At some point during the ride, Sophitia had passed out. When she awoke, she saw they had cleared the Breach of Demise. She, Liliana, Sir Anselm, and the other knights with them had been some of the last members of their party to make it out, and the rest had set up camp at a crossroads to tend to the wounded.
"Are you well, Princess?" Sir Anselm asked.
Sophitia was sitting in front of him on his horse, with Liliana riding with another knight to their side. The terror of the monster attack had passed, and she felt relatively safe, albeit still a bit sickened from whatever dark presence hung over the Breach.
"Yes, sir knight. Thanks to you," Sophitia replied, sitting up straight to get her bearings. "And thanks to you as well, Liliana."
"Your gratitude is appreciated, my princess," Liliana said. As usual, her demeanor did not betray much emotion, but Sophitia had known her long enough to tell she was extremely relieved. "It is enough to know you are safe."
Others had not been so lucky. Their numbers had dwindled somewhat, and all around them, there were clerics and doctors doing what they could about the injuries of her and her brother's attendants. It made her sick to her stomach all over again.
How did this happen?
"Where is my brother?" Sophitia asked, suddenly worried by the fact that he was not with his bodyguard.
"I am taking you to him, Princess," the elderly knight assured her. "I had already escorted him to safety before he sent me back to retrieve you."
I'll have to thank Lancel for that.
The prince's carriage was near the center of the camp, surrounded on all sides by knights. Sir Anselm dismounted, then lent his hand to Sophitia to help her down. Liliana was quick to hop down from her horse to join them. Sophitia stumbled a little as she walked, the motion making her realize just how much she was still being affected by the Breach, but Liliana lent her shoulder for the princess to lean against and steady herself.
"Prince Lancel," Sir Anselm called out as they approached the door.
A moment later, the door slid open. "Ah! Sister! So glad you could join us!" The prince sounded well, but his face was pale as could be, and his eyes looked sunken and unfocused. He hopped down to the ground, and two nearby knights immediately moved in to catch him as he nearly fell over.
"Brother," Sophitia began. "You have my thanks for sending Sir Anselm to rescue us. My attendants and I are in your debt."
"That's good to hear. I accept most forms of payment," the prince replied, chuckling weakly. He opened his mouth to speak again, but soon broke into a coughing fit.
"Brother, are you alright?" Sophitia asked worriedly. She wanted to approach him to help in some way, but she was still leaning on her retainer for support.
"I should think not," Sir Anselm replied, standing with his hands clasped behind his back and making no movement to aid his charge. "He is suffering the same ill effects from the Breach as you, Princess, combined with motion sickness from the carriage. And, I suspect, more than a healthy amount of wine, my prince?"
"I was celebrating my daring escape from the clutches of the forces of evil," Lancel replied with an impudent grin. "I found it all to be quite healthy." As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around and vomited onto the ground, causing his knights to step away from him.
"Hmm," Sir Anselm grunted disapprovingly, but not at all surprised. "Did I not caution you about having two members of the Royal Family travel through the Breach of Demise?"
"Yes, you did." The prince wiped his mouth and stood up straight, turning to face them again. "And as always, I took it into consideration and deemed your caution unnecessary."
"And, as always, I end up having to watch you vomit, and clean up your mess. What would you have done had something happened to your sister?"
When the veteran knight spoke those words, a dark thought passed through Sophitia's mind. The words of her other brother - 'Do not trust him.' Her hand reached up to squeeze the bridge of her nose as she shook her head.
No. No way. My brother loves me. He would never purposely endanger my life. Not under any circumstances.
"Princess?" Liliana asked with concern in her voice.
"I am fine," she said quietly.
"Had we taken the road south to the Coliseum with Victorique and then looped around back up north through Nima Plain as you suggested, we would have considerably lengthened our journey. This would have taken time that we may not have," the prince explained. "And, might I add, we have never run into that many monsters in the Breach before. Even to them, that place is unholy. This was an anomaly. I never could have predicted this." He then turned to his sister. He was still smiling, but it looked more strained, and his eyes were clearly filled with regret. "I'm sorry, Sister. I did not expect you to end up in any danger."
Sophitia blinked. The suspicions planted in her head by Percival seemed utterly ridiculous now. "No apology necessary, Brother," she told him. "I agreed to our charted course as much as you did."
"Ah, there we go," Lancel said, perking up. He turned back to his retainer while gesturing grandly to Sophitia. "As you can see, we are all on the same page. No need to bicker about who nearly got who killed."
Sir Anselm sighed, but offered no further criticism.
The princess looked up into the sky. It wasn't even dark yet, but their party was in no condition to travel. "We should camp here for the night," she suggested. "Give the wounded a chance to recover."
"Agreed," Lancel proclaimed. "Lord Remoth can take his retinue north through Ludfo's Bog at dawn while the rest of us continue west past the Seres Scablands. We should reach the Wind Temple within a few days. Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe my servants have finished setting up my tent over there, so I intend to lie down and sleep this off." The prince dismissed himself and stumbled away, followed by his knights.
"You should get some rest as well, my princess," Sir Anselm suggested to Sophitia.
"I will," the princess replied. "Thank you, Sir." The knight bowed, then took his leave.
"I shall instruct the servants to set up your tent at once, Princess," Liliana said, helping Sophitia stand up straight before stepping back from her.
"Very well, but I do not plan to rest quite yet." Sophitia glanced around, searching through the crowd for any of her other guards. Luckily, her captain seemed to have made it out okay, as she spotted him giving orders to some sentries near the camp's edge. "Captain Reede!" she called out to him, her head immediately feeling fuzzy just from raising her voice.
The captain heard her summons and came running, followed by a handful of his men. "Princess! I am most relieved to find you in good health."
"Same to you, Captain," Sophitia replied cordially, trying not to let on how awful she still felt. "Now, I have a job for you."
"Of course, Princess. What do you require?"
"I want you to locate Governor Koridai, Grand Artisan Rodan, Grand Archivist Botrick, and Lord Remoth. We need to ensure they have all made it out of the Breach safely, and we will need to send search parties immediately if they haven't. Also, request each of them to take a headcount of their subordinates. We lost many in the battle, and we need to know who and how many."
"At once, my princess." Captain Reede and his men saluted, then left to carry out her orders.
"Sophitia." The princess turned around to find Liliana stepping away from her handmaidens. "Your tent is already being set up. Shall we head there now?"
"Hmm. I suppose," Sophitia replied. "But only briefly, while I wait for Captain Reede's report." Liliana held out her arm to escort her, and the princess accepted it.
Over where Sophitia's tent was being set up, they found her bed had already been unloaded from the supply wagon that carried her belongings. Liliana led her over to it, removed her charge's rapier, and stood by while the princess lay down. "As soon as your tent is ready, I will have your servants retrieve water for a rose bath."
Sophitia closed her eyes and smiled, enjoying the soft feeling of her bed. "You have my gratitude, Liliana. For everything."
The round-eared girl leaned against the side of the bed, resting her hand on the hilt of her sword. "I am only fulfilling my duty," she said modestly. "And I suppose I'd have been out of a job if you'd died in that canyon."
The princess chuckled weakly. "How heroic of you." She took a few deep breaths, already feeling more relaxed. "You know, my friend," she said, sounding a bit more serious now. "What you did for me back there, I should think that was more than enough to qualify as a heroic deed."
"Are you knighting me right now, Princess?"
"Not yet," Sophitia replied. "A momentous occasion like that calls for a proper ceremony, in the throne room at the castle, with a cheering crowd and a feast in your honor. You'll kneel before me, then rise again as Dame Liliana."
"I thought I'd need a few more years of service before becoming a knight."
"I'm a princess. I can knight you whenever I want."
"That's the abuse of power I can get behind."
Sophitia chuckled at her retainer's joke. She tried to open her eyes, but she found her eyelids to be very heavy. Telling herself she would only rest for a moment, she soon drifted off to sleep.
"Sophitia. Sophitia, wake up."
"Mm… Liliana…" The princess could feel a hand on her shoulder, gently rocking her. The words she heard soon became clearer, and she realized Liliana was trying to rouse her from her sleep. "Hmm… Hm. What?" Groggily, she sat up in her bed. After taking in her surroundings, she realized she was inside her royal traveling tent.
They must have moved me in here after they finished setting it up…
"Sorry to disturb your rest, Princess," Liliana said, almost in a whisper, "but I figured you would want to see Captain Reede's report." She was clutching a rolled up parchment in her hand, which she held out to her charge.
"Oh. Yes, of course. Thank you, Liliana." Sophitia took the paper in her hand and unfurled it, quickly scanning through its contents. Once she finished, she let out a sigh of relief. "Excellent. All the VIPs are alive. Grand Artisan Rodan is apparently covered in scratches, but nothing a Goron of his size cannot handle. Governor Koridai suffered a minor wound which was healed with ease. The others were unharmed."
"Indeed. Although there are casualties reported among all parties."
"Yes, but far fewer than I predicted." Sophitia moved to put the parchment down, but a thought crossed her mind. She scanned it again, quicker this time. "There is no mention of Mina Remoth."
"Did you ask Captain Reede to check on her as well?"
The princess sighed, somewhat disappointed in herself. "No, I did not. I should have. If I allowed anything to happen to Lord Remoth's daughter…" Not only did she fear the loss of the lord's favor, but given his reputation, she was more afraid of his retribution.
"I doubt he would blame you for a monster attack," Liliana said reassuringly. "Besides, she went on ahead of us when we fell behind. She likely made it to safety long before we did."
"Perhaps," Sophitia said, swinging her legs over the edge of her bed. "Still, Lady Remoth is fast becoming my friend. I wish to check up on her."
"You're gonna make me jealous, Princess," her retainer said, still completely deadpan, but nonetheless teasingly.
Sophitia smiled. "One of the benefits of always having you by my side is that I never need to check up on you." Once she was on her feet, the princess realized how much better she was feeling. Whatever ill effects she had suffered in the Breach of Demise had nearly worn off. Before stepping out of the tent, Liliana handed Sophitia's rapier back to her, which she affixed at her waist. She was still dressed in her traveling clothes, but Liliana helped dress her in a warm doublet as the sun had gone down at that point.
After peeling the tent flap open, the knights who were standing guard at the entrance stepped aside and saluted her. Sophitia and Liliana gave them a curt nod as they passed, but did not request them to follow.
"How long has the sun been down?" Sophitia asked as they wandered between the other tents set up throughout the camp.
"Not long," Liliana replied. "I wanted to let you sleep until morning, but I knew you would hate it if I didn't let you work."
"You know me well."
Many of the tents they passed had no indication of who was inside. They likely housed servants, priests, or various other members of their retinue. Other tents had banners, flags, or shields on display, showing various House symbols. Since they did not know where Mina and her father would be set up, they had to keep searching.
Eventually, they spotted a grand tent marked by a black banner with a green Orhat emblazoned upon it. Guards stood outside of it wearing similarly colored cloaks.
As Sophitia and Liliana approached, the guards crossed their spears to block the entrance. Sophitia stopped in her tracks and regarded the men in front of her with confusion. As the fourth child of the king, there were very few people who would ever deny her access to anywhere, so it was not something she was very used to.
"Excuse us," Liliana said firmly, stepping up next to her charge. "We wish to speak with Lord Remoth." She spoke as if she could not believe the audacity of the guards, and her hand sought her weapon as if she genuinely planned to use it.
"It's alright, Liliana," the princess said disarmingly, waving her hand gently as if to tell her to calm herself. "Good sirs, would you kindly let your lord know that Princess Zelda Sophitia requests an audience with him and his daughter?"
Both guards wore black hoods over their heads, and their faces were further concealed by helmets with a single long, thin slit that revealed very little. However, a distinctive red glow was just barely visible through the eye slits of their helmets, giving both guards away as Sheikah. They did not respond for a moment, and instead only stared down at the young women silently. Sophitia actually shivered from how creepy it was. She hoped she merely came off as cold.
Finally, the guards turned their heads to look at one another. One of them nodded and walked into the tent, while the other stayed where he was, still blocking the way with his spear.
The princess forced a smile. "My thanks, sir knight." She glanced at her retainer uncertainly, but the two of them waited patiently.
However, while she stood outside the tent, Sophitia noticed voices coming from inside. It was quite muffled, but she could just barely make some of it out.
"What were you thinking?" came a man's voice, deep and intimidating, and clearly angry about something.
"What were you thinking?" A young woman's voice replied, fierce and defiant, and on the defensive. "If I hadn't gone back-"
"You could've been killed!"
"No one even saw me! Besides, those Blins were about to-"
"Listen, child. You have no idea how hard I've worked to… What do you want?"
A third voice that must have been that of the Sheikah guard spoke up. "My lord, the princess is outside. She requests an audience with you."
There was a gasp. "Sophie's here?" Mina Remoth sounded relieved.
"I see. Send her in," Toren Remoth commanded.
"Yes, my lord."
As the Sheikah guard returned through the opening in the tent, Sophitia straightened up and tried to act nonchalant, hoping neither guard could tell she had overheard anything. However, neither guard said anything. They simply stepped aside.
"Thank you," the princess said again, bowing slightly before walking past them. Liliana followed her inside the Remoth tent, staying as close to her as she could.
As with most noble's traveling tents, Lord Remoth's was quite spacious. There was a large bed on one side, a weapon rack by the wall with a gigantic pike on it, and a table on the other end that could seat at least six people easily. The lord was seated as they entered, but he soon stood and raised himself to his full height. Luckily, the roof was quite high. Ordinarily, Sophitia and her retainer were instantly intimidated in the man's presence, but he looked somewhat pale and disheveled at the moment. The lack of refinement somehow made him seem a bit less scary.
Mina had been standing next to her father's chair. When she saw them enter, a look of relief seemed to wash over her face. "Sophie, Lillie!" As she spoke, she climbed over the table, coming towards them. "Glad to see you're still alive," the red haired girl said, clapping a hand onto each of their shoulders.
"I am glad to see you are safe as well," Sophitia replied.
"We arrived here some time ago," Liliana said questioningly. She seemed to be pointing out that word of the princess's return would have spread to the camp already, and Mina should have known that.
"Ah, good. I just got back a minute ago," Mina replied, stepping away from them.
"What?" The princess was shocked and worried by this news. Now that she mentioned it, Sophitia noticed the girl was a bit of a mess. Her clothing was dirty and torn, her hair was unkempt, and she seemed to be somewhat out of breath. "What happened? Are you alright? Were you harmed?"
"I thought you were in front of us," Liliana said. "You rode off when we got knocked off our horses."
"Yeah, but I got turned around. Plus, I wanted to make sure the other stragglers made it out of the Breach. Those Blins were vicious."
"Princess."
Sophitia flinched at Lord Remoth's voice. He walked around the table to come stand behind his daughter.
"Ah, yes. Lord Remoth. My apologies; how rude of me," she said, giving him a curt bow. "Thank you for having us."
Lord Remoth bowed deeply in return before straightening up and looking down at them. "I apologize for not joining you when you made it to camp," he said in his slow, deliberate tone. "As she has just finished telling you, my daughter had been left behind, so I was preoccupied with coordinating the search team."
"That is quite alright, my lord. You were right to focus on your daughter's safety." Sophitia had been somewhat worried when she'd overheard the father and daughter arguing, but it seemed as if it was nothing to worry about after all. Lord Remoth had simply been upset with his daughter for putting herself in danger by going back for others.
He's a surprisingly caring father.
"Now, what can I do for you, my princess?" the lord asked.
"Oh, I did not require anything in particular," Sophitia replied. "I merely wished to see if you and your daughter were unharmed and able to travel come morning."
"Oh yeah," Mina said, tilting her head up and putting a finger to her chin. "I guess we're parting ways tomorrow, eh?" Sliding behind Sophitia and Liliana, she put her arms around their shoulders and pulled them in close. "Well then, why don't we have some fun tonight before I have to head home to Midoro?"
"I am afraid not, child," Lord Remoth said plainly. "You are in no condition for such things. You must rest now."
"Ugh, Dad. I'm fine," the impish girl insisted.
Lord Remoth sighed. "You mustn't trouble the princess this way."
"It is no trouble at all, my lord," Sophitia countered, smiling disarmingly. "Mina may come with us. I shall personally ensure that she gets everything she needs tonight."
"How very generous of you, Princess." Lord Remoth was as polite as ever, but Sophitia couldn't help but hear the slightest tinge of annoyance in his voice.
The Lord of Spikes was not someone the princess wanted to upset. She decided it was probably a good time to get out of his tent. "Thank you, my lord. I shall take my leave now." Sophitia bowed, then turned to exit with her retainer and the lord's daughter in tow.
"Night, Dad!" Mina called to her father as she left.
Once outside, they walked past the silent Sheikah guards again, heading towards the next tent with the Remoth symbol upon it, which the princess assumed to have been set up for Mina. "You know, Mina," Sophitia began. "Perhaps your father is right. I am quite exhausted from the day's events as well. Shall we all turn in for the night?"
"Hey, how many people got killed?" Mina asked, not responding to Sophitia's suggestion.
"What?" Liliana asked her.
"What about your brother? Is he okay?" Mina went on.
Stopping outside of the other girl's tent, Sophitia furrowed her brow in confusion.
Why is she asking about Lancel?
"Yes, my brother made it here safely, even before I did," Sophitia confirmed. "And I have obtained a count of the casualties. It is tragic that we have lost anyone, but judging by the size of the force that attacked us, it could have been far worse."
Mina drew in a deep breath, then exhaled in relief. Afterwards, she clapped her hands together once, perking up. "Excellent! This calls for a celebration."
"What?" Sophitia was still confused by the other girl's actions.
"I know there was ale in the supply carts. Let's go have a drink," the impish girls suggested.
Is that all this girl knows how to do?!
"C-Come now, surely that is not the best of ideas," Sophitia declined, gesturing to the tent's entrance. "My lady, perhaps you should go lie down for a while. You must be tired-"
"Uh, uh, uh," Mina held her hand in the princess's face, wagging her finger. "I distinctly recall you promising my father that you shall personally ensure that I get everything I need tonight," she said with a fiendish grin. "I'm gonna hold you to that, Princess. And right now, what I need is some good booze."
Sophitia sighed, and Liliana put her arm around her back. "You know, Princess, this could be your last night to spend with Lady Remoth for some time," she pointed out. "Why not share a friendly drink or two in her company?"
The princess noticed the look on her retainer's face. She knew the round-eared girl was telling her something.
This is one last opportunity to cement my friendship with Lord Remoth's daughter, further ensuring his loyalty.
She supposed Liliana was right. It would be bad form to rebuff Mina when they would be parting ways in the morning. "You make a good point, my friend. Sure, Mina. A drink would be lovely."
"Hurray!" Mina cheered. "Come on, let's go find the good stuff before my Dad's soldiers drink it all."
The next morning was rather hectic. A flurry of soldiers and servants had to pack up the entire camp in preparation to resume the journey. Most of the surviving wounded were healed well enough to continue, while those with more severe injuries were loaded into the wagons. As there had been several horses lost in the battle as well, many more people had to walk. To make up for any delays, Prince Lancel made the decision to begin the second leg of their journey two hours earlier than they'd initially planned. So, at dawn, while the rest of their party was finishing packing, Sophitia decided to ride the short distance north to the edge of Ludfo's Bog with Toren and Mina Remoth in order to properly see them off.
The weather was terrible that morning. Sophitia was not surprised. The Ridgelands were famous for their poor weather, which came in the form of heavy rains and frequent thunderstorms. "I hope this rain lets up soon," Sophitia said to Liliana and Mina. After having lost her favorite horse in the Breach of Demise, Sophitia had taken a new one, which she rode between her friends. She and the others all wore cloaks meant to shield them from the rain, but it made it somewhat difficult to see.
Mina giggled devilishly. "If you hate water, Princess, Midoro is not the place for you."
As they rode closer, Sophitia could see what the Remoth girl was talking about. Just up ahead, the road seemed to disappear into the dark swamp of Ludfo's Bog. Where there was no water, there was mud. A tangle of messy plantlife covered much of the area, but there were no trees. In their place were gigantic mushroom caps sitting upon ten, twenty, even thirty-foot tall stalks.
"Sure you wouldn't like to join us for the grand tour, Princess?" Mina teased.
Sophitia laughed good-naturedly. "I am certain your city is a wonderful place, Mina. But I'm afraid I have not the time."
"Sure, sure." Mina nodded her head, smirking. "Ooh, check it out. You can see them now."
"What?" Liliana asked. "The mushrooms?"
"Better." Mina pointed, and the others struggled to see through the darkness and heavy rain. However, after riding for another moment, Sophitia could make out what Mina was pointing at.
"...Oh." Up ahead, there was a tall wooden pole, sharpened to a point at the top. Upon that pole was what appeared to be a man's corpse, impaled through the chest. As they rode closer, Sophitia could see there were more of these spikes further on, jutting upwards on either side of the road. Sophitia knew of this practice. It was what had earned Lord Remoth his nickname, the Lord of Spikes. Criminals and monsters were executed by impalement and displayed in this manner as a warning to other would-be wrongdoers and to monsters who dared stray too close to civilization. Some claimed it was an effective way to reduce crime and monster attacks, but Sophitia found the practice brutal and extremely vulgar.
"Princess…" Liliana said quietly, likely seeing the hints of distress on her charge's face.
"I am fine," Sophitia insisted, taking a deep breath to collect herself and maintain her composure.
Be like Victorique. Show no fear.
"Hey, where are those prisoners? Did they make it through the Breach? Oh, by Din, I can't wait to see the looks on their faces..." Mina looked around excitedly, then spotted the bars of the prison wagon further back in the convoy. "Oi! Fellas! Take a good look!"
"Mina."
"What?"
Sophitia pulled her horse's reins, bringing it to a stop, then cleared her throat. "Well, I believe I've gone as far as I can afford. I really should be getting back to my brother."
"Aw. Alright then, Princess. Hope to see you again soon. Try not to die out there, eh?" Mina flashed those impish fangs of hers. "Same to you, round-ears," she added to Liliana.
After spotting the girls stopped on the road, Mina's father rode over to join them, sitting atop his gigantic Gerudo stallion. "Ah. I see this is where we part ways."
"I-Indeed," Sophitia replied, only flinching a little. "My father and I were most grateful for your attendance at the summit, and for your willingness to aid us in the matter with Hebra."
"No gratitude is necessary, child," Lord Remoth said politely. "I am always honored to serve the Royal Family. Now, I shall gather our forces here and await your command."
"Only as a contingency," the princess firmly reminded him, perhaps too firmly. "Ahem. That is to say, I have hope that this matter can still be resolved peacefully. It would be unbecoming of us to move any troops into Hebra until we are certain it is absolutely necessary."
"I understand, my princess." The Lord of Spikes bowed his head. "I hope the rest of your journey proceeds without further incident."
"Thank you. We'll be on our way now. Farewell, my lord. Farewell, my lady."
"See ya." Mina gave one last wave as she and her father rejoined the convoy, moving into the swamps ahead. Sophitia remained and watched them for a short time, wondering if everything had worked out as planned.
"Shall we head back now, Sophitia?" Liliana asked.
"Yes. Let's."
The two of them turned their horses around and headed back the way they came. There was much Sophitia wished to talk about, but neither of them said a word until they had passed the last of Lord Remoth's retinue and they were safely out of earshot.
"So, is everything proceeding according to your plans?" her retainer asked, correctly guessing that was what she wanted to discuss.
"Hmm…" Sophitia mused, pulling out her ledger. "Well, yes, on paper," she replied. "I seem to have Lord Remoth's loyalty and respect, but one can never know for sure how much of that is a facade when a person speaks to their betters."
"Indeed, Princess. My constant flattery directed at you is often feigned, for example."
Sophitia chuckled. "Nonsense. You mean every word and you know it."
"I do." Liliana nodded. "You are certainly among the three greatest princesses I know."
Sophitia shook her head, amused. "Now then. As I was saying, I appear to be on good terms with Lord Remoth, as was the goal. But, if war does break out between Hyrule and Hebra, I suppose only time will tell how much I can truly control him."
"I'm guessing the impaled corpses of his enemies lining the road do not inspire much confidence in his ability to exercise restraint."
Sophitia shuddered. "Yes. Such a horrid practice. We hang criminals in the capital, sure, but we do not leave bloodied corpses on display for all to see."
"Mina did not seem to mind."
The princess sighed. "I pity her. To her, I suppose this all seems normal."
"It is more than normal to her," Liliana stated. "It clearly amuses her greatly."
"Yes. She certainly seems to have inherited at least some of her father's cruelty," Sophitia admitted. "But she is not all bad. I would hope to see her again when all of this is over."
Liliana smirked. "Oh? Were you not simply playing her friend to gain her father's trust?"
"Come now, old friend. Do I truly appear so cold-hearted? I know for a fact you enjoyed her company as well. You must have appreciated having a friend to drink with again."
"I suppose. We shall have to spend more time with her when all of this is over. But next time, let's skip the part where we get attacked by bandits in a dark alley."
When they returned to camp, they found all the tents had been taken down and everything that would be coming with them had been loaded back into the supply wagons. Not wanting to waste any more time, Sophitia sought out her brother so that the two of them might give the order to move out. She found his bodyguard standing outside of Lancel's carriage, waiting patiently in the rain.
"Sir Anselm," the princess called down to the knight from atop her horse. "Is my brother prepared to depart?"
"Indeed, Princess." The elderly knight tapped his gauntlet against the carriage door before opening it. "She is here, my prince."
Lancel poked his head outside. "Ah! Splendid. Come, get out of the rain and join me, sweet sister."
Sophitia had initially planned to travel by horse for the whole trip, but given the dreadful weather, a ride in the back of a carriage sounded much nicer. She had one of her own, but perhaps it would be pleasant to ride with her brother instead.
It will also give us plenty of time to discuss our plans for Hebra.
"Certainly, dear brother." Sophitia climbed down off of her new horse, then handed it off to one of Lancel's servants. Liliana followed suit, and they both climbed into the carriage, sitting down across from the prince.
"We'll be off now, Branli," Sir Anselm said to the driver before joining them inside and shutting the door. A moment later, Sophitia felt the carriage lurch forward as it began to move, and she knew the rest of the convoy would be moving with it.
"So, the Lord of Spikes is on his way home?" Lancel asked, casually using Lord Remoth's infamous nickname.
"Lancel…" Sir Anselm muttered disapprovingly.
"Ah, how rude of me," the prince said, holding up a hand. "The Lord Paramount of Spikes."
Sophitia smiled good-naturedly at her brother's joke while Liliana helped her remove her rain-soaked cloak. "Yes. He is to hold his forces in the Ridgelands. Let us pray we have no need for them."
"Indeed. That would make things too easy," Lancel said. Once Liliana removed her own cloak as well, she hung both cloaks on a hook by the carriage door. "Ah. You're both still soaked," the prince commented. "We wouldn't want you to catch a cold, now." Holding out one hand, he waved it in a slow, flowing movement. Sophitia felt the water on her body running forwards, as if dripping sideways instead of downwards. She watched as it flew through the air from her and from Liliana, collecting in a sphere of water hovering above Lancel's hand. Sir Anselm then opened the carriage door for a brief moment, letting Lancel casually toss the ball of water outside.
Sophitia felt as dry as she would be after wiping herself down with a towel. "Impressive," Liliana said, running her hand through her hair to feel the lack of moisture.
Lancel wore a cocky smirk. "Princess Miphela may have taught me some aquamancy," he said, shrugging with obviously feigned modesty. "Perhaps the Rito can provide me with some insight into the art of aeromancy while we are visiting Hebra."
The princess nodded with her brother's statement. "Sage Balla may very well be willing to. I look forward to meeting her."
"And meet her we shall, and quite soon, might I add," her brother replied. "We shall surely arrive at the Wind Temple before long. I wonder if what they say is true, and Zephos truly floats atop the clouds above his temple. A most slothful god, I hear."
"I suppose that is fitting. He is only the god of gentle winds, after all," Sophitia reminded him. "His brother likely never sits still."
"Which is something I am sure sounds familiar to you, Princess," Sir Anselm commented.
"Oi," Lancel snapped his fingers, pointing to his retainer. "I strongly suspect that perhaps you had a particular brother of hers in mind when you related that sentiment, sir knight."
Suddenly, the sound of thunder made Sophitia jump, a clear sign that the weather had gotten even worse.
"Hmm. I guess one of those gods is angry, eh?" Liliana said half-jokingly.
"Seraphina used to think thunder was the sound of Farore dropping something heavy," Sophitia said, the memory of her little sister's innocence causing her to smile. "And rain was Nayru's tears."
"Ah, yes. I remember," Lancel said. "Perhaps not the most scientific of explanations, but a great deal more poetic."
After a few more minutes of smalltalk, there was a lull in the conversation, so the princess pulled her ledger from her carrying bag. She cleared her throat before speaking up again. "While we have some time, perhaps it would be best if we discussed our plans in further detail?"
"An excellent suggestion, Princess," Sir Anselm agreed.
"Oh, nonsense, sweet sister!" Lancel complained, leaning his head back into his seat. "We spent a week planning our every move, from the Wind Temple to Medoh to Skyloft. Surely you've grown tired of it by now?"
Sophitia kept up a neutral expression, but she was certain Liliana noticed one of her eyebrows twitch. Back when she was still being educated at the Hyrulean Royal Academy, there had been a noble's son in her class who never needed to study. He always got good marks without even trying, and because of that, he seemed incapable of comprehending why anyone would want to waste their time studying. Lancel reminded her of that boy sometimes. However, a thought occurred to her.
If he has every step planned out already, then that means there are some things he hasn't told me.
She certainly did not know the details of everything her brother intended to do. Was he keeping something from her? What could it be? A way to shift most of the credit to him? But, after a few minutes fretting over it, the princess shook her head.
I must stop letting Percival get to me…
"Be that as it may, Brother, there are still just a few details I wish to iron out with you, if you please."
"Yes, yes, alright." Lancel replied by retrieving his own ledger, opening it and allowing the pages to flip themselves to a particular page. "So, from where would you like to begin?"
The weather had actually eased up once they were past the Seres Scablands, and it was completely clear by the time they reached the Tabantha Great Bridge. It was as if the sky as well as the earth were divided by the great Tanagar Canyon that served as the border between the Ridgelands and the Hebra Province.
Crossing the bridge had been the first major holdup since they left camp that morning. The bridge was wooden and did not appear to be as well-maintained as it should have been, possibly because the Rito simply flew over the canyon anyway. So, they could not have the entire convoy cross at once. Sophitia considered it a minor miracle that the Kodongo that was pulling Grand Artisan Rodan's wagon managed to cross the bridge at all.
Once on the other side, the road took them through a stretch of land between Piper Ridge and the Rayne Highlands. The Wind Temple itself was immediately visible at the peak of the highlands to the south, but to reach it, they were forced to loop around to the slopes on the west side and climb their way up from there.
Now that the weather was clear, Sophitia and Liliana had been free to ride their horses again. As they neared the temple, they passed by some ancient stone columns lining the road. The columns were an odd mix of Hylian architecture and Rito symbols, including statues of birds sitting atop some of them.
"Awfully high walls for a temple," Liliana pointed out.
Sophitia looked ahead at the structure looming in the distance. Now that she mentioned it, the princess noticed it looked closer to a castle than a temple, if one were to ignore the religious icons decorating it. "That is true. Perhaps the defenses are to inhibit monster attacks."
"It was not always a temple," came a voice from beside them.
Sophitia and Liliana noticed they had been riding beside a wagon carrying Grand Archivist Botrick. "Is that so, Grand Archivist?" Sophitia asked politely, inviting him to continue.
"It was once known as the Fortress of Winds," the old man said, not making it clear if he had heard her exactly. "It was the seat of power of the Wind Tribe until they decided to return to Skyloft. Later, it was claimed by the remaining Rito tribes, and they turned it into a temple for the twin gods of wind, Zephos and Cyclos."
"Yes, that is so," the princess confirmed, knowing the rest of the story from there. "And when Hebra became a part of the kingdom, the wind gods were invited to join the pact we had with the other eight Patrons, but only Zephos agreed." It had been Sophitia's great-grandfather who had managed to conquer Hebra, and a previous Sage of Light had facilitated the negotiations with the Rito wind shamans.
"Why didn't the other god agree?" Liliana asked, sounding confused.
Sophitia thought about it, and realized she did not know the exact reason. "I am not sure. Not all gods get along with one another. Perhaps Cyclos did not see eye to eye with the other Patrons, or perhaps he did not wish to impart his power upon a sage."
"Hm. The gods sure are petty."
"Well, I don't know about that…" Sophitia replied.
"Oh, no, she is quite right, Princess," the Grand Archivist added. "Many gods, Cyclos especially, have been known to be extraordinarily temperamental. Spiteful, even."
Sophitia sighed. "Yes, I suppose." Nervously, she glanced upwards at the sky. It was slightly cloudy, but there were no signs of angry gods hanging above them ready to smite those speaking ill of them. Still, she did as her sisters often did, making the sign of the Triforce with her hands just in case. She was not as convinced as her sisters were that their divine ancestor was truly watching over them, but one could never know for sure.
Outside the gates of the Wind Temple, the convoy came to a halt. Lancel climbed out of his carriage along with Sir Anselm.
"Are we ready, Brother?" Sophitia asked as she and Liliana dismounted by Lancel's carriage.
"Absolutely. Let's go meet a sage!" Lancel made a gesture with his hand, and several of his knights approached him. "Gentlemen, we shall require two separate camps. Have the Grand Artisan's and the Grand Archivist's belongings unloaded here closer to the temple. They'll be staying here while we continue on to Medoh. Me, my sister, and the governor require our camp set up further down the hill. We'll only be here one night, but make it comfortable. Oh, and save some wine for me."
"Yes, my prince." The knights saluted, then hurried off. The prince, the princess, and their bodyguards stepped away from the group while the others began setting up camp. They waited until they were joined by the Grand Artisan, the Grand Archivist, and Governor Koridai, along with two knights in gray cloaks who escorted him.
"My lords," Sophitia said, addressing them all respectfully. "Please come with me." Taking the initiative with the hope of establishing herself in a leadership role early on, the princess led the way to the temple gates. The others followed behind her. Atop the stone walls that surrounded the inner complex, a pair of Rito guards wielding feathered spears stood on either side of the gate. When they approached, one of the guards blew into a horn, and a gust of wind opened the gate for them.
Past the outer walls, they were greeted by a group of wind shamans standing in a semicircle. All of them were Rito, wearing feathers and robes of various colors. Some carried feathered staves. Standing in the middle, a few feet in front of the others, was a very young Rito girl. Her feathers were white and pink. She was dressed just like the other shamans, but she also wore a necklace with a medallion hanging from it.
"Greetings, Hylian friends," the young Rito girl said with a curt bow. "And Goron friend," she added, nodding to the gigantic Rodan following behind the others. She did not seem to notice that Liliana was an Ordonian, but non-humans often could not tell the difference. "I am Balla, Sage of the Gentle Wind God. It is my pleasure to welcome you to my temple."
Sophitia had figured as much from the sage medallion, but she was still surprised. She'd heard the new Sage of Wind was young, but she did not realize she was a child. It was difficult to discern her exact age, but Balla was about the same height as Seraphina. "I am honored to meet you, wise sage," the princess said. "I am Princess Zelda Sophitia Hyrule. I trust my letter found you well?"
"Oh yes, thank you, Princess," Balla confirmed, punctuating her sentence with a pleasant chirp. "I was most pleased to hear of your plans. A cooperative effort between our peoples to reclaim the City in the Sky is a most wonderful idea."
"Yes, a most wonderful idea indeed." Prince Lancel stepped forward, shooting his sister a sly grin.
Sophitia was not sure what exactly to make of it, but the impression she got was 'Taking credit for my idea, Sister? Clever!' She briefly hoped he wouldn't feel the need to even the score for that somehow.
"Great sage, as my lovely sister has stated, it is an honor to meet you. I am Prince Lancel Leif Hyrule." After bowing deeply, he gestured to their companions. "I'm sure you've already met the esteemed Governor Koridai. This distinguished fellow is our most learned Grand Archivist Botrick. And, of course, the one you can't miss is Grand Artisan Rodan, the finest craftsman Hyrule has seen since Din herself."
Sophitia bit back her minor distress. She realized it had been rude of her to begin speaking with the sage without properly introducing her companions. Now Lancel had implicitly pointed that out by doing it himself, while also securing his position as the one all the others are connected with. He even threw in some solid flattery for good measure.
Is this his revenge?
"I am happy to receive you all," Sage Balla replied. "It is good to see you again, Governor." Tilting her head far back, she turned to Rodan. "Grand Artisan, I believe you will be the one building the structure we plan to use in order to reach the City in the Sky? Is there anywhere on the grounds you would like me to show you so that you might find a good place to begin?"
"How about the roof, great sage?" Lancel offered before Rodan could respond.
Sage Balla nodded. "Of course. Shall we start there, artisan?"
The Goron chuckled. "Sure, that's as good a place as any. We going inside this place? Hope the temple's got big doors and high ceilings."
"But of course," Balla replied. "This temple is large enough for the Wind Gods, and they are both larger than yourself."
"Well, that's good to hear. Lead the way, brother!"
Balla chirped happily, then turned to gesture towards the temple's entrance gate, a gigantic stone slab with various symbols inscribed on it. "Please come with me, friends." The other wind shamans parted to let them pass. As they approached, the gates opened, releasing a rush of wind. Sophitia reflexively grabbed Liliana's shoulder to avoid being knocked over.
As the party stepped inside, the princess saw that Balla had not been lying. Even the entrance hall was high-ceilinged. The hall stretched far in every direction, with several doorways visible along the wall. The sage led them to the one in the center.
Something unique Sophitia noted about the design of the building was that there were openings in the walls and ceiling large enough for Rito to fly through. There were also smaller holes dotting the stone walls. From the noise and the draft, it was clear that wind was circulating through these holes in all directions. The princess wondered what the function of that was. Perhaps they were to power mechanical devices throughout the temple, or perhaps the air circulation simply helped the shamans perform their aeromancy.
Passing through the center doorway, the party arrived in a large, square-shaped room. In it were two gigantic statues that stretched nearly from floor to ceiling. Each of the statues depicted a frog sitting atop a cloud. The one on the left was painted blue, and it was reclining on its cloud as if relaxing. The one on the right was painted red, and it sat upright with its arms crossed and a stern look on its face.
"Is that really what they look like?" Liliana whispered to her charge.
"Shh…" Sophitia shushed her, hoping the sage had heard nothing.
"Zephos, my Patron, still visits the temple from time to time," Balla said, speaking from the head of the group as if acting as their tour guide. "But mostly he speaks to me with his voice in the wind. My predecessor tells me Cyclos has not been here for quite some time, but my people still offer him our prayers. His storms may seem destructive, but they are a vital part of nature as well."
"Of course, Sage," Lancel replied. "Storms are the gods' way of correcting for extreme imbalances in the atmosphere. Without them, there would be little to keep global temperatures and pressures in check."
"Ah, you impress me once again, young prince," the Grand Archivist said approvingly.
Sophitia tried to think of something clever to say, but she drew a blank.
Why had I not thought to study weather phenomena before meeting with the Sage of Wind? How foolish of me!
As they moved past the large statues, they approached a doorway leading to a staircase at the end of the room. The doorway was flanked by three smaller stone statues on either side. These statues did not depict the wind gods. They were about the size of an ordinary human and they were of a vague humanoid shape, but they had the appearance of empty suits of armor, including a horned helmet with an empty circular depression where a face would otherwise be.
When Sophitia and her party came near the door, the statues suddenly moved, turning their helmets to face them. Within the circular part of each of their helmets, a glowing red ball of light appeared, as if it were a single angry red eye.
"Oh, dear," Balla said. She stopped walking, so everyone else behind her did as well. They watched as the bodies of the statues rotated while the faceless heads remained in place, staring at them with those red cyclops eyes. The six of them marched in front of the staircase, blocking the way. Each statue held a stone spear and a gigantic tower shield, which they now raised in a defensive formation.
Liliana, Anselm, and Governor Koridai's two knights reacted quickly, drawing their own weapons and forming a line between their charges and the statues.
"Sage, what is happening?" Sophitia asked. "Why have your Armos activated?"
"Sorry, sorry! No need to worry," the Rito girl said, moving between the knights and the Armos and holding up her wings. "The Armos in this temple were built by the Minish, so they are quite ancient. We have had some difficulty adjusting their directives, so they often react this way to the presence of strangers." From within her robes, the sage produced what appeared to be a thin silver wand. "One moment, please." She began waving the wand like a conductor's baton. It thrummed pleasantly, reacting to her movements as she waved it through the air. The wind circulating throughout the room picked up as well, and Sophitia could've sworn she heard the sounds of a distant choir singing in the wind.
After a moment, the lights in the Armos' helmets turned blue. They lowered their spears and shields, then slowly moved in sync back to their posts on either side of the doorway. Once back in place, the lights faded, and they returned to being lifeless statues. Balla chirped a couple times, as if to clear her throat. "Now, then. Shall we?"
While the incident with the Armos was sudden and somewhat distressing, Sophitia and the others quickly decided to put it behind them and move on. The sage led them up a spiral staircase to the next floor.
After a short walk, they arrived in what appeared to be a room intended for prayer. Many smaller statues of the Wind Gods were spread out across the room, with cushions for kneeling or sitting circled around them. Some of the statues sat above fire pits, while others slowly rotated in place. The room was filled with Rito, many of whom were situated near the prayer statues.
There was an odd sort of silence when Sophitia and her companions entered the room. It seemed as though everyone had stopped what they were doing to stare in their direction, although the princess could not tell if they were staring at the Sage of Wind, the human visitors, or the conspicuously large Goron. For a moment, the only sounds were their footsteps on the stone floor and the wind blowing in through the many holes in the walls and ceiling. But soon, the low hum of gossipy whispers could be heard as well.
"Is this temple open to the public?" Sophitia asked curiously, subtly glancing about the room in an attempt to listen in on what the Rito might be saying about them.
Balla chirped affirmatively. "Indeed, Princess. While the shamans and I reside here along with some other caretakers, Rito from across Hebra travel here to offer their prayers to the Wind Gods."
"I see." Glancing to her right, Sophitia made eye contact with a Rito who had a head like a pigeon. Almost immediately, he looked away. He cooed to another Rito standing beside him, and the two of them flew towards the ceiling, exiting through a doorway high up on the wall. It was difficult to tell the cause of this reaction, but it did not fill the princess with confidence. She shot Liliana an uncertain glance, and her retainer simply nodded understandingly.
Later, I must try to speak with the people here.
"What're those little protrusions over there?" Grand Artisan Rodan asked, pointing towards one of the walls. "Some kinda chute?"
Sophitia examined what he was referring to. At several places along the sides of the room, there were cylindrical stone structures sticking up out of the ground, like large pipes of some kind. They would have come up to about her chest, and they looked more than large enough for a person to climb into.
"Oh, those," Balla replied. "We use those to travel between floors," she explained. "Truth be told, the stairs do not get much use here." With her wing, she directed their attention to the ceiling, where more of the pipes could be seen.
"Ah, how convenient," Lancel said, adjusting his spectacles. "We may not be able to make use of these chutes as we ascend, but it will surely make our descent much more expedient," he joked. Then he turned to Rodan and looked up at him. "I do hope our friends have constructed one large enough for you as well."
Rodan laughed heartily, and his booming voice caused many of the Rito throughout the room to chirp in fright, some of them taking flight and exiting through the many doors and chutes.
"Oh, dear," Governor Koridai said, glancing around. "Our sincerest apologies, Sage Balla. I am sure the Grand Artisan did not mean to frighten anyone."
Balla chirped uncertainly. "...It is no matter."
Sophitia pressed her hand to her face wearily.
I must have a talk with the Gorons before we leave them here.
Continuing with the impromptu tour, the sage led them up another flight of stairs, which now felt odd knowing that they were forcing her to take the long way. "There is one more floor before we reach the rooftop," Balla explained as they stepped out of the stairwell.
The next room was much like the last. Gigantic, high-ceilinged, doors and chutes throughout, and filled with Hylian and Rito architecture mixed together. There were only two statues this time, both in the center of the room. One was a pretty Hylian woman with her hair in two buns. She wore a dress decorated with leaves and held a book against her chest with one hand, while the other hand gestured outwards. The look on the statue's face was oddly playful. The other statue, situated directly behind her, was a gigantic eagle posing with its wings extended majestically.
"Farore," the princess said, recognizing the likeness of the Hylian statue immediately. She reflexively made the sign of the Triforce with her hands, as did all the other Hylians in their party.
"That's correct," Balla said. "The Life Goddess is also the precursor to our current Wind Gods, so we honor her here as well. As you may know, she appeared in very different forms to your people and my own, so both are depicted together."
Sophitia was not unaccustomed to the sight of a god in the form of a bird. After all, the capital's very own Patron, Laemora, took the shape of a large bird that glowed with golden light. However, she still found it odd to think of Farore appearing as an eagle. The Golden Goddesses were the only gods older than Hylia, and no one alive today had ever seen them, but the princess was much more used to seeing her depicted in Hylian form. She wondered if maybe that was the reason most gods nowadays took only one form. Perhaps they could theoretically change their appearance however they wanted, but they preferred to be recognizable.
After one last flight of stairs, Sophitia and her companions finally reached the highest rooftop of the temple complex. It was a large, rectangular area, fenced in by a line of pillars around the outside edges. A brick walkway led from the stairs to a dais on the far side of the roof, going under a set of arches decorated with Rito and Hylian symbols, including the Triforce. The areas of the ground that were not tiled had lush green grass growing on it. Many brightly colored parrots perched atop the stone pillars, singing pleasantly in the wind.
"Right this way, Great Rodan," Balla said, leading them along the pathway under the arches. The tiled ground opened up into a large square as they approached the dais. There was a Mark of Farore present in the center, consisting of a circle being enveloped by two crescent moons, one larger than the other, all together forming a larger circle. "Will this area be large enough?"
Rodan looked around. "Sure, brother. I can build it here. Course, we intend to fly in it, yeah? I can build it on the ground level outside just as easily."
"Oh. Yes, I suppose," Balla said, scratching her beak.
"You might think so, Grand Artisan," Prince Lancel joined in. "But the grounds on the hill outside the fortress are not at all properly level. You might find building the base of the sky lift much easier up here."
The Grand Artisan stroked his beard. "Hmm. You may have a point there, brother."
"And you, Sage Balla," Princess Sophitia began, hoping to contribute something meaningful to the discussion as well. "You and your shamans intend to be the ones to lift us into the sky. Perhaps your aeromancy will be at its strongest here, atop your Patron's temple?"
"Oh, yes!" Balla chirped happily. "I am sure Zephos will hear our prayers from up here."
"It's settled, then," Lancel said, clapping his hands together. "And what do we have here?" Climbing the two steps up to the dais at the end of the roof, the prince approached a large stone tablet sticking out of the ground. He looked it up and down, but he apparently could not read it.
"Is that Rito script?" Sophitia asked.
"Yes and no, Princess," the Grand Archivist replied. "That is the language of the Wind Tribe."
"What does it say, Sage Balla?" Lancel asked.
The sage chirped, then began to speak as if reciting poetry. "We are the Tribe of the Winds. Long have we lived with the winds. We have mastered them. Now, we join them. Together, with the great winds at our backs, we head for the skies." When she finished, she nodded respectfully. "It was the last message the Wind Tribe left before returning to Skyloft, you see," she explained.
"Ah! How amazingly fitting for our joint expedition," Lancel said, smiling happily to the Rito girl and his companions. "The gods have surely fated this to happen. Just as Rito and Hylians left for the sky from this spot together in ages past, we shall do so together again very shortly!"
"A lovely sentiment, my prince," Governor Koridai said.
Sage Balla chirped happily. "Truly the gods must be guiding us this day," she said. "I am certain my people will feel the same."
Lancel turned and locked eyes with his sister. He gave her a rather smug grin, before turning away and climbing back down the steps. Sophitia was confused for a moment, then it hit her.
He knew.
Her brother must have read about that inscription ahead of time while researching the Wind Tribe. Just a small little detail that he could exploit, allowing him to deliver some sentimental words that will surely be spread by Balla amongst the Rito, making them view him that much more favorably. He even suggested they build on the roof.
He truly has thought of everything.
"I'll head back to camp and tell my brothers to start moving materials and equipment up here," Rodan said.
"I can ask some of the shamans to aid you," Balla offered. "If their winds can carry it, they may be able to lift it from the ground directly to the roof." Then she turned to the others. "Is there anything else my people can help the rest of you with?"
"I do not believe so, thank you," Sophitia replied. "Might I walk around for a bit? I wish to see more of the temple."
"Of course, friend," Balla chirped. "You are all free to explore the grounds however you wish."
"Thank you again, Sage," the princess said with a bow. "Liliana."
"Yes, Princess." Her retainer joined her at her side, and the two of them headed for the stairs.
"This visit seems to be going well," Liliana commented once they were out of earshot of the others.
"Yes, it does." Sophitia sighed, rubbing her temple. "Although it seems to be going far better for my brother than for me."
"You think he's made a better impression than you have?" Liliana stepped down the stairs with her arms crossed behind her back, glancing over her shoulder to check if anyone was following them.
"I should think so. I struggle to think of a single worthwhile contribution I have made since we arrived," the princess said, her frustration coming through rather plainly.
"But nothing has been decided here that was not already decided through your letters," Liliana pointed out. "No one has contributed anything new. Today has been simple formalities."
Sophitia set foot on the floor with the Farore statue, looking over the back of the great stone eagle as she considered her retainer's words. "Hm. I suppose you have a point," she agreed, nodding slightly. "Although I must say, that is not much better. We will be leaving this place tomorrow morning, and we will not be back for several days. I would rather make some kind of impact while I am here."
"The Sage of Wind seemed to like you," Liliana pointed out, following her charge as she walked around to the front of the statues. "Although, perhaps she is too young to know better."
Sophitia chuckled. She stepped in front of the statues of Farore and took a moment to stare into the face of one of the world's creators. As the Goddess of Courage, Farore was thought to be the one who decided when the next Hero would be born. It was Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom, who was most often associated with Sophitia's family. She was the one who'd supposedly entrusted the Triforce to the Hyrule bloodline's ancient ancestor, the goddess Hylia. The princess took a moment to offer a silent prayer to them both. Courage and wisdom would be sorely needed in the coming days.
"Sage Balla has been kind to us, but she needs to be," Sophitia stated. "I want to know how the Rito people really feel about our visit."
Liliana seemed to hesitate for a moment, looking over her shoulder. "That might not be the most pleasant experience, Princess," the bodyguard said. "Given the reason behind you and your brother being here, I'd wager about half of them will be somewhat… less receptive than Sage Balla has been."
"I know," Sophitia replied. "Some will not like me. Some may even hate me. But if I am to do anything at all here in Hebra, I must understand why they hate me."
Liliana nodded. "Very well, Princess. But, as your bodyguard, I must insist I be present at all times."
"Of course, old friend," Sophitia said. "Your company will be as appreciated as always. However, I must insist, please refrain from putting your hand on your sword unless absolutely necessary."
"But threatening people is half the fun of being a bodyguard."
"Oh, come now," the princess replied, waving her along as she walked towards the stairs. "Allow me to do the talking as well, if you please. Your tongue can be as sharp as your sword."
When Sophitia arrived on the next floor, there were still people in the main prayer room. However, she did not wish to disturb them, so she continued on. Taking one of the side exits, she proceeded down a hallway until she came upon another area of the temple she hadn't passed through on her way up to the roof. It appeared to be a mess hall, as there were several tables present, many of which had dishes and silverware on them.
Standing by the entrance with Liliana, the princess surveyed the room. There were several groups of Rito sitting at the various tables. Some were dressed similarly to the shamans whom Sophitia figured were temple residents. The others she assumed were travelers who had stopped at the temple to pray. From their varying avian features and distinct outfits, she could tell they hailed from many different tribes as well.
This should be perfect. I can learn much about how the Rito peoples view the kingdom and my family.
"I beg your pardon, kind sir," Sophitia said, approaching a tall Rito man with brown and white feathers who reminded her of a quail. "I was wondering if I might speak with you for a moment."
The Rito man regarded her, then spoke a sentence in a language the princess could not understand. She stood there looking up at him in confusion, while he looked at her expectantly. After a moment, the Rito shrugged and walked past her, exiting through the doorway.
"What language was that?" Sophitia asked, turning to Liliana.
Her retainer shrugged. "How should I know? All Rito languages sound alike to me."
"Well, why didn't he speak Hylian?" While she had not yet traveled to every corner of the kingdom, Sophitia had visited several other provinces before, and the only Children of Nayru she had ever met who were incapable of speaking her language were the Deku Scrubs. Sage Balla had spoken perfect Hylian, so she had not expected to encounter such a language barrier at the temple.
Liliana furrowed her brow. "Because he doesn't," she said, as if it were so obvious.
Sophitia hesitated, looking around the room for a moment. "Hylian is taught in school. To every child in the kingdom," she said, explaining why the Rito man's lack of Hylian comprehension was so odd to her. The importance of having a common language throughout the entire kingdom had been stressed since Hyrule's early days.
"Not everyone finishes school," Liliana explained. "And people don't always grasp a new language, even if they're taught it."
Sophitia toyed with her hair, feeling embarrassed. She never liked revealing her ignorance on something. Her bloodline was one that valued wisdom, yet she had made herself look foolish. Thinking about it some more, even though she had studied the Zora language at the Academy, she still had a lot of trouble with it. Liliana had taught her a few Ordonian phrases as well, but she was constantly forgetting how to say them correctly.
"Of course. How silly of me," the princess said with a forced smile. "I suppose I sometimes forget that not everyone can speak Hylian. I even forget it isn't your first language on occasion. Your ability to speak two languages so fluently is quite impressive, Liliana," she said, paying her friend a genuine compliment.
"I suppose you did not know me when I first came to the capital. My accent was so dreadful, people could scarcely understand me at all."
"Hm." Sophitia nodded, then scanned the room again. Spotting a pair of Rito with heads resembling parrots sitting at a table, she decided to approach them. However, before she even said a word, they got up and left as soon as they spotted her. She sighed in frustration. "I only wish to speak with them," she complained to her friend. "Am I so frightening that they must flee?"
"Um, pardon me, Princess?"
Sophitia turned around to find a green-feathered Rito woman standing before her. Liliana instinctively moved to step between them, but the Princess waved her off. "I beg your pardon?" Sophitia said.
"Oh. Um. You are Princess Zelda, yes?" the Rito woman asked.
The princess smiled. "Yes, that is me." Although she and her elder sister did not look very similar, it was possible she was being mistaken for Victorique. However, she chose to interpret the situation as her own reputation preceding her for once. "What might I do for you, citizen?"
The Rito woman chirped happily. "Oh! Splendid. I just wanted to thank you for all you and your father have done for Hebra," she said, speaking in only slightly accented Hylian.
"That is very kind of you," Sophitia said in return. Like the Rito's High Chieftain Kanelo supposedly was, this Rito woman appeared to be a member of the faction that supported Hylian rule. "Might I ask what it is you are most grateful for?" While the princess had intended to find out why the opposition did not like her family, she supposed it would also be useful to learn why the loyalists remained loyal.
"Well, I suppose what your ancestors did for my tribe in the past," the Rito woman explained. "Ours was one of the weakest, and we had nearly been wiped out back then. But the Hylians came and saved us from the other tribes, and stopped all the fighting. If it weren't for Hyrule, I might not have been born."
Sophitia smiled proudly. "Yes. The Kingdom of Hyrule has always strived for peace, as was Hylia's will. We wish for nothing more than-"
"Oh, just shut your lying, self-righteous mouth!"
The princess flinched at the sound of yelling, coupled with a metal cup being thrown to the floor. She turned to see an angry-looking gray-feathered Rito rising to his feet. Liliana stepped in front of her, gripping her sword.
"I beg your pardon, sir," Sophitia said, trying to conceal her nervousness. "This kind lady and I were in the middle of-"
"Peace? Peace?" the Rito man shouted incredulously, his talons scraping against the ground menacingly as he moved towards them. "Well, now. I didn't realize marching an army into our lands and planting it right outside of our place of worship was your idea of peace."
"It is not an army," Sophitia insisted. "We bring scholars and craftsmen to work with the sage. The only soldiers are our guards, and they will not be staying. They are to accompany us to Medoh in the morning."
"Oh, that's so much better!" The gray-feathered Rito slapped some silverware off of a table with his wing as he took another step closer. "You only wish to march on our capital. You'll use your armies to intimidate our chieftains into obeying your every order, just like the so-called-governor!"
"That's close enough," Liliana warned him, drawing her sword.
"Liliana, don't," the princess said quickly, not wishing to escalate things any further. But it was too late. Many people throughout the mess hall began to panic, squawking in fear as they took flight in order to escape the room.
"Ha!" the belligerent Rito laughed darkly. "And here you show your true colors. What, will you kill me for not bending the knee to you like all the others?"
"That is not how we govern," Sophitia proclaimed. "We only wish to-"
"Go home!" the Rito shouted. "This is our land! Not yours!" As he continued to berate them, he switched into a language Sophitia did not understand. The princess did not know what to do. She wanted to reason with him, but he appeared to be ready to attack her.
However, things did not get any worse from there. Once the gray-feathered Rito finished saying his piece, he took flight, leaving through one of the ceiling chutes.
Sophitia and Liliana were the only ones left in the room. The princess breathed heavily. She was relieved it had not come to fighting, but the Rito's words cut deep.
This is what half of them think of me? Like I'm some sort of tyrant?
Before coming to Hebra, she'd had a vague understanding that that was the case, but it was a completely different experience to see it up close. She'd thought she would be able to handle it, but now she felt like she wanted to cry. "Liliana…"
"Princess!" Her bodyguard dropped her sword to the ground, stepping forward to embrace her. "It's okay, Sophitia. You mustn't listen to him. He doesn't know what he's talking about."
The princess nodded, her face pressed against Liliana's shoulder. She stayed like that for a minute until she managed to get herself under control.
Stepping away from her retainer, she took a deep breath. "Thank you, Liliana," she said gratefully. Then she cleared her throat. "Okay. I… I suppose I have gained some wisdom here today. Let us return to camp. I would like to begin planning for our arrival in Medoh."
"Yes, Princess." Liliana retrieved her sword and sheathed it, then placed a hand on her charge's shoulder. "Whatever you think is best."