The funeral pyre was a massive, rectangular wooden platform with hay and other flammable materials placed beneath it. All across the platform, corpses lay in neatly spaced rows. Some of them were uncovered, showing they had their hands crossed in front of them, giving them the appearance of being ready to depart for the afterlife peacefully. If the bodies had any wounds, they were well-covered by the simple clothing they'd been dressed in. Many of the bodies, however, were covered by white shrouds. Some may have been damaged to the point of being unpleasant to see. Others may have been the corpses of ReDeads, likely the very same monsters that had killed some of the others upon the pyre.
This was a common sight after a Blood Moon. Every two and a half years or so, when a red moon rose in the night sky, the dead returned to walk the earth. Many would linger for years until a soldier or some traveling adventurer would encounter and slay them, but a good number of them were slain that very night. However, they always took many of the living with them.
Hylian priests walked up and down the rows of bodies, saying their prayers, giving the dead their last rites. The corpses would all be burned shortly. The burning was to ensure none of them would return as ReDeads due to lingering effects of the Blood Moon, and the last rites were to ensure none of them returned as a Poe. However, no matter how hard they tried, some of the bones would inevitably return as Stalfos during the next Blood Moon, ready to continue the cycle.
"We should return to the walls, your highness," Ayako suggested. She did not wish for Princess Zelda to see this any longer.
"I have duties here, too, Aya," Victorique replied solemnly. "These people were my subjects. I wish to honor them properly."
The two of them stood near the pyre, which had been constructed under the princess's orders just outside of the Coliseum. With the Gerudo currently invading from the south, Ayako hadn't wanted the princess to ever leave the safety of the walls, but Victorique had insisted the entire plateau on which the Coliseum had been built was made perfectly safe by the cliffs and the lake surrounding it.
When the priests finished sending the spirits of the deceased, they walked off of the platform and joined the circle of onlookers standing around it. Many of them picked up torches and began to light them. When they did, the princess turned to Ayako and nodded. The bodyguard nodded back, and they each lifted a torch as well.
While the crowd of observers watched, Ayako, the princess, and the priests returned to the edges of the pyre. Together, they lowered their torches into the flammable materials beneath the platform, setting it alight. As the flames quickly spread, the torchbearers stepped away, watching it burn.
"It was another tragic Blood Moon," Ayako remarked. "If only we could have saved more."
"We saved as many as we could. Let us not forget that," Zelda replied, somewhat optimistically. "I can only pray my sister managed to make it back to the capital in time."
Ayako nodded. While their forces had spent the night of the Blood Moon defending the region, Princess Victorique had sent Princess Seraphina back to the capital sometime earlier. The combination of the upcoming Blood Moon and the impending Gerudo invasion had rendered the Coliseum quite unsafe for a child, as Victorique had said. Not that the Coliseum was usually a place of safety, anyway.
"Shall we return, your highness?" Ayako asked. "With the threat of the Blood Moon behind us, perhaps we'd best refocus our attention to the war effort."
Princess Victorique gazed into the flames for a while longer. Ayako was transfixed by the princess's eyes. They always seemed to belong to a woman much older than she truly was. At the moment, she seemed to be considering something deeply.
"There is one more thing I would like to check," the princess replied. "But yes, let us head inside."
The Coliseum's entrance was through the mouth of a gigantic, horned dragon skull. The skull had belonged to the great dragon Aquamentus, for whom the surrounding lake was named. A Hero had slain the dragon on this very spot in ages past, and the Coliseum had been built upon it as a place for others to prove themselves through combat. Aside from being a place for aspiring warriors to demonstrate their skill, it served as entertainment for the people of Hyrule, being able to seat as many as 100,000 spectators.
However, the Coliseum was more than just a fighting pit with spectator seating surrounding it. The outer walls were 70 meters high, and they were outfitted with the same defenses one would find on a Hyrulean castle, including archer towers and cannons. Given the fact that dangerous monsters were housed beneath the Coliseum, security was a matter of the utmost importance so as to ensure nothing got in or out without the permission of those who controlled the premises.
The Coliseum's structural defenses, along with its strategic location beside a mountain and surrounded by cliffs and a lake, made it the ideal location for Princess Victorique's purposes. Many of her advisors had been confused by her decision to evacuate and abandon Yarna rather than reinforce the city and make their stand there, but she had assured them that this was the correct decision. From within the Coliseum, they would serve as Hyrule's border guard, preventing the Gerudo from invading Hyrule proper.
Inside the walls, Ayako had been expecting Victorique to lead her to one of the upper floors in the back of the stadium. That was where honored guests would stay, and it was where all major discussions concerning the war effort had been held so far. However, Victorique led her to one of the staircases leading down into the vast subsystem beneath the arena.
"Do you intend to inspect the troops?" Ayako asked. The Coliseum's gladiators were usually housed in simple living quarters within the subsystem, and at the moment, the princess's forces were making use of this space to house the bulk of their troops. The whole place was dark and somewhat dingy, but it was not too unlike the barracks the soldiers were used to.
"Not the troops," Victorique replied. Rather than elaborating further, she brought Ayako to the entrance of the dungeon. The princess was able to swing open the heavy metal door with an application of one of her magnesis spells, and the two of them stepped through, heading down the stairs.
"Here?" Ayako asked. "What business have you here?"
"I am curious about something," she said simply.
At the bottom of the stairs, they found themselves in a small room furnished with little more than a few tables and chairs. There were several barred doors along the walls, which presumably led to the cells where prisoners and monsters were held. About a dozen guards were waiting in the room, some of whom were standing at their posts and some of whom were lounging at the tables. However, upon seeing the princess, all of them immediately stood at attention.
"Your highness!" one of them said quickly. "W-What brings you down here?"
"I wish to view the monsters," Victorique replied.
Ayako furrowed her brow, wondering what her mistress was up to.
The guard who'd spoken seemed similarly confused, but he did not question the princess. "Um. Well, certainly. Right this way." The man fumbled with a gigantic key ring he'd been carrying on his waist. When he found the right key, he opened one of the barred doors and gestured through it. Victorique and Ayako each gave him a curt nod as they passed by. The guard followed them in afterwards, locking the door and standing by it.
They could not see any monsters yet from where they stood, but Ayako could already hear the telltale sounds. Growling, snarling, barking, scratching; all the usual horrible noises. The Sheikah woman did not know what kinds of creatures they held in that dungeon, but she had fought various monsters all throughout Hyrule. Her charge traveled often, and traveling the roads of Hyrule invariably meant running into dangerous, untamed beasts.
The first cell they passed by held three Bokoblins. They were the big-eared ones from Necluda with somewhat bat-like heads. One of them was sitting in the corner, staring at the stone wall. The other two seemed to have been in the middle of an argument, screeching at one another in their primitive tongue. Upon spotting the two Hylians walking past their cell, one of them ran up to the bars, screeching angrily. Ayako responded by stepping between the monster and the princess and slashing her large naginata across the bars above the Bokoblin's head. Both Bokoblins screeched in terror, leaping away from the bars.
"Mongrels," Ayako muttered.
"Do not harm them," Victorique instructed.
"Why not?" Ayako asked, although she was not really seeking an answer.
The next cell contained a gigantic Wolfos. The creature was vaguely humanoid, but entirely wolf-like in its features. Its large body was covered in gray and brown fur. At the moment, it was curled up on the ground, sleeping soundly, but it looked as though it would have been over two meters tall if standing upright.
"Did you hear it howling during the Blood Moon?" Victorique asked, stopping to stare down at the sleeping creature.
Ayako furrowed her brow. "I do not recall." So much had happened that night, and a wolf's howl would not have been unusual enough to stand out.
"Even down here, where it couldn't see the moon, it still howled," the princess went on, crouching down to study the monster more closely. "Somehow, it knew."
"Don't get too close, Princess," her bodyguard warned. "If it bites you, you might be cursed, too."
"I am not aware of any evidence to substantiate that myth," Victorique replied.
The Sheikah woman was confused. "Is that why you wanted to come down here?" she asked. "Because the Wolfos was howling?"
"Not only for the Wolfos." Princess Zelda stood, continuing down the hall. "There are many tales of monsters reacting strangely to the Blood Moon," she explained. "Some seem to fear it as much as we do. Some seem as connected to it as the undead. As I've said before, in order to truly protect our people from the threat that monsters pose, we must first understand them."
"That does not mean you need to be the one to study them, Princess," Ayako pointed out. "You've already convinced your father to increase funding for the Grand Alchemist's and Lady Fleur's research. Let them deal with these beasts."
However, Victorique ignored her bodyguard's objections, continuing on to the next cell. This one contained a peculiar sight. A humanoid monster, nearly three meters tall and with the head of a doberman, stood in the center of the cell. It wore a full suit of plate armor that was very similar to a Hyrulean knight's, although was not wearing its helmet at the moment. It stood proudly at attention, gazing down at the princess. Despite Ayako's warnings, Princess Victorique walked right up to the bars, so Ayako readied her naginata and stood beside her.
"Can you understand me, Darknut?" Zelda asked the armored creature.
The dog-monster said something in response, but it likely did not understand her. Its words were in a language Ayako was not familiar with. The creature's voice was deep, but its words were surprisingly less primitive and guttural than those of the Blins. Most notably, despite the rest of its words being indecipherable, the Darknut very clearly included the word 'Hylian' in its response.
"Did you hear that?" Victorique asked, glancing at her bodyguard. "Perhaps he was telling us that he did not speak Hylian."
"Or perhaps it said 'Release me or I shall kill you, Hylian,'" Ayako replied.
"Nevertheless, I would like to send for a tutor from the capital," Victorique said. "We may be able to teach this one to speak our tongue." The princess took a step back and bowed to the monster. To Ayako's amazement, the Darknut repeated the gesture, bowing back to her.
"That, too, is a sign of intelligence," Victorique noted before continuing down the corridor.
"Please," Ayako replied skeptically. "I've seen your horse bow to you."
Princess Zelda had already moved on to the next dungeon cell. This one contained both a Lizalfos and a larger, more intimidating Dinolfos. When Ayako and Victorique stopped to observe them, Ayako was expecting the encounter to be no more interesting than the last three. However, as if angered by their presence, the Dinolfos suddenly grabbed the Lizalfos and slammed it against the bars. The larger one held the smaller one in place, as if attempting to strangle it. The smaller Lizalfos squirmed and attempted to bite the Dinolfos in the neck.
"Get back, Princess," Ayako warned, pushing her charge away from the cell with one arm while her other arm readied her weapon. "Filthy savages. Shall we summon the guards?"
"No," Victorique replied, watching intently over her bodyguard's shoulder. "I am curious as to why they are in conflict."
"Why don't you ask them?" Ayako replied sarcastically, watching as the Dinolfos pulled the smaller monster away from the bars, only to slam it against them again. With all the noise they were making, Ayako nearly missed the sound of a door swinging open. She reflexively stepped to the right, putting herself between the princess and the source of the noise. As she did, she spotted the shimmering, camouflaged figure of a Chameleofos charging at them. "Princess!" she shouted, swinging her weapon at the monster.
However, the Chameleofos did not attack them. Instead, it leapt over them, running for the exit at the far end of the hall. The guard by the door fumbled with his weapon, clearly caught off guard and likely to be killed by the monster on its way out. Calmly, Victorique lifted her left hand. A shimmering blue crystal barrier appeared around the Chameleofos, trapping it just a meter from the guard.
Within the short period of time during which Ayako and Victorique were distracted, the Lizalfos and the Dinolfos ceased their fighting and came through the open cell door as well. Not taking any chances, Ayako thrust her naginata straight through the Dinolfos's chest. It wailed in pain, and the Lizalfos ran right past them.
However, it did not get far. Still keeping her left arm aloft as she maintained her barrier spell, Victorique raised her right arm next. With it, she cast a magnesis spell, ripping the open cell door off of its hinges. The door flew across the room and slammed into the sprinting Lizalfos. The door then pressed the monster into the ground, pinning it in place.
Ayako pulled her weapon out of her opponent's chest, then swiftly swung it again, decapitating the Dinolfos with one clean stroke. "Princess, are you alright?" she asked worriedly, turning her attention back to her charge as soon as the threat had been neutralized.
"I am unharmed," the princess replied. "But I would rather not hold these two forever." As she spoke, her captives were struggling against their respective prisons.
"Right," Ayako replied, getting the message. "Guards!" she called.
By then, the guard at the end of the hallway was already opening the door. A whole group of his compatriots rushed in, wondering what the commotion was about.
"Get these monsters in restraints and move them to a new cell," Ayako ordered. "Do it now. Your princess is in danger."
"Yes, Lady Impa!" The guards were quick to obey. Soon, they were hauling the lizard monsters away in chains, leaving Victorique no longer occupied with spellwork.
"Has your curiosity been sated yet, your highness?" Ayako asked. "I would rather not stay down here in the dungeons, waiting for something like that to happen again.
"That was no accident," Victorique mused, glancing between the cell and the monsters being dragged away.
"What?" Ayako asked. "Of course it wasn't. They broke out and attacked us."
"I mean all of it," the princess explained. "Those two faked a fight to distract us from what the camouflaged one was doing. Then they dropped their act when the door was open and tried to escape together while we were occupied."
The Sheikah bodyguard furrowed her brow. "Apologies, Princess, but I do not understand. Even if those monsters were capable of all that, what difference does it make?"
Victorique did not answer. She looked past Ayako, seeing several other cells filled with monsters that she hadn't inspected yet. "I suppose I may return later," she replied, finally relenting to Ayako's suggestion of leaving. "I would also like to consider the possibility of unleashing some of these monsters on our enemies when they attack."
"I see." Ayako was impressed. She'd thought the princess had come down here on a mere whim, but apparently, she was also considering the practical applications of these beasts at the same time. "A marvelous idea." The Sheikah woman had no love for the monsters or the Gerudo. Having them fight each other would be a boon for Hyrule no matter which side won.
"Let us return to the surface, then." Victorique cupped her hands behind her back and started towards the entrance.
As they walked past the various monsters again, Ayako noted the way the creatures reacted to them. The Darknut had not moved from its spot, but it gave Ayako a nod. The gesture somehow seemed to carry the message that it was impressed with her, as if it had seen her slay the Dinolfos and it approved of her skill. Ayako furrowed her brow in confusion, but shook it off, thinking she was imagining things.
The Wolfos, despite all the loud noises and the commotion that had occurred nearby, was somehow still asleep. The Sheikah woman wondered if this was the behavior of a predator that feared no predators of its own; used to being at the top of the food chain. But then again, perhaps the monsterkeepers had simply given it some sort of tranquilizing elixir in order to make the beast easier to manage.
The two Bokoblins who had been arguing earlier had returned to whatever their feud was, but upon spotting Ayako, they again shrunk back in fear. The one sitting in the corner still had not moved.
"Such strange little things," the Sheikah woman muttered under her breath.
It was a few days after the Blood Moon when the Gerudo moved again. Princess Victorique had sent several scouting forces to keep tabs on the path between the Coliseum and Yarna, and according to their reports, Queen Urballa had left Yarna to move most of her host north, intending to cross the Digdogg Suspension Bridge. That had been some time ago. So, Victorique had called another meeting of her council in order to prepare their next move.
The council table had been set up in a room that overlooked the arena from up high. Ordinarily, it was used by the nobles who owned and operated the Coliseum to discuss business and plan events. As such, the decor did not carry the usual atmosphere of a war room, but it suited their purposes well enough.
Crown Princess Victorique sat at the head of the table, joined by a dozen or so of her closest advisors, some of whom had been assigned to her by the late king himself. Ayako did not recognize all of them, but she was familiar with most of the important attendants. One was Lord Gotter, a rather portly, clean-shaven, middle-aged man. He did not have as much military experience as some of the others, but his wealth provided a good deal of their funding, so he had originally been brought along in hopes of appeasing the Gerudo in matters related to rupees.
In contrast, the wisened Sheikah general known as Dorian was an accomplished tactician and samurai. He had a hardened face and piercing red eyes, along with bushy white eyebrows, sideburns, and a soul patch. Ayako and several of her cousins had trained under him in the past, and she felt confident that his contributions would help lead them to victory.
The only other member of the council who Ayako considered to be of note was Narah. An auburn-haired, middle-aged Hylian woman dressed in fine robes and a wide-brimmed hat, she was one of Hyrule's foremost court wizards. Victorique had been studying under her for longer than Ayako had known the princess, and Narah's teachings were what had made Victorique into such an accomplished sorceress.
"It is highly unlikely that the Gerudo would choose to scale the cliffs that protect us from the south," Dorian said, leaning against the meeting table to gesture across the map they had laid out. "Which means, should they make it past the Digdogg Suspension Bridge, their only options are to proceed north or east at the pass."
"We shouldn't discount the possibility entirely," Narah disagreed. "The Gerudo have plenty of sorceresses among them, many of whom are expected to be capable of flight." As she spoke, the court wizard moved her hand to draw attention to some of the pieces placed among the Gerudo forces on the map. The models had been made to represent different divisions within their armies, with the ones she indicated being used to represent magical troops.
"True, but the Gerudo would only send a flying force like that as a means to attack our battlements," Princess Victorique replied. "We are prepared for such raids. The majority of their forces will still proceed on foot, regardless of what their magic divisions may do."
"Have we obtained any further reports on the current battle?" Lord Gotter asked. "Perhaps the enemy has already been defeated. It would be a waste to stay here any longer if Queen Urballa and her army aren't even coming."
"Our last update stated that the Gerudo had reached the bridge. It would be premature to discuss our departure now," Ayako informed him, narrowing her eyes. She could not tell if Gotter wanted them to leave out of fear for his safety or because he wished to resume ordinary Coliseum activities, which he no doubt had a large stake in. Either way, she did not trust that his intentions were entirely pure. "The defenses Princess Zelda has set up along the bridge will no doubt prove formidable, but the Gerudo are fierce warriors, and we still do not know the full extent of the Voe's power."
The Digdogg Suspension Bridge, given its status as the primary connection between the Gerudo Province and Central Hyrule, was ordinarily equipped with several defenses, including guard posts along the islands and cannons along the Great Plateau. However, after their party had departed from Yarna, the princess had dispatched a group of powerful Zora hydromancers to guard the Regencia Lake as a further precaution. If they could not defeat the Gerudo, they would at least thin their numbers and slow them down considerably.
"Impa is right," Dorian replied. "If the enemy were routed, our next course of action would be clear, so there is little use discussing it. We must prepare for the worst, so as to avoid being caught unprepared." Leaning over the map on the table, he waved his hand over the road to the south of their position. "If they head east, it would be a disaster for us," he stated. "Gatepost is heavily populated, especially since many have taken refuge there due to the Blood Moon. If at all possible, we must encourage the enemy to travel north instead."
"Agreed," Victorique said. "North would take them to either Satori or Windvane, but both are much further than Gatepost, and they would never make it that far with our cannons on them." Waving her hand, the princess used her magic to lift some of the pieces on the board, shifting their positions around on the map. "If we set up additional archer divisions and cannons along both cliffs, we can easily turn the road between our position and the Great Plateau into a kill zone. They would see it coming a mile away, and thus would avoid it at all costs." With another few waves of her hand, some of the pieces representing their troops were moved into position in the nearby town. "But even so, we will need some troops stationed at the west end of Gatepost to defend it, just in case."
"The question then becomes, how best to defend ourselves once they take the road north?" Ayako added, moving around the edge of the table to get closer to the area in question. "Would they attempt to cross the lake somehow? Or take the time to circle all the way around to the Aquame Bridge?"
"I must again remind you of the Gerudo sorceresses," Narah replied. "We mustn't underestimate their ability. I'm certain they will have some clever trick planned. For instance, say they climb this hill here," she said, levitating a quill pen to point out a location on the map, just west of Aquame Lake. "The elevation is high enough. Should they be able to conjure some sort of bridge, they would easily be able to move their forces across it." With a few small finger movements, some of the tiny model trees on the map turned sideways and flew over to the gap between the hill and the island on which the Coliseum was built, forming a makeshift bridge.
"If they were to attempt such a thing, could they not do the same across from the Great Plateau to the cliffs beside us?" Lord Gotter pointed out, gesturing to the space between the two indicated geographic features.
"A good point, my lord," Princess Victorique replied, quickly constructing a bridge similar to Narah's. "The distance and relative heights are roughly the same, and if they were to take our battlements on the Great Plateau, they would be able to use them against our battlements on the cliffs."
"So then these are the two most likely points of attack," Dorian summarized. "And we can assume the Gerudo would attempt to strike them both at once so as to lay siege to our position on two fronts."
"Then that is what we will prepare for," the princess declared. "We will need troops and cannons at these points of attack, plus another detachment to guard the bridge as a precaution, and an additional detachment to guard Gatepost," she stated, moving the pieces around on the board to match the numbers she anticipated they'd need at each location. "It would also be worth sending scouts to keep an eye on the Manhala and Gleeok Bridges, just in case they attempt to cross them."
"We should do a final sweep of the Coliseum grounds as well. You never know where there might be an unanticipated vulnerability," Narah suggested.
Before anyone else could add anything, the door to the makeshift council chamber slammed open, drawing everyone's attention. A very disheveled-looking young Hylian man dressed in a scout's uniform entered, escorted by two of the princess's royal guards.
"News from the front?" General Dorian asked.
"Yes, my lord," the scout replied, not doing much to make it sound like good news. He pulled a scroll of paper from his carrying bag and unfurled it. "The Gerudo have crossed the Digdogg Suspension Bridge. The Zora forces and much of our own have been devastated, along with the cannon battlements along the edges of the Great Plateau."
There was immediate murmuring throughout the room. Princess Zelda snapped her fingers and held out her hand expectantly. The messenger quickly approached her, still flanked by the guards.
"Thank you," Zelda said, taking the report from him. "You may go."
"Princess," the scout replied with a short bow before being escorted out of the room.
"Is it as bad as it sounds?" Lord Gotter asked. He nervously adjusted the collar of his robes, beads of sweat falling down his forehead.
"Yes," the princess replied, her eyes scanning quickly back and forth as she read. "Although we were not without some successes. A large portion of the Gerudo forces were thinned by the Zora mages I posted beneath the bridge, and the initial contact between Queen Urballa's front line troops and ours was strongly in our favor, initially."
"Then what happened?" Narah asked. "It sounds as though our strategy was quite effective."
"The Voe happened," Princess Zelda stated. Finished with the report, she slid the paper onto the table so that others might read it if they wished. "He was leading the second wave of the enemy forces. When he joined the battle, witnesses say he cleared the veil of mist the Zora had conjured, devastated the Zora forces with powerful electromancy, and then flew atop the Great Plateau to destroy our cannons."
"One man did all of that?" Lord Gotter said in astonishment, sounding terrified by the prospect.
"That is what those who witnessed it claim," Victorique confirmed. "It is possible that what we feared most has come to pass. The spirit of Ganon may have been awakened within the Voe."
"Impossible," Ayako said, also quite shocked by this news. "You and Sage Aurun examined the Voe back in Taafei. I thought his possession was a mere spiritual connection, not anything like this."
"This was always a possibility, even if the connection between them was benign at first," Victorique explained. "Ganondorf may be fully possessing his body now, or perhaps Prince Harun is siphoning the demon king's power for himself. Either way, a powerful enemy has risen against Hyrule, and we do not have the Hero to fight him."
"Well then what are we waiting for?" Lord Gotter replied. "We should put out requests to every adventurer in the kingdom. Get them all to head for Kokiri Forest and retrieve the Master Sword. One of them is bound to be able to do it. If we offer a substantial reward for-"
"The one who will be able to draw that sword will not be motivated by rupees," the princess interrupted. "Besides, it would not be wise to spread this information to the citizenry. They have no means to fight it, so it would only serve to sew panic and fear. We shall defeat this enemy here, ourselves, as has always been the plan."
Lord Gotter was clearly not satisfied with that answer, but he wiped his forehead with a handkerchief and nodded. "Very well, your highness."
"Then what should we do?" Narah asked. "If this boy is truly as dangerous as you say, what is to be done about him? The last demon king required the Master Sword and the complete Fused Shadow to bring down. We are strong, but we may yet require reinforcements of some sort, even if it isn't the Hero."
Ayako studied her charge's face closely. She was expecting the princess to have a solution in mind already, but she hesitated, likely working something out on the spot. "When last we spoke, Prince Harun wished to have his connection to Ganon severed."
"That would not seem to be the case now," General Dorian replied. "If he truly is using the demon's power against our people, he must have embraced it as a weapon to wield against his enemies."
"Perhaps," Victorique replied, sounding unconvinced. "But he saved my sister's life. There is good in him, which means he can be reasoned with."
"Forgive me, Princess, but that may be exactly why he cannot be reasoned with," Dorian said grimly. "I do not doubt that many of the Gerudo are fighting for what they believe to be a righteous cause, however misguided it may be. They will not back down any more than we will."
"I am not convinced of that."
Princess Zelda's gaze was as determined as ever. Even Ayako thought she was being too naive and optimistic, but she admired her charge's conviction, and she trusted her enough to go along with whatever she decided.
"Despite her objections to Lady Vapith's rule, Queen Urballa has always been willing to work with us peacefully," Victorique went on. "She has only been pushed to take these extreme measures because she believes we are responsible for her daughter's death. Once we convince her of the truth, she and her followers will back down, her foster son included."
Lord Gotter looked almost disgusted. "Are you suggesting we reopen negotiations with Urballa now? After everything she's done? She killed Lady Vapith. Pillaged Taafei and Yarna. Even now, she marches on our lands with a demon spawn on her leash."
"She has been manipulated by her daughter's true killer," Victorique asserted. "I will hold her responsible for her actions, I assure you of that, but she is not our true enemy."
"But we have no idea who killed Princess Sabah," Narah pointed out. "And we have no way to investigate the crime anymore now that Taafei is so far behind us. Queen Urballa will not listen to us if we cannot even give her the name of the true culprit."
Ayako did not like disagreeing with her charge, but her advisors were raising some good points. "Your highness," she said, wishing to remain supportive while still being honest. "Perhaps we may send word to Urballa requesting a meeting to negotiate peace terms, but perhaps it would be best to prepare for battle either way. The others are right. The chances of the Gerudo queen giving up the fight now are extremely slim. We must be prepared for the worst."
"Naturally," the princess agreed. There was a brief moment of silence as she contemplated her next words, her lips pursed in concentration. "Very well. I will draw up the message to be delivered to Urballa, but beyond that, the Voe's newfound power changes nothing. We shall prepare our defenses as originally planned. Any other questions?"
"No, Princess."
"Very good," Victorique nodded. "Ladies, gentlemen, I believe we have our plan of action. Let us make it happen."
The cannons boomed as they fired, launching four-kilogram cast iron shots far into the distance. The Gerudo had not arrived yet, although the intel provided by the scouts had informed the princess and her lieutenants that the enemy was camped out at a lower elevation closer to the bridge, out of sight and out of range. The enemy would be launching their assault any day now, so the cannoneers were merely firing practice shots in order to be sure of their range and accuracy.
The journey from the Coliseum up to the battlements set up along the cliffs had been rather short. There was a lift constructed on the near side of the cliffs that allowed for cannons and other supplies to be transported up to the top. Ayako and her charge had been elevated by that lift, so only a short bit of walking had been required.
"Do you have any suspects for Princess Sabah's true killer?" Ayako asked the princess. Victorique had shared her speculations previously, but that was some time ago. The bodyguard had not thought about it much since then, but she figured the princess may have.
"The witch Kobami is still the obvious choice," Victorique replied. A cannon fired beside her, causing her hair to billow in the wind. Once the sound of the impact ceased, she continued. "But there are many among the Ganonites who would have employed such a trick in order to force the queen's hand against us, so it is impossible to tell."
"You do not suspect anyone from our side, then?" Ayako asked.
"Of course not," Princess Zelda said definitively. "There are none among us who would benefit from it. No one hated Princess Sabah, no one wanted war with Gerudo, and no one would be foolish enough to think killing her daughter would bring Urballa in line."
"True," Ayako concurred. "I suppose if any of our people were to have murdered anyone, it would have been Prince Harun or Urballa herself."
"Precisely." Another cannon fired. Victorique watched how the cannonball soared through the air and crashed into the countryside. She did not seem satisfied with something, and lifted her ledger to note something down.
A few moments later, Ayako heard the flapping of large wings above them. Instinctively, she clutched her naginata and stepped closer to the princess, looking up at the source of the noise. Luckily, it was merely a messenger Rito.
"Princess Zelda," the Rito said, lowering himself to the ground.
"Yes?" she asked the postman, looking up from her ledger.
"I'm terribly sorry, your highness, but I have an urgent message from the capital." The postman extended his wing, clutching a sealed envelope.
The princess nodded and took the envelope into her hand. "Thank you. You may go."
The Rito nodded and flew off.
Ayako watched as Victorique opened the letter and read it. Urgent messages from the capital were rarely good news, so Ayako did not expect the princess to be happy about whatever it was that she read. Victorique clearly tried to maintain her stoic expression, but her bodyguard saw it falter slightly. Her lips parted and her eyes opened in alarm. Ayako could even see tears forming.
"Princess?" Ayako asked.
Victorique flinched, then quickly composed herself. "There's… been an attack," she replied, handing the letter to her bodyguard. When the Sheikah woman took it, the princess turned back to observe the cannon tests again.
Worriedly, Ayako quickly skimmed the contents of the letter. "By the gods…"
A demon attack? Victorique's father is dead? Her sister is missing?
"Princess…"
"Lord Remoth can handle things for now," Zelda replied before she could say anything else. "We still have a job to do here."
