Impa quietly finishes her food and waits for a waiter to relieve her of her empty platter. Once the diners have devoured their main course, the remnants of the buffet are whisked away in preparation for the next.

Impa adheres to the Princess's request and accompanies her on a tour of the banquet hall. They step elegantly along the tiles with their arms interlocked as Her Highness mutters in her attendant's ear.

"The Royal Court is something of an exclusive collective of Court officials, hand-selected by His Majesty the King of Hyrule. There are four core members, each with their own royally denoted title."

The first is Sir Victor; the valiant Commanding Knight of the Royal Hylian Forces. Short grey crewcut and a tightly trimmed moustache; he commands Hyrule's army and has fought plenty of battles; boastfully illustrated by the glistening row of medals hanging from his jacket.

Second is the wayfaring Captain Cassida; an avid explorer, renowned for her daring expeditions across the continent, which she documented in her diaries (now a featured exhibit in the Castle Library). Dark skin, dark hair adorned with feathers of exotic birds she hunted on her travels, fancy dresses of foreign fabrics, glamourous jewels embellish her neck and wrists; she is almost an exhibit in herself.

The third member is Lady Libra; the wise red-haired widow of the Lord of Castle Town. Since her husband's passing, she retired from politics to pursue her true passion: literature. She has since published an abundance of successful fiction, from romance to horror. In many respects, her legacy rivalled her late husband's, and thus she had earned her place at the Royal Court.

Finally, there is the infamous Count Caedis; the handsome descendant of a distant aristocrat and a local heartthrob. His blond curls could snag any unsuspecting stranger; their fate would be sealed with his charismatic charm. As a well-mannered and good-humoured friend of His Majesty, he is a much-sought suitor for many young singletons.

"These four broadly contrasting individuals comprise the Royal Court of King Daltus." Tilda concludes. "Their service to the crown consists largely of companionship for the King. As frequent visitors to the Castle, they often enjoy exquisite banquets and even more ravishing conversation."

The ladies leave the banquet hall and enter the lounge while they await dessert. The lounge boasts windows which span all the from the floor to the ceiling and overlook the Castle Gardens. Tonight, the velvet curtains are drawn to retain the warmth of a crackling fireplace. The other guests gather around the amber glow, engaged in elaborate discussion.

"How bitter the weather has been recently!" Caedis declares his conversation-starter. "Winter has truly hit Hyrule hard this year."

"The townsfolk are talking about storing supplies in case snow falls and prevents the delivery of goods from Lon Lon Ranch." Lady Libra chimes.

"I think it's ridiculous!" Victor exclaims. "How does Hyrule descend into chaos each winter with the mere hint of snowfall? The whole population needs to man-up! Back in my day, we would dredge back and forth through snow two-foot deep just to get supplies to the barracks!"

"You were also battling on a mountainside to the far north." Libra interjects. "The general population aren't so acclimatised to the harsh winters which ravage the northern peaks."

"The coldest place I ever visited was the Kukantican mountain range." Captain Cassida pipes. "Bitterly cold, but nevertheless home to a city of people accustomed to the mountains' unforgiving winters. They gifted me with a coat of the finest White Wolfos fur."

"That sounds simply divine, Cassida." the Princess marvels upon approach. "You must show me sometime. Although let us pray you should never have to wear it."

The congregation chortles at Her Highness's humour. Impa is yet to speak or even crack a smile in the company of these opulent small-talkers. Instead, she gazes into the innards of the fireplace and prays that winter's wrath has not blighted Kakariko Village.