"You have my gratitude, Grand Treasurer," Sophitia said, curtsying before the dapper-looking Deku gentleman.

Grand Treasurer Loho put a branch-like hand to his chest and bowed deeply, responding with some low-toned trumpeting from his snout.

"Your contributions will most certainly be rewarded once this matter is resolved. Good day to you." The princess retrieved her ledger from the Scrub's desk and exited his office, followed closely by her retainer.

"You must be pretty proud of yourself," Liliana said, walking side by side down the hall with her princess. "With the extra funds you obtained, you could hire a mercenary army and conquer Hebra all on your own."

"Oh, do not exaggerate." Sophitia waved her hand dismissively. "Besides, I will require every rupee that was promised to me. An expedition to the sky is an expensive affair, no doubt."

"True. But that was some fine negotiating," Liliana continued with her praise. "From what I've heard, it's supposed to be easier to get a dragon to give up its treasure hoard than it is to get a rupee out of the Grand Treasurer."

Sophitia laughed haughtily. "I promised him the rupees would be repaid tenfold with the uncountable riches awaiting us in the lost city. It was not exactly a difficult feat."

"Are you being modest?" Liliana asked. "Because, say what you will, I know you planned this negotiation well ahead of time. You wouldn't have done that if you thought it would be easy."

Sophitia looked her retainer in the eye. "Liliana, amongst your siblings, who would you say is the smart one?"

"I am."

"Of course. I would expect nothing less. The recommendation you received is not handed out to everyone," the princess replied, wishing to pay her retainer a compliment of her own. "Now, among my siblings, who would you say is the smart one?"

"You are, my princess."

"I'd like to think so as well," Sophitia said. "However, on occasion, Lancel will accidentally remind me that he is actually the smart one. My conversation with him the other day was proof enough of that. He has clearly put more thought into this matter than I have, and the gods only know how many steps ahead of me he must be. If I am ever to be queen, I must outsmart him, no matter what it takes."

"You don't think working against him like that might actually be a detriment to you?" Liliana asked. "After all, alleviating the situation in Hebra is Prince Lancel's task as well. Would it not be better to simply work with him towards that goal?"

"I assure you, I have no intention of getting in my brother's way when it comes to helping the Hebra Province, and our success shall be a boon to us both. I merely need to ensure that it benefits me more."

The princess and her bodyguard reached the end of the hall and stepped outside. Sophitia stopped for a moment to admire the view they were afforded of the castle grounds, smiling to herself at the sight of it bustling with activity. Many parties would be departing over the next few days, heading out to different provinces throughout the kingdom. Everyone still had so much to do.

"What's next on your agenda, Princess?" Liliana asked, standing with one hand on her hip and the other on the hilt of her sword.

Sophitia hesitated. There was only one major stepping stone she still needed to lay down, but she'd been putting it off thus far. She did not expect it to be a pleasant experience. "I must speak with Lord Remoth at some point today."

Liliana looked almost shocked. "What business do you have with the Lord of Spikes?"

"By my father's orders, most of the reserve troops that will be prepared in the event of a war with Hebra or Gerudo will be from the Ridgelands," the princess explained. "I must ensure that I am on pleasant terms with their lord. The plan is still to avoid war altogether, but it would be best to have a contingency plan."

"Do you mean to take command of Lord Remoth's troops if war breaks out?" her retainer asked.

"I do not," Sophitia replied. "I am told he is quite the military strategist, so I would leave the command to him. I merely wish to have the ability to rein him in, if need be."

"Rein him in?" Liliana raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Do you know why they call him the Lord of Spikes?" the princess asked.

"Yes," Liliana replied, nodding grimly. "Even those of us from Ordona have heard the stories. The man is apparently quite fond of skewering his enemies."

"Precisely," Sophitia concurred. "The Lord Paramount of Hyrule Ridge is notoriously brutal when it comes to dealing with criminals and rebels. If he is to be at the head of my army, I must not let him taint my image. I will need to personally ensure that all war prisoners are treated fairly and all white flags are honored. Otherwise, after the war is over, the Rito and the Gerudo may continue to live in fear of us forever."

"Lord Remoth and the king would probably say that fear is what keeps them loyal in the first place," Liliana pointed out.

"Even my father prefers willing subjects," Sophitia countered. "And it was fear that pushed them to this point in the first place." The princess hesitated for a moment, Liliana's words causing her to think of something. "Is it fear that keeps you loyal to me, Liliana?"

"Of course not, Princess," her retainer replied. She held out a hand and rubbed her fingers together. "It's the rupees."

Sophitia chuckled. "Come now, my friend. I was being serious."

"Apologies, Princess." Liliana put a hand on Sophitia's shoulder. "You already know why I'm loyal to you. No need to get sentimental."

The princess smiled and nodded her head. "I see. Very well, then. Now, the question remains, how do I obtain the loyalty of the Lord of Spikes?"

"Why don't you ask your uncle?" Liliana suggested, pointing over the parapet. Further down on a lower level of the castle grounds, Sophitia's uncle Alchon was strolling past a group of soldiers, likely overseeing their training or distributing mobilization orders. Governor Vryciaro of Akkala was walking with him, along with her brother Percival. It was amusing how similar her brother and uncle looked from up high, despite the generational gap. They both wore armor and a cape, and they walked with the same dignified stride that made them seem like they owned the place.

"Hm. I am not sure how much help he would be," Sophitia replied. "He spends so much time in the east, I doubt he has much of a relationship with the western lords. Still, I haven't had the chance to speak with my uncle very much during his visit. Perhaps I shall chat with him anyway." Beckoning her retainer to follow, the princess descended the staircase down to the lower level.

Along the way, they passed by several soldiers, many of whom stood at attention or bowed to her as she walked by. She couldn't help but smile to herself.

"You have met my uncle before, yes?" Sophitia asked her bodyguard.

"Yes, briefly," Liliana replied. "A pleasant fellow. Reminds me of your father," she said with deadpan sarcasm.

Sophitia laughed haughtily. "Yes, many have said so. Perhaps it would be best to hold your tongue around him."

"I shall try, Princess."

When they approached Uncle Alchon and his party, Governor Vryciaro appeared to be engaged in some sort of argument. The Kokiri knight, whom the princess had seen a few times earlier, seemed to be angry about something.

"It doesn't matter the quantity if the quality is this wanting," the girl-knight said scathingly in her bossy preteen voice. "We cannot march back to Akkala with this lot. They will be the first to fall against the Earthquake Sage, and they'll only slow us down while siphoning our rations."

"Well, Dame Mila," Governor Vryciaro said in an uncertain voice, as if he weren't particularly prepared to argue with her. "You see, the king himself is allowing us to take command of these new recruits. I think it might be unwise to decline such a gift, and, well, the value of superior numbers is not to be underestimated."

"A gift?" Mila said indignantly. "The king gives all the veterans to Lord Remoth, and we're just supposed to be happy with whatever scraps he tosses us?" The Kokiri girl's fairy hovered beside her head, flapping its wings and jangling angrily, as if to back her up.

"Um, well, I see your point," the governor said. "But, you see-"

"Enough," General Alchon declared, the irritation in his voice perfectly evident. "My brother's word is law. Like it or not, we all must do our duty. Your lord has given you an order, dame. There will be no further questions."

"Tch..." The Kokiri glared at the general, and then at her lord. "Fine," she spat out. "But when these simpletons get themselves killed, I will not be held responsible." Turning to leave, Dame Mila waved a hand towards a subordinate standing near her. "Vanova, come."

"Yes, Dame Mila." As the diminutive knight stormed off, the taller young woman hurried to follow. Sophitia caught a brief glimpse of the side of the girl's head. She took notice of the rounded ears, visible amidst a swirl of cascading blonde hair. Intrigued, the princess turned to her own round-eared retainer to see if she had noticed. Liliana was staring at the girl, but gave no indication of her thoughts.

I wonder if she is from Ordona as well.

"I do apologize for her behavior," the Governor of Akkala said, addressing Alchon and Percival. He chuckled nervously, likely embarrassed by the distinct lack of respect his subordinates seemed to show him. "There's a reason why they call her a little devil, after all."

"And there's a reason why they call you a craven," Prince Percival said bluntly.

Vryciaro looked aghast. "My prince," the governor replied. "I was merely allowing my knight to speak her mind, and I-"

"Silence," General Alchon ordered. "We've wasted enough time already. Return to your duties, Governor. We must be prepared to leave in the morning."

"Very well, General." Governor Vryciaro bowed his head, then left, taking several of his purple-cloaked guards with him.

"Nephew, follow me," Alchon continued.

"Yes, Uncle." Percival stepped beside the general with Sir Onnick close behind him. Together, they began walking again, coming in Sophitia's direction.

"Good day to you, Uncle," the princess greeted him as they approached.

"Good day, child," he replied, breaking his stride only momentarily before continuing down the walkway. Her brother wordlessly acknowledged her with a curt nod, while his intimidating bodyguard gave her no acknowledgement.

"May I join you for a moment?" Sophitia asked, falling in line with her brother and uncle.

"By all means," General Alchon replied.

"I hear you have chosen to serve under Lancel," her brother said to her.

"I have chosen to work with Lancel, yes," the princess corrected. "He and I have a plan that will not only settle the unrest in Hebra, but provide an even greater boon for the kingdom as a whole," she said proudly.

"Hm," Percival grunted, sounding skeptical.

"I trust your preparations are coming along?" Alchon asked.

"Indeed, Uncle." Sophitia nodded. "We have our funding and rations secured, as well as assistance from various other parties necessary for our expedition to reclaim Skyloft. We have troops as well, although I suspect we will not be needing them."

"Do not get complacent," her uncle reminded her. "Everyone thinks they don't need a sword until they realize their enemy has one."

"Yes, of course," Sophitia said hurriedly. She shared a look with Liliana, who almost certainly wished to say something snarky. The princess shook her head to remind her retainer to hold her tongue. Turning back to Uncle Alchon, she decided she might as well do as Liliana had suggested and ask for advice. "While we're on the subject, Uncle, are you acquainted with Lord Remoth?"

Alchon nodded. "A good man. One of the most efficient lords in the kingdom. Were he in charge of Akkala instead of that oaf Vryciaro, the Earthquake Sage would never have been allowed to raise a rebellion like this."

Prince Percival nodded his approval as well.

Why am I not surprised?

"Well, seeing as though he will be reporting to me should negotiations go awry, might I ask you to share your wisdom?" Sophitia requested. "What must I know about working with such a man?"

"Lord Remoth does not tolerate insolence," her uncle replied. "Simply be decisive, straightforward, and above all else, competent. Do this, and you will earn his loyalty."

"And for Din's sake, keep Lancel away from him," Percival added. "Our dear brother's antics are likely to earn him a place on a spike."

Sophitia could not tell if Percival was joking or not. She half-smiled anyway. "Your wisdom is appreciated, Uncle, Brother."

"Good," General Alchon said. "Is there anything else?"

"Hm? No, that was all, Uncle."

"Then you ought to return to work," he said. "I am sure you have much left to do before you and your brother leave for Hebra."

Nice to see you too, Uncle.

"Indeed," the princess said, stopping at a split in the walkway to curtsy for him. "I shall take my leave now. Good luck with the rest of your preparations."

"And you as well," he replied, not breaking pace. He continued past her down the path with Percival and Sir Onnick. Sophitia watched them for a moment, then set off down the other path with Liliana.

"Such pleasant folk, your family," Liliana said dryly.

"Perhaps you should introduce me to your family someday," Sophitia replied.

"Gladly," Liliana said. "Just let me know when we have time for a vacation down to Ordona."

Sophitia laughed. "I shall try to find an opening in my calendar."

Now that her conversation with her uncle was over, the princess glanced up at the sky, trying to estimate the time of day by the position of the sun. "Well, after speaking with my uncle, perhaps having lunch with my aunt will be more pleasant," she suggested to her bodyguard.

"That sounds lovely, my princess," Liliana agreed.


After asking around for a short while, Sophita was informed that her aunt Celessa was in the garden. On the way there, the princess decided to give Liliana some details about her late mother's side of her family.

"My aunt is a talented sorceress, you see," Sophitia explained, walking alongside her retainer. "House Kochi is known for producing individuals with strong magical ability. That was why my mother was matched with my father, I believe. The Royal Family has a strong incentive to marry into other mage families."

"You have the blood of the Goddess in you," Liliana said. "Is that not enough magic already?"

"I am many, many generations removed from my divine ancestor," the princess replied. "My mother was supposedly more skilled in sorcery than my father. Not that he is weak, by any means. My siblings and I inherited quite a bit from them both."

"I thought Prince Lancel was the only one of you who wished to become a sorcerer," Liliana said questioningly.

Sophitia shrugged. "Lancel is the most experienced out of the five of us, perhaps. And he never carries a weapon. Victorique, Percival, and I all make use of both sorcery and conventional weaponry. Seraphina has shown no interest in learning to fight as of yet, but she is a better healer than any of us."

Liliana nodded understandingly. "She's still a kid. I didn't learn to fight until I came to the Academy. Although my brother taught me a few tips when I was younger, I suppose."

At the Hyrulean Royal Academy in the capital, children of nobles, as well as the recommendation students from the provinces, were taught swordsmanship and archery, among other things. Sophitia recalled that Liliana had struggled immensely with the sword at first, but she had put in many extra hours of training in order to catch up with the rest of the class.

I never would have believed I'd end up choosing her to be my protector.

"So Lancel's the best all around, and Seraphina's the best healer. Do you and your other siblings have a specialty?" Liliana asked curiously.

"Well, my elder sister specializes in defense, as do I, mostly with our barriers. Although Victorique is also quite fond of that magnesis technique she uses with her swords in combat," Sophitia explained further. "Percival, on the other hand, prefers offense. Have you ever witnessed his skill in pyromancy? He is trained in a technique in which he surrounds himself in a dome of fire - not unlike the protective light barriers I conjure - then expands it outwards, engulfing nearby opponents. Even Lancel was impressed by that one."

"Hm." Liliana smoothed her hair with a gloved hand, looking somewhat uncertain of herself. "Sorcery certainly seems like a complicated practice."

Sophitia glanced at the other girl's round ears. "Ah. My apologies. I did not mean to boast."

"Yes, you did."

The princess laughed haughtily. "Well, I am quite proud of my family, in truth."

When the two of them entered the garden, they found Sophitia's aunt Celessa seated at an outdoor table. She wore an elegant green dress, and all around her were servant girls with similarly colored clothing. Her attendant knights also wore green cloaks bearing the wingcrest sigil of House Kochi.

Sophitia's elder sister sat beside her aunt. Seeing them side by side, the resemblance was uncanny. If not for the extra years on Aunt Celessa, she would have been able to pass for Victorique's twin.

Dame Jeanne and Impa Ayako were also present alongside the other guards. Although they remained somewhat on alert, everyone in their party was gathered around to watch Princess Seraphina sing. While everyone else sat or stood around the table, Seraphina was standing in the grass, wearing a pretty white and green dress, serenading them with her beautiful voice.

Sophitia and Liliana stopped to watch and listen for a moment, not wanting to interrupt with their arrival. It made the princess smile to see her little sister like this. Even with the threat of war looming over them all, Seraphina seemed to be as happy and energetic as ever. She was still quite immature for her age, Sophitia thought, but she liked that about her little sister.

When the younger princess finished her song, her audience clapped for her. Seraphina laughed giddily, bouncing up and down on her feet, causing the many folds of her pretty dress to flap with the movement. As the clapping died down, she ran over to Aunt Celessa and threw her arms around her.

"You have a lovely voice, dear," Celessa said, smiling down at her warmly.

"Thanks, Auntie!" Seraphina quickly switched over to her elder sister, hugging her as well.

"A splendid performance, little sister," Victorique told her. Her tone was somewhat softer than normal, but still carried with it an air of earnestness.

"Splendid indeed, Seraphina," Sophitia added in agreement, approaching the party with her retainer in tow.

The young princess gasped excitedly at her sister's arrival, rushing over to hug her as well. "Thanks, Sophie!"

"Good day to you, young lady," her aunt greeted her. "Would you care to join us for tea?"

"That would be lovely, Aunt Celessa." Sophitia and Seraphina joined their sister and aunt at the garden table. The middle princess wanted to invite her retainer to join them as well, but her sisters did not invite theirs, so she did not either. Instead, their bodyguards stood behind them watchfully.

Aunt Celessa's serving girls gave each of the ladies at the table a cup of tea. Additionally, they brought out a selection of pastries and placed them in the center of the table. Seraphina immediately grabbed the closest sweets and began chowing down on them, while the other guests managed to be a bit more restrained.

"Have you been enjoying your stay here at the castle, Aunt Celessa?" Sophitia asked before taking a sip of her tea.

"Oh, it has been quite enjoyable," the governor replied. "Although I have been rather busy."

"I should think so," the middle princess said. "I suspect all the kingdom's governors have been working nonstop since the summit."

"Indeed." Aunt Celessa poked a piece of cake with her fork. "But it's no matter. My time here will be through soon enough."

"Aww," Princess Seraphina whined. "You're leaving?"

"Yes, tomorrow morning," their aunt replied.

"Will you be joining Percival and General Alchon in Akkala?" Victorique asked.

"Some of my bannermen will be sent north to assist them," the governor said. "But I shall be returning to Necluda. Any of you are welcome to join me, should you wish to be safe in this time of war. Especially you, young one," she said to Seraphina.

The youngest princess giggled. "Okay! I promise to come visit if something bad happens. But nothing will. Vicky will be there to protect me."

The eldest princess nodded. "I am glad you will be safe, Aunt Celessa." She then turned to Sophitia. "I am told you will be joining Lancel in Hebra."

"Indeed I will, Sister." Sophitia smiled proudly.

"Do you and your brother truly plan to travel up to the City in the Sky?" Aunt Celessa asked with a mixture of curiosity and incredulity.

Sophitia chuckled. "Yes, it sounds like madness, but we believe it can be done with the help of the Sage of Wind."

"The Hero of Twilight got there by shooting himself out of a cannon," Seraphina said.

That sounded fantastical to Sophitia, but she knew many of the Hero's deeds were likely exaggerated.

"He climbed inside of it, and it was like, boom!" The young princess threw her hands into the air as she shouted, accidentally knocking over her teacup as she did. "Oh! Oops."

"Please, Princess," Dame Jeanne said, stepping over to the table and grabbing a handkerchief. "You must be more careful. You do not wish to ruin such a pretty dress."

"Sorry, Jeanne," Seraphina apologized as her retainer began cleaning up the mess.

Sophitia turned her head away from the commotion. "And what about you, Sister?" she asked Victorique. "May I ask how you plan to alleviate the tension in the Gerudo Province?"

The elder princess took a sip of tea, then placed her cup on its saucer. "I believe the news from Gerudo is somewhat exaggerated," she said. "It is my understanding that the Gerudo people act this way periodically. Queen Urballa will request independence, which I must deny her. Then she will request the governorship, which I must also deny her. Then we shall find a compromise which grants the Gerudo slightly more autonomy, and the riots will cease for a time." Victorique spoke with such confidence, it was as if she were certain that these events would come to pass.

"I understand the current plan is to withhold the governorship from the Gerudo until Princess Sabah becomes their queen," Sophitia stated, remembering what had been said at the summit. "Do you expect the Gerudo might be given independence in another generation further down the line?"

"I think not," Victorique said. "If Nayru is willing, I should hope their people will come to respect their position as a part of our kingdom, just like the Gorons and the Zora."

"Agreed," Aunt Celessa said with a nod. "The goal should not be to divide our kingdom and return to the Era of Chaos. Maintaining the unity of Hyrule is of the utmost importance." House Kochi was one of Hyrule's oldest families, being able to trace its roots back to the Sky Era, just as the Royal Family could. It came as no surprise to Sophitia that her aunt held such a similar view on Hyrulean unity.

"Yes, that is for the best," Sophitia said. "That is what Lancel and I hope to achieve with the Rito as well." She did not wish for Hebra to split off from the kingdom. However, she did wish for the Rito Chieftain to be made governor of the province for the sake of fairness. She chose not to mention that. She wasn't sure if it would be considered a faux pas, given Victorique's position regarding the governorship of Gerudo.

I cannot look bad in front of her, or my aunt.

"I can't wait to see Sabah again," Seraphina said excitedly. The conversation was likely going over her head. Being only ten years old, the youngest princess had little understanding of politics. "When we get there, can I go seal sledding with her?"

Victorique smiled. "Of course, little sister," she said. Sophitia recalled that it had been Victorique's plan to use the friendship between Seraphina and the Gerudo princess in order to foster friendly relations between their peoples. She was likely willing to indulge her little sister's every whim, so long as it helped accomplish her goal in the end.

"Oi, princesses!" came a voice from the garden. Sophitia and the others turned their heads towards the source. Strolling towards them was a red-haired Hylian girl, with one hand waving at them and the other placed casually in the pocket of her violet overcoat. Sophitia immediately recognized her as Mina Remoth, daughter of Toren Remoth. She had met the other girl on the day of the summit. "What's going on?" she asked with an impudent smirk on her face as she got closer. "Ooh, sweets! Don't mind if I do."

Impa Ayako stepped in front of her, blocking her path. "Halt," she said sternly. "How dare you so rudely interrupt? You are in the presence of the Crown Princess and her family. Show some respect."

"Whoa, whoa!" Mina said, taking a step back and raising her hands disarmingly. "No need to get so offended, eh?"

"It's alright, Aya," Victorique said, waving off her bodyguard. "I am sure the young lady meant no disrespect."

"Tch." Ayako glared at the lord's daughter, but she stepped aside.

Mina smiled smugly at her, then took notice of Dame Jeanne. "Oi, Auntie! Didn't know you were here."

Sophitia raised an eyebrow, looking back and forth between the younger red-haired girl and the older red-haired knight. She had noticed the resemblance when she'd first met Mina, but she'd thought it was merely because of the similar hair colors. From the way Mina spoke to the knight, it appeared as if they were truly related. That raised a somewhat disconcerting question.

Is Dame Jeanne sister to the Lord of Spikes?

Seraphina's retainer sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose exasperatedly. After a moment, she gave a short bow to the princesses and the governor at the table. "I apologize for the interruption, my ladies." Then she turned back to her niece and stepped towards her. "Young lady, you are being quite rude. Please allow me to escort you back to your father, and-"

"I have already said it's alright," Victorique repeated.

"Yes," Aunt Celessa agreed. "Please allow the young lady to join us."

Dame Jeanne sighed again. "Very well." She grabbed a spare chair and pulled it over up to the table between Sophitia and Seraphina.

"Hey, alright!" Mina said triumphantly, taking her seat. "Ah, and good to see you again, Princess." Her hand tapped Sophitia twice on the shoulder as she sat down.

Sophitia reflexively held up a hand to signal to her bodyguard that it was alright, knowing that Liliana was probably about to grab the other girl's wrist. "Yes, it is good to see you again as well. I hope your stay in the castle has been comfortable."

"Oh, it's the best," Mina said, leaning forward to grab a plate and stack it full of pastries. "You royals really know how to live!" Sophitia noticed Impa glaring at Dame Jeanne, as if she was holding her responsible for her niece's mildly rude behavior.

"Jeanne's your auntie?" Seraphina asked curiously with a broad smile on her face.

"That she is," Mina confirmed.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" The young princess beamed at her retainer, who weakly smiled back. "My auntie's here too," she said, pointing to Governor Kochi.

"May I ask how you two are related?" Sophitia inquired, directing the question at both of the redheads. The possibility of one of the most pious knights in the kingdom being related to one of the most infamous lords was giving her an urgent need to obtain this information.

Mina Remoth bared her impish fangs. "She's my mum's sister," she said, pointing to Jeanne with her fork.

"Ah, I see."

So Dame Jeanne is not of the Remoth family after all.

Seraphina gasped excitedly. "You have a sister?" she asked, tilting her head up at her retainer. "Can I meet her? Can I?"

Dame Jeanne grimaced. "I would be honored to introduce you to my sister," she said. "If I had any idea where she was. Mina, where is your mother these days?"

The Remoth girl shrugged. "Hell if I know. It's been a few months since she was at the lab," she replied, chewing on a mouthful of sweets.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Dame Jeanne scolded her.

That's curious.

It sounded as though Mina's mother was not around very much. Additionally, Sophitia had never heard of Lord Remoth having a wife. What little information she had seemed to suggest that Mina might be a bastard. However, Mina had her father's family name, so he at least acknowledged her.

That seems oddly magnanimous for a man who is best known for impaling people on spikes.

"I, too, have not seen her in years," Aunt Celessa interjected. It came as no surprise that she knew something of the situation. Dame Jeanne had begun her career as a squire in service to a knight of House Kochi. She'd come to the capital with Sophitia's mother, Lady Elincia, more than twenty years ago when she was engaged to marry King Tychon. Jeanne's sister had likely been from Necluda originally as well.

However, as curious as Sophitia was about this matter, she decided it would be rude to pry any further. Besides, it was Mina's father she was truly interested in. If she was looking to build a friendship with the Lord of Spikes, perhaps the safest way to do so would be to build a friendship with his daughter first.

"You know, Mina," Sophitia spoke. "My brother and I will be traveling through your father's territory soon. Will you be accompanying us?"

"Yep!" the impish girl confirmed. "Wish I could've stayed here a bit longer, though. This city's a lot more fun than mine, especially at night."

"Truly? I have never been to Midoro," the middle princess said. "Is it so different from here?"

Mina chuckled. "My city's built on a swamp, Princess. Trust me, you wouldn't like it. Why do you think I come here so much?"

"Oh, do you come to the capital often, then?" Sophitia had not met the other girl until the summit. If she frequently visited the city, it was strange to think that they hadn't crossed paths before. But then again, there were more than half a million people in the city, Sophitia rarely left the castle grounds, and she was always accompanied by her guard detail when she did.

Mina shrugged. "Often enough. It's only a few days' ride from Midoro. Assuming the weather's nice, and there aren't any monsters on the road."

"You are lucky to live so close to the capital," Aunt Celessa said. "It takes much too long to travel between here and Hateno."

"Did you have much trouble with monsters on the way here, Aunt Celessa?" Victorique asked.

"Oh my, yes," she confirmed. "I swear, there are more Blins roaming about by the day. It's no wonder the people fear venturing out of their cities nowadays. You'd all best be careful when you travel to the other provinces."

"Fear not," Victorique assured her. "We will all be in very capable hands." She glanced up at Impa. The Sheikah woman smiled proudly, as did Dame Jeanne and Liliana.

Mina Remoth snapped her fingers. "That reminds me! That huge guy who's always with Prince Percival - is that guy really a Darknut?"

Several of the guards and servants hovering around the table giggled at her question. Sophitia, too, found it amusing. "No, my lady," the middle princess replied. "Sir Onnick merely dislikes removing his armor."

"And as tall as he is, he is much too short for a Darknut," Victorique pointed out.

"Ah, drat," Mina said, looking disappointed. "I've never seen a Darknut up close. I've only ever seen them at the Coliseum." Like the Gerudo, the Hylians had a coliseum of their own, located in Central Hyrule beside the Great Plateau. There, gladiators and monsters fought for the entertainment of thousands.

"Naturally, we would never trust a monster to protect a member of the Royal Family. As a rule, we do not allow monsters anywhere near the capital, and the walls are strongly warded to ensure this," Victorique explained. "That is why the Coliseum was built so far south, and why the Grand Alchemist's lab is in the Ridgelands on the other side of the castle moat."

The impish girl giggled, as if she were just now realizing how silly the rumor had been in hindsight. "Yeah, yeah, I figured. Never trust a monster, and all that. It would've been exciting, is all."


The conversation continued for a while longer as the noblewomen sipped their tea and enjoyed their pastries. Eventually, a servant approached the party and whispered something into Impa's ear. Impa nodded, then leaned over to whisper to Victorique.

"I see," the elder princess said, placing her teacup in its saucer. "My apologies, ladies, but I must be leaving now." Victorique stood up, smoothing out her dress as she did. "Aunt Celessa, it is always a pleasure," she said, bowing to the governor.

"The pleasure is all mine, dear."

"Lady Remoth," Victorique went on. "I hope you continue to enjoy our fair city."

"You know I will!" the impish girl said, raising her teacup as if making a toast.

"Sophitia, continue to work hard, but do not push yourself."

The middle princess was not sure how to take that advice. On the one hand, her elder sister was praising her for her hard work so far, but on the other hand, she seemed to be saying she was in over her head. She settled on smiling and nodding. "Thank you, Sister."

"Seraphina, would you mind coming with me?" Victorique asked the youngest princess.

"Okay." Easily complying with her sister's request, she hopped out of her chair and waved at everyone around the table. "Bye bye!"

Victorique and Ayako left the table, so Seraphina followed them.

Dame Jeanne moved to follow her charge, but spoke to her niece as she did. "Mina, I am glad to see you are well," she said. "Please do not get yourself into trouble while you're here."

Mina laughed heartily. "Fear not, Auntie. I shall be the very portrait of perfection."

Dame Jeanne rolled her eyes, but said nothing more as she hurried to catch up with Seraphina.

"I must be going as well, unfortunately," Aunt Celessa said. One of her green-cloaked attendant knights held out a hand for her to take as she stood up. "Good day to the both of you, young ladies."

"Have a good day, Aunt Celessa. Thank you for the lovely tea and delicious cake." Sophitia smiled as her aunt got up and left, bringing her retinue of attendants and knights with her.

Suddenly, only Sophitia, Liliana, and Mina were left at the table.

Perfect.

If ever there would be a seamless opportunity to speak with the young lady of Remoth, here it was.

"Liliana," Sophitia spoke. "I see a few seats have opened up. Why don't you join us?" she offered, gesturing to the seat beside her. "There is still plenty left of this delicious pastry. It would be a shame to let it go to waste."

"I cannot argue with your pragmatism, my princess," her bodyguard said as she sat down, quickly reaching for a bite to eat.

"My lady," Sophitia said to Mina. "This is my retainer, Liliana."

The Remoth girl smirked, raising an eyebrow skeptically. "I beg your pardon, Princess? This is the one you entrust your safety to?"

The princess furrowed her brow. "Why, yes. What of it?"

Mina laughed. "Well, no offense. It's just that your sisters have my aunt and that scary-looking Sheikah lady. Your brothers have one of the most famous knights alive and a man who can pass for a Darknut. Just seems like you got the short end of the stick, is all."

Sophitia glanced towards Liliana, who was looking on with half-lidded eyes.

"Princess," the Ordonian girl began in a monotone voice. "I am permitted to kill on castle grounds, correct?" she asked, sliding her sword a few inches out of its sheath.

"Now, now, Liliana," Sophitia said hurriedly, raising a hand to call her off. She couldn't always tell when her retainer was making a joke, but it was best to play it safe.

However, Mina laughed uproariously. "Ah, I see, I see. That's why you keep her around."

Sophitia smiled good-naturedly. "If you must know, I have a battalion of guards who escort me whenever I leave the castle grounds," she explained. "I am well aware of the shortcomings of having a bodyguard no older than myself, but I find it much easier to speak freely with her than with any of the veteran knights in the Royal Guard. However, I assure you, she is no slouch. Liliana can handle herself in a fight."

"I'd be glad to show you," Liliana added.

Mina grinned wickedly, baring her impish fangs. "Sounds like fun!" Placing her hands on the table, she stood up quickly, pushing her chair back as she did. The sudden movement caused Liliana to reflexively stand up as well, drawing her blade fully this time.

Sophitia waved her hand. A protective crystal barrier of blue light surrounded her in an instant. With another flick of her wrist, the barrier grew in size, forcing both the other girls to step back. "Ladies, please," she said. "If you wish to have a duel, you can do so later with proper training swords. Now please, have a seat." Trying to appear nonchalant, the princess took a sip of her tea, dissolving her magical barrier as she did.

Liliana did as her charge commanded. From the way she so easily returned to eating her sweets, it was clear to the princess that Liliana was not actually angry with the red-haired girl, nor did she consider her to be a serious threat.

Mina giggled. "Lighten up, Princess," she said, plopping back down into her chair. "Sometimes you just gotta let the fight happen." As if competing to appear the most laid-back, the lord's daughter put her feet up on the table and tilted her chair back.

Sophitia fought the urge to tell her to sit properly, as had been drilled into her head by her elder sister for as long as she could remember. Lancel often sat like that as well, annoying Sir Anselm to no end. "Well, I see no need for it presently," she said. "Nor am I often in situations that call for it."

"You don't visit the taverns in the city very often, do you?" Mina asked.

"Back when we were attending the Hyrulean Royal Academy, I tried taking the princess to a tavern once," Liliana recalled.

Mina's face lit up with interest. "Ooh-hoo-hoo!" she said, putting her feet down and letting the front legs of her chair come crashing back to the ground as she leaned forward. "Do tell."

"Ehh, I don't think there's any need for that story, Liliana," Sophitia said, chuckling nervously.

"Sure there is!" Mina insisted. "Come on, ya got me all curious. Even if it's boring, I still gotta hear it now."

Sophitia did not like where this was going, but her retainer gave her a look. The princess was able to interpret the look to mean 'Trust me. This will help you get on friendly terms with her.' Since that was her goal, she decided to relent, nodding her approval for Liliana to continue.

"It was about two years ago," Liliana began. "Some of the other recommendation students and I wanted to go out for some drinks, and the princess asked if she could join us."

"So a Zelda was just walking around in some tavern in the city?" Mina asked. "Didn't anyone recognize you?"

"I wore the same uniform as Liliana and the other girls," Sophitia explained. "And my elder sister was the only Zelda anyone would recognize back then."

Although, that is often still the case nowadays…

"You didn't bring your whole guard battalion with you just to go drinking, did you?" Mina asked.

Sophitia shook her head. "There was no need. Although I was always shadowed by a few of the Grand Watcher's agents, just to be safe."

"Yes. So Princess Sophitia came with us," Liliana continued. "Sometimes they would only serve us small ale at places like that, but we slipped the barmaid some extra rupees to make sure she brought us a round of strong ale instead."

"I like your style," Mina commented with a grin.

Sophitia chuckled.

And here I was worried the two of them wouldn't get along.

"The rest of us were somewhat used to it, but apparently the princess had never had alcohol before." Liliana's face did not change expression, but a side glance to Sophitia revealed she must have known her charge was dreading this.

Mina started laughing. "So I'm guessing she turned out to be a lightweight, eh?"

"Indeed," Liliana confirmed. "Her cheeks turned red after a couple sips. By the end of it, she was slurring every other word, and she kept begging us not to tell her elder sister."

"Alright, Liliana," the princess said, holding up a hand to her as the impish girl continued laughing. "I believe Lady Remoth gets the point." There was more to that story, but she had no interest in letting Liliana go any further. She tried to hide her embarrassment behind her usual posh demeanor, but her red face hid little.

I hope that was worth it.

"Don't worry, Princess," Mina said in between giggles. "Everyone makes an ass of themselves with their first drink."

Sophitia raised her eyebrows in surprise. Very few people would speak so freely and so crudely in front of a princess, let alone a highborn girl like her who should know better.

"So is she any better at holding her drinks now?" Mina asked Liliana.

"Oh, no, I have not partaken since," Sophitia responded, waving her hand dismissively. "It was unwise to do so at that age as it was."

"Aww, but you're a woman now!" the Remoth girl insisted. "And you're a princess. You can do whatever you want."

It was clear that Mina was used to living a rather hedonistic lifestyle, likely due to being the daughter of one of the most powerful lords in the kingdom. Thus, it came as no surprise that she expected the children of the king to live the same way.

"Her eldest brother is the only one in her family who drinks," Liliana stated. "Prince Lancel loves his wine."

"Oh, that won't do." The impish girl hopped to her feet. "Come on, Princess. We're going out into the city and finding someplace for you to cut loose."

"What?" Sophitia was scandalized by this development. She had hoped to simply have a nice chat with Lord Remoth's daughter. Now she was trying to get her involved in some sort of debauchery. She shot a stern look over to her retainer, letting Liliana know she felt it was her fault.

Liliana gave the princess no reaction. "I think that's a marvelous idea," she said.

"I, I, I can't just go to some tavern," Sophitia argued. "Not these days. Especially not when I'm about to embark on an important political mission. And I-"

"Nonsense!" Mina said, stepping closer to Sophitia and clapping her hand against her back. "What harm is there in having a little fun once in a while, eh?"

Liliana's face turned more serious for a moment, silently communicating to Sophitia with another knowing look. The princess thought she knew what she meant.

Befriend Mina, then befriend Lord Remoth.

After her embarrassment from Liliana recounting that old story, she had nearly forgotten she was on a mission. "Well, I suppose I could summon Captain Reede and have my guards escort us to someplace close by…"

"No, no, no, no, no," Mina said, wagging her finger rapidly in disapproval. "You can't bring your guards with you! How are you supposed to have fun like that?"

Liliana lowered her eyelids in unamusement, which Mina seemed to notice.

"Okay, fine. You can bring round-ears over here," she said, gesturing offhandedly to the other girl. "She's alright. But other than her, no guards."

Sophitia was not used to being told 'no' by anyone outside of her family, so it felt strange to have it said in such a brazen manner by this impudent girl. She also noted that she was yet to see Mina with any guards of her own. That was quite odd. Even on the castle grounds, most nobles kept at least one guard watching over their children at all times.

She seems the type to give her watchmen the slip. Perhaps Lord Remoth has realized by now that it is easier to simply leave her be…

Sophitia sighed. "Very well. I shall accompany you out into the city, with no guards other than my personal retainer," she relented.

It makes no difference. I'll be tailed by the Grand Watcher's agents the moment they see me depart through the castle gates without an escort.

"But I can assure you," she went on. "I have no intention of becoming inebriated."

Mina laughed. "Shall I take that as a challenge, Princess?"

"I'd greatly prefer it if you didn't," Sophitia replied, regretting her decision already. Then she cleared her throat and stood up. "Well, I suppose Liliana and I ought to go and change into more… suitable attire. We shall meet you by the gate." Her bodyguard stood up to join her.

"I look forward to it, Princess," the impish girl said, waving to them as they walked off.


Sophitia waited until they left the garden before speaking her mind. "This is a terrible idea," she said exasperatedly.

"I don't see why, my princess," Liliana said plainly. "I figured you would want to use her to get closer to her father."

"Very astute," Sophitia said as a compliment, although she said it with enough attitude that it hardly came off that way. "But there are better ways to make friends with a lord's daughter."

"This seems like the perfect way to make friends with that lord's daughter," Liliana pointed out. "Besides, what's the worst that could happen? Surely you have a stronger constitution than you did two years ago."

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Sophitia asked, noticing the glimmer of amusement in her retainer's eyes.

"Whatever do you mean, Princess?"

Sophitia rolled her eyes. "Let's just hurry and be done with it, I suppose."

The two of them walked all the way back to Sophitia's tower, passing by several castle guards and visiting nobles as they did. The princess gave them all the courtesies they were owed, but she kept things as brief as possible so as not to hinder them for too long.

"Have you really not been outside of the castle without a full escort since we graduated?" Liliana asked as they climbed the stairs up to the princess's bedchambers.

"Indeed. You should know that better than anyone," Sophitia replied. "You go everywhere I go."

"Not when I am ill or injured, or on the rare occasion when you give me the day off," her retainer said.

"I suppose," the princess conceded. "But yes, that is the way of it. Ever since I decided to become more involved with the kingdom's politics, I have preferred to be somewhat more conspicuous so that the citizenry might know me as they know my elder sister. Traveling incognito and escorted by hidden Sheikah agents would not be conducive to my strategy."

"If you're looking to be noticed, you'd be better off imitating Prince Lancel," Liliana said, opening the bedroom door and holding it open for her princess.

Sophitia gave that a haughty laugh as she stepped past the door frame. "Yes, well, I suppose there's a certain type of attention I would rather avoid. Kind of like going to a tavern and imbibing alcoholic beverages."

"We are of age this time," Liliana pointed out, following her inside and shutting the door. "Your father doesn't particularly care about alcohol consumption anyway."

"The Sage of Light certainly does," Sophitia countered. "I know I'm not the most devout of my siblings, but the sage is a very important ally."

Liliana opened the princess's wardrobe. "For the record, I believe you're overthinking the situation," she said. "But either way, it would be best for you to dress down if we're going to a tavern."

"That's correct," Sophitia agreed. "No crown, no jewelry, nothing with a Triforce or any other symbol of my family on it. Nothing that could cause me to be recognized. Nothing fancy at all."

"Everything you own is fancy," her retainer argued, digging through the clothes hanging in her wardrobe.

"Fair point. Then I suppose anything that's not a dress will do." The princess removed her tiara and let her hair down, placing her accessories on her desk.

"Your riding outfit then." Liliana pulled out the black breeches and light blue bodice the princess often wore for horseback riding, fencing, and other athletic activities.

"That will do," Sophitia said. "Leave it on the bed. I can dress myself. Go down to your chambers and get changed as well." Even if she were dressed down, she would still be easily recognizable if she were accompanied by someone dressed in the uniform of the Royal Guard.

"Yes, Princess." Liliana did as she was commanded and left the room.

After dressing herself, Sophitia retrieved her rapier. She gave it a few practice flicks, enjoying the way it glowed brilliantly as it cut through the air.

Will this be too conspicuous?

The princess was hoping to keep her identity concealed, or to avoid drawing a great deal of attention to herself, at least. There was no denying that her weapon of choice was gaudy, but that would not be a problem if she kept it sheathed. However, having a weapon at all might be a problem.

A few moments later, Liliana reentered the room, dressed in an unassuming grey tunic and red trousers. Sophitia noted she still wore her sword at her side.

"Do ordinary girls our age carry weapons?" Sophitia asked, having the unpleasant realization of how little she knew about commonfolk. She sheathed her rapier and posed in front of her floor-length mirror, trying to gage if it would draw attention.

"They do when traveling alone at night," Liliana replied. "And almost all travelers carry weapons if they're old enough to wield them."

Sophitia figured that made sense. Whenever she left the city, she was accompanied by a grand escort to protect her from monsters and bandits. Most other people would have to fend for themselves, unless they could hire mercenaries or adventurers to accompany them.

"Here. I've got an idea." Liliana walked over to the princess's wardrobe once again and returned with a dark grey hooded cloak. She threw it over Sophitia's shoulders and fastened the clasp in the front. The cloak was not long, just barely reaching past her waist, making it look almost like a cape. "There," Liliana said, putting the hood up over her charge's head.

The princess felt the edges of the hood with her hands. "I don't understand."

Liliana stood beside her in front of the mirror. "When people see us, they won't see a princess, a bodyguard, and a lord's daughter. They'll see three young adventurers stopping by the local tavern," she explained, posing with her hand on the hilt of her sword.

Sophitia mimicked her actions, placing her hand over the hilt of her rapier. She had to admit, the two of them gave off a much different impression than they usually did. "Shall we be lending a weapon to the lady of Remoth?" she asked, wondering if that would be necessary to complete the illusion.

"She carries daggers," Liliana stated.

"What? Does she?"

"Concealed in her coat. I am your bodyguard, my princess. I notice these things."

Sophitia laughed. "I'm glad to hear my rupees are well spent indeed."

Liliana nodded, almost proudly. "Now then. If we are suitably prepared, I believe we have a date with the Young Lady of Spikes."