The gates that separated Gerudo Desert from Gerudo Canyon were large and imposing. Just on the other side was the Gerudo Fortress of Taafei. In the past, it had been the seat of power for Gerudo kings and queens, but now it was controlled by their Hylian governor. Harun had never been there before, but he'd been told many times that the canyon and the valley beyond were by far the most hospitable areas in the entire Gerudo Kingdom. Gerudo Desert and the Gerudo Highlands were largely barren wastelands, lacking in crops and besieged by extreme weather. Gerudo Valley, on the other hand, had an inexhaustible supply of water from the Regencia River, which also gave it fertile soil with which to grow crops. The Hylians had taken this land for themselves, and left the Gerudo to suffer in the wastelands that remained.
That was, of course, how Elder Kobami framed the situation. She'd spent the last leg of their journey reminding Harun all about it. Although he grew tired of the way she endlessly spoke ill of the Hylians, he could see some truth in her words. Even the weather seemed more favorable on this end of the kingdom, as if the gods themselves blessed the land in which the Hylians lived.
Atop the walls, the prince could see Hylian warriors keeping watch. They did not open the gates immediately when the queen and her retinue were spotted. Instead, a woman in an officer's helm walked slowly from the far tower, coming to stand atop the center of the wall. "Halt," she commanded with a single word in the Hylian tongue.
"Even now, they flaunt their control over us," Elder Kobami spoke as their party came to a stop. Hovering next to Harun, she was looking ahead and talking as if she were merely thinking aloud, but the prince knew her words were intended for him.
Remember, we do not have time to see the Hylians as our enemy. Darker forces are at work. I can feel it.
They'd been lucky enough to avoid any more monster encounters between Kara Kara and Taafei, but monsters were basically all Harun had thought about during that time. After learning about the monster attacks on the other sage temples, he strongly suspected the Blins and the Lizalfos working together for some nefarious purpose. Although he was tempted to view the Hylians as his enemies at the moment, he reminded himself to keep a level head. If a new demon was rising, the Children of Nayru would be better off working together to fight it rather than squabbling amongst themselves.
Urballa's retinue parted so she could ride to the front and address the gatekeeper. "I am Queen Urballa. Governor Vapith has requested my presence," she proclaimed in flawless Hylian, holding up the governor's letter. It was absurd for her to be required to identify herself. Surely the governor had known she was coming, and even when viewing her from atop the wall, it should have been obvious to anyone who she was.
Nevertheless, the gatekeeper peered down at her and her retinue as if considering whether or not to let them in. "Open the gates!" she declared after a moment before walking back across the ramparts.
Elder Kobami muttered something in disgust as they continued forward through the gates. Harun, too, could not help feeling somewhat condescended, but he resisted the urge to voice a complaint.
Past the gates, he was greeted with an unpleasant sight. On either side of the road that ran between the canyon walls, there was a line of Hylian soldiers standing at attention. None of them had their weapons drawn, and their presence could have been part of some ceremonial greeting, but it carried with it an air of distrust, as if they thought the Gerudo might attack at any moment.
Further down the road, just as the fortress was coming into view, they were greeted by another line of troops blocking their path. These ones wore violet cloaks and were more heavily armored, though not as heavily as the Gerudo Iron Knuckles. The armored Hylian in the front stepped forward and removed her helmet. "Greetings, Queen Urballa," the knight said, bowing her head slightly. "I am Moza, Knight Commander of Taafei. My lady, Tauma of House Vapith, bids you welcome."
Urballa dismounted and approached the knight who had greeted her. "Thank you, Dame Moza. Might I ask where Governor Vapith is now?"
Harun could tell she was slightly insulted that the governor had not come to greet them herself.
"I apologize, your highness, but presently, my lady is in council with Princess Zelda and the Sage of Light. She returned from the capital with them quite recently," the violet knight explained. "If you would please come with me, I am to show you to your quarters. The governor will send for you when she is ready."
Queen Urballa nodded. "Very well."
"Send for us," Elder Kobami muttered. "Absurd…"
The queen and her immediate retinue left their mounts and supplies behind to be taken care of by their servants. After some brief instructions, the violet knights led them up the hill to the fortress. While Harun recognized the fortress as being distinctly Gerudo in architecture, it was slightly different from what he was used to seeing. The complex appeared as many rectangular mudbrick buildings stacked next to and on top of one another, spanning the distance of a large cutout in the canyon walls. Hylian guards patrolled the many walkways and rooftops of the multilayered structure, and Hylian civilians from the city below could be seen going about their business as well.
Now that he could see them up close, Harun was once again reminded of just how short the Hylians were. Their knights looked formidable, but even so, every Gerudo present towered over every single one of them by at least a foot, often two.
How is it that our people ever lost to theirs?
Being a warlock, he knew there was more to battle than size alone, but even so, it seemed odd.
The part of the fortress that they were escorted to resembled three buildings stacked on top of one another like a ziggurat. It was connected to the rest of the fortress, but it seemed isolated from the rest of it. Everything appeared considerably less Gerudo on the inside. The first floor contained a mess hall, a council chamber, and a well-furnished parlor room with a fireplace.
"Bedchambers are on the upper levels," Moza explained. "Please make yourselves at home. We shall retrieve you as soon as the governor is ready," she reminded them.
"My thanks, Dame Moza," Queen Urballa replied.
Moza placed her helmet upon her head, then she and her knights bowed gracefully before taking their leave.
At least they trust us enough to leave us on our own.
Harun suspected the Hylians would have guards posted outside to prevent them from leaving the premises without permission, but it was better than some alternatives.
"Mother," Sabah said, standing with her hands cupped in front of her. "Is Princess Seraphina here?"
Harun realized the youngest princess had not been mentioned. He knew all the Hylian princesses were called 'Zelda,' but he'd assumed the one the knight had spoken of was the eldest, Zelda Victorique.
"I believe so, love," Urballa replied, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "But we must be patient. You will see her soon enough. Why don't you go upstairs and pick out your room?"
"Yes, Mother," Sabah replied, smiling hopefully. She left for the staircase, followed by two of their guards.
The queen turned to Commander Bularis. "Go with her," she commanded. "I would like you to keep a watchful eye on my daughter for the duration of our time here."
"But what of yourself, my queen?" the commander inquired.
"I have your other Iron Knuckles," she said simply, gesturing to the others standing by the wall. "Do not worry about me."
"Yes, your highness."
Urballa turned to her advisors as the guard commander followed after the princess. "Now then, who has my notes?"
"I do, my queen."
"Very good. Everyone, gather around the table. We should discuss our terms while we wait," she said, gesturing to the large round wooden table in the center of the room. "You as well, Harun."
"Thank you, my queen." Harun joined the others as they claimed their seats around the table. The prince sat to the right of the queen, intending to serve his role as her right hand.
"Guards," Urballa said, getting the attention of the soldiers and Iron Knuckles in the room with them. "Please keep watch on all the entrances. Do not keep anyone out, but do alert us if anyone should arrive." The guards saluted, tapping their weapons to the ground, then moved to fulfill their orders.
Queen Urballa straightened the stack of papers in front of her and cleared her throat. "Splendid. Shall we begin?"
Hours later, they still had not been summoned. Everything the queen and her advisors planned to share with the governor had been thoroughly reviewed, and now there was nothing to do but wait. Harun sat on the fancy couch closest to the fireplace, staring into space in annoyance. Some of the others had gone upstairs to rest in the bedchambers. Harun had gone up there briefly when the servants came by with his stuff, but even with his belongings placed in his room, he did not wish to wait there.
We are wasting time here.
Not only were they doing nothing at the moment, but the queen had expressly forbidden him from mentioning the mysterious mirror shield or the monster plot that involved the sage temples. He felt these were important issues that necessitated immediate action, but he couldn't even share his suspicions.
He could hear the queen on the other side of the room, still speaking with Elder Kobami and another of her advisors. Kobami was fully on board with a hard press for independence immediately. Urballa did not plan to go quite that far yet, but her intentions were to request the governorship again, which would be almost the same thing in her eyes.
"Queen Urballa."
Harun shifted in his seat to see one of the Gerudo guards entering the room.
"Yes? What is it?" the queen replied, stepping away from her advisors.
"The governor's knight commander approaches."
Harun stood up with a sigh of relief.
Finally.
"It's about time," Elder Kobami said, walking forward with her cane.
"Thank you, warrior," Urballa said to the guard. "Go upstairs and retrieve my daughter."
"Yes, your highness."
Moments later, several of the violet-cloaked knights entered the room, with Dame Moza at the front. "Queen Urballa," she said immediately. "The governor requires your presence."
"And I am honored to accept." Urballa spoke politely, but Harun could tell she was also saying 'Took her long enough.'
"Splendid. Please come with us," Moza instructed, gesturing to the door.
"One moment." The queen held up her hand, waiting as the sound of footsteps echoed from the other room. Princess Sabah entered, with Commander Bularis following behind her. "Dame Moza, is the young Princess Zelda Seraphina with the governor as well?" Urballa asked.
The violet knight looked between Sabah and Urballa. "Yes, as a matter of fact. She came with her elder sister."
Sabah's face lit up at the confirmation. "May I come as well, Dame?"
Sabah's Gerudo accent was much more pronounced than her mother's when she spoke Hylian, but the knight understood her perfectly well. "Of course, Princess," Moza replied. "The prince's presence is requested as well."
"Good. I was hoping to have him join us," the queen agreed.
"Was it the governor who requested my presence?" Harun asked curiously. No doubt she had been informed that he had arrived with Urballa, and he figured she would not be happy with this news.
"Actually, it was Princess Zelda Victorique who wished for you to join," Moza informed him. "Now, let us be on our way."
The knight commander and her subordinates escorted them outside and through more of the fortress complex. Their destination was apparently on one of the higher levels, so they had to climb up several staircases and walk through both indoor and outdoor hallways between many different rectangular buildings.
Eventually, they came to a gigantic set of double doors that led into the audience chamber. The room was high-ceilinged with large braziers lining the walls. At the end of the room, a group of knights holding spears guarded a small set of steps leading up to the thrones atop the dais.
In the center throne sat Governor Tauma Vapith. She was tall for a Hylian, with long dark hair and a piercing gaze. The fine purple dress she wore gave her an elegant appearance, and while her throne was not as impressive as Queen Urballa's back in Naboris, it was still imposing.
To her right sat a young Hylian woman who Harun had never seen before, but the diamond-encrusted golden circlet she wore gave her away as Princess Zelda Victorique. She was a beautiful woman with long brown hair, striking blue eyes, and a dress even finer than the governor's. However, she gazed down at them with eyes like steel. She did not come off as hostile, but something about her gave off the distinct impression that she would not be easily swayed in any regard. Standing beside her was a Sheikah woman wearing strange foreign armor and holding a spear with a large curved tip. She did not look any easier to please than the princess she guarded.
On the governor's left sat the younger princess, Zelda Seraphina, whom Harun had met before. She was a bit older now, but she was the same little blonde Hylian girl he remembered. Even now, upon her throne, she smiled pleasantly and swung her legs childishly. It was a sharp contrast to her elder sister. Harun recognized her bodyguard as well. She was a Hylian woman, but she had red hair like a Gerudo. She stood with one hand on the back of the younger princess's chair, watching over her in a way that seemed almost motherly.
Joining the women on the dais was an elderly Hylian man who wore robes decorated with owl feathers. He was old, but not nearly as old as Elder Kobami. Harun had never seen this man before either, but Dame Moza had mentioned the Sage of Light earlier, so he figured that was him. The prince considered asking him if his temple had suffered any monster attacks recently. If so, it would fit the pattern, and it would make him even more certain that the monsters were attacking the sage temples for a reason.
If only Urballa had not forbidden me from telling them about it…
Queen Urballa got down on one knee and bowed. Harun and the other Gerudo present followed suit, some more reluctantly than others.
"Rise," the governor said, allowing everyone to climb back to their feet. "Thank you for answering my summons so quickly. Your loyalty and compliance are most appreciated. I hope we did not keep you waiting long."
"Not at all, my lady," Urballa replied. "With such esteemed guests joining you here at the Gerudo seat of power, one would not blame you for nearly forgetting us."
Harun raised his eyebrow at her comments. On the one hand, she had referred to the princesses and the sage as 'esteemed guests.' On the other hand, she had pointed out that this was the Gerudo seat of power, and practically accused the governor of neglecting them. The prince studied the faces of the Hylians carefully, but they were all doing an impressive job of hiding their reactions, except for Princess Seraphina, who was still smiling as though she had not noticed any potential slight.
"Yes," Governor Vapith continued. "Today we are joined by His Majesty's eldest daughter, Princess Zelda Victorique, as well as her younger sister, Princess Zelda Seraphina. I would also like to introduce the wise and honorable Aurun, the Sage of Light. They have graciously taken time out of their busy schedules to come here and assist in my review of your latest petition for the governorship of the Gerudo Province."
"Your generosity is appreciated," Urballa replied, gesturing to each of them in turn. "Perhaps the wisdom of the Royal Family might help you see that we, the Gerudo, are more than capable of ruling ourselves."
Princess Zelda remained stone-faced, but a slight hint of displeasure could be seen in Governor Vapith's expression. "We will discuss that soon enough," the governor said. "I was hoping to begin with simple introductions today. We are likely to spend the next few days in discussion. It may be best to start first thing tomorrow morning."
"With all due respect, my lady," Queen Urballa said, her earrings jangling lightly as she shook her head. "My people have traveled far to come here, as did the princesses and the Sage of Light. I think it would be best if we did not waste any more time."
The governor tilted her head slightly. "I understand your urgency, but-"
"She is right," the elder princess interrupted, speaking for the first time since they'd entered the audience chamber. She did not speak loudly, but her voice carried with it a certain authority, enough to draw all eyes to her and to silence the governor mid-sentence. "I see no reason to delay our discussion any further."
Queen Urballa smiled. "I am glad you see things my way, Princess. I hope you and I will be able to reach an agreement by the time you depart from my province."
Governor Vapith was still paused, looking at the princess. She did not seem particularly happy to be overruled in what she considered to be her own court, but she must have decided that Zelda's word was final. "Very well," she said, turning back to Urballa. "In that case, let us move to my council chambers so that we might continue this discussion properly."
As the governor and the princesses stood from their thrones, little Seraphina turned her head up to her caretaker. "Can I go play with Sabah now?" she asked.
The younger princess's bodyguard smiled, looking to the older princess for approval. Upon receiving a nod from the crown princess, the red-haired Hylian acquiesced. "Certainly, Princess."
"Yay!" Grinning with excitement, Princess Seraphina hurriedly climbed down the steps from the dais, then ran over to Princess Sabah, greeting her with an embrace.
"Oh!" Sabah said in surprise, returning the hug to the slightly younger, but much, much shorter girl. "Sera! It is so nice to see you."
"I know!" Seraphina said, tilting her head back to look up at the other princess. "Hey, do you want to come ride the horses with me? They have a track out behind the fortress."
Princess Sabah looked to her mother.
Queen Urballa nodded, smiling warmly. "Yes. Go and play, young ones. We will meet you at dinner."
"Yay!" Princess Seraphina took Sabah's hand and pulled her along. Commander Bularis, the red-haired Hylian, and a few other guards followed them out of the room.
Harun, however, followed Queen Urballa as she and the other representatives filed through a different exit, moving to the governor's council chambers.
The new room was long and rectangular, with a high ceiling and tall windows along one wall that allowed light to stream in. Taking up much of the room was a long table with chairs surrounding it. Additional chairs lined the walls, presumably for those who were to attend but not take part in the discussion.
Governor Vapith took a seat at the far end of the table, with Princess Zelda sitting on her right and Sage Auron on her left. Queen Urballa sat on the other end, so Prince Harun sat to the right of her while Elder Kobami took the seat to her left. The rest of the chairs at the table were filled in by various Hylian and Gerudo advisors, and both parties had their own guards and servants lingering behind them, eying the others uncomfortably.
"Now, then," the governor said, holding a hand out to her side. One of her servants handed her a stack of papers, which she placed on the table in front of her. "Let us begin our review of your latest petition."
"Everything you need to know was sent to you along with my message," Queen Urballa replied, nonchalantly running a hand through her hair. "During my time ruling under you, the regions I oversee have seen marked improvement. Crime is down, the economy is better than it's been in decades, monster attacks have decreased…"
"We can discuss those matters in time," Princess Zelda said. Her Sheikah bodyguard handed her a scroll. "I believe it would be more prudent to begin with something more rudimentary."
"I believe these matters are rather rudimentary, Princess," Urballa replied. "A ruler's first priority is the welfare of the people whom they rule."
"Perhaps. But I speak not of rulers," Zelda said, unfurling the scroll. "I speak of the relationship between you and Governor Vapith."
Elder Kobami made a disapproving noise, turning her nose up at the princess. However, the queen made no gesture of disrespect. "I am quite familiar with the nature of our relationship."
"Per the agreement between the Royal Family of Hyrule and the Royal Family of Gerudo," Princess Zelda continued. "The reigning Gerudo monarch is to be given limited autonomy and control over the Gerudo Desert and the Gerudo Highlands, under the supervision of the governor of the Gerudo Province."
"And, for as long as I have reigned as queen," Urballa responded, sitting up straighter in her chair, "the governor has received her taxes on time and in full, and any laws she has instituted have been enforced to the letter. Have I not fulfilled my role? Have I not proven my competence and loyalty?"
Urballa was doing a fine job of keeping her voice level, but Harun could feel the passion in her words. She was unquestionably frustrated. She wanted their trust and their respect, but she was not getting it. The prince nodded solemnly, as if he understood her perfectly at the moment.
"You have performed your duties most admirably," Governor Vapith said, although it was difficult to tell if she was being complimentary or condescending.
"However, the agreement came with several provisions," Princess Zelda added. "The crown is not entirely convinced you have met all of the criteria."
"And what criteria might that be?" Elder Kobami asked, joining in on the conversation with clear displeasure in her tone.
"For one, the Queen of Gerudo was tasked with curtailing demon worship in the province," Zelda stated.
Harun flinched. It suddenly became clear to him why the princess had requested his presence. He and Urballa had hoped to broach the subject delicately and at a more appropriate time, but perhaps they already knew something.
But how much do they know, exactly?
His curse, his possession, his actions at the Arbiter's Grounds - so many terrible things, all of which were capable of being used as an excuse to distrust the Gerudo.
Am I to be the cause of our failure here today?
Urballa leaned back in her chair, glancing off to the side for a moment. She did not seem as confident as she was a moment ago. "By Hyrulean law, citizens of the kingdom have the ability to worship freely," she reminded them. "I cannot simply ban my people from worshipping Ganon if they so choose."
"It is true that the worship of Ganon is not prohibited in Hyrule," Sage Aurun spoke up. "But 'not prohibited' is not the same as 'permitted.' You are not required to make it illegal, but you still have a duty to educate your people on the immorality of such practices."
"Explain to me how it is immoral to honor a king who fought for the good of his people," Elder Kobami demanded.
"Because that very same king started a war all for the sake of obtaining power for himself," the elderly Hylian replied.
"And I suppose no king of Hyrule has ever done the same?" the witch swiftly countered.
"Hyrule has partaken in war many times," Princess Zelda conceded, her steely gaze fixed upon the Gerudo advisor. "But never out of greed or a selfish desire for power."
Power is everything. One cannot change the world without power.
Harun put his hand to his temple, wincing from a sudden headache. As the others argued about Ganondorf, the young prince felt the sudden urge to defend the man. He had not held a positive view of the previous king recently, but it was as if Ganon's voice was screaming in his head - his thoughts becoming Harun's own.
"And while we are on the subject, I would like to discuss the voe," Princess Zelda said, referring to Harun by the Gerudo term. "There are provisions to our agreement that pertain to him as well."
"Which I have also followed," Queen Urballa argued.
"Then why has he left Naboris?" Governor Vapith asked, folding her hands together in front of her. "He was to be confined to the city under your supervision due to the unique nature of the threat he presents."
You are aware I am present, correct?
"Read the agreement again," Urballa said. "I am permitted to take him out of the city with me in the event of an emergency."
"And what, may I ask, was the emergency?" Princess Zelda asked.
Fuck.
The princess was not acting coy, but the way she had cornered them was too perfect to not be deliberate. Perhaps she already knew of the events that had transpired at the Spirit Temple, either by word of mouth or from intelligence gathered by their spies. But even if she did not know of the situation, they had to admit it, lest they risk being caught in the lie eventually and losing any trust they might have built thus far. At the moment, Harun genuinely did pose the threat they feared him for. It would be all they needed for an excuse to tighten their stranglehold on his people.
"My ward has… a condition," Queen Urballa admitted.
That's putting it quite delicately.
"And what is this condition?" the governor asked, once again addressing Urballa as if Harun wasn't even there.
"I am cursed," Harun said abruptly, raising his voice slightly more than he meant to. For once, everyone turned their attention to him. "Ancient magics put in place by Demon King Demise have befallen me. It is beyond my control." As he elaborated, a vision flashed in front of him. It was as if the conference table and everyone sitting at it had been transported into a void surrounded by fire, and the dark silhouette of the demon king stood behind the Hylians. "Urgh…" he groaned, rubbing his eyes until the vision passed.
People throughout the room began murmuring to one another in response to what Harun had revealed. The Sage of Light slammed his palm down on the table. "Why were we not informed of this sooner?" he demanded.
"Prince Harun is my responsibility," Queen Urballa explained as calmly as possible. "I took him to consult the Sage of Spirit so that she and Alkawbra might assist in remedying the situation."
"And?" Princess Zelda asked. She, too, was acting calm, but Harun could not help but sense hostility coming from her. "What was the result of this visit to the Spirit Temple?"
Dammit.
Things were only going to get worse after they admitted the rest of the story. "I received aid from Alkawbra, praise be to her name," Harun said bitterly. "She allowed another's spirit to live within me - a spirit stronger than my own, so that I might draw from its power in order to fight against this curse." He braced himself for their reaction before he finished. "The spirit of Ganondorf."
Governor Vapith looked stunned. Princess Zelda did not react, but she stared at him intently.
Sage Aurun's face showed a mix of disgust and skepticism. "Is this some sort of perverse joke?"
"No, Sage," Queen Urballa replied. "The Sage of Spirit confirmed it. Prince Harun's body currently acts as temporary host to the spirit of Ganon."
Aurun stood from his chair and held out his arm. His eyes began to glow golden, and a cylinder of light sprung up around Harun.
The prince screamed. In an instant, he was Ganondorf again, chained to the pillar in the Arbiter's Grounds as the Sage of Water ran a sword through his chest. He felt the Triforce of Power burning on the back of his hand, and he struggled against his chains, desperate to fight back.
With a howl of rage, Harun was transported back to the council chambers, himself again. He was on his feet, his chair knocked to the ground behind him. Across the table, he saw the Sage of Light stumbling backwards as if something had knocked him back. A couple of Hylian soldiers ran to his aid to keep him from falling over. Still caught off guard, Harun took a moment to get his bearings. "What-?"
Suddenly, everyone was shouting. Those at the table stood up, and all the guards in the room readied their weapons, training them upon the other side.
"Halt!" Everyone froze at Princess Zelda's command, the magically enhanced volume of her voice booming throughout the room. Her Sheikah bodyguard was standing in front of her, but the princess waved her off. The bodyguard looked skeptical for a moment, then slowly lowered her weapon and stood to the side.
"Lower your weapons," Queen Urballa ordered her other guards, holding out her hands to signal them to stop.
"This is completely outrageous!" Elder Kobami voiced her disapproval. "The foul sage attacked our prince. We demand justice!"
"I did no such thing, witch," Sage Aurun denied, dusting off his robe. "I merely examined the boy. It seems there is indeed a very old soul contained within him, and it possesses a very dark power." He turned his head to the side, looking across the table. "Princess Zelda, I recommend the boy be taken into our custody until we are able to cleanse him of this evil. He is too dangerous to be-"
"Do not speak of me as if I am not here!" Harun shouted, stomping his foot against the ground as he took a step forward. Several Hylian guards readied their spears against him, so he halted his advance. "I may have Ganon's spirit inside of me, but I am not Ganon. I am Harun, and I am not your enemy." He wished there was some way to make that clear. He knew there was something larger than them going on, and he wanted them to work together, but he could not say anything without betraying his queen.
Everyone stared at Harun for a moment. Princess Zelda was the first to speak up. "Prince Harun," she said. "It was the Goddess of Spirit who placed the demon's soul within you?"
Harun nodded. "Yes. I did not ask for this."
Zelda considered this information for a moment. As usual, it was difficult to tell what she was thinking, but she did not seem afraid of him. "I see," she said. "If it is the will of the gods, we shall not interfere. For now."
Governor Vapith raised her eyebrows. "I beg your pardon, your highness, but are you certain that's wise?"
"It is far from ideal, but if Alkawbra believes the alternative is worse, I will have faith in her," Zelda stated. Then she turned to her sage. "I trust you have no issue with this?"
Aurun stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I have serious reservations," he said. "But I must attempt to commune with Laemora to confirm the best course of action."
Princess Zelda nodded. "Queen Urballa," she said, turning her attention back to the Gerudo. "The governor, the sage, and I have much to discuss amongst ourselves. I suggest we end here for today. We can continue with negotiations in the morning."
"That is agreeable," Urballa replied with a nod, perhaps realizing it would be difficult to return to a normal conversation after what had just transpired.
"We will continue to leave the voe in your care," Zelda continued. Then she turned to Harun. "Young prince, I apologize if any harm has come to you."
"...Thank you, Princess."
Zelda nodded. "May Hylia watch over you."
After exchanging parting words, the Gerudo were dismissed. Harun exited the room with Urballa and her retinue, being led through the fortress by Hylian knights once again.
"Shall we return to your quarters, Your Grace?" Dame Moza inquired, leading the way.
"No," the queen replied. "I wish to see my daughter."
"Very well," Moza replied. "To the tracks, then."