As an ambassador for the Rito, Revali had met many a stately lady. Noblewomen in general tended to be the same as far as he was concerned.
All Hylian women generally looked alike to him. Their facial structures were similar across the board. The closest they got to variation of shape in their plumage was when they forced their hair into bizarre and elaborate configurations with pastes and hairsticks. And while they had a variety of skin colorations, these were incredibly monotone. Beiges, browns, reds… Except for the hair, which had a bit more variety, but the skin was almost always a single color, unless enhanced by face paints. Even horses had more natural coloration variety than Hylians. And then, there were EARS. Sharp, pointy things. Weird little protruding shapes that surely slowed them down. What on EARTH was Hylia thinking? Heads should be smooth, aerodynamic.
Gorons were not even worth contemplation. What a disaster. Revali wasn't even sure there were females. No sexual dimorphism to speak of.
Gerudo women were his favorite feminine non-Rito by far. Although they were all tan and physically impressive, it wasn't the musculature of their forms that impressed him, but the fact that they were so powerful yet compact. They most strongly reminded him of the Rito. Broad chests, narrow waists, wide hips even the musculature of their arms could be said to mimic the outline of the top of a wing.
And then there were the Rito women. The female of the Rito, especially the noblesse, were exceptionally beautiful to behold. Crests with plumage that feathered into a variety of exquisite shapes and sizes. And the coloration had such variety, such intensity of hue. Downy softness in all the right places...
All of this to say that when he had been told he would soon meet the most noble of all Hylian women, he did not expect much at all. He had been told she was a "lovely girl" and that she was kind and intelligent, in addition to being a loyal, fiercely dedicated servant of Hylia and Hyrule. This was the kind of flowery language passed among the noble class, such things one was obligated to say out of politeness. "Lovely girl" was typically euphemistic for hereditarily plain, or outright ugly, as many highborn women were bred specifically within limited, close-knit noble lines.
Revali's contemplations of his expectations fell to the wayside when he noticed in the middle of practicing his tornado strike, the princess Zelda was dismounting her white steed at the entrance to the Flight Range. The meeting was supposed to take pace in the village, not here!
Even from his lofty, midair perch he could see she truly was lovely, and beyond. He could not entirely say that it was the surprise of her appearance here that struck him dumb. Her hair was flaxen in a simple braid crown, her lips pale peach and cheeks lightly pinked by the cold. She was covered in simple white fur and leathers with subtle ornamentation and other suitable attire to face the conditions she and her escort had been forewarned to expect.
He had intended to finish his display but damn these idiots showing up here, because of their distraction abruptly a gale shifted beneath him and he lost control of the tornado's direction. Suddenly, his wings had given way to flailing and he was being carried with a wild current of air. The struggle to push away from this invisible tide was intense and he could only follow his instincts, swaying out to the side until the gale subsided. He tried to recover by making it look like a superhero landing, but it was no use. He barely managed a clean crashing to the ground with a force he worried would be embarrassingly obvious.
As he rose off the ground, composing himself, he took the time to fully take in the sight of her. The princess gave off the aura of a gentle soul. She carried herself with dignity, but also seemed burdened by something. There was a heaviness around her that Revali noticed immediately, like the feeling of an oncoming avalanche, the subtle shifts of the air anticipating and creating space for that icy barrage. Maybe it was just the fear of the worst, the calamity coming to pass that lingered on her face as she clearly forced a smile.
It wasn't his job to coddle her, however. "You know your highness, it's rude to eavesdrop."
"My apologies. I went to the village, and was told that I could find you here."
He had no use for the apologies. There was no time for idle prattle. "You have need of me to defeat Calamity Ganon. To slay the beast once and for all... It will be my great pleasure."
"Thank you, Revali. If we work together, I'm certain we'll be able to defeat-"
"However!"
Before she could say anything more about the detestably collaborative nature of the project, Revali was determined to make it clear that he had no intention of hiding his feathers in the name of cooperation.
He summoned the winds around him and took to the air, spiraling upwards within a tornado as tall as the nearest mountain, then dramatically drove downward into the ravine, drawing his bow and nocking three bomb arrows. With a speed and accuracy that left Zelda mesmerized, he swept round the canyon in a dashing arc, bomb arrows flying and blasting targets apart in a dazzling display. It was an effort to follow him with her eyes as he wove through the canyon; she barely had the time to manage wonder. Just as swiftly as he had leapt from the ground, he was as quickly back in front of Zelda, settling down on the front landing of the training ground cabin.
"I know I play the biggest part in helping that, ahem… That little knight with the darkness sealing sword. Correct? Well if he loses his confidence after seeing me in action… Don't come crying to me."
