World Tree MUSH

  After the battle, the displaced princess had more or less collapsed where she was once the dead Twilight Messenger had been dragged off of her. The remains had erupted into those geometrical embers and dissipated on the cold wind.

  Notably, she had slept through the night. No nightmares had disturbed her as they usually do. She did not wake for the midnight watch. The Sacred Beast had settled beside her and Rydia to keep the two sorceresses warm, and once Cecil had found firewood, a fire has been kept tended in the hearth for the benefit of all.

  The princess was obviously out of it, though, and hadn't been alert enough to issue any commands. She had slept through the night, morning, afternoon, and evening of the day after the battle. Although she'd woken long enough to tend the fire, she had slumped back down beside Link, curling up in her bedroll.

  Like before, she hadn't woken until late morning 

  The princess was a little out of it, though. She'd slept through the night, through the morning, through the afternoon, and straight through to the evening of the next day. Not even activity around the camp could rouse her.

  She'd finally managed to pull herself awake long enough to tend the fire, but she had gone to sleep again after that, curled up in front of it. Apparently the effort of holding that beast still had been monstrously draining. It had fought her every inch of the way, but it was the only way to allow the others to dispatch it; more than that, it had her by the throat, and restraint was the only way she could keep it from tearing out her windpipe.

  By morning she'd recovered enough to look after the pack animals, which had drained her enough to sleep through the afternoon. Now, at early evening, the princess is recovered enough to be up and about again, and this time she's poking through the ruins of the writing desk against one side of the third-floor chamber.

  The desk is pretty surprisingly intact. So, naturally, there's got to be /something/ good in it... right?

    It's a fairly good time, all told, for Yumi to be returning. She'd opted to go home and have a rest, get warm for a little bit, and assuage her legal guardian that no, she is not in any danger. But true to her nature, what had been planned as a few days' rest has turned into just two, before the worrywart finds herself trekking back in the doors of Snowpeak. She wastes no time; as soon as Yumi is in the door, she calls out a simple, "Hello? Hey, I'm back, is anyone up and around?" The place is big enough that not receiving an immediate answer isn't a concern. So instead, she just starts headed up the stairs, aiming for the same path she'd gone furiously charging up a couple days past. As soon as someone answers, though, she'll head that way quickly.

  "Tachibana Yumi?" The princess' voice is distant, but the ruins are quiet enough to hear what she's saying; the wind, for once, is calm outside. "Up here. Third floor."

  The princess is knelt before the room's writing desk, with a number of drawers emptied in front of her. Most of what's in there is junk. The quills are mostly rotted, leaving only their metal nibs. What parchment is left is also rotted away, leaving only a few flimsy tatters. A few empty glass bottles, and somehow the corks are still intact.

  That stuff isn't what she's after, though. She's left it aside for now. Instead, she's got her head and one shoulder up under the thing, as though she were searching for a hidden drawer.

  It's not until she hears footsteps that she squints sideways through the broken frame. "Ah. Tachibana Yumi. Wait a moment."

  There comes from inside the desk the sound of wood screeching, and a grunt of effort from the princess. Then, with the sound of splintering wood, she's sent sprawling backward, clutching her prize -- a small drawer with iron banding around it, like a document-sized strongbox.

  Breathing hard for a moment, she closes her eyes and catches her breath before straightening. And what, exactly, has she found...? It must be good. She grins. "Just in time. I think I've found something terribly useful to us."

    "On the way!"

    Yumi's there quickly, and staring at both desk and princess almost immediately. It's an amusing sight in its own way. "That poor desk," she observes, chuckling softly. Into the room the girl steps, hands still in her pockets, stopping just shy of Zelda and her prize. The box gets a look, then the desk, then the box again; a second later, she decides to crouch down beside Zelda, giving it a closer look. "Hidden compartment... papers of some kind maybe?" The princess gets a curious glance. "How'd you know it was there?" Pause. "And how do we open it?"

  "Going by the rest of the estate, it was like this when we got here." Zelda turns the box this way and that. It's small, as though designed to dovetail above or below a drawer, tucked out of sight.

  As to how she found it, the Hylian chuckles, briefly. "Clever mechanisms like this are commonplace. One can hide sensitive documents this way, without putting them in an obvious place. I had something like this in my own writing desk."

  "What I'm looking for," she explains, "is a royal sanction. It should be in an envelope of some kind, and it should have a wax seal with the outspread wings and the Triforce." Zelda forms a loose triangle with her fingers to demonstrate. "It should contain plans of the structure. From there, I can begin taking stock of what we need to make repairs. We cannot stay here with the snow drifting in."

  As it is, the drafty bedroom chamber is drafty, because there's a chunk of the ceiling that's just gone. There's a pile of snow under it.

  She lifts the box, before handing it to Yumi. "Will you do the honours? The hasp of the lock is rusted shut, so a good sharp blow ought to break it, but I do not think I have the strength for that." Her smile is apologetic. "I'm sorry. The fight took a lot out of me. I expected as much."

    As Zelda explains, understanding lights up Yumi's face. "Oh! Oh wow, that's... that's actually a pretty good idea." She glances up to the hole in the roof, frowning. "...not sure we'll be able to get the personnel up here easily, but knowing /what/ we need is a good first step, at least." The box is handed over, and Yumi takes it with a firm nod. "Sure! Let me see..." She turns it over, tapping and pressing at this or that side, with a murmur of, "Might as well give it a check for hidden catches, just in case." But when that proves fruitless, the orange-haired girl gives a simple nod. That's about as expected.

    So she stands up, walks over, and gives the box a sudden, sharp SLAM, lock-first, against the stone wall. And thus, the lock is open. "Here," Yumi says cheerfully, handing it back. "Bet you we find the key within the next few hours."

  "Mmhmm." Zelda manages a faint smile as the light dawns on her friend. "This building needs to be restored if we plan to stay here for any length of time. I have the funds to handle basic repairs, but what I lack is an idea of the materials we need. This estate's royal sanction should have that."

  She leans back, letting Yumi take a good look at the miniature strongbox. It was well-made once, but it's too weathered. The metal mechanisms got wet at some point, and now they've rusted shut.

  Still, the thing is promising. It's about the size of a sheaf of parchment. Documents are a very likely thing for it to hold.

  "Well played, Tachibana Yumi," Zelda states serenely, accepting the box back from her orange-haired friend. "Of course we will. Isn't that always the way of things? Still, the lock itself is rusted. I expect the key would have broken, regardless."

  That's her kind of luck, lately.

  Pushing herself to her feet, she takes her prize and trudges over to the hearth, gesturing for Yumi to follow. It's too cold to sit away from the fire, and she's made a point of keeping the hearth burning. That means a fair amount of firewood, but it's just temporary until they can figure out a better solution. She has a few ideas.

  "Now, then..." Zelda pops the box open, setting the rusted pieces of the lock aside. "Let's see what we've found."

  Well, she tries to pop it open, but frowns when it doesn't move. A sharp tug forces the rusted hinges, squealing in protest, and she reaches in to take what's inside. An evenlope. She deftly breaks the royal wax seal with a thumb, flipping it open and pulling out the sheaf of parchment inside.

  The rustle of parchment is like music, and the princess smiles broadly. Exactly what she was looking for--

  The smile fades like snow in the sun as her blue eyes skim the pages. The glyphs are bizarre, but maybe Yumi can make sense of them through whatever force it is that lets their words be understood. It's very official-looking, crisply penned.

  Her eyes narrow as she reads.

  "Skies, seas, stones, and sand." It sounds like a curse, at least by the tone of her voice. "There are pages missing. The first floor ought to have a library, so we will find what we need there. I expect there is a hidden shelf in one of the bookcases, and that this omission is wholly intentional."

  She pushes herself to her feet, tossing the broken lockbox aside, and tucking the parchment into her rucksack. Taking up her black hooded robe, she throws the mourning cloak over her shoulders, tucking her hands into the sleeves.

  "Do you care to do a bit of exploring, Tachibana Yumi?" The ghost of a devil-may-care smile flickers across Zelda's face. This royal was probably a /handful/ as a child. "The halls are as safe as they will be; there are no monsters, and I sense no errant aura of the Twilight. Besides which, I have another reason. If this was built by Hylian hands, there is a temple somewhere in this building, and it would be a relief to me to find that as well."

    Well, even if it's open to the blizzard, the combination of 'being /mostly/ enclosed' and 'having a warm fire burning' ensures that the room is still much warmer than the outside; Yumi is quite happy to go amble over and take a seat beside Zelda. And there's... papers. Papers, papers and more papers. To be fair, that's what they're looking for, but... well, it doesn't seem to quite be what they're looking for.

    Hidden shelf? Library? Oh man, that actually sounds kind of interesting - which is a welcome change from 'dangerous' and 'terrifying', for certain. And seeing a temple to Hylia would be wonderful too. "I'd love that," Yumi concludes, moving sto stand up herself. She also reaches over to grab her bat, though. "Just in case. Could use it to break bigger locks, too."

  The girl seems eager to go poking about, and her enthusiasm is met with a brief nod from the princess. Good. Zelda rummages through her things before retrieving her sword belt and a torch, lighting it from the hearth and holding it before her.

  Aside from providing light, it's also nice and warm.

  The trek back down is by far slower than the trek up had been, and Zelda makes her way down carefully. There's still damage to the structures, not to mention ice.

  Down on the first floor, the pack animals are sheltered in the driest corner, blankets helping to keep them warm and fodder spread for them. Zelda files past them, giving a wide berth to the black horse she had rescued. He's warmed up to them a little, but he's still unpredictable.

  Holding aloft the torch, she proceeds straight back from the great hall, before choosing a door to the left. "I'm still not certain who built this place. There are no names in the documents, although I recognise my royal grandmother's seal."

  "It was in her rule that this structure was sanctioned... but the lack of names is curious," she explains as they walk, silence broken only by their footsteps, their breath fogging in front of them, and the quiet crackling of the torch.

    In a more relaxed atmosphere, Yumi can walk with her bat slung over one shoulder; it's a posture that feels surprisingly natural. As they pass by the animals, she gives the horse a lingering look. Even he seems to be doing a little better these days. It's gratifying.

    "These suits of armor, they don't look like a Hylian," Yumi observes. "Unless Hylian men look very different from Hylian women," she adds, with an amused glance at Zelda. "...is this how Gorons are shaped? ...no, you said they live in an active volcano, so this wouldn't be..." She's working through her own considerations fairly fast; she's a pretty sharp girl, all told. "Those weapons are pretty heavy, though. And the hands... three fingers and a thumb." Weird. "Do you remember your grandmother talking about other races?"

  Stepping off the frozen carpet, the princess holds her torch up to inspect one of the suits of armour. They have a curiously broad, almost bulbous construction. A human or a Hylian wouldn't even be able to fit in one of them. They're too big.

  "Um," Zelda breathes, distractedly, narrowing her eyes at the strange suits of armour. She does flick a sidelong glance at Yumi at the girl's observation on Hylian men, shuddering. "Merciful Hylia, I hope not. If the men looked like this, I would let the royal line die with me."

  She's trying to think of what these things must look like. Dramatically larger than a Hylian, but smaller than a Goron, and too large for a slender Zora. The Sheikah are all gone, but according to what she's read, they were small and slender, more so than even Hylians. "This is not like any race I know."

  Should they go back? Is this potentially dangerous? Nah, probably not. A little danger never frightened this royal away, anyway.

  "No. Gorons have no urgent need of armour. Their stone hides are strong as the mountain." Zelda reaches out to run a gloved finger over one of the blackened, gold-trimmed plates. She wracks her memory at the same time, eyes distant and somewhat unfocused. "A Hylian could not even lift those weapons. No. Grandmother never mentioned others. There are the Gorons, the Hylians, the Zora... that is all. There were others, once, but they have long since perished. The Sheikah died in my grandmother's time, but they looked much like Hylians."

  She frowns, thoughtfully. "It will be something to bear in mind, but it is a mystery we cannot solve as we are now. Come." It's a gentle order, and it's with obvious effort that the princess turns herself away from an active mystery. Oh, it's tempting to drop everything and go haring after the details... but she has more responsibility than that.

  Grudgingly.

  "Let's try that door." She points to the next one down the hall, and then gestures toward Yumi's baseball bat. "It looks to be frozen shut. Do you mind...?"

    The two of them are both quite curious, but it isn't a mystery they can afford right this minute. Definitely one to investigate later, though. Especially if it's one that eludes even Zelda, with her royal knowledge of the kingdom and its history. If the royal family doesn't have access to that info, it must be deeply buried indeed. "Yeah. Gonna keep making me wonder, though." That's the kind of oddball thing that bugs you for days.

    But now is further exploring time! There are more basic, easily-solvable problems at hand. Like a door. "Yeah, I can do that, hang on." Of course, being who she is, the first thing Yumi tries is to open the door 'properly'; if she smashes at it when she could have just turned a knob, she'll feel awfully foolish. Only when it proves to be unopenable will she bring the bat to bear, but she will most certainly do so with great force and persistence.

  "I agree." Zelda's soft statement is uneasy. It isn't in her nature to fear the unknown, but finding these bizarre things practically on their doorstep is unsettling. "I will look into this later. Something about these makes me uneasy."

  She turns, cocking a summer-blue eye toward the door and holding the torch high so Yumi can see what she's doing. There's a wince when the bat smashes into the handle of the door, to try and beat the frozen lock into submission. It's very loud in the empty hall.

  It gives way with a splintering of timber, which is less a reflection on the quality of the work and more on the estate's abandonment. The door eases open on squealing hinges.

  Inside is... it's an odd chamber. It looks empty at a cursory glance, but Zelda takes a hesitant step forward as though physically drawn to it.

  The room is deep and wide, about the size of a church nave. There are pew-like seats that line the back of the room in three rows. The fore end hosts a large, ancient statue, weathered from age and neglect. It depicts a standing woman with head bowed, wings curved to round out the shoulders, expression distant but benevolent. Her hands are clasped before her, and she's carved to wear a flowing robe.

  Before her, the paving stones on the floor fade into smooth stone, and a basin is worn into it, so smooth that it's either genuinely ancient or produced by masterful craftsmen. Was it carved by Goron or Zora hands...? There is water in the basin, waist-deep, rimed over by ice.

  Zelda lets out a breathless laugh. "Oh... it's a temple." She hurries forward the next few steps, stopping short of the frozen pool. "A temple to Hylia. Come in, Tachibana Yumi; O, please, come in! This is a sanctuary." The princess reaches out to lay a hand on the statue, from the side of it. "We are not saved, but oh, this gives my heart joy. Her Grace is watching over us."

  "It also proves without a doubt this place was built by Hylian hands... with a little help from Goron or Zora hands, with this stonework. Mayhap those suits belonged to an eccentric collector?" Zelda offers, running a hand down the smooth-worn stone in clear affection. "Ah, this is such a relief to me... and before Farore's Day, too. Well, this does not solve any mysteries, but it gladdens my heart to find."

  Really, it's just a statue. She must take her duties as a priestess pretty seriously...

  "Not having a temple like this, a statue of Her Grace to look down on me at prayer -- it was like... hm. Like when you described how the weapons did not suit you. Not having this temple, that was the same for me." Zelda sighs, relieved. "We will restore the structure, first, but I will focus my efforts here, as well. These temples..."

    Well, whatever Yumi was expecting to find, this isn't it. She half suspected they'd found the library already, or somesuch. That first glance shows nothing but emptiness, and briefly she's confused; but then her eyes start picking out details. Pews. A statue, of a woman with wings. She's starting to catch on already, when Zelda confirms it. The temple to Hylia the princess expected.

    At that, she's quite glad to come jogging in, though a few steps in and the girl stops, respectfully. No running in church! "It's... it's beautiful, even after all this time." Snowpeak feels like it's been abandoned much more than the time since Hyrule's invasion; and yet, here this chapel is, still intact. "...they mean a lot, to you and your people," Yumi finishes for Zelda. "I... I don't have anything I believe in like that myself, but I can understand it. Not to mention," she adds with amusement, "I think it has a lot more meaning for someone with actual divine blood in her veins." For Zelda, it might not just be a consolation to restore Hylia's places of worship. It could well be a necessity. "Is there... I'm not committing any transgressions just by walking in, am I?" It's a belated realization, but kind of important.

  Lifting her eyes to the far reaches of the room, where windows have been cleverly cut to let in as much light as possible, the princess turns in a slow circle to survey the damage. It's in better shape than the rest of the structure but that doesn't mean much.

  Some of the high windows are broken, which explains the skein of ice over the silent basin. Closest to the window, snow dusts the arc of Hylia's right wing. One or two of the pews are smashed and splintered, and there's something odd under the pew close by.

  Zelda's gaze turns back down. She looks back to Yumi, listening in silence. "It could be in better condition. Someone has not been taking care of her." Her smile is fond but sad. "A sign of this place's desertion, I suppose. After all, who in their right mind would come up here for a statue, even one as beloved as Her Grace...?"

  When Yumi says she hasn't got anything to believe in, something almost melancholy crosses the princess' expression. Something about that strikes her as terribly sad, having nothing to believe in.

  Her head tilts the other way, and she shakes her head. More meaning, because she has the divinity in her own veins?

  "I have no more claim to this place than any of my subjects. Her Grace does not turn her people away. That would be against her very nature, I think." Zelda smiles faintly, looking up to the statue. "She loved her chosen people. After her final battle, after she drove back the ancient evil and sealed it away, Her Grace shed her divinity, to walk among her people; the better to protect them."

  It's... not a fully correct account, but no one alive would know the difference. Even Zelda herself doesn't know the full truth. Hylia hasn't seen fit to fill her descendant in on the details.

  "Some of her essence remains within Hyrule, but it is diminished. Places like these, where her presence is strong; and within me." Zelda finishes her explanation by clasping a hand at her heart. Her eyes close for a moment. "I carry Her Grace's essence within me, as my royal mother did, and my royal grandmother before her. As my daughters will, in time."

  "She does not speak to me as Nayru, as the Author of Law, does. I cannot hear her voice as I do Din, Bearer of Power, or Farore, the Lifegiver... but I still hear her voice, in the sun on my face, or the wind at my back." Zelda smiles, letting her hand drop and opening her eyes. "One might say Her Grace is no longer part of the world... but she is. One need only know how to listen."

  Obviously she can still call on the Goddess of Light for aid, because she sure came through during the battle.

  Yumi asks if she's committing some kind of transgression by walking into the temple.

  Zelda's mouth quirks in a half-smile.

  "You have been invited in by one who bears the blood of the Goddess Hylia."

  There's something downright playful in her tone.

  "What do you think, Tachibana Yumi?"

    "It could also be in much worse," Yumi notes. "It's still in better shape than some parts of this... would you call this a manor? A fortress, a castle?" Nomenclature aside, she listens quietly, as she always does; of course, she has no context for Zelda's acccount of Hylia's past, but just hearing it is interesting. It's the kind of story that would just be metaphorical back home, but here, she's hearing it from someone who has displayed actual divine power. As recently as two days ago, in fact.

    Yumi can't help herself. She giggles at Zelda's response. "I think that's probably the strongest answer I could get." She takes a few steps further in, setting her bat aside and looking around. "...But I also think you missed one. Way to hear her voice, I mean." Now and then, the girl with the orange hair seems to display a perceptiveness beyond her years; moments where her view on things skews much more nuanced and adult than most girls her age.

    It's probably why she feels so different from her peers at school.

    Turning, Yumi faces Zelda, taking a few steps forward; then lifts a hand and points a finger, straight for the Hylian royal's heart. "If you've got the blood of the Goddess in your veins... maybe it's better to think of her as an ancestor? One you take after? I don't know what she was like, but... I mean, I've said it before, you're looking after your country, even powerless and in exile." Adjusting her coat a little, Yumi turns to look up at the statue. "I think... I think you can listen to your heart and get her guidance pretty well, if her blood's part of your line."

  "Yes, it could be worse." The Hylian looks up to the ceiling, where the damage is most apparent. It looks like most of it followed broken windows and errant snow. "I think this will not be too difficult to have repaired. That is good."

  Given how she had taken discovering the temple, finding it a complete ruin probably would have broken her heart.

  Her eyes flick back to Yumi when the girl comments on the answer, making her way fully into the chamber. When the girl corrects her, Zelda tilts her head in a silent but clear prompt to continue. Yes?

  Zelda almost takes a reflexive half-step back when she finds her heart pointed at, blinking owlishly. "Ah--?"

  She listens with an expression of subtle surprise. Really? That's pretty insightful, and something that she hadn't expected the other to say. The simple beauty of it strikes her. For a moment all she can do is stare, those summer-blue eyes just a touch misty as she blinks rapidly.

  There is a simple beauty in Yumi's observation. The princess manages a smile that seems just a touch wavering. Maybe she's just exhausted still, but the words strike a chord in her.

  "Oh..."

  Zelda turns away, bowing her head so part of her hair -- come loose from its messy braid -- falls to hide her face.

  Was that a sniffle? No. Goddesses, no. She is a strong and confident sovereign. Strong and confident sovereigns do not blubber when faced with profound insights that happen to be heartbreakingly generous and kind.

  The Hylian moves smoothly into a ritual bow that continues to hides her face, folding elegantly at the waist despite layered clothing, gloved hands clasping one another and balancing the torch masterfully.

  "Her Grace is my direct ancestor, though all but the royal family have forgotten that, over the ages... yes. I bear the blood of the goddess. It is not metaphor or flowery description; it is objective truth." Her voice is almost voiceless; she doesn't trust it to use it fully, certain it will crack. It falls until it's so soft and low it could be missed if the room weren't silent. "Thank you, Tachibana Yumi."

  It takes her a moment to master herself, straightening and clearing her loose hair away with a jerk of her head. "The library must be the next chamber. We should move on..."

  She brushes past Yumi, trailing the warmth of the torch. "I will come back here later. When things are more stable. There are prayers I must conduct; ceremonies, even if only in part, that must be completed. I will have need of an attendant." Zelda glances over her shoulder, even as she opens the door and turns toward the hallway, already looking ahead for the next door. "When that time comes... would you do me that honour?"

    Yumi was prepared for any number of responses; she'd hoped to lift Zelda's spirits a bit, foster a bit of extra trust in herself, but she'd been prepared for anything from 'polite thanks' to something more neutral. A small corner of her mind even braced for some form of outrage, perhaps worried that comparing any mortal to Hylia might bring offense. But only a small corner. Zelda is a much nicer person than that, and Yumi's fairly certain the first offense would result in gentle correction, if it happened at all.

    But none of what she prepared herself for was 'Zelda being deeply-touched enough to tear up'. Blink. Blink blink.

    At first, she's worried! But it quickly proves to be very all right. So alright that the princess bows, deeply. A surprised step back ensues on Yumi's part. "Ah...?" What follows next is an embarrassed squeak; the poor girl's got no idea how to react to such deep, emotional gratefulness from a princess. "...ahaha, y... yeah. Yeah, let's go check that out." As they go, though, Zelda speaks, and brown eyes flit up curiously. Attendant? For prayers and ceremonies? "I- ah, that's- I-I'd be honored!"

  It's true that the princess has a gentle personality. One could even say she's too gentle for the necessary harshness of rule, often inclined towards mercy and kindness. In fact, there seem to be precious few things that can drive her to genuine rage. Once loosed, though, it is a fearsome thing to behold; a true force of nature.

  Only the beasts that hunt her, or the usurper on her throne, can seem to sear through that fundametally gentle nature. She had felt no mercy in helping the others slaughter the Twilight Messenger that had seized her. Hylia's power had seared its way through her veins, intoxicating, empowering; and her mercy had vanished before the white fire of Hylia's divine wrath.

  It had been intoxicating, and it had also terrified her to her core. It had not been her.

  The princess turns to the other side to cast Yumi an oblique glance. "Mm? Yes. An attendant. I will have need of someone to help me with my prayer garments, with the rituals... if it is too much, I am sorry; I will not--" Oh. She accepted. Stutteringly. The princess smiles, faintly. "Thank you, Tachibana Yumi. When the time comes, I will tell you what to do. It will not be difficult. I will not require your faith or your belief; merely your assistance."

  "I am grateful that I have met you," she adds, continuing down the hallway with her torch held high. "My life has given me precious few opportunities to make friends. So many would use intimacy with Hyrule's ruling family to their own ends. I have spent most of my life without friends I could truly trust. But you four... you help me, and you fight for me, even without knowing that there will ever be any gain in it for you. You do all of this for me, knowing that my kingdom is a ruin; that I am in truth powerless until the usurper is thrown down from my citadel."

  Her breath fogs before her as she walks down the hall. Even in winter clothing, even exhausted and at the end of her wits, the princess still manages to project a sense of regal dignity and grace.

  Small wonder she can't hide herself as a commoner. She was born to this purpose. How can she hide that when she's known nothing else all her life? When she carries the blood of a genuine goddess in her veins?

  "Thank you," she murmurs again, instead, voice so soft and so overcome with emotion -- but she isn't tearing up. She just doesn't trust her voice not to crack unbecomingly. "I mean that."

  The door before them is not frozen shut, and she holds aloft her torch as she wrenches the handle open, ice crackling from it.

  It's too dark to see what's in there. The Hylian lifts her torch higher.

  "I wonder if this is it," she asides, before shaking her head.

  It is. There are bookcases that stretch from floor to ceiling. They're packed with books. Being closer to the inside, this room looks like it's held up better, and it even has a hearth of its own.

  Zelda inhales deeply through her nose, letting it out through her mouth. Smells like old books.

  "This is it... it does not seem as cold here, does it? Perhaps we should move our camp here. This would be much warmer for us... I know Rydia is still recovering, too." She makes a thoughtful sound, eyes sweeping the Hylian glyphs on the spines. "There should be something here... ah."

  The princess' free hand reaches out to pluck a volume from the shelf, balancing it open against the shelf and skimming over it. "Can you read Hylian? I did not think to ask... Rydia was able to, so I do not know if you can or not."

    More praise. Yumi is getting better at taking that, but coming from Zelda, it still leaves her a bit... bashful? She's not sure how to put it into words. So she doesn't. Instead, she responds in kind. "I'm pretty grateful to you too, y'know. I've got less than two months' worth of life experience go go on right now. I've got a lot of pre-loaded info, I guess, and I don't know about whoever I was before, but... well, you're pretty much my first friend. And you've helped me a lot, even if you don't realize it." Sometimes, just having someone to talk with, an older and wiser presence, is enough support to go on.

    As they step into the library, Yumi carefully unshoulders her bat and sets it aside once again. She takes a few steps in, looking here and there... before nodding. "Well, I'm a /little/ concerned about all these books, but if there's a hearth, it should be fine. Especially if we can find a screen. This might be a good place to set up, yeah. Just... be careful, I guess," she adds, reaching out to take a book herself. "A place that gets cold enough, it's actually as dry as any desert. All these books are probably really dry after all this time." Time to find out if she can read Hylian.

  The princess snaps the book shut in her palm, replacing it carefully onto the shelf. Turning, she squints toward the far corners of the room. Furniture lies scattered across the room as though thrown by a vast hand, tumbled like a child's toys.

  Tucked behind a collection of discarded chairs is the screen for the hearth, wrought in beautiful, exquisite motifs of flowers. A reminder of warmer climates, maybe?

  Zelda wastes no time in tugging it free one-handed, half-carrying and half-dragging it over to the hearth. She's breathing hard by the time she's gotten that far. A brief scan of the room, and she finds a chair shattered beyond any reasonable hope of repair. The princess shrugs, taking a few pieces and tossing them into the back of the hearth.

  The torch is set to the wood, which is predictably dry as tinder; in moments there's a tolerable fire burning, the metal screen dragged back into place. A pile of ash lies at the nearest point of the hearth, cold and uncleaned from the previous residents; she smothers the torch in that, setting it aside.

  It takes a few minutes, but it's worth it. Warmth begins to spread through the room, though slowly.

  "Very well, then." Zelda manages a half-smile at Yumi's retort. "We will call it even...?" Those summer-blue eyes study the girl curiously, though the emotion seems muted. She's a little tired. "We have no way to know who you were, before, but I am confident you were a good person, Tachibana Yumi. On this I would stake my very faith. I do not think an evil person would know to behave with such selflessness as you have, not even one driven by guilt to behave better."

  She turns, surveying the shelves. Not far from the first book she had plucked, she pulls another from the shelf, dusting it off and blowing a thick layer of the stuff off and studying the cover.

  It's taken and flipped through. "Yes, the library will be the driest place here. With the proper precautions, though, I believe it can be comfortable. No one of us is careless in the use of fire... and we are all recovering from the ascent, still. Camping here would be more beneficial to us, I think, at least in the short term."

  Zelda flips the book open with a flick of her wrist, eyeing the pages. Flip-flip. She lets them spill past her finger, before stopping abruptly, something approaching laser focus in her gaze. A torn corner of parchment sticks out, and she gently pulls it free from the pages.

  "I think our task will be more complicated than simply finding the correct volume. It would appear our eccentric proprietor scattered his documents." She sighs in what seems to be resignation. "At least they're merely hidden in the books, and not written in them. Reading through all of these would demand more time than we have available to us."

  Zelda gathers a short stack of books, collapsing into one of the undamaged chairs and blowing out a sigh. "In the meantime... I have a question."

    Yumi peers over her book at Zelda, watching the princess with a growing frown - but before she can move to offer, it becomes obvious that Zelda's got it. Still. "...Take it easy, alright?" she says, her tone concerned. "You've got me if you need heavy lifting done."

    It does turn out that Yumi can read Hylian, but that book doesn't have what they're looking for. "I'm fine with calling it even," she finally replies to Zelda, this time laughing outright. It's an agreeable 'compromise'. At mention of who she used to be, though, the ghost of a troubled expression flits across her face for a moment; the schoolgirl's not so sure about that, but her concerns she keeps to herself for now. Instead, per Zelda's idea, she too grabs a stack of books - several of them, in fact. One after another, piled by a spot in the ground, where Yumi herself can then sit down. She's fairly gentle with the pages, but still manages to find a good pace of fanning through one book, pulling out any scrap or sheet her eyes catch on the way through, then setting it aside and going for the next.

    "Hm? Oh, ask away." She's not sure what Zelda might have to ask, but she'd gladly address it regardless.

  "Well, whoever built this place was at least well-read." Zelda sifts through her own pile of books, gently running a gloved finger over the embossed titles on the covers. "Classics of literature, manuals of training for war, volumes on the history of the kingdom... ah, here, I will save those for you. They might be useful to you."

  They'd lend context, at least. She also plucks a few volumes about the goddesses, and other such informative works; they don't have anything useful tucked in their pages, but they might be inherently useful to Yumi.

  Settling more comfortably in the chair, tucking her legs beneath herself, the princess looks for all the world less like the heiress to a kingdom and more like a curious young scholar. It's easy to forget that she's still somewhat young herself, despite the fleeting wisdom of the ages in those eyes.

  Ultimately, Zelda is still a young woman and an individual, in spite of her close connection to the goddesses. She's still driven by her own personal desires and needs, even if they happen to dovetail neatly with her fiercely protective, almost maternal instinct when it comes to the protection of both her friends and her people.

  For now, though, she looks more scholarly than sovereign. She flips through a few more pages, cocking a summer-blue eye up at Yumi. "You have seen firsthand the effects of the Twilight on my kingdom, and how swiftly it spreads. I find myself staring destiny in the face, like it or no." Probably 'no.' "The next steps we take will be more dangerous than climbing a frozen mountain to meet a stronghold peopled by monsters of the Twilight."

  "The next events we take..." The princess blows out a sigh, weary, even as she flips through pages. "My dreams, my nightmares, are not merely the product of exhaustion and fear. Sometimes the goddesses grant me prophecies through dreams and visions. I think," she says slowly, "that whatever steps we take next... they will be critical."

  She looks down to her books. "Many times in Hyrule's past, my people have suffered crises on the same scale as the Twilight. In all of these cases, there has been a hero chosen by the Goddess Farore, who has risen to right Hyrule's wrongs, often with the aid of whoever has held the Triforce of Wisdom at the time. Yet..."

  "Our hero is trapped in the form of a monstrous wolf. That Link knows nothing of what he has been plunged into is incidental; I will teach him what he must know in the time to come." She snaps a book shut and sets it aside, moving on to the next one, and sneezing rather un-princesslike at the cloud of dust. "Regardless, we must do something about the cu..." Another sneeze. Zelda fans the air in front of her, trying to clear out some of the dust. "About the curse."

  She starts in on the next one, flipping pages. "He cannot fulfill the ancient prophecies as he is now. He does not possess the necessary qualities... or the necessary relic." Zelda looks up briefly, firelight reflecting in her blue eyes. "We have options before us. Either we investigate Zora's Domain, whose silence since the onset of the Twilight worries me, or we go to Faron Wood... and we retrieve the trappings of the Chosen Hero, and pray that they have the power to return him to his rightful form."

  "I find myself at a loss. I cannot ignore the plight of the Zora. They are ancient allies of the royal family, and of Hyrule; yet at the same time, there is a very real risk of running out of time, of being caught unprepared and crushed beneath the weight of the corruption that strangles my kingdom." Zelda sets the book aside and reaches for another. "I would like your advice, though I realise you are bereft of certain context and details. A fresh perspective, if you would..."

    "Hm? Oh! Thank you, I'd like that a lot." The possibility of books to read after they settle in is a welcome one. Hyrule seems such an amazing, different place. But that will be for another time; for now, all Yumi can do is go flipping through one book after another, looking for loose sheets of paper, or even scraps. Anything that might be the missing pages Zelda is after. And thankfully, flipping through them is a relatively mindless task. If it were something in the books themselves, the two of them might have to focus, but as it is, Yumi can listen to the princess speak, explain, and ask.

    Sneeze.

    It's a small, brief smile, but it happens. Any break from the grave matters they find themselves handling is a welcome one. And Zelda presents a grave matter indeed. Enough so that, for a second or two, she pauses in her flipping, a book lying open in her lap. "Hmn... it's not an easy choice. If Link is part of prophecy, a chosen hero, it seems like getting him restored and geared up should be top priority. But that might mean leaving the Zora to their fate." A faint grimace; that's a prospect she finds incredibly distasteful. "Hnn. Both of them are important. If we could..."

    Here, Yumi trails off, blinking. "...wait, why /can't/ we? We have a few people on hand. Most of us can take care of ourselves, well enough at least to get away and regroup with the others if things get too dangerous. Why don't we do both?"

  "Good... I will save anything that looks useful and keep them separate for you." Zelda manages a smile of her own, though it's somewhat distracted. Her books are already split, so it looks like she's been separating them out regardless. "These would help lend you a more complete understanding of the matters you have become involved in here."

  It would also take less time than explaining every little detail, although the princess genuinely doesn't mind the telling. No matter who she used to be, the Hylian is absolutely convinced of the good in Yumi's heart; the girl is eminently easy to get along with.

  Zelda misses that small smile at her sneezing. Hey, even royalty is susceptible to dust clouds. She looks down at her book without really seeing it, eyes hooded and distant as she listens to Yumi's answer. Her flipping of the pages graudally stops.

  "You see my quandary, then." Her voice is soft. "It is important that he be restored, because he can combat the spread of this malicious Twilight... but at the same time, it is possible the Zora are in great danger."

  The princess lifts her eyes slowly, one brow quirking as she regards Yumi, but her expression is unreadable for a moment.

  Why don't they do both?

  "Mmm." Zelda tilts her head and frowns slightly. Her eyes fall back to the open book on her lap, without really seeing it. "Hyrule is dangerous right now. Even if the Twilight were not a concern, there are monsters in the lowlands, and the roads are not safe." How does she know that? "I fled from them during my own flight from Hyrule Castle. I could not in good conscience send you into such a situation... but..."

  The princess' brow furrows, and her expression twists to one of anxious worry. "But I cannot do this alone," she finishes, softly. "It is my mistake to rectify, but it has become greater than myself alone."

  "I must accompany Link. He does not know where to find the sacred relics, and his companion is absent." Part of her wonders just what the secretive little cuss is up to. Another part of her can't help a flicker of silent amusement.

  ...Link's description may be a little crass, and not at all up to any sort of royal dignity, but it's just so wonderfully /accurate/. "I cannot rely on her at this point, so in matters of prophecy, I must take a more active role as his guide. I will look into the matter of Midna, later, though. It is possible she simply chose to act alone, but I cannot necessarily assume. The usurper's creatures hunt high and low for her."

  "You are right, though. I cannot ignore the plight of the Zora." She tilts her head at Yumi, regarding the girl curiously. "When we are all of us recovered... would you, Rydia, and Sir Cecil be willing to travel there in my stead? I would provide you with a map, and a writ of royal authority, though Queen Rutela is a kind and patient leader of her people."

  She drums her fingers on the open book before her, the sound papery and dry. "Those who wish to venture into Faron Wood are welcome, so long as someone is able to reach the Zora." Her voice drops. "Yes, we could easily do both. But I confess that I have a bad feeling about this, Tachibana Yumi... I do not know why. I will seek guidance on the matter, when the temple is repaired."

    "Both of what?"

    It sounds as if Cecil caught the tail end of what Yumi was saying, striding into the room full of books with a much less intimidating air. Without his armor, it's much easier to look past the Dark Knight's disturbing source of power, isn't it?

    This lets him catch the general idea of what the problem is. He immediately has an answer, too. "While I would not mind, we should also see if our other allies might be willing to join us, or at least some of them. Aloy in particular might be a good choice, she seems reliable. The dragon woman I know less about, but... is perhaps as fickle as Shin Tokuyama."

    He smiles, "Good evening to you both, as well. I was looking for Yumi and heard the discussion. Serious matters."

    Midna. That's a name Yumi files away. Maybe they'll find her at some point along the way, who knows? More immediately, Zelda puts a question to her, and her answer comes without hesitating. "Absolutely." Well, there's the matter that both Cecil and Rydia would basically be protecting her; it still rankles that she's such a dead weight so often, but there might be something only she can do, who knows. She can talk, at the very least.

    And speak of the devil, there's Cecil. The knight gets a quick wave, then Yumi settles back into her task of flipping through books. "I think that one of our biggest assets in all this is going to be our ability to divide our forces. When it was just you and Link, the two of you were in a tough spot, but now we can handle more than one problem at a time. And the more of them we can solve..." The easier it gets to solve the rest. Especially if they can get the Gorons and Zora helping them. Not to mention restoring Link.

    There is, however, a tilt of the head. "Looking for me?"

  Zelda hadn't heard the approach of the Dark Knight, and she sucks in a breath at the sudden voice in the quiet room. She lets it go a little shakily when she sees it's Cecil, though, sagging back in her chair a little. She manages a wan smile. "Sir Cecil. Good evening."

  While she's seemed more at peace since they've captured Snowpeak, she's still more than a little jumpy; still damaged, since Hyrule's collapse. It may be a long time before she can sit without shying away from a sudden noise or appearance of someone. Her smile is a little sheepish, as though to apologise for her nerves.

  "Yes? Good." Zelda gives a faint nod. "I had thought to speak with her, but have not had the opportunity. I would appreciate it if you could extend the invitation to her. I would speak with her, but I do not know how to find her."

  She shakes her head at the second. "I have admittedly seen very little of Lady Kiyohime, so I could not offer much clarification. My only meetings with her have been in passing. Enough to judge that she is well-mannered and perhaps descended of aristocracy, but I do not know the specifics. And I do not know her nature well enough to say whether she would be interested in rendering aid."

  The last name brings her to tilt her head and shrug; elegant despite its simplicity. Tokuyama... Tokuyama... oh, that's right. The weirdo who was yelling and raving at that beast in Natsuto City. Zelda's expression doesn't quite sour, but she looks a little more dubious. "I cannot be certain that he would not be a risk to others with his unpredictability... not until I know more of him."

  She sets aside the book she'd been flipping through. Maybe she picks up on Yumi's momentary frustration. Maybe she doesn't. The princess lifts her gaze to the girl, arching a brow. "Actually, Tachibana Yumi, if you would be of use to me... I would have you be my eyes and ears in Zora's Domain. I will lend you what volumes I can find on the Zora. You will know what to look for, then, and how to treat with their leader on my behalf. That would be a burden lifted from my shoulders... it worries me that they have remained silent. Is that agreeable to you...?"

    Cecil shakes his head, "Shin has a good enough heart, but he isn't interested in the same kind of organization we are. If he comes he'll probably help... but getting him here would be the hard part."

    Cecil shakes off the cloak he was wearing for warmth as he nears the fire, listening to the idea. "I would prefer at least one more, yes... Aloy would be my first choice, but I know there are others who might work. Partly I worry for Yumi's safety..."

    Here, he turns to look at her. "Which is why I was looking for you. Now is not the best time, but in the next few days I'll try to show you a few moves. It won't let you beat down an opponent like the other night, but it might keep you alive and unharmed enough to let someone else get to you, and would be a good foundation to see if you wanted to get more serious about training."

    He eyes Zelda as well. "And you shouldn't rush into this. You're alive, but I know you were hurt. Until we can get a proper healer looking at you, don't push yourself."

    "Kiyohime?" Yumi blinks, then lights up, happy to finally have a subject with which she can help. "Ah, she's- well, she /sort-of/ exists in my world. She's only a myth back home." Here, she actually has an opportunity to settle in, folding her hands in her lap so she can speak a little more at length. "The story goes that she was the daughter of a wealthy family that often housed traveling priests. She and a priest named Anchin fell for each other, but Anchin eventually stopped seeing her and left. Kiyohime was furious over it, and chased after him across a wide river, her anger strong enough to turn her into a dragon on the way across. He hid under a bell in a temple, but she wrapped herself around the bell, and breathed enough fire to melt it down and incinerate herself in the process." She closes her eyes, and lets out a little puff of breath. "Of course, which side looks better depends on who's doing the telling. But I think I kind of feel bad for Kiyohime, even if I don't condone her actions. I think the one we met might be willing to help, but she might also have her own problems to deal with. We'd have to ask."

    However, more than just being able to fill in an information gap from the outside world, Zelda wants her to study up. Study up, and be the princess's emissary to the Zora. That's... that's a tall order. "I..." She hesitates, but only because it's a fairly daunting task; however, if Zelda trusts her that deeply, she can only try her best to live up to it. "Yeah. Yes. I'll do as much as I can." This brings her attention around to Cecil, to whom she nods. "And that includes a little bit of training, when we can spare the time." She sets aside her book and takes another, and in the interim the dark knight can probably see a ghost of a frustrated expression dance across her face briefly. "I'm... I keep feeling like I'm just a burden. The other night, there was nothing I could really do but stay out of everyone's way. If there's anything I can do to fix that, even just a little, I'd like to."

  "I will withhold judgement on Tokuyama Shin, for the time being, but I would prefer not to consult him in Hyrulean matters until I have reached that judgement." Zelda's smile is apologetic. "You understand, I hope. I must think of my people. Their fates hang upon my decisions."

  She looks sidelong to Yumi, nodding faintly in agreement. She'd rest easier knowing that Cecil were able to teach Yumi a few moves.

  Shifting in the chair, she leans sideways a little, resting against the plush wraparound back of the chair and letting her eyes hood. It's comfortable. Enough so to sleep in. She finally feels warm for what feels like the first time in days. Weeks, maybe. Campfires made the journey tolerable but there's just no substitute for four walls and a roof.

  Cecil cautions her not to rush forward. She smiles, faintly; tiredly. "I am exhausted as much as I am wounded. You are not wrong. Such powers are difficult for me to use, but when there is need of them, it is often urgent. I will be alright, with time and rest."

  "Sir Cecil." Zelda straightens just a little, though she still keeps her robe wrapped around herself. "Do you think it would be possible to move our camp down here, to the library? It is less exposed than the bedchamber, and warmer, besides."

    There is no need for Cecil to bow to Zelda, for she has said as much. He does so anyway, lightly, to recognize the request. "We will do that. Or rather... Yumi and I will, in a while." Oops, she's been drafted! Well, Rydia can hardly carry large things!

    "It shouldn't take long," he admits. He's not moving immediately though, because he's heard Yumi's story. That makes him frown. "That is... quite the story. She sounds dangerous, but I have not spoken to her much. Zelda is right about Tokuyama's reliability being suspect, though..."

    He sighs, "I will see if I can reach Aloy. She is a bit of a loner as well, but I think she is more willing to work with us than most. I suppose Vivian did us a favor in throwing us together in hating her. Maybe the Harley girl as well."

    It's not like Yumi would refuse anyway. Her default answer on helping seems to be 'of course'. "I think once we're re-situated, we should see if there's any more rooms we could use as they are. Or anything with supplies we can use." In this cold weather, they might even be able to find still-edible food, though it's unlikely. But who knows what other supplies might be available? Maybe even an armory of some sort. "I have to agree about Shin, though. Even if we /do/ come from similar countries, he's..." She falters, fishing for words. ".../different/." To say the least. "Kiyohime, though... She might be dangerous, but the one we met at least, I don't think she's a bad person. Her world is pretty bad off, though." She doesn't really know Aloy; there's nothing she can add there.

  The matter of Kiyohime earns a slow, thoughtful sound from the princess, but her eyes remain lidded. It's clear the young woman is slowing down. Her body is still recovering from the monstrous strain she'd placed herself under. With how fragile she still looks, it may be a few days yet before she's back to full strength.

  Her attention isn't precisely wandering, but she can feel her ability to grasp the thread of conversation slipping a little. Sleep tugs at her.

  Still... the story about Kiyohime is worth remembering. That woman is worth a little caution, although she had behaved civilly; even respectfully. A curioisty to be studied later.

  "I would like to speak with Lady Kiyohime on the matter, if we are in agreement to approach her," Zelda says softly, after mulling the issue over. "It may reuqire diplomacy. If there is one thing I have some skill in, it is how to apply a light touch. It would also be an opportunity to gather more information about her."

  Much like Shin, the dragon-woman is worth studying further, and withholding immediate judgement on.

  When Yumi expresses her concern and her frustration, the princess manages a languid smile. It's a bit like the cat that hasn't yet eaten the canary, but plans to in due time. "Look in front of yourself, Tachibana Yumi. You say that you wish to stop being a burden... but you are not a burden. I could not have done this without you. The supplies that you have arranged will save our lives, here."

  Zelda tips her head in respectful gesture. "I owe you much. And if you are able to speak with the Zora on my behalf, your assistance will be all the more indispensible. I do not require you to have the full training of a diplomat, and I intend for you to inform them that you are a foreigner -- they will understand. Certainly they will know that times are difficult."

  "Still... I understand how you feel," she adds, with a slight grimace. "I am no soldier, and no stranger to the fact that I am a little more... fragile... than most." And privately, she /hates it/. It drives her /mad/ to need to be protected by others, but there's nothing she can do about it. The mind and spirit may be willing, but the body is prone to snapping like a twig.

  Back to the matter of allies, the princess shakes her head. "I believe we can trust Aloy. I have met her in passing, and I like to think my judgement of character is not so off the mark... she may be willing to lend us her aid, yes. The notion is worth pursuing. And if an offer of mutual assistance is what would compel Lady Kiyohime into helping us with our cause, all the better. I would do so gladly, if there is anything that can be done."

  "Yes," she adds, to Yumi's suggestion on supplies. Huddling into her robe, she rests her chin over the crook of the elbow of the arm she has wrapped around herself. It's so nice and warm in here. The sensation is almost enough to make her giddy after weeks of ferocious, painful cold. "Skies, seas, stones, and sand." It seems to be a heartfelt oath, though it's a curious one. "I did not know how much I had missed a proper hearth. It is so good to feel /warm/ again."

  Her eyes drift to half-mast. "There is an armoury in here, that much I know, though I am not certain where. The plans were in the library of Hyrule Castle, on official record. I remember seeing an armoury, once, in passing... and this building, from what I have seen of it, strikes me more as a garrison than a private residence. Its purpose is a mystery to me, though we stand to benefit from it now."

    Rubbing his chin, Cecil nods again, this time agreeing with the ideas. "I'll see what I can do, regarding Aloy. As for the rest... well, we'll just have to see what's in this armory. If we can't find anything good for practice, we'll start with sticks anyway. No point in getting hurt by a real weapon learning to defend yourself."

    Cecil stretches, rising to his feet, and then reaches for the cloak. "But first, I'd better start getting our supplies. It sounds like we have a lot of work ahead of us, might as well start now."

    As Cecil rises to his feet, so does Yumi. He mentions sticks, though, and her eyes turn to the bat she's left by the door with an amused glance. "I think that depends on the stick. But I get what you mean." They can see about that after the supplies have been gathered up and brought down here. That in and of itself might be a couple trips. "We should have Rydia come down here too." That way both she and Zelda can look after each other, and no one's left alone and unguarded while Yumi and Cecil move supplies.

  "Thank you, Sir Cecil." The princess speaks softly, and she lifts her gaze to meet the Dark Knight's, briefly. Her smile is tired. "I am grateful for all that you have done for us."

  Yumi earns a faint look, but not enough for the princess to lift her head too far. She's warm and comfortable, and exhaustion settles over her like a physical weight.

  Slowly, gradually, her eyes drift closed. Her breathing softens, and her head lolls just slightly to one side. It's not very regal. She's too tired to care. Calling on her divine heritage had sapped and wounded her; she's pale and exhausted, even days after the battle.

  Zelda doesn't answer her friends any further about bringing Rydia down. The Crown Princess of Hyrule is fast asleep, curled up in her chair in front of the fire, robe wrapped around herself like a blanket.