughed Link. "You two were merciless to a poor innocent knight, pretending you were upset that I kept you waiting. I was too polite and too deferential to royalty back then. I should have known better with you two."

"Poor innocent knight indeed! You were such an easy tease, Link," laughed Zelda. "Mipha and I used to wink and smile at each other. But we knew you had a wonderful sense of humor. You always took our teasing with good grace."

"We had some funny moments," agreed Mipha. "But it was all good-natured fun, sweetheart. I knew you wouldn't be upset."

"No, I got over it quickly," said Link. "But dealing with two princesses at once was a royal pain – pun intended."

Everyone laughed.

"The meal was delicious, Zelda," said Mipha. "Thank you."

"I'm glad you liked it," said Zelda. "I know you have a taste for Porgies."

They resumed their conversation until a powerful gust of wind blew a loud splash of rain across a nearby window, making them all stop and look up. That seemed to remind Zelda of something because she suddenly grew serious.

"I invited you both here for two reasons," said Zelda. "The main one being your company. I have fun every time you visit, and it cheers me up. I hope it does the same for you. I've had strange dreams lately, and that often portends something evil will happen. I draw comfort in knowing that I can count on both of you to help protect our people."

"We will, Zelda," said Link. "Doing that has been my life's work."

"And the Zora people and I will do our part," added Mipha.

"I appreciate hearing you both say that, though I never doubted it," said Zelda. "But I have another reason I wished to speak with both of you, a more personal one. Now that Rudin is gone, I am concerned about Astra. Should anything happen to me, I would like you two to raise her. I could ask her older sister to do that, but she would have her hands full as the new Queen of Hyrule and taking care of her little one, Horwell. I would feel better knowing you were both willing to take care of Astra."

"Zelda, we will not let...," Link began, but Zelda interrupted him.

"I too hope nothing happens to me, Link," said Zelda. "But it would comfort me to know that if it should, then Astra will be with two people she loves and who both love her. I wanted your consent before I stipulated that in my will."

Link and Mipha glanced at each other, then Mipha spoke up.

"You can rest easy about that, Zelda," said Mipha. "We will both take loving care of Astra should anything happen to you. Though we both pray that nothing will."

"Thank you," sighed Zelda. "I feel much better on both matters now. Let's have something sweet for dessert and end the meal on a cheerful note."

That night after dinner, when Mipha and Link returned to the room in the castle reserved for them, Mipha spoke up.

"I think it's time you told Zelda about Astra," said Mipha. "Rudin is gone now, and the knowledge will not destroy a family. You can leave it up to Zelda whether she wants to tell Astra."

Link sat on the edge of the bed, holding his head in his hands for a moment, then finally looked up.

"I suppose you're right, though I don't know how to explain something so unbelievable and why I waited so long to tell her," sighed Link.

"Just tell her the way you told me, how events unfolded," said Mipha. "You should share the diary you kept those years with Zelda. It makes the story more believable. I can Tab Sidon to have a guard retrieve it from our room and bring it here. You will have it by tomorrow morning. You should schedule a meeting with Zelda as soon as she is available."

"Okay, fine," said Link. "I hope Zelda understands why I kept this secret. Will you accompany me? It might be better if I go alone at first. If Zelda reacts badly, it would be better if you didn't see it."

"I'm sure Zelda will understand," said Mipha. "What you did was done with the best of intentions. But perhaps it is best if you meet privately first."

Mipha sent a message to Sidon with instructions to have someone deliver the diary by tomorrow morning.

"We haven't slept here in a while," said Link as he glanced around the room. "I hope I can fall asleep. I'm nervous about how the meeting with Zelda will go. I mean, I kept this from her for seven years."

"You chose to let a happy family be, and I think that was the right decision. Now, try to rest," said Mipha.

You could still hear the rain beating against their bedroom window as they got ready to sleep. They kissed, then held each other in their arms as they both fell asleep to the sound of the rain.

The next morning a Zora guard delivered the journal Link had kept, and Link Tabbed Zelda that he needed to meet privately with her as soon as possible. Zelda saw him right after receiving his message.

"You said this was an urgent but private matter, Link?" said Zelda as she and Link sat down in her office.

"Yes," said Link. "I'll get right to the point. You may recall the incident in the Gerudo desert about seven years ago. You probably also recall that I was hesitant to discuss some aspects of it."

"Yes, I recall that," said Zelda. "Your story was lacking in detail, but you more or less told me it was better if I did not probe too deeply. So, I backed off."

"Yes," said Link. "But now, I think it best if I tell you everything. And if I did not do so sooner, Zelda, it was truly with the best of intentions. I hope you believe that."

"I'm eager but apprehensive to learn what you're getting at, Link," said Zelda.

"Let me start at the beginning and tell you what happened in the Gerudo Desert," said Link. "I have brought a copy of a journal I kept, which will provide some additional details. I can leave that with you."

Link cleared his throat.

"Well, to cut to the chase, after my encounter with that witch in the Gerudo desert, the next thing I knew, I awoke in bed next to my wife," said Link. "Only my wife was you, or rather an identical version of you."

"What? Are you talking about a dream?" Zelda asked.

"No, it was not a dream, and I will get to the proof in a moment," said Link. "I was as stunned as anyone. This creature had the power to send me back in time to the instant after I used the Temple of Time, making it appear that I had gone nowhere. Everything I remembered about my life here was considered a delusion caused by the Temple of Time's malfunction. Eventually, I became convinced that it was true."

"Eventually? How long were you there?" Zelda asked.

"Eight years," said Link. "Six of which I was married to you."

"Holy Hylia, Link," said Zelda. "You say this really happened? How is this possible?"

"I don't know," said Link, shaking his head. "I mean, it didn't happen anymore now, Zelda. And I lost my memory of those eight years. I only know what happened in the three days I spent there before I returned here. Well, that and what I learned from conversations and the journal I apparently kept."

"And you are sure that this entire event was not a delusion?" said Zelda. "It sounds fantastic!"

"I might well have thought so too, except that Zelda and I had a daughter in that timeline," said Link. "Her name was Zelda, of course, but I nicknamed her Astra because a star appeared in the sky on the day she was born."

"Go on," said Zelda.

"Anyway, Hylia restored the temporal order, but I found that Astra had somehow survived and made her way into this timeline," said Link. "Your Astra is the same little girl, Zelda, identical in every way to the one I knew as my daughter then. And the proof is that Lapha has a blood test that confirms you are Astra's mother, and I am her father."

Zelda just sat quietly, staring at Link. It was an awful lot to take in.

"I'm sorry, this seldom happens to me, but I am speechless," said Zelda after several more minutes. "My mind is trying to reconcile your story with all I know about Astra and our years raising her."

"I understand," said Link. "Or rather, I don't pretend to understand. Your years raising Astra really happened, but somehow, I ended up being her father. I don't know what else to say. I thought it best to keep it a secret to preserve the well-being of your family. But Mipha convinced me that the time is past for you to know the truth. Forgive me, Zelda. I never liked to have secrets from you, but keeping this one seemed to be for the best."

Zelda sighed, taking a deep breath, and was quiet for another moment.

"I understand your motives, Link, and I am not angry with you," said Zelda finally. "To be honest, I don't know that I would have acted any differently had our situations been reversed. I imagine our discussion last evening about Astra prompted you to speak about this. Anyway, I need to ponder this further, and at some point, I will need to let Astra and my daughter Zelda know."

"Yes, you would know best how and when to do that," said Link.

"Who else knows about this?" said Zelda. "From your comment about your daughter Lapha, I imagine your family does."

"Yes, but only my family and they all agreed to keep it a secret," said Link.

"I see. Well, this has certainly taken my mind off other concerns for the moment!" Zelda said. "I would like to read your journal."

"I'll leave it with you. What it describes no longer happened, of course, but it gives you an idea of what it was like. I appreciate you taking this so well," said Link. "I only meant what I did for the best."

"I know," said Zelda. "Perhaps I could have a private word with Mipha now?"

"Yes, of course," said Link as he rose to leave the room. "I'll Tab her."

Link sent Mipha a message.

"Thanks for telling me, Link, and I'll say goodbye now," said Zelda as she reached out, and they hugged. Then Link left.

"How did Zelda take it?" asked Mipha as she passed Link in the hall.

"Pretty well, though she may still be in shock," said Link.

Mipha entered Zelda's office and closed the door.

"I'm still struggling to grasp this situation, but I imagine it has been difficult for you, Mipha," said Zelda.

"It was a shock at first, but I've gotten over it," said Mipha.

"I would like to know your feelings about Astra now that I know the facts," said Zelda.

"I love Astra, Zelda," said Mipha. "I loved her as a niece, and I love her just as much as the daughter of my husband. I understand it was never Link's intention to hurt anyone. He was put in an impossible position. In the end, I believed in his love for me. He loves you, too, Zelda, in his own way. From the beginning, he felt terrible about what happened, his only consolation being the beautiful little girl that came out of it."

"Thank you, I needed to hear that," said Zelda. "I will need to tell Astra, of course. She has a right to know. I'll speak to her after I read Link's journal and go over the story once more."

"Of course, Zelda," said Mipha. "Do you wish us to remain longer?"

"No, you can both go home, and thank you again for coming," said Zelda. "I'll let Link know when I speak to Astra."

"Then I will say farewell," said Mipha.

Mipha made her way back to their room, collected their belongings, then she and Link waited for the ferry that would take them back to the Domain.

"I'm glad that's over," said Link. "That secret has haunted me for years."

"I agree," said Mipha. "But don't be fearful of what happens next. Astra loves you very much."

"Sometimes, I think you can read my mind," said Link as he smiled and took her hand.

"Sometimes I can," said Mipha. "And I love you very much, too."

They embraced and shared a kiss, then watched the ferry approach from the north.

Meanwhile, north of Hyrule Castle, it was Lieutenant Fredon's turn to lead a squad, and their group of three had been making their way under cover of night along the northern edge of Hyrule on their way to Lomei Labyrinth Island. Palan had been chosen again for the trip based on his apparent ability to evade Guardians, and the third person was someone unknown to Palan named Saron.

They had been making their way through the uninhabited Deplian Badlands, and there was not much to see. The landscape was bleak with little vegetation. The lava flows from Death Mountain had scorched the region, destroying anything that tried to take root there. Fredon was more talkative than Galon, which was encouraging for Palan. Perhaps he could learn more about their plans.

"In some ways, I think this is the most dangerous of the three missions," said Fredon.

Palan noticed Fredon liked to find ways to enhance his reputation.

"Why is that, Sir?" asked Saron.

"For one thing, we're more exposed on the way there," said Fredon. "For another, we are skirting the boundary of North Hyrule, which has a bad reputation. And finally, the labyrinth we're headed to is on an island, which means crossing water. None of the other missions had to do that. You were on the last mission, Linpa. Don't you agree?"

"Yes, Sir," said Palan. "Getting to this labyrinth is more dangerous. As to what we will find there, it's too soon to tell."

"Fair enough," said Fredon. "But remember, I don't want to lose either of you, so stay alert."

Palan thought Fredon's concern was more about looking bad to his Captain than their well-being.

They were all wearing those special nighttime cloaks, which conferred a good deal of stealth to their movements, and they would travel only by night. They went on foot this time, which was slow going. But horses would be of no use further along their route. It was almost daybreak by the time they reached the Eldin Great Skeleton and camped beneath its massive skull.

Palan agreed to take the first watch while the others slept, and he leaned against the side of the skull, looking out over the area. The occasional Eldin Ostrich strutted past their location but paid them no attention. After a few hours, he woke up Saron to take over the watch and rested.

The sun was setting when they continued on their way, and Saron stopped to chip gems from Ore Deposits they passed along the way until Fredon told him to stop as they needed to make haste. Their path took them past Gut Check Rock, but whatever Gorons may have been training there were all sleeping now.

It was invigorating wading through the hot springs there, and they quickened their pace. It began raining as they passed north of Skull Lake, and occasional packs of Maraudo Wolves howled at them but did not approach. They made good time across the Akkala Wilds and its thick grass. By then, the rain had finally stopped, and you could begin to make out in the moonlight the massive dark cube shape that marked their destination.

"We need to make our way down to the water now," said Fredon.

And so, they climbed down the slope until they reached the beach below. There were several Luminous Stones glowing along the cliffside, and just beyond them lay a raft with an oar. Presumably, one of the Yiga Clan had left it here for their use. They all three boarded the raft, and as the junior member of the team, Palan rowed toward the island. It was not too strenuous as there was no opposing current, and the water was reasonably calm, small clouds of steam rising from the surface.

The entrance to the labyrinth was visible as the sky in the east brightened, and Palan rowed directly under it. Then they all hopped out onto the small strip of land that surrounded the labyrinth.

"It's a quick climb up," said Fredon. "We can all three go together."

They climbed up the wall to the entrance and immediately faced trouble. They could see the dark silhouette of a Guardian Stalker not far from the entrance. They had barely made their way into the labyrinth when the Guardian Stalker came to life, glowing orange, and began heading their way.

"Run!" cried Fredon, and they dashed to their left and around some columns, then continued onward until they reached a column with a lit lamp in front that offered some refuge. They climbed up and into the small alcove within the pillar, and that put them out of sight.

"Well, we're off to a splendid start," said Fredon sarcastically as they all caught their breath. "Linpa, perhaps you could scout out where that thing went and let us know when the coast is clear. I have a map of the labyrinth, and we must navigate around it."

Palan did as asked, first peeking over the rim of the wall to be sure it was safe. The Guardian had apparently moved to another side, so he beckoned them to follow him out of the hiding spot.

From then on, it was a cat-and-mouse exercise. They moved quietly, trying to reach the corridor they needed to, then they would halt as they saw the giant legs of the Guardian sticking out from behind a column. They felt like insects being stalked by a giant spider. Finally, they had no choice but to make a run for it and hope they could reach the narrow corridors where the Guardian could not follow. The Guardian gave chase as they ran, and its energy beam came close enough to Saron to burn him on the shoulder. They jumped into a narrow corridor and ran until the targeting beam could no longer reach them. All three were out of breath now.

"Saron, are you okay?" said Fredon as he stopped to look at Saron's shoulder. The beam burned his outfit through, and it blistered his skin.

"It's just a burn," said Saron. "It's painful, but I'll be fine."

"All right, follow me," said Fredon as he consulted his map. "It doesn't look like our path will bring us near that Guardian."

They made their way through the twists and turns of the corridors as Fredon often consulted his map. They finally passed an alcove with a wall covered in thorns, and Fredon halted everyone.

"According to our leader's notes, this is a shortcut," said Fredon. "Linpa, can you burn away those thorns?"

Palan lit a torch, then did as ordered. Afterward, they all climbed up and then walked along the path as it turned several times until they came to a wall with two lit lanterns and a Great Flameblade sword.

"Hold on," said Fredon. "If I push certain images, it will open a doorway behind the sword. Otherwise, we would have to get down from the floor near the shrine, and it's a long drop."

Fredon consulted a note and pushed several images. Then a panel slid open, which led to a short stairway.

"Go ahead, but watch out for Guardians," said Fredon. "We're almost there. According to the note, a doorway in the room below should have opened as well."