"Fire." Queen Zelda spoke the order plainly to one of her commanders.

"Fire!" the commander repeated, shouting down the line of cannons.

A series of booms rang out as the cannons unleashed another volley. Impa stood beside Zelda, both of them watching through an opening in their command tower. They were dressed for battle, even if they did not expect to be directly involved in the fighting. Zelda wore her full suit of royal armor, elegantly decorated with gold and violet Hyrulean designs. The design of her armor was much sleeker and less bulky than what her knights wore in order to enable her preferred fighting style. Her helmet, which sat on a nearby table, was crafted to give it the appearance of both a helmet and a crown. She wore a cape as well, although she would slip it off immediately if she would need to enter combat at any point. Impa Ayako wore somewhat less gaudy but equally conspicuous Sheikah samurai armor, which was designed to be as intimidating as it was protective. Her masked helmet sat next to the queen's while they talked.

A large portion of the Gerudo forces had gathered in the fields below them. This would be the enemy's second attempt at attacking the Hyruleans' position. Their previous attempt had gone poorly, as the Gerudo had not been aware of all of their defenses.

"Do you expect them to reach us this time, my queen?" Ayako asked. Technically speaking, Zelda was not the queen yet, and she wouldn't be until she returned to the City of Hyrule for her official coronation ceremony. However, after news of the king's death had spread throughout the Coliseum, almost everyone had taken to addressing her as if she were the queen already.

"I was surprised they did not reach us last time," Victorique replied, lowering her spyglass. "Given the reports of the Voe's exploits during the battle of the bridge, I was expecting to have to face him personally."

"Surely they would not risk losing their most powerful asset," Ayako speculated. "As strong as he may or may not be, the Gerudo must know he would be no match for Hylia's heir."

"I would not be so sure of that, Aya." The queen-in-waiting turned to her commander once more. The armored man stood just outside of the doorway, allowing him to receive Zelda's commands and relay them to the troops. "Fire," Victorique repeated.

"Fire!"

"Of course, Your Grace," Ayako said, continuing the conversation. "As your protector, I approve of your caution. That being said, it would not do well for the morale of our troops should they see you shying away from a fight."

"Why do you think I've chosen to remain here?" the queen replied.

"A fair point."

One of the tower's other doors opened. Reflexively, Ayako turned to face the newcomer, her hand gripping her naginata tightly, but it was only a footsoldier. He quickly saluted, then held up a scroll. "A report for Queen Zelda, Lady Impa."

"Thank you, soldier," Ayako replied, retrieving the scroll. "Wait here a moment." While Victorique relayed another order to her commander in the other doorway, Ayako quickly scanned the letter.

"What news?" Victorique asked once she was free.

"This attack appears to be a diversion," Impa said, summarizing the note.

"As our generals predicted. Where is their other force?"

"The west shore of Aquame Lake, Your Grace. Perhaps they crossed the mountain to avoid going through the pass covered by our cannons." Ayako pointed out the window at the cliffs on the other side of the pass.

"That would make sense. I suppose that route is preferable to the alternative," the queen said. "Inform the Zora. Make sure nothing crosses that lake."

"Shall I relocate some of our troops from the eastern side?" Ayako asked, already jotting down Victorique's orders.

"No." Zelda shook her head. "We must not lower our defenses of Gatepost under any circumstances. The last thing we need is this fight spilling over into civilian areas. Divert some troops from the battalion guarding the bridge instead."

Ayako finished writing, then handed off the message to the soldier.

"At once, Queen Zelda." The messenger saluted before he left.

Zelda returned to observing the bombardment of the Gerudo troops in the fields below them, occasionally giving further orders to her commander.

"How long do you expect the Gerudo to keep this up?" Ayako asked. Someone who did not know Victorique as well as she did might have seen her at the moment and judged her quite harshly. Presently, the queen stared out over the battlefield, observing her enemies being crushed beneath her, without any emotion showing on her face. Others may have seen this as callous and uncaring, but Ayako knew better. There was no way the queen wished for this bloodshed to continue.

"With any luck, this will be the last battle of this uprising," Zelda stated simply.

Impa raised an eyebrow. "Why do you say that? They have been quite persistent thus far."

"They began this campaign out of grief for their lost princess and out of overconfidence from their first victory." Zelda stepped closer to the window, idly dragging a gloved finger over her crowned helmet on a nearby table. "They have had time to process their grief, and they will be humbled by their losses here. Once they are ready to see reason again, I will send a messenger to inform them it is time to reopen negotiations."

Impa was skeptical. The Gerudo had a long history of disobedience and an unwillingness to accept Hyrulean authority. She was surprised it had taken them this long to rebel like this again. "And what if they are still not ready to see reason?"

"Then we shall remain here and repeat this process for as long as it takes," the queen replied. "They will not make it past the Coliseum. Sooner or later, they will heed my warnings, retreat back to Yarna, or perish fighting in vain."

Impa could not help but smile with admiration. "Your father would be proud to see you right now."

"Thank you, Aya." Victorique reached for her helmet and slipped it onto her head. "Come with me. We should return to observe the other front."

The battle was over in a matter of hours. Zelda's forces managed to fend off the enemy on both fronts, and the Gerudo eventually retreated. However, the siege was not over yet. The Gerudo now had a second base camp near the Manhala Bridge, and they showed no signs of surrender. They would simply regroup and try again soon.

That evening, Queen Zelda debriefed with her generals and sent an emissary to request the Gerudo surrender. Afterwards, she invited Ayako to join her for a walk.

"We should not be up on the wall alone like this," Ayako warned.

Victorique had taken her onto the wall near the Coliseum's main entrance on its north side. "I like the view from up here." Even with the sun having set, much of Hyrule Field was visible to them. "My kingdom is so beautiful at night."

Ayako observed the view as well, but she could tell Victorique was really looking in the direction of the capital. "Do you wish to return home after all, Your Grace?" Ayako asked. "I know you believe Lord Remoth can handle things there, but Dorian-sama could handle things here, too. Especially after our victory today."

"If Queen Urballa accepts my proposal, I shall be returning home soon," Zelda replied. "But if she does not, then I must remain here a while longer."

"You must return to the capital immediately," came a voice from behind them.

Ayako and Victorique spun around, with Ayako raising her weapon. A woman stood upon the parapet, wearing a white mask with a great yellow eye and a big red smile painted on it. Ayako immediately recognized the mask, and put it together with the voice she'd heard. "Onee-sama," the bodyguard said with some annoyance. "What makes you think you may sneak up on the queen like that?"

"It's alright, Aya," Victorique replied, holding up a hand to signal that Ayako should lower her weapon. "It is good to see you again, Shiho. What brings you to the Coliseum?"

"It is as I've said," Ayako's sister replied, stepping down onto their level. "I am here to deliver a message of dire importance. You must return to the City of Hyrule immediately," she repeated.

"The queen has made her decision." Ayako took another step forward, hoping to assert herself against her elder sister. "This Gerudo uprising cannot be allowed to continue unchecked. Her Majesty will return to the capital for her coronation as soon as peace has been returned to the province."

"While I am certain the recent demon incursion weighs heavily on the capital, my correspondence with Lord Remoth leads me to believe the reconstruction is well underway," Victorique added. "In the meantime, the Grand Watcher and your mother can coordinate the search for the Headless Demon. I would gladly aid you, but I am needed here, and the demon could be anywhere."

"There is no need to search." Shiho shook her head. "The demon is in the capital."

Ayako was confused. "How do you know this, Onee-sama?"

"Yes, please elaborate," Zelda added, narrowing her eyes.

"Mother and I have been coordinating with the Grand Watcher. I have it on good authority that the demon never left the capital. He's been hiding under our noses, wearing the disguise of a man," Shiho explained. Placing a gloved hand to her mask, she turned it to the side of the head to reveal her face. She looked deathly serious. "I do not know if the demon has been hiding amongst our ranks since before the Blood Moon, or if he merely took advantage of the situation in order to assume another's identity afterwards, but the fact remains. The demon who invaded the City of Hyrule on the night of the Blood Moon now works to subvert your Great House from within."

Ayako studied the queen's face. Victorique seemed skeptical, but perhaps she was just overwhelmed by this revelation.

"The attack being perpetrated by a turncloak would explain why the warding of the city's walls failed at such an inopportune time," Ayako pointed out.

"True," Zelda agreed. "Under whose identity does the demon hide within our ranks, Shiho?"

"That remains unclear," the ninja woman replied. "Grand Watcher Socicila has witnessed the demon's shapechanging firsthand, but the demon wore a mask and hooded cloak while in human form to conceal his face at the time."

That made enough sense to Ayako. Nothing in the capital, let alone the castle, escaped Socicila's watch. "What shall we do, my queen?" Ayako asked.

"While I trust the intel provided by the Grand Watcher, I still do not see why the situation necessitates my presence in the capital," Zelda replied. "As I've said, I have a duty to finish matters here. In the meantime, Lord Remoth rules as regent with my blessing. He can deal with the demon once Socicila has determined his identity."

"Lord Remoth very well might be the demon himself," Shiho stated bluntly.

"What? What makes you say this?" Ayako asked. "I admit the man is a savage tyrant, and it sounds like the demon could be just about anybody, but has Lord Remoth done anything to warrant our suspicions in particular?"

Shiho nodded, turning to face Zelda. "Your brother Percival attempted to return to the capital recently, and Lord Remoth shut the city's gates to him. He claimed it was by your orders."

"I gave no such order," Victorique stated, setting the record straight immediately.

"This is an outrage." Ayako had never heard such a blatant insult to her charge's authority. "How dare he give orders in the queen's name? Your Grace, this treason must not go unpunished."

"Agreed." Victorique nodded. "If all this is true, it would appear as though Lord Remoth has betrayed us. Or, at the very least, Lord Remoth has been misled by another who has betrayed us." The queen put a hand to her chin, pondering the matter. "What of my brother? How has Percival decided to handle the situation?"

"Prince Percival has launched a full-scale invasion of the capital."

"By the gods," Ayako muttered. "Your Grace, do you realize what this means?"

"Yes, I do." Zelda rubbed her temple, clearly bothered by this development. "Well, I suppose I cannot fault him. Such a course of action may very well be necessary if the situation is as dire as we believe it to be."

"It is," Shiho affirmed. "The prince has a great number of troops under his command, having assumed control of Akkala Citadel following General Alchon's demise. However, Lord Remoth has his own troops, as well as those stationed in the capital. Even if Prince Percival manages to make it to Hyrule Castle, I do not know if he has the power to slay the demon who is responsible for all of this."

"Perhaps we require the aid of the Hero," Ayako suggested. "If we declare a state of emergency, it could serve as the catalyst necessary for Farore's new champion to awaken and take up the Master Sword."

"An excellent suggestion, Ayako," her sister agreed. "This demon has already slain a god, need I remind you. The Hero may be the best chance we have against a being of such dark power."

Queen Zelda held up her hand. "Let us not be hasty," she told them. "It would not be wise to cause a panic amongst the populace by declaring such an emergency. Additionally, I have the Bow of Light in my possession. One of my predecessors was able to harm Demon King Ganon with it. While it is not as potent a weapon as the Master Sword, we are not without meaningful countermeasures at our disposal."

Shiho shook her head. "I must disagree, Your Grace. We can take no chances with this demon. The fate of Hyrule hangs in the balance. We must have the Hero."

"You would be wise to be careful when questioning the queen," Ayako warned her sister, gripping her spear tightly.

"Aya," Zelda said simply, raising a hand to calm her. "My apologies, Shiho, but I must insist. The capital - and my brother - are in immediate danger. We do not have time to summon the Hero when they have not yet been revealed to the world."

Shiho slid her mask back over her face. "Very well, Your Grace. As a daughter of the Impa Clan, I am bound to your will. Tell me what needs doing." She put her fist over her heart and bowed.

Ayako, not one to let her sister upstage her, mimicked her actions.

"Thank you," Victorique said to them both. "Let us gather my advisors so we might explain the situation. We must move with all haste."

While she received some pushback from her generals who considered the conflict with the Gerudo to be of the utmost importance, most of Zelda's advisors were quick to agree that the capital was where she was needed most at the moment. Zelda had hoped the conflict would be resolved by Queen Urballa accepting Zelda's request for the Gerudo to surrender, but unfortunately, the emissary she'd sent returned with Urballa's refusal. As such, the war would continue in Zelda's absence. She was to leave General Dorian in charge. Most of her advisors would stay with him, but she would be taking a number of their troops. Since the enemy had not yet managed to breach the Coliseum's outer defenses, many of their soldiers had been simply lying in wait as it was.

And so, at the dawn of the next day, Queen Zelda left from the Coliseum's main entrance and crossed Aquame Bridge, heading north. A small army poured forth from the Coliseum alongside her, including the Impa sisters. Ayako wondered what the Gerudo scouts who were no doubt watching them might think. Perhaps they would return to their base camp with news that the enemy army had fled and it was time to press the attack again. Or, given Urballa's recent refusal to surrender, perhaps the Gerudo would interpret the Hyrulean army's actions as a sign that they were going on the offensive now, sending forth an army to wipe them out more quickly. However, Ayako knew they had to put that behind them for now. The issue with the Gerudo had been left in Dorian's capable hands, and they had a new objective to focus on.

When they came to the first fork in the road, Shiho rode her horse up next to Ayako's in order to speak with Victorique. "Queen Zelda, with your permission, I would like to briefly depart in order to speak with my contacts at the Windvane Exchange."

Victorique nodded. "Very well, but please return to us with haste."

"Thank you, Your Grace," Shiho replied. "I shall cut through the meadow and catch up with you at the garrison." Pulling her horse's reins, she turned off of the road and headed east towards the nearby market town.

Ayako watched as her sister rode off. This would be the first time she would be certain she was alone with Victorique since Shiho had arrived, so she wanted to take the opportunity to discuss matters she did not wish for her sister to overhear.

"Queen Zelda," the bodyguard said, speaking in a hushed voice. "I am not certain my sister is being entirely truthful with us."

Victorique kept her eyes forward. "I agree. Although, I confess I am unable to determine what aspect of her story is not completely true. We have been kept surprisingly in the dark ever since we left on our campaign. We will not be able to confirm much until we arrive back in the capital and investigate the current state of affairs."

Ayako was relieved. "I'm glad you believe me."

"I trust you completely, Aya," the queen replied. "And you know your sister better than I do."

The Sheikah woman sighed. "One would think."

Zelda did not respond.

"My apologies, Your Grace," Ayako said after a moment. "I do not wish to burden you with my family affairs."

"You are free to do so if you wish, old friend. The gods know you have had to put up with my familial dysfunctions."

Ayako was surprised to see Victorique smile as she made that comment. There was a sadness behind it, perhaps, but the bodyguard was not used to seeing her charge make a jest of any kind. "Truly, my queen?"

"Of course. Speak freely. Think of it as granting me insight into your sister's mind. Perhaps you and I can figure out what she is planning."

Ayako glanced around her, knowing that her sister may have spies among them even if she was not present herself. The Sheikah's gaze eventually landed on Zelda's personal carriage, which was being pulled along with the rest of their convoy. "Perhaps it would be best to speak somewhere more private," she suggested. "You never know who is listening."

"A fair suggestion." Victorique whistled and held up her hand. She instantly got the attention of the carriage driver, who flicked the reins and took the carriage over to them. The entire convoy stopped as Queen Zelda and her bodyguard dismounted. Two more knights in service to the queen arrived to take possession of their horses while they climbed into the carriage. With another whistle, the carriage jostled into motion as the whole convoy started moving again.

"You do not often speak of your family," Zelda said to Ayako, now seated across from her in luxurious, cushioned seats.

Ayako nodded. "I suppose so. But that is the Sheikah way. We are taught that any amount of sharing is oversharing."

"Yes, I have met many 'Sheiks' in my lifetime. Privacy is valued quite highly amongst your people, as is quite evident," the queen stated. "Your sister has even taken to wearing a mask."

"I do not yet understand the significance of that mask," Ayako admitted, realizing for the first time how strange it was that an illusionist like her sister would bother with a physical mask. "It has the appearance of a mask one might wear at a Sheikah folk festival of some kind. But I suppose that isn't important. Can I ask what it was that made you skeptical of her?"

The queen brushed her hair out of her face, her appearance having been only minorly scuffed from her horseback riding. She gazed upwards for a moment, likely recalling the previous night's conversation with Shiho. "I have spent my life speaking with politicians, nobles, clergymen, and sycophants. I can tell the difference between someone who serves the realm and someone who serves their own interests. There is a difference in the way they speak - their choice of words, their sense of urgency, the order in which they present information to you. Some or all of what Shiho said may have been the truth, but I received the distinct impression that she had her own agenda. I simply do not know what it is"

Ayako sighed. "That is one thing I do not miss about home," she said. "Everyone has their own schemes, and everyone else is merely their pawn."

"Sounds like Lancel," Victorique remarked.

"Hmm." Ayako grunted in agreement. She had never liked the elder of Victorique's two brothers. As the queen had pointed out, he was a schemer, just like the rest of Ayako's family. Not only that, but he had such little care for proper decorum, never acting in a manner befitting a member of the Royal Family. "Shiho may not return, you know," Ayako pointed out. "She claimed to be meeting with her contacts, which, again, may be true. But who's to say she doesn't return to Kakariko next, or wherever she must go for the next step of her plans?"

"If that is the case, then I would say that makes things simpler," the queen replied. "My primary concern is with the welfare of the kingdom. We can return to the capital and investigate your sister's claims as planned. Whether or not she is there is irrelevant. And, if she is as manipulative as she seems, we will not need to worry about her manipulating us further if she is not there to speak with us. Not directly, at least."

Ayako nodded in acceptance, then let out a frustrated sigh. "If only we had more information. Our hands are certainly tied by how in the dark we've been since we left the capital."

"Information wins wars," the queen pointed out. "That has been one of the ideological pillars of the Sheikah Cadre since before the founding of Hyrule, has it not?"

The journey from the Coliseum to the Hyrulean military garrison north of Windvane Meadow took longer than anticipated. During that time, Ayako discussed a number of things with her charge. However, whenever they attempted to plan for the immediate future, they kept running into the same road block - they simply did not know enough about the current situation. They would have to wait until they reached the capital, at which point they could speak with Victorique's brother and determine what was truly going on.

When they arrived at the garrison, the queen ordered the convoy to stop. When she and her bodyguard stepped outside of the carriage, the soldiers standing guard at the garrion's entrance were surprised to see her. Victorique had not had time to send a message ahead of them.

"Princess," one of the guards said, stepping forward and getting down on one knee.

"It is 'queen' now," Ayako corrected.

"Y-Yes, of course," the young man said nervously. One of his comrades had already signaled to the guards on the other side of the wall to open the gate.

"Rise," Victorique told the guard. "Fetch the senior officer on duty, if you would be so kind."

"Yes, Prin- Yes, my queen." The guard stood and ran inside.

Queen Zelda signaled for their convoy to enter through the gates. She and Ayako walked inside ahead of them.

"How many soldiers are we to conscript from this garrison?" Ayako inquired while they waited for the commander to come meet with them.

"As many as they can spare," Victorique replied. "Unfortunately, we have already taken most of them."

"True."

Back when Zelda had made the decision to set up their defenses at the Coliseum, they had sent out requests for reinforcements to all nearby Hyrulean military outposts. Many of the troops they had called in to bolster their forces must have come from this garrison, given its close proximity.

Before long, the guards returned alongside a knight wearing a plumed helmet. "Your Grace," the knight said, bowing stiffly. "My name is Trott. I command this garrison."

"Sir Trott," the queen replied, returning the bow. "Please forgive me for cutting to the heart of the matter, but I have a few questions and a request for you."

"Very well, your majesty. What would you ask of me?"

"What can you tell me about the current state of the capital?" Zelda asked. "Have you received any news lately?"

Sir Trott looked somewhat confused. "Are you speaking of the events of the Blood Moon?"

"No, sir. That news reached us long ago," the queen replied. "I speak of more present matters. Has my brother returned to the capital? Has there been conflict between him and Lord Remoth?"

The garrison commander appeared even more confused. "I beg your pardon, my queen, but I am afraid I have heard nothing of this matter," he said earnestly. "All I have heard of Lord Remoth's regency is that he is working on the restoration effort. And as far as I'm aware, both of the princes are still visiting the other provinces, as is Princess Sophitia."

Ayako shared a side-eyed look with Victorique.

"I see," the queen said. "Have you had any contact from the Sheikah Cadre? Perhaps messages from the Grand Watcher, or from the Shogun?"

"We have received our usual intelligence reports, but to my knowledge, we have not received any messages from those two specifically."

Zelda nodded. "Very well. Thank you for answering my questions, commander. Now, as for my request, I'm afraid I require as many able-bodied soldiers as you can spare."

The knight seemed surprised to hear this. "But, your majesty, our reserves are quite thin as it stands. We've already sent most of our troops to the Coliseum, as you requested. If we spare any more, we won't have the manpower to conduct our nightly post-Blood Moon patrols."

Of all the places in the kingdom, Hyrule Field was one of the most cursed when it came to the dead rising in the nights following the Blood Moon. Even with this much time having passed since the last one, it would still be several more months before such patrols were no longer required in the area.

"Understood, commander," Victorique told him. "I requested any you can spare, and if you cannot spare any, then so be it. However, if you can spare any supplies, I would request that instead."

Sir Trott breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, my queen. I will have my subordinates check our inventory and bring out everything we are able to part with."

"Excellent. I appreciate your cooperation. You are dismissed, commander."

The knight bowed and excused himself, taking his guards with him.

"Are you sure it is wise not to take any extra troops, Your Grace?" Ayako asked once she and Victorique were alone. "You wished to gather as many as possible, did you not?"

"It is as I told the garrison commander, Aya." The queen crossed her hands behind her and began walking back to the rest of her retinue. "I am more concerned for the welfare of the people living out here where the Blood Moon's curse is so prevalent. Whatever awaits back in the capital, we shall just have to hope that our current forces combined with my brother's shall be enough to see us through. Truthfully, I now have doubts that the capital is in danger at all."

"It is quite strange that no one has heard anything about this alleged conflict," Ayako agreed. "We are some distance from the city, sure, but we are still in Central Hyrule. How could word not have traveled here yet?"

"A valid question," the queen agreed with a nod of her head. "Although, if my brother is truly laying siege to the city, his blockade may be preventing the movement of the usual merchants and travelers from whom word would spread."

"Perhaps." Ayako furrowed her brow as she thought of something. "Sir Trott mentioned this garrison was still receiving their regular intelligence reports, correct?"

"He did indeed."

"Have we a reason to believe that news of the conflict in the capital might have been suppressed?"

"By Lord Remoth? Of course," Victorique responded, waiting patiently while Ayako opened the door to her carriage. "If he is truly attempting a coup, and if he is truly engaging my brother in battle, I suppose it would be in his best interest to ensure that Percival's allies do not hear of it."

"True." Ayako climbed into the carriage behind her charge, shut the door, and took her seat across from Victorique. "I'm not sure he would have the power to do so, however."

"What do you mean, Aya?" Victorique drew a ledger from one of her bags and began idly jotting things down, likely notes of recent events or her plans for the immediate future.

"My sister brought us this information," Ayako explained. "And she received it from the Grand Watcher. The two of them practically run the kingdom's entire intelligence network, along with my mother. If they wanted to spread this news, who could stop them?"

Victorique lightly scratched her forehead contemplatively. "Well, your sister mentioned our opponent allegedly has shapechanging capabilities," she pointed out. "If Lord Remoth has truly been replaced by a demon, there is no telling who else may have been compromised."

Ayako opened her eyes wide in terror at the idea. "By the gods," she said aloud.

"You are certain that truly was your sister, correct?" Victorique asked.

"Of course it was." Ayako often went long stretches of time without seeing her family, but even so, she knew her sister well enough to tell the difference between her and an imitator. "No one else could infuriate me so."

Zelda's lips curled into the slightest of smiles. "Yes. I suppose I would always recognize my siblings as well," she said. "However, I doubt anyone is close enough to the Grand Watcher to be able to tell if he is an imposter."

"You suspect my sister may have been fed inaccurate information?" Ayako asked, not entirely sure what her charge was getting at. "To what end? Just to sow discord?"

"I am not entirely sure what to suspect at the moment. As I have said, we still know frighteningly little, Aya," the queen said calmly. "We must be on our guard."

After loading up the supplies the garrison was able to spare for them, Victorique's retinue waited around for a short while longer, expecting Impa Shiho to return as she said she would. However, whether because she was delayed or because she had never intended to return in the first place, she did not appear at the garrison. Having waited long enough, the queen eventually gave the order to continue towards the capital.

Victorique had opted to take the road heading north past Mount Daphnes. While that route was generally more dangerous as it passed close to areas known to have more monsters, it was short enough to save them some time, and time appeared to be of the essence. However, at the pace they were going, and due to a few small run-ins with monsters, Ayako was beginning to wonder if they should have taken the route through Mabe instead.

"May I ask you a question, my queen?" Ayako asked in the middle of their journey.

"Of course, Aya," Victorique replied. "What is on your mind?"

"At what point would you put out the call to action? By which I mean, at what point would you make it known that the Hero is needed?" It was something she had been contemplating ever since she had suggested it back at the Coliseum. "I understand your concerns about raising a panic, and I understand we did not have time to wait for the Hero to awaken, but surely it is an option worth considering, correct?"

Queen Zelda took a moment to consider her answer before she responded. There were times when Ayako thought she looked a lot like her father, at least in demeanor. Both father and daughter were decisive with their actions, but they still took the time to consider what the correct answer must be.

"My family has always had a close relationship with the Hero," Zelda stated. "The Royal Family and the Hero's reincarnations have worked side by side to save the kingdom countless times throughout the millennia. The blood of many Heroes runs through my veins as well, as many of them have joined their Houses with mine in the past."

Ayako raised an eyebrow, unsure how this answered her question.

"I am not at all opposed to the Hero, whoever they may be. However, the Hero also has a special relationship with the enemies of the kingdom," Zelda went on.

"What do you mean?" Ayako asked, shifting forward in her seat. "Have there been traitor Heroes in the past?"

"That is not what I am saying," Victorique corrected. "Whenever there is great turmoil in the kingdom, the Hero rises to the challenge. And, whenever the Hero awakens, great evils arise to challenge the Hero."

"Ah." Ayako thought she understood. "You believe it works both ways."

"The gods seem to have a way of balancing such things, yes." Victorique made a sign of the Triforce with her hands. "There is a reason why my family does not simply solve all the world's problems by wishing upon the Triforce. All great power comes at a great cost."

"Then you are saving the Hero as a last resort." That seemed perfectly reasonable, and as Victorique had mentioned, they had the Bow of Light in their possession. With it, they had a way to harm even the most powerful of demons. "Well, if that is the case, perhaps we should-"

Ayako was interrupted by the sound of a warhorn outside. It was not a horn that announced their arrival at their destination, but rather one that indicated danger. As she had been trained, Ayako reacted immediately.

"Wait here, Your Grace." Ayako climbed to her feet and opened the carriage door, stepping out onto the stair to see what was going on. Already, she could see the queen's knights pulling their horses this way and that in response to the horn, but more importantly, she could see why.

They had entered Giant's Forest, a wooded area known to be populated with Hinoxes. The road only barely passed through the edge of the forest, so encounters with the cyclopic giants were not a guarantee. However, through the trees, Ayako could see two gigantic Hinoxes, one red-skinned and one blue-skinned. The gigantic monsters shook the ground with their footsteps, and they seemed to be sprinting in their direction, or at least as much as Hinoxes were capable of sprinting. However, despite their obese frames, the Hinoxes were still moving rather quickly, owing to the fact that every step moved them a great distance.

"Increase speed!" Ayako shouted. "Forward! As fast as you can! In the name of your queen!"

"What is it, Aya?" Zelda asked. Her voice did not betray worry, but it was clear that she wanted answers.

"Monsters, your majesty," Ayako replied, leaning back into the carriage to speak with her. "Hold onto something," she instructed as the carriage began to increase its speed.

"What variety?" the queen inquired, gripping her seat with one hand and a handle on the wall with the other.

"Hinoxes. Two of them." Ayako leaned back out of the doorway, watching as the monsters continued to run towards them. Even as the carriage sped up, the Hinoxes still appeared to be gaining on them. "Your orders, Queen Zelda?"

"Send our archers to engage the enemy and aim for the eye. All other knights are to wait until the monsters get closer and strike at their ankles."

"Yes, my queen." Ayako turned to the knights riding alongside them and repeated Zelda's orders in as loud a voice as she could. It was difficult to hear over the clambering of horse hooves, but the knights seemed to get the message. A number of their guards broke off from the convoy, turning to engage the Hinoxes with their bows drawn. When they were close enough, they began releasing arrow after arrow.

However, the Hinoxes were unbothered. Each of them held a hand in front of its face, and the arrows that pierced their palms and fingers did not appear any more painful than toothpicks.

What was more alarming was that the Hinoxes did not stop to fight those who attacked them. Instead, they barreled right through the mounted knights, crushing or kicking those in their way without sparing a glance at the others they passed.

What is this? Do these monsters have a target in mind? Could they know the queen is here?

"Archers, fall back! Lancers, attack now!" Ayako ordered.

"For Hyrule!"

"For the queen!"

"Die, monster!"

Heeding her orders, the knights charged in, going for the ankles of the gigantic cyclopes. The red one stumbled a bit after a few too many spears pierced its leg, but the blue one remained undeterred, crushing half a dozen royal guards as if they were ants. When it reached the convoy, it reached down and scooped up the carriage in the back of the retinue, then crushed the vehicle between its hands. There were screams from those inside of it, but they were quickly silenced. The Hinox then threw the broken carriage back onto the ground and stomped on it for good measure, roaring with rage.

"By the gods," Ayako muttered. "Your majesty, we must abandon the carriage before that monster catches up to us."

Queen Zelda stood, put her fingers to her lips, and whistled. Within seconds, a pair of riderless horses appeared, running alongside their carriage. However, before climbing aboard her mount, Zelda knelt down and pulled out a trunk from beneath her seat. She opened it, revealing an elegant golden longbow. Taking it into her hands, she turned to Ayako and nodded. Ayako nodded back, then jumped onto one of the horses. Victorique followed after her, jumping onto the other horse.

Just as they rode away from the carriage, the red Hinox managed to catch up with them. Running across the road, it swiped up the queen's carriage in its hands. However, instead of crushing it like the other one had, this Hinox looked right at them, aimed, and tossed the carriage.

"Zelda!" Ayako called in a panic.

The queen did not respond. Instead, she held out her hand, and a protective blue barrier shimmered into place around them. The carriage smashed against the barrier, shattering into shards of wood and iron.

The Hinox roared in frustration.

Ayako had no doubt now. These monsters were specifically targeting the queen. Somehow, they knew who she was and where to find her, and they wanted her dead. Perhaps the beasts were under the thrall of Lord Remoth or whatever demon sought to destroy their kingdom. But, whatever the case may be, Ayako did not have time to ponder the reason for their predicament.

"Can your bow slay them?" Ayako called out to the queen, continuing to ride alongside her as they fled from their giant pursuers.

Zelda responded by raising the Bow of Light, taking aim, and loosing an arrow. It pierced through the air like a ray of golden sunlight. However, whether it was due to the Hinox's erratic movements as it ran or due to Zelda being unable to aim properly while shooting behind her on horseback, her arrow missed, passing by the red Hinox's head.

"I'll slow them down," Ayako called to Zelda, hoping she could aid the queen by giving her an easier target. Turning her horse off to the side, she slowed down, letting the charging Hinoxes catch up with her. She hated leaving the queen's side in the middle of battle, even for a second, but with any luck, this would help protect her in the long run.

Just as the queen's knights had done before, Ayako used her naginata to attack the red Hinox's ankle. With the monster's focus being squarely on the queen, it did not see the attack coming. The Hinox stumbled. Looking down to its side, it recognized Ayako as its attacker, but it ignored her, continuing to limp forward in pursuit of the queen.

"You dumb beast!" Ayako shouted, slicing at the monster's ankle once again.

That was enough. The Hinox tripped, falling to one knee. Perhaps realizing it would not be able to pursue its target without dealing with the little annoyance first, the giant monster roared in anger and swung at Ayako. She didn't have time to react before she and her horse were smacked by a gigantic, three-fingered hand.

Ayako was sent flying. She hit the earth with a thud and rolled several meters before coming to a stop. Groaning in pain, she tried to pull herself up off of the ground as fast as she could. Luckily, her attacker was having similar difficulties standing now that its ankle had been sliced up. Just when it looked like the Hinox was ready to come after her and finish the job, another beam of light shot forth from Zelda's bow. It pierced the monster straight through the head. For a few brief moments, light exploded from the creature's eye and mouth, as if its head were a lit lantern on a dark night. The gigantic beast then fell forward, causing the earth to shake when it landed.

Thank the gods.

With one giant down, only one remained. Ayako had hoped Zelda would be able to escape it on her horse, but rather than continuing down the road, the queen pulled on her mount's reins and turned off of the road, rounding back towards Ayako.

"No, Victorique!" Ayako screamed.

When the queen's horse made its turn, it came within the Hinox's range. It attempted to swipe at her the way the other one had swiped at Ayako a moment ago. Luckily, the queen was able to deflect the monster's hand with a well-timed magical barrier. Safe for a brief moment, Victorique came charging towards Ayako. The bodyguard managed to stand up, feeling aches and pains all over.

Fight through it. The queen needs me.

As she approached, Victorique held out her hand. Ayako grabbed it, allowing her to swing up onto the horse behind her charge.

"I'm supposed to be protecting you, my queen," the Sheikah warrior scolded.

"Then continue to do so," Zelda ordered.

"Right." Ayako nodded. Behind her, the charging Hinox was still fast approaching. "May I ask for your bow, Your Grace?"

As they were now going in the opposite direction, Zelda was busy maneuvering the horse through a field of dead bodies and destroyed carriages. Without looking back, she passed the Bow of Light to her bodyguard. "May your aim be true."

Horseback archery was a skill that Sheikah samurai received a good deal of training with, but it was by no means Ayako's preferred method of combat. She'd always been a close-ranged fighter. Nevertheless, the Hinox was a big target, and Zelda was doing a decent job keeping the horse steady. And so, Ayako held her breath as she lined up her shot, choosing to aim for the monster's large chest rather than its vulnerable eye. Drawing the bowstring, she felt the divine weapon's magic flowing through her, gathering into the glowing golden arrow. Not giving the Hinox a chance to get close enough to swipe at them, Ayako released the arrow.

"Hrrrngg!" The monster roared in pain as the beam of light pierced through its chest. Ayako had to shield her eyes for a moment due to how bright of a light was emitted upon impact. Clutching its stomach, the Hinox halted its advance, collapsing to its knees before falling forward onto the ground.

"It is done, my queen," Ayako declared.

Zelda responded by pulling on the horse's reins, bringing it to a stop and turning around. "Well done, Aya."

"You honor me." Ayako handed the bow back to her charge. Remaining atop the horse, the two of them trotted back towards the fallen giant.

"Stop. Wait. It's still breathing," the Sheikah woman noticed, a slight panic in her voice.

"Yes, it is."

Ayako and Victorique were both surprised by the sound of another voice beside them. Inexplicably, Ayako's sister had appeared, wearing that odd mask again.

"Onee-sama? What the hell are you doing here?" Ayako asked in annoyance, hopping down off of the horse to confront her sister.

"Apparently, I am finishing the job for you." Shiho confidently strode forward, approaching the wounded giant. When she got closer, the Hinox lifted its head, staring at the ninja with its one big eye. It looked almost pitiful, but it had killed too many of their allies for Ayako to feel any kind of sympathy for it.

"Don't…"

Ayako furrowed her brow, wondering if she'd just heard a coherent Hylian word come from the wounded monster's mouth. However, if taking the monster alive for questioning was an option, she did not have much time to consider it.

Shiho raised her arm, producing a kodachi from within her sleeve, then thrust it forward, piercing the monster's eye. It roared in pain once again, blood spilling forth from the wound. It soon slumped to the ground, dead. Shiho took a moment to wipe her blade clean before disappearing it back beneath her clothing.

Ayako and Victorique approached Shiho, looking over the monster's corpse. "I've never seen a Hinox move that fast," Ayako commented.

"These are strange times," Shiho replied, her voice somewhat muffled by the mask covering her face. "I suspect these monsters were sent by Lord Remoth to kill the queen."

"They did appear to be targeting her," Ayako agreed. After a moment, she remembered to be upset with her sister. "Where have you been, Onee-sama? You were supposed to meet us at the garrison."

"My tasks took longer to complete than I had anticipated," her sister replied, turning to Zelda. "I apologize for my absence, Your Grace," she said with a bow. "Perhaps if I had returned to you sooner, this tragedy may not have occurred." Shiho gestured to the trail of bodies and destruction the Hinoxes had left in their pursuit of the queen.

Zelda shook her head. "It was not your fault, Shiho. None of us could have anticipated this, and there was little you could have done against such monsters."

The sound of a great many boots stomping across the ground caught Ayako's attention. In the heat of the chase, they had been separated from the main bulk of their forces. Many of the queen's guards had been killed by the attacking monsters, but they still had a small army behind them, and it seemed as though their soldiers had finally caught up.

"Zelda! Queen Zelda!"

"Thank the gods you're safe."

"What are your orders, Your Grace?"

The troops lined up and stood at attention as they arrived, while dozens more were still behind them. Taking a few steps away from the giant's corpse, Zelda surveyed the area. "There are bound to be survivors," she said, speaking loudly so all her troops could hear her. "We must get them on horseback or in the remaining wagons and get them moving as soon as possible."

"No, my queen," Ayako disagreed. "We must prioritize your safety. If those monsters came for you, there are bound to be more. We cannot allow ourselves to be delayed any more than we already have."

"My sister is right, Your Grace," Shiho joined in. "Your brother requires reinforcements in the capital, I remind you. Every minute we delay is another minute we must endure a demon sitting upon the throne."

Zelda narrowed her eyes as she mulled things over. "I trust my brother is capable of handling himself a while longer," she said. "I do not intend to leave behind those who fight to protect me."

After their long journey, Ayako feared they would find the capital a battleground when they arrived. However, when the city came into view, there were no armies laying siege to the walls, no smoke billowing forth from torched buildings, and no sounds of clashing steel. It came as a welcome relief. If there had been fighting at some point, it appeared to be over.

However, that did not mean there was nothing out of the ordinary. Floating over Hyrule Castle's moat was what appeared to be a piece of Skyloft, while the rest of the City in the Sky remained hovering at a much higher altitude some distance northwest of the capital.

"What in the world…" Ayako exclaimed. "Onee-sama, what is happening here? I thought you said Prince Percival and Lord Remoth were at war? What is the City in the Sky doing here?"

Ayako's sister rode next to her, the two of them leading the way for the queen on horseback. "I merely delivered the intelligence I was given, Ayako. The situation must have changed since I was last updated."

"Hmm…" Ayako stared at the floating structure near the castle. It was her job to be wary of anything out of place, and few things were as out of place as that. "I don't like this. Onee-sama, take a battalion of troops to the gate. Inquiry about the situation and report back to us."

A small smile curled upon her sister's lips. "Are you giving me orders, little sister?"

"Do as she says," Victorique stepped in. "I wish to know the situation as well."

"Of course, Your Grace. It was merely a jest." Shiho pulled her mask back over her face and rode on ahead of them, flanked by several of the queen's knights.

"Is this your other brother's doing?" Ayako asked Victorique while they waited.

The queen sighed. "That would be my best guess, yes. Securing the City in the Sky was one of the objectives of Lancel's mission to Hebra."

"What does this mean?" Ayako knew little of Skyloft. Victorique had a little of what she knew about it after the summit, but they had been too focused on their mission to Gerudo to think too much about what the other royal siblings were up to.

"We'll just have to wait and see," Victorique replied, displaying remarkable patience given the circumstances. "I pray it means Lancel and Sophitia have returned as well."

Ayako nodded. She'd never held her charge's siblings in high regard. As far as she had judged, all of them paled in comparison to her mistress. However, she often held her tongue on the matter out of respect for Victorique, as she cared deeply for her siblings.

Unlike a certain sister I know.

When her own sister finally returned, Ayako immediately requested an update on the situation. "What news?"

Shiho still wore her mask, so she appeared as if staring at them with one big red-and-yellow eye. Ayako did not care for it. Something about the colors and the design made her head hurt.

"Prince Lancel, Prince Percival, and Lord Remoth all currently reside in the castle," the ninja reported.

"Safely?" Victorique inquired simply.

"That would appear to be the case," Shiho replied. "Prince Percival and Lord Remoth had been fighting up until recently, but Prince Lancel returned with the floating weapon and put a stop to it."

"Weapon?" Ayako repeated, turning her gaze to the structure floating above the moat once more. "That thing is a weapon?"

"That is what I was told." Her sister nodded. "Nevertheless, the fighting has ceased."

"Then it is safe to enter the city and return to the castle?" Victorique asked.

"Indeed. Word of your arrival has already been sent on ahead. Your brothers will be expecting you, my queen." Shiho leaned forward, bowing atop her horse.

"Splendid." Queen Zelda's expression barely changed, but Ayako could tell she was overjoyed at the news of her brothers' safety. "Let us proceed, then."

"Your queen has returned!" Ayako announced, stepping into the castle entrance hall ahead of her charge.

The large gathering of nobles, guards, and servants that had assembled on short notice applauded and cheered as Zelda Victorique Hyrule stepped into the hall. Prince Lancel and Prince Percival stood at the front of the crowd, with the aged Sir Anselm and the towering Sir Onnick backing them.

"Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves. My sister has returned." Prince Lancel smirked, being the first to step forward to greet Victorique. The two of them embraced, exchanging kisses on the cheek. "Welcome home, sweet sister."

"I am glad to be home, Lancel," Victorique replied.

Prince Percival, never having been one to show affection, did not do the same. With his hands clasped behind his cape-clad back, he stood beside his brother and gave Victorique a bow. "I am pleased to see you've returned safely."

"Likewise, Percival." Victorique returned the bow. "I am told you fought to reclaim the castle on our behalf," she said to him, clearly wishing to praise him for his efforts. Then she turned to Lancel. "And I am told you managed to put an end to the fighting."

"Right on both counts," Lancel informed her with a smile, clapping his hands together. "Oh, we have so much to talk about. Come, you must be exhausted. Let us retire somewhere comfortable and compare notes."

Victorique nodded. "Lead the way."

After giving orders to her guards and servants to begin unpacking their supplies from the journey and report to their new posts, Victorique followed her brothers further into the castle. Only Ayako, Sir Anselm, and Sir Onnick were allowed to join them, so Shiho dismissed herself, saying she wished to meet with the Grand Watcher immediately.

The six of them came to one of the castle's many sitting rooms. The royal siblings took their seats upon the finely cushioned chairs surrounding a small wooden table. Ayako and each of the other bodyguards simply stood near the walls, behind their charges.

"Now, at the risk of insensitively getting to the heart of the matter much too quickly, let us discuss Father's throne," Lancel said almost immediately after they sat down.

Victorique blinked. "What of it?"

Lancel chuckled, holding up his hands disarmingly. "Now I know what you're thinking. You were Father's heir, Father is dead, ergo, the throne is yours. Am I right?"

Victorique and Ayako both narrowed their eyes.

"What are you talking about, brother?" Victorique asked. She still maintained an air of patience, but it was clear to everyone that she did not like where he was going with this.

"Ah." Lancel held up a finger. "Well, you were not present at the time, but before the five of us dispersed across Hyrule to solve the various problems plaguing the provinces, Father offered me, Percival, and Sophitia a deal. While you may have been his official heir at the time, Father said any one of us could become his heir, so long as we proved we were the most well suited for the job. And, our missions to the provinces were to be our first big test."

Victorique did not reply immediately. She seemed stunned. "Is this true?" she asked, turning to Percival.

"It is, sister," the younger prince replied.

"I see." She turned back to Lancel. "Did Father declare one of you to be his heir before he died?"

"Well, no," Lancel answered. "Although, to be fair, he did not have much chance to. But, I think we can safely infer who he would have chosen to be his heir, had he seen the magnificent boon I delivered right to our very doorstep!"

"You speak of Skyloft," Victorique stated for clarification.

"Indeed. With the City in the Sky under my control, our kingdom's future as the world's sole superpower is secure," Lancel said proudly.

Victorique took a deep breath. "You wish to be king, then?"

"Indeed." Her brother nodded, a shameless look of self-satisfaction upon his face.

"And you, Percival?" she asked her other brother.

Percival nodded as well. "I succeeded in the mission Father assigned to me by bringing peace to the Akkala Province. I have shown time and again that I am the one who is best suited to lead our great kingdom. I will not let something as meaningless as the order of our birth determine who gets the honor to sit upon Father's throne."

"This is blatant treason." Ayako could hold her tongue no longer. She'd been practically shaking with barely-concealed rage for the duration of the conversation. "Zelda Victorique Hyrule is the rightful queen. You two jealous little snipes are merely attempting to usurp her throne for yourselves. You should be ashamed!"

Percival turned to give Ayako a very unamused look. His bodyguard's helmeted head swiveled as well, his intimidating gaze causing Ayako's heart to skip a beat.

Lancel initially looked surprised by her outburst, but his shock soon gave way to amusement and hearty laughter.

"Sister," Percival said to Victorique. "Please remind your help not to speak out of turn."

"I should remind you not to speak that way of our loyal retainers," Victorique warned.

"Why not? I speak of him that way all the time," Lancel said, gesturing over his shoulder to indicate his own bodyguard.

Sir Anselm sighed, but gave no comment.

"And I'm not convinced there's even a person under that walking suit of armor over there," Lancel went on, pointing to his brother's bodyguard next.

Sir Onnick's horned helmet rotated again, setting his lifeless gaze upon the elder prince this time.

"Enough." Victorique raised her hand. She was clearly in no mood for Lancel's jokes or Percival's attitude. "We will speak no more of successions today. That is a matter we can sort out once the crises currently afflicting our kingdom have been resolved."

"Agreed," Percival said with a nod.

"Fair enough, but anything else will seem boring to discuss by comparison," Lancel added. "So, which crisis are we to miraculously resolve first, then?"

"Tell me about Lord Remoth," Victorique said. "I was told he attempted a coup, and that he or another in our ranks may be the demon that attacked the city in disguise."

"Ooh, that's actually much more interesting than I expected," Lancel said happily.

"I do not know if he has any connection to the Headless Demon, but Lord Remoth assuredly attempted to steal the throne," Percival told her. "He tried to send me to help you in Gerudo, and when I came here instead, he refused me entry to the city. He claimed it was all by your orders."

"That is untrue, brother. I gave no such orders," Victorique informed him, confirming what her brothers had likely suspected already.

"I thought as much," Percival said. "He should be hanged for this."

"Unfortunately, he did manage to produce this in his defense." Lancel reached into his carrying bag and pulled out a letter. "Have a look, sister."

Victorique took it from him and examined it. "What is this?"

"It's as I said," Lancel replied. "Lord Remoth claims to have received that letter, and that he was only acting on what he believed to be your commands. He is quite obviously lying, of course, but damn if it isn't a good forgery."

Victorique reached behind herself, holding out the letter towards Ayako. Figuring her charge wished for her to read it, Ayako took it from her.

"My word," Ayako said in surprise. "This is an exact replication of my lady's handwriting. If I hadn't been told she did not write it, I would never have known."

"It had your official seal as well," Lancel added. "So, we've forgone the hanging as of yet, at least until we can prove he was not manipulated by another."

Victorique was silent for a moment, no doubt mulling over the torrent of information she'd received since returning to the castle. "The situation is as bad as Impa Shiho informed me," she said. "Brothers, we must be united in fighting this evil. We will not succeed if we are squabbling amongst ourselves over Father's throne. Can I count on you to work with me?"

"You can," Percival confirmed.

"Of course!" Lancel replied. "I'll simply win the throne after we've rid the world of this latest demonic threat."

Victorique nodded, apparently deciding that was good enough for her. "Good. In the name of our great ancestor, let us save our kingdom."