Agnes and her sister had retired early on the second day, so Telma was forced to wait until the morning of the third to beg for her assurance that she would not be forced to 'serve' the approaching guests. The innkeeper was furious at her sister for making such a promise, but admitted that it would be a death sentence for the both of them, if Telma was discovered. When the young woman looked at her hopefully – assuming this meant that her assurances were made – the old crone frowned and simply answered: "We will keep you in the kitchen. Cook food, make drinks. Audra and I will bring them out to the guests. When all have gone to sleep, you can sneak back to your room." Squinting skeptically, Ivy redoubled, "That isn't an answer… will you or will you not promise me that I will not have to… 'lay' with these men?" But Agnes was unwilling to give her any such promise. Instead, she arrogantly shouted that Ivy had no right to question her, and that she should be satisfied with what she had already been told.
Crushed, Telma had to resign herself to the hope that staying in the kitchen would be enough to protect her. "Guests are served food." She reasoned, "They would never come to the kitchen to get it themselves!" By noon, the entire inn had been thoroughly cleaned once more and the girls began to lounge around – in their finest clothes – waiting for the guests to arrive. Late that afternoon, Nightshade spotted a formation of elite Gerudo approaching from the East. Agnes, glancing out of the doorway beside her, did not see any men, but the warriors were carrying an ornate palanquin on their shoulders.
"Come! Come! All of you at once!" she cried to the girls, clapping her hands, "Kneel here, in front of the desk. And for the sake of the Goddess, DON'T SPEAK!" All of the women now hurriedly gathered in front of the clerk's desk – facing the doorway – and knelt down. Audra stepped ahead of them, but then to one side, while Agnes herself knelt in the front-center of the group. Several slow minutes passed in silence as the girls listened intently for noise outside. Steadily, the rhythmic tramp of the soldiers' feet could be heard approaching. Then the soft thud of the palanquin being set down. Finally, the rattle of weapons and armor as the elite guard approached. With a wave of her hand, Agnes signaled for all to bow their foreheads down to the floor.
Four heavily-armed Gerudo entered the doorway, carefully scanned the foyer, before one nodded to the others outside. Parting to the right and left, they made way for an incredibly old woman. Her skin was a very sickly, dark green and her hair was pure white – drawn back into a tight bun at the back of her head. She wore deep black robes with fine gold embroidery -woven in strange and intricate patterns. But the most distinguishing feature she bore, was the immense, blood-red gemstone set upon her forehead. Slowly, the great witch stepped through the doorway and stared down her long, hooked nose at the women prostrated before her.
Taking another step toward Agnes, the mighty sorceress was followed by an additional four members of her guard. All of whom now pressed themselves to the front, rear, and sides of the foyer – to avoid crowding the elder. After a long, respectful silence, Agnes spoke, "Hail Koume: Eldest sister of the Gerudo, she who hears the voice of the Great Goddess, welcome to my home. What is mine, is yours. We are here to serve." Though she had not yet dared to lift her eyes, Telma could hear the terror in her mistress' voice. Another long, deadly silence fell over the women as the co-matriarch of the tribe carefully scanned each in turn, before running her hand down the wall nearest to her, and checking it for dust. "You know why I am here?" her dry, ancient voice asked.
"Everything has been prepared, great one. We are ready to serve our lord, however he pleases." Choked Agnes, struggling with her apprehension. "You are cleaned and dressed, because you know that Lord Ganondorf's 'guests' are coming… but that does not answer my question. Why am I here?!" she repeated. Swallowing hard, her prey drew a slow, deep breath and answered, "This lowly servant knows only that she must serve, great one, I need not know why my Lord commands as he does." Koume swiftly turned to look back down at her again. Her yellowed, blood-shot eyes narrowing as she studied the old matron of the house. "You grovel well, Agnes of Outlast. You may stand." She finally muttered.
Very slowly, Agnes rose to her feet – though she still averted her eyes away from the great witch. "Tonight," the newcomer hissed, "A caravan will arrive, bringing a half-dozen Hylian men from the East." "Hylians?!" gasped Agnes in false-surprise, but Koume ignored her. "These men… are the key to our lord's victory. I should kill you for hearing such secrets but… it is necessary. Our lord wishes to entice their armies to our cause. They are… undetermined at this time. Help them decide, yes?" she asked. Again, Agnes bowed her head and recited, "We shall do everything, in our lord's service." The witch now turned to face the girls – who were still groveling upon the floor.
"If one dreams for a powerful warrioress – then he shall find the most fearsome desert killer!" she exclaimed, "If he dreams for a simpering bed-slave – then he shall find the most supple, submissive lover that even his most passionate dreams could not create! If he is hungry, feed him! If he thirsts, give him what he wants - suckle him if you have to! But these men will leave here drained and drunk with pleasure – is that understood?" she commanded. As one, the five sisters recited, "Yes, great one." In reply. Telma had never been in the presence of this witch – so far as she knew – and had no idea how to speak or to answer such a person – so she remained silent and grateful that her mouth could not be seen.
Sharply turning to whisper to Agnes, Koume hissed, "Succeed, and the blessings of the Great Goddess herself shall shine upon you… as well as our lord's favor. Fail, and you all die. It is that simple." The old innkeeper's cheek twitched for a moment, before she bowed her head for the final time and answered, "Then my lord is most generous, to give us such a simple task. We are the finest under sun or moon – we will not fail." The sorceress, satisfied that the women would do their utmost, now withdrew a small, wooden box from beneath her robes and roughly shoved it into Agnes' hands. "You know what to do." She muttered, before leaving.
The ladies of Outlast remained frozen in place for several minutes after Koume and her guard left. Gradually, they began to breathe easier, and rose up to a kneeling position. Audra was the first to stand and approach her sister. "Agnes?" she asked quietly, but the elder was staring down at the small box in her hands. "She means it to be… 'a meeting'? What madness is this?" she muttered. "Doesn't have to be," argued Audra, "We'll just have them take the black." The innkeeper slowly opened the lid and peered inside. After quickly glancing over its contents, she let it fall closed again and drew a deep sigh. "They are all yellow." She croaked in reply.
"Only Yellow?!" cried Lavender, her voice rising with indignation. "Quiet!" hissed the mistress, glancing fearfully back at her doorway, but the girl ignored her. "Is it not enough that we are banished to this hell-hole of a village, massaging foreigners for their money, but now we're to be bred because he commands it?!" A stream of fierce bickering – and agreeing – broke out between the girls and their matrons. While Agnes ran to the entry, to make certain the witch had truly gone, Audra attempted to silence them by reminding them that Lord Ganondorf was indeed 'Lord' of the Gerudo; the first male to be born in over one hundred years. His very existence was by the hand of the Great Goddess and so, his word and command… also came with the voice of the Goddess.
Uncharacteristically, Rose lifted her voice also, to agree with Lavender. "Lord Ganondorf is lord, no one questions that. But I too wonder at this command. The warriors who take child have homes in the fortress and are given leave to rest while they birth and nurse their children. We have only ourselves… how will we earn enough rupees to eat – if we are constantly caring for new infants?" The other girls – save Telma – quickly agreed with her and looked to Audra for answers, but the old crone's mouth hung open in silence. She had no idea how 'the house' would make ends-meet, but she also knew that it would mean certain death if they attempted to resist the command.
Up to this point, Telma had remained silent. She understood what the girls feared but she felt out of place agreeing with them – as she was not going to be expected to 'perform' when the men arrived. But some of the details of this argument were still strange. "What do you mean by 'yellow' and 'the black'?" she asked, when the other girls had quieted.