"Would that be an acceptable compromise?" Sophitia asked, sitting up straight in her throne, trying to appear more authoritative.
The noble from Snowpeak seemed skeptical, and he glanced around the audience chamber in search of assurance from anyone else. "I… I'm not sure that will be enough in the long run, but perhaps it will keep the populace satisfied until a more permanent solution can be found."
"Splendid," Sophitia declared with feigned confidence. "Then the matter is settled for now, to be reopened later, if need be. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me, my lord."
The nobleman bowed, put his hat back on, and left the audience chamber.
Liliana stepped closer to the princess and leaned in to speak to her quietly. "How are you feeling?" she asked.
"I'm fine, dear," Sophitia replied, attempting to give her a reassuring smile.
"Are you sure? Because if you're not up for this-"
"I'm fine," she repeated. Sophitia looked her retainer in the eyes. "I appreciate your concern, but please let me work."
Liliana nodded and stepped away, returning to her stance with her hands cupped behind her back.
The princess knew what Liliana was concerned about. It had only been a few days since Sophitia had received word of her father's death and the disappearance of her sister. However, as far as the princess was concerned, she had already spent quite enough time mourning. She needed to show she could lead, even under these circumstances.
It is my royal duty.
Next in line was a couple, who appeared to be another pair of Snowpeak nobles. Sophitia waved them closer to her invitingly. However, before they could approach Sophitia's throne, the doors at the end of the room were thrown open. A messenger marched into the room, flanked by four guards escorting him.
Sophitia knew what it was immediately, but she still had to say something as an apology of sorts to the nobles who'd been interrupted. "What is the meaning of this?" she asked.
"Apologies, your highness. A Rito messenger delivered this a moment ago," the newly arrived guest informed her, holding up a scroll as he stepped closer to the throne. "He said it was from High Chieftain Revalco himself."
"High Chieftain?" Sophitia repeated.
Many throughout the audience chamber muttered at this news.
Then it is as we feared.
Sophitia waved Liliana forward. The round-eared girl stepped down off of the dais to receive the scroll the messenger was delivering. "Thank you," Sophitia said, allowing the messenger to leave with a bow. Liliana returned to Sophitia's side and handed her the message.
The princess took a few moments to read the letter while her audience waited in anticipation, many of them wildly speculating about the letter's contents. However, with the knowledge that Revalco was now the Rito high chieftain, Sophitia had already correctly predicted everything it said.
"Revalco has become the high chieftain, with a simple majority of the other chieftains supporting him," Sophitia announced, summarizing Revalco's message. "He has declared Hebra's independence and issued an ultimatum. The Kingdom of Hyrule is to relinquish control of Hebra, or there will be war."
Those in the audience reacted about as well as she'd expected. There were horrified gasps, lamentations of unfairness, and expressions of contempt for the Rito. Sophitia raised her hand for silence, and her guests soon listened.
"In light of these developments, we must end here for today. Lord Nobiro, Arbiter Ponthos, Sister Varke - please join me in the council chambers. We have need to discuss this in great detail. Everyone else, you are dismissed," the princess declared with a wave of her hand.
Those seated stood up and began filing out of the room. Some of them muttered in irritation, likely having traveled up the mountain just for an opportunity to speak to the princess acting as their governor.
"I apologize for the inconvenience. I will hear more grievances tomorrow, you have my word."
Hopefully that will tide them over.
Liliana offered her hand, so Sophitia took it. Her retainer helped her stand up out of the throne. Without further announcement, the princess proceeded to Snowpeak's council room along with Liliana and her advisors.
"I dare say, things are looking rather grim," Arbiter Ponthos stated as everyone took their seats.
"Hylia have mercy," the bishop Varke added. "I thought we would have more time before such a danger would befall Hebra once again."
"Settle down, everyone," Sophitia said, holding out her hands disarmingly. "First things first, I will send word to my siblings requesting reinforcements," she explained. "My brother Lancel is already working to retake the City in the Sky, but my brother Percival's campaign is already over. He will have troops to spare. I will also send word to my sister Victorique. I am uncertain if she is in Gerudo or Central Hyrule at the moment, but wherever she is, I'm sure we can count on her."
"What of Lord Remoth?" Lord Nobiro asked. "You said his troops would be here days ago."
Sophitia thought about that. It was true Lord Remoth was exceedingly late, and the princess had received no word from him.
Did his forces suffer an attack while trying to travel during the Blood Moon? Or perhaps it was the Rito who attacked him?
"I will, of course, send another message to Lord Remoth," Sophitia said, attempting to appear unconcerned. "Perhaps he is already working to protect our kingdom elsewhere, but nonetheless, I am sure he will come if I summon him. Regardless, shoring up our numbers is merely a precaution. Revalco did not send us a declaration of war; it was merely a warning. He will arrive to hear my answer in a few days' time. We still have the opportunity to resolve this matter diplomatically."
I hope.
"Then what exactly shall we do?" the arbiter asked, already taking notes with a quill feather. "Failure to resolve matters diplomatically is what has pushed us into this position in the first place."
"There is always more we can do," Sophitia replied. "I have already spent some time drawing up a proposal that would grant governorship of Hebra to the new Rito high chieftain. I can put the finishing touches on it this evening and we can finalize it together tomorrow." Sophitia was certain her elder sister would have some objections to the idea, but as acting governor of the Hebra Province, Sophitia believed she was well within her power to pass the title on to another.
"The governorship?" Lord Nobiro replied, taken aback. "But, your highness, there's a reason Governor Koridai never passed his title to the previous high chieftain. Even when the Rito court was in favor of Hyrulean rule by majority, the risk of total secession was too great. If we do this now when the majority opposes Hyrule, we will lose the province completely."
"Believe me, my lord, I am well aware of the risk." Princess Sophitia took a moment to gauge the reactions of the others. All of her advisors seemed quite hesitant, but she pressed on. "This is merely a matter of electing the lesser of two evils. The offer of the governorship and a much higher degree of autonomy may not be enough to satisfy Revalco and his supporters, but when the alternative is open war, it is still the best choice."
Lord Nobiro slowly nodded, as did the other advisors. "I suppose there is wisdom in what you say. Attempt diplomacy first, and save violence for a last resort."
"Precisely." Sophitia smiled, glad to see they were coming around. "Well then, if we are all in agreement, I believe I shall retire to my quarters to finish drawing up my proposal," the princess announced, standing up. "We shall reconvene tomorrow. I bid you all a good night."
On the day Revalco was expected to arrive, Princess Sophitia sat outside on a balcony overlooking the city below. She wore her finest, warmest winter garments, for while it was not snowing, it was certainly still cold. Placed upon the table was a kettle of hot tea, which she sipped while she waited.
All around her were guards, servants, and advisors, but they had all been placed at a distance. Sophitia would be meeting with Revalco one-on-one. The only person standing near Sophitia was Liliana, who poured her another cup of tea as she finished off her last one.
"You look quite relaxed, Princess," her retainer remarked.
"Do I?" Sophitia replied, smiling serenely. "Good. I suppose that means my façade is working, then." While she was putting all of her effort into not showing it, Sophitia could not remember a time when she'd been more nervous. She had been involved in the kingdom's politics before, but never like this.
I cannot afford a single mistake.
The princess took another sip of tea, then slowly placed the cup on its saucer, reminding herself not to allow her hand to tremble. Spilling even a single drop could mean letting her illusion of confidence slip.
"You have no reason to be nervous," Liliana told her. "Remember back at the academy, how you would always obsess over the material before every examination? You've been reminding me of those days quite a lot as of late."
"Preparation is key, Liliana," the princess told her, with more than a hint of pride in her voice.
"And your new advisors hardly disagreed with anything in your proposal," her retainer went on. "If such experienced men and women approve, it sounds as though you've done well for a girl your age."
"Why, thank you." Sophitia smiled. "You've done well for a girl your age, too."
"Plenty of girls younger than me can pour tea." Liliana placed the teapot back down on the table, then rubbed her gloved hands together in the cold.
"You know what I mean."
"I'm often one of the few who does."
Sophitia chuckled. "Is that to say I am clever, or mad?"
"Doesn't matter; they both pay the same."
The princess sighed, but continued to smile. She could tell Liliana was attempting to diffuse some of the tension in the air, and it was working.
Perhaps this will go well after all.
"Rito spotted!" a guard up in one of the nearby towers shouted down to everyone, pointing outwards to the horizon across the city below.
Sophitia stood, wishing to get a better look. She could definitely see something coming towards them, flying well above the ground. It instantly reminded her of a flock of birds, which she supposed it was.
"They've arrived," the princess said aloud. She instantly felt her heart rate increase. Trying to mentally prepare herself, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Be like Victorique.
"By the gods."
"There's so many of 'em!"
"Archers!"
"What?" Sophitia opened her eyes in a panic. Over the horizon, she could see that the flock of Rito was not only getting closer, it was also getting larger. There were more Rito coming than she had anticipated, and her soldiers were beginning to suspect an attack. Several more guards were already climbing the walls, wielding bows.
"No!" Sophitia shouted. "Everyone, return to your posts. Follow the plan. Do nothing to project hostility."
"But, Princess, what if they attack?" Lord Nobiro asked, waiting by the door leading into the fortress.
"If they attack, we fight back. But they will not," Sophitia stated confidently. "Revalco is prideful. He believes himself more honorable than us. He would not deceive us, and he said he was coming to speak with me." Her reasoning was sound, and she hoped she was right.
"You've been wrong about Rito honor before," Liliana reminded her, referring to the events that occurred in Skyloft.
"I won't be this time," Sophitia replied, forcing herself to believe it. If she was wrong and the Rito were allowed to make the first strike, she would only be able to use her magic to protect herself and Liliana from the initial volley.
Please be the man I think you are, Revalco.
The Hylians in the vicinity seemed extremely reluctant, but they followed Sophitia's orders. Bows were lowered, and most of the guards went back inside the fortress. Sophitia remained standing, feeling less calm and relaxed than ever.
"Good luck, Sophitia," Liliana told her, standing beside her charge with her arms crossed behind her back. "Shall I leave you alone with Revalco?"
"No," the princess replied, shaking her head. "He knows you. And he has some respect for you, if I recall. Besides, I feel better with you around."
Liliana nodded, ever blank faced, but lightly blushing.
Sophitia watched with anticipation as the swarm of feathery wings grew ever closer, passing over the city and making their way up the mountainside. Eventually, the Rito appeared overhead, nearly blotting out the sun. Sophitia held her breath, and every other Hylian in the area glanced about nervously.
However it did not begin raining arrows. Instead, music blared from the sky as a group of Rito minstrels with woodwind instruments announced the high chieftain's arrival.
Seven Rito descended from the center of the swarm, landing on the large balcony. They had arranged themselves in a circle, with one of them in the middle of the other six. The six on the outside held spears or bows. Revalco was in the middle, with his greatbow slung over his back.
It is time.
"High Chieftain Revalco," Sophitia said, stepping forward to receive him. "It is good to see you again."
Two of the Rito braves parted to allow Revalco to come forward. He surveyed the area, then removed the bow from his back. Sophitia tensed for a moment, but he merely handed it off to one of his guards along with his quiver. "Princess Zelda Sophitia Hyrule," he said, speaking her full name with mock respect. "Or are you called 'governor' now?"
Sophitia smiled warily. "'Princess' will do fine. But please, call me 'Sophitia.'" Noticing how difficult it was to hear, the princess looked skyward, noting the constant flapping of a hundred pairs of wings. "If I might make a request, would you mind having your retinue wait elsewhere? The noise level may hinder our conversation."
"Hmph." Revalco crossed his wings, seemingly annoyed. However, he relented after a moment, raising his wings into the air and signaling to his followers. The flock quickly responded, flying back over the side of the mountain, disappearing from sight. Only Revalco and his six braves remained. "Is that more to your liking?" he asked.
Well, at least he trusts me, somewhat.
"Indeed. You have my gratitude. Now, shall we sit?" Sophitia asked, gesturing to the table with two chairs set up beside it. Revalco grunted and took a seat, and Sophitia joined him. "Would you care for some tea?" the princess offered.
"I'd rather not waste time with what passes for pleasantries in Hyrule," Revalco replied, clicking his beak. "Just get to the point."
Sophitia smiled uneasily. She needed to be careful with her words. This Rito had already tried to kill her once before. She doubted he would do so at a peace talk like this, but one can never know for sure. "Very well. I believe it would be wise to begin by addressing the events which transpired in Skyloft."
"Ah, yes," Revalco replied. "You mean when High Chief Kanelo was murdered by this mysterious, unidentified assailant, about which you know nothing."
While she had hoped to approach this with the utmost delicacy, Sophitia could tell she would get nowhere if she tried to remain entirely polite.
Perhaps I shall take a page out of Liliana's book.
"Allow me to ask you something, high chieftain," the princess began. "If, for some reason, the Kingdom of Hyrule had decided to use our expedition to the City in the Sky as a setup for an assassination, would it not have been you we wanted to assassinate?"
Revalco quirked his head. Sophitia could tell she was already getting through to him, somewhat.
"Even if you believe us to be untrustworthy, surely you do not believe we would choose to murder our strongest supporter amongst the Rito over our strongest opponent."
Revalco glared at her with his falcon eyes. "Very well. I suppose it's true you can't be that stupid," he said. "But if it wasn't you, then who was it?"
"We would very much have liked to investigate that, but it became rather difficult to do so after you executed our Grand Archivist, attacked our camp, and drove us out of the city," Sophitia countered.
The Rito chieftain crossed his wings and leaned back in his chair. "I believed my people to be under attack. Our actions in Skyloft were taken solely to defend ourselves."
"I understand that." Sophitia kept on the offensive, but she smiled inwardly. She was clearly making progress. Revalco was now closer to accepting her innocence, as well as acknowledging his own fault in the matter. With any luck, she could leverage this towards more favorable negotiations.
"You were manipulated into taking action. We all were. This is why my brother and I do not seek your punishment, nor do we wish to remove you from your new position as high chieftain. In fact, I wish to promote you further." Sophitia put her hand on a stack of papers and slid them across the table towards Revalco. "I believe I have a proposal that both your people and mine will be happy with."
Revalco stared at her curiously, then snatched up the papers. His body language clearly conveyed his desire to get this over with. The bird man's eyes darted back and forth as he quickly read through the first few pages of her proposal.
Sophitia sipped her tea as she watched with anticipation.
"Did you come here merely to insult me?" Revalco asked after a moment, tossing the papers back down onto the table.
Sophitia blinked. She had not been expecting that response. "I assure you, that is not the case. What makes you ask such a question?"
"Your proposal is more of the same," Revalco replied with disdain. "What difference would it make if you called me 'governor' instead of 'high chieftain'? Our tribes would still be subservient to yours."
"You will have near-total control over the entirety of the Hebra Province," the princess promised, reaching across the table to rearrange the papers. "You would answer only to my sister, the queen. This is merely to ensure that our kingdom remains peacefully united toward a common cause."
"No deal," Revalco repeated.
Sophitia felt her eyebrow twitch. "My apologies, high chieftain," she began. "But I do not understand. What I am suggesting is the exact same treaty my people have had with the Gorons and the Zora for centuries. Together, the kingdom has prospered. Why would you ever wish to separate yourself from such a mutually beneficial arrangement?"
"The Rito are not the Gorons, nor are we the Zora," Revalco replied. "Let me ask you this, Princess. If I were to offer you a counter proposal in which I replace your sister as the new king of Hyrule, would you accept?"
Sophitia opened her mouth to respond, but she hesitated, furrowing her brow in confusion. The notion was quite absurd, and she wasn't sure how to approach it. "That… is not how it works, I'm afraid."
"Exactly." Revalco crossed his wings smugly. "You do not wish to be ruled by us; we do not wish to be ruled by you. It's that simple."
"But the throne has been passed down through my family line since the Kingdom of Hyrule was established millenia ago," Sophitia argued. "It cannot simply be given away."
"And what good is inherited power anyway?" Revalco replied. "Do you know how I became the chief of my tribe? How I became the high chief of all our tribes? Because I was the best. Not because I happened to be born to the right parents."
"I assure you, my sister is wise and just. I cannot imagine a more suitable ruler for our fair kingdom." It hurt to say it, but Sophitia knew it was true. She still desired to be queen more than anything, but it was hard to deny Victorique's abilities.
"Perhaps," Revalco replied. "But will her children be? What about their children? Can you honestly say that in two thousand years of your family's rule, you haven't had a single idiot for a ruler? What about an unjust ruler? Or a weak one? A lazy one?"
"Perhaps not all of my ancestors have been as wise and fair as my sister, but guiding this kingdom is, and always has been, my family's sacred duty," the princess asserted. "It wouldn't be right to foist that responsibility on anyone else."
Revalco scoffed and stood from his chair. "I knew this was a waste of time," he said. "You may call yourself a governor, but you still have the naivety of a child. So, I will be merciful. I shall grant you three more days to get your affairs in order. When I return, you will agree to recognize our independence, or there will be war. Good day." Revalco stepped back over to his braves. His subordinates handed him his bow and quiver, and the seven of them took to the skies.
Despite Liliana consoling her, and her advisors insisting the fault rested solely on Revalco's stubbornness and lack of loyalty, Sophitia considered her meeting with the high chieftain to be a colossal failure on her part. For the next two days after the event, she found herself constantly thinking of what else she could have said, what other strategies she could have implemented, and what other aspects of Revalco's background she could have taken into consideration. Worse still, she thought of what Lancel and Victorique would have said.
Had one of them been at that table instead of me, this war would have been averted.
With the threat of war looming over her, Sophitia was desperately hoping for someone to come and save her, whether it be her sister, her brothers, or even Lord Remoth. However, the only response she had received so far from the messages she'd sent out was from Victorique. Her elder sister had sent her sympathies, but informed her that her armies were preoccupied with the Gerudo rebellion, which had also grown much worse over the recent weeks. The only advice she'd given was to act with wisdom as befits the family name, and to do what she thought was best for the kingdom.
If I knew what that was, I wouldn't be asking you, sister!
However, her sister's letter had been filled with words of encouragement. Despite the direness of the situation, Victorique seemed certain that Sophitia would be able to handle it.
Not that that puts any pressure on me, of course.
And so, with less than twenty-four hours left until Revalco was slated to return, Princess Sophitia found herself back in her audience chambers, speaking with all her advisors and dozens of Hebran nobles, all of them desperate for a solution to their current predicament.
"Perhaps Snowpeak should be evacuated," Lord Nobiro suggested. "It might be a long journey from here to the Ridgelands, but as long as they are out of the city by the time Revalco returns, they would be safe."
"Revalco's scouts are keeping a watch on the city," Arbiter Ponthos pointed out. "Would they allow such a thing?"
"I don't see why not," Nobiro replied. "He wants the Hylians out of Hebra. Surely he would be overjoyed to see such an exodus. He need not know it is intended to be temporary."
As her advisors spoke, a messenger handed something to one of Sophitia's guards. The guard handed it to Sophitia, who in turn handed it to the princess. "It's for you. It's from the capital."
Sophitia nodded, taking the letter into her hand.
Perhaps it will be good news this time.
She was still waiting on word from everyone but Victorique in regards to potential reinforcements. Hebra's armies were fairly barebones at the moment, but if anyone were to help them increase their numbers, it would likely be enough to turn the tide in their favor.
It's not good news.
What she read was quite shocking. There were any number of things she could have expected to read in that letter, but this was not one of them.
"My apologies for interrupting, my lords," Sophitia said, holding up the letter to draw attention to it. "But I have just received word of some very pertinent information regarding current events in the capital, and why we have not yet seen Lord Remoth or my brother Percival's forces."
"What is it, your highness?"
Sophitia let out a quiet sigh before continuing. "It would appear that, rather than bringing his troops to Snowpeak as I requested, Lord Remoth instead opted to take them to the capital during the Blood Moon. Following the events that ensued, he has taken control of the city. He appears to be acting as the de facto king in my sister's absence. My brother Percival has taken it upon himself to remove Lord Remoth from the throne, and is currently laying siege to the city."
"What?"
"This is preposterous!"
"What in Din's name is Remoth thinking?"
"That's treason!"
Sophitia put her fingertips to her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. She waited a few moments for the outbursts from the audience to die down. "No help from my sister. No help from Percival. No help from Lord Remoth. And still not a word from Lancel; gods know what he is up to now."
"It appears our list of allies is running thin," Lord Nobiro said grimly. "With our numbers, do we stand a chance against the Rito?"
"Even if the flock he showed us the other day was his full force, surely not," Varke replied. "We should forget about fighting at this point, and focus instead on preserving the lives of the citizenry."
"I agree," Sophitia declared. "We shall continue to search for solutions for the coming war, but for the time being, let us attempt to evacuate Snowpeak to the northeast side of the mountain. That should at least keep them safe when Revalco returns. Lord Nobiro, I am placing you in charge of coordinating that effort."
"Of course, your highness," Nobiro said with a bow.
Sophitia stood, suddenly feeling very tired. "Let us end here for now. We will reconvene later this evening. Dismissed." The princess tried to channel her father as she spoke. He'd always had the charisma to sound definitive and correct whenever he gave any order. She hoped no one would suspect she was ending the meeting early just so she could go lie down.
"Are you alright, Sophitia?" Liliana asked quietly on the way back to her quarters, probably seeing right through her.
"Just give me a moment," the princess replied, not wishing to say anything until they were out of everyone else's earshot.
"What on earth am I to do?" Sophitia complained, falling backwards onto her bed. "Nothing's gone right. I've done everything that I could to prevent war, and look how it all turned out!"
The princess heard Liliana's footsteps as she approached the side of the bed.
"This all started because of Kanelo's assassination, and we still don't even know who did it, or why!" Sophitia continued, hands pressed against her face. "It's as if the gods themselves have been conspiring against me, Liliana. I've managed to fail at every turn."
"It isn't your fault, Sophitia," Liliana told her. "It is as you've said. So many factors have been outside of your control. You mustn't blame yourself."
"Perhaps," Sophitia said, sitting up. "But regardless, I am responsible for what happens here. I used to think I could handle anything my father wanted me to do. I just needed wit, guile, and a little bit of time to plan. But I couldn't do it. I couldn't prevent this war. If Lancel or Victorique had been in charge-"
"Lancel is partially in charge," Liliana reminded her. "You two are partners in this endeavor, remember? Do not think he would handle it any better than you did, because he has not succeeded either. He isn't even here, whereas you are. And your sister? Last I heard, her job was to prevent a war in Gerudo. And guess what is happening right now? There is a war in Gerudo. So don't go telling yourself you're the failure of your family."
"Because we're all failures, then?" Sophitia laughed bitterly. "Well, aside from Percival, I suppose. And I guess Seraphina has no failures to speak of. Perhaps one of them belongs on Father's throne."
"Princess…" Liliana sat down on the bed beside her. "It isn't over yet."
"No, not yet. It won't be over until Revalco kills me. Or someone kills him, I suppose," Sophitia replied, hanging her head.
"That isn't what I mean," Liliana went on. "There doesn't have to be a war at all. There is still one solution you have not considered."
"What?" Sophitia's mind went a mile a minute, thinking of every possible solution the other girl might have been trying to suggest.
Is there another ally I haven't considered? Do I have a bargaining chip I haven't played yet? Will Lancel swoop in with the City in the Sky and force Revalco to surrender?
"What else can I do?" she asked.
"You can give Revalco what he wants."
Sophitia waited for a moment, expecting Liliana to explain further. She figured there would be some clarification or extra step, or some way to satisfy Revalco without having to actually lose Hebra. However, Liliana said nothing further.
"...Are you out of your mind?" Sophitia stood up abruptly, giving her retainer an incredulous look. "Do you have any idea what you're suggesting?"
"Yes, I do," Liliana said simply.
Sophitia's eyebrow twitched. "Liliana, have I not failed enough for one campaign?" the princess asked, raising her voice. "Already I have been unsuccessful in quelling unrest in the province. Now you wish me to give up the province itself?"
Liliana got up as well, standing face-to-face with her charge. "You would not simply be giving it up. This would give you a chance to end the conflict on peaceful terms."
"I will not be remembered as the princess who lost Hebra!" Sophitia shouted, gesturing angrily with her hands. "I wanted to be the queen, Liliana. I wanted to be the best of us. What kind of Zelda would I be if I lost the province my ancestors fought so hard to bring into the fold? I would go down in history as the most colossally incompetent princess who ever lived!"
"You fear for your reputation," Liliana said flatly.
"Of course I do! I'm a fucking princess!" Sophitia replied. "But it's not just me. This continent would be filled with conflict and destruction without the Kingdom of Hyrule. If Hebra secedes, Gerudo will be next, then perhaps Lanayru, and before you know it, we're back to the goddamn Era of Chaos! Do you not realize this, Liliana? I thought you were loyal to this kingdom. I thought you loved this kingdom as much as I do!"
"I am, and I do," Liliana replied. "But that is the difference, Sophitia. I serve this kingdom - I serve you - because I want to. Revalco does not. A great deal of Hebrans do not. Something you once said about your father was that he preferred willing subjects. Do you not feel the same?"
"Of course I do." Sophitia clenched her fists in frustration. Not wanting to look at Liliana right now, she walked over to the window and stared outside. "But… why? Why does it have to be so damn difficult? I want them to love me, sure, but I don't even need that. Just cooperation is all I ask. The entire Inner Continent working together for the common good - that's all it's ever been about. Why can't they see that?"
Sophitia heard the footsteps as Liliana approached her from behind. "I do not know, Sophitia," she said. "But maybe that can happen with time. Maybe it's something you can help happen, as queen or otherwise. But until that time comes, is it worth forcing the Rito to submit to you? Is it worth fighting and dying for?"
"I can't!" Sophitia wheeled around, facing her retainer with tears in her eyes. "Maybe you're right, but I can't be the one. I can't be remembered as the princess who failed."
Liliana stepped forward and embraced her. "You will not be. You'll be remembered as the princess who chose peace - who chose freedom."
Sophitia breathed deeply, resting her tired head against Liliana. "I hope you're right. Gods, I do."