It was a relief to see that the sun had risen when Sophitia awoke. That meant the Blood Moon was over. She knew it would be, even if the sun wasn't up. The Blood Moon had already ended shortly before she fell asleep, but in her paranoid mind, it could've come back at any moment.
Their travels over the previous few days had progressed at a slower pace than anticipated, and as a result, they'd still been outside when the Blood Moon began. Even on the icy slopes of the Hebra Mountains, there were bones to be resurrected as terrible Stalcreatures, and they'd had to fight their way to the gates of Snowpeak Palace.
What was more surprising to Sophitia was that she'd awoken before Liliana. That almost never happened, but as the princess sat up against the elegantly carved backboard of the queen-sized bed she'd been given for the night, there Liliana was, sleeping soundly beside her. They did not always share a bed. Back at Hyrule Castle, Liliana had her own bedchambers in Sophitia's tower. However, last night, Sophitia had been so shaken by the Blood Moon that she didn't want to be alone.
"Liliana," Sophitia said, putting her hand on the other girl's shoulder to gently shake her awake.
The round-eared girl groaned lightly as her eyes slowly opened, looking at the one who roused her with annoyance.
Sophitia withdrew her hand. "My apologies," she said.
Liliana took another moment to fully awaken. "None necessary, Princess," she said, climbing out of bed. "Allow me to fetch you something warm to wear."
The princess crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed her shoulders, noticing the chill as soon as Liliana mentioned it. Her bed had been exceedingly warm given the number of heavy blankets piled over her last night, but it was perpetually winter in Snowpeak. She would need something warmer than her nightgown to deal with it once she was up and about.
As Sophitia climbed out of bed, Liliana returned with her clothing, including a lovely white fur doublet for her to wear.
"How do you plan to proceed with Koridai's subordinates today, Princess?" Liliana asked as she helped Sophitia dress.
The princess and her retinue had met with the stewards of Snowpeak Palace the night before, but given the chaos of the Blood Moon, they hadn't had time to discuss the reason for Sophitia's visit. All they'd learned about the current situation in Snowpeak was that, a few days prior to their arrival, the late governor's wife had opted to leave the palace to spend time with her remaining family after receiving the news of her husband's death, leaving Hebra without an official acting governor.
"We shall gather all of the late governor's advisor's immediately," Sophitia decided. "There is only a small window of time left before the province falls into total war. If we are to proceed diplomatically, we cannot delay for even a moment."
"Very well, Princess."
While Liliana proceeded to dress herself next, Sophitia took a moment to quickly jot down some notes in her ledger. Then, once they were suitably prepared for the day, they set out.
Stepping into the hall, Sophitia was immediately greeted by two of her guards saluting her. "Good morning, gentlemen," the princess greeted them. "Would you be so kind as to gather all available House Koridai advisors in the council room for me, please?"
"At once, your highness."
"What shall we tell them?"
"Just tell them their princess seeks their counsel on the matter of the unrest in the province."
"Very well, Princess."
After sending her guards off to do their task, Sophitia and Liliana made their way through the governor's palace, heading for the council chamber.
Sophitia enjoyed the feel of Snowpeak Palace. Despite the cold, it was the kind of place she could spend a holiday in the mountains. The decor was finely crafted, the artwork in the hallways was regal and well-made, and it seemed as though every few feet revealed a cozy little nook with a fireplace and several well-stocked bookcases, ideal for spending the day reading while sipping a nice cup of tea.
This place is much more welcoming than Midoro Palace.
However, she was not on holiday. She would find time for herself eventually, but for now, she had to keep her goal in mind.
The fate of the province - and my chance at the throne - is at stake.
Snowpeak's council chamber was essentially a dining room. The room was long and thin, with an elongated table stretching across most of it. One wall consisted of various paintings of winter landscapes, the Golden Goddesses, and Koridai family ancestors. A row of audience chairs lined that wall as well. The opposite wall had many windows overlooking a splendid view of the mountainside and the city below.
At the end of the long table sat a chair that was larger and more elaborately decorated than the others. Sophitia smiled to herself and approached the chair. "This place is lovely, wouldn't you agree, Liliana?" she asked as she pulled the chair out and sat down.
Liliana stood by the window, gazing outside. "Yes, it's quite nice," she agreed. "How do you think the city fared during the Blood Moon?"
"I shall ask during the meeting," the princess replied. "But I imagine they managed just fine. Cities are the safest places to be during a Blood Moon, and the astromancers predicted this one years ago."
"My father used to take me and my family out to sea during the Blood Moon," Liliana said, stepping away from the window. "There's no undead in the water aside from Stalfish, and they're no danger to anyone so long as you stay in the boat."
"Your father is a clever man," Sophitia complimented. "I can see where you get it from."
Liliana nodded. "Clever enough."
"When she was little, I would take Seraphina into the innermost chambers of the castle during the Blood Moon," Sophitia said, smiling pleasantly at the memory. "I would have the servants fill the room with pillows and her favorite treats, and we would spend the whole night without having to see even a glimpse of that blood red sky."
While Sophitia was reminiscing, Liliana seemed to take notice of the princess's choice of seating. "Nice chair," she commented plainly.
Sophitia smiled. "It's gaudy, I know, but I thought it fitting," she said. "Do I look like I belong at the head of the table?"
"You do, Princess," Liliana agreed. "There's a white fox sigil above your head, though. Are you going to have it changed to your own family crest?"
Sophitia leaned forward and turned her head. She'd noticed the symbol on the back of the chair earlier. The snowcoat fox was the symbol of House Koridai, and its imagery was present throughout the palace. However, thinking about it now made her realize something. "You know, perhaps I should sit somewhere else for today," she said, standing up. "I do not wish to disrespect the late governor in front of his subordinates."
"It is only a chair, your highness."
"Still." The princess grabbed the chair and dragged it off to the side, away from the table.
Liliana shrugged, but she grabbed the next closest chair and pulled it over to where Koridai's chair had been at the head of the table.
"Thank you, Liliana," Sophitia said, taking her new seat. It didn't feel nearly as royal, but sitting at the head of the table came with an air of importance she would enjoy either way. "I would like you by my side while I discuss matters with the stewards once they get here," the princess said to Liliana. "You are my right hand, after all."
"Of course, Princess," Liliana agreed. "We could have some of your soldiers line up behind you as well if you like."
"What good would that do?"
"It would make you more intimidating."
Sophitia laughed good-naturedly. "I have no need for intimidation tactics. After all, we will be discussing how best to negotiate peacefully."
"If you say so."
Not long later, the council chamber's door opened on the far side of the room. Sophitia immediately stiffened her posture, trying to appear elegant for the newcomer. "Ah, good morning, Arbiter Ponthos."
"Good day, Princess."
Ponthos was a distinguished-looking Hylian man in his late fifties. Sophitia had met him briefly the previous night. He hadn't been particularly friendly, nor had he been rude. Sophitia thought he came across as overly business-oriented. She considered that a good thing, though. It meant she could work with him. As an arbiter, he had served as Governor Koridai's advisor on legal matters.
Also joining Arbiter Ponthos was a younger Hylian man carrying a tablet with some parchment attached to it.
"I hope you don't mind if my assistant takes the minutes for this meeting," Ponthos said, moving right past the pleasantries.
"Not at all. That would be most helpful," Sophitia said with a nod.
Ponthos and his assistant nodded as well. The arbiter took a seat a few chairs down on Sophitia's left, while his assistant sat in an audience chair against the wall and readied his quill.
The next to enter was a middle-aged, blonde Hylian woman dressed in the white robes of a priestess, accompanied by her own retinue of similarly-dressed followers.
"Ah, welcome, Your Excellency," Sophitia greeted the woman.
"Blessings to you, daughter of Hylia," the bishop replied, forming the Triforce symbol with her hands. "I am honored to accept your invitation."
The blonde woman's name was Varke. She was the Bishop of Snowpeak, and she had been the first to properly greet Sophitia when she'd arrived the previous night. As a devout follower of Hylia, Varke automatically held Sophitia in high regard due to her divine ancestry.
Good. At least it will not be terribly difficult to obtain her support.
"Please, join us," Sophitia insisted, gesturing to the many open seats at the table.
Over the next few minutes, as Sophitia's invitation spread throughout the palace, several more of the late governor's advisors entered the council chambers. However, there was one in particular that the princess was waiting for.
"Ah, Lord Nobiro, I'm so glad you could join us."
Nobiro was a well-dressed, dark-haired Hylian man. He looked younger than Arbiter Ponthos, perhaps in his late thirties. Like all the others, Sophitia knew very little about him at this point, but he had apparently been Governor Koridai's chief advisor. Since Sophitia was currently looking to appoint a new acting governor, Lord Nobiro's experience made him the ideal candidate, even if the position would be temporary.
"My thanks, your highness," Lord Nobiro replied, joining the others at the table while his attendants took their seats along the wall.
With everyone of significance having arrived, Sophitia decided it was time to begin. "Thank you all for coming on such short notice," she said, gesturing across the table to all those in attendance. "And I wish to thank you once again for your hospitality, and for keeping me and my people safe during last night's Blood Moon."
"The pleasure is ours, Princess," Arbiter Ponthos replied.
"We were simply doing our duty," Varke concurred.
"Of course." Sophitia nodded. "Now, if I may, I would like to speak with you all about the reason I've gathered you here this morning," she went on. "As I'm sure you've read in my letter, the situation with the Rito has grown dire. Governor Danton Koridai has unfortunately passed away. He was killed by the Rito in retaliation for the death of High Chief Kanelo, who was murdered by an unidentified assailant. Nonetheless, Chief Revalco and his followers have turned against us and taken control of the City in the Sky. If he manages to secure the loyalty of the Chieftains' Council, we may have a full rebellion on our hands very soon."
Despite the fact that this was not news to them, many at the table began murmuring in response to Sophitia's words.
"What are we to do, your highness?" Lord Nobiro asked.
"My brother is working with the Sage of Wind and the Grand Artisan. He plans to return to Skyloft and take it back from the separatists before they do any real damage with it," Sophitia explained. "Our job is to contact the Chieftains' Council and negotiate with them. We must ensure they do not side with Chief Revalco. It is the only way to avoid war."
"Ordinarily, it would fall to the governor to lead such negotiations," Arbiter Ponthos pointed out. "However, due to recent events…"
"Indeed. A new governor must be appointed," Sophitia said. The next words out of her mouth were going to be either a question to the council about who they would suggest or her own suggestion of Lord Nobiro. However, before she said anything, she had a thought.
Why not me?
Before she'd realized she had a legitimate chance to become queen, Sophitia had thought the highest position she could aspire to was the governor of one of the provinces, or something of that level. She'd studied the position to learn its duties and functions, and she believed she would be fully capable of performing them.
What better way to show them all I am fit to lead this kingdom?
"Given my familiarity with the crisis at hand, and due to my favorable standing with the Sage of Wind and the current Chieftains' Council, I believe it would be best if I were to temporarily take on the role of governor," Sophitia said, effectively appointing herself. "At least until the situation has been resolved."
"A splendid idea, Princess Zelda," Varke said, nodding her head. "I can think of none better."
Some of the others around the table nodded their heads as well, but others looked less convinced. Princess or not, Sophitia was a sixteen-year-old, and she was suggesting herself over Lord Nobiro and all the other more experienced candidates. Sophitia felt herself becoming nervous.
I hope I didn't step on too many toes just now. Perhaps I should simply move on. No one will question it once it's already been decided.
That didn't sit right with her, however. Additionally, she did not wish to make herself appear any more presumptuous than she already had. "Lord Nobiro, Arbiter Ponthos, do you find this acceptable? I shall be counting on you for your guiding wisdom, after all."
Arbiter Ponthos nodded. "I have no objections, Princess," he said. He was a man of law, and as a princess of the Royal Family, Sophitia certainly had the power to appoint herself if she wished.
"Nor do I," Lord Nobiro replied, although his face and tone seemed to imply he was agreeing slightly more grudgingly than his counterpart.
"Splendid. I look forward to working with you all. Let us give everything we have for the betterment of our great kingdom."
"Was this always your plan?" Liliana asked from behind Sophitia.
The princess sat at the desk in her quarters, running her quill across a piece of parchment. "Appointing myself governor, you mean?" she asked for clarification.
"No, I mean your hair."
Sophitia furrowed her brow, turning to face the other girl.
"That was a joke, Princess."
"It's not easy to tell with you, you know."
"That's part of my charm."
Sophitia chuckled, then turned back to her work. "Truth be told, this wasn't my plan," she admitted. "But, I saw an opportunity, and I took it. I believe this is even better than my original plan, actually. If I can be governor, then surely I can be queen."
"I see," Liliana said. "It is unlike you to make such spur-of-the-moment decisions. This is more like something Prince Lancel would do."
Sophitia took a moment to think about that. Her decision had indeed been rather sudden, perhaps even impulsive, almost to the point of irresponsibility. She could have angered several high-ranking Hebran lords, after all. "This doesn't change anything, really," she rationalized. "The only difference is that I'll be the one to negotiate with the Rito directly, rather than letting Lord Nobiro do it while I tell him what to say. The end result is the same. I just happen to have a new title."
"Shall I refer to you as 'Governor Sophitia' from now on, then?"
Sophitia put her hand to her chin. "Hm. That actually sounds like a step down from 'Princess,' does it not?"
"Such vanity for one with divine blood."
"Oh, hush." The princess offhandedly waved off Liliana as she continued to write.
For the next hour or so, Sophitia went through several drafts of the letter she planned to send to the Rito Chieftains' Council. She wanted to make several things perfectly clear. That included reiterating what she'd said in her previous letter, which was that High Chief Kanelo's death was not due to the will of the Kingdom of Hyrule, but rather that of one man who acted alone. She also wished to urge them not to follow Chief Revalco's example, and to instead elect a new high chieftain with whom she could sit down and discuss future plans for the province.
"Would it be better if I specifically stated we have no plans for military action?" Sophitia asked, thinking aloud. "Or would that come off as suspiciously specific denial? Yes, best to say nothing of it. They must be made to see diplomacy as the only option on the table."
"Might I ask a question, Princess?" Liliana asked.
Sophitia put down her quill and turned around in her chair. "Of course, Liliana. What is it?"
"If you do succeed in getting the new high chieftain to sit down with you, what do you plan to do if they still wish to withdraw from the kingdom?"
Sophitia blinked. Of course, she knew such a thing was possible, perhaps even likely. However, her efforts so far had been focused on ensuring things proceeded peacefully rather than violently. Her underlying assumption was that she could make everything else work so long as she could succeed in that respect first. "I will be able to convince them otherwise," Sophitia declared. "If they are calm and rational enough to talk rather than fight, then of course they would be able to see reason."
"And what if that isn't what they would consider reasonable?"
"Nonsense." Sophitia shook her head. "The Kingdom of Hyrule brings civilization and prosperity to everywhere it reaches. If you were chosen to lead the Ordona Province, would you elect to secede from the kingdom?"
"Absolutely not," Liliana replied. "I see what Hyrule has done for Ordona, and for me. But I am not a Rito, and Hebra is not Ordona."
"That should not make a difference."
"And yet, it does."
Sophitia shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She could imagine the scenario. She'd sit down across from the new high chieftain at that long table in the council chamber downstairs. She would thank them for seeing reason and turning away from Chief Revalco, and then she would lay down her suggestions for how to improve the state of the province moving forward. But then, the new high chieftain would say 'No.' It would not be an act of malice or insubordination. They would simply state their intentions to govern themselves, and request that Hyrule withdraw.
What would I do?
"I can't simply let them leave," Sophitia said. She was not speaking to Liliana. Instead, she was staring down at the hardwood floor, voicing her own internal monologue with considerable stress. "What would it do to the kingdom? The Rito run our postal service. How would we communicate across the land? One of the sages is in Hebra. What does that mean for the Nine Sages and their pact with the gods? The Rito tribes constantly infight without outside intervention. Would the tribes fall back into chaos and war? The Children of Nayru must be united if we are to stand against threats that are beyond us as individuals. What happens the next time a demon king rises?"
"Princess…"
"But if I refuse, what then? Shall I let Lord Remoth send forth his armies? I'm doing all of this to prevent war.! Why must I use force to get them to do what is best for them anyway? But I'm supposed to be the queen one day. How can I ever be queen if I don't have the stomach for that sort of thing?"
"Sophitia!"
The princess jumped. She realized now that she had practically been shouting, and anybody outside her room may have heard her freaking out. "My apologies, Liliana," she said, readjusting her clothing as she hurried to compose herself. "Um, well, if I might ask, what do you think I should do if such a situation were to arise?"
"I haven't the slightest clue, Sophitia," Liliana admitted plainly. "But I placed my trust in you long ago because I know you'll do the right thing. Whatever happens, I'll still be here to follow and support you."
Sophitia nodded. "Thank you. I can only promise to do what I think is best for the kingdom."
"This seems to be in order," Sophitia said, placing the parchment on the small table set up in front of her throne. She dipped her quill in the inkwell and signed her name, allowing herself a small, self-satisfied smile. One of her servants bowed as he collected the signed paper, then left to deliver it.
Her first few days as acting governor of Hebra had gone more smoothly than she could've hoped. Owing in part to her own preparation, the princess was quite familiar with the current state of the province, both for the Rito as well as its Hylian residents. Combined with her management and organizational skills, she actually thought she'd done a rather good job of taking over Governor Koridai's duties, especially with the aid of Koridai's advisors.
"Princess Zelda," Arbiter Ponthos spoke when it was his turn to approach the throne with his assistant in tow.
Sophitia smiled. She was not used to being addressed by her given name. It would get rather confusing if her sisters were present. However, when she was without them, it felt good to be referred to by the name of their kingdom's founder. It felt like a sign of respect. "What news do you bring me, Arbiter?" Sophitia asked.
"There has been a rise in physical altercations in the city recently," Ponthos replied. "The pressure of the conflict with the Rito seems to have the people on edge. I suggest we hire more guards for the city watch."
"Very well," Sophitia said. "I will see what is in the budget for a long-term solution. In the meantime, I can assign some of Lord Remoth's troops to city watch duty."
"Thank you, Princess." Arbiter Ponthos nodded while his assistant jotted something down, then turned and left.
"How many of Lord Remoth's soldiers do you still have?" Liliana asked, standing with her arms crossed to Sophitia's right.
"Enough," the princess replied vaguely, knowing she had already put many of them to work in other areas. "It is strange that Lord Remoth has not yet arrived with the rest of his army, however," she noted. "I hope they have not run into trouble on the road from Midoro."
"Given that the Blood Moon was only a few nights ago, monster troubles seem likely," Liliana added.
"Yes, I suppose. I'll send a few scouts to confirm. Although, at the moment, I suppose we are better off without the extra mouths to feed," Sophitia mused. "Now, onto the next order of business."
Another man approached Sophitia's throne next, holding a rolled up scroll. The man had a serious and somber look on his face. Before saying anything, he got down on one knee and bowed. "Princess Zelda Sophitia Hyrule, it is with a heavy heart that I bring you dire news from the capital."
Sophitia blinked. All around the audience chamber, people began murmuring nervously. The princess was worried as well. Any number of things could have happened in the capital, but she did not wish to jump to conclusions. "I see. Please tell me what news you bear, messenger," she said, trying to remain level-headed and dignified in the face of bad news.
The man climbed to his feet, cleared his throat, and unfurled the scroll he was holding. "On the night of the Blood Moon, tragedy struck the City of Hyrule. The protective wardings on the city walls failed, and scores of newly risen undead flooded the city."
With this first bit of the news, the audience chamber was abuzz with frantic conversation. Many of those in the room had family in the capital, and some feared the worst. Sophitia was among them. For a moment, she couldn't think straight, but she fought through it long enough to raise her hand for silence.
The messenger continued when the noise died down. "Worse still, the sky opened up, and a horrific, headless demon emerged. The goddess Laemora appeared and did battle with the demon, but unfortunately, she fell."
"What?" Sophitia could not stop herself from interrupting. Undead in the capital had been bad enough. The appearance of a demon had made it worse. But the death of a god?
This is far worse than I could have imagined.
The room quickly got noisy once again. Many of those in attendance were as shocked and horrified as Sophitia was. The more devout among them were distraught to the point of tears, lamenting the loss of their great protector.
"There is more, I'm afraid," the messenger went on as Sophitia called for silence once again. "The city suffered many casualties that night. Chief among them being King Tychon Aldoranus Hyrule himself, as well as Aurun, the Sage of Light. The third princess, Zelda Seraphina Hyrule, was also in the capital during the Blood Moon, and she has not been seen since."
Sophitia felt like her soul had left her body upon hearing this news. The sounds now filling the room faded into silence. Everything seemed like it was growing distant. The light disappeared around her. She was alone.
Father… little sister…
The world returned to her when she felt Liliana's hand grab her by the arm. It was not done in a comforting way, but rather to pull her to her feet. Sophitia could not think clearly at the moment, so she merely obeyed the tugging on her arm, standing up from her throne.
"Lord Nobiro," the round-eared girl said hurriedly. "Take things from here."
"Um. Yes, dame," the lord replied, stepping towards the throne to take Sophitia's place.
Liliana pulled Sophitia along without another word, swiftly exiting the room and heading back towards the princess's living quarters. Sophitia continued to let herself be pulled along, unable to process the situation beyond watching her surroundings change.
The next thing Sophitia knew, Liliana was slamming the door behind them and leading her over to the bed. "I… I need to…" The princess still was not thinking clearly. She became vaguely aware that abruptly leaving her court like that would be bad for her image. "I should be ruling, or-"
"Don't worry about any of that," Liliana told her. "Please, Sophitia. Have a seat on the bed."
"Father…" she said, suddenly recalling a distant memory of the king smiling down at her. "Sister…"
"Sophitia? Sophie!"
The room was spinning. The princess felt a tremendous pressure pushing against her from all sides. Liliana's voice became deep and distant. Before she knew what was happening, she fainted onto the bed, swiftly losing consciousness.
When the princess awoke, she was in bed with the blankets covering her. For a brief moment, she almost thought the horrible news she'd received had been nothing more than a dream, but she knew better.
She didn't cry, however. She wanted to. This was the kind of news she could cry about and almost nobody would judge her harshly for it. But for some reason, she didn't. She just felt that horrible weight pressing down on her. So many horrible things had happened during the Blood Moon, and hearing about it all at once had been too much to comprehend.
The princess pulled the blankets off of her and sat up in bed.
"Sophitia?"
Unsurprisingly, she found Liliana sitting in a chair beside her, keeping watch over her. Sophitia merely looked at her retainer, not knowing what to say.
"Are you well?" Liliana asked.
Sophitia shook her head. She was not going to lie or pretend she was alright, but she still couldn't think of anything else to do.
"I understand," Liliana replied, speaking in a soft voice. "Is there anything you need?"
The princess thought for a moment. "Who is seeing to my meetings?" she asked, remembering she had abandoned her post in the middle of her duties.
"Lord Nobiro and your other advisors are handling everything," Liliana said. "Forget all of that for now."
"I'm the governor," Sophitia said, trying to say she should be the one out there doing her job. "I guess I won't be queen, however," she added. She hung her head in shame the moment she said it. That was the last thing she should have been thinking under the circumstances, but she couldn't help it.
Victorique will be queen now. All of this was for naught.
Liliana shifted in her seat, fiddling with the handle of her sword uncomfortably. "You will be beloved wherever you may rule, Princess."
Sophitia said nothing for a while. Their talk of rulers had gotten her thinking of her father again. "Father wasn't beloved," she said.
"Sophitia?"
"Not by the people, anyway. Mostly," she said. "But we loved him. My siblings and I. And my mother. I have no idea if he loved us, but we loved him."
"Of course he loved you," Liliana tried to assure her.
"I wonder if I would have been the kind of ruler he was," Sophitia went on, barely registering what Liliana was saying. "He was good at what he did, I think. I wanted to be like him. But he wasn't beloved. I would want to be loved, if I were queen. Could I have been both?"
"Sophie…"
"I wager Victorique will be both. Everyone always loved her. She's perfect. She'll be a great queen. Even the people will see it. My brothers and I will just have to support her. If only Seraphina…"
"Seraphina may yet live," Liliana reminded her. "She is merely reported missing. She probably fled the city when the undead came in."
"Yes, I suppose that's true," Sophitia said, but she wouldn't look at Liliana as she said it. She did not truly believe it. She could not bring herself to be optimistic.
Neither of them said anything for a while. Out of the corner of her eye, Sophitia saw Liliana stand up out of her chair. Moving slowly, she stepped closer to the bed and leaned over. Sophitia felt the other girl's arms wrap around her, pulling her into a comforting hug.
"Queen or otherwise, I'll be here for you," Liliana told her.
She still did not cry, but the princess teared up for a moment. "Thank you, Liliana."
