The Kokiri knight stood at attention. A bead of sweat dripped down her forehead, but she maintained her stoic expression. From experience, she knew that her youthful features were difficult for humans to take seriously, so she did her best to remain as professional as possible, especially in the presence of royalty.
At the moment, she stood before the king's brother, General Alchon, Lord of Akkala Citadel. He sat upon his throne in his audience chamber, reading through the proposal Mila had drawn up after poring over the many scouting reports she had collected from their combined forces. Her lord, Governor Vryciaro, stood to the general's side, but his input would not be required. Alchon would make his decision on his own, and Vryciaro would back it regardless.
Such a spineless excuse for a man.
Mila tried not to let her contempt show in her eyes as she thought of the governor. Her disdain for him had been growing by the day ever since they'd set out on this campaign. She'd managed to get a knighthood out of him, and she'd leveraged him as a connection to obtain an audience with a member of the Royal Family, but he had long since outlived his usefulness as far as she was concerned. The sooner she could ditch him for someone higher up the ladder, the better.
My next promotion cannot come soon enough…
The proposal Alchon was currently reading was her next big chance. He had been a tough nut to crack thus far, but if he would allow her to lead the charge against the Earthquake Sage's forces and strike a decisive blow against enemies of the crown, perhaps then he would take her into his service. Akkala Citadel was infinitely more impressive than Governor's Vryciaro's castle back in Vigjaro. With a stronger base of operations, a higher quantity of more experienced troops, and the backing of a member of the Royal Family, there would be no telling what she could do.
"No." General Alchon held the stack of papers off to the side. One of his servants took it from his hand, only to walk the few steps necessary to hand it back to Mila.
The Kokiri knight was stunned.
Did that bastard just reject my proposal with a single word?
She quickly flipped through a few of her papers as a quick sanity check, half-expecting to be holding somebody else's plan by mistake. "I… I beg your pardon, my lord?"
"I see no compelling reason to leave this citadel and go on the offensive," Alchon explained.
"But, but, your highness, the enemy is planning to attack the Earth Temple again," Mila argued, slapping the back of her hand against the stack of papers that explained everything. "There's no telling how long they can hold out. And with our forces split like this-"
"We will continue to reinforce them as necessary," Alchon spoke again. "Eventually, they will realize that they cannot take the Earth Temple until they take this citadel. That has always been our long-term strategy. Here, we have every advantage. They will break themselves upon our walls, and we will outlast them."
"Are you-?" Incredulous, Mila was ready to verbally tear into the general, but she stopped herself.
This is the king's brother. If I want to get into his good graces, I must continue to play the part of the good soldier.
"Have you forgotten what foe we face? With respect, your highness, this fortress is most impressive, but Laverta is empowered by a god. You mustn't underestimate what she is capable of. With one earthquake, she could bring down the entire citadel with you and everyone else in it." Everything she just said had been in her proposal. Mila hated having to repeat herself.
Only morons need to be told twice.
General Alchon let out a sigh, resting on the arm of his throne. "Even if the false sage is half as powerful as her hapless followers believe her to be, not even the gods themselves can change the fundamentals of warfare. I understand you have done a service for this kingdom in the past, but do not make the mistake of believing a little combat experience makes you a strategist."
Mila was shocked yet again. The rejection had been somewhat acceptable, but the general's words, while ostensibly polite, were downright insulting. Her ears twitched at the sound of someone snickering from the far side of the room. She shot a furious glare in that general direction, causing several guards to flinch and stand at attention in response. She couldn't tell which of them it had been, but at least they'd shut their filthy mouths.
When I run this place, I'll have their heads.
Swallowing her pride, and her anger, Mila returned her attention to General Alchon. "Of course, your highness, but my part in quelling the last rebellion was more than mere combat experience," she said, glancing at Governor Vryciaro out of the corner of her eye.
Have you not told him what I accomplished, you incompetent fool?
"My success in the Battle of Shadow Pass was due to brains, not brawn," she continued. That was not entirely true, but there was much of that day she often chose to leave out when recounting the story. Nevertheless, she spoke truly when she said it was more than raw power alone that had led to her success. "My clever strategy allowed my forces to prevail despite being outnumbered in unfamiliar terrain, and beyond that, I was also the one who-"
"I believe I've heard enough," General Alchon interrupted, waving his hand dismissively. "I have made my decision, and I intend to honor it. You may leave now, dame knight."
Mila remained firmly planted in her spot a moment longer, still gazing with disbelieving eyes at the foolish old man who'd dared defy her. Governor Vryciaro, of course, stood there silently, as if he were hoping to avoid being noticed. "Tch," Mila sounded in disgust. Before she could do anything else, she heard the telltale chiming of her fairy coming out of hiding, flying upwards to hover by the side of her head.
"You could always kill him now," Luft said into her ear, speaking in the musical Fairy tongue that humans could not understand. "If you sat on his throne, the rest would obey you."
Mila considered it for a moment, but knew that one act of satisfaction would lead to consequences much too severe to be worth it. She would have to bide her time, as always. In a huff, she turned around and stormed off. "Vanova! Attend me," she shouted to her squire.
"Y-Yes, dame!" the round-eared girl called back, falling in line behind her on the way out of the audience chamber.
As they walked through the halls on the way to the knights' barracks, they passed by many soldiers and servants. Most of them had enough sense to get out of her way, but one poor bastard who refused to move ended up on the receiving end of her wrath when she shoved him against the wall with a burst of wind. She ordinarily wouldn't have been bothered enough to do such a thing, but the general had given her some anger to work out. Besides, it was good to give the lesser soldiers a new story to pass around every now and then. She cracked a smile at the thought of those idiots telling stories of 'The Devil of Shadow Pass' once again in the barracks later.
"For what it's worth, dame, I thought your proposal was perfect," Vanova said to her once they arrived at her quarters.
"Of course you did," Mila said, bitterly tossing the stack of papers she was carrying onto her desk. "It was perfect. All the intel we've collected, all the skirmishes we've fought, everything was taken into account. We're at war here! We could end it all in one fell swoop, but that useless old man would rather sit here in his safe little fortress letting his ass grow to fit his throne!" Letting out all the anger she'd been hiding in front of the king's brother, Mila groaned in frustration and kicked her bed with one of her little legs.
Vanova stood by the door with an uncertain look on her face. "Would you care for some wine, dame?" she offered, smiling nervously.
Mila eyed her squire. The Lynnaean girl was clearly uncomfortable and even a little afraid of her, but Mila's response was to look away in embarrassment more than anything else.
This isn't the time to get angry and throw a fit. Just because I look like a damn child doesn't mean I have to act like one.
The Kokiri knight took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "Yes, thank you," she said, accepting her squire's offer. "Pour a glass for yourself as well."
"Thank you, dame." Vanova did as instructed, fetching a bottle of fine Labrynnaean wine and pouring two glasses of it.
Mila loosened the straps of her sword belt and lifted it over her head, laying her prized gilded sword down before sitting on the side of her bed. Vanova handed her a glass. "My thanks." Clinking the glasses together, they each took a sip.
"Ahh…" Vanova said, eyes closed and smiling with satisfaction. Ever the optimist, she never stayed unhappy for too long.
"Remind you of home?" Mila asked the round-eared girl.
Vanova giggled. "Heavens, no. I was five when I left Labrynna. I did not drink wine back then."
"Not in Brynna, either?" Most Labrynnaean immigrants ended up settling in a region of the Lanayru Province referred to as Brynna Plain. Mila had never been there, but she knew Vanova had been raised there before joining the army.
"Well, a little bit with my mother, I suppose," the round-eared girl replied. "Do you ever miss the food in Kokiri Forest? I can't imagine what exotic delights the fairy children must enjoy."
"You're not missing much," Mila said in return. "Most Kokiri are too cowardly to hunt, so we have little meat. And the Great Deku Tree doesn't want his 'children' to imbibe alcohol."
"Oh. I see."
"Hm." Mila grunted in response, deciding to drop the subject. Standing up, she stepped over to her window, taking another sip of wine. "I fear General Alchon is a dead end," she said, mostly thinking aloud. "He is so much higher up on the food chain than Governor Vryciaro, but he is too old and set in his ways."
"Well, perhaps you might focus your efforts on someone younger, then?" Vanova suggested. "Maybe a captain who is still looking for good knights to serve under them?"
"Hm. I'm certain I could attach myself to someone like that for a time, but it would be no better than serving the governor." Mila stared out the window, running through the list of suitable candidates. "Perhaps it was myopic of me to overlook the prince," she said, nearly shivering at the thought of having to suck up to that arrogant prick.
"Ooh," Vanova cooed happily. "He certainly is handsome!"
Mila rolled her eyes, but let her young squire's comment go. "He is only the third child of the king, but that still puts him ahead of the general in line for the throne," the Kokiri knight continued. "The problem is, what good is he now? He is no leader. He holds no lands of his own. He's barely done anything throughout this entire campaign." As stubborn as General Alchon was, at least he was more effective than his insufferable nephew when it came to warfare.
"Well, this might be a good time for him to prove himself," Vanova suggested. "If he scores a few decent victories against the Earthquake Sage, then his deeds will be known throughout the kingdom. He may even take over for his uncle someday."
Mila stroked her chin for a moment, then her eyes went wide as she processed her squire's words. "That's it!" the Kokiri girl said, turning to Vanova. "Getting into Prince Percival's inner circle would be easy enough, but it would be pointless as things currently stand. However, if I help him go from 'spoiled prince' to 'hero of the kingdom,' just think of how much power I would have as one of his royal knights!"
And if General Alchon were to somehow perish in battle, perhaps his nephew would claim the citadel for himself, with a little persuading…
Putting her glass down, Mila sat at her desk, taking out a piece of parchment and a quill with which to write.
"What are you doing, dame?" Vanova asked, leaning over her knight's shoulder.
"Adding something to my proposal," she replied, dipping her pen in the inkwell. "One that will give our beloved prince - and me - considerable glory."
The prince's guest quarters were on one of the highest floors of the citadel. To get there, Mila and Vanova had to walk up flight after flight of stairs. Dame Mila was by no means in bad shape, but with her short, child-sized legs, climbing that many stairs was an arduous task.
In a long corridor on one of the mid-level floors, the Kokiri knight stopped for a moment, leaning with her hand against the wall. "Damn this accursed fortress," she muttered aloud. "Perhaps I would've been better off going outside and attempting to fly to the top." She knew that wasn't a real option, however. Her aeromancy was strong enough to allow her short bursts of flight, but not nearly strong enough to get her to the top of one of the tallest buildings in Hyrule.
If only that damn tree would allow us to grow…
"Are you hurt, dame?" Vanova asked. She wasn't the tallest of humans, although her oddly styled boots gave her a few extra inches. Nevertheless, like all humans over the age of twelve, she seemed to tower over the Kokiri knight.
"I'm fine," Mila insisted. "I just hate stairs."
"Aww, poor little girl," came a voice from behind them.
Mila took her hand off of the wall and stood up straight. Three soldiers had appeared from around the corner and were coming down the hallway towards them.
"Do you need somebody to carry you?" one of them asked mockingly.
One of his cohorts looked confused by the sight in front of him. "Whose child is this?" he asked, apparently genuine with his question. "Does she belong to one of the captains?"
Mila groaned. With so many troops coming and going, it was inevitable that she would continuously run into new people who mistook her for a human child.
Have these idiots ever seen a child wearing a knight's armor?
"Luft," Mila said, summoning her fairy. Answering her call, the winged sprite appeared, chiming sharply to reveal herself.
"Whoa!" Two of the soldiers took a step back in surprise. "A fairy child? Here? Why?" Realization seemed to dawn on them after a moment. Perhaps they had heard stories of 'The Devil of Shadow Pass' before.
"Same reason as you," Mila replied. "Now keep walking, Hylians. I'm not in the mood to deal with you simpletons right now."
The others looked insulted, but one of them smirked derisively. "Whatever you say, little girl. Try not to dawdle too long on the stairs. I'd hate to see you trip before you make it to the top."
Narrowing her eyes at the man, Mila reached behind her back and drew her gilded sword. While it was a little too large for her, she always hoped that only made it look more intimidating. "What do you say I cut you down to my size, and then we see which of us makes it to the top first?"
"Dame!" Vanova said in alarm, but Mila raised a hand to silence her.
"Dame? She's a knight?" The man who'd been taunting Mila suddenly looked a little scared. This made Mila smile.
Perhaps now he realizes who I am.
"That's right, soldier," she said, gesturing down the hall with her sword. "Now move along. That's an order."
"Yes, dame!" two of them said in unison, quickly saluting her and then scurrying off down the hall. The taunting man, perhaps realizing she could probably kill him with no consequences, reluctantly left as well.
"Is it a good idea to threaten people like that?" Vanova asked, her voice making it clear she was uncomfortable with the idea of harming their own allies.
"It gets the point across," Mila replied, sheathing her sword. "I'd rather people simply do as I say, but some need to be motivated." She looked up at her squire before glancing at her sword belt. "You have a weapon as well, Vanova. Do not forget to use it."
"Yes, dame."
Together, they resumed their journey up through the citadel. When they reached their destination floor, Mila was worried she would have to wander through the halls in search of the prince. Luckily, the room he was currently occupying was easily identifiable. That gigantic Darknut-looking bodyguard of his was standing in front of the door. Had he not turned his head when Mila rounded the corner, she might have mistaken him for a suit of armor.
Great. The prince's dog.
Even among the other knights currently stationed in Akkala Citadel, there were not many who Mila feared. However, Sir Onnick was one of them. Were she ever to have to fight him for some reason, she was certain all that armor he wore would make him too heavy to be pushed around with her wind magic, and even a sword as fine as hers would bounce off of him like a wooden stick. Nevertheless, she summoned her courage and approached the man-mountain, remaining stone faced and walking with purpose.
"Greetings, Sir Onnick," she said politely, showing him the respect a fellow knight deserved. "I have need to speak with Prince Percival."
She could not see the other knight's eyes through his great horned helmet, but he was definitely staring down at her. However, he did not speak. Mila tried to glance at Vanova to share her confusion, but she found that her squire was still several meters away at the end of the hall, apparently too frightened to approach Sir Onnick.
"Is… this a bad time?" Mila asked.
Sir Onnick still did not speak, but this time, he raised a gauntleted fist and rapped it twice against the door behind him.
"Who is it?" the prince called from behind the door.
Mila expected the prince's bodyguard to answer, but when he did not, she decided to speak instead. "Dame Mila of House Shadowgale, your highness," she called past the armored man in front of her. "I wish to discuss the war effort."
There was a pause, then the prince's voice came again. "You may enter." Sir Onnick stepped to the side, his armor clanking as he did.
Mila was relieved, but to her annoyance, she saw that the doorknob on the gigantic door was rather high. She could reach it if she stood on her toes and stretched her arm, but that was beneath her, especially in the presence of a fellow knight. "Vanova!" she called. "Attend me!"
"Yes, dame!" Despite her reluctance to approach Sir Onnick, Mila's squire rushed down the hall and opened the door for her.
"Wait here," Mila ordered. Vanova glanced nervously at Sir Onnick as the Kokiri knight stepped through the door and shut it behind her.
Inside the room, Mila found Prince Percival sitting on a couch by the fireplace with a book in his hand. Mila thought he looked odd for a moment, until she realized she had simply never seen him not wearing his ornate armor before. His build was slighter than she'd expected, although he still appeared somewhat in shape. From what little she knew about the two princes of Hyrule, it was Lancel who was supposed to be the brains, while Percival was supposedly the brawn.
That should make this easy.
"Yes?" the prince asked after a moment. He did not bother to stand, nor did he seem to expect this conversation to take long.
"I have a proposal," the Kokiri knight responded, walking over to him with papers in hand. "Based on our current intel, I believe now is the time to strike."
Percival did not seem particularly interested, but he put his book down and accepted the papers nonetheless. Just as she'd done while General Alchon had read her proposal, Mila stood at attention and waited patiently while the prince's eyes scanned the pages. "What did my uncle say about this?" Percival asked as he continued to read.
"He is against leaving the tactically advantageous position of the citadel," Mila admitted. "But we are making no real progressive by acting this defensively, and sooner or later, our forces at the Earth Temple will give out. That is why I suggest we take the bulk of our forces on the offensive while General Alchon and a host of troops remain here in case of any counterattack." Mila would have preferred to bring as large of a force as they could, but she knew such a compromise would be necessary to get General Alchon on board in the end, even if the suggestion came from the prince himself.
Percival remained silent for another few minutes while he finished reading. She had effectively summarized her proposal, but he seemed to want all of the info before proceeding. "With our forces already divided, my uncle will be opposed to further spreading ourselves thin in this fashion."
And now we begin.
"My apologies if I have been misinformed, my prince, but I was under the impression that this was to be your campaign," Mila said. Something she'd learned about nobles was that the more power they had, the more of an ego they had, too. A prince would certainly take issue with having his authority questioned, and thus he would likely be willing to do whatever it took to remind others that he was the one in charge. "Does General Alchon have the final say in marching orders?"
"He does not," Prince Percival denied quickly.
Mila allowed herself a slight smirk, satisfied with herself.
"But, he is the most seasoned military general in the kingdom," the prince went on. "His judgment is not to be dismissed so readily."
Mila straightened her back and cleared her throat. "Of course, your highness. I would never call General Alchon's competence into question."
Not openly. Yet.
Mila decided to try another tactic. "But, surely you have seen the lack of progress we are making while we sit here waiting for the Gorons to join us," she explained. "Every moment we wait, the Earth Temple is at risk of another attack, the false sage's heresy spreads, and the whole kingdom suffers for it."
Perhaps he has a hero complex I can exploit - or a god complex, more likely.
"Yes, I'm aware," Percival replied simply, setting the papers down and standing up. He walked over to the fireplace and leaned with his hand against the wall. "My father has entrusted me and my siblings with the care of his provinces. If I am going to do this deed, I am going to do it right. There is no need to act in haste."
His siblings, huh?
Siblinghood among the Kokiri worked very differently, but Mila had a decent enough understanding of how Hylian family units worked, and some things were universal. "You wish to be a loyal son to his majesty, yes?" Mila asked, preparing to lead him to where she wanted him.
The Hylian prince eyed her suspiciously, likely taken aback by her odd question. "Of course. That is something a fairy child wouldn't understand," Percival replied coldly.
Mila narrowed her eyes at that. Having left Kokiri Forest, she had disobeyed the laws and customs of her 'father,' abandoning him completely. Percival would surely know that by virtue of the fact that she was there at all, but he did not know the full story.
You're the one who could never understand…
However, that was not important at the moment. "Would it please your father if your siblings brought peace to the other provinces while you sat here doing nothing?"
"I don't appreciate your insinuation, knight," the prince said, walking towards her menacingly. "You would do well to remember that you are addressing royalty."
"I understand that, your highness," Mila replied, making an effort to stand at attention again. "My only wish is to serve you, and I cannot do so without being honest." The Kokiri girl felt her heart beating while the prince examined her. She was playing a dangerous gambit. She needed him to be somewhat angry if this was going to work. However, if she pissed him off too much, he was liable to execute her.
Eventually, Percival stepped backwards, falling into his chair by the fire. "Very well. Speak your mind, knight," he said, granting her permission with a wave of his hand.
Mila breathed a sigh of relief, then cleared her throat. "Yes, my prince. As I've said, I believe we are progressing too slowly here in Akkala. At this rate, your siblings will have brought both Hebra and Gerudo into the fold before we even make contact with the false sage."
From the way the prince appeared to be mulling it over, Mila was certain it was working. He would not care that progress was slow, but he would care that his progress was slower than that of his siblings. That would reflect poorly on him in the eyes of his father, especially if his only excuse was that he was following his uncle's orders rather than taking the initiative on the campaign that was entrusted to him.
Go on… Let it eat away at you, you walking case of middle child syndrome…
"I shall discuss this with my advisors at tonight's council meeting," the prince replied after a moment. "I trust you will be in attendance, accompanying Governor Vryciaro?"
"Of course," Mila replied, trying not to let on how ashamed she was at having to serve that pitiful man. Nevertheless, her spirit was lifted. It was clear that the prince wished to enact her plan. He would need to run it by his advisors as a courtesy, but his mind was no doubt already made up. "You will tell them that the plans were mine, yes?"
"Yes, yes," Prince Percival said dismissively, climbing to his feet once again. "I give credit where credit is due." He walked closer to Mila, giving her a quick once over. "You know, it is quite odd, seeing you walking around this citadel dressed in a knight's armor. You have the appearance of a child, yet I am sure you are, what, two hundred years old? Three hundred?"
Mila smiled to herself. She was only twenty-five years old, yet all humans assumed she was either in her preteens or in her hundreds. It was as if they thought long-lived beings were born old. However, if the prince was going to make such assumptions, perhaps it would help him respect her a little more.
"I am of the second generation of Kokiri," she said nonspecifically. Those of the first generation, like the Sage of Forest, had been created by the original Great Deku Tree. He had died under mysterious circumstances about two hundred years ago, just after the end of the Unification War. The current God of the Forest was merely a clonal offspring of the first one. He retained much of the original's memories, but was nonetheless a distinct entity.
"I see," the prince replied, although Mila was unsure whether he truly understood or he was just faking it in order to seem learned. "Well. You've given your input. I believe we are done here."
Mila blinked, then realized she was being dismissed. "Thank you, my prince." Mila bowed, hoping none of her irritation showed. Turning around, she walked back over to the door, then paused in front of it.
Curses…
Vanova was not there to open the door for her, and she certainly could not ask the prince to do so. Wishing she could die, the short little Kokiri stood on her toes and reached for the doorknob, having to stretch her arm to grab it. Once she had the door open, she quickly exited the room, not daring to look back to see if the prince had been watching her embarrass herself.
Back in the hall, she flinched when she nearly collided with the back of Sir Onnick's legs. However, he must have heard the door open, because he stepped out of the way to let her pass without even looking at her.
Mila looked around for Vanova, but did not see her. So, she proceeded down the hallway alone, only to find her squire just around the corner.
"Oh!" the round-eared girl said with a smile when she saw her knight. "Greetings, dame. How did everything go with the prince?"
Mila glared at her squire. "What are you doing over here? You should've been guarding the door!"
"Is that some sort of joke?" Vanova responded indignantly. "I'm not about to stand around next to that Darknut. He's scary. Besides, why would you need me guarding the door when he was?"
"Hm. Point taken," Mila conceded. "Never mind that. Come with me. My mission was a success, but my work is not done yet."
Dame Mila was beaming with pride as she exited the meeting hall that night, walking in line with her fellow knights behind their lord, Governor Vryciaro. That was not why she was so proud of herself, however. As he'd promised, Prince Percival had presented her proposal to his advisors, and although he'd gotten resistance from his uncle, the proposal had been accepted in the end. Governor Vryciaro, spineless as he was, had offered no opinion of his own, but praised the idea once the decision had already been made.
Mila heard some soft laughter and snickering as they marched through the halls. It was no mystery why that was. Being half the height of the other knights in her line, she must have stuck out like a sore thumb. However, she couldn't be bothered to care about the chittering of idiots at the moment. She'd completed the first big step in her new plan, and she was enjoying the game too much to care about anything else.
When they arrived at the governor's quarters, the knights stopped, and Vryciaro stood in front of them. He began by thanking them for their work that day, and then handed out watch duties for the night. "A number of you shall accompany Prince Percival and Prince Silorn when they set out tomorrow. I will give you your assignments in the morning."
Mila rolled her eyes.
And you shall remain in the safety of the citadel, of course.
However, she chose not to humiliate him by asking why he would not be joining them. No, she needed something else from him. "My lord?" she spoke up.
The Hylian man looked down at her, having to tilt his head considerably to do so. "What is it, Dame Mila?"
"I did not wish to interrupt during the council meeting," the Kokiri knight went on. "But, given that it was I who brought this idea to the prince's attention, I assume I am to accompany him on his mission as your representative?"
"Yes, of course." The governor nodded gratefully. "You have performed most admirably. I would be honored to have you represent Akkala."
Mila smiled to herself. She knew he wouldn't be able to say no, and she could have asked him to confirm it in private, but she wanted to do it in front of his other knights. They should all know that they were beneath her. "You honor me, my lord."
Governor Vryciaro nodded again. "Now then," he said, addressing the line of knights. "You all have your orders. Dismissed." Mila and the other knights saluted him as he entered his quarters. Once he was out of sight, the knights put their arms down, at ease. Falling out of line, they began walking back to their quarters or heading to their assigned posts for the night.
Mila stood in place for another few moments, basking in her glory. Even if the praise had come from someone as worthless as the governor, it felt good to have been elevated above her peers like that.
With a telltale chine, Luft appeared, flying in quick circles around her Kokiri as she spiraled upwards. "Someone's feeling high and mighty, isn't she?" the fairy asked.
"You're damn right," Mila confirmed, turning to march down the hallway towards the barracks. "I've executed everything perfectly so far. And it's been so long since things have been looking up like this."
"Hmm? But you're still a mere knight," Luft said, fluttering beside Mila's head. "Nothing's changed yet."
"Patience, Luft." A wicked smile spread across the Kokiri's face. "It's all coming together. Soon I shall be a royal knight, in service to a prince. And he shall be lord of this citadel, on his way to becoming the king. And who knows where I can go from there…"
"Oooh!" The fairy jangled as she giggled, bouncing up and down in the air. "So you're going to kill General Alchon after all, just as I'd suggested!" As Luft spoke, Mila walked by a pair of servants who looked at them curiously. The young knight was not worried about them overhearing anything, however. There was no way a pair of random humans understood what her fairy was saying. They were likely intrigued just to see one at all.
"Not quite," Mila replied. "My hope is that he will be killed in battle one day. Barring that, I can simply wait for his limited human lifespan to expire. And it will not be me taking his throne. It will be Prince Percival."
"Aww, that's so boring!" Luft complained, shaking violently in the air. "Can't we at least kill Vryciaro?"
"Ugh," Mila scoffed, waving her hand dismissively. "Must you be so bloodthirsty? The death of that useless man would bring me little joy, and it would not serve my purposes. All it would do is introduce unnecessary risk and dull my blade."
"You're no fun," the fairy said, but she giggled, clearly not all that upset about Mila's refusal. "So, where are we going now? Gonna go whip some new recruits into shape?"
"No. I'm going down to the barracks to retrieve my squire again," Mila replied as she headed for a staircase leading downwards.
"What do you need that bimbo for?" Luft asked.
"You hush. Her body is no more vulgar than your Great Fairy's," Mila chided. "The human is good company, and I wish to discuss my plans with someone less psychotic than you."
"You mean you wish to brag to an easily impressed mortal."
"I said hush."
Akkala Citadel was the largest castle in Hyrule, apart from Hyrule Castle itself. It had been built hundreds of years ago to serve as a buffer between the Gorons and the Zora as part of the Hylians' attempts to keep those two groups from fighting one another. Given that it was designed to house large armies and a full staff of servants year-round, there were various different living quarters located all throughout the citadel. Lords, nobles, and royalty were given the finest rooms on the highest floors. Knights like Mila had their own rooms as well, even if they were comparatively basic. The ordinary rank-and-file soldiers, however, were housed in the lower levels, sleeping in long, rectangular rooms with dozens of bunks lined up in rows.
Descending the stairs to the barracks, Mila continued to the women's wing. There were considerably fewer female soldiers in the Hyrulean military, especially among the non-magical regiments, and their sleeping quarters were kept separate from the men's for obvious reasons. As the Kokiri knight approached the entrance doors, the guards standing outside took notice of her. Both were young Hylian women dressed in chain mail and wielding spears. One of them had a look of fear in her eyes before quickly standing at attention. The other merely looked at her in confusion, likely assuming Mila was a child, as many did the first time they met her.
"Greetings, Dame Mila," said the one who recognized her, saluting as she spoke. "How can we be of assistance this evening?"
"Dame?" the second guard muttered under her breath.
"At ease, soldier," Mila replied uncaringly. "I'm just here for my squire."
"Of course. Please, head inside." The first guard moved to open her door, so the second guard reluctantly joined her. The double doors swung open and Mila stepped inside.
The feeling of walking through a soldiers' barracks felt familiar to Mila. She had joined the Hyrulean army shortly after she left Kokiri Forest, and she had lived in places like this for a few years before being knighted. At the time, joining the army had seemed like the fastest way to make a name for herself in this strange new world she'd found herself in. She wasn't actually old enough at the time, but she'd lied about her age. Being an eternal eleven-year-old in appearance, the Hylians had no way of knowing how old she really was, but the recruiters weren't exactly looking for reasons to turn away a new volunteer who proved to be such a capable mage. Magic users were common among the Hylians, but few were on the level of a corporealized spirit like her.
As she walked through the barracks, she observed how the soldiers acted. Some seemed excessively dutiful, wearing their armor and uniform even during their leisure time. Others wore next to nothing, lying on their beds waiting for the noise to die down so they could get some sleep. Many of them gathered in groups around the beds to play some manner of card game, perhaps gambling to make things more lively. Upon the armor and shields of the women, Mila observed the crests of various Hyrulean Noble Houses, including House Vryciaro. Those women were usually the first to stand at attention when Mila passed, often saluting or looking fearful, but the Kokiri knight ignored them for now.
Mila found her squire at the end of the barracks. A group of women were crowded around her bed. Vanova sat with two Hylian girls on either side of her. They seemed fascinated by her ears. The Kokiri knight raised an eyebrow as she stopped to observe.
"Oooohh, they're so smooth," one Hylian woman said, running her hand along the rounded edges of the Lynnaean girl's ear.
"I know," the other Hylian said, doing the same. "They're so cute!"
Vanova herself seemed rather embarrassed by the attention, but she laughed along with the others.
Mila raised a hand to the side of her head and felt her own ears. While she was not truly human, her people were made in the image of Hylian children, so the Kokiri all had pointy ears as well. She had never thought much about it. Other than those in the small province of Ordona, pretty much all humans in Hyrule had pointed ears, including the Sheikah and the Gerudo. Those with rounded ears were something of a minority.
"They're not so impressive," one of the women gathered around them said. This one was a tall, dark-haired Hylian, still wearing her armor. "Everyone knows round ears can't hear the gods."
"Oh, that's just a myth," one of the girls sitting next to Vanova said dismissively.
"Labrynna has its own gods," Vanova pointed out. "Like Chronodormi, Goddess of the Ages. She has her own sage, too. Er, her own oracle, but it's the same thing." While normally referred to as the Goddess of Time by the Hylians, Chronodormi was nonetheless a member of the Hyrulean Pantheon of Patrons as well. Many years ago, she had been the seventh to join the new order.
"Pfft." The dark-haired Hylian waved her hand. "That schizophrenic bitch? She and her sage are useless." Some of the more religious women in the room gasped at the blasphemous statement, and several of them flashed a triforce symbol with their hands as a quick apology.
Mila was not sure what to think of that statement. She had heard that the Goddess of Time was perhaps the weakest of the Nine Patrons, which seemed odd to her given how grand of a concept time was. But then again, Mila could not think of what a god of time would even do. The wind gods regulated the weather, the spirit gods managed the afterlife, but a time god? Surely time would flow whether a god watched over it or not.
Still, no god could possibly be more useless than the Deku Tree…
Bored of observing the soldiers, Mila stepped forward. "Vanova," she called, getting her squire's attention. The women standing in her path parted to let her through, reacting with the usual mix of fear and confusion, depending on who was familiar with her and who wasn't.
"Dame!" Vanova shoved the hands of the Hylian girls off of her ears and leapt to her feet, standing at attention and saluting.
"Get dressed," Mila ordered. "I wish to speak with you."
"Yes, dame."
"What the hell is this?" The dark-haired girl asked, gesturing down towards Mila. "The round-eared girl's master is a child? How does that even work?"
"She's not a child," someone in the crowd said.
"She's a Kokiri."
"A Kokiri?"
"Where's her fairy?"
"By Nayru, she's so cute!" One of the girls who had been feeling Vanova's ears moved towards Mila, kneeling down as if to hug her.
Mila thrust her arm out, catching the girl's face in her palm. "I would greatly prefer it if you would refrain from touching me," the Kokiri knight explained calmly yet contemptuously. Gently pushing the girl's face to shove her back, Mila stepped away from the crowd. However, when she turned to leave, she walked straight into the dark-haired Hylian woman, colliding against her armor with an "Oof!"
"Kokiri or not, mind explaining how someone so small became a knight?" the human obstacle demanded.
"Yes," Mila answered simply, meaning to say that she did, in fact, mind. She attempted to sidestep the woman and walk past her, but she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"I asked you a question," the increasingly rude girl said.
"Ruli, don't!" another soldier warned her.
"Don't you know who that is?"
"Ruli, for Din's sake, take your hand off of her!"
Mila sighed, annoyed that her good mood was being ruined by these fools. "Listen to your friends, soldier."
"So that's how it is, huh?" the girl called Ruli said, probably assuming that Mila was insulting her less-than-knightly rank by addressing her as 'soldier.' "Think you're too good for us, little girl? Because let me tell you…" Her words trailed off, and she removed her hand from Mila.
The Kokiri knight looked over her shoulder, lazily rolling her wrist in circles as she worked her magic. Ruli's hair was swaying rapidly as if caught in a strong wind, and the girl was clutching at her neck as if choking.
"Ruli? What's the matter?"
"Are you okay?"
"What's going on?"
Ruli glared angrily at Mila. Reaching for her again, she stumbled as she stepped forward, falling to her knees, still gasping for air.
The little knight sneered at the suffocating girl.
Surrounded by air, yet unable to breathe.
"Dame Mila." Vanova appeared at her knight's side. "I'm ready. You can let her go now."
"Good." Mila let her hand drop, halting her wrist motions. Ruli fell to her hands and knees, sucking in a much-needed gulp of air. Returning to her usual demeanor, Mila coldly turned away from the other girl without another word. "Come along, then," she said to Vanova, leading her back through the barracks.
On her way out, Mila made a concerted effort to avoid glancing at her surroundings. Every soldier in the barracks was staring at her, and she heard the hushed whispers being passed around already. It was enough to make her smile to herself. Yet another 'Devil of Shadow Pass' story they could tell the other soldiers.
After exiting the barracks, Mila led her squire up a flight of stairs. "May I ask what you require of me, dame?" Vanova asked after a brief period of silence.
"In a moment." Mila's gaze shifted back and forth, trying to keep herself aware of who was nearby. She had no reason to suspect anyone was wise to her plans, but it never hurt to be cautious.
When they arrived at her room, Mila unlocked the door and Vanova held it open for her. "Lock the door behind you," Mila commanded.
"Yes, dame."
As Vanova clicked the lock, Mila arranged two chairs so they could sit across from each other, then hopped up into her seat. "Please, join me," she said, gesturing to the open chair. Vanova nodded and sat down, looking curious, but vaguely confused about the situation. "Everything is set," Mila declared, smiling happily. "We leave with Prince Percival tomorrow morning."
Vanova gasped excitedly. "Well done, dame! I will be honored to join you in the next battle."
Mila nodded a few times, thinking carefully about what she would say next. "Good. Very good. That means I can trust you, correct?"
"But of course, dame," Vanova said, sounding quite genuine. "You have done so much for me. I only wish to serve you in return."
"And if I were to ask you with whom your highest loyalty lies, what would your answer be?" Under most circumstances, any good soldier would answer such a question with 'the kingdom' or 'the king.' Mila, herself, was guilty of lying in this fashion on many occasions. But, if her squire truly trusted her, she would give her an honest answer.
"Myself, dame," Vanova answered after only a moment of hesitation.
Mila smiled genuinely at the answer. She knew that, like herself, Vanova had only joined the army out of necessity, not out of love for the Kingdom of Hyrule. The round-eared girl and her mother had been immigrants from Labrynna, and after her mother had been imprisoned for running an indecent establishment, a young Vanova had been left with nowhere else to turn.
"Good," Mila said. "All I require is your second highest loyalty. I trust this is acceptable?"
"Naturally, Dame Mila."
"And if I were to ask you to do something that puts my interests above those of the kingdom, would you comply?"
"Without question."
The Kokiri knight wasn't sure what she appreciated more - having such a useful soldier, or having such a like-minded companion. "Excellent," Dame Mila said, her mouth forming a devilish grin. "Serve me well, my squire, and I promise you will be suitably rewarded."