[Izuna POV]
When Juba finally sent Izuna home, it was with the express instruction that Koro was to move into her house as both her guard and future husband. Betrothed, guard, jailor – it mattered little when every option led to the same outcome. Outside the council room, bags already in hand and avoiding her gaze, stood Koro. Izuna barely spared him a glance. Her body ached from the rough treatment she'd endured, and she probably looked as bad as she felt but that didn't stop her from setting off toward her home at a brisk pace. The sun had long since descended, but she wove through the village on familiar torchlit paths, taking the same shortcuts she'd used all her life. Most villagers were in their homes, but those that were still about gaped openly. Izuna ignored them as pointedly as she did Koro.
Reaching the path that would take them up the hill toward her home, she hesitated. How many times had she dragged herself up this hill only for the emptiness at home to swallow her? Even Koro's presence, unwelcome as it was, could do little to dispel the vacuum left behind by the dead. She slapped her hands together, forming the hand sign for transportation, only for nothing to happen.
Koro sighed. "Don't bother. I knew you'd try something like this so I'm carrying a seal as well. You're not leaving unless I say so."
Her breath hitched as a wave of despair washed through her. The cage had finally snapped shut. Pivoting, Izuna dashed away, heedless of Koro's alarm. In no time at all, she found her destination, throwing off her pack and kneeling in front of a familiar gravestone. She brushed her fingers over the worn characters that formed her sister's name.
Light footsteps came to a halt behind her. "You can't just run off-!" Koro cut himself off, sighing instead. He kneeled next to her, bowing his head briefly in prayer. When he was done, he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "I lost someone back then too. The grief never goes away, but it loses its teeth if you let it." Quietly, he added, "Talking about it helps, you know."
How could she explain that her heart had stopped beating when Azumi's did? That she ceased to be a person in the eyes of everyone who remained, distilled down to an asset to be used and propagated for the village's benefit. No matter how much she'd raged against her situation, the village, even her own grandmother, turned a deafened ear to her cries. Words were insufficient to convey the unrest within her, and he could never understand the despair of the cage after tasting freedom, however briefly. She shot him a glare out of the corner of her eye. "Don't pretend like you give a damn about me."
Koro scowled, exhaling sharply. "Do you ever get tired of feeling sorry for yourself? You're always crying about how hard your life is as if you've endured true hardship, but you haven't. You're spoiled and-"
"You have a lot of nerve saying that to my face," Izuna hissed. "I haven't endured hardship? Are you kidding me?! Who else has been burdened with safeguarding the health of every man, woman, and child in this gods-forsaken village?" To the point where they didn't even look at her as a person anymore, only a resource.
"Yet you abandoned us!"
There was a ruckus somewhere behind them, but Izuna paid little attention, instead firing back with, "I had no other choice! How much am I expected to sacrifice in service to our tribe? I have dedicated my life to helping people, and the elders have thanked me by denying me the chance to find love on my own."
He scoffed, shaking his head, though it was difficult to see in the low torchlight. "Don't act like you had someone in mind-"
"That doesn't mean I never would've found anyone," she snarled. "You have no idea how strict my upbringing was. I spent every day catching up and learning as much as my grandmother could teach me so I could be a passable replacement for Azumi." Izuna swallowed the lump in her throat; she couldn't bear to reflect on that time in her life. "I was too busy doing my duty to mingle or flirt."
"What about after your grandmother passed?" he muttered. "You were of age and could've-"
"Could've... what Koro?" she asked, unable to mask her incredulity. Had he paid so little attention back then? "I was informed of my betrothal not even two weeks after she died. I wasn't given a chance to mourn, let alone fall in love before Juba assigned you to me."
Koro pinched the bridge of his nose, pointedly not looking at her. "Perhaps Elder Juba was hasty, but I gave you time, and now you must consider the big picture. You need to pass on your knowledge and abilities for the good of our people."
"Don't patronize me," Izuna said venomously. "It's unprecedented for the council to dictate who the head of a family should marry, especially one who is of age. They had no right."
"Then why didn't you find an alternative? You're the head of your family, as you say, so surely you could've found someone else. But you didn't-"
"Our betrothal was announced to the entire village," Izuna deadpanned. "Anyone who pursued me would have brought shame to their family, and anyone who didn't care about that would have been unsuitable." Obviously.
Koro pressed his lips together into a thin line. "Fair enough, but you also didn't give me a chance. I tried giving you time to get used to the idea of marrying me – I tried to court you for gods' sake! But all you've done is punish me and make me as miserable as you are."
Izuna bit back a retort about how she was only miserable when he was around, and instead glared at the ground. "If you're suffering so much, why haven't you called this whole thing off? You said you want a wife who loves you. If you force me to marry you, that'll never-"
A scream drowned out the rest of her words and Koro sprang to his feet, grabbing Izuna by the wrist and dragging her away from the graveyard. It was only by reflex that she hooked her fingers around the strap of her pack and threw it over her shoulders. Koro's grip surely bruised her wrist, but he wouldn't let go, no matter how she tugged and yanked her arm. As they followed the bend, turning onto the main path into the village, the torchlight grew brighter, far too bright for that time of night. People opened their doors, drawn outside by the terrified screams and shouts. Her knees shook as the source of the terror made itself known in the telltale cadence of armored footsteps marching through the village. Koro's vice grip was all that kept Izuna standing as Hylian troops stepped into the firelight proudly bearing the blood-red crest of the royal family on their chests, stopping at every building, kicking doors in, and ushering whole families out into the cold.
"We have to go," Koro hissed, pulling her away, though her legs were slow to respond. His words were muffled as if coming from far away; all that registered was the metallic clang of armor. They were going to catch her-! "Come on Izuna!"
Izuna blinked, eyes wide. He was right. She had to go, but not with him. Twisting her wrist the way Impa taught her, she ripped herself free from his grasp and kicked his midsection with enough force to wind him, though not enough to break his ribs. She pivoted and ran, heedless of his wheezing shouts to come back. If she could get far enough from Koro, she could escape-! Pushing past fearful Sheikah and ducking behind houses to avoid soldiers, Izuna took shelter behind a crate, forming a hand sign, picturing the once proud stonemasonry of the Lanayru Promenade weathered to a crumbling shadow of its former glory, willing with all her might to be there.
Her blood turned to ice as her eyes opened to the same chaos. Peering around the side of the crate, she frowned. Koro was nowhere in sight, which meant the Hylians must have done something. If the transportation technique was impossible, then her only option was to run until she'd escaped the radius of their trap. There was no telling which of the three entrances the Hylians had come from, but the likelihood of them invading the village from the one near her home was low. The problem, however, was that getting to the path up the hill took her too close to the southeastern gate. It'd be risky, but she had to try. However, before Izuna could make a break for it, clanking armor had her pressing herself further into the shadow of the crate as several soldiers paused nearby.
"-feels wrong, you know? We're tearing up the village for a rumor..."
"Tch. Since when are we supposed to question a direct order from the king, huh?" The voice was gravelly, older sounding.
"All I'm saying is that I feel like we're the bad guys – seriously, look at all the crying kids!" the first soldier insisted. "We've probably traumatized them-"
"Children cry all the time. It's not like we're hurting them. Besides, even if we were," the second soldier lowered his voice, "they're only Sheikah."
Another soldier muttered something, but Izuna couldn't hear it over the blood roaring in her ears. Only Sheikah, as if her people didn't carry the weight of Hyrule's salvation on their shoulders with their technology. Her fingernails bit into her fists, but the pain did little to ebb the burning guilt and fury. This was her fault. She was responsible for this madness simply for having the audacity to exist, for daring to live free from the king's tyranny. The metallic footsteps faded and Izuna dared another peek out of her hiding spot, only to come face to face with a crouching Hylian soldier. Sucking in a sharp gasp, she wrenched herself away, but he snatched her ankle and yanked her off balance. She fell onto her stomach with a thud that left her gasping.
"Well, what do we have here? Thought you could run, did you?" he sneered, dragging her further down the path. She scrabbled for purchase in the compact dirt to no avail. "You're not going anywhere-"
Lifting her other leg, Izuna slammed her foot into the Hylian's crotch with all her might. He dropped like a stone, and she pulled herself onto shaky legs, stumbling toward the path leading to her home. She threw a quick glance behind; the soldier was still clutching himself but the others had come to his aid. With the moon as bright as it was coupled with the many torches, she couldn't count on the cover of night to shield her from their sight. She had to get to her house-
An armor-clad body slammed into her with the force of a boulder, knocking her down and crushing her under their weight. Izuna struggled, but she could move, couldn't breathe-! "I got her!" yelled the gravelly male voice. Her lungs burned and her chest ached from where the armor jutted into her skin. Pulling energy into her hand, she raised it to the soldier's closest limb, but he grabbed her wrist sharply, slamming it back to the ground. "I don't think so, witch," he snarled. "Hurry it up over here! I think this is the one we're looking for!" Several sets of metal footsteps rushed closer. Her heart slammed against her chest and her eyes watered, spilling over her cheeks in streams as she trembled.
Just as the soldier's weight became too much, it disappeared altogether, allowing Izuna to take a full breath. The relief, however, was short-lived as hands ripped her pack away and roughly pulled her arms behind her back before binding her wrists and ankles with manacles. The soldier grabbed her hair, jerking her face up. Izuna cried out at the sharp sting, more tears streaming down her cheeks. "Hey, get me some light."
She flinched as a lantern was shoved near her face. When it became clear he didn't intend to strike her with it, Izuna opened her eyes, only to whimper at the sight of the soldier's sharp grin as he glanced between her and a sheet of paper with a single grey eye. The other was scarred shut, closed permanently by thick scar tissue. He had a thin layer of salt and pepper stubble sprinkled over the parts of his chin not covered by his helmet. "Throw her in the wagon. We're taking her to the king."
"No-! You're making a mistake!"
His grin only broadened, and he backhanded her, his armored gauntlet cutting into her cheek. Her vision swam and she tasted blood. "I didn't give you permission to speak, witch."
"Are you sure it's her, Captain?" A shorter soldier asked. "I mean, I guess she looks similar but a lot of these Sheikah wear their hair like-"
Glancing back at the other soldier, he said, "She matches the witness's description and she tried to use her magic on me. Throw her in the wagon. That's an order."
"...Yes sir."
Witness? What witness? Who had betrayed her secret-?! The soldiers hauled Izuna to her feet, but she swayed, still reeling from the blow. Her cheek throbbed and she whimpered, but they pushed her along, setting a pace toward the center of the village almost too fast for her chained feet. The only people they passed were Hylian soldiers and when they reached their destination, it became clear why. Undoubtedly, the entire population of Kakariko Village, adults and children alike, was gathered in the open area where they usually held the market. Despite the large number of people, the crowd was silent, children quickly being hushed if they cried out. The elders stood in front of everyone, aging years in the span of minutes. The torchlight cast stark shadows over their faces, but their fear was palpable. All eyes turned to her as the captain shoved her forward; with her hands bound behind her back, unable to catch herself, Izuna tumbled face-first into the grass. Someone gasped.
Armored steps came to a stop beside her, pulling her to her knees by the back of her jacket. "Long have your people lived by the grace of our king's mercy, yet you would dare to withhold what is rightfully his?!" the captain bellowed at the crowd. Izuna bristled at the implication. "The calamity is at our door - which of you would commit such treason? Answer me!" No one dared to speak. The captain scoffed, spitting at their feet. There was a collective flinch. "Cowards. Fine, you then," he said, turning his gaze on Izuna. "His majesty is especially furious with you, but he will be lenient if you cooperate and name those responsible."
Izuna met Juba's gaze evenly, and a small part of her relished the terror he failed to disguise. Vengeance for the wrongs he and the others levied against her was within her grasp. Izuna needed only to say the word. The king would surely punish them harshly... Her hands quivered at the thought.
Nonetheless, Izuna exhaled, banishing the temptation. Retribution was one thing; selling out her own people, enemies or not, to Hylians was a line she was unwilling to cross. And even if it were not, this captain could no more guarantee the king's mercy than she could banish the rain. Throwing the council or Koro onto the king's sword would beget no justice, only more Hylian violence against her people. Worse, she had no assurance they wouldn't punish the innocent just to make a point.
Allowing her disgust to show openly, Izuna glared at the captain. "Tch, you think they helped me? If I hadn't faked my death and run away, they would've delivered me to the castle for sure."
The captain's eye narrowed. "You expect me to believe that? Even if I believed you could fend for yourself as a child, why would you return here?"
"It was against my will," she snarled, not needing to feign her animosity. "They must've caught wind of me abroad as your lot did and sent someone to investigate." Finally finding Koro in the crowd, she snapped, "If anything, you should be thanking them for their dutiful efforts. Without them, none of this would have happened." Koro averted his eyes, unable to meet her gaze. Good.
"Is this true?" asked the captain, addressing the elders.
Michiri answered for them, her voice steady and soft. "It is as she said, sir. We would never disobey his majesty's commands."
"All this fuss for one woman. Unbelievable," he muttered, scarcely audible. Clearing his throat, the captain said, "I will convey your words to the king. Pray he believes them. Put her in the wagon."
Even though it was the intended outcome, something in Izuna's heart broke when no one made a move to stop them from locking her in the iron cage they called a wagon. There were no walls to protect from the elements, only bars. When was the last time a Sheikah had been apprehended in such a manner? Probably not since they schism; they were obedient to a fault, and it showed. Despite the soldiers mounting their horses to leave, no one moved from the safety of the crowd, though some ogled her openly. A woman moved to the front of the throng presumably to get a better look. Even in the torchlight, her wide eyes were shockingly green, reminding Izuna of the luminous stones she'd once seen during her pilgrimage. The woman held her gaze until the wagon turned a corner. With a sigh, Izuna settled herself into a corner of her cage and pulled her knees to her chest.
[Sooga POV]
If Sooga had any complaints about the Yiga Hideout, they would primarily be due to the lack of windows and natural lighting. How long had passed since he'd spoken with Izuna? Half a day? No, judging by how low the candles in the meeting room had burned, it was longer than that. Maybe she found more rupees and got distracted. There was no reason to assume something had happened to her; Izuna would summon him when she was ready. And yet, he couldn't help the sense that something was amiss. Sooga's intuition had sharpened over the years of being Master Kohga's right hand and had always served him well when heading off the difficult situations into which the Yiga clan occasionally landed itself. And right then, his gut was telling him it had been far too long. He resisted the urge to pace about the room, focusing his attention on the plans for their upcoming mission instead.
"-all I'm saying is I think we need to be smart about this," Kohga said. The leader of the Yiga clan crossed his arms, leaning back in his seat, no doubt sporting an irritated scowl. "There's no way the princess will be allowed to travel without being heavily guarded. And since they need to test the divine beasts, at least one of those champions will be there too."
Astor's ever-present scowl only deepened. "And? You have more than enough people to spare for such an important task."
Sooga could practically see the smoke emitting from his master's ears. "Be that as it may," he cut in before Kohga could go off on the seer, "we'll need to strike before they reach their destination; we can't afford to face off against a divine beast. The more efficiently we can remove the princess from the equation, the harder the blow to Hylian morale." It would demonstrate the futility of their struggle if they could cleanly dispatch the princess; without her sealing power, they were doomed.
"What Sooga said. And if we can take out even one of those champions too, then all the better." True. The fewer divine beasts to contend with, the better their chances of success.
"Focus on the princess; she is the key. I have seen it."
Self-important bastard. Once more, Sooga was grateful for the mask disguising his expression. If only his supposed "sight" could show them the best opportunity to assassinate her. The seer made no mystery of his disdain for the Yiga, but considering his blatant disregard for their lives... It was his influence that pushed Master Kohga to put himself in harm's way in the desert, not to mention the suggestion that Sooga himself ought to overthrow Kohga... What was he playing at? Every suggestion he made was one that would put the Yiga in more danger than was strategic. And like Izuna had implied, Astor hadn't been accounted for during the attack on Gerudo Town... His eyes narrowed. Could he have been somehow responsible for what happened to Nobu and Shin?
A slow knock interrupted Sooga's troubled thoughts; no one entered. As the knocks persisted, growing steadily faster and louder, Kohga perked up. That could be only one person, but what was she doing back at the hideout? Unless-
Astor released a loud sigh. "Aren't you going to get that?" the seer groused.
With a scoff, Sooga crossed the room and threw the door open, revealing a familiar petite footsoldier. His brows furrowed. She was clad in her Sheikah disguise rather than her uniform, only recognizably Yiga by her mask. "Omiru."
"Hi Master Sooga." She peeked around him. "Oh! Hiya Master Kohga!" Kohga returned her wave. Notably, Omiru didn't greet Astor, allowing the silence to extend long enough to let everyone know it was intentional.
"Whatcha doin' here Omiru?" Kohga asked once it was clear she wouldn't continue without prompting. "Something to report?"
"That's right!" she chirped. "It's super urgent so it really couldn't wait."
Kohga nodded emphatically. "I see, that explains why you're still disguised."
Astor glanced between the two of them, lips pursed in a sour frown. As far as Sooga could recall, the seer had never met Omiru. Unsurprising since she'd been spending much of her time stationed in Kakariko. Considering how frustrating he found Kohga's usual antics, Astor stood no chance against her, much less against the two of them in the same room. They played off one another's eccentricities to a maddening degree that occasionally challenged even Sooga's patience.
Astor exhaled sharply. "I can see there is a vast difference in our definitions of 'urgent.' You, soldier," he snapped, turning his glare onto Omiru, "does this news pertain to the calamity?"
She clicked her tongue but didn't otherwise respond. Kohga's voice shook with restrained mirth as he asked, "Omiru, can you tell me if your information is about the calamity?"
She shook her head. "Of course, Master Kohga. It's not about the calamity."
"There you have it, Prophesy-man." Kohga folded his arms, palpably smug. If Astor existed as a force to undermine Kohga's authority, Omiru reinforced it, loyal to a fault.
"Then I will take my leave," the seer snapped, rising from his seat and snatching his astrolabe off the table. "Do let me know when you're ready to have a serious discussion about our next move." In a few strides, he was gone, the door shutting behind him with a loud click.
"Finally. Learn to take a hint," Omiru muttered.
Kohga snorted. "You're a life-saver Omi. We've been stuck here for hours. You have no idea how long that guy can talk. So, what's going on?"
"You won't believe what happened in Kakariko! The king has totally lost it." She removed her mask and set it on the table, revealing wide green eyes and full lips that were set in an uncharacteristic frown. "He sent a bunch of soldiers to raid the place – pulled people out of their houses and everything. They even took a hostage!"
"Who did they take?" Sooga demanded, dreading the answer he already knew.
She shrugged. "Dunno, some Sheikah woman the guards brought in yesterday. She'd been unconscious at the time, but I figured she'd just gotten hurt or something"
"Describe her."
She shot him a dirty look. "Female, young, short white hair, uh... dressed like a Sheikah? Looked miserable when they took her away. The head jerk in charge made it sound like she belonged to the king."
Sooga tensed. "Why did you not report this immediately?"
"There were anti-transportation tags," Omiru said shortly, and crossed her arms. "Why does it matter?"
He clenched his fists, every muscle in his body tensing at once. "She's-"
"Eh, Omi," Kohga cut in, placing himself between her and Sooga, "that was the healer."
"Wait, really?! Isn't she supposed to be here?"
Sooga hung his head. "There was something she needed to do nearby; we were supposed to meet right after. I don't know why-" His words caught in his throat. They must have ambushed her; that was the only logical explanation. He knew that tracker was back in the village; he should've worried less about them discovering her association with him and more about what they might do to take her back. "It doesn't matter. What's done is done, but how did the Hylians know of her at all? Her existence has been kept secret from them for years."
Omiru crumpled, biting her lip. "If I'd known she'd be there, I could've looked out for her. I'm so sorry..."
"That's okay Omiru." Kohga patted the top of her head. "You did good getting here and telling us about this. Why don't you go get something to eat and relax while I talk to Sooga."
"...Okay." She grabbed her mask, forming a hand sign, and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Kohga removed his mask when she was gone. "You can't go after Izuna."
Sooga snapped his gaze to Kohga's solemn countenance. "The longer we delay, the further out of reach she becomes!"
"She's already out of reach, Sooga," Kohga said gently. "If we go after her now, it'll be a bloodbath. Izuna could get hurt or worse, not to mention our own people."
"You expect me to abandon her? She's my-"
"Of course not, But I need to know more about what's going on so we can make a plan! Do you know why the king would send soldiers after her?"
Sooga slumped into a chair, tossing his mask onto the table and cradling his head in his hands. "He wants her power for himself; the royal family has forced her family line to swear fealty and serve them as healers. But after Izuna's relatives died from plague, the village elders hid her since she was the last heir to the bloodline."
"That's... I mean, if the king wants her power, then she'll be safe even if she's a captive, right?"
"Not necessarily." He pinched the bridge of his nose, thumbing the scar tissue. "It's a long story but suffice it to say, Izuna has two healing abilities. One uses the same spiritual energy all secret arts require but is less potent. The other she likened to a miracle that can bring someone back from the brink of death, but at great cost to herself." He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Using it shortens her life."
The shorter man paled. "So, if the king forces her to use this power-"
"She could die." And it would be his fault.
Kohga's face hardened. "We're not gonna let that happen, okay? She's one of us, whether she realizes it or not and we don't leave our own behind. I have an idea to bring her home, but you need to trust me, okay?"
Sooga ground his teeth. "...Understood."
[Izuna POV]
At some point, Izuna must have drifted off to sleep because one moment she was watching the moonlit Dueling Peaks shrink, and the next, the bright afternoon sun was blinding her through the bars of her cage while the sounds and smells of a bustling market assaulted her senses. The soldiers must have pushed through the night to get them there in record time, eager to please their sovereign tyrant. Still, her body ached from sitting for so long and Izuna pressed her face to her knees only to jerk back with a whimper as her left cheek throbbed. Right. That captain had struck her. Blinking away the tears, Izuna peered through the bars and glared at his armored back. From her vantage, he cut a noble figure astride his horse, exuding authority. Smug son of a bitch. Izuna turned her attention away from him, taking in her surroundings. The air was thick with a cloying combination of fried food and animal odor that lingered in the back of her throat. People shouted, haggling and scolding children all in the same breath, whereas she could scarcely take one.
Worse than the smell, however, were the stares. Children and adults alike openly gawked at her, pointing and muttering like she was a savage animal on display for their shock and disgust. Izuna lowered her eyes. No doubt she looked a mess, eye blackened and clothes dusty. The cage offered no shelter from their judgment. A filthy Sheikah among Hylians in the heart of their kingdom, being led toward the end of life as she knew it with no chance of escape.
The castle grew larger as they approached, a towering fortress of stone that could only be compared to an opulent prison. Blood red banners hung from towers, swaying in the gentle breeze, a reminder of who was in charge. As if anyone could forget the royal line that'd held dominion over Hyrule from its infancy. They passed through several gatehouses, joined by more and more guards. Had they nothing better to do?
The wagon slowed to a stop in front of large doors guarded by even more soldiers. Her captors dismounted, many leading their horses back the way they'd come as fresh soldiers took their places. The captain moved toward the cage, pulling a key from his pouch. The light of day was unkind to him, exposing weary, lined features and dark circles. Her assailant was just a man, and a tired one at that. Yet the reminder of his humanity only reinforced her resentment. She'd been chased by bokoblins, lynels, and moldugas alike because it was in their nature to destroy, to be evil. What did it say about Hylians who went out of their way to put Sheikah in their supposed "place?" Who reinforced the pecking order that kept her people under their boot? Izuna clenched her fists, glowering at him and willing the gods to strike him down. If ever there was a time for godly intervention, it was now. His brow rose, unimpressed.
"S'that the face you really want to be making in front of the king?" Izuna kept her mouth shut, knowing that speaking risked another strike. The captain scoffed, rolling his only eye. "Suit yourself. It's your funeral." Her heart lurched; that was just a figure of speech, right? Surely the king wouldn't put her to death...
The captain unlocked the cage, tugging her chains until she stumbled out. Other soldiers formed a barrier around her, trapping her in a new cage, one made of flesh and metal. Moving to the front, the captain led them into the belly of the beast.
