Sophitia and her retainer left the tent and began making their rounds through the camp, distributing orders to the princess's troops as necessary. The princess also saw fit to inform Lancel's and Koridai's soldiers that they would be retreating to the sky lift if the battle turned south. From their reactions, it was clear Lancel had been treating the situation as if retreat were not an option. That was no surprise, given that the prince believed the City in the Sky held immeasurable value.
"How do you intend to convince Chief Revalco not to fight us?" Liliana asked on their way to meet with Lancel. "He's already slaughtered the Grand Archivist and the other Hylians who were with him. It didn't sound like he was in the mood for negotiation."
"I doubt Revalco will attack us without at least sending someone to parley with us first," Sophitia replied confidently. "I'll merely explain to him what truly transpired. And the fact that the Sage of Wind has been in our company without any harm coming to her should be proof enough that we are of no threat to the Rito."
Liliana sighed.
"What?"
"Revalco will almost certainly not send anyone to parley with you," she explained. "That's a very Hyrulean way of thinking, and Revalco does not see himself as a Hyrulean."
Sophitia stopped walking and put a hand to her chin thoughtfully. "I see. I suppose that makes sense. But then, that would mean-"
The princess was interrupted by the sound of a warhorn coming from the buildings to the east. Up on the rooftops, she saw a Rito had landed, driving his spear threw the chest of one of the guards. The Rito was quickly dispatched by an arrow, but two more Rito arrived soon after to take his place.
Then, there was another warhorn, coming from a tower to the west. Then another to the north. Soon, the whole camp erupted into chaos.
"We're under attack!"
"Bows skyward!"
"To arms!"
"For Hyrule!"
"Princess." Liliana put an arm around her, drawing her blade. "We must get you to safety. We'll fall back to the sky lift and prepare for our retreat."
"No!" Sophitia denied. "We must find the sage first. The lift is useless without her."
"Right," her bodyguard agreed, quickly darting her head around. "Do you see her?"
Through the throng of Hylian soldiers rushing past them, Sophitia spotted one of the sage's shamans poking his head out of one of the tents. "She might be in there."
"Right." As they made their way over to the Rito's tent, Liliana tilted her head skyward. "Arrows!" she shouted.
Sophitia raised her hand, summoning her barrier. Four or five arrows broke against it with enough force to put some small cracks in the glowing crystal.
Oh gods. Had I been a second too slow…
Alarmed, the princess glanced around her, checking if any enemies were close by. "Look!" The princess pointed to a group of Hylian soldiers doing battle with some of the invading Rito. "They're fighting over there."
"Yes. That's their job," Liliana replied blankly, tugging Sophitia along.
"We have to help."
"We are helping, Princess. Remember?"
Sophitia looked her retainer in the eyes, then looked down at her own hands. They were shaking. She was hyperventilating, too. Between the danger she was in and the sight of her allies being killed all around her so suddenly, she was having a difficult time thinking clearly. "R-Right," she stuttered. "We must prioritize. Right?"
Liliana looked at her sympathetically, as if sensing what she was thinking. "Don't worry, Princess. We're gonna get you out of danger. Just come with me." The princess allowed herself to be dragged over to the Rito's tent, and the two of them stepped inside.
"Princess Sophitia," Sage Balla greeted her with fear in her voice. "Are you alright?" The sage and three other shamans were gathered in the tent. It was meant to house many more of them, but the rest had been sent to deliver messages across Hyrule.
"I'm fine," the princess replied. "Are any of you harmed?"
"No, we're okay," one of the shamans answered. "Revalco is here already?"
"I'm afraid so. Sage?" Sophitia held out her hand, still somewhat shaky. "You need to come with us. All of you do. We need to get to the sky lift so we can be prepared to escape."
"Sage, don't," another of the shamans interjected. "If we go with them, Revalco will kill us. Let's just return to the Wind Temple, like I said."
"Don't be a fool," Liliana said to the Rito man, her voice carrying a hint of disdain. "Revalco will kill you anyway for coming back here to warn us about him."
The shaman ruffled his feathers angrily, but made no counterpoint.
"Do not fear," Sage Balla said. "The winds are with us today. Zephos will protect us." She made a gesture of prayer with her wings, and her shamans followed suit. "We are with you, your highness."
"Very good." Sophitia moved to the entrance of the tent with Liliana and peeked outside. "We should move quickly." When they stepped outside, Sophitia erected her barrier again, surrounding the six of them with glowing blue light. It wasn't long before another hail of arrows began raining on them from the sky.
"Princess," Liliana warned.
"I can hold it," Sophitia insisted. Her barrier glowed as she put more focus into it, hoping to amplify its durability.
A few moments later, the sky lift at the other end of camp came into sight. But, before they could make it there, three Rito braves dropped down from the sky, armed with swords and spears.
"Out of our way," Liliana ordered them.
One of the braves squawked something, but the second one spoke in Hylian. "Return the sage to us. Now."
"We are not holding her," Sophitia explained. "She is with us by her own design."
"She speaks the truth," Balla said. "Please, friend, allow us to pass."
"Balla, you cannot trust these apes," the brave replied, undeterred and leveling his spear at them. "They keep you alive because you are useful to them. As soon as you are not, they'll kill you like they killed the High Chieftain. Please, come with us."
"That is a lie!" Sophitia objected. "We were not responsible for-"
"Enough!" one of the other braves shouted. He charged forward, slashing at Sophitia's barrier with his sword. "Come out and face us, you Hylian cowards!"
Sage Balla pushed her way past Sophitia and Liliana, drawing her baton from her robes. "I am sorry, friends." She chirped out a few words in her own tongue, presumably for the benefit of the brave who did not understand Hylian. Afterwards, she closed her eyes and began conducting.
"Sage?" Sophitia asked as she began to hear a heavenly chorus.
The feathers of the Rito braves began to flutter in the wind, and they each held up a wing to shield their face. "Sage, wait!" one of them called. "Don't!" A moment later, they were all swept up into the sky as easily as a fallen leaf in the wind.
"Wow," Liliana said, clearly impressed.
"Thank you, Sage," Sophitia said. "I'm sorry you had to do that."
"It is alright. I did not harm them. I merely sent them to the other end of the city," Balla explained.
"I see. Well, let us keep moving."
Leading the way again, the princess and her retainer brought the Rito shamans to the sky lift. The windows were all shut, but the door was not locked, so they went inside. As she'd requested, a few of her guards were already there waiting for them.
"Your highness," one of the guards greeted her. "Are you harmed? Do we need to leave now?"
"No, I'm fine. We must not leave yet, either," Sophitia explained. "The battle is not yet lost, and my brother is still out there. We are to remain here for now."
"Yes, my princess."
Liliana stepped over to a window and peered outside.
"What do you see?" Sophitia asked her.
"Nothing," the round-eared girl replied. "I don't have a good view from here."
"Hm. No matter." The princess turned to her guards. "Have the others been reporting to you on the battle's progress?"
"No, Princess," the man replied. "But it has only just begun, and the soldiers have their orders."
Sophitia nodded, then went to lean against the wall next to her bodyguard.
"Are you alright?" Liliana asked her softly.
The princess tilted her head back and closed her eyes. She was successfully keeping her breathing steady, but she could feel her heart beating rapidly. This was not her first battle. She'd survived two large-scale monster attacks so far on this campaign, plus that run-in with the Skulltulas. But, for some reason, this felt much scarier. They were not fighting monsters at all this time; those were fellow Children of Nayru out there. Those Rito had been her friends the day before. It all felt so wrong. She could not even hope for victory, since casualties on either side seemed just as bad.
"I shall endure," Sophitia said simply, her father's 'show no weakness' teachings kicking in. She looked down when she felt Liliana's hand grab hers.
"I'm sorry things didn't go as you planned," the round-eared girl said.
Sophitia let out a soft sigh. "Well, few things do these days, it seems." Pulling her hand away from her bodyguard's, the princess stepped forward towards one of her guards. "I hate to send you into harm's way, but would you kindly locate my brother and report back to me?"
"Of course, your highness." The man bowed and exited the sky lift.
As she waited, Sophitia tried to consider all possible outcomes. The best case scenario would be for her brother to win the battle and capture Chief Revalco alive. From there, they could bring him to justice before the Chieftains' Council in Medoh, demonstrating Hyrule's willingness to show mercy to the kingdom's enemies and the Royal Family's willingness to work with the Rito Chieftains. Afterwards, they could return to the city with another expedition team and continue their work, coming out of the whole experience with both the city reclaimed and the bond between their peoples strengthened.
The next best scenario would be for her brother to win the battle, but with Revalco killed in the fight. They would have a lot of explaining to do when they next met with the Chieftains' Council, but they would be able to truthfully plead self-defense, and Sage Balla would be able to corroborate their claims. With two out of three of the Rito representatives on their expedition dead, tensions between Hyrule and the Rito would be higher, but they could find some way to work it out. Perhaps Sophitia could stay in Medoh to negotiate terms for instating the newly elected High Chieftain as the new governor of Hebra, if her father would ever agree to it. Lancel could stay in Skyloft and continue his work there, since it was apparently of higher importance to him.
If they lost the battle and Lancel retreated to the sky lift, they would simply flee. Currently, they were hovering somewhere above Hyrule Ridge. Once they returned to the surface, they would make their way to Midoro, where they would wait to hear the decision of the Chieftains' Council. Perhaps they would side against Revalco and negotiations could resume, or perhaps they would declare war.
The absolute worst case scenario would be for the same thing to occur, but with Lancel not surviving the battle. Sophitia did not wish to consider that possibility, but she recognized it.
When the soldier Sophitia had sent out finally returned, he knocked on the door asking to be let in. The princess nodded to Liliana, who opened the door for him. He was not injured, but he appeared haggard and out of breath.
"I am relieved to see you made it back to us, soldier. What news do you bring of the battle?" Sophitia asked.
The guard looked at her uncertainly for a moment, which worried her. "We are losing ground," he said. "The Rito have taken the surrounding buildings, and their archers are forcing our retreat."
"They are coming here?"
"Yes. The remainder of our forces are slowly coming this way, but they continue to engage the Rito in ground combat as well."
"And what of my brother?"
"The prince lives, commanding the troops from the rear. His sorcery may be the only thing keeping our fellow Hylians alive."
Sophitia breathed a sigh of relief. This was far from the ideal outcome, but at least Lancel was alive. "How many of our troops remain? Will they all be able to fit in here?"
The Hylian man glanced around him, judging the size of the sky lift's interior. "I believe they will, your highness."
The princess nodded. "Very good. Thank you for the report." The guard bowed and returned to his position with the others, while Sophitia went to stand by her retainer again.
"This will all be over soon, Princess," Liliana assured her.
"This battle, perhaps. But this is far from over," Sophitia replied. "It looks like I shall be visiting Mina Remoth in Midoro after all."
"It will be a joyous reunion," Liliana said, perhaps half-sarcastically. "I suppose another night of debauchery will be in order?"
"Many people celebrate their survival after a battle in much the same way. Why not us?" Sophitia smiled grimly. It may not have been the best time for jokes, but this kind of banter with her retainer seemed to help calm Sophitia's nerves.
Not much later, there was more frantic knocking on the sky lift doors. "Let us in! Let us in!" came several voices from outside. Sophitia's guards were quick to open the doors. Immediately, retreating Hylian soldiers began pushing their way inside, some of them dragging wounded along with them.
"Princess, it's time," Liliana stated.
"It is," Sophitia nodded, her heart beating fast, believing the enemy was right outside the doors. "Sage Balla! Prepare for departure!"
"I will, your highness." The Rito sage began chirping orders to her remaining shamans, and the four of them positioned themselves around the interior of the lift, squeezing past the Hylians in their way.
Sophitia took a headcount of the surviving troops, but after they stopped coming, she noticed Lancel was not with them. "Where is the prince?" she asked frantically. "Where is my brother?"
"He's outside, your highness," someone from within the crowd replied. Sophitia immediately headed for the door.
"Princess, wait," Liliana called, following after her.
When Sophitia stepped outside, she saw her brother was indeed there, along with Sir Anselm. Lancel stood with his back to her, his hand outstretched. He was clearly maintaining the massive, glowing, dome-shaped barrier that covered the entire sky life, separating them from the swarm of Rito just outside of it. There were dozens of them, armed with swords, spears, and bows. Some stood, while others flapped their wings, hovering in the air. In front of them all stood Chief Revalco, holding his ornately carved bow, nocking three arrows at once.
"I always knew you Hylians were cowards," Revalco said. Having just won the battle, the arrogance in his voice seemed even more potent than usual. "And not only that, you were stupid enough to start a fight you couldn't even finish. It's a wonder your kind ever conquered even a single acre of this continent."
"We did not start this fight, my falcon-headed friend," Lancel replied. "You've had the wool pulled over your eyes. You're just too bird-brained to realize it."
"I'm sorry, was that supposed to be Prince Lancel's famous wit?" Revalco stepped forward, his bow pointed downward but with the arrows still nocked and ready. "Perhaps something is being lost in the translation."
"Lancel!" Sophitia shouted, running forward to join her brother at his side.
"Ah, and the other schemer arrives," Revalco said, gesturing with his wing. "I'm glad you have all gathered in one place. It will make it so much easier to kill you."
"Chief Revalco, I am very sorry for everything that has transpired here today," Sophitia began. "But the man who killed Kanelo acted alone, I promise you that. We want justice for his murder just as much as you do. So please, there is no need for further bloodshed. Let us simply-"
"You truly expect me to believe that?" Revalco asked, ruffling his feathers. "Funny how, as soon as you're cornered, it was all someone else's fault. You people didn't seem so keen on talking when you were shooting us out of the sky."
"You struck first, chief," Lancel argued. "If you had wished to speak, you would have sent an envoy to discuss terms."
"No, you struck first," Revalco said angrily. "I may not have cared much for the High Chieftain, but Kanelo deserved better than to be stabbed in the back. I'm not going to let you people get away with yet another atrocity. Hebra will no longer tolerate Hyrulean tyranny. You will all pay for what you've done."
Lancel opened his mouth to respond, but Sophitia grabbed him by the arm. "No, brother. We should leave. No good can come of this." Her brother looked down at her. His face made it clear that he was strongly opposed to giving up control of the city to Revalco, but apparently he realized they no longer had any choice.
"You've made a grave miscalculation today, my feathered friend," Lancel said to Revalco. "Never let it be said that we did not give you a chance."
"How kind of you," Revalco said, raising his bow. "Now run along, little apes. Enjoy what little remains of your pathetic lives. I will find you again one day. That's a promise."
Without another word, Sophitia, Lancel, Liliana, and Sir Anselm turned around and entered the sky lift. "Sage Balla!" the princess called. "Take us down!"
"Yes, your highness." Raising her baton, the sage began to conduct, and her shamans followed along. Soon after, the winds began howling outside the lift. Sophitia grabbed the wall to keep from losing her balance when their stone transport lifted into the air. It moved horizontally until it went over the edge of the floating island, then it began moving downward.
The victorious cheers of Revalco and his braves could be heard fading into the distance. Luckily, their enemies did not pursue them. The sky lift descended slowly at first, moving at roughly the same rate at which it had ascended the day before. But then, something went wrong. Sophitia felt butterflies in her stomach as the lift began to drop, as if it was falling out of the sky. Some of the people on board began to scream.
"Balla!" the princess shouted. "What is happening?"
"I-I don't know!" she called back. She and the shamans seemed to be struggling.
They must not be strong enough to control the lift with these numbers.
Sophitia began to panic. Any minute, the sage could lose control completely. They would plummet back down to earth, and they would all die in the crash.
Hylia, please…
However, much sooner than expected, the sky lift came to a sudden stop. Sophitia and almost everyone else on board lost their balance, and many were painfully slammed against the ground. From outside, there was a loud crooooooak sound.
"What in Din's name just happened?" the princess asked, dusting herself off as Liliana helped her to her feet.
Lancel stood up and put his spectacles back on. "I believe I know the answer to that, Sister," he declared. Apparently somewhat injured, the prince limped over to the wall with a bright smile on his face, then opened the door. "Ah. Just as I suspected."
"What?" Sophitia asked, following him. When she stepped outside, her feet landed on a strange, squishy, white surface. Before she had time to question it, she looked up and saw the face of a giant frog looking down at her. "Ahh!" she shrieked, leaping backwards. However, after taking a moment to process the situation, she realized she was not looking at a monster, but a god. "L-Lord Zephos?"
"Yes. Hello there," the wind god replied, squinting down at them in confusion. "What are you doing on my belly?" Sitting up, Zephos waved his hand. A fluffy white cloud formed beneath the sky lift, raising it off of the god's belly and moving it back a few meters. Sophitia and Lancel were now looking straight into the face of the wind god.
"Sage Balla, come out here," Lancel said in a friendly manner, looking back inside the lift and waving her over.
Balla hurriedly joined them, getting down on her knees outside. "Lord Zephos," she said reverently. "You have our undying gratitude for rescuing us."
"Hmm?" The god squinted again, leaning his head forward. "Oh, it's you, Wind Waker. Nice work getting all the way up here, kid. How was your trip to the old sky city?"
Balla looked up from her groveling position. Obviously, the trip had been a disaster, but she didn't seem to want to give her Patron any bad news. "It was most lovely, my lord. We are truly blessed to have walked among the city of our ancestors."
"Well, that's nice," Zephos said. "Not sure why you all had to interrupt my nap, though."
"My apologies, O god of gentle winds. You see, we were just running away from a group of ne'er-do-wells intent on killing us," Prince Lancel replied, pointing upwards. "And as much as I'd love to stay and chat about the weather - which you've done a marvelous job with, by the way - we are a tad pressed for time. So, if you would be so kind as to give us a gentle nudge in the direction of Midoro, my good Patron?"
Sophitia's mouth was agape in horror.
Lancel! How could you be so uncouth as to speak to a god so casually?
However, Zephos did not seem to notice. "Hmm. Midoro? Which way is that?" he asked, turning his head from side to side as he glanced around.
Lancel walked to the edge of the cloud and pointed to the city in the swamp that was visible in the distance. "Right over there, you see. Just a bit north-northeast from here."
"Sure. No problem, kid," Zephos replied. "Alright. You all best get back in your little stone jar there. Good to see you again, Wind Waker. Don't forget to pray and all that."
"O-Of course, great one," Balla replied. "I am honored to have been in your presence once again."
The three of them went back inside the sky lift and shut the door. Through the windows, Sophitia could see the wind god lazily wave his hands, and all of a sudden, the lift began to move again. No longer were they falling, but instead being carried by like a leaf in a gentle breeze. Sophitia made the sign of the Triforce with her hands. She found Zephos to be quite different from the other gods she had met so far in her life, but she supposed he had earned a place in her prayers for a while.
Despite how smooth the flight was, the landing ended up being less than ideal. The sky lift crash landed in the swamp a few hundred meters from the Midoro city walls, and everyone on board had to climb out and wade through a pool of waist-deep water to get onto the road. Luckily, the town guard must have spotted them before they hit the ground. After walking for a short while, tired, hungry, bruised, and covered in mud, a group of riders in black came their way.
"Oh, thank the gods," Sophitia said, leaning against her bodyguard with her arm around the round-eared girl's shoulders. "Hello!" she called, raising her hand to wave at the approaching riders. "Help us, please!"
The men on horseback came to a stop in front of their party, looking down at them through slitted helmets. "What in blazes happened out here?" their leader asked. "It looked like a small building fell out of the sky."
"Yes, that was us," Lancel confirmed, stepping forward to the front of their group. "There is a most fascinating story behind the events that have transpired here today, and we would love to tell Lord Remoth all about it. Would you kindly take us to him posthaste?"
"Prince Lancel?" one of the riders said in surprise after recognizing him. The other riders exchanged looks, all of them apparently surprised by the sudden visit from a royal.
"Yes, of course, your highness. We'll take you straight to the castle," the lead rider said. "Get the prince on a horse! Now!"
"No," Sophitia said, stepping up next to her brother. "We have wounded. Get them on horseback first."
The lead rider looked to Lancel for confirmation, and he nodded his acceptance, making a casual gesture with his hand. "Right," the rider agreed. "Men, help their wounded onto your horses. At once."
The soldiers who had been wounded in the battle got to ride on horseback for the remainder of the trip. Lancel and Sophitia walked, which was a slow and uncomfortable process given the circumstances, but at least they were not being hunted by Ravalco's braves anymore.
"We're almost there, Princess," Liliana said to Sophitia, still helping her along as they approached the city gates. "Are you well?"
"They didn't recognize me," Sophitia said quietly.
"Beg your pardon?"
The princess sighed. "They recognized Lancel, but they didn't recognize me," she complained.
"Oh," Liliana replied. "Well. You aren't wearing one of your dresses. No one recognizes a princess without a dress, surely."
"If Victorique were here, they'd recognize her no matter what she wore." Liliana said nothing, and the princess looked her in the eye. "My apologies," Sophitia said, sighing once again. "I'm only bitter. Today did not go as planned."
"It's understandable, Princess," Liliana replied. "But today was not a complete failure. Everyone here today is alive because you chose to secure our escape rather than fight a losing battle. That has to count for something."
Sophitia smiled weakly. "It does. Thank you, Liliana."
"You're welcome."
When they reached the city, the massive wrought iron gate on the outer wall opened for them. Several dozen more town guards joined their escort, forming a protective perimeter around them as they escorted the prince and his companions through the city towards the castle.
Something Sophitia noticed immediately about the city of Midoro was that Mina Remoth was right - it was nowhere near as nice as the capital. Almost every building looked at least a little dilapidated. Sanitation seemed to be severely lacking, and the peasants walking through the streets appeared unwashed and sketchy. Even as more and more people took notice of their royal procession and began to gather around to watch, Sophitia did not feel welcome. Most of the glances she got made her feel uneasy or unsafe. She was glad to be surrounded by guards. If she hadn't been, she was almost certain someone would've tried to mug her, or worse.
The crowds stopped following them and began to disperse as they approached the castle. As they crossed the bridge over the moat filled with swamp water, it was obvious why no one wanted to follow them. The walls were adorned with severed heads on spikes - a gruesome reminder of Lord Remoth's brutal punishment methods. As the princess drew closer, she cast her eyes downward, feeling queasy at the sight of it. Liliana put her hand on Sophitia's head, as if to shield her from it.
"The sage should not be seeing this," Sophitia whispered, for once remembering Balla was only a child. "This is no place for one so young." She told herself that she would instruct Balla to fly back to the Wind Temple as soon as they had planned their next move. With any luck, she and her brother would be leaving just as quickly.
Past the gates, the riders dismounted and led them the rest of the way on foot. Heavily armored guards stood at the entrance to the castle, but they were allowed to pass. Once they were in the entrance hall, the knight in charge instructed them to wait. "I will return with Lord Remoth at once," he told them.
Sophitia took a moment to examine the large room they had endered. Just like outside, the architecture was bizarre. She had read somewhere that Midoro had not originally been built by Hylians, but she couldn't quite place the designs. However, despite the creepy feeling she got, she had to admit the place was nicely decorated. Whereas the city beyond the castle walls was filthy, the castle was immaculately clean. Lush red carpet led from the entrance to a pair of twin spiraling staircases, which led up to a balcony level overlooking the entrance hall. A large, ornate chandelier hung from the center of the ceiling, lighting the room along with several braziers affixed to the walls.
If the rest of the grounds are anything like this, Midoro might have the nicest castle I've seen apart from my own.
The princess did not have long to admire the interior, however. Soon, a large shadow fell over them. Sophitia looked upwards. Atop the balcony, the tall, imposing figure of Lord Remoth had appeared, dressed in his dark, flowing robes. The princess felt a chill up her spine, and almost everyone in their party took a step back upon spotting the dark figure.
Only Lancel and Sir Anselm appeared undeterred, stepping forward to greet their host. "Lord Remoth! A pleasure to see you again, my good man," Lancel said, ducking down into an exaggerated bow. "You have my profound gratitude for welcoming us into your home on such short notice, particularly with us being as drenched in swamp water as we are."
"Prince Lancel," Lord Remoth said. He spoke softly, yet his deep voice carried throughout the entrance hall with ease. "And Princess Sophitia. I did not expect to see you both again so soon. What an unexpected pleasure."
"The pleasure is all ours," Sophitia replied, taking her place at her brother's side and giving the lord paramount a bow as well. "Yet I am afraid we come bearing unfortunate news. Our expedition to the City in the Sky did not unfold as planned."
"That may be the understatement of the century, sweet sister," Lancel said in agreement. "Many have died, including Governor Koridai and High Chief Kanelo. If we wish to prevent the Hebra Province from falling into chaos, we must act with the utmost haste."
Lord Remoth waited patiently for the royal siblings to finish with their explanation. "I see," he said emotionlessly. "That is indeed quite the tragedy. We shall discuss this further once you have recuperated." Holding up his hand, Lord Remoth snapped his fingers. Several servants streamed into the room through the many entrances on the upper and lower floors of the entrance hall. "Have our guests bathed and fed. Send for me once they are ready." Without waiting for the prince or princess to respond, Lord Remoth turned around and exited the room.
Sophitia and Lancel exchanged a look as the servants approached them. "Well, I suppose we are in dire need of a good wash, wouldn't you say?" Lancel said, straining some swamp water out of his shirt.
"Yes, I suppose so." Sophitia knew they were in a hurry, but any diplomatic or strategic decision they could make would take time to implement. Besides, they had surely earned a brief moment of respite.
As the others were led away, a pair of pretty servant girls approached Sophitia, but before they could offer to escort her anywhere, they were interrupted by a voice from above. "Aw, wicked! It is you two."
Sophitia looked back up to the balcony. Leaning against the railing was Lord Remoth's daughter. "Mina?" the princess said.
To Sophitia's surprise, the redheaded girl hopped over the railing. She fell down to their level, landing on the floor in a crouched position, then sprung up to her feet. "Oi, oi, welcome to the swamp, ladies," she said, approaching Sophitia and Liliana with her arms open invitingly. She pulled them both into a hug, despite their current filthy state.
"Oh! Well, it's, uh, lovely to see you again as well, my friend," the princess said, awkwardly returning the hug. "Careful, I'm drenched in swamp water at the moment."
"That you are," Mina agreed, stepping back. She turned to one of the servants who was waiting patiently off to the side. "Oi, did one of the girls go on ahead to prepare my bath already?" she asked.
"Yes, my lady," the servant girl replied.
"Beautiful. You can take off now. I'll take the princess there myself," Mina insisted.
Her servant bowed, then exited the way she'd come in.
"Alright. Come along, Princess. You too, round-ears. Let's get you cleaned up before my father has you impaled for dripping all over his carpet." Flashing her toothy grin, Mina waved them along as she led them along.
Sophitia and Liliana followed the Remoth girl down a series of hallways, admiring the decor as they went. Lord Remoth must have had a penchant for paintings, since every wall they passed seemed to have several pieces of art mounted upon it. Many of the paintings were portraits of well-dressed individuals, likely ancestors of the Remoth family. Others depicted great battles throughout history, both against monsters and against other Children of Nayru. There were a few famous scenes that Sophitia recognized, such as Demise emerging through the Breach and igniting the first Demon War. Others were unknown to her. Some of it was much too macabre for Sophitia's tastes, but she supposed that was to be expected from a man like Toren Remoth.
"So, how're things?" Mina asked, glancing back at them as she bounded along, her feet brushing against the fine carpeting. "Heard anything from my aunt recently?"
"I'm afraid not," Sophitia said, shaking her head. She was curious about how her siblings were faring in Gerudo and Akkala, but there were much more pressing matters at hand. "And things did not go quite as planned in Skyloft."
"Ah. That's rough, sister. Things never go as planned, do they? Probably why I don't plan anything." Mina giggled, turning the corner and kicking a door open. "Behold!" she declared, gesturing inside.
Sophitia and Liliana followed her into the room. The spacious, immaculately clean washroom came as a surprise to the princess. Much of the space was occupied by a large, circular pool filled with pleasant, steaming water, like a hot spring. "It looks lovely," Sophitia commented. "I apologize for intruding."
"Not at all," Mina said, already undoing the buttons on her surcoat. "Now, come on. Throw off those soaked rags of yours and join me in the bath. You'll love it. The water's great, honest."
Sophitia shared a look with Liliana, but they both shrugged and complied. Mina practically dove into the water, landing with a splash and coming up with a giggle. Liliana stepped in after her, before taking Sophitia's hand to guide her down the slippery steps.
"Ahhh…" The hot water felt good on the princess's skin as she lowered herself in, letting her shoulders dip below the surface. Liliana joined in, sitting down next to her.
"Told you the water was nice," Mina said with a toothy grin. Standing up, she waded through the bath to the side across from Sophitia and Liliana. "So, what exactly happened up there?" she asked, vaguely pointing upwards.
"It might be best not to discuss that right now," Liliana told her. "The princess should be allowed to rest for a bit."
"No, no, it's quite alright," Sophitia insisted. "Mina is the daughter of our host. She has a right to be informed."
"Damn right," Mina affirmed. "Now go on, then. How much of a disaster was it really?"
The princess decided to give Mina the short version of it. She left out everything about Lancel's secret plans and the floating city's control mechanism, but she gave a brief summary of what had happened in Medoh, how Kanelo had been murdered, and the immediate aftermath that had led them to crash into the swamp outside of her home.
"Wow. That really was a disaster," Mina said, laughing heartily.
Liliana raised an eyebrow. "This is no laughing matter," she said plainly.
"Yes, yes, I suppose you're right." Mina choked back another giggle. "Although, Zephos sounds rather laidback for a Patron, eh? Lazing around on a big, fluffy cloud in the sky? Now there's a god I can pray to."
"Yes. Well. We would like to speak with your father as soon as possible," Sophitia informed Mina. "I do not believe we will need his armies quite yet, but it may be prudent to be prepared."
"Sure, sure. Father will do whatever you say, Princess. He is a loyal servant of the crown." Mina spoke plainly, but it was the impish grin that gave away her sarcasm. Staring Sophitia in the eyes, the red-haired girl brought her fingers to her chin. "Say, you said you still have no idea who killed Kanelo, yeah?"
"Yes," Liliana confirmed, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. "Why do you ask?"
"You brought quite a few of your guards here with you," Mina pointed out. "How do you know the killer isn't still here?"
"That is a possibility we have considered," Sophitia said with a nod. "The guards who were with my brother and I at the time are above suspicion, but we have some of House Koridai's troops with us now as well."
"You know, my father has the best interrogators in the world," Mina offered. "A few days down in the dungeons and Kanelo's killer will be writing his entire autobiography."
Sophitia was horrified by the implication, and apparently her shocked expression was enough to make Mina laugh once more. "I assure you, that will not be necessary," the princess insisted. "I will not submit the soldiers who fought bravely in our defense to any harm, especially when we do not know for sure whether the true culprit is among them or not."
Mina shrugged. "Suit yourself. But hey, if you wake up to someone running a sword through you in the middle of the night, don't come crying to me."
"She brings up a good point," Liliana said quietly. "We still don't know the killer's true allegiance or intentions. If he is hiding among the Koridai troops, he could be a danger to you, your brother, and especially Sage Balla."
"You think the killer just hates Rito?" Mina asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Could be," Liliana replied. "Not all people are fond of those who differ from them."
Perhaps it was because a round-eared human had been the one to say it, but something about that statement seemed to amuse Mina Remoth immensely. She smiled wide, baring her impish fangs, although she had the decency to not laugh. "Oh, I'm well aware of that," Mina said. "But not to worry. I've a feeling that won't be a problem for much longer."
"If only that were so," Sophitia said. "The goal of this expedition was to improve relations between the Hylians and the Rito, after all. Yet, I fear it has had the opposite effect." The princess sighed, laying her head back and sinking further into the water. "At this rate, I shall never be queen…"
"That's not true," Liliana assured her. "Nothing that happened up there was your fault, and you mustn't give up after one failure."
"Round-ears is right, you know," Mina agreed. "Plus, if you really wanna be queen, you could always just kill your siblings."
Sophitia and Liliana both shot her horrified looks.
"Oh, for Din's sake, I was joking!" Mina held up her hands in surrender, although she was laughing as she did.
All three of them focused on washing themselves for a couple minutes before Mina resumed the conversation. "So, if you're not gonna use my father's dungeon to find out who the killer was, how do you plan to find out?"
Sophitia thought about it for a moment. So far, the only suspects were her brother and the remaining Koridai troops. And for all she knew, the killer could already be dead. She planned to question her brother as soon as possible now that they were out of danger, which would hopefully allow her to eliminate him as a suspect. However, she did not know how to deal with the Koridai guards. "I'll have to keep them all together," she said, thinking aloud. "If I lose track of any of them, I may lose my chance."
"You could absorb them into your own guard, Princess," Liliana pointed out. "Our numbers have dwindled since the battle as it is."
"I can take command of them temporarily, but ultimately, their place is in Snowpeak," Sophitia said. "They have a duty to fulfill, and with Governor Koridai dead, they will have a new governor to protect soon."
"Pfft. If you were the new governor, would you want to be guarded by the guys who let the last governor die?" Mina asked.
"A fair point," Liliana conceded.
"But, besides," Mina went on. "If they need to return to Snowpeak, why don't you just go with them? My father will want to divide our forces to box in the Rito from both ends of Hebra. You could lead the northern division in Snowpeak and keep an eye on Koridai's men from there."
"Box in the Rito?" Liliana repeated questioningly, raising an eyebrow. "They can fly."
"True, but they still trade and transport supplies by cart. Plus, the main idea is to be in position to attack them on two fronts," the Remoth girl explained.
Sophitia was impressed. Not that anything she'd said was particularly complex, but Mina did not strike her as a tactician. "Is your father training you in battle strategy?"
Mina laughed. "He's trying. I've had to sit in on a lot of his boring council meetings. He's been planning for war with the Rito ever since we got back, so I know all his secret plans," she said, waggling her fingers mockingly.
Sophitia shared a look with Liliana. For a moment, she found it disconcerting that Toren Remoth had been planning for war, but she realized Mina must have meant he had been preparing just in case it became necessary, as they'd requested him to. "Well, I think it is a splendid idea. In Snowpeak, I will be able to broker the peace talks between the newly appointed Governor of Hebra and the newly elected Rito High Chieftain, so my presence there shall serve several useful functions." The princess stood up, stepping out of the bath. "I would like to take this idea to my brother and your father. Let us convene with the others straight away."
When they finally sat down to meet with Lord Remoth, it was at an extremely long, rectangular table, like the kind that would be found in a dining hall. However, it was the only furniture in the narrow room apart from the chairs. One wall was lined with windows, and the other with the same sort of paintings found throughout the castle, depicting noble lords or battle scenes with monsters and knights.
Lord Remoth sat on a throne at the far end of the table, with his daughter as his right hand. Lancel was seated at the other end, with Sophitia beside him. They were so far away from Lord Remoth, Sophitia thought they would have to shout in order to hold a discussion with him. Also joining them at the table was Sage Balla and several lesser nobles serving under Lord Remoth. An assortment of guards and servants stood throughout the room as well.
The meeting began with the royal siblings recounting the events of the last few days, including their arrival at the Wind Temple, their meeting with the Chieftains' Council in Medoh, the Aeralfos attack, their return to the Wind Temple, their ascent to the City in the Sky, the assassination of High Chieftain Kanelo, the aftermath, their retreat, and their encounter with Zephos. As expected, the only major detail that they chose to leave out was the fact that Lancel was currently in position of the supposed master key to Skyloft's control system.
Once they were finished, Lord Remoth sat quietly for a moment, his fingers steepled. He seemed to be contemplating the situation. Meanwhile, beside him, Mina looked bored out of her mind. She had already heard most of the story from Sophitia earlier, so she was mostly zoned out, leaning against the table with her hand against her cheek.
"It seems Hyrule is at war once again," Lord Remoth said eventually.
"Not necessarily," Sophitia said quickly. "Sage Balla has already sent word to the Chieftains' Council to tell them what really transpired. Chief Revalco will no doubt want war, but the other chieftains may not agree."
"Half the Chieftains' Council already agreed with Revalco before all of this occured, did they not?" Lord Remoth calmly pointed out. "With their leader and their greatest supporter of Hyrulean unity murdered by Hylian hands, enough of the others will go over to Revalco's side. We are likely to receive their declaration of independence within the day, and then it will be war."
Sophitia wanted to argue, but he was right. Things were going to get worse before they got better. "That may be. But that does not mean another Hyrulean occupation of Hebra will be necessary. I propose I go to Snowpeak. When I receive the decision of the Chieftains' Council, I will invite their new High Chieftain to sit down and discuss the matter. The Rito can still see reason, even Revalco. These are Children of Nayru we are talking about, not monsters."
Mina smirked at that, perhaps thinking the princess was being naive. Lord Remoth remained as emotionless as ever, but he seemed to find merit in what she was saying. "Very well. So long as the Rito do not attack first, it may be worth giving them one last chance to surrender before we take back the province."
Sophitia noticed Sage Balla shudder a bit at that statement. "Wise sage, will you be able to keep the peace at the Wind Temple?"
"Yes, your highness," the young Rito girl said. "Above all else, it is my desire to keep Hebra as peaceful as the gentle winds of Zephos."
"However, as I have said, these peace talks rely on the notion that the Rito will not attack first," Lord Remoth reiterated. "It would be prudent to have our armies in place so as to avoid losing control of our strategic positions in Hebra."
Sophitia sighed. "Brother, what do you think of this?"
"The only strategic position that should be of any concern at all is the City in the Sky," Lancel stated. "The Grand Archivist and I, before his untimely demise, calculated the floating city's trajectory based on historical data and weather patterns. It will turn south, pass over the Gerudo Highlands, then loop back around up through Hebra. After that, it will eventually pass right over the City of Hyrule itself. If they controlled it, the Rito would be able to drop an army out of the sky if they wanted to."
"The Rito only wish to secure the Hebra Province. They are not interested in conquering all of Hyrule," Sophitia pointed out.
"No, but we are," Lord Remoth replied. Mina smirked at that, but the statement made Sophitia feel queasy.
"This is not about conquest," she insisted. "It's about unity."
"Whatever the case, retaking Skyloft should be our priority," Lancel went on. "I shall return to the Wind Temple and commission more sky lifts from Grand Artisan Rodan. We must be ready to send an army up there when it passes by again."
"It is settled, then," Lord Remoth said plainly. "We shall divide our forces between Snowpeak and the Wind Temple. We will respond to any aggression in kind, but we shall hold off on an invasion while the princess pursues a diplomatic solution."
"Agreed," Sophitia said.
"I see no problem with that either," Lancel added. Then he clapped his hands together and smiled. "Well, that was easy. Now that that's settled, how about some wine?"
Mina snapped her fingers and pointed in Lancel's direction. "I second the motion."
"Hmm. Very well," Lord Remoth said reluctantly. He waved his hand and several servants hurried out of the room. "Now then, your highnesses, when are you planning to depart for your destinations? You are more than welcome to stay here in my castle for as long as you desire."
"You have our thanks," Sophitia said politely. "But I shall be departing first thing in the morning. Time is of the essence." That much was true, but she also did not wish to remain in the castle of the Lord of Spikes any longer than necessary.
"I intend to do the very same," Lancel said. "I am too eager to continue my work. I simply cannot wait a moment longer."
"Are you quite certain that is wise, Princess?" Lord Remoth asked. "The Blood Moon will rise the night after next, and it is at least a two-day journey from here to Snowpeak. With even the slightest delay, you risk being caught out in the wilds during the Blood Moon."
Sophitia dreaded the thought. She'd completely forgotten that the Blood Moon was coming up so soon. "I see. That is rather unfortunate timing."
"Yes, quite unfortunate indeed," Lord Remoth agreed. "Perhaps it would be best for you to remain-"
"Nah, you don't wanna stay here for another two days, Sophie," Mina interrupted, waving her hand dismissively. "The night life in Midoro is terrible, and all around us is nothing but dark, dank swamp. Besides, weren't you in a rush or something?"
Lord Remoth turned his head slowly to face his daughter. "It is rude to interrupt, child."
"Yeah, yeah." As Mina spoke, the servants returned. One placed a wine glass in front of her and filled it, and she eagerly snatched it up and took a sip.
Sophitia thought about her situation for a moment. As both she and Mina had said, time was of the essence. "I suppose you're right, Lady Mina. While I would love to stay, I am uncertain I can afford to delay myself for even two days."
Lord Remoth nodded his head while he swirled his wine. "Very well. I shall send a battalion of my soldiers to accompany you, but I will require a few more days to mobilize my armies. I shall join you some time after the Blood Moon."
"That is acceptable," Sophitia agreed, secretly happy about this news. She imagined the negotiations would go much more smoothly without a menacing army sitting on the Rito's doorstep.
The next morning, Sophitia woke up as early as she could. The night before, she had told her own troops and those of House Koridai to do the same. The sooner they finished their preparations, the sooner they could set out on their next journey. As Lord Remoth had pointed out, the Blood Moon would be occurring very soon, and the princess wanted to ensure they would make it to Snowpeak before then.
Once Sophitia was prepared, there was only one thing left to do before she departed. While her party left the castle to assemble by the eastern gate, the princess and her retainer made their way to the guest chambers where her brother had spent the night.
"Good morning, Sir Anselm," Sophitia said politely, greeting the old knight who was standing in front of the door.
"Good morning, Princess," he said in return, bowing his head slightly. "Did you sleep well?"
"I did, thank you. Would my brother happen to be inside?"
"Yes, he is," Sir Anselm replied, turning to the door. "In fact, he is already late," he said, raising his voice a little.
"I know, I know. You mustn't rush art, old friend," came a muffled reply through the door.
"May I go inside to speak with him?" Sophitia asked.
"Yes, she may," Lancel answered through the door.
Sir Anselm sighed and pushed the door open, gesturing inside.
"My thanks, sir knight," Sophitia said. She turned to Liliana. "Would you mind waiting outside, please?"
"Not at all, Princess. I love guard duty," her retainer replied dryly.
Sophitia merely smiled at her, then stepped inside and shut the door. She found her brother standing in front of an ornate, full length mirror, fiddling with the buttons on his shirt. "Good morning, Sister," he said kindly, not turning to face her, but looking at her reflection in the mirror. "Come to say your goodbyes to your beloved elder brother before we part ways for a time?"
"Yes," Sophitia replied, walking closer. "I plan to head straight east and cut through the hills beneath Lindor's Brow. We'll be off the road for a time, but the route is shorter, and I do not wish to pass through the Breach of Demise again."
"Smart girl," Lancel said, grabbing his overcoat from a hanger and slipping it on. "Similarly, I was planning to cut through the Seres Scablands to the southwest. We may get struck by lightning a few times, but it will save us nearly a day of travel."
Sophitia laughed haughtily. "That is quite the gamble."
"Well, you know me, Sister." Lancel turned to face her. "I wish you luck on your journey."
"Thank you." Sophitia's smile faded as she put on a more serious face. "But, before I depart, there is something important I must discuss with you."
"Oh?" the prince replied distractedly, still adjusting his wardrobe. "And what might that be?"
Sophitia took a deep breath and crossed her arms. "Although we are parting ways for now, we still intend to honor our agreement, yes?" she asked. "Securing Hebra is our mutual goal. Once we pull ahead of Victorique and Percival in line for the throne, we shall compete for the title of father's heir. But, for now, we are allies, correct?"
"All true, every word of it," Lancel proclaimed proudly, turning to give her his full attention. "We both have our roles to play. I shall retake the City in the Sky, you shall make peace with Medoh. Separate objectives, but a common goal."
Sophitia nodded. "I wish to continue our partnership, of course. But, if we are to do so, I need to know that I can trust you."
"Oh, please, Sister. Have I ever lied to you?"
"Yes."
"Alright. To revise that, have I lied to you recently?"
The princess pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "You know very well what I am referring to. That whole business with Skyloft and the master key. You kept a large portion of your plans from me. For all I know, there is much more that I don't know."
"I suppose that is true, but strictly speaking, one can never be completely sure that they have all the information, no matter how much they may or may not know," Lancel pointed out. "Is there anything in particular you are looking to know at this time, Sister?"
Sophitia was unsatisfied with that response, but as long as Lancel was offering to tell her one piece of information now, there was one question she had that took priority. "Very well. You may keep your secrets for now, so long as you swear the rest of what you say is true. However, I would like you to tell me one more thing, Brother. Are you responsible for the murder of High Chieftain Kanelo?"
Lancel blinked, then stared at her with a look of amused astonishment for a moment. "Interesting. I was trying to guess what you might ask me, but I never would have imagined that particularly bizarre inquiry."
"Answer the question, would you kindly?"
Her brother laughed. "No, Sister. As a matter of fact, I am not responsible for sabotaging my own plans, thrusting myself into a war I had hoped to avoid, and placing myself in a desperate position in which I must reclaim a flying city from an army of bird people. Such a brilliant tactic was not in my schedule this week."
Sophitia sighed. "I figured as much, but I had to ask. As I've said, I never know what you're planning, Brother. And with the way you gamble, this could've been one of your more reckless moves in a game you chose not to share with me for whatever indecipherable reason you've conjured up."
"My, oh, my. I am certainly flattered that you find me to be such a devious mastermind. I can only hope to live up to that reputation one day."
Having received her answer, Sophitia was reasonably satisfied in her belief that Lancel was not the true culprit. "Very well. Thank you for your time, Brother. I suppose I'll be off now."
Lancel smiled goodnaturedly, then stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Farewell for now, Sister. You have an inquisitive mind and Nayru's wisdom. Do not let that go to waste."
Sophitia was surprised to receive such praise as her brother's parting words, especially since she had just finished accusing him of conspiracy. "You honor me, Brother. That is high praise coming from one as clever as you." Lancel took his hand off her shoulder, and she gave him a curt bow. "Goodbye and good luck," she said, giving one last farewell before turning to exit the room.
Outside in the hallway, she found Sir Anselm and Liliana waiting patiently. "Ah. Princess," her bodyguard said, stepping away from the wall she'd been leaning against. "Are we prepared to depart now?"
"Yes," Sophitia nodded, turning to Sir Anselm. "Thank you, sir knight. We'll be off now."
"Farewell, Princess," the elder knight said. "You keep her safe, now," he added, addressing Liliana.
"Of course. That is my profession," Liliana replied. Together, the two girls headed for the castle's exit. "Was it him?" the round-eared girl asked once they were alone again.
Sophitia shook her head. "No, thank the gods."
"Then we still don't know who did it," Liliana pointed out.
"True, but we may still discover the truth in time," the princess replied. "But for now, let's focus on getting to Snowpeak before the Blood Moon floods the kingdom with undead once again."
