His Rightful Place
by Queenie Z
"...And so, with the continuation of these extensive reform efforts, I have utmost faith that we may keep our beloved kingdom straight and true upon the path of restoration. For the sake of our future, I once again beseech you, my noble ministers and vassals, for your continued loyalty and support as I begin my second year as your queen - may we all work together to bring hope and prosperity back to all the peoples of our nation."
Hilda paused, closing her eyes and placing a palm over her chest in an elegant gesture of gratitude.
"So say I, Hilda of Lorule," she concluded. "I thank you all for your time."
Her audience, which consisted entirely of a single young man in a striking velvet doublet and his pet bird, broke into an enthusiastic standing ovation simultaneously. With a bright smile, Ravio began heaping praises upon the young queen.
"Bravo! Fantastic! Superb!" he said excitedly as he continued clapping, "I would expect nothing less from our radiant queen!"
Hilda smiled somewhat bashfully at his adulations, though she knew him well enough to have expected as much. "Was it truly? ...You aren't simply trying to flatter me as usual, are you?"
"Oh, no, Your Majesty!" cried Ravio, waving his hands around defensively, "I really do mean it! You've got your address down pat! I don't think you'll have any trouble with the real thing at all."
She let out a small sigh of relief. "Thank you, Ravio... Though, even with all of my practice, I still can't help but feel nervous, somewhat."
Ravio snickered. "I can tell you that I'd be feeling a lot more than just 'nervous' if I were you." He allowed Sheerow to perch on his head as he scratched the back of his neck. "I mean, giving a speech on the state of the kingdom in front of a bunch of important people - I'd clam up before I could get a single word out!"
With a crooked smile, Hilda tilted her head in amusement. "You forget that you're one of those very 'important people' I'll be addressing," she said, stepping forward to smooth his fluffy violet bangs and adjust the dark blue cravat he wore in place of his usual scarf. "I didn't have you dressed so nicely for nothing, you know."
"Ehh," said Ravio nervously, looking off to the side and shrugging his shoulders, "if your definition of 'important' is really, really loose, maybe..."
"How many times must I tell you not to second guess yourself?" scolded Hilda, brushing off his shoulders with an irate frown. "You're my right hand, Ravio, and it's highly important that you take your place as such for the assembly."
Ravio gulped, sulking slightly at her words. "F-Forgive me, Your Majesty," he said. "It's a nervous habit; I meant no offense."
"I'm aware of that." Hilda lowered her hands and stepped away, the golden beads that hung from her circlet jingling as she nodded in approval. "There, perfect," she said, her smile returning as she admired his dandy appearance. "You're the very model of a gentleman in that outfit."
He looked himself over, then laughed nervously as he fingered his cravat. "I-I'm honored to hear that, Your Grace," he said, "...though I still feel a little weird without my scarf..."
"You can change as soon as the assembly is over," said Hilda. "The cravat will have to do in the meanwhile."
He sighed. "Yeah, I guess - "
A sudden knock at the study door startled the two (and Sheerow, who squeaked as he fluttered out of Ravio's hair). "The ministers have all arrived, Your Majesty," said a muffled female voice, "we are ready to begin at your word."
Hilda nodded at the voice. "If you would."
"Yes, my queen." The servant's footsteps grew quiet as she walked away. Then, taking Ravio by the shoulders, Hilda led him to the door.
"Go take your seat," she said, "I'll be out in a moment."
"R-Right," said Ravio, opening one of the deceptively large pockets in his pants and turning to Sheerow. "Come on, buddy, it's time to go."
The white creature chirped and dove into the pocket, making himself comfortable as he hid away from view. However, as Ravio reached for the handle on the door, Hilda's voice stopped him in place.
"Ravio?"
He turned his head. "Yes?"
"I meant what I said before," she said warmly. "...You really do look very handsome today."
He felt his cheeks grow warm at her genuine compliment; then, he flashed his queen a bashful grin. "...Thank you, Your Majesty," he said before exiting the room with a small bow, closing the door behind him as he made his way to the great hall.
Once Ravio had left, Hilda allowed her smile to widen, hoping that perhaps one day he would come to see himself as the fine young man she could already see blossoming behind his timid demeanor. Then, she returned her attention to the event at hand, looking over her gown and makeup in a nearby mirror and making slight, last-minute adjustments.
To an outsider, the great hall inside Lorule Castle would have seemed shockingly barren for a royal address on the state of the kingdom; however, given the fact that it was the first such address to occur in over half a century given to a miniscule cabinet of ministers and a very small handful of vassals, the relative emptiness of the room was only to be expected. Just a tiny fraction of the seats surrounding the queen's were filled, and those who were present muttered nervously to each other, seemingly dreading the possibility of being confronted with the daunting task of reconstructing an utterly broken kingdom. Only Ravio, who had taken his seat at the right hand of the queen's, remained silent, drumming his fingers on the armrest and growing ever more agitated at the negative buzz that filled the room.
After glancing once more at the entrance to the hall for any sign of Hilda, Ravio curtly blew a bit of air through his lips. He hadn't been looking forward to spending the next hour or so with a bunch of half-hearted nervous wrecks - not that he was really one to talk, but at least he had utmost faith in his queen and in his kingdom's ability to return to its former glory, and he simply couldn't understand why the rest of the small crowd didn't share his faith.
Of course, he thought, none of these women and men that had gathered had known Queen Hilda like he did. None of them felt about her the way that he did - so what did they know?
He felt something writhing inside of his pocket, and he turned his head to see Sheerow poking his head out, looking at his master with a look of concern.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine," he whispered to his winged friend as he hid him from sight with his hand, "as long as she gets here soon, anyway - "
"All rise for Her Majesty, Queen Hilda of Lorule!"
At the doorman's words, Ravio bolted to his feet, inadvertently shoving the bird back into his pocket as he eagerly awaited Hilda's entrance. Then, he watched as she made her way through the great hall, his breath catching in his throat as the sunlight shining through the windows glistened on her staff and the elegant gold she wore, the very same that once belonged to her mother. He had seen Hilda in her gown and full regalia many times before, but now she seemed to exude an aura of grace and majesty that served to catch the young man off guard.
After a moment, he finally remembered to breathe again, and he tried to shoot her a smile as she approached. Although Hilda seemed to notice by the way she made eye contact, she quickly turned her gaze away soon after, signaling to Ravio that he was most likely being distracting to her. He looked down at his feet in shame before the attendees took their seats once more.
Hilda silently greeted her ministers with a nod of her head, then turned to face the rest of the tiny crowd. Then, she placed the end of her staff firmly on the ground and began her address.
"Greetings to you all," she began, her tone serious and refined. "It is truly an honor to have you all gathered here today. This great hall, once overrun by the chaos and destruction that loomed over our land, has in a few short years become a haven for progress in which Lorule's finest men and women will lay down the foundation for our kingdom's rebirth."
This elicited a sudden, quiet eruption of murmuring from the crowd, which caused Ravio to grimace in his seat. Hilda, however, remained ever undaunted, and she spoke again, silencing the muttering with her rich voice.
"On this day one year ago, I took my mother's crown as my own, along with an oath to lift every man, woman, and child in Lorule up from the suffering they once endured," she tightened her grip on her staff, "and I fully intend to keep that oath for as long as I reign. I am under no delusion that this task will be easy - yet it is a task to which I have devoted my life."
She continued her speech, solemnly reminding the doubtful servants and ministers of her resolve - a resolve that Ravio was already intimately familiar with. From his seat, he found himself captivated by her words and form; poised and regal, yet full of passion and devotion to the kingdom she loved. He had always admired her, this iron-willed monarch, who in spite of her tragedies and past mistakes was still willing to carry such burdens for the sake of her people...
He caught himself sighing somewhat dreamily at the sight of her - though he knew that it was most unacceptable for a mere vassal to admire his liege so, he never could keep himself from doing just that. After a while, however, his daydreaming was interrupted by a quiet, panicked chirp from Sheerow. Startled, he quickly looked towards his pocket, where the tiny creature had once again poked out his head.
"What is it, Sheerow?" he asked in a whisper.
With another fearful chirp, Sheerow looked towards the corner of the hall, where two of the guards appeared to be pulling something from behind their backs. Ravio followed his gaze; then, his eyes widened in horror as he realized that the "somethings" were in fact bows, followed by a pair of arrows which the two men silently nocked.
"Y-Y-Y-Your..." he stammered before jumping to his feet while pointing dramatically towards the "guards" and screeching wildly. "Your Grace! Look out...!"
Hilda went silent and glanced back towards Ravio to see where he was referring to; when she looked back, the men had already released their arrows towards her. With a cry, she swung her staff before her, creating a powerful magical barrier protecting herself and the nearby servants. The arrows vaporized upon contact with the queen's magic, sending the entire hall into a screaming panic.
"Assassins! Assassins in the castle!"
"Quickly, find them! Protect Queen Hilda at all costs...!"
Hilda scowled, scanning the room to and fro for signs of her attackers and holding her staff in an offensive stance. However, when she felt a hand grab her arm, she shrieked in surprise.
"We have to get out of here, Your Majesty!" screamed Ravio as he pulled her away from the chaos with all the strength he could muster.
"Let go of me, Ravio!" said Hilda, struggling against his grip, "They'll - "
"It's the guards' job to stop them, not yours!" Ravio began using both hands to drag her towards the back entrance. "We need to go, now!"
Looking back towards the corner the assassins had been hiding, Hilda could see that nearly all of the guards in the hall were rushing the area and obstructing her view. She growled fiercely, gritting her teeth - but she knew she would be wise to trust her friend's judgment. Hesitantly, she began to follow him, through the smaller back door of the hall and into a secret passageway to the throne room.
The escape passage inside Lorule Castle's walls was very well hidden, so much so that only Hilda and Ravio knew its location and purpose. As children, they had often used the passage as a playful hiding place or for oft-needed seclusion from the scary, unpredictable world around them. The last time either of them had entered it was during the incident with Yuga, when Ravio used it to break into the throne room to intercede between Link and Hilda; now, however, they seemed to finally have an excuse to use the passage for its original purpose.
When they climbed out of the walls of the throne room, Ravio shut the passage tight as Hilda used her magic to seal the main entrance. With a wave of her staff, she emblazoned the door with a glowing Lorulean crest, ensuring that only those of royal blood would be able to even approach it. When he saw the magic seal, Ravio breathed a sigh of relief.
"Looks like we'll be safe now," he said, though more as a reassurance to himself than a statement to Hilda. He opened up his pocket and allowed an anxious Sheerow to finally fly free with a few frenzied squeaks.
Hilda, however, did not respond to him. She clenched her staff with both hands, tensing as she lowered her gaze to the floor. Recognizing her anxiety, Ravio approached her, his voice soft and reassuring as he spoke.
"You don't need to worry about the others," he said. "Thanks to your magic, nobody at the assembly got hurt. I'm sure the guards will be able to handle it from here."
The queen remained silent, avoiding his attempts to comfort her by wandering towards her throne.
"...Your Majesty?" asked Ravio, his face falling as he watched her walk away, "I-Is something wrong...?"
Hilda's face contorted into a pained expression, and for a moment longer she paused to regain her bearings. Then, finally, she spoke, her words laced with barely contained emotion.
"Ravio," she said sternly, "when all of this is over and the castle has been cleared... I'll send one of the guards to escort you and Sheerow home."
Ravio blinked, confused. "Huh? But, won't you need help sorting this out? Won't you need me as a witness, or - "
"Your services will no longer be required," she spat, "not now... not ever."
Her words startled Ravio and the bird both, causing them to recoil slightly in surprise. "...What?" asked Ravio nervously, "Y-Your Grace, I don't understand - are you saying that I'm - "
"Relieved of your duties as my vassal. Permanently."
A cold silence filled the room, stealing Ravio's breath and leaving him completely stupefied. His lip quivered slightly as he allowed her curt dismissal to finally sink in. Once it did, he swallowed, bowing deeply at the waist and clenching his eyes shut.
"M-My Queen!" he cried, "I-If there's something that I've done wrong, if any of my actions have ever displeased you - I'll do whatever it takes to make it right!"
"Ravio - "
"I swear it! Whatever I've screwed up, I swear I'll fix it!" He felt tears forming at the corners of his eyes as he continued to prostrate himself. "Just give me one more chance! I beg you...!"
Hilda gritted her teeth, her fingers trembling as she held her staff. "This is not up for debate, Ravio. I will arrange for you to receive an ample pension - you will never be in want or need for the rest of your days - but as of today you are no longer a servant of the crown!" She shot an authoritative glare at him. "Do you understand?"
Ravio dared to lift his head, shocked and horrified at his queen's demand - a demand that pierced his heart like ice-cold daggers. When he opened his mouth once more, his words began to fail him; then, finally, a single, pitiful name fell from his lips.
"H...Hilda..." he said, "But... why...?"
Hearing the heartbreak in his voice only exacerbated the pain forming in her own chest; her scowl softened into a dejected expression, and she averted his gaze, loosening her hold on her staff.
"...You are the most loyal subject I've ever known," she began, "perhaps the noblest Lorule has ever seen. Even when my actions were unforgivable, even when you left my side and tried to stop me - you did it all for my sake." She inhaled deeply in an attempt to stop her own tears from escaping. "You have always been my dearest, truest friend, Ravio... and that is exactly why I can no longer put you in harm's way...!"
Ravio's shock quickly turned into deep concern; hesitantly, he straightened himself upright, his innocent green eyes filled with worry.
"Your Grace," he said, attempting to approach her once more with an outstretched hand, "if it's my well-being you're worried about, then - "
"Don't!" choked Hilda, stepping away from him defensively. "Don't you understand!? My people want me dead! They hate me, so much so that they've come to claim my life!" Her shoulders shook as she swallowed back a sob. "I am willing to face the threat myself - I must be, for I have no other choice - but you wouldn't stand a chance against it! If you were to die because of me, I... I...!"
It was then that Ravio realized that all of her anxious emotions, which she had always tried so hard to keep inside of herself, were beginning to get the best of her. With a deep breath, he furrowed his brow and looked her squarely in the eye.
"And you would try to protect me like this?" he said sternly, "By keeping me away from my duty?"
"But - !"
"Let me finish!" He continued to approach her, his gaze unwavering as he continued. "All my life, I've dealt with the stigma of being born to a house in the service of a despised Royal Family - " he placed his hand to his chest, " - and I've never regretted that burden! Not even once! It doesn't matter what your enemies think of me; my rightful place has always been by your side! My loyalty lies with you, Queen Hilda, and it always will!"
Startled slightly by his sudden assertiveness, Hilda's eyes widened for a short moment; then, she lowered her gaze in guilt. "How... how can you still have so much faith me in me? How can you entrust your life to me so easily, when even my own people want to kill me?"
"I don't give a damn what they want!" His hand formed into a fist, and an anger he rarely showed crossed his face. "They can't see what you're capable of! They don't know you like I do! They don't love you like I - "
Ravio froze dead in his tracks when he realized what he said, and all the color in his face and the courage he had managed to muster drained from him in an instant. Hilda could only stare dumbfounded as she watched a single bead of sweat form on his forehead.
"...What did you just say...?" she asked in a low voice.
"...I..." Ravio began to shrink into himself, his hands and arms trembling as he cowered before her. "I-I-I... ah... aaahhh...!"
"Ravio!" she cried out, attempting to snap him out of his panic.
With a gasp, he bolted upright, staring at Hilda with an expression of terror. Then, mortified, he covered his face with his hands.
"...Forgive me, my Queen," he said, his voice quiet and fearful, "I know I have no right - I know that it's disgraceful, unthinkable for a lowly vassal to have such thoughts about his liege, but I..." He fell to his knees, placing his hands on the ground and lowering his head in abject shame. "...I'm completely and hopelessly in love with you."
Hilda's face turned a brighter shade of red than it ever had in her life, and she nearly dropped her staff in shock. "...Ravio..." she said breathlessly, bending forward so that she was closer to his level. "Is - is that true? How long have you...?"
"Forever, Your Grace," he replied, his voice quavering as he kept his head bowed. "I don't remember a time since we've met that I hadn't loved you. It's the reason why I took my oath of fealty in the first place - the reason why I ran away to Hyrule when I couldn't save you myself..." He let out a small sob. "I don't... I don't expect your love in return - it's the last thing a spineless coward like me deserves, and I never wanted to burden you with my stupid, selfish feelings like this..." He planted his forehead firmly to the floor in complete submission. "But it's the truth! Every word of it! I'm willing to settle for being your servant and nothing more... but all I ask is that you at least let me stay by your side! Please, my Queen! Don't send me away - don't make me live the rest of my life without you...!"
The queen said nothing as she listened to her vassal's impassioned, desperate confession; then, when she finally comprehended the weight of his words, she shut her eyes, a giggle passing through her lips as she finally allowed herself to shed tears.
Hearing her tearful laughter, Ravio lifted his head in confusion, his forehead slightly red from its impact with the floor.
She continued to laugh as she wiped her eyes with her glove, smearing her makeup in the process. "You always were the dramatic one..." She crouched on her knees, setting her staff on the ground. "How could I not have seen sooner? I feel so foolish now... if only I had known..."
Ravio held his breath. "If only you'd known...?"
Hilda took his face in her hands. "Then I would have made you more than just my servant a long time ago."
The young man's face turned blood red, and his mouth hung wide open. "Y-Your Majesty!" he yelped, "I - "
He was interrupted by a chaste kiss on the top of his head, which he felt like the burn of a brand. His stomach churned in embarrassment and disbelief, and after a short pause, he shot back upright, anxiously touching the spot on his head where she kissed him.
"Did... did that just happen!?" he thought aloud. He turned to Sheerow in a daze. "Did that really just happen, Sheerow? Am I dreaming? ...Wait, am I dead!?"
Sheerow, who had shied away from the two to give them space when the conversation became a personal matter, flew down to his master's shoulder and gave him a swift peck on the jaw, signaling that, indeed, he was neither dreaming nor dead.
Hilda covered her mouth with her hand, laughing once more at his awkward overreaction - yes, only her Ravio would have the ability to make her laugh during such a dark and frightening time. "Perhaps I ought to offer my own confession," she said. "I've come to fancy you quite a bit as well."
Ravio swallowed. "B-But," he said, moving his hand from his head to the sore spot on his jaw, "why? I'm not - I'm just - "
"You're you, Ravio," she interrupted, taking his hands in hers, "sweet, timid, loyal Ravio, who has yet to see all the good he can do and the courage he truly has..." She gently squeezed his hands as her tears began anew. "That was why I wanted to keep you safe from harm; I couldn't bear to lose someone as wonderful as you!"
"Hilda..." said Ravio, his dazed confusion soon giving way to a warm, bashful smile. "I-I mean, Your Majesty - I'm honored! I'm so, so honored... but..."
Their short moment of peace was quickly shattered by a man's voice calling out from behind the sealed door. "Queen Hilda!" it cried, "We've secured the castle! The assassins have been eliminated!"
Recognizing it immediately as the second-in-command of her guard, Hilda's face began to fall. She took one last vulnerable glance at the boy she loved, then breathed deeply and resumed her regal poise. She stood, wiping the last of her tears from her face before taking her staff from the floor and using it to dispel her magic seal.
"You may enter," she commanded.
The guard did so, bowing respectfully as he walked inside. "Are you hurt, milady?" he asked.
Hilda shook her head. "Sir Ravio was able to lead me to safety," she replied. "What of yourself and the other guards?"
"Those of us in the great hall were spared harm, Your Majesty," said the guard. "The attackers pulled knives once we chased them outside, but our snipers were able to dispose of them before they could use them."
The queen tensed at his words. "You say, 'those of us in the great hall'... as opposed to...?"
The guard's expression turned sullen. "...The two who had been killed for their uniforms. We found their bodies piled outside."
Seething at the thought that she allowed blood to be shed within her castle's walls, Hilda tightened her grip on her staff once more. "Then it's just as well that they were stopped before more lives were lost," she said. "Do you know where the assassins came from, or what their motives were?"
The man furrowed his brow and nodded. "Yes, milady." He pulled out a wooden mask in the shape of an eagle's face from his satchel. "We found this and a similar mask among their belongings."
Watching the conversation from afar, Ravio grimaced. "You don't say..." he said, frowning. "I always knew those creeps would do something crazy one day!"
Though Hilda attempted to shoot him a silencing look, the guard responded to his comment regardless. "Indeed, sir. Those 'creeps' have expressed their anti-reform sentiments quite vocally during the past year; they see such efforts as a threat to the all-mighty protection of their masks." He lowered his gaze. "Forgive us, Your Grace; we truly should have seen this coming. Our numbers are few, and we have stretched ourselves too thin - otherwise we would have been able to prevent this tragedy."
"Do not blame yourself for this," said Hilda. "The efforts of your men prevented an even greater tragedy. I commend you all for your bravery."
The guard bowed again in gratitude. "Thank you for your kind words, milady."
"Ensure that the servants and ministers are all accounted for," she said, "I'll summon the priest and the coroner to tend to our dead... and I will inform their next of kin personally."
"Yes, Your Grace." With that, the guard bowed a third time, then hurried away to attend to his duties. When he had disappeared down the hallway, Hilda let out a heavy, grieved sigh, slumping over slightly on her staff.
"...We should go," she said to Ravio before straightening herself and heading towards the open doorway.
"'We'?" Ravio said, pointing to himself. "Wait, Your Majesty, does that mean - "
"Your dismissal has been revoked, yes." She turned to face him with a weary smile. "...I'll be needing your optimism now more than ever."
Ravio broke into a big smile - though he knew it was inappropriate to do so in the face of two men's deaths, he couldn't help but feel relieved for his job and invigorated by her feelings for him. "Right!" he said chipperly, his eyes alight with determination, "We'll do our best - won't we, Sheerow?"
Sheerow chirped a short tune in agreement, matching his master's enthusiasm with a twirl.
Hilda extended her hand to him. "Thank you, Ravio. Come along - we have a long day ahead of us."
After a short pause, Ravio approached her, taking her hand hesitantly before following her out of the throne room. He more than knew that cleaning up the aftermath of such a frightful and tragic morning would be hard on everyone involved, himself included; but he also knew that, as long as he could be in his rightful place at the right hand of his queen, even a meek fellow like himself could find the strength to carry that burden with her.