Akko successfully made her way to Wedinburgh, thanks to her skill, she managed to save two girls from the hands of slave traders in the Appleton lands, but it still served to ignite something in the lord of Appleton, due to the consequences of the purposeful abandonment to test Atsuko the queen was feeling deeply regretful of the act she did, due to having done it as a test to prepare Kagari for what was to come ahead on this long journey.
The day after Hyllian's arrival from Luna Nova, things are still a bit tense in Queen Laura's relationship with the people of the castle, especially those who have just recently found out what happened. The crimson-eyed girl woke up to start another day like any other, already enjoying the day off, sleeping a little extra.
As she was about to leave her room to get something to eat, she ended up meeting Princess Diana who came to the door of the warrior's chambers to talk.
"What do you want with me now Diana? I just woke up and I'm hungry" said the brownish girl.
"I know you're still a bit angry about what happened to you and the thing my mum Laura did, I was too, I could tell by the mood at the banquet yesterday, I just came to see how you are, I wanted to talk to you a bit" Said the platinum-haired one.
"I've forgiven your mum, I just don't want to dwell on it too much, it still makes me a bit sick to know that I can be abandoned so easily like that" Akko said.
"It's not about her that I want to talk about, it's about you, I was relieved that you came back, I was wondering if I can't go out with you on the next journey, I'm a good warrior" Cavendish said and with that Atsuko just arches her eyebrow suspiciously.
"Why now do you want to join too? Your mother would not allow the princess to be at risk, besides we will not get along, you can forget it, you always fight with me and pick on me" Said Kagari who went past the princess.
"I just really wanted to ask... I'm not as annoying as you think I am, I just care about you... The future of Hyrule depends on you..." Said the platinum-haired one who was even blushing a bit while the brownish one just went on her way.
In this she went to the royal kitchen to go enjoy breakfast, on the other hand the princess went to one of the windows looking at the sky that morning that was having a light rain, in addition to wind, just thinking about the future of Hyrule and also something else that has been occupying her head a lot due to this.
(How petulant of this warrior, until now she keeps messing with me every time I pass by, now she denies essential help, she is a stubborn woman full of pride, I better not fill myself with these things, I will go one way or another to the next dungeon, whether she wants it or not).
Looking out the window Cavendish then walks through the corridors, walking towards the kitchen where she observes that Kagari was eating the usual way that morning, while the sky continued with a light rain, making noise with the water hitting the castle roof.
The queen eventually arrives there to talk from Hyllian of Luna Nova to Hyllian of Luna Nova in a more serious conversation with the girl.
"Look, I know I made a huge slip, I would be very devastated if I had made a mistake, in fact I made a mistake in every way, but you will still continue to train, right?". Let's still continue to practice and focus on the missions to catch the hangers of courage - Said Mrs McLaren.
"Look, I don't resent the things that happened, but I hate being seen this way that you royalty treat us, I'm not disposable like that, if I'm important to the kingdom don't do something like that, but don't worry I'll still train, it just gave me more motivation to overcome myself, someday I'll end up being abandoned like that out of nowhere without any importance" Said the warrior.
"Well come with me if I meet you in the centre aisle, I'll show you one more thing to demonstrate my trust in you" said the majesty to the crimson-eyed one.
At that moment she was just eating as if she didn't give a damn, while Queen Laura was waiting in the hallway and Diana was watching everything, she was still picking on the brown-haired girl a little for having an unsophisticated way of eating, which was getting used to a little, even after a few good days it was still something that bothered the princess a lot.
After eating breakfast there went Akko to the central corridor and she followed the queen, Princess Diana
was kind of glancing at everything from afar, Atsuko didn't understand anything, she was still dealing with the queen trying to redeem herself.
"Why do you insist so much on forgiveness, when I have already forgiven you for what you did?" Atsuko asks.
"I just want to get along with you, we will still live together a lot in these years, Diana does not need to hide, come with us" Majesty said.
"This I already imagine that I will, but I will not overnight be all calm, kind of everything ended up impacting me a lot, it was seven days of travelling feeling betrayed, I at first thought it was just a mistake by your troops and now that I know you did it and just to test me it still makes me a little angry" Said Kagari.
"I completely understand that, they tested me a couple of times and I was equally annoyed, but now we are getting to where I wanted you to get to, I was going to show you this thing anyway" Said the queen opening a room.
It was a room with double doors and that was a corridor with a red carpet in the centre, everything was dark until the lights come on through lamps and revealing what was a pedestal, containing a yellowish triangle on top of a cushion.
The three walk towards that thing, Kagari is amazed to know what it was, Cavendish had no idea, while Laura took the piece of Triforce and gave it to Hyllian de Luna Nova to hold, already feeling a little of the power of that.
"Is that the Triforce?" Asks the surprised crimson-eyed girl.
"It is one of the parts of it, the other unfortunately is in the hands of Appleton and the other part is missing out there in the middle of one of the many dungeons in Hyrule, legend has it that the complete triforce can grant enormous power to whoever completes it and has it in hand, but it can also be responsible for a huge evil if it is in the wrong hands, anyway, you may already know the legend of the Triforce, but I will tell it again" Said Mrs McLaren.
[...]
(It was the same thing that Woodward had told me in Luna Nova, it seems that Diana was really impressed, she is not one to be like that, well I think the queen really trusts me a lot to say something like that and show me such a powerful item).
"You see, I wouldn't trust anyone to tell me something like that, this is the triforce, it has to be in good hands for the good of all Hyrule and I know that in the hands of the new Luna warrior it could be what determines that" said Queen Laura.
"Well that's impressive I really never imagined that I would see the triforce so close like that, I can't wait to gather her power together for sure it will serve for something, I think I'll go, thank you for showing the triforce majesty" Said Kagari who took a few steps until he held her shoulder.
"Before I go I want to talk to you, more private, Diana please, go for a walk, this is a private conversation between two warriors" Said the majesty and at that the daughter is leaving the room.
Laura goes waiting for a while for her daughter to leave, even keeps a close eye to see if she is not spying or anything, then took a deep breath, put her hand on the girl's shoulder and looked at her with a big smile, stroking the head of the warrior who was still confused by all this and then went to bow in front of the girl who was still confused.
"Well, you really do look like an excellent future queen, Atsuko Kagari" said Mrs McLaren with her hand on her chin.
"What? I don't want to rule, I don't think about marrying any of your daughters, I just want to live a peaceful life with my friends, to be able to take them out of Luna Nova to have a freer and looser life than in that place that has nothing to do" said Kagari.
"Well, I was saying the same thing to Queen Clarie, but it didn't take long for me to fall in love with Bernadette, it seemed like a destiny, we went on an adventure in a dungeon together, it was just in the eastern palace, which made even me feel bad because Bernadette ended up in punishment and from there she just climbed more and more, I didn't even notice but I was already sleeping in the same bed as her, it
seems that I closed my eyes and appeared ... Like that... I don't think I need to go into too much detail on this, but anyway, if you want to get involved with my girls you have my full support, they deserve a person like you... I'm sure you'd love them more than any nobleman who keeps flirting with my daughter and she turns them all down" the majesty said.
"You can rest assured Mrs McLaren, I'm not into that kind of lifestyle, I hate anything related to that, to real position power, this fight for me is a stupid thing, it's a waste of time, it only makes you a rich and empty person, even more so when you live like that..." said the crimson-eyed one.
"You are exactly like me girl, I also thought the same thing and had the same criticism of the crown, but it was only a matter of time before I became a queen and it was because I wanted to revolutionise and that I could do, never in the history of Hyrule have people lived so well, the annoying thing is that we have a war against the kingdom of Appleton and they will not rest, unfortunately the third war of the kingdoms is inevitable, unfortunately I believe that you may end up getting involved in it, as much as I don't want to" Said Queen Laura.
"Good luck with that Mrs McLaren, you are still young, you will reign for years, even if I were to marry your daughter we would still be princesses, you would reign until the last days and I think the focus should be on your granddaughters for that, I am confident that we will win the third war, you can be sure I will take the master sword and come back here powerful enough to get the next step" Said the confident brownish woman.
"I know you will, I don't know if this war can last, I've been having dreams that really disturb me about it ... Anyway, I see you as a friend Miss Kagari, you are a person of great respect for this castle, always stay well and soon you will be able to continue the journey, after getting the master sword do not forget to visit the astrologer, she should know what to do" Said the ruin that was then leaving that room with the warrior.
After this conversation the two walked outside and went their separate ways, the majesty went to the throne to work as usual, while Akko walked to the castle garden where she saw the princesses playing with rag dolls, but soon they saw Hyllian of Luna Nova and waved for her to come closer to play with them.
"So was the conversation with my mum good? Did you get on with her?" Hellene asked.
"So far, she doesn't really want to discard me, I could see how much she cares about us... She cares about me like I'm family, it's weird..." Atsuko said.
"I don't think it's strange, you're important to Hyrule" McLaren said.
"I agree with Hellene, you are the great heroine here" said Diana.
"In fact, if you want to marry me when I'm older, I'll even accept, we can guarantee the protection of the kingdom..." Kagari even blushes, but sees her annoyed older sister throwing the doll in her face.
"No!" said Cavendish in denial.
There is even a whole atmosphere where the platinum-haired one is all blushed, half silent while the brownish one was a little confused about what happened until she processed again and ended up blushing a little around all that, while the ruined one was all neutral with the situation until confused when her sister made a scene like that.
"Sis? I know mum said we should marry for love, but I think it's important that Akko is in an important position for the kingdom outside of that I can end up learning to love her, it shouldn't be that hard, since you're stubborn I highly doubt you would marryAkko" Said the younger sister shrugging.
"No, just no, this marriage thing is not good to think about, you are too young Hellene let's play and not think about it" Said the blushing Diana.
"Why should it be? I just need to kiss Akko's mouth and act like we're always together, it's not that hard, just be like mums are, I'll love it, I'm sure Akko is a good wife" Hellene said.
"And you two didn't stop to think about me? Why would I want something like that? Do you two think marriage is such a thing? Don't you think about me?" Kagari said with a slightly angry expression.
"I'm sorry for all this Akko, I just want to think about what's best for Hyrule, I would never marry you without your will, only if you accept" said the youngest princess.
"I wouldn't marry you Akko, you can forget it, you have nothing that interests me, I can't even create feelings for you... Hmpf, all this talk has spoilt the mood to play something" said the eldest princess.
"We can play something else then, or use these dolls to fight" Said Akko taking a doll and starting to make fighting movements going to attack the doll that Hellene was holding.
"Ahhh then let's go, I love playing like this" said the rugrat smiling.
(Hm, Akko is getting along very well with my sister, this talk of hers doesn't stick to me very well, I don't know, if my sister has gone as far as talking about marriage naturally it certainly implies one thing I don't doubt at all... This girl can't think it's that easy, if she thinks she's going to win my sister's heart like that).
And soon Marianne arrives in the garden with a box in her hands she reaches the girls carrying it and calls out to them who are surprised, until she opens it and reveals a board game where there are pieces of each colour on a + shaped board where they must go around until they reach the middle, a very peculiar game that they had never seen.
"I got it here from the astrology tower, I was playing with Mrs Callistis and Meridies, they let me get it to play with you, the name of the game is Ludo, it's too much fun, you have to roll the dice, go around this whole part here, but you can't be touched by the pieces of the other player who comes behind, but you can pass safely, if you stop in these coloured areas and leave your piece stopped in it, but it all depends on luck, when you go all the way around then you go through this corridor here at the end and here there is no way to be reached, the goal is to go around and arrive with the four pieces to the centre, it is very simple, in fact to start you can only take 6 on the die to get out of the way, then you take any number on the die and walk when it is your turn, but to get out of here at the beginning it is only with the 6 on the die" Said Leclerc which was impressing the girls.
"Woah, so I want to play this, it should be really cool" said the excited Hellene.
"It's really cool, it only gets complicated when you're losing, but you'll have fun, it's more of a game of luck with a little strategy, you'll like it, I managed to win a match against the two of you, I think you can win against me too just know how to play" Said the dark-haired one.
"Better than before, it will help improve the mood a lot," Akko said.
"Akko!" Diana said.
"Ohhh there's gossip going around" said the one with a red lock of hair giggling.
"Oh, it's my sister's bollocks, she gets all emotional when she talks about marriage, Akko too, I only said I'd marryAkko if she allowed it and it was for the good of the kingdom, nothing much" said the redhead and that made Marianne start laughing.
"That's it, you're too silly, gee, we're not even old enough for that, we have to enjoy playing here, apart from marriage things happen that you can't even imagine, it's not just you kissing your wife, there are things that happen after that, my parents told me when I had my first bleed, but I think you three are too innocent for that and I prefer it to be still, let's start playing with the dice" Said Leclerc.
"Oh I want to know now, is it disgusting? From your face it seems to be" said the curious Hellene.
"Does Hellene know where babies come from? "So that's what happens when you get married," said the dark-haired one, and the three girls blushed with embarrassment as they realised what they were talking about.
"I think we'd better play anyway," said Atsuko, rubbing the back of her neck.
"I never thought I would agree with you so much Akko" Said Diana who was also playing with the girls.
And there went the qutro playing a little ludo to relax from everything to distract themselves from the subject they were talking about and with that it was yielding some funny moments with the lack of luck of some that were always ending up giving themselves in a not very friendly situation during the game when they lost some of the pieces ahead, which was more painful for Akko who was with 3 pieces almost reaching her point, but was eaten several times by Hellene's pieces which all were laughing with the lack of luck of Hyllian from Luna Nova.
Meanwhile in the throne room the queens received a visit from Ursula and Croix from the astrology tower who came to talk about a subject that is more serious about what they found in the skies and also in the scriptures, they were soon arriving near the thrones bowing to the majesties, ready to inform what could happen.
"Majesties, things are not very good for our future, from what we have seen by the stars and also from what the stories have told, it seems that the spirit of Ganondorf has already found some host to cause evil and soon his full power will be revealed, we will need to be faster to find who it may be, but according to my studies it is not someone from Gerudo, the energies point elsewhere" Said Ursula.
"From the star map it is pointed to the kingdom of Appleton, it seems that Ganondorf has reincarnated in someone there and we will have to fix it, one of the parts of the triforce is precisely there, but for that it is necessary that the greater plan is made," said Croix.
"You mean..." Mrs McLaren said.
"We can't invade Appleton and cause a war, we don't have as many trained soldiers or weapons, we can't last as long as we used to, I don't know if a war is a smart alternative" Queen Bernadette said.
"And it is not, but we have something great at hand, that Akko, she can be useful for an attack against Ganon, she can be useful in a journey further on, I need you to train her as well as possible, even with the master sword and the pendants of courage, she still needs to do more things, you know that as much as I do Laura ...". The journey does not end with the master sword" said the astrologer.
"I know very well, it's the easy part of the journey, if she wants to be the legendary warrior so much she will also need to go after the other part of the triforce, as you said she got the one from Claiomh Solais, it may be that her journey goes beyond the dungeons after the triforce" Said Queen Laura.
"And I know this well, she needs to cross beyond Hyrule, Ganondorf's true power lies in the dark world, only she couldn't go there that way, she doesn't possess the item that allows her to transport between worlds and keep her original form, she'll need that, also the master sword alone is not capable of defeating Ganon, it is a long way from her, which can take years, if she defeats the kingdom of Appleton from the inside out, it is our only chance of being able to win, a war could destroy Hyrule, but even so it costs nothing to prepare the defences for the coming of Appleton" Said Meridies.
"I know that, it seems that the spirit of Ganondorf must be with the one we can not take to our power, my biggest mistake was not to have completed the invasion of Appleton and conquered that place right away, now we will have a huge problem to solve, I knew that a war against Appleton was inevitable ...".Queen McLaren said in frustration.
"And how is the girl doing? I heard she got the second pendant of courage, she may soon get the others" Ursula said.
"Akko did well, but she is still far behind my daughters and even myself in terms of technique, as a warrior she has a lot to improve, unfortunately it will not be with months of training that we will be able to beat Ganon ... I think that only when she is an adult can we think about it, but not for now, we have to leave the land ready or else she dies and we will have to wait another 10 years until another of us comes" Said the majesty.
"I can personally train her for that lady, I think with my technique she can familiarise herself more" said the blue-haired one.
"You know I was already asking for it, you must still have the disposition when you were still that other person from before, I'm sure she copies a lot of your style and will enjoy training... But do you intend to tell her about it? "We still keep the huge secret about who you really were" said Mrs McLaren.
"'When she's older and trained I'll reveal it, along with why I hid myself...' "I intend to tell her one day, you know Wedinburgh didn't see me very well after that incident" Ursula said.
"Unfortunately I know, I had to give you this Ursula identity for that" said Queen Laura.
"This is what I wanted to communicate, please plan more and help Akko to find the other six words of Claiomh Solais, we will need the power of the nine witches to defeat Ganon once and for all, this time to do it in a definitive way" Said the bespectacled woman who then turned to leave the throne room.
And there went the astrologer with a mysterious identity leaving the throne room, going to the astrology tower, while Marianne was playing with the girls, since she came half accompanied by the two, she was having fun playing Ludo that was being a very fierce dispute.
But there was evident tension about what was happening in the castle around the future of Hyrule, so much so that the two queens looked at each other and held each other's hands.
"If a war happens again... Do you intend to fight, love?" Bernadette asks.
"Unfortunately yes, my weapons obtained in dungeons can be the salvation for our army half defunct and I imagine that Appleton will come like a sledgehammer on us, we have to be able to hold the wave against them, unfortunately I even trust Akko, but the war is inevitable, this time we will have to finally defeat the kingdom of Appleton" Said Laura.
"Love... Please survive if this happens, remember you have two beautiful daughters waiting for you at home, I don't want to think you are in danger or that you might die, I don't want you to come back in a coffin here, you are not old enough to go to war" Cavendish said.
"Unfortunately the war does not care about age, it cares about victory, even old I still have to try and I'm only 45 years old, I still have disposition in this body, I promise I will defeat the army of Appleton and prevent them from reaching our lands" McLaren said holding his wife's hand.
"I hope so love, I know you can do it... I just get a bad feeling every time, but I'll try to think it's like when we were two young girls and teenagers, when I was going like a fool to join you in the war, my mum must have been furious, but it was necessary to protect the kingdom, she may live a little longer thanks to me, but she also died because of me..." The platinum-haired one is soon consoled by his wife with a caress and soon more royal obligations arrive ahead for the two majesties to solve.
And there went the queens to solve the royal issues as usual, while far away in the lands of Appleton Lord Hanbridge was waiting for the coming of the spy Louis who was about to announce his departure and would receive the necessary resources for a mission of such importance to the kingdom, the blond already arrives in the room bowing to the king presenting with the usual cordiality.
"Is everything ready for your departure Louis? Did you get any more information from those slave traders?" The head of Appleton asks.
"I did, it seems that they were on the southeastern border of the kingdom when they captured the slaves, they were walking towards the city of Leeds to trade, but in the middle of the way they were surprised by the warrior Atsuko Kagari, she was wearing Wedinburgh clothes as they had said, which I could analyse better, she also said she was from Luna Nova, but as she is a warrior from there, I was able to conclude that she was a chosen warrior and left her village, which I assume she is now settling in Wedinburgh, I will go to that location first to try to find something about it, maybe she should be with the locals or even with the queen, since she appeared to be with a royal shield, even though she wore more common clothes" Said Louis which leaves the lord with a smile on his face.
"Go to Wedinburgh, but do not let anyone notice you, find out what is necessary and also try to pass me information about the royal troops will already be very useful for my plan" Said the chief.
"My lord, I will go for those reasons too, I believe I will be well rewarded for that" said the blond.
"Well, besides the Rupees, I guarantee that you can marry one of the princesses of Wedinburgh and have her as yours, the youngest in the case, just do everything right and guarantee the invasion, I will reward you with one of the most beautiful girls in Hyrule, she is a beautiful ruin like her mother, she is still 13 years old, but the potential is greater when she gets older, my interest is greater in the oldest, if I force myself to marry her I can be king of all the lands of Hyrule" Said the dark-haired one.
"My lord allow me to say, but from the descriptions I was told the warrior is also very beautiful, a girl with beautiful crimson eyes, brown hair, she has those typical eyes of distant peoples, sure she is not from Luna Nova, she must be descended from a Hyllian from the lands east of the east, look at the portrait I could make" Said Louis who showed a portrait of what he imagines to be Akko.
"Woah, it's not a waste either, but she's an enemy, don't be seduced by her beauty and she's probably just a kid apparently from what they've said" Appleton's leader said.
And off Louis went, having a royal retinue to lead him safely, as well as the clothing he was given to keep a good disguise along the way, Louis would pretend to be a common merchant to enter the city of Wedinburgh and walk the land of Hyrule.
The queen has been shown to be closer and friendlier to Akko, but things are still going to get very tense ahead, as Appleton's troops may start to act and Lord Hanbridge will do everything to show that he is very powerful, with a tension already in the air by the revelation that he may be the one possessed by Ganondorf.
See you, queen witches...