World Tree MUSH

  Progress on Snowpeak's restoration has been a little slow. The princess has been spearheading the effort, using royal funds and her preternatural insight to anticipate the ranking of priorities in what repairs to do.

  The descent from the summit to the valley the ruins are built in warranted several days' rest, especially after finding an injured and cornered Twilight Messenger in the ruins. Then, the monstrous effort of temporarily restoring Link's form to him had drained any progress the princess might have made in rebuilding her strength.

  She'd been in and out of consciousness for the past day or two, and today seems to mark an uptick in her energy levels. Bereft of any other purpose, Zelda has spent most of the day on light duty, sorting through the library and organising documents. It might be storming outside, but the inside of the library is warm and dry. A fire blazes in its generously large hearth.

  Today, Zelda is dressed in simple clothing, which mostly consists of a plain grey dress, hair drawn back into a simple but elegant braid. She isn't wearing her crown, but that isn't unusual. Spread in front of her is a large assortment of papers plucked from the pages of the library's books; beside her is the envelope the royal sanction had been in.

  At the moment she's piecing together where pages fit in, trying to complete the partial document. All the things she needs are precisely what's missing, but now that they've gone through more and found a bunch of pages, maybe she can make some headway. It beats sitting around and resting, wasting time, which it's clear by now she's really not the best at. 'Taking it easy' really isn't in her vocabulary, and this is useful stuff without having Rydia and Yumi glaring daggers at her.

  She looks pretty intent on her task. The wind is howling outside, the snow is flung to and fro, and the library is nice and warm and comfortable.

  Part of her had forgotten what it felt like to be /warm/ again. It's good just to sit in front of the fire and savour that, even as she keeps her mind busy with assorted documents. A lot of them have signatures on them -- but it's not hers. It's her grandmother's seal, and the pages are aged and yellow around their margins.

  She'd invited Yumi to come along if the girl wanted something to do, but it was by no means an urgent summons.

    'Glaring daggers' is perhaps a strong choice of words, but at the very least it would have involved concerned frowns. But something like this is perfect - it's relatively light, non-tiring work, and it still allows Zelda to be doing something that unquestionably helps them. Yumi wholeheartedly approves.

    And with nothing better to do at this particular point in time, she's quite glad to take up the summons. There's a soft creak as the library door's hinges are put to use, and a brief gust of cold air; it's a shame they don't have a room with an entryway to buffer that burst of cold from outside. But Yumi has the door closed soon enough, offering a bright smile of greeting. "Hello~! I brought you some things." And indeed she has, a plastic shopping bag crinkling on her arm.

  Mouth thinning in concentration, the princess snatches a loose page from her pile of documents, skimming over it before adding it to a different pile, tucking it into place with a few other pages. It's tedious work, but it needs to be done.

  Somewhere in this mess is a list of requisitioned materials. Not only will that tell them what kind of materials they'll need to get this place fixed up, it'll tell her if there's anything secret that might be of immediate use to the group. Plus, on a more personal note, it'll satisfy her curiosity of why this place exists and why her grandmother was involved in helping it get off the ground. She's pretty sure this place wouldn't exist without royal sanction.

  Mostly, though, it'll be nice to patch the holes in the everything.

  "Tachibana Yumi." Zelda manages a smile of her own, looking up from another mismatched set of pages. "I was wondering if you would come. The weather is wretched today."

  Oh, she brought some things. The princes lifts a brow in understated curiosity, both at the possibility of what they could be, and at the foreign sound of crinkling plastic. That stuff's still a trip to Hyrulean sensibilities.

    "It's definitely good weather for preserving food," Yumi confirms, her tone a bit dry. "But I got here well enough." She sheds her jacket at the door, hanging it on a nearby shelf, and steps out of her boots to walk over to Zelda's place near the fire. "Remember I was talking about sports drinks and calorie snacks? I got a couple of each. They didn't have any vitamins at the store I stopped by, though." Out comes a bottle of green sports drink, followed by a yellow box about 4-5 inches square. Inside the box can be found two separate foil-lined packets, and in each packet is two separate bars. Fruit-flavored, it will turn out.

  "Quite useful for that. Not for much else, unfortunately, and spring is still a ways off this high in the mountains." Zelda shakes her head as she plucks a few more papers, quickly skimming over the Hylian glyphs. Apparently judging them less than useful, she tosses them aside in time to see Yumi settle down beside the fire.

  Out of the bag comes all sorts of foreign goodies. She looks over each one, staring. The green sports drinks are eyed, but not very strangely. Oddly-coloured beverages are not a rarity in Hyrule. Potions often come out looking all sorts of strange. The packages are eyed a little more warily, though.

  Zelda squints at the bottle, but the yellow box is squinted at a little more. "Yes. Um. What is that?" The calorie snack is... gestured at, as she tucks another paper into place. "You outworlders have such strange..." Everything, she seems to want to say, gesturing helplessly with one hand to try and find a more diplomatic word.

    "'Everything'?" Yumi finishes, her expression turning impish for a moment. "It's fine, I can see how strange it would all be to someone used to places like Hyrule. Everyone's normal is someone else's weird." She opts to start opening the package for Zelda; first the outer yellow box, then a foil packet inside. "This out here is just... marketing. Color your package brightly, catch peoples' eye. Have a memorable look, and people will be able to find your product easier. Salesmanship. And /this/, is to keep it fresh longer. These will keep for a good while if you don't open the foil." Thus opened, the packet is passed over to Zelda. "It's fruit-flavored, but it should still be less sweet than the Pocky was."

  "Everything," Zelda agrees, a little dubiously. "I suppose Hyrule must seem just as foreign to your own sensibilities. Backwards, even, compared to all of the strange wonders I have seen in your city and your world... each one gets by just fine, I suppose."

  She looks over the foil packet, frowning a little. "Well, yes, the market would have colourful displays, too. I would like to take you there, Tachibana Yumi, when my kingdom is restored. I think that you might enjoy market-day in Castle Town." The packet is eyed, before she carefully peels the foil away and takes a bite.

  Summer-blue eyes flick back to the papers scattered before her, though she waits until she's finished chewing to talk. Manners! "It is not unpleasant. I have been busy, myself." The princess gestures at the pile of paperwork in front of her. "I've almost completed the royal sanction, and found the name of our original commissioner."

    Yumi shakes her head. "'Backwards' is a word I'd save for people who could be doing more with what they have but choose not to." She settles into a seat of her own, getting as comfortable as she can. "I'd love to see market day," she adds, nodding. "We'll definitely have to find a day to do that, once everything is settled." After consideration, she decides to pick up one of the books she's been working on reading through while she's here, though she doesn't dive right into it. "Oh, you found it? Anything interesting?" She's been hoping there'd be some extra info in there that might give them some sort of edge, or at least a clue that might help them get more ready to push the Twilight out of Hyrule. Somehow. Anything would be nice.

  "Perhaps," Zelda offers. "I would love to see another market day. To see my kingdom restored to its rightful peace and prosperity. It's my home, too," she adds quietly. "I miss it. Oh, you would love the market. The banners in the sun; merchants hawking their wares, and goods and fineries from every corner of the kingdom." She smiles, faintly. "Gorons, Zora, and of course we Hylians; all come together in peace."

  Her eyes flick back down to the papers, and she shakes her head. "I think so," she says, slowly. "I've been trying to put the sanction back together again. The pages have been scattered thoroughly, but they do all seem to be here. It's tedious work, though, and I've been tired; I can only concentrate on this for short stretches." Work a little, nap a little. Rydia would be proud. Sealing away the curse binding Link was exhausting, though she knows it won't be a permanent solution. If he hasn't already changed back, it could be any time. "I think I've nearly gotten it finished, though."

  "Here." She passes a page to Yumi. It seems to be floor plans, of the first through third floors. Nothing looks very recognisable since so much of the estate has fallen to ruin. "I found plans. It's a step in the right direction, at least, and I've also found the requisition list I was looking for. I know what materials we will need, if we plan on restoring the entirety of the ruin."

  Zelda's smile is a little wan. "Unfortunately my pockets are not quite so deep as all that."

    "Maybe not now, no. But we'll get there." Seeing this place fully repaired would be nice, Yumi decides. Even if it's awfully remote. Once the kingdom is back in Zelda's hands, she's sure there's ways to get supplies up here; in the summer, it might even be a nice 'winter getaway' rather than an arctic fortress. She takes the page, though, and looks it over, thougtful. "In the meantime, this might be a good guide. Depending how well-labeled it is, we may be able to find more usable rooms. At the very least, we could make educated guesses based on the rooms we already know." Zelda would probably be better at that than her, given her better knowledge of the kingdom, but either way it's useful info. "I can help hunt down more of the pages, while I'm here."

  "Yes, we will. It will be a matter of time, more than anything else, and materials." Zelda rubs at the side of her neck, looking over to the vast library shelves.

  Some part of her is grateful that the library is still intact. Watching the castle archives burn had been physically painful to her. The awareness that so much knowledge was lost had been salt in the wound of so much loss of life and property. She smiles, wanly.

  "We'll restore this place to its former glory, in the meantime," she states. "Even after I've liberated my kingdom, it may still be of some use, somehow, so restoration is still practical."

  Zelda settles more comfortably before the fire, pointing to indicate the page. "I will see that copies of that are made, by my own hand, if I must. They will be useful to all of us." Her finger moves to tap another page, which she hands to Yumi. "This is the manifest of resources, so this should help you to place what orders you must. I am willing to pay, if there are places willing to accept Hyrule's currency -- rupees. I managed to secure some assets on the way out, but I expect the restoration of Snowpeak will exhaust them."

    The next page is taken; Yumi looks over it with a thoughtful expression. "...this will help a lot, yeah." She sets it down gently on the floor, then pulls out a cellphone, which she uses to snap a picture of the whole thing. "There, I can take that with me." She picks the sheet back up, though, and looks it over more thoughtfully. "Hmmm..." Yumi murmurs. "There's a lot here, and we'll have to do some hunting to find a place that will accept rupees. I think... we should probably pick which parts of the restoration we want to prioritize. We'll put those at the top of the list, then work our way down. That way if we run out of money before we have everything, the most important stuff still has the materials to be done."

  "I hope it does," the Hylian says with a shrug. "I don't have much else to offer, especially to someone unfamiliar with Hyrule as a whole. I will make copies of any documents I think may be useful to you, and send them with you. It will be a day or two before I have them ready."

  She considers for a moment, eyes half-closing. It's a complex issue, with plenty of different elements. "Oh, and we will need contractors. I doubt that you or I or Rydia have the strength to lift masonry into place," she adds, with a faint smile. "While I hesitate to spend so much, it is necessary."

  "Rupees are inherently magic, so that may be of some value, though you say that your world is not in tune with such things... hm. Perhaps they may have some value as a rare crystalline or mineral substance?" Zelda shrugs. "It is possible that I might offer instead silver or gold, but I am not in a position to exchange currencies."

  "I believe many may think I am dead, after the collapse. It may be beneficial to keep things that way, at least for the time being," she adds, eyes narrowing. "At least until I have the time to gather more information. I would like to know, at some point, what the Twilight King is up to."

    Once again, Yumi pauses to consider the options. "...possible. I think there'd be a market for that, especially if I can find some of the scientists interested in offworld materials. But it'd take a while, and probably get us a lot of funny looks along the way." One leg crosses, one arm folds. She's really putting her mind to the grindstone. "It might be better if we shop around for another world, first. At least for the sake of exchanging currency. Though I think most worlds would be able to get us stone, lumber and steel, at least."

    She does take the time, however, to glance up in Zelda's direction, her expression thoughtful in an entirely different sort of way. "It's got potential, true. But I think at some point you'll want to reveal yourself. Seeing you alive would mean a big morale boost for your people." And in a situation like this, morale is at a premium.

  "Certainly," Zelda offers, tilting her head in a gesture of acquiesce. "It's worth examining, at the very least. Unfortunately I have very little else I can barter with, unless there is some need of critical healing or curse-cleansing, but somehow I doubt that."

  She shrugs, faintly. "So far as I can see, the only difference between myself and your people is this." The Hylian reaches up, indicating her pointed ear. "I can conceal that, although I suppose you're right in that it may attract as much attention as not concealing it."

  "Hm. Perhaps. There is that much going for this place; the materials I require would appear to be common across many worlds." The princess looks back down to her mess of papers, though her eyes flick back up to meet Yumi's when the girl looks her way. One brow arches.

  Her head tilts the other way, thoughtful. "Yes. I intend to. However, I think it would be safer to wait until such a time as I have the strength to challenge Zant directly." It's the first time she's used the usurper's name with Yumi.

  A sign of trust, perhaps; that she's gradually letting the girl in to the inner workings of her kingdom.

  "I would sooner be certain than not. I cannot fall a second time. Perhaps I might survive... but I am not so certain the morale of my people would," she explains, gesturing faintly. "I will have to proceed cautiously."

    Yumi glances at Zelda's ear when it's indicated, and then... giggles? Yes, that's a soft little giggle. "To be honest, I think the ear thing looks kind of cool. Maybe just because it's so different to what I'm used to." She sits herself up in the chair a bit more, listening to the princess speaking her thoughts. "Yeah, that's definitely... yeah. Seeing you come back will definitely bolster them up, but then losing you twice..." They'd be crushed. "No, you're right, it will have to come pretty late. But let's try not to make them wait too long, if we can help it," she adds with a cheeky grin.

  "'Cool?'" The unfamiliar term is echoed faintly, and Zelda tilts her head a little to regard Yumi uncertainly. "Well, it's true that the people of many worlds do not have pointed ears as we Hylians do. There are some in Hyrule who do not have pointed ears, but they are the minority, and it means little in practical terms."

  "Mm." She frowns, reaching up and running her fingers along the pointed edge of her ear. "But you are right. It is different. A hood draws attention, though, perhaps as much as simply leaving my ears as they are might. Hmm."

  She considers Yumi's cheeky grin and confidence, sentiments that are only faintly echoed. "Yes. I plan to keep them waiting as little as possible... but it will still take time." Zelda smiles, gesturing faintly. "When I make my move, it must be decisive. I must not waver. It will be a decisive blow to the Twilight King."

    "Uh..." Yumi fishes for a way to put it. "...good, with a subcontext of... I don't want to say 'stylish', but..." Here she pauses yet again. "...like a knight flourishing his sword after a victory, or a wizard with a stylish outfit, or... or a hero dropping a perfect catchphrase at just the right time... /wow/ I'm bad at explaining this." She scratches the back of her head. "It's good, though. It's a good thing." Oh look a book she could be reading. Flip flip flip.

    "...I'd like to help with that, when the time comes," she adds, in a softer voice. "Even if it's from the sidelines. I've been... I've got less than two months under my belt, and in that time, you've done a lot to keep me company and be a friend, despite how much you've got on your plate."

  The princess watches as the perfectly normal girl tries to explain herself and flounders a little. Modern slang is confusing, but the examples she gives are still something even a Hylian can relate to. Zelda tries an uncertain smile. "I think I understand."

  Not wholly, but at least a little bit. It's the desire for something so very different from the familiar. That sensation must be universal.

  Zelda's faint smile suggests the princess at least appreciates the effort. It's hard not to be indulgent towards this girl, who's sought to do so much for Hyrule, despite her lack of superpower or strength.

  Yumi has so little to give, yet she freely tries to give it, all for the sake of these strangers from a different world. The girl tries so hard to do good, not knowing what her life must have been like before her amnesia. In the princess' eyes, those count for more than anything else.

  Yumi confesses quietly that she would like to help when the time comes.

  The Hylian smiles. It's a smile of such genuine warmth that it reveals the divinity in her blood. It isn't through any flashy displays of sorcery or the calling down of Hylia's divine wrath. As Yumi had once pointed out, it's the princess' own heart. It's the gentleness, the warmth; the genuine, heartfelt appreciation.

  "Please do not feel compelled, Tachibana Yumi." Zelda maintains that smile, though it softens. "You have done more for my people and I than you can know, and for that, you have my heartfelt gratitude. You have seen me at my weakest and most vulnerable, yet you still have been here for me in my hours of greatest need. The road before me is long and fraught with dangers. Yet still, you pledge yourself to my side, not knowing what challenges I may face or invite; vowing that I will not walk that road alone."

  The Hylian shakes her head slowly, eyes closing for a brief moment. "I could not deny you a place at my side, when the time comes to make my final challenge to the Twilight King. Not after all that you have done for me and my people."

  "I would be honoured." When she opens them, those summer-blue eyes are gentle, and just a little downcast in the way they slide away from Yumi. "But I am also compelled to warn you that I cannot guarantee your safety when that day comes. He defeated me in a contest of raw power. It will take everything I have to emerge victorious, this time. There will be no second chances. I must make that strike count."

    Yumi listens, drawing up her legs without thinking about it. Zant is a fearsome opponent in and of himself, and he will not be alone. Anyone going into the actual final battle is going to be at serious risk for their life. "I know," she confirms, nodding faintly. "Like I said, even if it's just from the sidelines... I mean, I try not to use the phrase often, but if someone like Cecil needs to fight all-out, if I were on the battlefield I'd just be getting in his way. I... I don't like it," Yumi admits. "I really feel like... something inside me insists I should be out there on the front lines. But if I go out there, everyone would just have to split their focus to protect me. Hold back their attacks so as not to hurt me. And I don't have anything that makes up for that." A faint shrug. "...but I'll find a way. There's got to be something I can do that will help you take back Hyrule once and for all. Maybe we can't see it now, but when we get there, I'm sure we'll find it. A way I can contribute without being a burden."

  The princess looks sidelong, eyeing her friend thoughtfully. Much as Yumi does, Zelda draws her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and resting her chin over the top of her knees. Her eyes are no more than slits of gentle summer-blue.

  With her head tilted at that angle, it's easier to see the rings and shadows under her eyes. She burned a great deal of energy attempting to seal away the curse on Link, although she did so without a thought spared for her own well-being. That just seems to be the kind of person she is. Others' safety is inherently more valuable than her own. She is very firmly a servant of her people, first and foremost; they do not serve her, as so much aristocracy might otherwise believe.

  Her eyes drift closed. "Mm. I would shield you, Tachibana Yumi, but I will need all of my power to challenge Zant; all that I have to give, and perhaps even more. But I will not order you to stay behind. You have earned this right, so long as you think you have a means... I will support you in any way that I can."

  "Perhaps we'll learn of that thing along the way." She looks to the fire, sighing through her nose. "The Author of Law moves in mysterious ways, and Her hand moves Her children in more mysterious ways still. We do not always know. We are not always meant to know."

  Her eyes close again. "I will pray to the Author of Law on the matter. Perhaps She will see fit to send us answers. Or perhaps my prayers will garner only silence. Only the goddesses know all of the details."

  "I am sorry I could not involve you in the ritual. I know that you had matters to tend to in your own world... but fear not," she adds, softly. "I will have need of your assistance again. I do not have the power to banish the curse that binds him; my efforts only win him temporary freedom. If we have need of it, I will perform the rite again. Perhaps it may weaken it in time."

  She smiles, but the expression is a little self-depreciating. "It weakens me, that much is for certain, but it is a price I pay gladly to help him. After all, my actions have put him into his predicament to begin with... but perhaps in time we will all set Hyrule's wrongs to right, together."

    The two of them form an amusing sort of mirror, sitting the same way they are. Her perpetual helplessness to help her friends - to help anyone, really - in the way her heart insists she should, is something that really has been weighing on her. But no matter how it might bother her, she's been there to help every single time she was able, even if she could only do so with wits or words.

    "Hm?" For a second, she was lost in thought entirely. It takes a second before Yumi's brain clicks. "Oh, the ritual..." A hand is waved. "That one's not really bothering me. Getting him transformed back was important, needed to get it done ASAP. And I can't keep staying away from my world forever," she adds with a chuckle. "I'm supposed to be attending school, and there's a policeman who's been letting me live with him out of the kindness of his heart. He's been so understanding, I have to at least /try/ and be there."

    Yumi blows out a breath. "I'll figure out something, eventually. Even if I'm just carrying the wounded off the battlefield on a stretcher or barking orders through a loudspeaker or something. Though, ah. If Nayru does have any advice to offer, I'd be glad to have it," she adds. Even a tiny bit of divine guidance would be nice.

  "I know, but you seemed interested, and I did ask you your assistance." The princess straightens, reaching for a poker and prodding at the coals. Embers swirl skyward up the chimney. "Oh. I am reminded. I did not tell you; you were not here. Feel free to make use of the sacred spring. It is quite warm."

  Zelda glances to the door. "I need clarity for rituals, for answers; but when I have no immediate need of them, you are all free to use it. I know what a boon such a thing can be in these cold climates."

  Attending school, the girl says. Musing on this, Zelda sets the fire poker back into its rack, circling her arms around her knees once more. It's a curiously vulnerable posture for someone who is ostensibly one of the most powerful people in Hyrule. "Hmmm. Well, if you choose to spend so much time here, perhaps I can augment your education." The princess' smile is subtle.

  "If you wish to be at my side when I challenge Zant, then perhaps I can teach you a few things that would benefit you. Mm? Have you ever given a thought to archery? I know it may not suit you as much as that club of yours, but it would be a means to contribute, and keep you out of the thick of the fighting."

  As long as Zant didn't notice her, anyway. "It's a long shot, but mayhap we can find something."

  She's silent as Yumi blows out a breath and reassures herself she'll find a way. There's a flicker of sympathy for the princess. Once more she's reminded of what an awful fate it is, to know there are holes in your memory, and to be unable to fill them...

  "There is another way." Those summer-blue eyes settle on Yumi, gentle but intensely focused. "Come with me, when I pray to my goddesses next. Stand in the spring. Hear their voices, if you can. It could not hurt to try. Perhaps, in the waters of the sacred spring, you may find the answers you seek."

  Probably not -- would Nayru even speak to someone from beyond Hyrule's bounds? -- but it might be worth a try. Certainly there's no reason not to.

    Zelda informs her that the spring is warm and she is free to use it.

    Yumi considers this for a moment.

    And then promptly turns a bright shade of pink.

    "A-ah, is- is that really alright?! Using a sacred spring in a temple just to bathe?" Well, at least she's got the reverence for other faiths down!

    But the talk of using the spring for its /intended/ purpose? That... that gets Yumi thinking. It's a long shot. She's not even from this world. She might not- heck, she PROBABLY doesn't- fall under their purview. But, as Zelda said, it doesn't hurt to try. At worst, she loses a little time out of her day, and gets to see what Hyrulean prayer looks like. "...I think I'd like that," Yumi decides, nodding her head. Even her voice sounds a little less uncertain.

  The princess indulges herself with a languid smile at seeing the other girl's near-panic about the propriety of using a sacred spring to bathe in.

  "Peace," Zelda states softly, holding up a hand. "Do you really think I would suggest such a thing if it were inappropriate? I carry the blood of the Goddess Hylia. These sacred springs, these temples, exist to honour her. If anyone were qualified to say what was or was not appropriate... would it not be the living descendant of Her Grace?"

  "Indeed, the waters of sacred springs such as these are possessed of healing properties. And in such a cold place as this, the aid in keeping warm is a welcome advantage." Zelda shakes her head, so faintly the gesture might be missed. "My goddesses are not needlessly cruel. They do not deny those in need the things that might benefit them. I would not have made such an offer if I did not feel they were accepting of it." The Hylian smiles. "Truly."

  She looks back to the fire, eyes hooding. "You would? Good. I have already asked Rydia to serve as an attendant when I have need of it, but I would also be appreciative if you would be willing to serve in such a role." The princess squeezes her eyes shut. "I would ordinarily have attendants; agents and servants of the Goddesses. I suppose you might call them priestesses. And I, technically, am one myself, in a manner of speaking."

  "It is my duty to see to the spiritual well-being of my people as well as their personal well-being. I hear the voices of the goddesses, in my own way." She is probably one of very few people who can unironically admit to hearing voices and not be called crazy. If Zelda is indeed mad, she disguises it very well, and her madness carries with it a veneer of truth.

  The young woman smiles. "But you need not worry. Your tasks would be simple. Helping me to cleanse myself, to prepare my ceremonial dress, to help me prepare my hair... I do not ask your belief or your devotion to my goddesses. Merely an open mind, and the willingness to listen."

    Slowly, Yumi relaxes herself; her legs uncurl, feet return to the floor. Embarrassment is good for cutting through self doubt, in its own strange way. "Well, I might not be able to offer devotion, but belief... at this point I've seen enough around here I don't think I could /dis/believe the presence of the divine in Hyrule." She's very much a person to believe what's right before her eyes and ears; and just being around Zelda has let her see and hear plenty. "But yes, I can do that, regardless. In fact, I'd be honored to." It doesn't seem like the kind of offer Zelda would make just anyone.

  The young monarch straightens as well, crossing her legs before her and sitting with her back straight. She draws in a deep breath through her nose, and lets it go slowly through her mouth, eyes fluttering open.

  There's something utterly relaxing about a blazing hearth, and a room warm enough to forget the winter storm outside. For a few minutes she can almost imagine that her world is not turned upside-down. That she hasn't lost everything she had cared about over the past months. That her reputation has not been sealed as the only monarch in Hyrulean history to hand the kingdom over to invaders, to be remembered as a failure.

  The smile that flickers across her face is wan at best. Those truths are never too far from the surface.

  "I will copy these pages and send them along with you. These have what we need," Zelda says, softly. "I hope they are of some use. I did not find what I was hoping to find, but the things I have uncovered will undoubtedly allow us to begin repairs on the structure. I hope to have the entry hall, the outermost battlements, and the quarters on the third floor repaired. The lattermost chamber will serve as our quarters; properly repaired, it shall be as warm and dry as this library."

  Her hand flexes over her lap, closing into a slow fist before opening again. The gesture seems restless. I'd be honoured to, Yumi says, and the princess looks over again, studying the girl as though she were seeing her for the first time. That study might even be unsettling; so intense is the princess' gaze -- but she is herself, eyes summer-blue, despite the frightening understanding that so often lies behind them. If she has any suspicions herself about those missing memories, or that missing purpose, she says nothing, expression unreadable.

  Maybe she's just a little sad that the girl tries so hard only to fail to find her purpose. It's a sad fate, after all.

  "I will tell you what to do, when the time comes." Zelda looks away from Yumi, pushing herself to her feet slowly and carefully. There's an undignified grunt of what might be pain or simply effort, joints popping, as the Hylian waits to find her balance.

  The floor sways a little under her, but she finds her footing. "Mmn. It will depend on your availability, of course. Perhaps we can begin that ceremony in a few days' time, yes? It will not exhaust me as restoring Link to his true form has."

    As she always seems to be, Yumi is impressively resolute under that scrutiny; where grown men might quail or fidget, the young girl sits steadily, even manages to meet that intense gaze. But it passes, and Zelda moves to stand - and seeing that unsteady moment, Yumi is already half out of her seat, just in case. But it passes, apparently, and that's enough for her to relax.

    It is, however, a good opportunity for Yumi to stand up as well. And this, she takes. "I could come out tomorrow, if you think you'd be up to it. Otherwise, I'd be fine waiting until you've recovered a bit." It's not exactly something time-sensitive, after all; her search for a path that suits her will still be there.

  The girl's steadfastness is telling.

  Whatever her purpose must have been, it had surely involved unyielding courage, the likes of which would please even Farore, matron deity of heroes, of travel and the unknown, of the great leap of faith that is at times life itself.

  Zelda doesn't move, though, staying where she is; she's not sure about her balance, and not moving is better than moving and landing flat on her face. She seems distant for a moment, maybe considering the timetable suggested.

    "Tomorrow would be splendid," she murmurs, with a smile that seems almost shy. "I... know that there are more important things to have access to, right now, but oh, Tachibana Yumi, it does my heart glad to have a temple to Hylia so near at hand."

    This time, Yumi's smile is soft and knowing. "No, I get it. If anything, I think it's just as important. Whatever gives you the strength of heart to keep moving, it's worthwhile. Because we haven't lost until we stop moving." But the hour is growing late, and with Zelda... /tentatively/ on her feet, just about all that's left for Yumi to do now is gather her things to get going. Hopefully the sports drink and high-calorie snacks will help the princess recover more quickly. "I'll see what I can do about finding somewhere to exchange rupees, whether that's in my world or somewhere else. I can't promise a time table on that, but I'll try and have an answer soon, one way or another."

  "You are right." Zelda's smile is just as soft, though there's a little bit of melancholy to it, too. "My critics may ask why I have surrendered Hyrule to this usurper and left her to her fate, but the answer is related. He would have killed them all just to retaliate against my own refusal to give in. I couldn't let them be slaughtered. Where there is life, there is hope."

  "But hope is a fragile thing, especially in dark times," the princess murmurs, moving to retrieve a few pages from the pile on the floor. A quill is taken, and she leans over an endtable to jot down a few notes. Salient points from the documents, it seems; a copy for Yumi.

  Once she's written all she needs, she rolls it up, tying it off with a ribbon salvaged from the library's expansive shelves. The scroll is presented to Yumi. "This should be everything that you require."

  That done, she makes her way back to her bedroll, sinking down with an exhausted sigh. "Thank you, Tachibana Yumi, for all that you do, and have done; and most especially, for what you will do." She kicks off her boots, crawling into the bedroll, facing the fire. "I will rest, for now, but come as you please; and I will await happy tidings from you."

  There's a moment or two of silence.

  "Good night, Tachibana Yumi."

  Zelda doesn't turn to look, but the girl might hear the gentle smile in the Hylian's voice.