Zelda was surprisingly welcomed into the city of thieves by its thuggish men and catty women. Ganon downed mugs of Goron-made ale, but Zelda stopped after a single glass of wine. Ravio didn't drink at all. He was too busy wandering from group to group, making women laugh and clapping men on the back. Maybe he wasn't a complete outsider. Zelda felt a bit jealous of him for that.
Dinner that night was baked Cucco, with sides of Kokiri-grown fruit and recently baked, butter-coated bread. There were even berry tarts for dessert. It felt fit for a king, compared to recent meals.
They even got to sleep in beds that night – actual beds! There were a little hard for Zelda's liking, not at all like Ravio's plush but small bed, but she couldn't bring herself to complain. Before Ganon had found her, there were no beds at all.
In the morning, Zelda checked their belongings. Everything was still there, down to the last rupee. Only the moldy food and spoiled drinks were gone. It was a courtesy, really.
Zelda bought groceries once Ravio owas awake. She needed someone to help her carry things. It ought to have been enough to last them at least until they reached deep Terminian territory. They could even keep the good stuff now – meats, baked goods, and even milk. With that ice rod of his, Ravio could keep their supplies fresh longer.
"How do you do it?" Zelda asked.
"The magic?"
She nodded.
"I keep the ice rod near perishables always keep my food ever so slightly on my mind."
"Is it hard?" It seemed like it would be, but Zelda was always a better archer than a mage.
"It is, but I've been at it a long time. Makes life on my own that much easier," Ravio replied.
"Will you teach me how to do that one day?" Zelda asked.
Sure, she wouldn't need magic to keep food fresh when she'd reclaimed Hyrule and had butlers and maids again to make food by the meal and get milk fresh. But, until then, it was a handy skill to learn.
"Of course, Princess," Ravio said. "I'll just need you to remind me when we have the time."
They also bought four coats – one extra just in case Agitha arrived in the mountains – as well as blankets, scarves, and hats. They briefly pondered if there was anything they were missing and, when they decided there wasn't, they returned to the inn.
Outside, Ganon was preparing the carriage. The horses were eager to go after their meal. The Loruleans provided them with oats and hay, a fine contrast to the common grass and clovers the stallions had had to make do with since leaving Gerudo's Fortress.
"Ready to go?" Ganon asked with a half-smile tugging at his lips.
They presented the bags full of groceries – a silent "yes" – and hopped in the back. Without further delay, the horses began to trot. They took the north exit, seeing the mist-shrouded mountains in the distance. They were peaked with snow.
A forest passed by on their left. Skull Woods, according to the map. Soon, the lush forest trees were replaced with pine or barren branches. A chill swept through the air and they put on their coats.
"Goodness me, it's cold!" a familiar voice cried.
A giant golden butterfly fluttered in the distance, growing larger and large as it drew closer. Finally, the butterfly settled on the ground before the horses and a petite figure got off it. The Goddess Butterfly shrunk down to its original size and returned to itsbottle.
"You wouldn't happen to have an extra coat on you, would you?" Agitha asked.
Zelda was grateful for her foresight now. She offered Agitha a large, fur coat, and helped her into the carriage.
Upon seeing Ravio, Agitha curtsied. "My apologies. I didn't see you sooner. My name's Agitha. A pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure's all mine, and don't worry about it," he said, bowing as he sat. "My name is Ravio."
And with that introduction out of the way, the carriage started moving again. To keep silence from lulling over the group, Agitha told them of her travels.
"Zelda, I was able to get most everyone out of Hyrule safely. Thank goodness too because we had some close calls with the guards. Some people I weren't able to save. Like, uh, that Talon fellow. The rest of Lon Village escaped though. I'm sorry I couldn't get everyone out."
"And Impa?" Zelda asked, just in case. Her tone was hopeful.
Agitha shook her head, blonde pigtails bouncing as she did so. "No sight of her, I'm sorry."
"That's… That's fine." Zelda fell silent after that, staring out the back of the carriage. Impa had to be out there somewhere. If she wasn't, Zelda would have heard tell of her death from someone.
Yes, Impa was still out there. Zelda just had to find her before the tyrant did.