Summary: Queen Zelda fears their victory over Ganon may not have been all it seemed to be. Lapha finally returns home from her extended stay at the Royal Ancient Tech Lab. Link agrees he and Mipha will investigate Eventide Island.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, I appreciate you telling me, and I will keep you and Her Highness informed about our progress on the Goron City project," said the Minister of Transportation as he concluded his meeting with Queen Zelda, bowed, and left Zelda's office.

After their regularly scheduled meeting, which Princess Zelda usually attended with her, but could not this time, Queen Zelda had complimented the minister on the quality of the public transport to and from Rito Village.

That was Queen Zelda's last meeting of the day, and it was almost dinnertime. She was alone in her office, stood up, and paced up and down. It felt good to stand after sitting, and she liked to think on her feet. That was an old habit, probably dating back to when she was a teenager, puzzling over how the Sheikah Slate worked. This time, however, she wasn't thinking about ancient technology.

She was trying to decide if her unease over their victory was justified.

Aside from some soldiers who sadly lost their lives, their victory over Ganon had gone reasonably well. There was no apparent cause for concern, and everyone joined her in celebrating. She had even enjoyed carefree visits to both Zora's Domain and Rito Village afterward, opportunities to relax with family, and visit places she hadn't been to in some time.

But her anxiety returned after she returned home. It was something she just felt and impossible to explain or justify. She hadn't mentioned it to anyone, but she still had occasional nightmares. At first, she thought it was just the lingering effects of the old nightmares she had until her older daughter casually mentioned she had a nightmare as well. That troubled her. It got her to thinking that perhaps there was more to what happened than anyone suspected.

Had their victory come too easy? It was true that their triumph relied upon events occurring that nobody could have anticipated, help from entirely unexpected sources. So, they could hardly call their victory easy in that sense. But in some ways it almost seemed like luck! Was the war indeed won, she wondered? Or was this a dry run attack, Ganon's attempt to seize victory if he could, but remain outside the conflict and study why not if he couldn't? Or then again, was she just worrying needlessly?

Zelda glanced at her Tab, and it was time for dinner. She would talk to her daughters later and then speak to Link tomorrow on the call they had scheduled.

It was after dinner with Astra, Zelda, Randall, and Horwell that she decided she should speak up.

"Zelda and Astra, can I have a private word with you?" said Queen Zelda after they had all finished dinner.

"I'll take Horwell back to the room," said Randall. "He's getting a bit fussy anyway and needs to rest."

Princess Zelda kissed Horwell and Randall, then Randall left carrying Horwell.

"What is it, Mother?" said Princess Zelda.

"I don't know how to ask this exactly, but I wanted your impressions of the battle you waged with Ganon," said Queen Zelda. "Let me start with you, Astra. Was the combat as challenging as you expected?"

"I expected a difficult fight," said Astra. "I've been training for quite some time and felt good about myself at first. At the beginning of the battle, we seemed pretty evenly matched. I was pleased in one sense, but disappointed in another. If all I could do was hold even in combat, how could I ever win? In the second round of our battle, I got careless, and Ganon cut me on the arm. Then that Divine Beast blasted Ganon, and the rest was easy."

"Aunt Mipha healed the wound and the scar, by the way," said Astra as she noticed everyone staring at her arm where her injury had been.

"What about you, Zelda?" Queen Zelda asked.

"I have no basis of comparison, Mother," said Princess Zelda. "I used the sealing power you helped teach me. By the time I acted, the Divine Beast and the sacred sword had already weakened Ganon. I didn't sense any resistance. What is your concern, Mother?"

"My concern is that perhaps the thing we defeated wasn't Ganon at all, but a copy or phantom that he created to mimic himself and see what would happen," said Queen Zelda. "I fear this was only his rehearsal."

"A phantom created for a rehearsal?" said Princess Zelda. "Are you sure you're not just worried because of your experiences? Everyone thought it was Ganon, Mother. The Deku Tree even made the sacred sword available to combat him. The Yiga Clan was behind this plot to resurrect him, and almost all of them were killed in the attack. Would Ganon willingly sacrifice all his followers for just a rehearsal? And what would be his purpose?"

"His purpose, perhaps, was to see what would happen, a way to test our defenses, our capabilities," said Queen Zelda. "Perhaps he didn't care to trust his fate to the plans of his followers and their ability to expect all that could go wrong. As to whether he would sacrifice his followers? I think Ganon uses people and monsters like pieces in a game. He would have no compunction about sacrificing them if it served his purpose. He may well be capable of making a weaker duplicate of himself that could fool those not close by, or anyone who lacked experience dealing with the real Ganon, which neither of you has, of course. As for his resurrection, he may well be already resurrected elsewhere and be deciding what to do at this very moment."

"That's a scary thought, Mother! But if this were only a ruse or a feint, Ganon missed a golden opportunity," said Princess Zelda. "Almost everyone who could pilot a Divine Beast was incapacitated. And if his followers are all destroyed now, who will aid him? I don't know, Mother. I think perhaps you're just worrying too much. I know you're physically young again, but you told me grandfather used to do the same thing, frequently worry about a fresh attack."

"I'll admit it's possible I'm overly concerned, as I can't prove anything," said Queen Zelda with a sigh. "And I'm very proud of what you did, Astra. You did everything that was needed. But I wish Link could have been here to battle Ganon. He could have compared it to how it felt his last time, or times actually, when we know he battled the real Ganon. Then we might be sure whether or not it was the real Ganon. But perhaps that was also Ganon's wish, that nobody he battled before would meet his creation in combat this time."

"Well, if you are correct, Mother, it cuts both ways," said Princess Zelda. "If this was a dry run for Ganon, then it was a dry run for us as well. I think we can learn from what happened and be better prepared."

"Yes, we can, and I want to discuss an idea I have about that with Dr. Purah," said Queen Zelda. "I'll let you go now. Goodnight and sleep well."

They kissed goodnight, then Queen Zelda took a walk around the castle halls and thought.

Meanwhile, at the Royal Ancient Tech Lab next to Hyrule Castle, Lapha was preparing to return home.

"You've given me all the documents you feel we should keep, right?" said Purah as she assembled a stack of papers.

Robbie and Lapha both nodded agreement. All three had put in long days searching through the ancient Sheikah materials for anything of interest, and it had taken a toll on all of them. Lapha was eager to return home to Zora's Domain and spend some time with her family. Purah and Robbie were both keen to rest and then resume their research.

"I can't thank you enough, Princess Lapha," said Purah. "You've helped enormously. If you hadn't studied that ancient Sheikah dialect as part of your research, Robbie and I would have each had fifty percent more to read. We'd still be working at it!"

"Yes, thank you, Princess Lapha," added Robbie. "I don't know if my eyesight will ever recover! Have a safe trip home."

"I was glad I could help," said Lapha. "Aside from the Eventide Island document I already mentioned, there are a few others I would like to return to and study more thoroughly when time permits. But right now, all I want to do is return home, spend some time with my family, and get in some extra water time. Farewell for now."

Lapha left the lab and made her way to the ferry pier outside. She was the only one waiting, and as she glanced upward, she could make out some stars. She had come across Sheikah manuscripts that discussed their study of the stars, and she wanted to review them later. She pulled out her Tab, and as she did so, she noticed an earlier message from Linky. When she opened it, it was a picture of Linky holding Tara with both of them waving, and below it was a message saying to hurry home and they missed her. She smiled. She missed them too. Soon she saw the ferry approaching from the south. It would stop for her, then make one more stop at Hyrule Castle before it continued around the castle and headed south to the Domain. The trip wouldn't take long, and it was faster and less tiring than swimming. She boarded, closed her eyes, and relaxed.

Back in Zora's Domain, Lapha's family was awaiting her return and were planning a small 'welcome home' party, which included some snails as snacks. Tila and Linky had put Tara to sleep, and by the time they returned, it was almost time for Lapha to arrive.

"The ferry just arrived at our stop," said Midon, consulting his Tab. "Laff should be home very soon."

"How long has she been gone?" said Linky. "It feels like ages. Tara wanted to stay up to see her, but it's past her sleep time."

"It's been weeks," said Link. "But it was time well spent. She, Purah, and Robbie gathered some useful information, I'm told. Mom and I have a call with Queen Zelda tomorrow to discuss one of the items she discovered."

"Yes, Laff couldn't wait to tell me about it, Dad," said Mila. "She thought right away that it would involve you and Mom to investigate it."

"Please don't start on that again, sweetheart," laughed Link. "I gather the idea thrilled you, the chance for more adventures for me to document. You've become a historian to a fault, Mila."

"I just don't want you to get bored, Dad," said Mila as she gave Link a kiss on the cheek and smiled. "You're no fun when you're just moping around the house. And with you and Mom working together now, I don't worry about you as much as I used to when you acted alone."

"I see Lapha coming now!" said Mipha as she waved, and Lapha waved back.

"Welcome home!" everyone shouted as Lapha finally arrived.

"It's nice to be back," said Lapha as hugs and kisses were exchanged all around. "I think I'm going to soak all day tomorrow and get my water eyes back!"

"Have some snails, Laff," said Midon, offering her the tray. "I didn't want to start without you."

"Since it's a celebration in Laff's honor, doesn't it make sense to you to wait for her, Mido?" said Mila.

Midon stuck his tongue out at Mila, and she did the same in return.

"Yes, it's great to be home," laughed Lapha as she took a handful. "Thanks for the snails."

"Here, why don't we all float in the lake, and you can get in some early water time, Laff," said Mila.

Everyone walked to the lake just outside the house and entered the water together.

"So, you, Purah and Robbie finally finished reading all that ancient Sheikah material?" said Link.

"Yes, Dad, and it was a morning to night drudgery," said Lapha. "For every document of value, we must have read a hundred useless ones. We put aside some we want to keep for historical reasons. I can translate those for you, Mila. Others may have some scientific or technical value. I don't know why they kept so much. Dr. Purah speculated the Yiga just collected everything they could and never had the time to go through it themselves."

"I'm glad you're done, sweetheart, and I hope you can stay home for a while," said Mipha. "We missed you."

"I missed everyone too, Mom," said Lapha after swallowing some snails. "And I do want to stay home for a while. I almost cried as our Domain came into view."

"Have some snails, Linky," said Midon. "The cooked ones are on your right."

"Thanks, Midon," said Linky. "Don't worry. I can tell the difference."

"Tomorrow, I want to catch up on what all of you have been doing," said Lapha. "And spend some time with Tara too."

"Tara wanted to wait up for you," said Tila. "We promised her extra playtime tomorrow."

"That's perfect," said Lapha. "We can both spend some time in the water."

After some further conversation and finishing the snails, everyone hugged goodnight and went to their rooms to sleep.

Lapha entered her room and looked around. Astra and Faray had left her room the same as she had left it. Then she noticed a note on the dresser, picked it up, and read it.

Hi Lapha,

Thank you, Sis, for letting me use your room. I look forward to seeing you soon!

Love you!

Astra.

Cute, she thought, and smiled. Yes, they were sisters, and it was nice not to have any family secrets now. Then she entered her slumber pool and fell asleep.

The next morning in Kakariko Village, Palan was having breakfast with his mother and father, Impa and Kalan, and discussing his past mission.

"It was frustrating," said Palan. "I was only learning bits and pieces of their plan, and what little I learned, I couldn't communicate to you. I didn't make a very effective spy, I guess."

"On the contrary," said Impa. "You saved Queen Zelda's life, the head of the Hyrule Royal Family. There is no greater honor for a Sheikah than that. You know Her Majesty wanted you to attend her celebration, right?"

"Yes, I received her invitation, Mother," said Palan. "But I thought the fewer who know who I am and my role, the better. There may be a future need for my talents."

"I can understand that," said Kalan. "We never know what lies ahead."

"By the way, a beautiful young lady named Pia asked about you several times while you were away, wondering why she couldn't reach you by Tab," said Impa. "We had to give her evasive answers. I hope you've already informed her you returned safely. She seemed very concerned."

"Yes, Mother, I saw her right after I returned," said Palan, blushing slightly. "In fact, I'm meeting her for lunch today, and we plan to spend the afternoon together."

"That's fine, dear," said Impa smiling. "Say hello to her for us, and if you haven't already, please explain to her, your mission required us to be secretive."

"I will," said Palan as he finished breakfast and cleaned up. "She's very understanding. Smart and talented too."

After Palan left, Impa and Kalan smiled at each other.

"Our boy is growing up," said Kalan. "I know who Pia is. She's very devout. I think they make an attractive couple."

"Time will tell," laughed Impa. "Speaking of training, shouldn't you be heading for your class? The trainees will be waiting."

"Yes, you're right, dear," said Kalan as he took a last sip of tea, kissed Impa goodbye, and left.

Impa sighed. Yes, Palan was growing up.

Meanwhile, in Zora's Domain, Mipha and Link were sleeping late, having stayed up late the night before celebrating Lapha's return. By the time they awoke and had breakfast, it was almost time for their call with Zelda.

Just then, Mipha's Tab went off, and she checked it.

"Father needs to see me," said Mipha. "Do you mind handling the call with Zelda by yourself? Just explain my absence."

"Of course," said Link as they kissed.

A few minutes later, Zelda's call came, and Link explained he needed to take the call by himself.

"That's fine," said Queen Zelda. "I don't know if your daughter Lapha has had a chance to say anything to you. But it seems something sinister happened on Eventide Island a very long time ago. From what Dr. Purah told me, there was some terrible catastrophe that destroyed a settlement around the time of the ancient Calamity. When Purah told me about it, I asked her why we should be concerned about something that happened so long ago. But she pointed out that the island has been uninhabited ever since. We don't know for sure that whatever happened back then hasn't happened again, but with no one present to witness it, there was nobody to report it. I'm told the local fishermen won't go near the island. Anyway, I would feel more comfortable if you and Mipha would investigate, see if you can uncover anything. There's no rush. At a minimum, you can leave some remote cameras behind when you leave. Afterward, perhaps you two can enjoy some time at Lurelin Village. You honeymooned at Lurelin Village, didn't you?"

"Yes, we did, and we've made some other trips there since," said Link. "We were just there with Astra and sailed to Eventide Island with her too. But you may have forgotten. That was a difficult time for you. We'll be glad to investigate. I'll check with Lapha before we leave to see if she can tell us anything else."

There was a pause on the call.

"Was there anything else, Zelda?" Link asked.

"No, I guess not," said Zelda.

"You guess not?" said Link. "Then tell me what it is."

"We know each other too well," laughed Zelda. "Without any real evidence, I fear perhaps we did not defeat the real Ganon, that this whole battle was a dry run. But as I said, it's just my feelings. I could be wrong."

"Your feelings are often valuable, Zelda," said Link. "Why do you feel that way?"

"I don't really know," said Zelda. "I mean, it's true that we were victorious in a way nobody could predict. At the same time, it seemed almost too easy. But perhaps I'm making something of nothing."

"I hope that it's not true, but of course, I stand ready to help if you learn more," said Link.

"Believe me, you'll be the first to know if I do," said Zelda. "Now, you know what's on my mind."

"I'm glad you told me," said Link. "Mipha and I will plan on visiting Eventide Island as soon as it's convenient."

"That's fine. It's not urgent. Stay well then, Link, and give my love to Mipha and your family," said Zelda.

Then Zelda ended the call. When Mipha returned, Link filled her in.

"Besides the Eventide Island issue, Zelda was also concerned Ganon wasn't really Ganon, but the whole battle was a dry run," said Link.

"A dry run? That sounds ominous," said Mipha.

"No, it has nothing to do with water," said Link. "It means a rehearsal, a practice event."

"Oh, you mean a dive drill," said Mipha. "Do you know why she feels that way?"

"No, it's just her feelings, I guess," said Link. "What did Father want?"

"He had some questions about what happened, and I explained it to him," said Mipha. "But today I want to spend time with Lapha. I missed her!"

"Me too," said Link. "She got up and went to the lake with Tara while I was on the call. You know, I guess I've gotten more Zora like, expecting my grown children to stay here and live near us in the Domain."

"You have, sweetheart, and it's cute," said Mipha as she took his hand. "It's another thing I love about you."

They kissed, and as they left the house together, saw Lapha having a splash battle with Tila, Linky, and Tara, all of them laughing.

"Come join the battle," said Linky as he waved to them. "Our side wants Mom."

"I guess I'm not Zora enough, though," laughed Link.