When the away team got back, Dedue was there to chew Dimitri out. "With all due respect, Your Highness, what were you thinking?"
"I was thinking we were all hungry," Dimitri said defensively. "And we found food. I think."
"That is a Gohma leg," the old man said, surprised. "Why was a Gohma on the Great Plateau? Gohmas haven't even lived in Hyrule for centuries, and the Great Plateau is entirely the wrong environment for a Gohma."
"Who cares? Can we eat it?" Raphael asked.
"Gohma meat is edible, yes," the old man said. "I haven't tasted it myself, so I can't speak for the flavor."
"Hey, even if it tastes bad, it'll feel good to have this much meat to eat," Raphael said optimistically.
"I think I may be able to do something with it," Dedue said, resigned.
As it turned out, Gohma meat was pretty good, Flayn thought. It didn't taste all that different from normal crab meat. And seafood was an important part of any balanced diet. Dedue was an excellent chef.
That said, Flayn thought some dessert would go well with it. With the limited ingredients available, there weren't many available options, but she could try making baked apples!
...How long did the apples have to be in the pot, again?
...How long had they already been in the pot?
Not for the first time, Flayn cursed her old injury. Behind not being able to feel the wind beneath her wings, the worst part was having so much trouble remembering mundane things. She used to have a perfect memory.
Dedue came over to look at what she was doing. "What are you making?"
"Baked apples!" Flayn said. She looked at them. They were probably done. She tried removing one from the pot.
It turned to mush in her hand.
"Well, maybe it tastes good," Flayn said, and tried eating a bit of the apple mush. Nope. It was overcooked.
Flayn was dismayed. She used to be good at this.
"Back when Mother was alive. We would make delicious meals together. And now I can't even make something as simple as baked apples."
"Would you like me to make some new baked apples with you? I can help you ensure they turn out well," Dedue offered.
Flayn frowned. "I don't know. I should get some rest."
Flayn was interrupted by a knock at the door. "Who is it?" Rhea asked.
"It is Lorenz. I wish to inform you that the messages confirming our safe return have been sent," Lorenz stated.
"Thank you, Lorenz," Rhea said. Hopefully now the disaster would be averted.
"I suppose I shall take my leave now," Lorenz said, but Flayn told him not to. "No, no, stay. Why don't you tell them about your first experience with the Shrine?"
"Tempting, but I suspect that with Edelgard having told about hers, there's not much to be said," Lorenz commented.
"On the contrary, you can tell about how the Cryonis rune works," Claude commented.
"Oh, very well," Lorenz said.
It turned out that the old man's talk of peppers that could ward off the cold was not an old wives' tale at all. It also turned out that Link was an exceptional chef, and had used the peppers and some fish he had caught with a metal crate and the Magnesis rune to create a delectable spicy seafood fry. Both full and protected from the cold, the team climbed the snowy mountain where the next shrine was located. On the way up, they did encounter a small Bokoblin camp, but for once they outnumbered the monsters and dealt with them easily. As a bonus, they were able to take the steak the Bokoblins were roasting and some arrows they had in a barrel.
When they reached the Shrine, Link asked if anyone else would like to go into the Shrine with him.
"I would be honored to undertake this quest with you," Lorenz stated.
"As would I," Ferdinand agreed.
"All right, let's go," Link said, and the three of them descended into the Shrine.
"To you who set foot in this Shrine... I am Keh Namut," the shrine monk's voice boomed. "In the name of the goddess Hylia, I offer this trial."
"So Edelgard and Leonie's talk of the Shrine monk was accurate," Ferdinand noted.
"So, last Shrine, I got bombs," Link recalled. "Let's find out what new ability this Shrine is meant to give me." With that, Link loaded the next rune. "Cryonis rune installed."
Link decided to test the rune on the nearby water. When he activated it, a large block of ice rose from the water.
"Fascinating," Lorenz commented.
Link looked at the Slate and adjusted a setting to create two more ice blocks smaller than the first one to make a stair, and the three of them went deeper into the Shrine.
Further into the Shrine, Link looked around the corner. "Guardian Scout."
Lorenz removed the Boko shield from his back. "There being no convenient metal blocks available, we shall have to fight this one in the traditional manner."
"I guess so," Link said, as he and Ferdinand removed their own shields.
With that, the three of them charged the Guardian Scout.
The scout managed to get a few blasts into Ferdinand's shield, causing it to catch fire. Lorenz covered his fellow noble as he plunged his flaming shield into the ankle-deep water around them.
It didn't end up being necessary, because Link reached the Scout and quickly destroyed it. "That seems like it was too easy."
"Perhaps the Scout was damaged by being in a watery environment for an extended period of time," Ferdinand suggested.
The rest of the Shrine was fairly easy. The group even found a box containing a spear, which Ferdinand claimed for himself.
When they reached Keh Namut, he appraised them. "Ferdinand von Aegir and Lorenz Hellman Gloucester. Fódlan's golden sons. It is good that you are here."
"So it's true," Ferdinand said, astonished.
"Please, I need to know who I am!" Link begged.
"It is not my place to say," Keh Namut stated. "All I can offer you is this Spirit Orb, and shelter for you and your companions outside. Night approaches."
Ten minutes later, the entire group had made their way into the Shrine. "And you're sure the undead monk is gone?" Monica asked.
"Yes, he's gone," Link said, dejected. "And I'm no closer to finding answers."
"Well, maybe we can get some answers out of the old man tomorrow, once that last Shrine is taken care of," Monica suggested.
"Maybe," Link said, still disappointed. "The water here is warm. I'm going to bathe, then I'm going to sleep."
The floor was hard, but everyone was soon too tired to care.
Yes, I know I changed how Link uses the Cryonis rune. But if you've ever tried climbing pure ice barehanded, you'll understand why.