Shortly after the Lorulean queen spoke, she asked for time alone with Ravio. Zelda obliged, dragging Ganon along with her. She wasn't sure what they'd need to discuss, but she supposed it was none of her business anyways.
Plus, she had her own things to discuss with Ganon. So this worked out for the both of them.
"Ganon, do you have the map?"
He nodded and pulled it from his left pocket. Zelda should have known better by now. Ganon always kept the map folded into a little square in that pocket.
"What's up?" the Gerudo king asked.
"I want to know what road we need to take."
"Okay," he said as he unfolded the yellowed paper. They were in the upper right corner now. The castle was in the center of Lorule. To the north were snowy mountains and a forest. West was the Village of Thieves; at least, that's what the map called it. East was the most northern reaches of King's Ocean. The waters above it were a different sea.
They could travel through that village. It would take them into the ruins of Iakana, the land of the dead. No one they needed – certainly not even anyone alive – would be there. Or they could risk nearing Deku territory. That was dangerously close to Hyrulean territory though. That left just one last option – northwest through the mountains. They could reach Snowhead from there. Then they'd have access to all of Termina. That was probably the best path.
"Ganon, I meant to ask you…"
"Yes, Zelda?"
"How do you-"
Her words were cut off by the doors creaking open behind them. Only Ravio walked out of the throne room. His hood was pulled as far over his face as it would go, but it wasn't enough to hide the fresh tears on his cheeks.
Ganon winced and took a step back. He was too awkward and refined to comfort others outside his own people. To outsiders, he was still a king before he was a man.
Zelda had no such problem. She had long since been humbled to the level of all men. She reached out and placed a hand on Ravio's shoulder.
"What did you and the queen talk about?"
He sniffled and wiped his tears on his sleeve. "She wished me well on my journey, said she always believed in me." His lips trembled then slowly curved upwards. "And… Hilda – Queen Hilda – said she would hold a ball in my honor as her friend, hero, and champion when I got back."
Zelda couldn't say she knew just how much that ball meant to Ravio. She didn't know him well enough yet. But she knew what he'd told her and she knew what she'd seen. And that was enough.
She gave a gentle laugh. "That sounds wonderful," she said. "Hopefully I'm invited."
Ravio forced a laugh. His smile trembled. He still looked like he might break down at any moment. "You and all the other heroes."
"I'll wear my best suit," Ganon said.
Ravio didn't laugh, but Zelda did. She knew better. Ganon didn't have a single suit in his wardrobe. He never would. What he had was jet black armor – a king's set. He would wear that if he came at all.
But the ball was also a very long way off. It had taken days to gather the few heroes they had. Even if three more heroes were in Termina – and such was the case – there would be three more after that. Two of those heroes in the surrounding seas too. How were they even going to reach them without a boat?
Volga could fly them there, maybe, but he was deep in Ordon by now. It would take days just to journey back. Maybe they could go back to the base from Holodrum. Or maybe they could get Agitha to fetch him.
Zelda sighed heavily. Maybe she should just cross that road when she got there.
Ganon led the way back to the carriage, and they set off in silence. Zelda was too far in thought to be a good conversation partner, and Ravio was still mulling over the queen's words.
The silence was only broken come late afternoon, when the carriage pulled to a stop.
That stop roused the princess from her planning. She peered outside the back of the carriage. All she saw was the wooden town gate. She couldn't read it from here.
"Where are we?" she asked.
"Thieves' Village, I'd assume," Ganon replied.
"You'd assume?"
"The sign said Khabel."
So that was the town's true name. She wasn't sure why that surprised her. The Gerudo had their own language, and likely their own name for their fortress and the clay stacked houses that filled it. The so-called thieves who lived here had to be the same. Zelda couldn't help but wonder if even Ravio would be considered a thief outside Lorule.
Ravio hopped out of the carriage. Zelda wasn't sure where she was going, so she followed suit.
"Should I just stay here?" Ganon asked exasperatedly.
Ravio looked over his shoulder at Ganon and gave his trademark anxious smile. "Oh, sorry. Please just follow me."
"Then why get out at all?"
"Because it's easier to show you the way to the inn than point to it."
An inn? But why? Zelda looked up at the sky. She hadn't looked up or considered the time since they left the castle. Ith ad been early afternoon then.
The sky was still blue. The sun was still high in its arch, only beginning to descend. There should be no problem in journeying for a few more hours, even if that would mean they'd be camping today.
As if reading her mind, Ravio explained himself: "We're going through the mountains, right? You don't want to end up there at night."
"Why's that?" Zelda asked.
"It gets dark and windy. All you can see is the snow. Not the wind. Not the cliffs. And definitely not where the road ought to be."
Ravio sounded like he'd experienced it firsthand. Zelda wondered if that was true. She decided it was better not to ask.
"We also need to stock up on supplies. Coats, milk, food – the works."
"What's wrong with my food?" Ganon demanded.
"It's beginning to mold, and I'd rather not pick that off my meals," Ravio replied.
Zelda couldn't argue with that. Ganon opened his mouth to try, but thought better of it. It was decided then. They would stay the night here in Khabel.