"Keep up, brother!" Linkle shouted, looking over her shoulder from atop her horse. Feeling confident, she raised her crossbow as she approached the last target. When she passed it, she loosed a bolt, barely hitting it on the outer rim. "Dammit!"
After pulling Arion's reins to bring him to a stop, Linkle sat and watched Link make his way through the course on the back of his new horse, Epona. She had been extremely jealous when she found out her brother had managed to find a horse with such a legendary name.
I hope he'll let me ride her now and then.
She pet Arion's mane as she had that thought. Their first horse, named for their brother Aron, was still special to her, even if she coveted Link's new one.
Linkle could tell Epona was fast, too, but Link was taking it slow. He had some experience with archery, but he was rusty. Nonetheless, he was making great progress with the Lynel bow he'd managed to restring. When he passed by the final target on the course, he barely managed to land an arrow on the target, just as Linkle had.
"Dammit," Link muttered as he rode up next to his sister. "I was hoping to make up for my miss earlier with a last-minute bull's eye."
Linkle gave him a smug look. "Oh well, brother. There's always next time."
"Hey, now. You haven't won yet." Kicking the side of his boot against Epona, he set her trotting back down the course. "Let's tally our scores."
Linkle followed him. They began by retrieving their arrows from the last target, noting that they'd scored the same on it. Link had trouble pulling his arrow free from the wooden target. He tugged on it, but it had penetrated the wood deeply.
"By Nayru, brother," Linkle commented. "That Lynel bow is strong."
Link grunted in exertion for a moment before giving up and laughing. "Yeah, it packs a punch. It's not always ideal, though. Like now, for instance."
Link put his hand back on the arrow shaft. Linkle reached out and added her hand as well. "Here. Together," she said. When they both pulled at the same time, the arrow came free easily. With his arrow in hand, Link stared at it for a moment before sharing a look with his sister. Linkle could tell what he was thinking; she'd been reminded of the same thing. Then he slipped the arrow back into his quiver and continued down the track.
"What do you think it means?" Linkle asked, following after her brother. "Like, the Master Sword. How it reacts to us. Together. You know?"
"Your guess is as good as mine, Elle," Link replied. "Better than mine, actually. Hero stuff was always your thing."
"Yeah, I know. But, like…" She sighed, getting ready to admit something she was somewhat ashamed to have been worried about. "You know, after we both pulled the sword from the stone, there were a few times when I… I was worried that you were the real Hero instead of me."
Link scoffed, as if it was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard. "Elle, come on. When's the last time you've seen me do something heroic?"
"All the time, brother!" Elle tapped Arion on the side, convincing him to trot fast so she could ride beside Link. "You've saved my sweet ass a million times. You faced a dragon, didn't you? And that Lynel! You tore its freaking horn off!"
Link reached behind his back and pulled out his newly-forged sword. He'd worked with the Gorons in the tunnels beneath the castle in order to create the weapon. It incorporated the saber horn he'd taken off of the same Lynel he'd gotten his new bow from. "Well, the Master Sword likes you better."
"Your hand was on the hilt, too," she reminded him.
Link brought his horse to a stop. He eyed Linkle for a moment, glanced at their surroundings, and dismounted. Confused, Linkle followed him down onto the ground, but he came forward and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Elle, it doesn't matter whose hands were on that thing. You're the Hero," he said, looking her deep in the eyes with his identical blue pair. "You know it."
"I know it," Linkle repeated genuinely. "But I don't think it's only me," she went on, gripping her brother's wrists. "I think you're the Hero, too."
Link chuckled, pulling his hands away from her. "So, what, then? There's two Heroes now? How can that be?"
"Several previous incarnations split themselves into no less than four Heroes," Linkle pointed out, drawing on her knowledge of the Hero of the Minish, as well as the at least one other Hero who'd wielded the Four Sword after him.
"What's that got to do with us? You think we touched a magic sword when we were a baby and it split us into two different people?"
"I don't know. It could be anything!" Linkle threw her hands into the air. "Maybe Mom had you, then went back in time and had me. That would explain why the Sage of Time hates us so much."
Link looked utterly confused. "What if Mom what?"
Linkle paused, then laughed at her own weird ideas. "Okay. Maybe not. I don't know. But, like, there's got to be a reason for all this. Neither of us were able to pull the sword out on our own, and it clearly gets stronger when we're around each other." To demonstrate her point, Linkle unsheathed the Master Sword and held it up in front of her, extending her arm towards her brother. It was already shining brighter, but when Link reached out to join his hand with hers, the blade was practically blinding to look at.
"I see your point," Link admitted. "But it ain't like that tells us anything. We're both just making stuff up, and none of it matters anyway. You're the Hero. Nothing's gonna change that."
Linkle's heart fluttered at her brother's words. It was true that she'd been conflicted about all of this, but the reaffirmation that she was still the Hero felt wonderful to hear from someone else who actually knew about the situation. "Thanks, brother," she said in a slightly quieter voice.
"Don't mention it," Link said. "Now, why don't you finish telling me about everything else that happened after we got separated?"
"You're certain it was the same man who ran the mask shop?" Link asked.
Linkle nodded fervently. "You'll remember him when you see him, trust me. There's probably not too many people in Hyrule of his profession, either."
The siblings had completed their horseback archery practice. While the lords and ladies of Hyrule were busy amassing their armies in preparation for the assault that Link and Linkle would be taking part in, the two of them were left with little to do on their own. After Linkle had shared the full tale of her journey, both of them had ended up fixated on the mysterious mask salesman Linkle had encountered multiple times.
"I remember you mentioned this man before, when we were speaking with the queen. How exactly was he involved with the Sheikah?" Link asked as they brought their horses back to the stables.
"I don't know. He said he wanted the Triforce, but he couldn't get it himself, so he made a deal with the Impas. But now he doesn't trust them, so he asked me to help him instead," Linkle reiterated. It felt like she had a lot to say about the matter, yet at the same time, she felt like she still understood nothing about it.
"Hmm. Well, we should check if the salesman is back in his shop," Link decided. "If he knows more, the queen will want to speak with him, right?"
"Hey, yeah!" Linkle liked the sound of that. If there was something she could do to make herself useful to the queen, she would do it. "Ooh, wanna see the Stone Mask he gave me?"
Link actually looked quite curious. "Yes, I do. I wanna know if you're pulling my leg about what it can do."
"It really works, I swear!" Linkle dug through the pack of her belongings she'd collected when they exited the stables. "Here, look." With the mask in hand, she held it up just to show her brother what it looked like.
Link looked at it funny. "What the hell is that supposed to be?" he asked, eying the misshapen face portrayed by the stone-like mask.
"No idea," Linkle replied, placing the mask upon her face. "But people can't see me when I wear it."
Her brother looked somewhere between confused and unimpressed. "I can see you, though."
"I know." Linkle took the mask back off. "It doesn't work if you were looking at me when I put it on. So turn around." Link complied, turning his back to her, and she put the mask back on. Knowing he wouldn't be able to hear her if she told him to turn around again, Linkle walked around to Link's front. Just for fun, she waved her hand in his face, then contemplated playing some sort of prank on him.
"What are you doing?" Link asked.
Linkle pulled her hand away. At first she thought maybe he was speaking with the expectation that she was still behind him, but he was clearly looking directly at her. "You can see me?" she asked in surprise.
"Yeah."
Linkle didn't know how to react. They stared at each other for a second, her eyes peering through the weird mask's eye holes.
"You didn't pay any rupees for this mask, did you?" Link asked.
"No, the Mask Salesman gave it to me for free. And I swear it works!" Linkle insisted, pulling the mask off again. "Look, maybe you'd been looking at me too recently or something. Go around the corner over there and wait for me," she ordered, pointing towards the corner of the building they were about to pass by.
Link sighed, but did as he was bid, walking forward along the path that curved around the corner until he was out of sight.
Linkle waited as patiently as her overactive mind allowed her. She was annoyed, and she wanted to show her brother that she wasn't just spinning stories. After what she thought would be enough time, she slipped the mask back on and rounded the corner.
When Link came into view, he seemed to be staring right at her. Linkle froze in place, as if she were worried that her movement would give her away. "...You can still see me, can't you?"
"Yep." Her brother nodded.
"Dammit! What the heck?" Linkle stomped her foot in frustration. She was beginning to worry that the magic in the mask had somehow worn off. Desperately, she glanced about, looking for someone else to test the mask on. In the distance, she spotted two guards loitering outside near the door. "Follow me," she said, taking off towards the guards.
"Elle, slow down!" Link called after her, unable to keep up with her in her Pegasus Boots.
Linkle skidded to a stop in front of the guards. "Hey! Can you see me?" she asked, frantically waving her arms in front of them.
However, neither of them took any notice of her. One of them took a drink from his flask, while the other rotated his body as he stretched. And yet, when Link arrived, both guards immediately turned and saluted him.
"Greetings, Sir Hero," one of them spoke.
"Can we be of assistance?" the other asked.
Link appeared confused. He looked back and forth between the guards and his sister. Linkle, realizing what was happening, waved her hand in front of the closest guard's face. "See?" she asked her brother through the strange mask she wore. "They don't even know I'm here!"
"That's… odd," Link remarked.
"What is, sir?"
Linkle hopped over to stand by her brother's side. She then removed her mask ceremoniously. "Ta-da!" she declared, holding the mask against her heart and bowing dramatically.
Both guards flinched in surprise. "Dame Hero!" Each of them got down on one knee. "A thousand pardons, my lady."
Turning to Link, she gave him a triumphant grin, thrilled to see the mask still worked.
Link quirked his brow, suddenly seeming interested in the mask, but he turned his attention back to the guards. "Uh, no need to worry," he told them, waving a hand apologetically. "As you were." Grabbing Linkle's hand, he pulled her along the path away from the guards.
"Well, whaddya think now, brother?" Linkle asked once they were alone again. "Pretty cool mask, right?"
"They really couldn't see you," Link remarked, sounding surprised. "That thing could be super useful."
"Yeah!" Linkle was very happy to see her brother impressed in the end. "Not sure why it doesn't work on you, though. It doesn't work on Stalfos either." Linkle put two fingers to her brother's neck. "You sure you're not dead?"
Link tilted his head to the side, indulging Linkle's joke. "Guess I'm just special that way."
"You are special," Linkle agreed, pulling her hand away. "Maybe you're too perceptive to be fooled by the mask. Or maybe it has something to do with us both being the Hero."
Her brother shrugged. "You and I really don't know enough about magic to say. But regardless, let's go see if we can talk to the man who gave you that thing. He might be able to tell us more about it, and we still need to see what he knows about the Impas."
As the siblings approached the gate leading from the castle grounds into the city, the guards on duty saluted them, as had the ones they'd run into earlier. Most of the castle staff had been quite courteous to Linkle ever since she'd arrived. She supposed being a guest of the Royal Family and carrying the Master Sword with her was enough to gain a certain level of respect from them. However, things were different now. Ever since she and Link and slain the Headless Demon together, it was as if everyone truly saw her as the Hero for the first time. Additionally, while most people still saw only her as the Hero since she was the one who carried the Master Sword, Link seemed to be treated as an honorary Hero as well since he had helped her plunge the blade into the demon's eye.
"Greetings, Heroes," the gatekeeper said. "Will you be traveling into the city today?"
"Yes," Link answered. "Could you open the gate, please?"
"Of course. Will you be requiring an escort?"
"Why would we need an escort?" Linkle asked.
There's thieves and whatnot in the city, sure. But how dangerous could they be compared to monsters and demons?
"No, we're fine," Link told the guard, briefly placing his hand on Linkle's shoulder. It silently sent the message, 'I'll explain later.'
"Very well, sir, dame," the gatekeeper replied. Neither Link nor Linkle had been formally knighted by the queen yet, but many among staff on the castle grounds had taken to addressing them as though they were knights anyway. "Open the gates!"
Link gave the guards a courteous nod as he passed by them and exited through the main gate, and Linkle followed suit.
"You should put that mask on now," Link told his sister as they crossed the bridge over the moat.
"Hm?" Linkle tilted her head curiously. "What for?"
"To keep you from being mobbed by adoring fans," Link replied, pulling his hood up to conceal his face. "That's why the guard asked if we wanted an escort."
Link had a point. Back in Hateno, whenever a famous knight or adventurer would visit the city, cheering crowds would gather to see them. Linkle herself had often been among the crowds. However, to Linkle, the thought of a crowd of Hyrulean citizens gathering to cheer her on at the sight of her did not at all sound like an inconvenience. During her travels since obtaining the Master Sword, she'd either hidden her identity or been met with skepticism by most of the people she told she was the Hero. The only time she'd drawn a crowd had been in the Kokiri village, and that had been one of the most pleasant experiences of her life.
"You really think that'll happen?" Linkle asked, barely trying to conceal her excitement.
"Word spread fast after we killed the Impa woman," Link said. "I overheard some of the servants in the castle. They say the whole city is talking about us like we're demon slayers."
Linkle grinned. "Brother, we are demon slayers."
Her brother shrugged. "Suit yourself."
As they neared the edge of the bridge, Linkle actually tried her best not to get her hopes up. She wanted to see crowds of onlookers cheering her name, but she also knew that she might not even be recognized. The act that had supposedly made her famous had taken place within the castle walls, after all. Most of the citizens wouldn't even know her face, and she wasn't about to just walk around the city square holding the Master Sword into the sky for all to see.
However, whether or not Linkle or her brother would have preferred to travel incognito, the guards posted at the end of the bridge made the decision for them.
"Make way for the Hero!" the man in charge called out. The line of guards blocking the way parted, allowing the siblings to pass.
"Fuck…" Link groaned aloud, and Linkle couldn't help but laugh.
The bridge over the moat led directly into the north end of the city square. As it was daylight, the square was abuzz with activity, with citizens from all over going about their business in the market. So, as soon as the guards heralded the Hero's arrival, heads turned.
"What?"
"The Hero?"
"She's here?"
"Where? Where? I wanna see!"
Linkle froze a few feet in front of the line of guards. A crowd swiftly began to form. Men, women, and children looked upon her in awe.
"It is her!"
"The one who slew the demon is here!"
"Praise Hylia! Her champion walks among us!"
Link stepped in front of her, holding out his arm protectively. He looked about ready to pull her back behind the line of guards, but Linkle waved him off. "It's alright," she assured her brother, pushing past him.
The various cheers and shouts of praise from the crowd soon became more in sync. A few people began chanting 'Hero! Hero!' and pretty soon, the entire crowd was chanting the same thing. The object of their praise stood before them, feeling a sense of wonder and vindication she'd never felt before. She held back tears of joy, grinning with satisfaction at the adoring crowd.
Knowing that these people were there for her – there for the Hero – it made Linkle feel the need to show off a little. Reaching behind her back with her left hand, she drew the Master Sword and held it skyward, drawing oohs and ahhs from the crowd. The chant of 'Hero! Hero!' only grew louder. Glancing to her side, Linkle gave her brother an imploring look, gesturing with her head for him to join her in holding the sword.
It isn't complete with just me, brother.
Link was clearly very reluctant, but whether he got swept up in the excitement or he just wanted to appease his little sister, he acquiesced. Stepping up beside her, he brought his right hand to the Master Sword's hilt. The blade glowed brighter in response, and the crowd's cheering equally swelled. Linkle didn't know if the citizens would understand what it meant, but they seemed to recognize that both she and her brother were worth cheering for, and that was good enough for now.
After only a moment, Link let go of the sword and lowered his hand. "Let's go while we can," he said to his sister, leaning in to speak into her ear so she could hear him above all the noise. Linkle nodded, then followed him into the crowd.
Many hands reached out from all sides, wishing to touch the Heroes as they passed. Linkle obliged them, accepting many handshakes as they went. Link led the way in front of her, pushing his way through the crowd, putting on a serious enough face that people actually moved out of his way. Linkle could tell it took a lot of restraint for him to not draw his Lynel horn sword. But then again, people might have been more impressed than intimidated by his incredible weapon.
Despite the fervor of the crowd, the siblings eventually managed to escape it. Pushing their way out, they exited the city square to thunderous applause. The street they came out on was nowhere near deserted, but it was not overflowing with people the way the market had been. Regardless, Link was quick to pull Linkle down the nearest alleyway.
Having a moment of privacy, Link leaned his back against the brick wall. He was panting, either from physical exertion or from the stress of being at the center of such a mob. Linkle, on the other hand, felt quite different. After allowing her brother a few precious seconds to rest, she exploded into a delighted squeal. She pulled Link off of the wall, hugged him tight, and spun around with him.
"They cheered for us, brother!" she said, crying tears of joy. "We're real Heroes to them! They love us! We're famous!"
Link said nothing, but he went along with his sister's outburst, allowing her to spin him around with her.
Linkle let go of her brother, stepping away and spreading her arms as she looked up to the heavens. She heaved a sigh of satisfaction. "Hylia and Farore really are watching over us. Thank you, O goddesses."
She turned when she felt Link's hand on her shoulder. "I'm happy for you, but it'll be difficult to make it to the mask shop if we have to shove our way through a crowd of admirers every five seconds," he pointed out, thinking practically as always. "If you don't want to wear your mask, could you at least pull up your hood and keep the Master Sword sheathed?"
It made her heart soar once again to imagine another crowd gathering to cheer her on when they went back out into the city, but she saw her brother's point. "Alright," she reluctantly agreed, pulling her hood over her head, but choosing not to wear the Stone Mask.
Link nodded gratefully. "So, do you remember where the mask shop was?"
"I think so." Linkle reached into her tunic and pulled out the compass she wore around her neck. "Hmm, it's… that way," she decided, pointing back towards the street. She strode confidently forward, and her brother followed.
Given that they'd just made a massive public appearance nearby, many of the citizens the siblings passed by still turned their heads at the sight of them. However, with their faces mostly covered, a lot of the people who spotted them seemed unsure enough to not approach them, or perhaps they were trying to respect their privacy. The only ones who ran right up to them were a small group of young children. Linkle was happy to entertain them for a bit while Link stood back, looking like her bodyguard the way he watched over her.
Eventually, the 'Happy Mask Shop' sign came into view, and Linkle gasped. "There it is! See, I told you I knew where it was!"
"I didn't doubt you. Much," Link said. "Let's see if the salesman is there."
Together, the siblings approached the front door of the shop. They couldn't see anything through the windows, and there was no sign stating whether or not the place was closed.
"It's locked," Link informed his sister after pushing and yanking on the door handle.
"Dammit," Linkle swore. "The guy just appeared out of nowhere before. Twice. You'd think he could do it again when we want to talk to him."
"How did he appear out of nowhere?" Link asked from atop the front steps. "Was it in a puff of smoke, like the Sheikah?"
"No." Linkle emphatically shook her head. "Didn't look like that. Didn't look like anything, really. It was just, like, he wasn't there, and then he was, and then he wasn't again. Like, the second I looked away."
Link walked down the steps back onto the level ground with Linkle, so she decided to try the door as well. However, it made no difference, even with her slamming her shoulder against it. "Dammit."
"You know, everything you tell me about this Mask Salesman makes him sound extremely suspicious," Link pointed out. "Are you sure you can trust him?"
"What do you mean?" Linkle asked, rubbing her shoulder bitterly. "I don't think anything he's told me has been wrong."
"I know. But even if everything he said is true, that means he used to be in league with the Impa Family, right? He could be up to something. And there might be more to that mask he gave you than we know."
Linkle took out the Stone Mask and stared at its oddly misshapen face. "I am still learning new things about how this works," she realized. "But then again, it's been extremely helpful. The salesman even told me it would work against the Sage of Time, and it did. I don't know how he knew I'd need it to, but he went out of his way to warn me." Linkle took a second to think about what else she knew about the Mask Salesman. "All I really know is that he wants the Triforce, which I guess everybody wants. I don't know what he needs it for, but he sounded almost desperate. And he was pretty upfront about helping me in exchange for it."
"Then we shouldn't let him get it," Link decided. "Hell, we probably shouldn't even be touching that thing, right? If it can really grant wishes, the chance of fucking things up seems way too high."
"The Triforce won't work for just anyone," Linkle told him, thinking back to the legends she'd heard about it. "You have to be pure of heart. Otherwise, it'll break into three pieces, and they'll appear to the ones who best represent each of their qualities. That's why the Hero of Twilight only had the Triforce of Courage."
"Is that true?" Link asked. "Then what are we even worried about? I doubt the Impas, the monsters, or any of those people are 'pure of heart' anyway, right?"
Linkle put her hand to her chin. "Well, I think if it breaks into three pieces, you can still make wishes with it if you gather all three Triforce bearers in one place. So while they may not get to use it the moment they touch it, it'll still bring them a whole lot closer."
"Hm. I see. And, if I were to guess, the gods probably have a weird definition of 'pure of heart' anyway," Link speculated. "Like, what if someone who's pure evil is considered pure, you know?"
"Pfft." Linkle scoffed, waving her hand dismissively. "The gods wouldn't allow something like that."
"They allowed Ganondorf to have the Triforce of Power, didn't they?"
"That… I… Huh…" Linkle realized her brother might have had a point after all. "Well, whatever. I guess we shouldn't touch the Triforce ourselves anyway, like you said. How the Triforce is used should be up to Queen Sophitia and Sage Seraphina."
"Then we'll keep the Mask Salesman away from it, too," Link reminded her. "Regardless of what you promised him before."
"Fine," Linkle agreed. She glanced upwards at the sign for the Happy Mask Shop one more time, a little annoyed by the mysterious salesman's absence. "Looks like we wasted our time here. Let's just head back to the castle." Linkle smiled. "I love that I can say that."
Despite some disagreements about the urgency of the situation, Queen Sophitia thought it best to wait for the reinforcements she sent for to arrive. Over the course of about two weeks since she'd sent out the call to action, the army she was amassing outside of the city continuously grew. Gorons came down from the mountains, Zora came out from the wetlands, and Faronians and Ordonians came up from the forests down south. The only province that had not sent reinforcements was Hebra.
"We still have no word from Chief Revalco, then?" the queen asked. She was currently making her way down the stairs on the way out of the castle, hoping to travel to the edge of the city and inspect the troops that had been gathering outside the walls.
"I'm afraid not," her aunt replied. "No word has reached us from any of the Rito tribes. However–"
"Do they wish to abandon us?" Sophitia sounded worried, as if she had made some grave error.
"They may not see it as their fight," Liliana speculated. "The Sheikah betrayed Hyrule, not Hebra."
"This is a matter of the Triforce," the queen argued. "It affects everyone. And that's to say nothing of the monster horde. Surely that is not seen as a problem unique to Hyrule."
"Um, my queen?" Link raised his hand, cautiously interjecting.
"Yes, Hero?" Sophitia responded, inviting him to continue.
"Well, isn't it possible that your messengers - or theirs - simply got shot down?" he offered.
"Oh, yeah." Linkle realized what he meant. "You and them are sending messages by Rito mail, yeah? If they're going to and from Hebra, they'll be flying over Tanagar Canyon. The enemy probably has archers shooting them out of the sky."
"That is something else I wished to inform you of," Governor Kochi stepped back into the conversation, having been interrupted by her niece earlier. "While we have not received word from the Rito, we have received a response from Governor Nobiro."
"You have?" The queen sounded relieved. Her guards opened the doors for her as she and her retinue stepped outside. "What has he said, Aunt?"
"His scouts confirmed a large presence of monsters in the northeast end of Tanagar Canyon, right below where Skyloft is currently situated," Governor Kochi explained. "The Triforce appears to be located precisely where we speculated it to be."
"Good. That is one variable removed from the equation," Sophitia replied, moving towards her carriage that was parked outside the keep. "Is he sending any troops?"
"Yes, but not many. He recommends we set up camp in Rowan Plain."
"Sounds reasonable." Sophitia took her bodyguard's hand, steadying herself as she climbed the step into the back of her horse-drawn carriage. The bodyguard then climbed in after her. "Care to join me, Aunt?" the queen offered.
The governor shook her head. "The offer is appreciated, but it may be crowded, and I have my own. I will meet you at the southern gate." The queen's aunt bowed and took her leave.
Linkle bounced on the balls of her feet, eager to be invited into the queen's carriage with her. Link put his hand on her shoulder in an attempt to tell her to calm down, but she could not.
"Heroes, will you be joining me?" Sophitia asked the siblings.
"Yes! Of course, Your Majesty!" Before she even finished talking, Linkle jumped into the back of the carriage, sliding into the seat across from the queen. Link took the seat beside her, and one of the guards outside shut the door.
"Let us be off, then."
When Linkle climbed atop the wall near the southern gate, she was immediately taken aback. Armies from all throughout Hyrule had gathered together in one place, and they seemed to stretch all the way across Hyrule Field. Tents, campfires, racks of armor and weapons, crates and barrels of supplies, and other such camp equipment were scattered everywhere. Horses, Kodongos, and even a Hydrophant were present amongst the troops, ready to be used as mounts or beasts of burden.
Linkle recognized many of the uniforms she'd seen throughout her travels. There were knights from her home city of Hateno, Zora town guards from the Lanayru Wetlands, Goron warriors from Rudania, soldiers of the Hyrule City Watch and Castle Guard, various other Hyrulean military detachments from throughout Hyrule Field, more knights in shining armor from Faron, and even some round-eared Ordonian soldiers. Most of the ones who had gathered near the walls stood grouped together, forming orderly rows that stretched alongside the city wall.
At the moment, the thousands of assembled soldiers were all captivated by the speech being delivered to them by their new queen. Sophitia had requested Link and Linkle be present, insisting that having the Heroes with her during her address would do wonders for the troops' morale. That had been all Linkle had needed to hear, so she stood to the queen's right with the Master Sword drawn and planted into the ground in front of her. Link stood to the queen's left, mimicking Linkle's pose with his own Lynel reaper.
Despite the thousands of soldiers hanging on Sophitia's every word, Linkle was having a hard time listening to anything she said. She was far too amazed by the admiring eyes in the sea of soldiers before her. It was like she was back in the city square, only with a hundred times the audience. Turning her head to observe the queen herself did not help her focus, either.
Gods, she's so beautiful.
Before Linkle knew it, the queen's speech was over, and she was met by thunderous applause. She did not stay to bask in the glory of it, however. She immediately turned to descend the stairs back down from the wall. Linkle, Link, Liliana, Governor Kochi, and the queen's guard detail swiftly followed her.
"That was well-handled, Your Grace," Governor Kochi said to her niece. "The soldiers seemed inspired."
"Thank you, Aunt," Sophitia replied. However, her voice was a little unsteady. As soon as she reached the bottom of the staircase, she pressed her hand to the wall and leaned against it. Liliana immediately moved to care for her.
"My queen, are you alright?" one of the guards asked.
"I shall be fine, thank you," the queen asserted, holding the back of her hand against her mouth for a moment.
Linkle could tell what was happening. Sophitia was still new to addressing huge crowds of Hyruleans as their queen. She must have been nervous as hell. With that being the case, Linkle was impressed by how well Sophitia had managed to hold it together during her speech.
I never would've guessed she was this nervous.
Link tapped Linkle on the shoulder, and the two of them shared a look. With a couple of head nods, her brother seemed to communicate that he wanted her to comfort the queen. Linkle would've been glad to, so she subtly shrugged and opened her eyes wider, sending the message, 'How?' Link responded by gesturing to the right. Glancing in that direction, Linkle saw what he was referring to. Seraphina was nearby, dressed in her white and gold sage's robes, along with Dame Jeanne. They were both speaking with Queen Urballa. Linkle smiled gratefully at her brother before approaching Sophitia.
"My queen, your precious little sister is here," the Hero informed Sophitia, gesturing to the younger Zelda. "I bet she'd love to pay you a compliment on your speech, too!"
A look of relief washed over the queen's face at the sight of her sister. "Ah, good," she said, cracking a gentle smile. "I would like to see her."
Obeying her word, Sophitia's retinue led her over to the young sage. Seraphina had been in the middle of a conversation, but she dropped it when she saw Sophitia approach.
"Sophie!" the younger Zelda cried, bounding forward to hug her sister. The queen's guards stepped to the side to let her pass. "That was beautiful!" Seraphina told the queen. "How many people are on the other side of the wall? I haven't been up there yet."
"Oh, a good many," the queen answered vaguely. "I am glad you came."
"Yeah!" Seraphina smiled up at her sister admiringly.
Jeanne placed a hand on her charge's shoulder. "Seraphina and I were just discussing something with Queen Urballa," she said.
Sophitia acknowledged the much taller Gerudo queen. "I see. Greetings, Queen Urballa. I thank you once again for your continued cooperation. May I ask what it was you were discussing with my sister?"
Urballa lowered her head briefly, her jewelry swaying slightly as she did. "Sage Seraphina was asking if I would allow the prisoner to participate in our campaign."
Linkle noticed a subtle reaction from her brother at the mention of the prisoner, but he didn't say anything.
Sophitia turned back to her sister. "You wish to involve… the Sheikah assassin?"
The young sage looked a little guilty, as if she'd been caught doing something wrong. "Well… yes…"
"His loyalty is still questionable," Queen Urballa pointed out. "Letting him roam free would be inadvisable."
"With the magical techniques he has access to, he could have broken free at any time," Dame Jeanne pointed out.
"That is no reason to trust him," the Gerudo queen continued to argue.
"Please," Seraphina said imploringly, staring up at her with her big, youthful eyes. "I know what he did. But he can still help us. The Golden Goddesses want me to guide him. He's supposed to do something important. I know it."
Sophitia appeared to be considering the suggestion. "You two must know something about the will of the gods," she said, directing her statement towards Link and Linkle. "What do you think of this matter?"
"I spent some time with him on the way here from Hateno," Link said. "He may be a criminal, but he has made a habit of going out of his way to save people."
"Do you believe a man who would slit the throat of a young girl in her sleep has a chance at redemption?" Queen Urballa asked them with clear skepticism in her voice. "Most who commit such a crime are swiftly executed."
Link didn't seem to want to respond, but Linkle felt like she had to. "I don't know if he can be redeemed, but isn't it better to let a bad person try to do something good, rather than just killing them while they're still bad?"
Both queens looked at her strangely, as if they thought what she'd said had been simultaneously very wise and very childish. However, Seraphina smiled brightly and nodded her head fervently.
"You see? The Hero is right! She was sent here by the goddesses, too. This is what they want!" the young Sage of Light insisted.
Queen Urballa still remained silent, but Queen Sophitia appeared swayed. "This Sheikah's fighting skill is legendary, I am told," Sophitia said. "Would it not be wiser to make use of him in the coming battle, rather than leaving him to rot in a cell?"
The Gerudo queen exchanged glances with everyone present before finally relenting. "I have kept him alive so that his information might better serve us towards defeating his superiors. I suppose his weapons may serve our needs as well as his words. I must insist he be kept under strict supervision at all times, however. And he shall remain in my custody."
"Of course, Your Grace," Sophitia agreed.
Seraphina looked quite relieved. "Thank you, Your Majesty! The gods will smile upon you for this. May I pay Sheik a visit now?"
"Very well," Urballa agreed with a nod.
"Thank you." Seraphina turned to her sister as well as the Hero siblings. "Would you like to come with me?"
Linkle had not seen the man in question since she and her brother were briefly held captive in Old Kakariko. She'd heard much about him since then, including the fact that he had killed the Gerudo princess, but chose to save Princess Seraphina. The Hero was curious to see what he was like now, especially since she had just defended his right to seek repentance for his crimes.
"Sure!" Linkle agreed.
"I'll come, too," her brother joined in, shooting Linkle a quick glance that read 'Be wary.'
"Yes. Whatever else he may have done, I would like to give this man my thanks for keeping my beloved sister safe." Sophitia cradled Seraphina's face in her hands, before Seraphina gave her another loving embrace. "Queen Urballa, would you please lead us to where the prisoner is being held in your camp?"
"Very well," the Gerudo queen agreed. "Please, follow me."
Despite the Gerudo camp not being far from the walls, it took some time for their party to arrive there. Before heading through the gates out of the city, a combination of Sophitia's royal guard and Urballa's royal guard assembled in a formation surrounding them. A small detachment was instructed to walk ahead of them as well, clearing a path and directing foot traffic out of their way. Given how crowded the military camps outside the wall had grown, movement was slow, especially since the guards insisted on taking extra precautions around so many armed soldiers.
Sheik was being held in a tent deep within the Gerudo army's camp. He had been placed in what was essentially a rectangular cage with a tent erected around it. A pair of Iron Knuckles had been stationed at the entrance. Inside were three more Gerudo guards, two of whom wielded a pair of scimitars each, while the third was some sort of witch bearing a wooden staff. Queen Urballa was admitted without question, and she allowed Queen Sophitia and her party to join her.
When they entered, they found Sheik sitting in the corner of his cage, with one arm slipped through the bars and resting on the ground. Linkle instantly recognized him by the distinctive gray flecks in his otherwise snow white hair.
The first thing the Sheikah prisoner did upon seeing his guests was let out a deep sigh. "Great. More of you."
"On your feet, prisoner," the witch standing guard ordered him, banging her staff against the bars of his cage.
"Or what? You'll kill me?"
Seraphina pushed her way to the front of the group, with Dame Jeanne holding her hand protectively. "Hello, Sheik," the young sage greeted him.
The Sheikah prisoner sighed again, but he climbed to his feet this time. "Hello, kusogaki. Why have you brought this latest band of idiots here?"
"I wanted to talk with you again," Seraphina told him. She paused for a moment, as if she'd forgotten what she was going to say. "Um, do you remember Linkle?" she asked, gesturing towards the Hero.
Sheik turned his gaze towards her, so Linkle stepped forward. "Um. Hi. You saved me once. And then you kidnapped me. Remember?"
"You're welcome. And I'm not sorry," Sheik answered, clearly less than interested in reminiscing about their previous encounter.
Linkle furrowed her brow and stepped back. She was a bit shocked at first, but then she remembered more clearly what he'd been like the last time she saw him.
Guess he's still an asshole.
"They are the ones who slew Impa Shiho," Governor Kochi informed the prisoner, indicating the Hero siblings.
"Hmph," Sheik grunted. "Saves me the trouble, I suppose."
Impa Shiho had been the master of the Sheikah clan's most elite assassins, meaning this prisoner would have been a subordinate of hers previously. She may have even been the one who ordered him to take the life of Princess Sabah.
If I were him, I'd have wanted my boss dead, too.
Queen Sophitia cleared her throat. "We believe our enemies are gathering in Tanagar Canyon. Is it possible that Impa Sadashi is there?"
"How the hell should I know?" Sheik replied. "I've been here."
"You will watch your tongue while addressing the queen," Dame Jeanne told him sternly.
Sheik met the knight's eyes and glared at her, but he did not say anything in response.
Sophitia gently raised a hand to Jeanne, letting her know it was alright. "If the Sheikah Shogun is indeed present at the site of the Triforce's hiding place, would you be willing to aid us in defeating her?"
"You mean you want me to help you kill the leader of my entire clan?" Sheik asked. "What makes you think I even can? Just kill me yourselves. My soul's damned enough as it is."
"It isn't like that!" Seraphina cried, a desperation showing in her voice. She stepped forward and put her hand on the bars of Sheik's cage.
"Princess, don't!" Jeanne warned, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back.
Seraphina allowed her hand to be removed from the bar, but she did not step away from Sheik. "Please. You mustn't see it that way. You still have a chance to save your soul. The Golden Goddesses have a plan for you, and you cannot fulfill your destiny if you die now. Please. Help us save this kingdom."
There was an extended, heavy silence in the tent while Seraphina waited for Sheik's answer. The prisoner's expression showed he was clearly irritated, but Linkle could tell he was thinking hard about Seraphina's plea.
"My people and I - we spend our lives doing the work of the gods," Sheik finally began. "The Impa Family and the Sheikah Clan - we carry out the will of Hylia, under the guidance of Karasu, as relayed to us through the Sage of Shadow. I am no longer interested in fulfilling the wishes of the gods."
"Then fulfill my wish," Seraphina begged.
Sheik paused again. "By doing what?"
"I…"
Linkle got the impression that Seraphina was too squeamish to tell him to kill anyone, but that must have been what she was asking him to do. However, Seraphina stepped closer to the bars and stuck her hand through them.
"Princess!" Jeanne warned, but she was ignored this time.
The young Sage of Light placed his hand on the prisoner's chest. "Join my sister's fight to save the kingdom. I don't know what you need to do, but I know you will do it. Lord Blumen will keep you safe. You have my blessing."
As she spoke, the sage glowed with a brilliant golden light. That light spread from her hand, enveloping Sheik until he glowed just as brightly. He looked down at himself in surprise and alarm. Link and Queen Sophitia both looked amazed as well, but the others in the tent did not react at all.
Can they not see it?!
"Enough of this." Dame Jeanne grabbed her charge by the arm and once again pulled her away, bringing her several steps back this time.
"Wait," Sheik said. He glanced between Seraphina and Sophitia, then sighed. "Fine. Just tell me who to kill."
Author's note:
As of this chapter's posting, I'm happy to announce that I have officially completed my first drafts of this story's final chapters. For a while, the story was planned to end on Chapter 82, but my epilogue ended up being long enough to split into two chapters, so the story will end on Chapter 83 instead. I still plan to keep my normal upload schedule, so the final chapter will be posted on July 5th, 2024. I can't believe I've made it this far. Thanks as always for reading, and I hope you all enjoy the last five chapters!