This isn't Hyrule Castle.

Having spent so much time in the home of the Royal Family, Jeanne felt like she knew just about every square inch of it like the back of her hand. The only exceptions were the places almost no one went to, like the Windowless Tower. However, she had no reason to believe that was where she was at the moment. All she knew was that she did not recognize the ceiling she was staring at.

Her mind was still quite hazy, but it was coming back to her. The last thing she remembered was being attacked by Hyrulean guards. She did not know why, but they had been after the princess. So, she had done her best to get Seraphina to safety, and then she had continued to fight until everything had gone black.

Before that, the Blood Moon had arisen, and the Goddess of Light had told Seraphina there was something wrong with the wards along the city wall. And then the Sheikah arrived and attacked the king.

None of that makes any sense.

Jeanne was beginning to wonder if she had dreamt the entire ordeal. Perhaps she had fallen ill during the Blood Moon, and that was why she had been placed in this bed. It was quite comfortable, and there were white cloth drapings providing her with privacy. Moving at all was still quite difficult, but she could see she was dressed in a white gown.

I hope Seraphina is not lonely.

Whenever Dame Jeanne found herself sick or injured, another member of the Royal Guard filled in for her duties. Seraphina was always happy as long as someone was paying attention to her, but she got even happier whenever Jeanne returned after an absence. It made the knight worry about Seraphina missing her.

I have to find her.

As Jeanne climbed out of bed, the curtains ruffled, and someone stepped through them. However, it wasn't exactly a someone. It was a Bokoblin. Perhaps the creature had been expecting Jeanne to still be asleep, because upon seeing her on her feet, the Bokoblin froze in place. The knight and the monster stared at each other for a while, mutually confused.

This Bokoblin was thin and blue-skinned. Its ears were long and pointy, sticking out to the sides, and it had a single horn on its forehead. It had a small, upturned nose on its face, and two pronounced fangs poked upwards from its mouth like small tusks. Jeanne recognized this variety of Bokoblin, sometimes referred to as a Devilblin due to its penchant for smiling in a way that appeared rather sinister. Rather than ordinary monster garb, the Bokoblin wore simple orange robes. It carried no weapons, but instead held a piece of parchment in one hand.

When her surprise wore off, Jeanne leapt into a battle stance, glancing around herself in search of a weapon. She found none, but it seemed as though the Bokoblin was not looking for a fight anyway. Upon seeing the knight's sudden movements, the little monster took off running, screeching in terror.

When the adrenaline wore off, Jeanne leaned against the bed, clutching her side. She hadn't realized it before, but her wounds were clearly not fully healed yet. "What is going on here…?" she muttered to herself. Was she being held captive by monsters? If that were the case, why would she be unbound and sleeping in a comfortable bed? And if she were in a hospital of some sort, why would there be monsters there?

Clutching her side, Jeanne slowly made her way forward, holding onto the side of the bed for support. When she reached the curtains, she pushed them aside. She was in a larger room with other areas sectioned off like hers was. There were presumably other beds behind the other sets of curtains she could see, but if there was anyone else in the room with her, they weren't making noise. Jeanne considered calling out, but then she thought of the Bokoblin.

If there's one monster, there can always be more.

She didn't make it far from her bed before she heard footsteps coming from around the corner. The knight had no weapons to fight with, but she nonetheless stood upright, willing to either bluff her way out of trouble or fight regardless of her injuries.

However, it was not a Bokoblin, or any other kind of monster. Instead, it was a Hylian woman with red hair and spectacles, wearing a violet overcoat. The woman smiled when she came around the corner and saw Jeanne.

The injured knight's eyes opened wide as she recognized the other redhead. "Fleur…?" she said in surprise.

Before Jeanne could say anything else, the bespectacled woman threw herself at the knight, wrapping her arms around the other woman in a tight hug. "Sister!" Fleur cried excitedly. "So good to see you!"

"Fleur, where am I?" Jeanne asked quickly, wishing to clear up her confusion as soon as possible. "Agh…"

"Ooh," Fleur stepped back from her, but still tried to help hold her up. "Sorry. Still injured, huh? Where's it hurt?"

"Everywhere."

"Makes sense. Come on. Let's get you back into bed."

"No," Jeanne shook herself from her sister's grip. "There's no time. There are monsters about."

"Who? You mean Skrags? Don't worry about him. He's harmless," Fleur said casually, as if it were completely normal.

"You named it?"

Fleur chuckled. "Come on. Just sit back down for a minute. We have so much to catch up on!"

Jeanne reluctantly allowed her sister to help her back over to the bed, but she merely leaned against it rather than lying back down. "Funny that you would say that, sister."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"What do I mean? Where the hell have you been! You never write. You never visit the castle. I thought you were in the Outer Continent again!"

"Oh. Well, usually I am," Fleur replied. "I got back recently, though. Now come on, I gotta look at your wounds." Fleur once again put her hands on Jeanne, urging her back into the bed.

Jeanne reluctantly sat on the edge of the bed, then took a moment to examine herself. It was true that she had stitches and other signs of injury all over her body, and there was pain wherever she placed her hand. "What happened to me?" she asked.

"Toren's men found you in a pool of blood and corpses. So, hey, at least you got 'em better than they got you!" Fleur explained. "But anyway, his men got you fairly stable with some elixirs, then he had you sent across the moat, here, to me. I patched you up. Did a damn good job, too, if I do say so myself."

"Here?" Jeanne asked, looking around. "We're in the Royal Laboratory? Why are we so far from the castle?"

"Well, from what I hear, the Light Temple was attacked as well, so most of the healers in the city are probably dead, and the ones who aren't are probably busy with all the others who were injured," Fleur stated matter-of-factly, leaning in close to examine one of Jeanne's wounds.

"What?" Jeanne was stunned. Every new piece of information she was given just took things from bad to worse. "The castle and the cathedral were both attacked. Why? By whom?"

"How should I know?" Fleur replied, keeping her eyes on the stitches she was checking. "Apparently it was some sort of demon, I guess."

"Demon…" Jeanne muttered in disbelief. She thought for a moment, trying to take everything in. It took her a moment, but another detail of what her sister had said eventually clicked with her. "You said Toren sent me here? Toren Remoth?"

That doesn't make any sense. How could he be in the capital?

Fleur's lips curled into a smile. "That's right."

Jeanne narrowed her eyes. "You aren't still involved with that awful man, are you?"

The bespectacled woman rolled her eyes. "Oh, come now, sister. Are we really doing this again?"

"Don't complain to me!" Jeanne felt her face burning with rage as an old family wound was opened up again. "You're the one who mothered a bastard with the most disreputable lord in Hyrule, and then abandoned your own daughter to be raised by him!"

"Mina isn't a bastard anymore," Fleur argued. "Being raised by Toren allowed her to be legitimized as a Remoth. She's his sole heir now. She was much better off being raised in Midoro Palace than trekking through the Outer Continent with me."

"That's irrelevant," Jeanne argued back, clutching her side as another stabbing pain arose in her. "You should have been there for your daughter. Rich or not, Remoth is still the Lord of Spikes, and- Aghh…"

"Ooh. Sorry," Fleaur said, pulling her hands back. She reached into one of the pockets in her coat and pulled out a thin glass vial of red liquid. "Here. Drink this," she said, uncorking it.

Jeanne eyed the vial suspiciously. Ordinarily, it would have been because of her instincts as a bodyguard, but she did not think her sister would ever try to poison her. However, she was worried her sister might accidentally poison her. "What is it?" she asked, taking it in her hand.

"Relax. It's just a healing potion. Naldor made it himself," Fleur insisted, readjusting her spectacles as she stepped back.

Jeanne nodded. Grand Alchemist Naldor was one of the most intelligent people in Hyrule, even if he was a bit of an odd fellow. "Very well," Jeanne agreed, drinking the potion down.

"Or was that the other one?" Fleur wondered aloud, holding up another vial she'd been keeping in her other pocket.

"Fleur!"

"Kidding!" The bespectacled woman laughed at her own joke.

Jeanne groaned. "This is a waste of time. I need to find Seraphina." The knight suddenly realized something she hadn't thought to ask. "Was she brought here with me?"

"Who? The princess? No, just you," Fleur replied.

"Do you know where she is?"

Her sister shook her head. "I don't. The soldiers who brought you didn't know either. I'm sorry."

"Damn…" Jeanne's heart sank. Seraphina was just a little girl. She wasn't like her siblings. If the city had truly been under attack, she wouldn't have been able to defend herself. "I should have been there for her…"

"You were," Fleur offered, stepping closer to put a hand on her sister's shoulder. "You fought until you were literally on the brink of death, sister. What more could anyone ask of you?"

Jeanne put her hand on her sister's. "Thank you, Fleur." After a moment, she stood up, climbing down from the bed. "I must find her." She didn't know for sure that Seraphina was alive, but she chose to believe she was.

It's all I can do.

"Wait, what?" Fleur asked. "Jeanne, come on. You're still half-dead. What are you gonna do?"

"I'll be fine," Jeanne insisted, moving towards the curtains. "You just gave me a healing potion, remember?"

"Yeah, but it takes time to take effect. Here, look." Fleur jabbed Jeanne's shoulder with her fingers, causing her to immediately recoil in pain.

"Agh! Fleur!" Jeanne complained, clutching her shoulder. "Look. I appreciate your hospitality, and I will be forever grateful to you for the help you've given me here. But I must go now. Protecting the princess is my sworn duty, and I cannot protect her from here."

Fleur stared at her for a moment, then shrugged. "Alright. Let's hope the gods don't let you waste your second chance at life, I guess," she said. The bespectacled girl stood next to her sister and held out her arm, inviting Jeanne to lean on her for support. "Your gear is upstairs. How 'bout I give ya a tour along the way?"

"Fine," Jeanne conceded. "Just make it quick."

Jeanne's sister led her through the rest of the empty medical ward and up a stone staircase. At the top of it, they arrived in a hallway leading through a higher level. "We don't actually get a lot of sick or injured visitors, you see," Fleur explained. "The medical ward is more for when our alchemists have an adverse reaction to something they consume, or when they spill an experimental concoction of some sort on themselves."

"Do you often work on dangerous things here?" Jeanne inquired, wondering how frequently such incidents occurred.

"What? No, no, of course not… Well yeah, but it's all in the name of science!" Fleur replied. "For instance, this wing of the first floor is mainly for alchemical experimentation."

"Fascinating," Jeanne said flatly, still leaning on her sister as she walked.

A little further down the hallway, the Bokoblin that Jeanne had seen earlier rounded the corner, nearly bumping into them. "Sister!" Jeanne said in alarm, straightening up and attempting to step in front of Fleur protectively. The Bokoblin shrieked in fear, holding up its hands and stepping away from them.

Fleur let out a laugh, inserting herself between them. "Relax, sister. I told you, Skrags wouldn't hurt a fly." The Bokoblin called Skrags was carrying a piece of paper on a tablet, so Fleur took it from him and read it. Whatever it was, she signed it and handed it back to the monster, who quickly scurried away.

"Perhaps you'd best explain that to me," Jeanne insisted, leaning against the wall and clutching her arm.

Fleur smiled and adjusted her spectacles. "I thought you'd never ask!" She took her sister by the arm again. "Come with me," she said with excitement in her voice.

Jeanne was led to another area of the building, then down a flight of stairs. This brought them to a large, open room that looked like a mix between a mess hall and a children's playroom. There were tables and chairs set up throughout the room, as well as blocks, dolls, and other children's toys scattered about the floor. Armed guards stood along the walls, many of them Sheikah, but they seemed to be mostly at ease.

The main thing that stood out about the room was the monsters. Most of them appeared juvenile, as they were smaller and less mature-looking than most of the monsters Jeanne had fought in her lifetime. Among them were Bokoblins, Miniblins, Moblins, Lizalfos, even a few less common types of monsters Jeanne couldn't quite remember the names of. Some were eating from trays at the tables, while others were playing with the toys or with each other. Hylian and Sheikah researchers stood nearby, observing and occasionally interacting with them.

Jeanne remained at the bottom of the stairs, clutching her sister, somewhat frightened. "Fleur… what is going on here?"

"Oh, don't be such a baby," her sister teased. "They're only children. Here, watch." She stepped away from Jeanne for a moment to approach a young Miniblin. "Hey, little guy," she said, kneeling next to him and holding out her hand.

The little monster looked at her for a moment, then leaned forward to bite her hand.

"Ouch."

"Fleur!" Jeanne called.

The Miniblin giggled, a look of childish amusement on his face.

Fleur laughed awkwardly as well, walking backwards over to her sister. "Okay, maybe not the best example, but human kids bite, too, you know."

"Fleur, for the love of Hylia, tell me what the hell this place is," Jeanne insisted, speaking in an exasperated voice.

"Well, isn't it obvious?" Fleur replied, gesturing around the room. "Here, we're attempting to socialize them," she explained. "Most monsters are almost as intelligent as the Children of Nayru. Some are actually about on the same level as us, and a few are even smarter. Monsters like these ones here most often live in primitive societies with very little in the way of education, and they are raised to believe we humans exist to be pillaged and raided."

"Then why have you brought them into your home, sister?" Jeanne asked in disbelief. "This complex is only a short ferry ride from the City of Hyrule. It is dangerous to allow monsters anywhere near the capital."

"We are merely doing for them what Nayru did for us thousands of years ago," Fleur argued, smiling smugly. She held out her hands in a theatrical manner, raising them to the heavens. "We are but humble bringers of civilization! Monsters and Children of Nayru need not fight if we allow monsters to become Nayru's children as well."

Jeanne rolled her eyes. "This is what you and the Grand Alchemist have been up to?"

"Of course," Fleur said with a nod. "There are many in Hyrule who believe in our work. In fact, have you any idea who our largest financial backer is?"

"Princess Victorique?" Jeanne guessed. She did not expect the king to have anything to do with this, but his eldest daughter was sometimes known to take alternative approaches to conflict resolution.

"Nope!" Fleur said cheekily. "It is none other than your archenemy, Lord Paramount Toren Remoth."

Jeanne was taken aback, then she narrowed her eyes suspiciously, looking at her sister with disgust. "Is that why you-?"

"That's not why I sleep with him," Fleur cut her off, still smiling teasingly. "And that's not why he funds our research. He truly believes in our work here."

"He truly believes you can provide his armies with potions and medicines, you mean. And now, with intelligent monster slave soldiers, apparently," Jeanne argued, venturing a step closer to the monsters.

Fleur laughed. "Our alchemical creations aid all of Hyrule, not only Hyrule Ridge. Our monster research will aid all of the kingdom in the long run as well."

"I'm sure you believe that, but I don't believe Lord Remoth does," Jeanne continued to argue. "The man uses monster slave labor to work the mines he owns in Tanagar Canyon. He probably only funds you so you can create better workers for him."

"You don't give him enough credit," Fleur replied.

"If you're actually fond of this man, why did you not marry him rather than mothering a bastard with him?" Jeanne had asked her this many times, but she was never satisfied with the answer she received.

"Oh, so you hate him, but you want me to marry him?" Fleur countered with a smirk.

"That's not what I-" Jeanne was interrupted by a tug on her gown. She looked to her side and saw a young Bokoblin staring up at her. Lifting its arm, it held up a small tea cake from one of the tables, offering it to her. Jeanne flinched, pulling away from the little monster.

Fleur laughed. "Aw, is the big, brave knight scared of a little child?" The bespectacled woman stepped forward, took the cake from the Bokoblin's hand, and bit off half of it. She then put the remaining half to her sister's lips, pushing it in. Jeanne reluctantly consumed it. "Thanks, little guy," Fleur said after swallowing, bending forward to pat the young monster on the head. "Can you say, 'You're welcome'?"

The Bokoblin smiled. "You're… welcome," he said, the words not coming easily to him. Without waiting for Jeanne's response, he shuffled off to go join some of the other monster children.

Jeanne raised her eyebrows, somewhat amazed by what she'd just witnessed.

"See?" Fleur asked, elbowing her sister in the side. "Not such a little monster after all, is he?"

The knight huffed. "This changes nothing," she said. "Even if you manage to socialize a handful of these creatures, that will do nothing to change the rest of them out in the wilds."

"Patience, big sister," Fleur replied. "Nayru did not have us building cities in a day."

Jeanne considered her sister's words for a minute, watching as a young, fat little Pigblin child rolled a ball back and forth with a Bugblin. "None of this matters right now," she said eventually. "I need to get back to the capital and find Seraphina."

"Okay, okay," Fleur relented, wrapping an arm around her sister. "Just thought I'd show you a bit of my life's work, eh? But fine. Let's go back upstairs and get your stuff."

Despite Fleur claiming she would take her directly to where her belongings had been stored, Jeanne's sister continued to give her a tour along the way. They briefly stopped by several other rooms in which various experiments were taking place, much of which Jeanne walked away from with little understanding. On one of these visits, Fleur pushed a door open to reveal the Grand Alchemist. The elderly Sheikah man was hunched over a table, carefully operating some small metal instruments as he dissected a strange, unrecognizable creature. A sort of glass separator had been placed between him and the area of the room where they'd entered, but they could see him through it clearly.

"Naldor!" Fleur greeted her boss enthusiastically. "Look who has returned to the world of the living."

"Miss Felltom, what have I told you about raising the dead without my permission?" the old man replied in a raspy voice.

Fleur chuckled. "No, no. Look! My sister, the Crimson Angel!"

"Hm?" Naldor placed his instruments on the table beside the dead thing and turned around. He was wearing some strange headgear that held a series of magnifying glasses over his spectacles. The device apparently made it harder to see them clearly, as he raised it out of the way. "Oh, yes, I see. Splendid," he said. "Please stay on that side of the glass."

"It is a pleasure to see you again, Grand Alchemist," Jeanne greeted him. She did not know Naldor very well, but he often visited the castle for Grand Council meetings and the like.

"You as well," he said, turning back to his work.

"Jeanne wants to return to the castle," Fleur explained. "I'm gonna call one of the ferries for her."

"Go right ahead, Miss Felltom."

"Perfect. Bye!" Fleur put her arm around her sister and led her back out of the room.

"What was he doing in there?" Jeanne asked out of curiosity.

"Hm? Dunno. Probably one of his personal experiments," Fleur replied. "But nevermind that. Let's get you your gear."

Before continuing with their task, Fleur briefly led her sister outdoors where they spoke with the harbormaster about getting a ride back to the castle.

With a ship chartered for them, Fleur next took Jeanne to a sort of storage room. It was merely a long, rectangular room loaded with chests and lockboxes, most of which looked as though they haven't been touched in years.

"Alright, here we go," Fleur said, kneeling down and undoing the lock on one of the larger chests. "Ta-da! Here's everything you came here with," she said, standing back up and gesturing into the chest.

Peering inside, Jeanne saw her armor and her clothing, as well as her carrying bags. "My weapon?" Jeanne asked.

Fleur shrugged. "Wasn't with you when you came here."

"Curses," Jeanne muttered. "I hope it was not lost in the fighting." There were always looters after a disastrous battle, and her halberd was worth a substantial amount of rupees.

At least my armor was secured.

Fleur stepped behind her sister and helped her remove her hospital gown. "You sure you're okay to head back, sister?" she asked upon seeing the scars on Jeanne's body once again.

"I cannot delay any longer," the knight asserted. "I must begin searching for the princess, whether I am ready to or not."

Fleur chuckled. "You've got a real one-track mind, you know."

"If you cared at all about your daughter, you would understand," Jeane said as she pulled on her clothing.

Fleur took a step back and crossed her arms. "Oh, so I don't care about Mina at all now, huh? Just because I don't hunt her down the moment she leaves my sight for more than five seconds?"

"No, but you could stand to hunt her down in less than five years." Jeanne lifted her armor and put it on, beginning to tighten the straps.

Fleur huffed, but stepped forward to help her. "I see her way more often than that," she asserted, tugging on one of Jeanne's straps too hard.

"Agh!" Jeanne complained, slapping her sister's hand away so she could fix the strap. "Let me guess - you see her as often as she visits you, but you never visit her."

"What difference does it make where I see her?" Fleur countered, moving on to attaching Jeanne's arm guards.

"It makes quite a bit of difference," Jeanne said conclusively. "She needs to know you're looking out for her. She needs guidance. Do you even know what kind of person she is? What she chooses to spend her time doing?"

"Of course I do!" Fleur said with a laugh. "She's a lot of fun. You could stand to learn a thing or about that, sister."

"She spends her evenings drinking, gambling, and whoring her way through the city," Jeanne said contemptuously.

"Like I said - fun." Fleur smiled a devilish grin.

Jeanne huffed, placing her helmet upon her head. Her armor felt heavier than usual. Her body was still weak and in pain, and adding the extra pounds of steel did not make things easier for her. "Forget it," she said. "Take me back to the docks."

"Very well." Fleur bowed exaggeratedly, gesturing out of the room. "Right this way, dame knight."

As they walked back through the Royal Laboratory again, Jeanne was already planning how she would begin her search for Princess Seraphina. No one in Hyrule knew Seraphina better than her. She knew where she would go to hide, who she would go to for help, and what things scared her enough for her to avoid them. But, as she thought about Seraphina, she also began to think about her niece. Had Mina gone to the capital with her father? Or was she in some sort of conflict with the Rito now? Did Fleur know where she was?

When they arrived back at the docks, the ferry they'd requested had been prepared for them. It was not as big as a sea vessel, but it was large enough for transporting people and supplies the short distance between the laboratory and the capital. By the looks of it, the crew was ready to go, and there were even a few guards standing on the docks waiting to join them.

"Well, here we are," Fleur said, gesturing to the boat. "These guys will take you back home."

Upon seeing them up close, Jeanne could see three of the guards were young Hylian men and one was a Sheikah. All of them looked fairly inexperienced, but they all saluted her respectfully when she approached them. "Thank you for joining me, gentlemen," Jeanne told them. "Our journey will be short and safe, but I appreciate your assistance all the same. Please climb aboard the ship. I will join you shortly."

"Yes, dame."

Jeanne nodded as they walked up the gangplank onto the ferry.

"So. I guess this is goodbye," Fleur said with a smile. "Good luck on your search, sister."

The knight stood where she was for a moment, trying to think of what to say. It had been some time since she'd last seen her sister, and she did not know when she might see her again. In their short time there together, she had said some awful things, even after Fleur had healed her wounds.

I cannot leave her on a sour note like this.

"Fleur… Thank you for taking care of me," she said. "And I'm sorry for the things I said about you. I think what you're doing here is very noble work, and I wish you the best of luck with it."

Her sister looked taken aback, but happy to hear those words. "Well, look at you coming around like that!" she said, tapping the back of her hand against Jeanne's shoulder guard. "That's mighty kind of you to say, thanks."

"You're welcome," Jeanne said, smiling weakly. "And, you know, before you go off into the Outer Continent again or something, why don't you come visit the castle with Mina sometime? Seraphina would love to get to know you both. And I think Mina could really use someone like you in her life more."

Fleur chuckled and ran a hand through her hair bashfully. "Someone like me, huh?" she said with a smirk.

"Yes, believe it or not."

Fleur laughed. "Okay, you win. I'll tell Mina to come by the lab sometime, and we'll visit you, too. After you get things sorted out with Seraphina, of course."

Jeanne nodded. "Good. I look forward to seeing you again soon." She held out her hand for a handshake, but Fleur stepped forward and embraced her instead.

"Love ya, sister," Fleur said.

Jeanne hugged her back. "I love you too, little sister. Goodbye for now."

The journey back to Hyrule Castle was thankfully fairly short. After crossing the larger part of the Regencia River, from there it was only a matter of sailing around the moat to the docks on the north end of the island on which the castle was built. Jeanne spent most of the journey sleeping below deck, still recovering from her injuries. When she woke up, she was feeling refreshed. The Grand Alchemist's healing elixir seemed to have worked its magic. She would likely still have several new scars, but the wounds had closed up long ago, and much of the pain had receded.

Upon disembarking from the ship, the very first thing Jeanne did was head straight for the Grand Protector's office. She was certain much had happened in her short absence, and the leader of the Royal Guard would be one of the best people she could talk to in order to learn more about their current situation, assuming Grand Protector Brigo was even still alive.

When she arrived outside of his office, she was greeted by two familiar faces. A couple of her fellow knights from the Royal Guard were on watch duty by the door, wearing gold-plated armor and holding similarly decorated spears.

At least some of us made it.

"Dame Jeanne?"

"Jeanne! You're okay!"

The red-haired knight smiled at their greetings. "Yes. I'm fine. I was in the care of my sister at the Royal Laboratory," she explained. However, as much as she wished she could get caught up with them, she had an important mission to focus on. "Is the Grand Protector available?"

"He's busy, but go in anyway," one of the royal guards told her. "He'll want to see you."

"Splendid. Thank you." Opening the door, she stepped inside.

Brigo glanced up from his desk with a look of irritation on his face upon being disturbed. However, his expression quickly turned to one of surprise and relief. "Dame Jeanne. Welcome back."

"Grand Protector," Jeanne replied, standing at attention.

Brigo gestured to the chair on the opposite side of his desk.

"I will not keep you long," she replied, taking a seat. "I have come to you with two pressing matters. Number one, we have traitors in our midst. I myself was attacked by Hyrulean soldiers who attempted to harm the princess, and before that, the king was attacked by some Sheikah who shadowstepped into the room. Number two, I must locate Princess Seraphina as soon as possible. Have you any idea of her whereabouts?"

Brigo nodded, not appearing at all surprised by this news. "Others have reported similar events that occurred on the night of the Blood Moon. There were many deaths at the hands of humans rather than monsters. A number of the guards and watchers are not accounted for, and a whole mess of other things are not adding up. This was a coordinated action of high treason."

"Have you any idea who was behind it all?" Jeanne asked, relieved to hear she would not have to fight in otder to get others to believe her.

"I have my suspicions, but in the absence of evidence, I would rather not share them until the Crown Princess returns," Brigo explained. "We will continue to investigate in the meantime."

"Princess Victorique is not back yet?" This was a bit surprising. After everything that had happened, Jeanne would've expected the eldest princess to return to the capital immediately. "Who is acting in her stead? Grand Minister Malkori?"

"Lord Remoth."

Jeanne tried not to let her displeasure show. "So he has not returned to the Ridgelands yet," she stated aloud before sighing under her breath. "I suppose I must speak with him next. But before I do, is there any news about Princess Seraphina?"

Brigo looked at her sympathetically. "I'm afraid not, dame. She was last seen in the cathedral, and it appears as though everyone inside was killed. However, she was not among the bodies we recovered, so we are operating under the assumption that she fled the city in fear."

Jeanne nodded. "I see. Then I will search for her myself. I trust that is agreeable, sir?" she asked, knowing her commanding officer would not stand in the way of her duty.

"Of course. Go and find your charge. I can spare a couple extra soldiers if you need them," Brigo agreed.

"That won't be necessary," Jeanne said, standing up. "I must speak with Lord Remoth before I go, so I will take my leave now. Good day, sir."

"Good day, Dame Jeanne. Unless he is in court, you will find Lord Remoth in the king's study," Brigo directed.

The king's study…

Jeanne was already disgusted by the situation, but realizing Lord Remoth was acting like he was king made it even worse. Nevertheless, she had questions for him, so she made her way through the castle up to one of the highest floors.

Rather than members of the Royal Guard, Lord Remoth appeared to be using his own knights as guards. Standing outside of the king's office were four men in gray armor and black cloaks bearing the sigil of House Remoth, all of whom had their faces concealed by their helmets. When she approached, two of them stepped in her way, crossing their spears.

"Halt. What business have you with the regent?"

"The regent…" Jeanne muttered. "I have urgent questions for Lord Remoth regarding my sister and his presence here."

"Sister?" one of the guards asked.

"This is Miss Felltom's sister," another guard informed the first, speaking in a hushed voice.

Jeanne wasn't sure if she should be relieved or unnerved that they were familiar with Fleur, but she hoped it would make them more likely to let her in.

The guards gestured to each other, silently arguing about what to do. "Wait here. I will ask the regent," one of them finally said.

"Thank you, sir knight," Jeanne replied, her tone voicing her displeasure. She waited silently with the other three guards. While she was waiting, she considered what she might do if she was told she could not see Lord Remoth at the moment. She could try going into the room anyway, but the guards would certainly stop her. She didn't have a weapon with her, and the matter was not worth fighting over anyway.

Perhaps it would do no harm to let the Grand Protector investigate Lord Remoth on his own…

However, the door to the king's study soon opened again, and the guard returned. "You may enter, dame knight."

"Splendid. Thank you," Jeanne said, relieved. Stepping past the guards, she went inside.

When she entered the room, Lord Remoth was sitting at the king's desk. Upon seeing her, he stood up. Something about the incredibly tall man standing to his full height caused Jeanne to instinctively take a step back, momentarily frightened. However, she quickly recovered and stepped forward again, clearing her throat. "Lord Remoth."

"Dame Jeanne. How nice to see you." He gestured to one of the guest chairs, and they both sat down. "How is Fleur?

"She is fine, but I am not here about my sister," Jeanne said, hoping to end that conversation before it made her angry.

Lord Remoth raised an eyebrow, but that was his only reaction that suggested he might not like Jeanne's tone. "I see. Then why are you here?"

"Firstly, I need to find Princess Seraphina," Jeanne explained. "The Royal Guard has not made any progress while I've been away. Have you any knowledge of her whereabouts?"

"None, I'm afraid," Lord Remoth replied. "Nothing more than what the Grand Protector and the Grand Watcher have informed me, at least. She was seen being led into the cathedral just before the massacre in which the Sage of Light was murdered, but her body was never found. I've had men searching the city for her nonstop."

Jeanne was a bit surprised to hear that. She would have expected Lord Remoth to assume the princess was killed in the massacre and leave it at that. "I appreciate your commitment to the Royal Family's well being."

"Of course. My first loyalty is always to the kingdom," Remoth said modestly, bowing his head slightly.

Jeanne narrowed her eyes. "Yes. Well, I suppose that brings me to my next question," she went on. "Why is it that you are here rather than in Hebra with Prince Lancel and Princess Sophitia?"

"Why am I here?" Lord Remoth repeated. "Is it not self-explanatory? The events of the Blood Moon were a disaster. The king is dead, our patron goddess and her sage are dead, the city is in ruin, and there are traitors hiding in our midst. With the other surviving members of the Royal Family off in different provinces, the City of Hyrule was in desperate need of leadership."

"Yes, but I am told you and your troops arrived to help during the disaster," Jeanne explained, pushing further. "You were the one who requested I be sent to the Royal Laboratory to be treated by my sister, were you not?"

"Of course." Lord Remoth did not seem at all bothered by the questions. "I had been bolstering our forces in Midoro until they were needed, as I was instructed by Prince Lancel and Princess Sophitia. I received orders to take my troops to Snowpeak, but on our way, we were made aware of the situation here in the city. I made a judgment call to prioritize the capital over Hebra. I'm certain the prince and princess will understand."

Jeanne furrowed her brow, thinking. She found it suspicious that Lord Remoth had happened to find himself in the position to take control of the castle like this, but with his expanded explanation, she was having trouble finding a concrete discrepancy in his timeline of events or a flaw in his reasoning. "I understand. Have you any idea when Princess Victorique will return for her coronation?"

"I'm afraid not," was his reply. "I have been in correspondence with her, but she does not wish to leave the southern front until the Gerudo rebellion has been quelled." As he spoke, he dug through some papers on his desk and held up a letter with Victorique's seal on it, which demonstrated clearly enough that he was indeed in contact with the queen-in-waiting.

"Very well," Jeanne said, standing up. "I must be going now." She considered leaving it at that, but she thought better of it. Even if she did not like this man, he was still a lord, and she was a knight. "I will leave the city in your capable hands, my lord," she said, bowing reluctantly.

Lord Remoth nodded. "Thank you for your kind words, dame knight. I wish you luck with finding Princess Seraphina alive and well."

When Jeanne opened the door to leave, the guards were still there, along with two other people. It appeared she had walked in on the middle of their conversation.

"There. See? I told you. You just needed to be patient," one of the guards said.

The two who had apparently been waiting their turn were Grand Minister Malkori and Grand Watcher Socicila. Malkori looked somewhat indignant, while Socicila stood silently beside him, most of his body covered by his robes and face wrappings.

"Well, I should hope Regent Remoth will avoid scheduling two meetings at the same time in the future," the Grand Minister said, adjusting his spectacles as he turned to Jeanne. "Good day to you, dame." He stepped aside, making a path for her to leave.

"Yes. Good day to you as well." Jeanne gave each of them a nod as she walked past them and headed back down the hall.

At least Remoth is taking his job seriously.

The late king had also met with his Grand Council members quite frequently, and due to their expert advice, he had been able to make well-informed decisions. Jeanne had been worried that Remoth would simply use his military might to rule with an iron fist while he sat upon the throne, but it appeared as though that weren't the case.

Perhaps Fleur had a point about him…

Jeanne shook her head. Lord Remoth was not relevant. All that mattered now was finding Seraphina.

After obtaining a new halberd from the armory, Dame Jeanne left the castle and crossed the bridge over the moat. The city was in worse shape than Jeanne had been expecting. As she walked to the cathedral, she saw collapsed buildings and ruined streets everywhere she went. The restoration effort was already underway, and everybody seemed hard at work making repairs. Nonetheless, the mood was dour. Every person Jeanne passed could have been mourning a friend or loved one they'd lost during the Blood Moon. It was enough to make her consider sticking around and helping out in the city instead, but the thought of Seraphina wandering around out there, alone and afraid, strengthened her resolve.

The Light Temple had seen better days, but at least it was still standing. Jeanne had been told a massacre had occurred there, with monsters slaughtering everyone inside after the demon had killed Laemora. The bodies had been removed, but the place was still a mess, and no service was being held. She had never seen the temple so empty.

With no one else around to interrupt her, Jeanne began her search, carefully examining every place she thought Seraphina may have hidden. However, after checking underneath every pew, behind the altar, and in the side rooms, she found no trace of the princess.

"Dammit," Jeanne muttered under her breath. Standing by the altar, she closed her eyes, trying to think. She'd played hide and seek with Seraphina many times when the princess was younger.

Where did she like to hide…

"The corner." Opening her eyes, Jeanne glanced around the room. There were statues placed at the near corners. "Perfect." She moved quickly, checking behind the one by the north wall.

Nothing.

Doubling back, Jeanne moved past the altar again to check the south side. When she looked behind the statue, she gasped. There was something shiny on the ground. She bent to pick it up, then held it up to examine it. What she'd found was a thin strip of gold. Most people would not be able to recognize what it was, but Jeanne had seen it many times. It was one of the pieces of jewelry that dangled from the top of Seraphina's dress.

"It's hers," she said aloud. "She was right here." Jeanne felt a sense of relief, but she reminded herself this was not yet proof that the princess was alive.

Okay. She was hiding right here. Where would she go next?

Jeanne stepped away from the statue and turned to the wall. Almost all of the stained glass windows that stretched nearly from floor to ceiling were shattered.

It would have been a short walk from here…

If Seraphina had been looking to escape the building from her hiding spot, going through the nearest broken window would have worked. So, Jeanne climbed out the window, stepping outside.

Okay. What next?

There were many places in the city that the princess loved to go to - the zoo, the big fountain, the garment district. There were also many safe and well-defended places aside from Hyrule Castle. With so many places to look, Jeanne wasn't sure where to start.

However, when she turned to the east, she realized something. She was very close to the city walls.

If the whole city was scary, she'd try to leave the city.

There were many pieces of the wall missing, likely having been destroyed by the demon or its monsters during the attack. Most of the holes were blocked by wooden barricades while the repairs were underway, but the young princess could have easily made it out beforehand. So, Jeanne made her way to the city's eastern gate and exited through it.

Jeanne was no ranger, and searching for the footprints of one person through a heavily trafficked area days after the fact was not easy. She would not be able to find the path Seraphina had taken so easily, so she just had to think like her again.

If she were fleeing from the city, she would not have a destination in mind. She would just run straight across the field.

Jeanne took a step forward, then sighed. She had no idea how far she would need to travel before she found her next clue, so before she left, she walked to the nearest stable and obtained a horse. Keeping an eye out for any signs of the princess, she rode straight east.

All I can do now is pray.

She knew she would have to get lucky. She had no real leads, and this was the only way she could think to look for Seraphina. Maybe she would find the princess hiding in the closest village in the direction she was going, or even just hiding beneath a bridge somewhere. If she found nothing this way, then she would be lost.

Jeanne rode for quite a long time. She eventually came to the bank of the Hylia River, and she'd still found no sign of the princess. Stopping for a moment, she stared down into the running water, trying to think. "Where would she go from here?" Jeanne asked aloud, still operating on the assumption that Seraphina had truly come this way at all.

The way she saw it, there were four possibilities. The princess could have turned back around, but if she'd done that, they would have found her already. She could have swam across the river, but that would bring her to the foot of the Crenel Hills, and Seraphina would know enough to stay away from monster territory, or at least Jeanne hoped that was the case. She could have traveled north and crossed Boneyard Bridge to Hyrule Forest Park, but that would have brought her closer to Hyrule Castle. The only option that made sense was to continue south along the bank of the river. So, that's what Jeanne did. She did not know what came next, but she would deal with that when she came to it.

As she rode her horse along the water's edge, Jeanne kept an eye on the riverbank, praying to find her lying there, just waiting for Jeanne to come rescue her. This continued for a while, and by the time Orsedd Bridge came into view, Jeanne was beginning to feel discouraged. However, the feeling did not last long.

Jeanne pulled on the reins of her horse when she spotted something on the bank of the river close to the bridge. She couldn't quite tell what it was, but anything out of the ordinary was to be taken as a clue as far as Jeanne was concerned. Dismounting from her horse, she climbed down the hill and approached what appeared to be a strange mass of brightly colored debris. Kneeling down, Jeanne picked up some of the debris in her gauntleted hand.

"Hair?" she said aloud in confusion. It was a big pile of hair on the ground, as if someone with long hair had cut it all off. As she had that thought, her eyes opened wide. "Seraphina!" She realized that the color of the discarded hair perfectly matched the young princess's lovely blonde hair.

This cannot be a coincidence.

Jeanne breathed a sigh of relief. Cutting her hair like this had to have been done intentionally. If her hair had been ripped out in a monster attack or something, the scene would have looked very differently. "She's alive. Thank you, Hylia." Jeanne made a Triforce symbol with her hands, giving a short prayer.

Standing up, Jeanne next asked herself where the princess could have gone from there. She glanced up at Orsedd Bridge. If she were to follow it, it would take her to a fork in the road, from which she could go north to Eldin or south to Lanayru.

Where would she go…

If the princess had gone towards Eldin, she could have continued on towards Akkala Citadel, where her brother and uncle were located. She could be safe there. However, that path took her through some dangerous territory. On the other hand, heading towards Lanayru could take her to Old Kakariko. The Sheikah capital was safe as well, but more importantly, she could continue from there to Hateno, where her aunt was located.

"Her aunt!" Jeanne said aloud. Celessa Kochi was Seraphina's aunt on her mother's side, and also Jeanne's previous liege. The last time they had spoken had been during the summit. Governor Kochi had told all of her nieces that they could always come to Hateno to be safe with her if war broke out. "That's where she must have gone." She was sure of it. The journey would be long, but perhaps the princess had stopped or gotten help along the way. All Jeanne had to do was follow the path from there to Hateno, and she would find her eventually.

Returning to her horse, Jeanne mounted up once more. "Fear not, little angel," Jeanne declared. "I will find you."