Despite Jeanne and Celessa's concerns about traveling along the road so close to Kakariko, they suffered no further attacks from the Sheikah along the way. Perhaps the Impa Family did not wish to reveal themselves as hostile and provoke an open war, or perhaps the size of Aunt Celessa's army proved too formidable for them. Nevertheless, Princess Seraphina and her aunt's retinue soon arrived safely in the Twins.
Given the size of the governor's forces, they made camp outside of the town rather than inside of it, although plenty of soldiers went into town to purchase food and supplies. Seraphina did not stay to eat in the camp, however. She and her aunt were invited to dine with the local lord in his manor. Link, being the Hero's brother and one of the princess's protectors, was invited to join them as well.
"Is there any left over?" Seraphina asked once the meal had concluded.
"I believe so, little angel," Dame Jeanne told her. "Why?"
"I want to bring some to Blumen." Seraphina had wanted to invite the rabbit god to dinner as well, but Aunt Celessa had rejected the idea for some reason.
"Don't stay up too late, Seraphina," her aunt told her. "I shall be turning in for the night. Dame Jeanne, inform my guards if you have need of me."
"Yes, my lady," Jeanne replied with a bow.
"Good night, Aunt Celessa," the princess said, curtsying. After taking a bowl of leftovers from dinner and preparing to leave, Seraphina noticed Link standing by himself. He looked kind of lonely and he'd been quiet throughout most of the dinner, so the princess decided to invite him to come along. "Hey, want to come with us?" she asked, tugging on his tunic. "I'm gonna give this to Blumen. He's really friendly!"
Link appeared somewhat amused and smiled good-naturedly. "I suppose so," he agreed.
After leaving the lord's manor, Jeanne led Seraphina and Link through town and back to camp. Along the way, Seraphina noticed Link studying every sign and poster they passed.
Oh, right. His sister might have been here. I hope he finds her soon.
The princess wanted to reassure him, but Jeanne had instructed her not to pry too much.
Soon, Seraphina and her companions arrived back at the camp set up outside of town. They found Blumen atop a small hill on the north side of camp, reared back on his hind legs and staring up at the moon.
"Hey! Blumen!" Seraphina called out to him.
"Hm?" The glowing rabbit turned towards the sound of her voice. "Ah, my sage! Come to join me in prayer under the light of the moon?"
"I brought you some dinner," the princess said cheerily, lifting the lid off of the dish she was carrying. It contained mostly green vegetables and cheese, but the rabbit god seemed happy about it.
"Ah! What a most bountiful offering." Blumen bounded forward, eating directly off of the plate without using his paws.
While Blumen ate, Seraphina cast her gaze towards another part of camp, setting her eye on a tent with several guards surrounding it.
I wonder if he's eating well.
"Do you want to see him, Princess?" Jeanne asked, noticing what her charge was looking at.
"Can I?" Seraphina asked meekly.
The crimson-haired knight nodded her ascent, then turned to Link. "Hero, you are not obligated to, but would you accompany us to see the prisoner?"
Link raised an eyebrow, casting a cautious glance towards the prisoner tent. "I suppose," he agreed, momentarily placing his hand on the hilt of his sword, as if to check that he still had it with him.
The three of them excused themselves from Blumen, then made their way down the hill towards the prisoner's tent. Strictly speaking, since Sheik had already made it abundantly clear that the governor's soldiers had little way of ensuring he did not simply teleport away, Sheik was something of a voluntary prisoner. He was kept in a tent rather than a cage, and while he had guards keeping watch over him, he was not kept in chains. Additionally, after he had helped protect Seraphina once again, not even Jeanne seemed to view him as a genuine threat anymore.
When they reached the tent, Jeanne waved the mage-knights guarding the entrance out of the way. She and Link entered first before allowing Seraphina to follow them. Inside, they found Sheik sitting on his bedroll with his back to them, as if he were meditating or something.
"Sheik?" Seraphina called out to him gently.
"Hm." The Sheikah grunted noncommittally in response.
"Are you okay?" the princess asked.
"I'm fine."
Seraphina looked up at Jeanne, silently asking for help.
"Have you eaten this evening?" Dame Jeanne asked. "I can have the guards bring you something."
Sheik sighed, unfolding his legs and climbing to his feet. He turned to face them, looking agitated. "I'm fine," he repeated. After glaring at Jeanne, he took notice of Link. The Sheikah man stared at him for a moment before narrowing his eyes.
Link wore a similar expression. "Wait. I do know you," the adventurer said, as if he'd finally remembered something about Sheik.
"Hm?" Seraphina tilted her head up at Link. "This is Sheik. He was the one who helped us outside of your house," she reminded him, unsure if he'd forgotten so quickly.
"Well, yes, but I met him once before that." Link met the Sheikah's eyes. "You're the one who helped me and my sister when we were attacked by bandits near Kakariko Bridge, yeah?"
Sheik's blood-red eyes did not move. "And what makes you think I'm the same Sheik you met?"
Link furrowed his brow. "Well, I recognize you. Especially the hair, and your voice," Link replied, gesturing to the top of Sheik's head.
Sheik ran his hand over his head. Before their eyes, his hair changed color to a bright blond, like Link's. "Still convinced?" he asked in a perfect imitation of Link's voice.
Seraphina had witnessed this trick several times already, but Link took a step back in surprise. "I, um, I guess I don't know for sure, then. But I wanted to thank you, if it's really you. Those bandits would have killed us."
"I kidnapped you, locked you in a dungeon, and interrogated you under threat of pain and death," Sheik responded, his voice back to normal and his hair returning to its original color.
Link scratched the back of his head. "Well, it was more that scary lady in the mask who interrogated me," he recalled.
"To whom is he referring, Sheik?" Dame Jeanne asked.
Sheik groaned in annoyance, clearly not excited to be questioned further than he already had been back at Celessa's palace. "He's talking about Impa Shiho. She wears a mask that allows her to read a person's thoughts. That's why she handles interrogations."
"What?" Seraphina asked.
"Surely that is not possible," Jeanne replied. "There is no Sheikah magic that allows for such a thing."
"Yes, there is. That mask. I don't know where she got it. She just suddenly had it one day. But I'm telling you, she reads minds with it," Sheik insisted, still sounding quite annoyed at being questioned.
"When she was interrogating me, and she stared at me through that mask, I remember feeling a pain in my head," Link recalled. "I didn't know what it was, but maybe that was when she read my mind."
"Did your mind reveal anything sensitive?" Jeanne asked.
"He didn't fucking know anything," Sheik answered for him. "Not back then. He and his sister were just a couple of idiots who wandered into our territory without thinking."
"Hey! Be kind!" Seraphina scolded. Throughout her time with him, Sheik had always been so callous, and she'd never understood why. She had a slightly clearer view of him now, but she still didn't understand why he had to be so cruel with his words all the time.
"Why did you try to deny you were the one who saved me before? With everything you've said, it's clearly you," Link asked.
"Of course it was me. So don't fucking thank me. I was just following orders. If my orders had been to torture and kill you, I would've done that, too."
Seraphina was horrified. Knowing what he'd done to Princess Sabah, she knew he was probably telling the truth, too. Dame Jeanne put an arm around the princess's shoulder and turned her around, directing her towards the exit.
"I think we've heard enough," the red-haired knight said. "Come, hero. Let us leave the prisoner alone with his thoughts."
After leaving the Twins, Seraphina and her retinue traveled along the road that led between the Dueling Peaks. Before arriving in the town of Gatepost, their convoy stopped at the Hyrulean military outpost on the east side of the Great Plateau. The soldiers at the outpost were apparently surprised to see such a large host of troops led by the governor of Necluda, but they were quick to find their commanding officer to meet with her.
"To what do we owe the honor, my lady?" the commander asked, greeting Governor Kochi within the walls of the outpost. "Have you come to help us reclaim the Coliseum?"
Seraphina stood a good distance back, along with Jeanne and Link. She understood that she technically outranked her aunt in terms of her family's line, but she was too young to really give orders to anyone, so she was fine with leaving these duties to her aunt.
Military stuff is more Vicky and Percy's thing, anyway.
"So it is true. The Gerudo hold the Coliseum," Celessa reiterated.
"Ma'am?" the commander said in mild confusion. "Well, yes. Is that not why you were called here?"
"I have not been called for," the governor explained. "I have business with the queen of the Gerudo, and then I have family matters to attend to in the capital. Does the Gerudo queen still hold the Coliseum herself, or has she returned home?"
"She is still in the Coliseum, we believe. The area is being closely monitored at all times. The prince left some time ago, but the queen has not been seen leaving the premises."
"The prince?" Celessa questioned. "Where has he gone?"
"He went northwest, along with a battalion of Gerudo, a horde of Blins, and a Hinox."
The governor shifted her position, brushing her royal mage's robes to the side as she raised a hand to her chin in ponderance. "This is disturbing news. Perhaps the queen has remained in the Coliseum as a foothold while her ward continues their campaign further into our lands. Nevertheless, it is fortunate Queen Urballa remains here. I believe I have the means to negotiate peace with her."
"Is there anything you need, my lady?"
"Keep your forces as they are. Maintain defensive positions around Gatepost and the Great Plateau. I will send a messenger to request an audience with Queen Urballa myself."
"By your command, governor." The knight bowed and excused himself.
Celessa turned and walked back over to her lieutenants and advisors. "We can use these facilities until we leave for the capital," she explained, giving out further orders. "I shall send word to the Gerudo queen. Get the troops settled while we wait for her response."
"Yes, governor."
Several of her subordinates left to begin their respective tasks.
"My lady, during this time, may I continue the search for my sister?" Link requested.
"Yes." The governor nodded. "Locating the Hero is paramount. Please do whatever you can."
"Can we go with him, Aunt Celessa?" Princess Seraphina asked. "I wanna help!"
"If the Hero's brother allows it," Celessa told her, looking to Link for confirmation.
"Sure," Link answered. "Er, I would be honored to have the princess's help."
"Yay!" Seraphina cheered, falling backwards into Jeanne's arms.
"Very well. Bring some of my guards with you wherever you go," Celessa reminded her and Jeanne. "May Farore bless your search," she said to the Hero's brother.
When Seraphina's aunt dismissed herself, Jeanne lifted the princess up and placed her on her feet. She then turned to Link. "Where shall we begin our search, young hero?"
"I've got a couple ideas."
This was not Seraphina's first time visiting the town of Gatepost. The Royal Family often visited on their way to the Temple of Time for religious ceremonies. However, Seraphina was not used to seeing this many soldiers in the town. Much of the chatter around town was in regard to the Gerudo presence on their doorstep, or in regard to the chaotic and rapidly-evolving situation in the capital. However, Seraphina heard no mention of the Hero.
Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Despite the odd atmosphere of the town, Seraphina was in good spirits. She'd gotten excited as soon as Link had mentioned the stables in his list of places to search. On their way, she skipped ahead of her retainer, giggling excitedly to herself while the extra guards her aunt had sent with her hurried to maintain their perimeter.
"Don't go too far, little angel," Dame Jeanne called after her.
"I wanna see the horses!" Seraphina called back.
"We have plenty of horses," the red-haired knight pointed out.
"Yeah, but these are different horses." Undeterred, the princess continued skipping forward until she reached the door to the stables. She kept her hand on the door handle, rocking back and forth on her feet while she waited for Jeanne and Link to catch up.
"I guess all little girls like horses," Link remarked with a grin.
Jeanne chuckled. "Well, not all of them. I certainly did, but my sister was more interested in Lynels than horses."
"Linkle liked them both," Link recalled. "Although she was more interested in fighting Lynels."
When Jeanne reached the entrance, she reached her arm past the princess and gently nudged the door open. "You can all wait out here," she informed the other guards. "We won't be long." She stepped inside ahead of Seraphina, with Link following behind.
The princess burst through the door as soon as her retainer let her. "Hi!" Seraphina said cheerfully, greeting the first person she saw inside.
There was one stable worker present in the entry hall. She was a young woman, probably about Victorique's age, and she was holding a broom that she'd been using to sweep the floor. Her outfit was that of a commoner, which was to be expected. When she saw Seraphina, she smiled warmly. "Well hi there, little friend," she greeted the young girl. "Ya here to see the horses?"
"Yeah!" The princess nodded excitedly.
Jeanne came up behind her and placed her hands on the princess's shoulders. "In a moment, little angel." She turned to Link, nodding for him to proceed.
The stable worker also looked at Link expectantly. "Did ya need something?"
"Yes. I was wondering if my sister had come by recently. We had our horse boarded here," Link explained.
"Well, I can certainly check that for ya." The woman leaned her broom against the wall and stepped behind the wooden counter, producing a ledger from a shelf. Dropping the ledger down onto the countertop, she flipped it open. "What'll be the name, sweetheart?"
"Link. Or Linkle," Link replied.
The stable worker smiled in recognition. "Oh, that little cutiepie!" She flipped through the book quickly, looking for a specific page. "Yep, your sister came through here not too long ago. Took your Arion with her, too." Flipping the book around to face Link, she pushed it across the counter over to him.
Link quickly put his hand on the ledger and pulled it closer. He stared at it for a moment. "I need a horse," he told the stable worker. "A fast one."
"Alrighty," the woman behind the counter replied. "Let me see what we've got." She exited the room, stepping through a door leading into the back.
For much of their journey, Link had remained very reserved, not showing much emotion. Even now, he did not seem to be letting on much. However, Seraphina could tell he was anxious. "Are you going after your sister?" the princess asked.
Link nodded. "I was right. She was here. I'm so close now. She's probably in the capital already. I can still catch her." As he spoke, his breathing was off. It was as if he was experiencing relief and fear at the same time.
"You cannot leave now," Dame Jeanne told him. "We must speak to the governor first so that she might release you from her service."
Link shook his head, his left hand tapping nervously against the counter. "I'm not waiting any longer. I need to get back to her."
"You know where she is now. I'm sure she's perfectly safe," Jeanne reasoned, speaking gently.
"Are you kidding?" Link did not sound angry, but he was raising his voice at this point. "Last I heard, the capital was a warzone, and there was a demon lurking around out there somewhere. She's never safe. I need to get back to her."
Jeanne opened her mouth to object, but Seraphina grabbed her by the sleeve. "Jeanne," the princess said, looking up at her. "We should let him go."
"But–"
"Would you let anyone stop you from chasing after me?" Seraphina asked, knowing Jeanne had traveled across the kingdom in search of her after the Blood Moon.
Jeanne glanced between the princess and the adventurer. She hesitated, but ultimately nodded her assent. "Very well."
"Thank you," Link said to Jeanne. "And thank you, Princess."
"You're welcome!" Seraphina smiled. "You know, it's funny. You say you're the Hero's brother, but you act like you're the Hero. You're off to rescue the princess, but your princess is your sister!"
"Yeah, well, don't tell her that," Link insisted. "Her ego's big enough as the Hero. Call her a princess too and she'll think she owns the freaking world."
"What's an ego?" the princess asked, turning to Jeanne for an explanation.
The door in the back of the room opened, and the stable worker poked her head back in. "Alrighty, I've got just the horse for you. Why don'tcha come on back and meet her?"
"Yay!" Seraphina cheered, suddenly excited to see the horses again.
The three of them followed the stable girl into the barn. The princess was immediately elated. "Look at this one!" she cried, running up to pet the head of a white horse that was peering out of its enclosure. "So pretty!"
"That one's real friendly," the stable worker commented. "Watch out for this one, though," she said, indicating a large stallion as they walked by. "He gets grumpy."
The princess giggled. "He's probably just hungry."
"Listen to the nice woman, young lady," Jeanne cautioned her.
"I know, I know."
The stable girl brought them to a stall containing a brown horse with a white mane. "This is the one I had in mind for you," she announced, speaking to Link. "Her name's Epona. She's the fastest one I've got."
"Oooh," Seraphina cooed. "Like the song! The Hero of Twilight's horse was named after it, too, right?"
"That's right!" the stable girl confirmed.
"I'll take her," Link said quickly. He patted his sides as if he were searching for a bag, then seemingly remembered he had few belongings aside from his boomerang and the sword and shield he'd been given by Celessa. "Can I pay you later?"
"I'll pay for it," Seraphina offered instead.
The stable girl looked amused. "Ya know, horses are actually pretty expensive, little lady."
"That will not be an issue," Jeanne confirmed, placing a hand on Seraphina's shoulder. "We have the rupees for it."
Link looked like he wanted to argue, but he must have decided he didn't want to waste any more time. "Thank you. I'll pay you back. I swear."
"No need to worry. It's a gift!" the princess insisted.
"Alrighty. I'll go ahead and get Epona here saddled for you. You can wait outside if you like," the stable girl told them.
"But I wanna stay here with the horses," Seraphina said.
"In a moment, little angel," Jeanne told her, leaning her head down. "I think we need to speak with Link in private for a bit, don't we?"
Seraphina realized they would be saying goodbye to him, for now at least. "Oh. Okay." Nodding her head, she followed Jeanne and Link.
The three of them exited the barn a different way than they'd come in, leaving through a large door that led outside.
"I do not know what awaits you in the capital, young hero," Dame Jeanne said to Link. "The conflict there may be over already, and it may not be. I pray that Hylia grants her protection to you and your sister."
"Thank you," the adventurer said. "You've both been so kind to me. I appreciate the help you've given me so far, and I swear I'll repay it someday."
"I meant it when I said you seem like the Hero." Seraphina smiled brightly, then stepped forward to wrap her arms around his waist, pulling him tightly into a hug. "My aunt and I will be right behind you, so we'll see you again really soon. You and your sister."
"Thank you, Princess," Link told her. When she took a step back, Link kept his hand on her shoulder for a moment, looking her in the eyes. "I know you've been through a lot. I'll do whatever I can to help. I promise."
Seraphina's eyes opened wide. She had trouble thinking of something to say. Link's words were so much like Jeanne's, the way she'd comforted her when they'd finally been reunited in Hateno. Link did not seem the type to reveal much about himself, but Seraphina got the impression that he understood what she'd been through. More than that, he wanted to help, even if he didn't know how.
Is he actually the Hero?
"Th-Thank you," the princess said gratefully. When Link removed his hand from her shoulder, it was quickly replaced by Jeanne's.
Before anyone could say anything else, the sound of a horse whinnying signaled the approach of the stable girl bringing Epona out to them.
"Well, here ya are!" the stable worker announced, pulling Epona along by her bridle. The horse had a saddle strapped to it as well, and she did not appear to be struggling against the stable girl at all.
"Pretty!" Seraphina could not resist saying, rushing to the horse's side to run her hand through its coat. She began to hum Epona's Song as she pet the horse, amused by the name.
Link did not hesitate to climb atop the horse. "Thank you, again," he said, glancing at all three of them in turn. "I hope to see you again soon," he told Seraphina and Jeanne.
"Goodbye for now, young hero," Jeanne told him.
"Good luck!" Seraphina called, stepping away from the horse to wave goodbye.
With that, Link kicked his boot against the horse's side, and they were off. Seraphina continued to wave until he was nearly out of sight.
May Hylia protect you, Hero.
Having completed their task in Gatepost, Seraphina and Jeanne returned to the military outpost outside of town, along with the rest of Seraphina's guard. After asking one of the sentries on duty, they were informed that Seraphina's aunt was in the commander's barracks. Jeanne wished to check in with her, so they went inside.
The governor had set up a space for herself in an unused officer's quarters. They found her at a desk, writing hurriedly across a parchment.
"My lady," Jeanne greeted her, putting her hand to her heart and bowing in the doorway.
Seraphina curtsied rather than bowing. "Hi, Aunt Celessa."
Governor Kochi raised her head and put her pen down. "Dame Jeanne, Seraphina. Come in," she said, waving them inside. After a moment, she glanced behind them, as if searching for somebody else. "Is the Hero's brother not with you?" she asked.
"That is what I wished to inform you of," Jeanne told her. "Link confirmed that his sister had been in Gatepost recently. They'd boarded a horse at the local stable the last time they were here, and the proprietor of the establishment had a record indicating the Hero had retrieved the horse not long ago."
"I see. I suppose this is good news." Celessa picked her pen back up and began noting something down. "Where is Link now?"
"He left. He is headed for the capital on horseback to find his sister. I am sorry, my lady," Jeanne explained, bowing as she apologized.
"No need for apologies. One would expect anyone in his position to do the same. We are fortunate that he will be able to inform my other nieces and nephews of our activities here as well." Celessa put one paper aside and pulled out another one.
"Understood." Jeanne nodded. "Have you received a reply from Queen Urballa yet?"
"No, but my messenger is due back soon," Celessa said.
Seraphina lifted her head at the mention of Sabah's mother. "Aunt Celessa, may I come?" she requested.
Her aunt raised an eyebrow. "To my meeting with the Gerudo queen?"
"Yes," Seraphina confirmed.
Jeanne placed a hand on her shoulder. "Little angel, I do not think it would be an appropriate setting for you."
"Sabah was my friend," the princess reminded them. "And… if something is going to happen to Sheik… I should have a say in it, shouldn't I?"
Celessa stared at her for a moment. "Your sister brought you to Gerudo during a time of peace," she explained. "Things are different now. If you enter the Coliseum while it is under Gerudo occupation, they may not let you leave until our kingdom gives in to their demands."
"But Prince Harun helped me escape before!" Seraphina argued.
"Prince Harun is not there," Aunt Celessa countered.
"Sabah's mom wouldn't hurt me!"
"Princess, I think that's enough," Jeanne insisted, gripping her hand tightly.
"Please! I-" Seraphina had to force herself to say the words, holding back tears. "I don't want Sheik to die." If they handed him over to the Gerudo and told them what he had done to Princess Sabah, surely they would execute him. Seraphina had never been involved in that part of governing, but even she knew what his fate would be.
Jeanne put an arm around the princess. She looked down at her charge sympathetically for a moment before addressing the governor again. "My lady, our goal is to end Hyrule's conflict with the Gerudo, and to recruit Queen Urballa as an ally to aid us against the Sheikah and the monsters, correct?"
"Indeed," Celessa confirmed.
"Well, Queen Urballa will likely be less defensive and more willing to negotiate if Seraphina is there, will she not?" the scarlet-haired knight posited. "She is quite fond of Seraphina, after all. The friendship between the princesses would serve as a reminder that our peoples have gotten along in the past. That was why Princess Victorique wished to have her with us in Gerudo, and it worked rather well, up until Sheik's actions derailed negotiations."
Seraphina nodded vigorously. Jeanne was clearly better at appealing to Aunt Celessa than she was, so she decided to just go with whatever she was saying.
The governor put her hand to her chin, taking a moment to mull it over. "Elincia would haunt me if I ever put one of her children in danger," she muttered. Then she sighed. "If Queen Urballa will agree to meet us on Aquame Bridge with plenty of guards present, then I suppose we can minimize the risk while maximizing the potential benefit."
Seraphina perked up. "So, I can come?" she asked for clarification, fairly certain that was the case but not quite following all of the big words her aunt used.
"Yes, you may," the governor confirmed. "But you are never to leave Dame Jeanne's side, even for a moment. Understood?"
"Understood, Aunt Celessa."
True to Governor Kochi's estimate, the messenger she'd sent to Queen Urballa returned shortly after Seraphina and Jeanne had spoken with her. The Gerudo queen had agreed to meet. The message she'd sent back made it very clear that her daughter's killer was to be brought to her alive, and that any aggression on the part of the Hyruleans would be met with severe retaliation.
When they arrived at Aquame Bridge, Celessa sent another messenger into the Coliseum to further clarify the terms of their meeting. A line of House Kochi mage-knights stood at the north end of the bridge, locking eyes with a line of Gerudo Iron Knuckles who stood all the way on the south side of the bridge. Both groups had orders not to make any aggressive moves, but neither group was to allow anyone to pass, either.
Seraphina waited in a tent with Jeanne and her aunt, several meters away from the bridge. Until they received word that it was safe to approach for the negotiations, they were not to risk getting any closer. The princess was told Sheik was being held in another tent nearby as well.
While Celessa discussed a few final matters with her advisors, Seraphina sat quietly in the corner, clutching Jeanne's hand. She'd been the one to request being in attendance, but she hadn't thought of how scary it would be. The princess couldn't help remembering what had happened back in Taafei. She'd had to climb over the bodies of fallen Hylians and Gerudo as Jeanne led her through the fortress to escape the fighting. She didn't want anything like that to happen again.
"We'll be going home soon, little angel," Jeanne reminded her, speaking softly into her ear. "You'll get to see your brothers and sisters again. Are you looking forward to it?"
Despite herself, the thought brought a smile to Seraphina's face. This was all they had left to do before crossing Hyrule Field and returning home.
I'm so close. Vicky, Lance, Percy, Sophie - I'll be there soon.
"Blumen needs me to take him to the Light Temple, too," Seraphina reminded her. "He's going to make me his sage."
"I know," Jeanne said. "I'm so proud of you. Sage Aurun will be smiling down on you when you take up his mantle."
Seraphina felt another pang of fear at the memory of losing Sage Aurun, the way she'd been forced to listen from her hiding place as Lord Remoth murdered him. She gripped Jeanne's hand more tightly. Her caretaker responded by gently rubbing her free hand over hers.
"Governor." One of Celessa's mage-knights stepped through the open flap of the tent, saluting her with a fist over his heart. "Queen Urballa sends her reply." He held out a piece of parchment and Celessa took it.
"What is it, governor?" one of her advisors asked.
"We are ready to proceed," Celessa replied, quickly reading over the note. "Retrieve the prisoner and meet us at the bridge."
"Yes, governor." The mage-knight saluted again and exited the tent.
Dame Jeanne slowly climbed to her feet. "Are you certain you wish to come, Princess?" she asked Seraphina quietly. "There is nothing wrong with choosing to remain here instead."
Seraphina remained seated for a moment, considering the knight's proposal. If she stayed where she was, it would be far safer and far less scary. However, the thought of sitting there waiting to hear if Sheik had been executed or not didn't sit well with her.
I need to help him. Don't I?
She wished the gods would give her an answer. Nevertheless, she went with her gut.
"I-I'll come," the princess decided, warily climbing to her feet.
Her aunt was waiting by the exit while the rest of her advisors walked outside. "Are you ready, Seraphina?"
The princess nodded, following Jeanne as they joined her aunt.
"Good. Remember, stay behind me," Celessa told them.
"I shall ensure her safety as always, my lady," Dame Jeanne assured her.
It was a short walk up the hill to the edge of the bridge. As expected, several dozen Necludan troops were still guarding it. However, there were people standing on the bridge now. Two of Celessa's mage-knights had advanced towards the center of the bridge, and two of the Gerudo Iron Knuckles had as well.
Jeanne took Seraphina and stood with her off to the side while Celessa continued to the bridge. Four of Celessa's guards formed up around her, and under their protection, the governor walked forward. The line of guards at the edge of the bridge parted to allow them to pass. They advanced until they had joined the two Necludan mage-knights waiting near the center of the bridge.
Then, on the far end of the bridge, the line of Gerudo guards parted as well. Seraphina could see Queen Urballa. Stepping onto the bridge, she and four of her heavily-armored Iron Knuckles made their way to the center.
"Queen Urballa. I thank you for agreeing to treat with me on this day," Celessa greeted the Gerudo queen, speaking very formally. As there was still quite a bit of distance between the two of them, she spoke in a loud and clear voice, enough so that Seraphina could easily hear her from the end of the bridge.
"Governor Kochi," Urballa replied, returning the greeting curtly. "You claim to have my daughter's murderer in custody."
"Indeed I do. He has confessed to the crime." Celessa had likely been hoping to exchange pleasantries for a bit to establish a more positive atmosphere for their negotiations, but Urballa was clearly not interested in delaying things.
"Bring him to me. I wish to see him," the Gerudo queen demanded. She spoke in an even tone, but it was clear she was containing her fury.
Celessa nodded. "Very well. However, I must insist that he not be transferred to your custody until the conclusion of our negotiations," she reminded her counterpart.
"Fine. Just bring him here," Urballa insisted.
The Necludan governor turned and signaled to her guards at the end of the bridge. Seraphina watched the movement of the crowd as people shuffled to get out of the way. When enough people cleared the path, she saw Sheik being led in shackles by two heavily-armored knights.
"Sheik," the princess instinctively called out, wishing to say something to him.
"Shh." Jeanne shushed her and pulled her closer.
The Sheikah assassin glanced in the princess's direction, and she met his blood-red eyes. He said nothing. He wore his usual scowl, but he looked much more exhausted than usual. Without any resistance, he allowed the guards to walk him out onto the bridge towards Celessa and Urballa.
Seraphina's heart raced. What Celessa had said implied she would protect him, at least for now, but the princess still feared the worst. She glanced up at Jeanne questioningly.
Can't I say anything?
When the guards escorting Sheik reached the governor, they stood and held him in place behind her.
"Here he is," Celessa announced.
"Let me see him," the Gerudo queen continued to insist.
Celessa hesitated for a moment. She stepped to the side, nodding to her guards. They got the message and brought Sheik forward, closer to Urballa. They stopped once they reached the halfway point.
Queen Urballa closed the remaining distance herself. Her heels clacked against the wooden bridge, and she stared Sheik down with a cold fury. As a Gerudo, she was effortlessly taller than him, and her advance could only be seen as menacing.
Seraphina expected Urballa to shout at Sheik, or to ask him why he did it. Instead, her hand suddenly flew across his face, slapping him hard. She hit him with such force that he was wrenched free from the guards' grasp, and he toppled over onto the wooden floor.
"Your majesty, I insist you show restraint," Celessa scolded. "Pick him up. Move him back," she told the guards as she moved forward to be closer to them.
The guards did as commanded. Now with a short distance between them and Urballa, Sheik stood, his nose bleeding. However, he made no complaint.
Urballa glared at him for a few seconds more before speaking again. "Why did you do it?" she demanded. "Why did you kill my little princess?" She spoke sternly, but Seraphina could easily tell the Gerudo queen was choking back tears.
Seraphina herself began to tear up, thinking what it must have been like for Sabah's mother. Jeanne pulled her in tighter, comfortingly.
Sheik took a moment to reply. "Those were my orders," was all he said.
Urballa looked like she had a lot to say about that. "Who gave those orders?"
"My mistress, Impa Shiho-sama. By order of her mother, Impa Sadashi-sama," the Sheikah explained.
"By order of King Tychon?" Urballa asked.
"No." Sheik shook his head. "This was wholly the Impa Family's design."
Urballa glared at Sheik, then looked past him to Governor Kochi. "You expect me to believe this? The Hylians would saddle the blame with the Sheikah just to save their own skin now?"
"I don't care if you believe me," Sheik retorted. "You're going to kill me anyway. Why would I bother lying?" he asked, speaking as if he found Urballa's skepticism stupid.
The Gerudo queen slapped him once more, although he managed to remain on his feet this time. "Why then? Why did the Impas want my daughter dead?"
"They didn't." Sheik coughed, blood still running down his face. "They didn't give a damn about you or your daughter. It was just supposed to piss you off so you'd kill the Hyrulean princesses."
Queen Urballa punched him in the face this time. He was knocked back into the arms of the guards. Seraphina gasped in shock.
"Your majesty, this is not the way we treat prisoners," Celessa reminded her.
"No. This is the way we treat child killers," Urballa spat back. "Tell me, Sheikah. If the Impas wanted the Hyrulean princesses dead, why did they not simply tell you to kill them instead?"
Sheik growled and spat some blood out of his mouth. "I don't know. They don't tell me everything. Maybe it was just to throw the suspicion off of them."
Urballa looked like she wanted to argue with that, but she seemed to accept the possibility as reasonable. She held out her hand. "Sword."
The large armored woman standing beside her produced a curved blade and placed it in the queen's hand.
"No!" Seraphina couldn't keep quiet anymore. She pulled her hand away from Jeanne and ran closer to the edge of the bridge. "Stop! Don't!"
The other guards on duty were quick to get between her and the bridge, and Jeanne grabbed her hand again as soon as she could. "Princess, wait!"
On the bridge, the guards escorting Sheik pulled him back behind Celessa, and two other guards stepped forward to ensure Urballa could not reach them. However, the Gerudo queen did not attempt to pursue the prisoner. Instead, she turned her attention to the young princess who'd shouted in the distance.
"I'm afraid I cannot allow you to execute my prisoner," the governor reminded Urballa. "I have not yet relinquished him to your custody, and I insist he be tried."
Queen Urballa did not react to these statements. "Is that Princess Seraphina?" she asked.
Celessa glanced over her shoulder, seeing Seraphina being held tightly by Jeanne at the end of the bridge. "Indeed it is," the governor replied. "My niece is in my care at the moment."
"I wish to speak with her," Urballa stated.
Celessa hesitated. "I do not think it would be wise to bring her any closer."
"Then bring me to her."
The Iron Knuckle standing beside Urballa reacted poorly to this suggestion. "My queen, it would not be safe-"
Urballa raised a hand to silence her. "If you guarantee my safety, I will allow you to escort me, unarmed, to where the princess is now."
The governor considered this for a moment. She signaled for her guards to escort Sheik back to the end of the bridge first, then gave her answer. "Very well, your majesty. Please, follow me."
Seraphina watched as her deceased friend's mother was led across the bridge, surrounded by her aunt's mage-knights. The rest of the guards cleared a path, allowing Urballa and Celessa to walk right up to her.
Urballa knelt in front of Seraphina. "Princess," she greeted her, speaking a bit more gently than she had been previously. "Why are you here?"
The princess was nervous now. Her eyes jumped from Urballa, to her aunt, to Sheik in the distance, and to Jeanne before she answered. "T-To see you, Your Grace."
Urballa glanced back at Celessa before replying. "And do you know why I am here?"
Seraphina nodded grimly. "For Sheik."
"The Sheikah, yes," the Gerudo queen confirmed, nodding her head. "A moment ago, you tried to prevent me from harming him. Is this correct?"
The princess could only nod once more.
"I see." Urballa stood up straight, glancing back at Sheik's bloody face for a moment. "Are you aware of what that man has done?"
"Y-Yes," Seraphina replied shakily.
"Then why is it that you protect him, Princess?"
Seraphina breathed heavily for a moment, tightening her grip on Jeanne's hand. "Because he… he saved me." She looked towards Sheik once again, as if to remind herself that he was really the one who'd done that. "On the Blood Moon, the other Sheikah… they killed my father. They tried to kill me. Sheik was with them, but… he chose to help me instead."
Queen Urballa stared deep into Seraphina's eyes. The princess could tell she was conflicted, just as she was.
"Do you believe him to be a good man?" the Gerudo queen asked.
That was the question Seraphina had been asking herself ever since Sheik had confessed to killing her friend. He'd done a terrible thing, and he'd done a good thing. What did that mean?
"I… He can be," was the best she could come up with.
Urballa crossed her arms, taking in a deep breath and exhaling as she mulled it over. "Bring the prisoner back over here," she ordered Celessa.
"Have I your word that you will not abuse him again, Your Majesty?" Celessa asked.
"You have my word. Bring him here," the queen repeated.
Celessa appeared skeptical, but signaled to her guards. They obeyed, pulling Sheik by his bound arms as they escorted him to the governor's side.
"Princess Seraphina tells me you betrayed your people and saved her life," Urballa told Sheik, speaking in the same contemptuous manner in which she'd spoken to him earlier. "Tell me, why was her life worth saving, but my daughter's wasn't?"
"Would you rather I'd killed them both?" Sheik asked. As usual, he sounded as though he were in no mood to deal with absolutely anyone, and especially not the person he was talking to at the moment.
Seraphina flinched at Sheik's words.
Urballa raised her hand, then quickly lowered it, resisting the urge to strike him again. "Tell me why you spared Princess Seraphina," the queen demanded.
Sheik gave a low growl, but after a moment, he voiced his answer. "My whole life, I've never thought for myself. Not once. In my clan, we have no names, no identities; we are the Impas' blades, nothing more. We're told everything we do is to help the kingdom, but we don't get to ask how, or why. If the Impas tell me to kill someone, I do it. They told me to kill your daughter, and I did it. Then they told me to kill King Tychon's daughter, and this time, I asked 'why?' I'm defective; a failure, a deserter, a traitor. But why shouldn't I be? Why don't I get to ask 'why?' Why shouldn't I get to be a real person like the rest of you for once in my meaningless life?"
The longer Sheik talked, the angrier he got, and the more he raised his voice. By the time he was finished, he was glaring at Urballa, as if he were daring her to challenge him.
Urballa did not seem to have a response to him, so Seraphina decided to add something. "If you had killed Sheik before he rescued me, I wouldn't be here right now," she told Urballa. "If you kill him now, he might not get to do the next good thing the gods want him to do."
Urballa turned to her with a questioning look.
"The Golden Goddesses have sent the next God of Light to me. I am to be his sage," the princess explained, realizing no one had told Urballa about Blumen yet. "I think… I think the gods still have plans for Sheik, and I think they want me to help him." It was an idea she'd been working out for some time, ever since she'd met Blumen. The fledgeling god did not seem to know much yet, but the Golden Goddesses must have sent him to her for a reason.
What else could it be?
The queen seemed to absorb what Seraphina was saying, but she had no words for her in return. Instead, she turned her attention back to Sheik. She glared at him once more, then breathed heavily, clenching her fists as she held back her rising anger.
Then, she let out a deep sigh, locking eyes with the Sheikah man. "Nothing you do will ever make up for what you have done," she stated matter-of-factly. "You will never be forgiven, and when your time comes, I hope the gods grant me the honor of sending you to your eternal punishment." She glanced in Celessa's direction for a brief moment before continuing. "However, even if you were the blade, the Impa Family was the hand that held you, and you may still have information that will help us destroy them. So, until your masters are dead, you shall be allowed to remain breathing."
Sheik did not thank her for her mercy, nor did he provide any further explanation or apology. He seemed to accept Urballa's words, even if he gave no indication of it.
Celessa signaled to her guards again, telling them to take Sheik away now. "The Impa Family is the enemy of Hyrule as well," the governor stated. "They, along with Lord Remoth of Midoro, have betrayed our kingdom. I am bringing my armies to the capital to help my nieces and nephews fight against them. If you pledge to help us, I swear to you I will support Gerudo's independence from the Kingdom of Hyrule, should you still desire it. What say you, Your Majesty?"
"I accept your terms," the Gerudo queen replied before turning back to Seraphina. "I pray you are correct, Princess. Let us work together to put my daughter's soul to rest."