Diana and Akko got the pendant of courage in this way conquering the third dungeon and leaving only simply the final, in this they go back to the Dublin ranch, spending a few days having fun there, being a much more peaceful moment for Cavendish who can feel a little more alive for a few moments, but they could not stay there forever, so after about three days at the ranch they decide to travel to Wedinburgh, back to the castle and the royal obligations, which the platinum blonde haired girl was a little nervous to return, still afraid of the scolding that would come, but she was not so totally cowardly and even showed she was willing to face the consequences of her actions.
The two made a very long journey, woke up just before dawn, so they took a whole day on horseback across the plains of Hyrule to Wedinburgh, arriving at sunset by the castle, even getting a cart to go on the way, entering the city was everything normal just watching around.
"Akko, you could take a little longer, I don't know if I'm ready for the scolding" said the princess.
"I thought you were ready, you're even showing your face to everyone with a huge reassurance, what, did you find someone you didn't want?" Said Atsuko as she looked around, still continuing to walk into town.
"I just know I'm going to get a spanking like that and I want to stay longer before the punishment is over" Cavendish said.
"Oh I know" said Kagari as she walked up to one of the guards.
"Oh my lady Diana and Mrs Kagari what do you want, any requests?" The guard asks.
"Take this cart to the castle stable, we'll go walking around the city from here" Said the brown-haired one to the guard who soon climbs into the cart and that even leaves the platinum blond-haired one a little confused by all this.
"Akko... Why did you do that?" The princess asks.
"Come with me then, let's take a walk around the city and walk it in a way you've never seen before, so I can delay your coming to the castle a little longer, what do you think?".Said the warrior who took her friend's hand and started walking around the city.
[...]
It was a very long moment, the two were walking around the city for a while, enjoying the attractions of the evening, even seeing Marianne on the way who was talking to the princess about her sister's concern when she had left, even waiting for the two to return.
What the three stayed enjoying the city together, since Leclerc knows that city like the back of her hand, knowing all the places and fun attractions, even arriving at the hidden entrance of the astrology tower where they were breaking vases and then returned to just take a few more laps of the city, buy some more things. Until night fell, which was time to go, the one with dark hair and red locks says goodbye to the two, the girls go together walking towards the castle, still a little afraid to reach the castle, but taking a deep breath she was arriving, the guards were making way for the princess, she was walking inside the castle until she reached the throne room where the two queens were sitting there and also Hellene just waiting for her presence that was announced.
"My queens, Princess Diana has finally returned and also with the warrior Atsuko Kagari" Said the guard announcing the arrival of the duo.
Tense Diana was walking swallowing dry and sweating cold when entering the throne room, seeing the mothers staring at her with a very serious countenance, even the younger sister showed such seriousness in the situation, she was getting closer to her family while Akko remained quiet and very apprehensive, she felt the aura of the two majesties staring at her and also falling on her as if it were a huge weight.
"Finally remembered that you have a home Diana" said Queen Bernadette.
"We were waiting for you to get home, so that's it? It was hidden inside the cart where Akko went to the dungeon of Mount Cork and not only that, but it was the whole trip ... I could have been in the greatest danger, I want a good explanation for that girl" Said Queen Laura and seeing her daughter swallowing dry even a little apprehensive.
"Yes... Yes I did, it's just that I was worried about what you said about Cork's dungeon, I was extremely worried that she might end up freezing to death, I didn't want that to happen so I went in hiding, got in the
cart and went there... But to be honest, I actually wanted to have fun, that's right, I wanted to go on Akko's totally mindless adventures, I wanted to get out of the castle for a while, I was immature in that decision, but I had never had so much fun in my life as these days with her, it was wonderful to get out of the castle and be a little free from my royal obligations" Said the youngest Cavendish with an answer that shocked the two older ones, it was not quite what they expected.
"Diana" I told Kagari that I didn't expect that either.
"You say it yourself mum, I have to be a more honest and sincere person and here I am being honest, my real reason was not to protect Akko, it was to have fun with her, I wanted to know what she was like outside the castle, I wanted her to know that I am not just a pompous and chic little princess, I am also Diana Cavendish" Said the one with blue eyes that were even starting to shine getting wetter.
"Daughter... We never restricted you from being yourself, Hellene never stopped having her personality, I don't know why you're acting like this now" said Mum McLaren.
"Anna's education to prepare you to be queen one day... 'Even so, girl, we've never let you not be yourself and put pressure on yourself to be perfect, but even so don't think we're not going to let you get away with a nice speech like that, we need to make a decision here" said Mum Cavendish.
"'Exactly, you escaped from the castle without our permission and that is a very serious offence, not only did you do that, you even stayed out for a few days and risked yourself in a dungeon, you really did, didn't you?" Said the ruined majesty seeing her daughter nodding.
"Yes I was, if I escaped and went where Akko went, I wouldn't turn back, I went deep yet, there was no point in chickening out and just sitting on my arse in a chair at Dublin ranch, I know you would be even more angry with me if I chickened out so I did risk the dungeon and helped Akko, but even so... The credit is all hers, even if I wasn't she would still be able to get through the dungeon alone, she who defeated the Yeti alone, I just got caught and being a burden, she who deserves all the credit for the dungeon, I only helped one thing or another, she can manage very well on her own, in the end she and I just had a lot of fun in the dungeon" Said Diana with her chest full and very confident.
"Diana... You don't have to say all that... You were a great help to me in the dungeon, I think I would freeze to death if it wasn't for you" Akko said and the two mothers soon make their decision.
"One thing you're right about, I really wouldn't be proud if you chickened out, you were brave to still go to the dungeon, I see that you acted in a mature way, I expected to see you say something different, it seems that something has changed in your escape, well anyway we have already decided your punishment" Said Queen Laura.
"You will stay in the castle when Akko goes to the last dungeon, now the chance is for Hellene, Akko you will go with Hellene to the final dungeon, you will be responsible for her safety, since we know that the dungeon is in Appleton territory, so you two have an extra risk, for Diana's stubbornness" Said Queen Bernadette.
"Mums! Have you gone mad? It's okay to stay in the castle, but my sister going with Akko to risk enemy and hostile territory just to win an argument is not the smartest thing in the world, this can cause the worst to our sister, this can cause the worst to the kingdom, if they capture us we will be in the worst, have you stopped to think about it?" Said the youngest Cavendish.
"That's exactly why, now it will be the final test, Akko will prove herself as a warrior of the highest confidence, if she returns she will be considered the greatest warrior and the one we can entrust the castle to, besides that you will be able to reflect a little on what you did, maybe we can let you go with Akko to the sanctuary where the master sword is, but until then you are grounded and will not be able to leave the castle until Akko returns safely from the dungeon with Hellene" Said the older Cavendish.
"Me and Hellene..." Akko said thoughtfully.
"Well the decision has been made, that's what we decided, now girl go to your room and bathe you must be smelling from the trip, you too Akko, you must be tired, rest" Said Mrs McLaren.
"Mums... Don't you think it's safer for Akko to go to that dungeon alone? Our sister could be at risk... I just ask one more time" said the worried eldest princess.
"I'll be fine Diana, I'll train with Akko to improve a lot and get strong, besides we'll go more undercover around the dungeon, I can manage with Akko" Said the youngest princess.
"Well then, I guess that's it... I think we're going to have a lot of fun there if we're careful, I'll find it fun to go with each of the princesses and get to know them better" Said the smiling Atsuko and seeing a bit of a disgruntled look from Cavendish.
"I'm going to get out of here, before I explode with rage, I can't believe you made a decision like that just to teach me a lesson, the kingdom is in danger because of that, just to win a point over me" Said Diana who was simply leaving the throne room.
The queens just shrugged, while the eldest went almost stomping her feet angrily to her quarters, while the warrior was confused and worried about her friend's reaction, she didn't understand anything, she was just a little puzzled, which then she went looking at the majesties and also Hellene who stood looking at the girl leaving the place and then went looking at the girl from Luna Nova.
"And then, I know it was hard after all, but we want to know how it was in the dungeon, show us the pendant of courage" said Mrs McLaren and Akko takes the pendant of courage out of his pocket.
"Woah is beautiful" said the youngest McLaren impressed.
"Congratulations Akko you have already succeeded, only the last dungeon is missing, the last pendant, it will be a hard training from now on, you will train both with me and with Ursula, we will leave you two ready, after all, the territory that will come is dangerous, the tower of Rastavan, the way there is very complicated, inside it is even worse, there are six floors of pure challenge, still having two subterranean, but anyway, I'm glad you came back safe" Said Queen Laura.
"Relieved that you and Diana got on well above all else, she has really shown a slight change since coming back from the dungeon, we are impressed that your presence is being able to make her loosen up a bit, we only saw her like this when Chelsea told us about the times at the Dublin ranch she visited, we are glad you have been waking her up, we couldn't, she's been getting very stirred up by stories that are told by both Anna and us about the wars of the past and the kingdom, since she was very young she has always felt pressured and responsible for the kingdom, it's something we never imagined she was trying so hard to preserve" Said Queen Bernadette.
"We are grateful for your presence Akko, the truth is that we trust this punishment of our eldest daughter because we trust you very much, we know that you will return with Hellene unharmed" Said the ruined majesty.
"Thank you for everything Akko, in a short time you have proven yourself worthy of our respect, you are truly special to our kingdom, I hope you understand our decision" Said the majesty with platinum blond hair.
Akko even bows to the two queens after talking to them and goes to her chambers to bathe, while in other chambers, Princess Diana was bathing inside a bathtub while reflecting on the queens' decision, while being a bit perplexed by everything that had happened.
(What an idiotic decision, now you're going to put my sister in danger just because you want to teach me a lesson, that doesn't make sense, it'll only be worse for everyone, but damn... Ahhhhh, now Hellene will have more chances to get closer to Akko too, they'll get closer, I don't know what to do, after all... Wait...Am I liking Akko?)
"No!" shouted Cavendish without realising that no one was listening, and then she even slouched down in the tub, bringing her knees closer to her face.
(I'm not in love with Akko, why should I be jealous of my sister? Just because she hinted at some point that she was going to marry me? Ah that doesn't make much sense, they'll just go together in the dungeon unless I try to stop it... No Diana... Why do that, even worse is me risking myself in the kingdom of Appleton... But... It's my little sister, I'd feel guilty if she was at risk, and now Diana what's going through your head, ahhhhhh).
"Akko..." With a soft voice the platinum blonde haired girl points her hand to the ceiling looking up thinking only of Akko.
(What if... What if I really fell for Akko? She's not as much as I thought she was, even with her clumsy and also funny way, I don't know... I had a lot of fun, she's interesting, intriguing, she liked me, she liked me in my real way, the real Diana... She didn't make fun of me for acting like a simple girl, she hugged me instead, I thought I would be made fun of for being a princess acting like that, but she doesn't care, Akko... I don't know... I'm too full of thoughts in my head).
Diana remained all reflective in the bath just thinking about what was going through her head, not stopping thinking about Akko for a minute, meanwhile in another room, also sitting in the bathtub, Akko was staring at the ceiling, just thinking about what happened and also the reaction of the queens, it was a very surprising thing, which she did not expect.
(Gee, I really wanted to go to the dungeon with Diana, she seems fun, I know the risk it would be, but I think I can have fun going with Hellene, I don't know, I think I really liked the moment I spent with Diana, she doesn't seem the usual boring, but it's still weird, will I like the moment I spent with Hellene even more? She's already cool like that in the castle, imagine outside of it, well the way she's even a little energetic, am I starting to like the princesses? Do I have feelings for them? I don't know, I don't understand much about these things, I know that in fairy tales a warrior always ends up with a princess, or a prince, it's always like that, but what about me? Those warriors are always noble, I'm just a commoner who got lucky like that).
Surprised Atsuko ends up being startled by Hellene's presence entering her room and seeing her friend simply sitting inside the bathtub which McLaren simply acts like she has no shame about the situation while Kagari was a bit embarrassed and put her knees closer to her face.
"HeyAkko, you're going to be my adventure partner now, I just wanted to come here to talk to you" said the lively girl with the red hair.
"Hellene, I'm taking a shower now" said the brownish girl, blushing with embarrassment.
"Yes I see, I don't think there's any room in this bath and I've already had a bath today, so I don't think I'll be able to join you, I just want to talk to you a bit, it's a bit serious, I know my sister's been behaving strangely" said the youngest princess.
"Look, I'll talk to you, just wait for me to shower and we can talk, now I'm in a moment more with myself" Said the warrior.
"Ah I see, you're like Diana, you don't like it when people show up during the bath, I don't understand the shame, I'll wait then, when you finish bathing just show up at the door of your quarters, it's strange really, Diana used to bathe with me when she was younger, now she's so reserved, it's been like this since she started bleeding" Hellene said and then left Kagari's room.
(This Hellene, she's really a child, I'm a bit embarrassed yes, but I don't mind being around someone friendlier, I've been to the creek with the girls from the ranch, well anyway she's all silly really, she has a cute way, ahhhh, now I have to finish bathing here, I think it must be something serious).
After her shower Akko went to get dressed again, she walked to the door of her quarters and there was Hellene she was waiting for only a few minutes still a bit jumpy until she entered the room again where she went right to talk to her friend about the last dungeon, at least what Kagari thought it was but the subject was completely different.
"So, do you really want to go to the dungeon with me?". It's a bit too dangerous, we might not even come back" said the crimson-eyed one.
"Ah that's it I already know and I want to go, I've been wanting to go since the first one you went to since you arrived inside the castle, well I don't want to talk to you about it, in reality the matter is more serious Akko, I know that you and Diana are very friends, more than friends, I saw how she treated you I realise her jealousy towards me, answer me one thing Akko... Do you like my sister?" Said the purple-eyed one staring at her friend in her eyes.
"Hellene... That's kind of a question... I don't know how to answer it, why do you think I like Diana? We're really good friends, she..." Atsuko said.
"I'm not trying to imply anything Akko, in fact I would be happy to know if you like her, I want to be able to help, both Marianne and I have noticed it, she who realised it first, you two already have something between you, you can't hide it, even I started to notice more clearly, you don't have to be ashamed to admit it" McLaren said with her hands on Kagari's arms.
"Look I don't know, I don't know about that, I can't be sure, it was a lot of fun spending the days with Diana, but she still has a way that irritates me, besides... I'm too young to think about it, look Hellene let's just think about the dungeon okay" Said the brownish one.
"Would you marry Diana?" Still a persistent question to the rugrat.
"No! I don't want to marry Diana, I don't want to marry you, I don't want to marry, I just want to be Akko, I just want to be a warrior" said the annoyed Akko.
"I'm sorry about that, I just don't know much about these things, Marianne is better than me, she told me to talk to you about it, since she already knew about the punishment Diana was going to take, we can kind of get closer as friends, I want to know more about the warrior of Luna Nova, I will still have the answer if you like Diana or not, although I already know about her here in my head" Said the princess who was then walking out of the room.
"Why do you insist on it so much? I only see you as my friends" said the warrior with her arms crossed.
Princess Hellene was leaving her friend's quarters and continued to walk through the castle, already with the information she had in her head, where she followed the path to her older sister's room, there she saw Diana looking at the window still half reflective, until she saw the eldest half looking at the window that notices her sister's presence.
"Sis... Sorry about that" said the youngest who then gets a hug from Cavendish.
"You have no idea how much I missed you little sister, even away from you having fun with Akko I still thought about you a lot, I'm glad to see you back" Said Diana.
"Wait... You're not mad at me? I thought I would be now that I'm going out with Akko for a journey" McLaren said.
"That makes me angry with our mothers, you are not to blame for any of this, in fact I know you will be fine, I trust you and Akko, I hope you have a great time, I really do" Said the platinum blonde hair with a smile on her face.
"Hm I know sis, you don't want to say it inside, but I know you have very strong feelings about the warrior, so I feel bad, I know you like Akko" Said the red head which made even the older sister shut up.
She was quite flushed just from what Hellene had said, more so than Akko even, which was evident that the passion Diana felt for her friend was intense, she was hiding it even worse than Kagari and her sister still knows her well enough to have realised that the feelings were quite blossoming, which even Cavendish walked over to her bed sitting down for a bit getting herself together.
"Sorry for talking out of the blue, sis, look, I'm not being a hindrance, I'm not competition, I don't want anything with Akko, I don't know if you think that, I just see her as a friend, in fact I realise that you have very strong feelings for her" McLaren said.
"Is that so in your face, sis?" Said the blue-eyed one, tearing up a little.
"Yes, you don't know how to hide Diana, look I want to help, I don't want to be a kind of rival for Akko's heart, like in a fairy tale, I want to help them be together, don't see this punishment that our mothers did as a provocation from me, I just want to be friends with Akko that's all" Said the purple-eyed one who then sees her older sister getting up from the bed and she gets a little emotional.
"Hellene, the real thing is I don't know, she brings out things in me that are strange, that girl with her mischievous, clumsy way, she doesn't care about my position as a princess and treats me as an equal, I could see more of that when we were in Dublin, she didn't mock me, she just felt even more comfortable, I could see more of a side of Akko, I could see how she is actually a person who has more of her challenges, I could see how she also has some focus, I could see how she keeps a flame burning inside, I find her motivation beautiful, she keeps going until the end for the heroine she found in her childhood, that's the fuel Akko uses to always overcome herself, she despite everything... She has her things that bother me, make me angry, but on the trip, she was the only one who was angry with me, she... I don't know Hellene... I don't know what I feel... I just..." Said Diana who even got a little teary-eyed.
"You can talk sis, I'm here with you" Hellene said holding her sister's hand.
"I just don't know if that will ever materialise Hellene... Unfortunately she's a commoner with a bit of resentment towards our class, I hate being born a princess, sometimes I wish I was a commoner, at least I wouldn't worry about it, I could... "Ahhhhh, never mind, it's my bollocks, I can't change reality, that's the truth, there's no point in harbouring feelings, this isn't a fairytale, I would never force myself on someone who wants nothing to do with me" said Cavendish who even wet McLaren's hand with tears and even received a hug.
"You know, you should believe in yourself a little more, it's not because it's impossible that you should give up like that, mum Laura always says not to give up on our dreams, she was a plebeian warrior who also doesn't like the noble class at all and yet she is the queen of Wedinburgh, maybe one day it will happen to Akko" Said the purple-eyed one consoling her sister and even drying her tears.
"Ah Hellene, you are always too hopeful, I wish the world were the fairy tale you imagine it to be, sometimes I even ask you never to grow up, this way of seeing things is a special thing that a princess as sweet as you has, you really have the affection of our mother Bernadette" Said Diana.
"And you have the hard-headedness and stubbornness of our mother Laura," said Hellene, who then left the room while the older girl laughed a little and wiped away her tears.
(I think that moment gave me a little extra relief, I was about to burst into tears here, but knowing that Hellene is with me on this... Still it's impossible, it's not something that depends on me... I don't even know if I can let such a feeling bloom in me).
Far away in the kingdom of Appleton, Louis Blackwell arrived in the lord's throne room, where he had collected a lot of information about his trip to Wedinburgh, including much of which interested the boy, who had a big smile on his face when his guards announced the blond's arrival in the room.
"Louis Blackwell, what a great thing that you have come to my kingdom, I am extremely pleased that you have appeared here, how marvellous to have your presence, I have been anxiously awaiting your return and it seems that you have managed to collect a lot of information" said Hanbridge.
"My lord I got a lot of things, but without a doubt one that you will memorise is this one, Atsuko Kagari, this is the mysterious warrior, look at her, a girl of short stature of about 12 or 13 years old, that is for less, I did not get to find out her age, I only judged by the appearance of her body and face" Said Blackwell.
"Oh what a beautiful girl, she must be older than that Louis, no doubt her appearance is intriguing, excellent to get a portrait of her, I will ask the whole kingdom to spread pamphlets with her appearance with a fat reward of a thousand Rupees to the one who manages to bring her alive to my room" Said the head of Appleton who was already marvelling at Akko's face in that portrait.
"Sir, I see you were surprised by the appearance of the Hyllian of Luna Nova, although her appearance is that of someone from the distant mountains of the island of Edo, people from this place are very rare in the main land of Hyrule, but anyway I was also able to gather information about troops and also about the city itself" said Louis.
"Oh yes, those you can inform the strategists, I want to know more than you got about this mysterious girl with the big eyes and also about the queens and the princesses, they must surely be preparing for something" said the curious Lord Hanbridge.
"I see that my lord has really created an admiration for the beautiful girl with the eyes, about them I would say that they don't usually go to the city much and I haven't managed to invade much of the castle's domains, but from what I can see they always stay training every morning, especially the warrior, she trains with a blue haired woman, the astrologer of the city, who seems to have a very strong friendship with the queens, she is the wife of an inventor, it seems that she may be responsible for modernising the troops, but back to them, the queens do not go out much, the princesses only from time to time, I left the city when the warrior with the drawn eyes left in a cart towards the west, it seems that she must have gone somewhere" Said the blond.
"Interesting tell me more with details of what you have collected about them, especially the warrior, I have to have an eye for her, after all in the legends the hero that must be her, always ends up killing the one who has the spirit of Ganondorf and I was blessed with that, I have to give a way to guarantee my safety and do everything differently, with this girl on my radar I will never be defeated and for the first time I will have Hyrule in my hands" Said Lord Hanbridge who even clenches his fists.
And there they stayed for hours talking about Akko, which was opening a strange feeling with the lord of Appleton who was very perplexed by the Hyllian of Luna Nova, wanting to know all the particularities, without even wanting to know about war strategy which Louis would later talk to the generals and soldiers of the place before starting a great invasion of the lands of the kingdom of Wedinburgh.
Diana and Akko returned to Wedinburgh, but they did not return unpunished, since the Cavendish made an escape, came a punishment to her of not being able to accompany in the last dungeon with Akko, what
made the situation even worse was the fact that Hellene would go in place which was lighting some flames of the girl of platinum blond caeblos who was already thinking a lot about the brownish of Luna Nova.
See you, grounded witches...