The journey back to Central Hyrule had gone well so far, all things considered. The last time Sophitia had traveled through Tabantha Snowfield, it had been on the night of the Blood Moon. There were still some Stalfos roaming the frozen plains during the night, but not nearly as many as there had been the night they were raised, and the princess's guards had been able to handle them with little issue. Navigating the treacherous path around the northeastern tip of Tanagar Canyon had gone better the second time around as well, now that much of the snow had been cleared away. Finally, the journey through Rowan Plain had gone about as well as the journey through Tabantha Snowfield, with only a few Stalfos to bother them at night.
When the princess's retinue arrived at the tradepost town of Maritta, they stopped for some much-needed supplies, having run low on food, torches, and the like. Sophitia had hoped to walk through the market and make a public appearance amongst the people, but with everything that had been going on lately, Liliana and the princess's other guards had insisted she remain safely out of the public eye for the time being. And so, while some of her servants retrieved the supplies, the princess waited outside of the town, sitting at the picnic table that had been set up for her.
"I hope Percival is okay," Sophitia said aloud, gazing into the side of Salari Hill, which blocked her view of the castle in the distance. She felt guilty sitting around while her brother was apparently risking his life fighting to reclaim their sister's throne. Sophitia just wanted to get back to the capital as soon as she could. She wasn't sure how she might help exactly, but she'd think of something once she understood the situation better.
"I imagine he is," Liliana said encouragingly. "He managed to lead his army against some sort of rogue sage and win, right? And he always wears all that fancy armor. Not to mention that giant of a bodyguard he always has with him. Harming the prince would be rather difficult. Believe me, I've thought about it."
Sophitia laughed haughtily. "I see. You raise some good points. Thank you." She thought about Sir Onnick, who was quite possibly the strongest knight of their era. She'd heard stories of his custom-made armor that was so heavy, no other Hylian was likely to be able to wear it and move around as easily as he did.
To get to my brother, one would have to go through him first.
As her mind wandered, Sophitia's gaze turned skyward. As always, the weather was nicer on this side of Tanagar Canyon. It was a bit cloudy, but the sky was a lot less gray than it had been in northern Hebra. However, as she watched the clouds, she noticed something up in the sky.
"What is it?" Liliana asked curiously, noticing her charge squinting as she looked upwards.
Sophitia pointed. "There's a Rito coming towards us," the princess replied. It had taken her a moment to tell what the flying creature was, as it appeared quite small from this distance. However, it was unmistakably one of the birdfolk.
Liliana stood, her hand finding the hilt of her sword. "Are we to be on alert?" she asked.
"No, I don't think that will be necessary," the princess said confidently, waving for her retainer to return to her seat. "If our deal with the Rito were already broken somehow, we might see a flock of braves coming to attack us. If it's only one Rito, it's probably just a messenger."
"Sensible," Liliana agreed, sitting back down.
When the Rito man landed, it was indeed a messenger, and apparently one who was well-versed in proper protocol. He first landed some distance from the princess, requesting access from the captain of the guard.
"Let him pass," Sophitia called to them. "I wish to hear what he has to say."
Upon being granted permission, the Rito messenger approached and bowed. "Princess Zelda Sophitia, I come bearing a message from Prince Lancel."
Sophitia was surprised. She and Liliana had been discussing her other brother, but this was still rather fortuitous. She had not heard from Lancel in quite some time, and she was beginning to wonder what he was up to. "Splendid," the princess said politely, trying to conceal the mixture of eagerness and anxiety she felt. "If you please," she requested, holding out her hand.
The Rito messenger retrieved a letter from his carrying bag and handed it to her, bowing as he backed away while she read it.
"What does it say?" Liliana asked after a minute.
"It's… possibly good, and possibly very, very bad," the princess replied. She cleared her throat, then chose to read a few select parts of the letter in an imitation of her elder brother's cadence. "Greetings, sweet sister! I hope you are well. It is with great triumph that I write to you from atop the City in the Sky! Skyloft, which has eluded my grasp throughout this campaign, is finally mine. I am bringing her back with me to the capital. I hope to see you soon for my coronation! With love, Lancel Leif Hyrule."
Liliana remained stone-faced. "He's taking Skyloft… to the capital? For his coronation?"
"Now do you see why I said it was possibly very, very bad?" Sophitia remarked. She glanced at the date written on the letter. "He has probably already arrived in Hyrule. Excuse me, sir." She spoke up to address the messenger.
"Yes, Princess?"
"Why am I only receiving this now?" she asked, wondering why she had not been kept properly up to date.
"Reaching Snowpeak was difficult given the conditions," the Rito man replied. "And when I arrived, I was told you had left. The situation necessitated that I track you down, and I found you here."
"I see. Thank you." Sophitia sighed. "Liliana, be a dear and fetch my writing set."
As soon as her retainer returned with her requested tools, the princess quickly transcribed a response to her brother. "Here. Please take this to Prince Lancel, if you please," she requested, handing the letter to the Rito messenger.
"By your will, Princess." The messenger bowed once more, then spread his wings and took flight.
Despite having already sent her response, Sophitia's mind was still racing on the subject. "If he controls Skyloft now, what did he do to the Rito who were holding it for Revalco? Will Revalco see that as a break in our treaty? Will he fight back now? And what in Din's name is he planning to do with that city?" The princess remembered what Lancel had said before they'd left for Hebra. To him, Skyloft was the greatest weapon on the planet. If he was right, there was no telling what he might do with it.
Liliana stood. "I'll send for someone to retrieve the party in town."
"Thank you."
This is not good. We need to get home immediately.
Unfortunately, without access to enough ships to ferry them all across the water, the best way to reach the capital from Maritta was to go back through the Breach of Demise. It had been some time since she'd traveled through the Breach, but Sophitia had nearly been killed last time, and the demonic magic lingering in the area had an unpleasant effect on those of her bloodline. Even if they didn't end up getting attacked by monsters again, it would still be dangerous.
"We're approaching the Breach now, Princess," Liliana warned her, leaning back inside of the carriage. "Are you prepared?"
The princess nodded warily. "I shall manage," she assured the round-eared girl.
"Shall I fetch one of the healers?" Liliana offered.
The princess thought about it. She briefly wondered if anyone would think of her as weak for doing so, but decided that was unrealistic. "Yes. I suppose such a precaution is called for."
"Very good." Liliana opened the carriage door once again, leaning out towards the closest knight riding alongside them. "The princess requests a healer."
"At once, dame." The knight pulled away from the carriage, heading to the back of the line to find the priestesses who were traveling with them.
A few moments later, the knight returned with the priestess riding beside him. "Slow down!" Liliana called to the coachman. The carriage slowed, allowing the priestess to climb down from her horse and enter the carriage. Liliana took her by the hand and helped her along. "Proceed!" Liliana shouted again, telling the coachman to return to normal speed.
"Greetings, Princess Zelda." The priestess was a young woman, probably only a few years older than Sophitia and Liliana. She was a pretty girl with long blonde hair, wearing white robes, and holding a wooden staff. She bowed before the princess, although it was difficult to do so within the relatively cramped carriage.
Sophitia smiled, recognizing the girl from among her retinue. "Greetings, Meghyn. Please, have a seat."
Meghyn was obviously quite nervous to be in the presence of royalty, but when Sophitia revealed that she knew her name already, it seemed to put the priestess somewhat at ease. "Thank you, your highness. Are you or Dame Liliana harmed?" the older girl asked, thinking she'd been called to attend to an injury.
"No, nothing like that," Sophitia said, shaking her head.
"And it's just 'Liliana.' I'm not a knight yet," her retainer corrected.
"I see." Meghyn looked between them. "Then may I be of assistance with anything else?"
"Perhaps. You see, we are entering the Breach of Demise, which may have adverse effects on my health, temporarily," Sophitia explained. "So, if I start to fall ill, I was hoping you might be able to help me recuperate."
"Of course. I will do what I can," Meghyn offered.
"Splendid. You have my thanks." The princess smiled and braced herself. They had passed the boundary into the Breach already. She wasn't feeling anything quite yet, but she knew it was only a matter of time. She was also worried about the possibility of another monster attack, but there was nothing more she could do about that after having instructed her guards to travel in a defensive formation.
The three passengers sat in silence for a short while. Liliana was the first to speak again. "You nervous?" The question was directed at the priestess sitting beside her.
Meghyn sat with her staff clutched tightly against her chest. It took her a moment to realize she had been spoken to. "Yes," she affirmed with a nod, smiling apologetically.
"What ever is the matter, dear?" Sophitia asked, attempting to be as friendly as possible.
"It's this… place," Meghyn replied. "It is unholy ground."
Sophitia nodded understandingly. To a woman in service of the goddesses, entering the land from which the god slayer sprang forth must have been quite burdensome. The princess hoped Meghyn would not suffer the same sickness she did.
It may also be hard for her to heal me if she is in need of healing herself.
The princess wished to change the subject. She opened her mouth to ask Liliana a question about Lord Remoth, hoping they could use their traveling time to plan their next moves. However, while she didn't mistrust their new guest, Sophitia thought better of discussing such important matters in front of her.
I hope Liliana can restrain herself from making her off-color jokes, too.
"Would you care for anything to eat?" the princess offered. "We picked up the most lovely little tea cakes in Maritta."
Meghyn smiled. "That would be nice, thank you."
Liliana wordlessly retrieved a covered dish from a crate beneath her seat. She then let down a folding table from the side wall, placing the dish on top of it. "Dig in," she offered, lifting the dish cover.
"My thanks, dame. Er, miss." Meghyn nodded gratefully and took a bite. The princess and her retainer joined in as well.
For the next leg of their journey, the three of them made small talk, attempting to pass the time and take their mind off of the potential danger they might have been in. Sophitia, having steeled herself for the worst, managed to hold off any sickness for some time. However, she could not hold it off forever. After a while, she began to feel lightheaded.
"Are you alright, Princess?" Liliana asked, noticing Sophitia placing her elbow on the table and rubbing her temple.
Sophitia smiled weakly. "Meghyn, dear? Perhaps you could come sit beside me now?" she requested.
The priestess nodded. "Of course, your highness." The older girl stood from her seat and moved to sit back down next to Sophitia. She then placed a hand on the princess's back. Her hand lit up, as did the staff she clutched in her other hand, as she began to work a healing spell on Sophitia. "How is that, Princess?"
Sophitia felt a calmness washing over her, as if all her worries were melting away. Her lightheadedness began to fade, too. "Perfect, dear. Thank you. Please keep it up."
Although the princess had hoped to avoid it, the priestess casting a healing spell reminded Sophitia of Seraphina. Her younger sister had always been extremely gifted with this kind of magic. As far as she'd been made aware by her last communications with the capital, her younger sister was still missing, and possibly worse. She missed her dearly, and continued to pray that she would turn up unharmed.
The gods have always smiled upon her. They would never be so cruel as to let something bad happen to her…
"Do you need anything else, Sophitia?" Liliana offered. "More tea? A blanket?"
The princess raised a gloved hand to wave her off. "No, that won't be necessary. Thank you." The healing was working, so she only needed to wait it out.
I'll be home soon…
As time went on, the princess and her retinue traveled further and further into the heart of the Breach. Sophitia fought it at first, but her symptoms quickly began to get worse.
"Meghyn," Sophitia said through half-lidded eyes, her head lolling back against the headrest. "Could you… perhaps… um… More, please?"
"Y-Yes!" the priestess agreed nervously. The glowing white light produced by her healing spell brightened as she attempted to increase its intensity.
"Sophitia?" Liliana asked, her voice as level as always, but still clearly concerned. "Are you awake? Stay with us."
"I'm here," Sophitia assured her, although the room was spinning and she felt as though she needed to vomit.
Liliana stood and opened the carriage door, leaning outside to look at the road up ahead. "We're almost past the worst of it," she informed the others when she leaned back in. "We'll reach the center of the Breach in a moment, and then we'll turn east. It will be over soon."
However, a moment after Liliana had spoken those words, the carriage came to a halt.
"What?" Sophitia asked. "What is happening?"
"Don't worry, Princess. Let me-" Liliana stood and moved for the door again, but she stopped. They all heard a distant booming sound, and the ground shook beneath them. It was nothing as serious as an earthquake, but large enough to be noticeable. The three of them waited, listening, until the sound came again. It sounded like gigantic footsteps.
Fear crept through Sophitia. "Liliana…"
"Meghyn, continue healing her," the round-eared girl ordered. "I'm going outside to check."
"R-Right," the priestess replied.
As the princess waited for her retainer to return, the sound of the giant footsteps ceased, but it was quickly replaced by several voices. Sophitia could not make out what any of them were saying, and in her increasingly delirious state, she wasn't even sure whether or not the voices were real.
When the carriage door reopened and Liliana returned, she climbed inside, clutching her sword tightly.
"What is going on?" Sophitia asked, forcing herself to sit upright and remain attentive.
It took Liliana a moment to respond. "Princess, I think we should turn around."
"Why? What manner of monster is blocking us?" As relieved as she was that no one appeared to have been harmed yet, she was confused as to why there was so little panic. If a giant monster had appeared in the Breach of Demise, surely they would've been in more danger than this.
"There are many of them," the round-eared girl replied. "Blins, mostly. Several Achemen, too. And they have a Hinox. A really big one. And it talks. Odder still, there are Gerudo with them, including the Gerudo prince."
"Gerudo?" The situation was quickly getting stranger. "What are they doing here? And what are they doing with a horde of monsters?"
"I don't know, Princess. But he wants to speak with you."
"What? The Gerudo prince does? How did he know I was here?" Sophitia was getting more worried. She was already considering heeding Liliana's advice, but she needed to get home to help her brother.
"I do not know, but it can only be a bad sign. That's why I think we should just turn around and leave," Liliana reasoned.
Sophitia took a moment to consider the situation. The monsters and the Gerudo could have been dangerous, surely. However, they seemed to be trying to negotiate with her, and they hadn't attacked yet.
"He might know something about my elder sister," Sophitia said aloud as the thought occurred to her. "I need to know if Victorique is okay, and I need to get back to my brother. Let me talk to him and the monsters. Maybe I can-" Sophitia attempted to stand, but she immediately lost her balance and collapsed against the priestess.
"Oh! Princess! You must be careful," Meghyn warned her.
"My apologies," Sophitia said, embarrassed. "Meghyn, Liliana, would you kindly help me out of the carriage?"
Liliana shook her head. "Princess, I cannot allow this. You are in no condition. If the enemy sees you like this, they would see it as a perfect opportunity to kill you."
"I will not get anywhere near them," Sophitia promised. "I'll have a dozen knights, and you, between me and them."
The round-eared girl did not seem happy with that answer, but after a pause, she relented. "Very well. But please, be careful."
"Always." Sophitia smiled weakly as her retainer and her healer helped her up and brought her outside. She immediately hated the stale air and the haze of dust that seemed to fill the canyon. Up ahead, past the rest of the convoy, she could see the Hinox towering over everyone else.
He looks… odd.
"Guards," Liliana called in a low voice, getting the attention of the other soldiers in the vicinity. "Form up in front of us. Do not let the monsters or the Gerudo come too close."
"Yes, of course."
"At once."
The soldiers dutifully obeyed. With her safety reasonably secured, Sophitia allowed herself to be escorted to the front of the convoy.
"Meghyn, please keep up your spell," Sophitia requested, not wishing her sickness to overtake her in front of possible hostiles.
"Yes, your highness."
Up close, Sophitia was able to see all of the monsters Liliana had described. There were several types of Bokoblins and Moblins among them, dressed in tattered clothing or ill-made armor and holding spears and clubs. There were also the Achemen, who had red skin, leathery wings, and elongated limbs. Most of them seemed to be equipped with Hylian armor and weapons, which gave Sophitia the horrible feeling that they had killed some Hylian soldiers and stolen their belongings. The largest monster, of course, was the Hinox. It must have been over forty feet tall, and it stared down at her with curiosity in its one big eye. Strangely, there was also an Acheman sitting on the Hinox's shoulder, grinning fiendishly.
The Gerudo mentioned were present as well. Sophitia could see a dozen of them from where she stood. Some sat on horseback, while others had dismounted. Most of the women wore armor and violet clothing, including veils that covered the lower halves of their faces. The prince stood beside the Hinox. While he was absolutely dwarfed by the forest giant, he was still over seven feet tall, and he appeared quite imposing wearing black armor and wielding a trident.
"Oi! Princess!" The Acheman that sat upon the giant's shoulders called down to Sophitia. The monster's voice was scratchy, but it sounded feminine, and the words were in Hylian. Sophitia was still a bit confused about the whole situation, so she merely stared up at the fiendish red bat creature without responding.
"Greetings, Princess," the giant Hinox joined in, also speaking Hylian, his voice deep and echoing grandly throughout the canyon. Carefully, he lowered himself down into a seated position and leaned forward, bringing him a little closer to Sophitia's level. Despite not moving forward, the Hinox's movement caused Sophitia's guards to raise their shields and pull the formation in more tightly. "Do not be alarmed," the Hinox said. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Raeger, warchief of this horde."
The giant then turned his head to the Gerudo prince expectantly. However, the prince said nothing. He merely stood there, glaring in the princess's direction.
"Little prince?" Raeger said.
The Gerudo man blinked. "And I am Harun, Prince of the Gerudo," he said, finally introducing himself.
Sophitia cleared her throat, attempting to stand as straight as she could without help from her retainer or the priestess. "You appear to know me, but in the interest of formalities, I am Princess Zelda Sophitia Hyrule, sister to Queen Zelda Victorique Hyrule." She knew Victorique had likely not been crowned yet, but she figured it would be best to refer to her as queen regardless. "May I ask why it is you have requested to speak with me?"
"We're trying to pass through," the Acheman girl on Raeger's shoulder replied. "Figured we'd ask if we could. So, you know, we wouldn't have to kill each other," she said with a wicked giggle.
Sophitia still thought this whole exchange was odd. She had never negotiated with monsters before, but it was a welcome change. However, just because these monsters did not intend to harm them, it didn't mean they were completely harmless. "What do you intend to do on the other side of the Breach?" the princess asked.
"That's our business," the Acheman girl said.
"But rest assured, we are of no danger to anyone who is not a danger to us," Raeger clarified.
Sophitia nodded, reasonably satisfied with the Hinox's surprisingly articulate response. She turned her attention to Prince Harun, whom she noticed was still looking at her strangely. "And you, your highness?" She chose to address him as fellow royalty, recognizing his title.
The prince shook his head. "Yes, your highness?" he said, returning the courtesy.
"What are you doing with these… others?" she asked, gesturing to Raeger and the Acheman girl.
Prince Harun regarded his monster companions for a moment, considering his answer. "We share a mutual goal. One of peace and freedom for our peoples."
Sophitia looked out across the horde, seeing dozens of monsters with horns, fangs, and weapons. She had trouble picturing them on a mission of peace. She would have to do more to deduce their true motives. However, she had other questions for the Gerudo.
"Did you come here from the Coliseum?" the princess asked.
The Gerudo prince furrowed his brow. "Yes, I did. Why do you ask?"
"What happened there?" Sophitia had been in Hebra for some time, and communication was not always quick and reliable between the provinces, even with Rito messengers.
Prince Harun hesitated. "It fell," he answered. He did not say it triumphantly or proudly. If anything, he sounded almost regretful. "Queen Urballa holds it now."
Sophitia felt her heart drop, fearing the worst. "And what of my sister?" she asked, fighting back her bad thoughts. "What has become of Victorique?"
"She fled before the Coliseum fell," Harun informed her.
The princess nearly collapsed with relief.
She's alive, then.
"I see," Sophitia said. Just then, she felt a dizziness come over her. Liliana caught her arm as she almost fell over.
"Princess, we should go," her retainer suggested.
"No. Not yet."
"Oi, you two alright?" the Acheman girl lounging atop the Hinox called out. "You don't look so good, you know."
"It is nothing," Sophitia insisted, but she was already starting to feel flustered.
I've made a mistake. We need to end this discussion and get out of here.
As the princess straightened herself out and attempted to stand without Liliana's help, she noticed Prince Harun was in a similar position. Two of his guards were helping him stand, and he had his hand pressed firmly against his own face.
Is he affected by this place, too, somehow?
Regardless of the prince's state, it was time for both their parties to move on. "Well, you have stated you have no plans to harm us, and so long as that is true, I see no reason we cannot simply…" She trailed off, distracted once again by Prince Harun. He gazed in her direction like there was something terrifying behind her. But, more importantly than that, her own vision grew distorted. The world around them seemed to darken. Red light seeped out of the ground, as if the great cracks in the earth that had opened for Demise were reopening. Harun's image flickered, although Sophitia wasn't clear what else she was seeing.
"Princess?" Liliana asked, but her voice was so muffled that Sophitia barely heard it.
Then, it happened. Harun disappeared, replaced by a horrific, eyeless monstrosity. The creature expanded in size, shooting up into the air to a colossal height, letting out a terrifying roar from its massive, thousand-toothed maw.
Sophitia shrieked, covering her eyes and falling backwards. Liliana and Meghyn caught her.
"Horse! Bring me a horse, now! We're leaving!" Liliana shouted to the other guards.
"It's here! He's here! Demise is here!" Sophitia cried. Delirious, she felt the need to warn everyone of the Demon King's presence, fearing what terrors he might bring to Hyrule once again.
"Oi. What's wrong with her?" The Acheman girl sitting on Raeger's shoulder spread her wings and flew to the ground, setting down near the princess. A dozen guards raised their weapons to her, warning her to back away. "She's freaking out, you idiots," the Acheman girl told them. "Aren't any of ya gonna help her?"
"Get her out of here!" Behind the Acheman, Prince Harun was down on his knees with his guards circling around him, offering help. "It isn't safe. Go!"
One of Sophitia's guards finally came back with a horse, handing the reins to Liliana. She did not even take the time to thank him, immediately grabbing her charge and lifting her up onto the horse's back before climbing on with her. "Go!"
The other mounted guards circled around them, and they took off down the eastern path.
"Liliana…" Sophitia whined, unsure what was happening anymore.
"Don't worry, Princess," she told her. "We're going home. Everything will be over soon."
The effects of the Breach did not wear off on Sophitia until they were somewhere traveling along the road beside Mount Gustaf. When she came to, she was sitting atop a horse with Liliana's arms wrapped around her from behind. The last thing she remembered was Demise emerging from the Earth, but she'd regained enough sense to realize it had all been a hallucination.
"Liliana," Sophitia spoke up, her voice hoarse from screaming.
"Sophie? Sophie, are you alright?" Liliana asked, one hand clutching her tighter.
"I'm awake," the princess replied, although she could not say for sure if she was alright. "Is everyone else okay? Was anyone hurt?"
"No, Sophitia. The monsters and the Gerudo let us pass unharmed."
Sophitia let out a sigh. "Good. They kept their word, then. That's a relief."
Let's hope they were being honest about everything else.
"You're nearly home," Liliana told her.
Sophitia looked to her left. Past the cliffs, she could see the walls of the quarry that lay outside of the City of Hyrule. "Yes. We are." She had never been more grateful for that fact. "May we return to my carriage for the rest of the way? I would like to lie down."
"Of course, Princess."
Liliana waved down the carriage and stopped the convoy long enough for them to climb into the back of it. Sophitia was quick to lie down on the seat cushions, and soon she fell asleep.
When Liliana next woke her up, they were near the city gates, but the convoy had stopped. However, this had been by Sophitia's earlier orders. The last news she'd received regarding the state of the capital was that her brother and Lord Remoth were fighting for control of the city, and she'd wanted to make sure it was safe to approach.
"Shall we wait outside, Princess?" Liliana asked.
"No. It would be best to remain out of sight for now," Sophitia replied. "If we do not yet know whether or not it is safe in the city, then we should assume it is not safe out here either until we know for sure."
However, the princess did not need to wait long. Soon, there was a knock on the carriage door. Liliana opened it.
"Yes?"
Three of Sophitia's guards stood outside, and all of them wore smiling faces. "We bring good news, Princess," the one in front spoke. "The fighting in the city is long over. Prince Percival, Prince Lancel, and Queen Zelda are presently in the castle. The City Watch has already sent word of your arrival, and we are welcome to enter immediately."
Sophitia's face lit up. Three of her siblings had made it home safely, and they were waiting for her. "Excellent," she said, trying to maintain an air of dignity about her when all she wanted to do was jump for joy. "Send word to the front, then. Let us get this convoy moving again. Our destination is Hyrule Castle."
"Yes, your highness." The guards bowed and were on their way.
Liliana shut the door. "Well, that's good n-"
Sophitia could not help herself. As soon as they had some privacy, she threw herself at her companion, hugging her tightly. "They're alive," she said happily. "Percival did not perish in battle against Lord Remoth. Lancel did not fall out of the sky. Victorique made it home safely from the Gerudo front. I'm going to see them again." In the back of her mind, she thought of her younger sister, who was still missing. However, her fear of what may have happened to Seraphina did not get in the way of the tremendous relief she felt in regard to her other siblings.
Liliana returned the hug. "I know, Sophie. I am happy to hear it as well."
As they traveled through the city streets on the way to the castle, Sophitia slid the window of her carriage open to take a look out at the city. There were surprisingly few citizens going about their business outside, which was quite unusual. The capital was usually always crowded and abuzz with activity.
Perhaps recent events have left the populace scared.
That came as no surprise. Many buildings still lay in ruin, and it was unclear how much of the destruction had been the result of the Blood Moon and how much had been the result of Percival and Lord Remoth's conflict.
However, the biggest surprise came when Sophitia got a better view of the skies above the castle moat. There, hovering far above the water, was Skyloft. The small city atop floating chunks of earth sat motionless in the sky, close enough that the citizens of the capital would be able to see it whenever they cast their gaze to the north.
Of course, Sophitia had known her brother had taken control of Skyloft. His letter had informed her of as much. Nevertheless, it was quite a jarring sight to see a piece of ancient history floating in the sky outside of her home. And, if it were truly weaponized the way her brother imagined, then it was actually quite a menacing threat to hold over the city.
I need to have a very serious conversation with my brother as soon as we arrive…
After crossing the bridge over the moat and passing through the front gate, Sophitia felt a renewed joy at having finally returned home. Her carriage, escorted by her retinue of guards, made their way through the castle grounds, finally coming to a stop outside of the castle itself.
Liliana was quick to step outside, offering a hand to help the princess climb down to the ground. Sophitia gladly took it.
A number of castle guards were awaiting them, standing on either side of the pathway, with a few forming a line in front of the doors. Grand Protector Brigo was among them, and he stepped forward to give Sophitia a welcoming bow.
"Princess, I am happy to see you've returned safely. Welcome home."
The princess lowered her head respectfully in return. "I am glad to be home, Grand Protector. If I may, I would very much like to see my siblings."
"Of course, your highness," Brigo said, gesturing to the doors as a pair of guards opened them. "Right this way."
Sophitia, Liliana, and a number of her guards proceeded to enter the castle keep. Inside, they found a rather large welcoming party waiting for them in the entrance hall.
Victorique stood front and center, as always, dressed in an elegant dress, but not wearing the queen's crown. Behind her, she was flanked by what at first appeared to be two Impa Ayakos, but then Sophitia remembered Ayako's sister. She did not know why both Impa sisters were present, but they seemed to both be in Victorique's service now. To Victorique's right stood Percival, wearing his golden armor and his cape. Sir Onnick, the giant man who looked like a walking suit of armor, stood behind him with his arms crossed and his greatsword strapped to his back. Oddly enough, Lord Remoth was there as well, standing apart from most of the others with a pair of black-cloaked knights on either side of him. Also present were Grand Minister Malkori, Grand Watcher Socicila, Grand Arbiter Pelletier, and Grand Treasurer Loho, along with several more servants and guards, one of whom Sophitia recognized as that Kokiri knight who had been with Governor Vryciaro at the summit.
"Greetings, sister." Percival was the first to speak. "I hope you bring good news."
Sophitia grimaced, but that was about as good of a greeting as she could've hoped to receive from Percival. "Hello, brother. I am glad to see you are well."
She turned to Victorique next. Sophitia had not thought of it before, but she wondered which Victorique she would be now. Growing up, she'd grown used to her elder sister's two faces - the kind, mentoring Victorique who could be a little overbearing with her expectations of perfection, and the stern, coldhearted Victorique who appeared whenever their father was present. Now that she was to take their father's place, Sophitia worried she was to be their father's Victorique at all times now.
The eldest of the royal siblings walked forward, towards Sophitia. Her face was unreadable. Sophitia began to dread what her sister's greeting would be. Would she demand a status update on Hebra, as Percival had? Would she scold her for giving up part of the province?
Please, sister, be merciful…
Victorique bent down and put her arms around Sophitia, pulling her into a warm, loving embrace. Sophitia's fears melted away. She returned the hug, feeling glad to be home all over again.
"Welcome back, sister. I'm glad you're safe," Victorique said into Sophitia's ear. Her tone was gentler and less formal than the younger princess was used to hearing.
"I'm glad you're safe as well, sister," Sophitia replied. When Victorique stepped back, the younger princess scanned the room. "Where is Lancel?"
Percival sighed disapprovingly. "We had to send for him," the prince replied. "Victorique and I were in a meeting with the Grand Council when we heard you had arrived in the city. A meeting our brother could not have been bothered to join."
"Those meetings are always so boring, though."
Everyone turned their heads upward, finding Lancel leaning against the banister on the upper level of the entry hall. Sir Anselm stood beside him, arms crossed behind his back patiently.
Percival groaned quietly. "If you wish to join us now, then at least come down here with the rest of us, Lancel."
"Don't mind if I do." Lancel put his hands on the banister and leapt over it. He fell about halfway down before a small blue shimmering platform appeared beneath his feet, at which point he hopped down the rest of the way, landing safely on the ground floor. Without pausing, he continued over to where his sisters stood, then wrapped his arms around Sophitia tightly, lifting her up and spinning her around.
"Oh! Lancel. Lancel! I-"
"Ah ha! Delightful to see you again, sweet sister," the elder prince declared, holding her in the hug a moment longer before setting her down. "Welcome home."
Sophitia smiled earnestly. "It is good to be home, Lancel." She still planned to interrogate him about his designs for Skyloft, but for now, she was just glad to see him.
Percival cleared his throat. "Now that the four of us are here, perhaps we should retire someplace more private to discuss the matter of Father's throne."
"I think you mean my throne," Lancel declared teasingly, putting a hand to his chest.
Sophitia raised an eyebrow.
What?
Victorique regarded her brothers for a moment before turning back to Sophitia. "Sister, do you require rest? You must have had a long journey."
The younger princess shook her head. "I am fine. I can have my things sent to my tower. We have much to discuss, so it would be better not to delay."
Victorique nodded. "Ladies and gentlemen," she said, addressing the Grand Councilmembers still waiting in the entrance hall. "I'm afraid we shall have to finish our discussion at a later time. My siblings and I have other urgent matters to attend to."
The royal siblings were escorted to their private council chambers by their retainers, as well as the other Impa sister. So, while the five bodyguards waited outside, Sophitia and her siblings entered the chambers for their discussion. Victorique sat down at the head of the table. Percival, as if challenging her, took his seat at the other end of the table. Sophitia was content with sitting in a chair near her sister, while Lancel grabbed a bottle of wine from a cabinet on the other side of the room and poured himself a glass before taking a seat in the middle.
Sophitia had many questions, but there was one thing on her mind before everything else. "Has there been any news about Seraphina?" she asked, trying to conceal her nervousness in asking the question.
"I'm afraid not," Victorique replied gently. "But the Grand Protector has informed me that Dame Jeanne survived the attack on the night of the Blood Moon, and she has left the city in search of her."
Sophitia nodded. That was not the best news she could have hoped for, but it was far from the worst. Before she could ask her next question, Percival asked one of his own.
"What is the state of Hebra? Since this one abandoned his duties," the younger prince began, cocking his head towards his brother. "I hope you took yours more seriously."
Lancel set his goblet on the table. "I did not abandon Hebra. Hebra was never my objective in the first place, brother."
Sophitia wished to ask him more about the City in the Sky, but she decided she needed to answer Percival's question first. She cautiously eyed Victorique out of the corner of her eye, fearful that her elder sister would be disappointed in her when she heard what had happened.
The younger princess cleared her throat. "After the incident in Skyloft, I requested to meet with the Rito's new High Chieftain, who turned out to be Revalco. He came and spoke with me in Snowpeak. He demanded that the Kingdom of Hyrule renounce all claims to the Hebra Province, and if we refused, his people would retaliate."
Sophitia hoped to soften the blow by making it clear to her siblings that her actions had helped prevent a war, although she doubted that would matter. Their father had always been results-oriented, and the loss of what was likely to be a large portion of the province could only be seen as a decidedly poor result.
"However, I offered a compromise," Sophitia went on. "Since there were many among the Rito tribes who did not wish to part from the kingdom, I allowed each individual tribe to choose whether to secede or to remain. High Chief Revalco accepted my offer, and took it back to the Chieftains' Council. I have not yet been notified of which tribes shall be leaving, but I have appointed Lord Nobiro as governor of Hebra in my absence, and he shall be overseeing the process until I return."
Percival glared at her as she finished her brief summary of the events that transpired. Lancel seemed unperturbed, casually sipping his wine. Victorique's face was not easy to read, but she did not look as disappointed as Percival.
"This is preposterous," Percival said after taking a moment to absorb the information. "You let them choose? Why on earth would it be up to them? You may have cost us the entire province!"
"It would not be the entire province," Sophitia argued. "Many of the tribes do not wish to leave. And even so, the Rito tribes do not control the entire province. All Hylian settlements shall remain as they are."
"Until the Rito, emboldened by their victory over the crown, decide to drive out the remaining Hylian population by force. They may very well wish to drive out any Rito who still side with us, too," Percival argued back.
"I-" Sophitia's heart rate rose.
Have I made a colossal mistake?
"I needed to prevent a war," she asserted. "Allowing secession among those who wished it was better than the alternative. The leader of the detractors agreed to my terms. If he wanted to fight instead, he would have done so then and there."
Sophitia felt herself on the verge of tears as Percival opened his mouth to scold her further, but Victorique spoke first.
"She made the correct decision," their elder sister stated.
The younger princess opened her eyes wide in surprise, not expecting to be defended.
"How could you possibly say that?" Percival asked.
"Our ancestors united these lands to make peace," Victorique replied. "If we are to hold these lands through war, it would ultimately defeat the purpose. If we want the rest of the Rito to return to the fold, we must convince them our kingdom is worth being a part of." Turning away from Percival, she set her gaze on Sophitia. "I am proud of you for choosing the path of peace, sister."
Sophitia could not help but smile broadly. "Thank you, sister."
Percival scoffed. "Of course you would say that. You failed to retain control over the province Father assigned to you as well. I'm the only one here who succeeded. Me."
"You mean Uncle succeeded," Lancel replied mockingly.
Percival shot him a death glare.
"Besides, who cares if we lost Gerudo and part of Hebra?" the elder prince went on, shrugging his shoulders. "Now that we control Skyloft, we'll be able to take it all back in no time. We'll be able to extend our reach beyond the sea, even! Think of it, my dear siblings. Labrynna and Holodrum, united with us at last!"
Sophitia opened her mouth to question him about this at last, but Victorique was quicker.
"I must ask you to put aside your delusions of grandeur for the time being, Lancel," the elder princess requested pointedly. "Our kingdom faces a serious threat, both from within and from without."
"You speak of the Headless Demon and the traitors within our ranks who killed Father," Percival surmised.
"Yes," Victorique confirmed with a nod, turning to Sophitia. "The Cadre has been investigating the matter ever since the Blood Moon. Impa Shiho has informed me that the Headless Demon is a shapeshifter, and it has been hiding among us. We have reason to believe it is still here in the city. Other traitors are likely to be hiding as well."
"If that is true, then almost anybody could be a threat," Sophitia pointed out. "Have we had the Castle Guard thoroughly vetted?"
"Lancel and I have been purging the Guard and the Watchers ever since we reclaimed control of the castle. We've been replacing them with veteran knights and trusted allies from the outlying cities," Percival explained. "But the small fish are of no concern to us. I suspect Lord Remoth has been behind all of this from the start."
"Most probably," Lancel concurred. "I would very much like to prove it before we have him executed, though."
Sophitia was confused. "If Lord Remoth is thought to be responsible for everything that has occurred, what is he still doing here?" She had seen him in the entrance hall with everyone else. She would have expected him to have been sent back to Midoro by now, if not imprisoned.
"It is better we keep him here while we investigate him," Lancel explained. "We've appointed him interim Grand Artisan for now. Rodan has not yet returned from the Wind Temple, and Remoth's monster laborers have been mining the stone that's being used to repair the city. After he and Percy decided to trash it, that is."
"Most of the damage was done by the Headless Demon," Percival argued. "Who is probably Remoth anyway, need I remind you again."
"Yes. And which of us was the one who successfully kicked him off of Father's throne?" Lancel asked with a smug expression on his face. He held out his hands and pointed them both at himself. "That's right. The man with the two-thousand-year-old floating death fortress, that's who."
"You told me before you left that you planned to use Skyloft to expand the kingdom, brother," Sophitia interrupted. "Why exactly is it floating above us at the moment?"
"He is holding the city hostage until he is made king," Percival replied.
Sophitia was mortified. "What?"
"Oh, come on. It's an empty threat," Lancel argued, waving his hand dismissively. "Besides, the throne should go to me anyway. Father said that succeeding in our missions was the first step towards deciding his successor, and I don't believe any of you have brought home anything as impressive as our people's floating ancestral homeland."
"Skyloft was not your mission. Hebra was. You all failed, but I succeeded."
Lancel held up a finger, as if remembering something. He turned to Victorique. "Ah! Speaking of Father's throne - Sister, with Sophitia's return, perhaps now would be the right time to reopen our discussion regarding which of us is to be Father's successor?"
Sophitia regarded the look of mild contempt on Victorique's face. "You told her?" the younger princess asked her brother.
"But of course! Why would we ever keep our deal with Father a secret from our dear elder sister?" Lancel replied, raising his goblet as if to make a toast.
Victorique directed her attention to Sophitia. "Did you wish to be queen as well?"
Sophitia opened her mouth to speak, but did not have a response. She felt embarrassed, and even ashamed. Recently, she'd accepted that she'd missed her opportunity to be queen, and she'd grown more comfortable with the idea of serving her sister instead. However, it appeared as though the throne remained unclaimed after all.
Is this the gods mocking me? Tempting me? Testing me?
"I, I, well - yes. I wanted to be queen," the younger princess finally replied. She brushed her hair out of her face nervously. "I mean, well, I thought I did a good job as Governor of Hebra, so, not that it's the same thing, of course, but, um…" Sophitia began breathing faster as she watched the look of disappointment creep over her elder sister's face.
"There is no sense putting it off further," Percival joined in. "I still maintain that I should be king. Need I make my case to the Grand Council?"
Victorique turned to him next. "This is not a matter which should be dealt with hastily. Regardless, we still have larger priorities."
"Nonsense! This is the first time Percival has ever been right about anything in his life!" Lancel argued, laughing as he spoke. "I've already won the bet, but perhaps we need to play another game to decide - one that our sweet elder sister can participate in, too!"
"What is the matter with all of you?"
Sophitia flinched, shocked by Victorique's outburst. She had raised her voice quite suddenly, sounding extremely shocked and irritated. The eldest royal sibling was not ordinarily prone to such behavior.
"S-Sister?" Sophitia asked feebly.
"Why in Hylia's name would any of you even want to take Father's place?" Victorique went on.
All of her siblings were confused by that question.
"Don't give me that," Percival replied with some exasperation. "How many years have we endured your two-faced, sycophantic behavior? You've always tried your hardest to be Father's favorite. You expect us to believe you weren't trying to secure Father's throne?"
"Of course I was," Victorique concurred. "One of us had to be ready to succeed Father when he passed. Why should that burden fall to any of you?"
Lancel laughed heartily. "Ah, I see. You wanted to be Father's heir so the rest of us wouldn't have to. Of course! How could I not have seen your generosity, sweet sister?"
Sophitia was baffled by this as well. However, if her sister did not want to be queen, perhaps the gods were giving her another chance. "Victorique, leading this kingdom would be a great honor for any of us. We do not see it as a burden - we see it as an aspiration. Why would you feel the need to shield us from it? If you truly do not wish to be queen, then why not let one of us take Father's place instead?"
Her sister looked at her with what could only have been pity, and Sophitia felt her sudden burst of confidence crumble.
"Perhaps you are too young to remember what Father used to be like," Victorique said before turning to their brothers. "But you two should know better. You saw the way the throne changed him; the way it drained the joy out of him. He spent years with the weight of the kingdom on his shoulders, dedicating his life to keeping things running, barely sparing a single second for us. Is that truly what you want for yourselves? A life of constant pressure, misery, and paranoia until you're eventually murdered?"
There was a moment of silence after Victorique finished speaking. Percival remained stone-faced, and perhaps a little skeptical. Sophitia did not know what to make of all this, either. It was true that she could not remember a time when their father hadn't been the way that he was in his final days. But, at the same time, it wasn't as if she'd never considered the drawbacks of being queen of the entire kingdom.
Hard work and stress are part of the job. I gleaned that easily enough from Father.
Lancel was the first to speak again. "Well, then. I believe I can summarize the situation, if I may."
"Does it matter if we say you may not?" Percival asked.
"It does not," Lancel replied with a smirk. He cleared his throat. "Dear elder sister, you feel you must be queen in order to protect the rest of us, and it is no secret that you have been cultivating the skills necessary to lead this kingdom from a young age."
Victorique nodded, watching him cautiously.
"Dear younger sister, you feel you should be queen because of your devotion to the path of peace, just as Hylia intended, and because of your ability to outthink and outmaneuver others, despite your young age," Lancel continued.
Sophitia nodded, mimicking her sister. She was not sure if she would have summarized her bid for the throne in this fashion, but it was quite a compliment, so she accepted it.
"Dear younger brother, your claim to the throne is your astounding display of tactical brilliance and strong leadership that has led you to be successful in warfare, as well as your ability to keep your promises to Father and to carry out whatever mission you set out for, demonstrating great loyalty to the kingdom."
Percival simply stared at him, but he did not speak up to disagree.
Lastly, Lancel brought his hands to his chest, gesturing to himself. "And as for me, I believe I should find myself sitting upon Father's throne because I have returned home with the largest chip out of any of us," he declared. He pointed upward towards the ceiling, but it was clear he was referring to the City in the Sky.
"All true," Victorique admitted, still regarding her brother cautiously. "I suspect you are about to make a proposal, brother. Would you kindly share it with the rest of us?"
"Certainly!" he replied cheerfully. "All four of us have a claim to the throne, and without Father here to decide which of us is most worthy, we must find another method we can use to decide."
"Please don't make this into another one of your games, Lancel," Percival said exasperatedly.
"I refuse!" Lancel declared. "We shall decide via the greatest game of all - an election!"
Sophitia raised a brow. "An election? As in, let the people decide?" She glanced at Victorique uncertainly. Surely it would be their elder sister who won. Few people were as well-known or well-liked throughout the kingdom.
And of the four of us, I am likely the least well-known by a wide margin…
Lancel clapped his hands together. "Precisely! See? I knew you'd love it."
Victorique let out a sigh. "Very well. I suppose that is one of the most fair and unbiased ways we could decide this. We can have the Grand Minister make an announcement to the people, and we can work with him to get everything assembled."
"Fine," Percival agreed. "After my success in Akkala, the people are sure to choose me anyway."
Lancel seemed pleased with their agreement. He turned to Sophitia with an expectant look on his face.
Sophitia, knowing she would be going into an election with the worst odds of winning, wished she could refuse. However, she could not reveal that she didn't think she could win. "Very well," she relented.
Lancel clapped his hands together once more. "Fantastic! Brother, sisters, may the best Hyrule win!"
Author's note:
I am posting this chapter the day before the release of Tears of the Kingdom. I intend to play it all weekend. I can't wait!