Woah, another update in a month? thats pretty wild.
"Keep both eyes open, kiddo," Uncle Griff's gruff voice cut through the crisp winter air. Niah, now eleven, struggled to keep the .22 rifle steady in her small hands. The makeshift target—a rusty tin can perched on a snow-covered fence post—stood out starkly against the white landscape of Griff's farm.
"Now, what's the first rule?" Griff asked, his calloused hands steady on her shoulders, grounding her against the biting cold.
Niah inhaled deeply, the scent of gun oil mingling with the sharp, clean aroma of snow. "Safety first," she recited, her voice muffled by the oversized earmuffs pressing uncomfortably against her head.
"That's my girl," Griff nodded, a rare smile softening his features. He reached out, adjusting her earmuffs. The world around her muffled instantly, cocooning her in a bubble of anticipation.
With newfound confidence, Niah pointed the gun towards her target, squinting down the sight. The barrel wavered slightly, her arms trembling with both effort and cold.
"On three," Griff instructed. "One... two... three!"
The crack of the shot pierced the winter stillness. Niah's heart leapt as she watched the bullet's path. It missed the can, kicking up a spray of snow nearby.
"Well," Griff grunted, amusement in his voice, "You missed. But let's try again. Don't let the cold scare you."
As they prepared for another shot, the crunch of snow announced new arrivals.
"Dammit Griff, I told you she's too young for this!" Lucy's voice carried across the snowy yard, sharp with concern.
Gabe placed a calming hand on his wife's shoulder. "I told him it was fine-"
Griff turned to face them, his expression a mix of determination and reassurance. "She's doin' fine woman." Griff placed a cigarette between his lips, and lit it.
Gabe nodded, a proud smile spreading across his face. "She's a natural, just like her old man."
Lucy's stance softened slightly, but concern still etched her features. "Fine, but if anything happens..."
"Nothing's gonna happen," Griff assured her. "Tell you what, if she misses the next shot, we'll call it a day and head in for some hot cocoa. But if she hits it..." He turned to Niah with a conspiratorial wink.
Catching on quickly, Niah piped up, "I want to stay at Uncle Griff's for the weekend!"
Lucy looked between the three of them, her expression cycling through exasperation, amusement, and finally, resignation. "Alright," she sighed, "but be careful."
Triumphant, Niah returned to her position, her earlier nervousness replaced by determination. Griff stood beside her, Garrett and Lucy watching from a distance. They resumed their stance, the familiar routine settling over them like a warm blanket against the winter chill.
Safety off, eyes open, ears plugged. Niah took a deep breath, the cold air sharp in her lungs. She steadied herself, took aim, and...
This time, Niah didn't miss her shot.
/\_
When Niah woke up, her breath caught in her chest. I pain unlike any other made her made her vision go white again.
Her hair had come undone, and it brushed on the ground, past her face. At first, she tried to get back on her feet, check her surroundings, but as soon as she tried to use her right arm to bear herself up, she crumpled underneath her own weight, and fell back down. Tears from her eyes threaten to fall from the pain. The pain sat laden in two different places, she wasn't sure where to check herself first. Niah took a deep breath and used her other arm to hoist herself up. She didn't make it to her feet, but she managed her knees.
Dirt dusted her body, and there was some on her face mixed with the few tears that had fallen. He turned and looked over at her forearm. Clotted blood caked the area, some dried on her clothes. The wound wasn't deep though, barely surface level, but she pressed her hand against it to stop more blood from leaving, but when that proved to not be a good option, she made the awful choice to take off the jacket she wore, and wrapped it tight around her. That done, she pressed her hand to her chest, directly to her lungs and heart. Whatever happened, hurt.
Finally Niah noticed enough to see the brooch a little farther away from her, cracked severely. She picked it up, and when she did, her chest hurt more. Did this have some kind of connection to her physically? It was apparent that it was. Niah did her best to put it in her trouser pocket without damaging it, and herself.
Finally, she gave herself a moment to look around
The oppressive darkness of the Twilight realm gradually gave way to an otherworldly landscape. Niah blinked, her eyes adjusting to the eerie, perpetual dusk that seemed to blanket everything around her. The sky above was a canvas of muted oranges and deep purples, swirling together in an unnatural dance that defied the laws of nature she knew.
Then, Niah blinked.
The world turned from orange and purple colors that seemed to glitch in and out of existence. To a dark, gloomy, and normal looking Hyrule. With rain, low clouds, and a feeling of danger.
In the distance, Niah noticed that the road was nothing but dirt and rocks, and a few boulders in between the sparse dead grass and twigs mocking the majesty of trees aside from everything else. Niah got to her feet officially and dusted herself off before hobbling to the side of the rock hill and steadied herself.
For a moment, she glanced back at the entry. It was a one way ticket, and there was no exit. Not until Link was finished.
The air itself felt thick and heavy, charged with an energy that made the hairs on the back of Niah's neck stand on end. It carried unfamiliar scents - a mix of something sweet and slightly acrid, like burnt sugar and ozone.
As she took in her surroundings, Niah looked down, and noticed the sword she'd brought in with her. The blood on it was an odd cast of gold mixed with dried blood. She looked around more and realized Link was nowhere in sight. She expected this, but she'd hoped that she'd still be able to follow him.
Niah reached into her pocket and pulled out the piece of paper Link had given her. Still, she couldn't read it, and it was slightly wet with blood from her arm, but the lettering didn't appear to be damaged, so it was still useful. She put it back in her pocket.
The first few steps forward were the worst of it. It ached, but Niah pressed forward anyways. There was no telling how long it would take to get to the front entrance. With her luck, it could be days. She knew that she had to press forward though. For Link, for her family.
With a sudden realization however, she pulled out her phone and checked it. The screen was cracked. It wasn't a huge one, maybe a hairline, and when she turned it on, it didn't impede on the display at all.
Alone and muddled with confusion, she went to her settings and set the time manually, this would help her manage the time it took to get from point A to point B.
Niah grabbed the sword, thankful for the weapon, and with no map, she continued forward.
/\_
With each step, the colder she got. From blood loss, she didn't know, or maybe it was from the chill of the Twilight. Niah tried to avoid looking at the clock every minute because it made time move slower than she was.
During this time, she had to grab the wall several times, and the brooch burned in her pocket.
There was a breeze every so often that made the air more chilly.
As she trudged on, the burning sensation from the brooch in her pocket intensified, pulsing in rhythm with her labored breaths. She wondered if it was reacting to the strange energies of this place, or if it was trying to communicate something to her.
Niah stumbled, her vision swimming. She reached out to steady herself against a nearby boulder. The world around her flickered, like a faulty television screen, revealing glimpses of another place - a familiar forest, bathed in unique colors, then back to normal.
Shaking her head to clear it, Niah realized that navigating this realm wouldn't be as straightforward as she'd initially thought. The rules of reality seemed fluid here, and she'd need to stay alert for any changes or opportunities they might present.
With renewed determination, she pressed forward, keeping her senses sharp for any more anomalies. As she walked, Niah couldn't shake the feeling that something - or someone - was watching her every move, waiting for the right moment to reveal itself.
Eventually. She passed her way into a clearing. She had been looking down the whole time, totally unaware of her surroundings and dismissive of the idea of danger, Niah blinked her eyes clear to get a more distinct view of the area. Her eyes widened, practically bulged out of her skull.
The castle was more massive in person. The pillars of it towered over every structure. Although it didn't compare to the vast height of skyscrapers, it had its own comparison to beauty. Twilight made the colors dull and silver in essence, when her eyes saw the world 'normal'. The theme of it was medieval and it was clear in its own right.
The field that laid before her wasn't bare of hostile creatures. Twilight bublins held their post over the bridge, shadow keeses flew in the sky, and some huddled over the cliffs, ready to attack.
She tilted her head in confusion. Maybe it was her, but seeing bublins in their Twilight form made no sense. She was in Twilight, but she wasn't a part of it, therefore, she could hardly see it unless she squinted her eyes. The bublins though, were from the Twilight, but somehow merged with the 'normal world' that Niah saw.
Looking at them though, Niah knew she didn't have much of an advantage. Maybe agility due to her even stature and long legs. She had a sword she just happened to grab. When she looked at it though, blood was dry on the blade. She never got to process the death of the man. Never understood what caused her to take such action as to take another life. But it didn't matter at this point. The main objective was to get into Castle Town with no more injuries than she already had, and she knew that would turn into a big problem, and she'd rather address it now rather than later.
Niah looked over to her arm, the flannel wrapped tightly to the area, she decided it was best to remove it. During her walk, she felt her hair pull underneath from her head, a main reason why she kept it down, and too scared to remove it, she dealt with the tiny strands coated with blood. When she removed it, the wound was small enough to clot, and dried blood flaked off like dead skin from a sunburn. It hurt when she removed it. It started to bleed again, but with a little work and pressure, she was able to get even more of the bleeding down to a minimum.
Sword in hand, she pressed forward. When she moved her arm, a shock of pain would radiate through her body, but she had to ignore this, and she had to ignore the pain in her chest as well. Boots pressed against grass and dirt, she felt the first trickles of rain before it began to pour down. Lightning could be seen in the distance, and that was when she realized this was the moment she needed to move. The sound of the downpour would mask her stomps over the bridge, and footsteps on the grass.
Niah was soaked minutes later, she moved herself from the opening and took cover behind a rock. The main bridge to Castle Town was in the distance. She looked around it, and noticed the two monsters conversing with themselves, their bats hanging on their shoulders as they paid no attention to their own surroundings, Niah chuckled at the sight. With a great amount of pain, and the first clash of thunder, she took that opportunity to move again, to shelter under a tree. Probably not the best idea as she watched lightning strike further away, but it would do for now. This time though, she kept her eyes on the two for any sudden movements. She was more concerned with them noticing her, obviously. But she was scared that Link in his wolf form would distract them. Niah couldn't see him or Midna, but he could see the shadow creatures that lurked.
After a minute, there was no change. The rain had soaked her hair even from under the tree. She could see the rain making what looked like waves in the grass, cascading over in a waving complexion like watching a thunderstorm pass over a street, the smell of it wasn't odd either. It was an Earthy smell which mixed with the smell of mud from her boots in a nostalgic symphony. Naih stepped from underneath the tree just as a roar of thunder let out. This left herself open momentarily, as the next sign of cover wasn't for a few hundred feet, but as she got closer and closer to the bridge, she came up with a plan.
If the bublin closest to her kept his back turned just enough, the other facing her wouldn't notice her crouch and kill him. The problem at the moment would be reaction. How would the other one react? What would his reaction time be before he realized what was going on before he attacked?
The bublin facing her moved it's head to look in her direction, they both were startled in the moment. Then a crash of thunder and a streak of lightning illuminated the sky, giving her the necessary time to disappear behind another rock.
Her back pressed against the rock, and Niah clutched her chest in fear. She heard small movement from the grass as two pairs of feet moved in her direction, but they didn't break the necessary threshold of the rock to notice her. Niah soon caught her breath, and clutched the sword in her hand the best she could before she propper herself up to look over the rock. This was it. This was the final push to get over the bridge.
Niah stayed crouched as she made her way to the pillar of the bridge, one bad move, and she could plummet into the water or get attacked. Her heart rapidly beat in her chest, making it ache more, but this time she wasn't sure if it was because of the anxiety, the brooch or a combination of both. Niah didn't know how to handle a sword. Apart from what she did before she entered, she had no skill with it, so she took it into both hands and slowly creeped behind the bublin with her back turned. The monsters were talking in a language she didn't understand as they blocked the bridge, but that didn't matter, this was it. It was now or never.
With a deep breath, Niah rose from behind the monster and with every force in her body, ignoring the ache and the pain in her shoulder, she brought the sword down to the bublins neck.
It screeched in pain and purple blood oozed from the wound as it clutched itself and fell to the ground with a flop and a burst as it turned to dust. Niah stood there in disbelief, something she wasn't able to do when she killed the man, but then turned her gaze to the other bublin who's reaction was just as delayed as her and swung the bat at her.
Niah dodged it, landing in the grass, and when the monster went to swing again she moved her body away from it before picking herself back up.
She held the sword in her hands and the wet from the rain made it hard to grip, but when it went to attack, Niah had miraculously brought her own sword down and slashed a part of the jugular and chest.
It also fell to the ground with no movement, and she prevailed with little to no injury.
Niah took several long deep breaths, then pressed her pocket with the brooch and the slip of paper. She chuckled to herself, releasing the tension before she glanced at the bridge and started to walk over.
Niah got to the highest part of the stone bridge and briskly started to make the slow descent. In the field, she could see enemies lining the tree-line, and deku-babba's hiding in the ground waiting to prance on a single lone person who decided to make the unfortunate trek in their area. Niah started to sweat through the cold and the rain as her anxiety went from a level - calm state, to an anxious and fearful one. She knew she could take out two with the right technique and good luck, but there had to be at least a dozen of them lining the fields. There was absolutely no way she was going to make it out unscathed with an already wounded arm and a broken brooch that seemed to be attached to her physically.
Niah looked to her right where the entrance was. It was far, the drawbridge was down fortunately, but there weren't any Hylian guards, or enemies guarding it. She furrowed her brow. Niah noticed the grass though was tall enough to trudge through, and perhaps killing babbas was a lot easier compared to the bublins on the path.
She contemplated her options as she looked left to right, then left again, Afterwards she took a step back. A pain shot up her arm, and she clutched it again. The blood that had dried, opened the wound again. Niah let out a noise of pain as the blood drenched on her hand was washed away with the downpour.
"I can't believe you're still alive."
Like a force, Niah forgot her pain and picked up the sword. She spun around, wet hair fell over her shoulder as she faced the person behind her.
They wore a cloak with a pancho of similar material. Their face was covered with the hood, and they wore a cloth over their mouth. They were on a horse. A stallion where the black color from their hooves turned into an ombre that faded to the brown coat.
"...who are you?" Niah stood and kept her feet together the best she could, she held the sword in her left hand at her side.
The individual removed the cloth over their mouth. Their skin was tan like hers, and stoic. The horse swayed a bit. "Burvis must have spoken of me. Did he not?" Their voice was just as stoic as she assumed, it showed no emotion and their lips barely parted as they spoke. The rain drizzled as Niah attempted to remember who they were because Burvis must have spoken about them at least once, did he not?
"I-" The adrenaline left her body, and Niah started to shiver from the cold. Quickly, she turned her head towards the bleeding of her arm and let out a sigh, then looked back. "I-I think so."
"I was with you when the Yiga Hideout went down-"
They hideout, oh yes, she remembered.
Ash scattered along the dirt from the fire. How long had it been since they escaped? They hid below the fields of the hideout. The air was filled with a terrible new stench, and Niah turned her gaze to see a dead young boy laying with his eyes wide open beside her. They were starting to go cloudy with death and even underneath the parapet of stone, she was sure that it was recent, and his body could still be pliable. Niah attempted to reach for him to check for a pulse. It was human instinct. He was dead though, the poor boy couldn't be more than twelve or thirteen. Upon the immediate realization, Niah held her hand up to her mouth as tears swelled in her eyes.
Upon realization, the pain in Niah's chest got worse as she collapsed and clutched herself, then stared up at them. "You started the explosion-" It wasn't a question, and they nodded to the statement.
"Proud of it too." Though, their face didn't show it.
"Azazu, right?"
They nodded, then held out their hand. "You don't have a pass. You'll need a pass to get in."
Niah used the stone of the bridge to hoist herself back to her feet. She wanted to chastise Azazu, throw them down and demand an explanation as to the death of children. Even through the rain, her face was hot with anger, but it quickly left as she realized this was the opportunity to get into the city. Even despite her moral and ethical obligations as a human from another world, she still needed to accomplish something.
Wearily, Niah made her way towards Azazu, they held out their hand, and she took it. Her grip was weak, and she knew it would be a struggle to climb on top of the stallion, but she managed with a few deep breaths, and more blood from her arm.
Azazu lightly kicked the horse, and it started to move forward.
"They're stupid." They said, grasping the reins and taking the horse left along the path, "Keeses and deku's are the ones you have to be worried about. Deku's feel the vibrations from your feet because they're blind, and keeses…" Azazu shrugged. "They're just annoying and lookin' for trouble."
"They're blind?" Niah asked, turning to a dead patch of Twilight grass next to them, but rather far away. "I didn't know…"
It reminded her of a TV show, back at home. Goodness, she couldn't think of the name. But a character was blind and moved rocks and stones; the earth.
A deku sprouted before them with a hiss. Niah jumped, but Azazu took no time in getting a slingshot to shoot it down. It didn't die, but it hibernated itself again in its own little cocoon beneath the earth. "Don't use a sword. You risk cutting the vine to release it. Use a bow or slingshot instead."
Niah did forget about that part, but she couldn't remember if it was just the Twilight ones, or the normal ones typically found in places like Faron Woods, or the fields of Hyrule near Kakariko. Silently, Niah nodded.
Eventually, the rain stopped, which was pleasant. But a fog blew in covering their path. Azazu pulled the lantern from her hip and lit in, and reattached it to the saddle, low to the ground to light their way the best it could. Tempted, Niah reached into her pocket to get out her phone's flashlight, but quickly decided against it, afraid it could be a beacon to warn other enemies, and swarm them. That was probably why they were moving slowly. Azazu took the time to notice their surroundings fluidly. If she saw a patch of keeses off in a distant tree, they took no time in getting out the slingshot to hunt them down, and when plenty was evaporated or sand in the dirt – the rest would fly off towards the horizon. Or at least, as far as they could go with the area shrouded in darkness.
The sky remained gloomy, and the smell of Earth and ash permeated Niah's senses. The gate was so close, but so far away. The feeling of the horse unbothered by the danger forced her to wonder if the two of them experienced danger often. Which wasn't a surprise considering the Yiga Hideout. Niah had never experienced anything like this back at home. There was barely adrenaline that lit up in her body anymore since she left for college, and before that, the most danger she felt was walking home alone, or taking public transport. Maybe a creepy man staring at her here and there, but that was it. High school was different when she fought, and for a moment away, she longed for it. But now, she anticipated it, and now she anticipates it. There is no joy in the thought.
Niah grimaced at the thought, and the circumstance.
"How did you get here?" The voice perked, apathetic and sober as before.
"How did you?"
Believe it or not, they let out a small chuckle. "I have my ways."
Niah left it at that and had no intentions of speaking again until Azazu did.
"Where's y'er friend?" They spoke with genuine curiosity as they gave a slight look back.
"He's…" Niah stopped as she considered her words, "He's somewhere. Still alive…I hope."
This time, Azazu let out a laugh that blossomed from their chest. Niah felt it, and her face got red from the way the body shook with laughter.
"Your friend is interesting. He's got a mouth on him. But I like you more. You…" Deep in thought they furrowed their brows. " …y'er different I guess. More aware."
"I'll take that as a compliment I guess."
"You should. I don't like a lot of people."
Niah took the opportunity to fold her arms. They could look at each other face to face, but Azazu got the message as they attempted to turn their head towards Niah. "Like Burvis." Niah said matter-of-factly.
"No." They replied firmly, "He's too confident considering his circumstances. You should-a heard him when he spoke about you. When you were in the cell, 'you should see her Az, she has this long brown wavy hair, and she tan, and oh my Gods Az, she is beautiful. I dunno why they took her-' It was comical." They broke out in a deeper laugh.
"No, he didn't." Niah's face went red, and she was sure Azazu knew. "You're exaggerating."
"Nah. I'm pretty sure he only helped Link because you were in the package."
Again, she frowned, "No. Link's the hero. Don't say that."
They smirked with a shrug, "Alright-y, whatever you say."
They approached the drawbridge quickly after that, and idle conversation ceased. Next was a stable held down by a soaked stablehand. He nodded towards the two of them before Azazu proceeded forward with their own nod of acknowledgement. Guards in armor lined the main entrance over the bridge. Niah looked down and noticed the moat underneath them. Azazu killed the fire to the lantern, then opened her coat pocket to pull out a bit of paper. Neither of the guards took the time to read it, but noticed it with a nod, and let them proceed. They entered the town.
Niah was graced with the sight of Castle Town. It was a near replica from the game, however the clothes were more regency based. Women wore more frizzy clothing with puffs and pom-poms on their shoulders, and the colors weren't soft toned, but bright pastel pink or blue. Many of them stayed sheltered underneath canopies to hide from the rain, and others walked quickly, avoiding puddles and mud. The shops she remembered were there, and they avoided the road which was lined with fancy carriages and footmen to open doors. With everything she knew, and had seen so far. Castle Town was big. Bigger than big. Horses lined the streets, or they were hitched along the brick road. The smell was clean and earthy with the sound of chatter and laughter filling her ears.
"Where are you headed to?"
It took a moment to pull herself away from the area, but she pulled the address paper from her pocket, and Azazu held out her hand to take it.
"Oh, the rich side of town." Azazu read the paper with the scratchy handwriting, and ink blots from being wet from the rain.
"Is it?"
"Yeah." They folded the paper and handed it back.
Castle Town bustled as they rode along. Raindrops dripped from roofs after the passing rain and the air grew muggy with the city as more people started to leave their homes and other businesses. The roads were narrow after they left the city square, and everything felt like a traffic jam. They passed ally's filled with flowers and rich children playing.
Niah knew they were getting closer to their destination because the homes went from simple townhouses adorned with simple bouquets of flowers over the knock of the door, to lavish mansions with brass gates and nameplates. There was an intense smell of lavender, as many of the mansions were covered with vines of flowers from violets to hibiscus petals that lined the street as it went from a narrow shape to a wide one, making Niah feel less claustrophobic.
The closer they approached, the more anxiety she felt.
What would Ilia be like? In the game she was nice and approachable with a warm sense of confidence. But this wasn't the game. She had to keep reminding herself. Everything was different, bigger, more grand. This meant Ilia could be much different. She was married off to live lavishly, and Ordon wasn't just its own little village disconnected from Hyrule anymore with little to no association to it: It was part of Hyrule now because of it.
Niah felt sweat bead on her face, and the salt of it trickled into the cut in her arm, making it sting and burn. Niah let out an exaggerated gasp in pain, but fought through it.
On second thought. This was a bad idea. Niah was in pain, and bleeding, and although it wasn't as severe as before, any small movement after the blood would start to clot would open it again.
Niah took a deep breath. No, she needed to see her. Niah didn't know what she was going to tell Ilia, but that didn't matter. Niah knew Link. Ilia knew Link. And she needed to be informed that he was going to see her, and Link needed Ilia to do one little favor. A favor of keeping Niah safe and protected until he arrived.
Maybe she would be happy to hear from him. To see him. Niah wants her to be ecstatic when she hears that Link is alive and well. Niah wanted the conversation with her, and she wanted to tell her how stupid he could be sometimes.
Niah forced that single train of thought to lift her spirits, but as soon as that thought ended, Azazu moved the horse to the edge of the sidewalk. To many, it was just a normal drop-off as they walked by with the skirts of their dresses up, and a parasol in hand. But stringy looks of disgust weren't disguised either. Niah was dirty and unkempt, she was near to being completely covered in blood, and she was not dressed like all the other women that walked past her. She didn't take any mind to it however, as she dismounted from the horse, and Azazu pointed to a specific house.
"That one, right there. The one with the sunflowers. Go up to the guy there standing outside, and let him know you need to speak with someone. If he asks for a calling card-"
"I give him the note. I got it." Niah nodded and looked up towards Azazu.
For a moment longer than they should have, but sighed. "Yeppers, you got it."
Niah raised an eyebrow, "What if they don't let me in though? Where do I go?"
"We'll head to Telma's bar. Don't worry. I won't leave until I watch you walk into that door. I'm not going to abandon you."
Niah let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, then nodded.
Slowly, Niah stepped onto the cobblestone sidewalk and moved forward, her footsteps echoing in the Twilight-dimmed streets. Occasionally, she looked back to see if Azazu went against their word, but everytime she did. They were still there. They nodded to Niah, pressuring her to continue on, and before she knew it, Niah made it to the front entrance. As she moved forward, Niah's heart pounded in her chest, each beat a reminder of her vulnerability in this place. Her fingers trembled slightly as they brushed against the rough fabric of her pocket, seeking reassurance from the folded paper.
The paper was taken from her pocket. She looked back and forth towards the address on the plate, to the paper, wanting to be extra confident that this was the place. It was, the numbers matched up.
"State your intent." a gruff voice barked, startling Niah from her observations. She whirled to face the guard, a burly man with a stern face partially hidden beneath the shadow of his helmet. His hand rested casually on the hilt of his sword, a silent warning.
Niah jumped as she looked at the man guarding the gate. "I-I need to speak with Ilia. I need to talk to her about a mutual friend-" Niah's fingers fumbled with the paper as she withdrew it from her pocket, the material feeling suddenly fragile in her trembling hands. Her eyes darted between the ornate address plate on the gate and the hastily scrawled numbers on the paper, each comparison increasing her certainty and her trepidation in equal measure.
The man held out his hand, "I need a calling card, miss."
"I-I don't have one." She muttered.
"No calling card? That's... unusual. We don't typically allow unannounced visitors, especially in these troubled times." He paused, seeming to consider the situation. Then, with a slight tilt of his head, he continued.
"However, you mentioned a mutual friend. Who might that be? And what's your name, miss? I'll need to verify your claim before I can even consider letting you through."
The guard's posture remained alert, his hand still resting casually on his weapon. However, there was a hint of curiosity in his eyes, suggesting that while he was adhering to protocol, he wasn't entirely unsympathetic to Niah's predicament.
"Understand, this is for everyone's safety," he added, his tone softening slightly. "These are dangerous times, and we must be cautious."
"Niah. Niah Flores. And I need to talk to Ilia about Link."
The guard side-eyed her before nodding. "That's a name we hear all too often from the Lady, Miss Flores-" he stopped and stared at her, pondering something, "-but that's an interesting last name," the man uttered. His gruff voice was stale and assuming. "I haven't heard of you. Where is your family from?"
"I apologize sir." Her voice turned to be commanding and forward. "That doesn't matter right now. I need to speak with her right now-"
The guard cut Niah's sentence off as he let out a hearty laugh. "I cannot just let you in, these are terrible times. Regardless, I suppose I can send the runner to fetch her. If she decides to make an appearance, please understand, if your intentions are less than honest, I will not hesitate." The man gripped the sword so tight, his fingers were white.
Internally, she flinched, but nodded in understanding.
His lips remained straight as he turned his head towards the other side of the locked gate but he never took his eyes away from her, he yelled through the bars. "Boy!" The guard's shout cut through the air. Sharp. Commanding. A young man materialized from the shadows beyond the gate, silent and attentive.
A young kid stepped from the otherside. Niah hadn't seen him due to the angle. He didn't utter a word. "I need you to inform Lady Salem that she has a visitor. A visitor brings her important information about a friend named Link."
The runner nodded wordlessly at the instructions and walked off towards the door. "You will wait here until I have orders to let you through." The guard's armor clinked softly as he shifted his weight, the sound mingling with the distant bustle from beyond the gate. A cool breeze carried the scent of blooming flowers mixed with the metallic tang of the iron bars
Niah nodded and took a swift glance to look at Azazu who sat on her horse waiting for her to at least walk through the gate.
It was awkward standing out there in front of the man. He essentially warned her not to make any sudden movements.
The guard's scrutinizing gaze never left Niah as they stood in uncomfortable silence. His eyes, sharp and observant, suddenly narrowed as they caught something amiss. He tilted his head slightly, focusing on her arm.
"Miss," he said, his gruff voice tinged with a hint of concern, "-you're injured."
Niah followed his gaze to her arm, where the hastily wrapped flannel had slipped, revealing the angry red wound beneath. A small trickle of blood had seeped through the makeshift bandage, stark against her pale skin.
"It's nothing," Niah said quickly, adjusting the cloth to cover the injury. But the guard wasn't so easily dismissed.
He stepped closer, his trained eyes assessing the wound with professional detachment. "That doesn't look like nothing. How did you come by such an injury?"
Niah hesitated, her mind racing. How much should she reveal? The guard's hand instinctively moved to rest on the hilt of his sword, his posture tensing slightly.
"I... had a run-in with some monsters on the way here," she said, opting for a partial truth. "It looks worse than it is."
The guard's expression softened slightly, but suspicion still lingered in his eyes. "Monsters, eh? They've been getting bolder lately. All the more reason to be cautious about who we let through these gates."
He paused, seeming to weigh his next words carefully. "Once Lady Ilia has seen you - if she chooses to do so - you might want to have that looked at. We have capable healers here."
Niah nodded, grateful for the unexpected show of concern. As they lapsed back into silence, she couldn't help but wonder: was this small act of kindness a good omen, or would it make what she had to do even more difficult?
A few moments later, the boy reappeared through the heavy front door, his silhouette framed against the dimming light of the evening sky. The atmosphere had shifted dramatically; low, slate-gray clouds cascaded above them, swirling ominously as if threatening to unleash a deluge at any moment. Yet, for Niah, the sight of the young runner filled her with an unexpected excitement—and eagerness to finally progress toward her goal.
The boy approached the bars cautiously, his small frame tense with unease. Niah noted with concern that his dark hair hung heavy and damp against his forehead, droplets clinging to the strands as they dripped onto his light tunic, now darkened by the rain. The fabric seemed inadequate for the chilly air that snaked around them, causing him to shiver visibly, his teeth chattering slightly.
"She said to… e-enter." His voice stammered as any last semblance of bravado left him.
Niah felt her heart leap at the boy's words, a mixture of anticipation and nervousness surging through her. She stepped forward, the cold metal of the gate rifling through the thick layers of her anxiety. "Thank you," she replied softly, offering him a warm smile, hoping to reassure him amidst the chill.
As the gate creaked open, she stepped through to the other side, the moment monumental. She found herself standing in a softly lit corridor that led to a modest yet elegant chamber, adorned with tapestries that told tales of valor and friendship.
At the far end of this space stood Ilia, a vision of propriety and grace. She was dressed in a flowing gown that complemented her gentle features, her hair short, but adorned with circlets of gold. It hung from the scalp as a clip, and the gold wire or string made it look like a veil of gold was atop her head, it cascaded down to the center of her back. Her posture was straight, emanating an air of confidence and decorum that demanded respect. As Niah entered, Ilia regarded her with a curious yet composed gaze, her expression neutral but inquisitive.
"Welcome, Niah Flores," Ilia said, her voice calm and melodic, like a gentle stream in springtime. "I understand you have something important to share with me regarding Link."
