Life in Zora's Domain - Part Two

Chapter 2 - Astra and Purah

"But will she still be alive, Dad? I may arrive some years after you left, and Dr. Purah was already well over 100 years old by then since you said she knew you before your long slumber."

"Oh, yes, about that," said her father, and then he chuckled. "Well, we may end up being fortunate in that respect, thanks to her recklessness. Dr. Purah overdid one of her anti-aging experiments and had the body of a ten-year-old girl when I left. Unless she did something else to herself, there's a good chance she will still be alive. Do you have other questions?"

Astra thought for a moment.

"I remember you said the Goddess undid the events that led to my birth, the workings of the evil Timela. In effect, aside from preserving me, she rewound time to the instant you departed and let time flow normally from then on. So, I will be a stranger to everyone. Do you think people will accept me for who I am?"

"I will write letters for you to give to Zelda and Purah," said Link. "I'll include things in the letter that only the three of us would know to help convince them. And I'll include a copy of the chapters in my journal that explain what happened with Timela."

"But what about others? Can they accept the sudden arrival from nowhere of a Princess of Hyrule?"

Link smiled and then answered her.

"Why not? They did before. The Royal Family was missing for one hundred years until we finally defeated the Calamity. Then, as far as everyone knew, Zelda miraculously re-appeared out of nowhere and was still seventeen years old. Her return was considered a miracle, a great blessing of the Goddess, and a favorable omen for her rule. People were thrilled! So, such things are not unheard of. But, of course, I do not know what has happened since then. We will have to see."

Astra was touched that her father always spoke of her mission in terms of "we" and not "her," as though in his heart he wished to be there with her. And maybe he was in a way with all he had taught her.

So Astra had carried those two letters of introduction with her along with the extracts from Link's journal. And as she continued making her way through the air, her thoughts returned to the present, and she prepared herself for the new reality here.

The first leg of her glide took her to the easternmost peak of Madorna Mountain. It was a barren, snow-covered hilltop with a lone cedar tree. From there, she glided down over Lake Sumac and a sheep farm to Hateno Village itself.

It was just about sunset when she finally reached the village, put away her paraglider, and began walking. She noticed there were black cloths draped across many doorways and windows and then saw someone approaching on foot. It looked like a farmer returning home from a day in the fields, and he greeted her first.

"Good evening, Miss, you're traveling late by foot," said the farmer.

"Yes, good evening, and by necessity, I'm afraid. May I ask you something?" said Astra.

"Yes, Miss, of course," said the farmer.

"This may sound silly," said Astra. "But what is the date?"

"Not silly at all, Miss," said the farmer. "It's the second day of the tenth month - harvest season for many of us here and why I've been out working so late."

"And the year?"

"Why 142, of course!" said the farmer, this time in some surprise.

Astra didn't answer at first but began working things out in her head. She realized the year made sense. Calamity Ganon was defeated one hundred years after Zelda turned seventeen so in the year 117. Link had left Hyrule four years later in the year 121. And Astra knew from her father that she was supposedly born eight years after Calamity Ganon's defeat in this timeline, so in the year 125. So, it was now 21 years since Link left, and she was seventeen, of course. And Dr. Purah would be 31 now, or rather inhabit the body of a 31-year-old.