Liesl wished she could’ve said that her and Zelda’s subsequent stops bore better fruit. But like their first encounter, none of the families they visited seemed to heed their advice to leave for safer lands. Of course, they were making the assumption that further away from the castle was safer, but could they really guarantee that? Well, it had to be, right? But so far, the citizens disagreed. Some of the farms they came across did appear to be empty, though, and both hoped that the previous occupants had left without needing to be told.

Being able to purchase food was hit or miss in their encounters, with some choosing to keep their goods stockpiled in the face of uncertainty. At least some people recognized whatever happened was far out of the ordinary and worthy of preparation. Unfortunately, it seemed that each failure to convince people to leave weighed heavily on Zelda. The tears eventually stopped flowing at night, but the near-constant weary look on her face betrayed a more profound disappointment. Most likely in herself, if Liesl had to guess. One that couldn’t be dislodged, no matter the reassurances or kind words Liesl offered. No, all they could do was continue on and hope their luck would turn around.

The path eventually separated from the river and became well-worn between the small farms that lined it. It made the walking easier, at least. Eventually, there came a bend in the road where, when Liesl turned around, she noticed that the castle was no longer in view. “Zelda,” Liesl said, just loud enough to get her to stop and turn.

“Yes?”

But Liesl didn’t answer, only turned back and pointed in the direction of their home. Their former home, that is. Confusion passed over the princess’s features before her eyes shifted to where it should be, and it only took another second for her to realize what Liesl was getting at.

“Oh,” Zelda said before sighing heavily and deflating so much it looked like a person was sitting on her shoulders. “This isn’t the way I thought I’d be leaving the castle. Dirty, tired, defeated.” She hung her head thereafter, before turning and starting to walk down the path once more.

Well, Liesl couldn’t argue with the first two, but the last? No, they weren’t defeated yet. They’d lost so much in the past few days, but not everything. So, she took a few quick steps forward and wrapped her arms around one of Zelda’s, pulling her closer as they walked. “They haven’t won yet,” she said with a nod of determination and a squeeze. “As long as we’re safe, we can keep fighting.” Hopefully, her words sounded more confident than she felt.

Zelda looked over at her touch, and she managed a weak smile despite the strain in her eyes. “Yes,” she said with an equally frail nod. “At least we have each other. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Save the world,” Liesl said without hesitation.

Finally, Zelda laughed again. Not the full-throated kind that had filled Liesl’s chest with warmth, but a smaller, more reserved chuckle. Goddesses, how she missed that. How she missed the soft touches and carefree nights spent in that giant, warm bed when they could tease and let the stress of the day roll off them while they shut out the world.  

“Not without you,” Zelda started before her words choked out. “Without you…I don’t think I could go on.”

Of course, Liesl wanted to protest, wanted to tell her that she had to keep going no matter what. But honestly, she felt the same way. How could she ever face what was coming without her princess? “Me either,” Liesl admitted a moment later with a shake of her head.

“Well, aren’t we just two peas in a pod…”

This time, it was Liesl’s turn to laugh softly. Which felt just as good as hearing Zelda do so a moment ago. But they fell quiet again thereafter, and Liesl couldn’t help but wonder how much joy would be left in either of them once their duty was fulfilled. Would they ever get those moments back? The ones they stole late at night or in the privacy of Zelda’s room. Or had the attack taken so much more than their friends and loved ones? 

Travelers on the road were scarce in the following days, as if others had taken the ominous column of smoke rising from Hyrule Castle as a sign to stay indoors instead of a sign to flee. The few people they did come across informed the two that they were simply trying to get home. A place that now felt foreign to Liesl. Her home was gone in more ways than one, after all. The physical thing, yes, but also the feeling of safety and serenity that the castle provided. That Rowan and Zelda provided. What would they find when they arrived at this new village? Or would that also come to know the sting of swords and intensity of flames, brought by men and monsters alike? 

A day or so past the last farm, the pair eventually did stumble across a family that believed the apparent attack on the castle was a bad enough omen to leave. Or so Liesl judged by the amount of belongings in and around an overturned cart on the side of the small path. Oh, that couldn’t be good!

They could see the scene far before she could hear the voices, but when they reached her, there was clearly a note of exasperation in the exchange of those standing near the scene of the accident. A woman stood upright by the cart, holding a small bundle close to her chest, while a man knelt on the ground next to something. No, someone. A child lay on the ground, still as if he were made of stone. Which always seemed a bad sign… 

Once it became apparent they needed some help, Liesl and Zelda sped up to a brisk walk and then a run when they finally got close enough to hear the whimpers of the small boy lying on the ground. Of course, Liesl’s eyes instinctively scanned the area as they came up out of concern, but it soon became clear she wasn’t the only one worried about dangerous visitors.

The woman’s eyes immediately went wide after seeing them approach, and after getting the attention of whom Liesl assumed was her husband, he wheeled around to face them. He went for a makeshift club a moment later, and his eyes narrowed to something with dangerous intent. “Who are you!?” He yelled out, raising the makeshift weapon even higher.

Zelda immediately came to a stop at the gesture and the question, bringing both her hands up in response. “We can help,” she quickly sputtered out. “Or…it looks like you need some, right?” She asked, her eyes flicking down to the boy who hadn’t even registered their presence, only kept groaning where he lay.

“We don’t need your help,” he spat back before Liesl took a step closer at what sounded very much like a threatening tone in his voice.

However, Zelda wasn’t phased in the slightest. In fact, she looked as though she was desperate to offer some kind of assistance. “Please, it looks like he’s in a great deal of pain. We can heal him.”

That was quite a promise to make, and Liesl gently took her arm and pulled her back slightly, turning as she did so to put her back to the family. Whereupon she dropped her voice low to lessen the chance they would hear. “Do you mean with your power? You haven’t ever been able to before…”

“I know,” Zelda said before meeting Liesl’s eyes with a look of determination so fierce that it was clear there would be no argument. “But even without it, I do have quite a bit of practical knowledge when it comes to healing. I’m not useless, you know.”

Liesl was surprised at the assertion and shook her head readily enough so Zelda didn’t think that. “Of course not. Far from it.” And since she was determined to prove it, Liesl dropped her hand away and let the Princess take a step forward. However, once Liesl turned around, it became clear that the two were not the only ones who had been having a hushed conversation.

“You’re sure you can help him?” The woman asked with more than a bit of hope in her voice. “The cart overturned on the road…and it fell on our son’s leg…”

“I think it’s broken,” the man continued. “Or more than broken, honestly.”

Zelda only nodded in understanding and, more impressively, managed to keep a straight face as she walked up to the injured child and knelt down at his side. “Hello there,” she said with a voice as soft as silk. “My..I’m here to take a look at your leg. Can you tell me your name?”

But no answer came, only the barest flick of his eyes to the side at the shadow that was now cast across his face. “It’s Eno,” the woman replied. “And I’m Rosi. This is my husband, Moll. And the little one is Ehel.”

“Eno,” Zelda repeated before reaching out and brushing some of the sweat-matted hair from the boy’s forehead. “That’s a strong name.” As she spoke, she reached out a hand to lay across his skin. The carefully crafted expression faltered for only a moment, but it was enough for Liesl to notice and take a knee beside her.

“He’s burning up,” his father said from behind them, and Zelda only nodded in confirmation. That much was clear just from the sight of poor Eno. Besides the sheen of sweat, the boy looked pale even with no visible wound. The most disturbing thing, though, was his leg and the way it bent in a way that clearly wasn’t natural.

“When did it happen?” Zelda asked as she continued her examination.

“Early this morning. We set off before sunset, and I couldn’t see the path…” Moll’s words trailed off, and his face twisted in a pain that told Liesl he blamed himself for what happened. But his wife reached out a moment later and ran a hand down his arm in a few soothing strokes.

“I see. Can I cut his pants? Just to get a better look at the wound?”

“Yes, do whatever you need to do,” Rosi answered quickly. “Fabric can be mended far more easily than skin and bone.”  

Zelda nodded in response and then reached under her cloak to remove the dagger before turning back to Liesl. “Can you help? I don’t want to move his leg any more than need be, especially by accident.”

“Of course,” Liesl said before grabbing the end of his pants and lifting them from his skin. She kept it taut as well, just to help the blade cut through it easier. Which Zelda leaned over to do a moment later, using her free hand to help keep it steady. It didn’t take long for mottled skin to be revealed as she worked, only getting worse with each additional inch. Blue, black, red. It was a rainbow of pain that more than explained the near catatonic state of Eno.

His mother gasped when she saw the extent of the wound, and even his father sucked in a breath at the sight of it. And soon, the tears were flowing again, but this time from Rosi. “Oh, Goddesses,” she said before closing her eyes and turning away and tucking herself into Moll’s shoulder.

Zelda stopped halfway up his thigh because at this point, the extent of the injury was well known. It was bad. Very bad.

“Can you help him?” Moll asked expectantly. “You said you could help him.”

But Zelda remained quiet, staring at the wound before sucking in her bottom lip and biting at it nervously. Finally, she put her dagger away in a rush and then hiked her sleeves up to around her elbows before shifting forward on her knees.

“What are you going to do?” The man asked, but Zelda only shook her head.

“Please, I need silence…”

She brought her hands up for a moment and then gently lowered them to Eno’s skin. That contact, and the pain it brought, finally got him to move while letting out a louder whimper. At his son’s discomfort, Moll moved forward, only to be stopped by his wife. “Let her work, dear.”

“She’s not doing anything but hurting him!” He protested before being cowed momentarily by Rosi’s insistent stare.

Zelda stayed resolute throughout the accusation, but Liesl wouldn’t stand for it. She turned and narrowed her eyes at the man, even if he’d already been chastised. “She said to be quiet. Now, hush. I’ve seen her do this before.”

“On who?”

“Me.”

Of course, Liesl left off the fact that Zelda had only been able to do it on her, but so much had changed about her powers already; would this as well? The man seemed placated with the fact that something had worked before, but the silence that Zelda had desired only began to weigh on Liesl’s shoulders as they all waited.

Eventually, Liesl shifted closer and brought a hand up to place at the small of Zelda’s back, offering some modicum of comfort. Honestly, a small part of her simply hoped that their physical connection might help in some way. “You can do this,” she whispered. “Just breathe, I believe in you…” Liesl’s other hand came up and reached out to lay over Zelda’s gently at first, but then with enough pressure to offer a gentle squeeze.

Then there it was! The familiar light that Liesl had seen so many times now. Zelda’s eyes even widened in surprise, but she maintained steady contact throughout. It was difficult to see with the amount of light coming from her hands; however, Liesl swore she could glimpse the discoloration receding at the edges of the glow. By the time the light finally started to dim, it was apparent that the effort hadn’t resulted in a complete heal. However, what had been done felt like a miracle enough. Light bruises remained, but it was a far cry from what it had been. Even the leg seemed to lie straight once again!

“Oh, Goddesses!” Rosi gasped while her husband stood there, shocked into silence. At least until the boy stirred with a grunt and blinked a few times before looking up to the older man with renewed vigor in his eyes.

“Papa?”

“Yeah, buddy,” Moll answered before bending down next to Zelda and inspecting the leg for himself. “How do you feel?”

“Better,” Eno answered with a nod of his head. “I feel warm inside and my leg is kind of…tingly?”

At that, Liesl couldn’t help but smile because she’d certainly experienced that before! Zelda had done it! She healed someone else! Relief instantly flooded Liesl as they stood tall, and the princess even wiped an arm over her brow, removing some of the sweat that had formed with the effort.

While Moll continued to look over his son, Rosi’s gaze met Zelda’s with a new intensity. It was clear to see she was trying to figure out just who she was, and after a few moments, her eyes snapped open with recognition.

“Princess!” She gasped before attempting an awkward bow, made even more difficult by the baby in her arms and her own surprise.

Oh crap.

“Princess?” Moll echoed before looking up at his wife and then at the two strangers.

“Of course, who else can do magic like this?” Rosi answered before returning her eyes to Zelda. “You’re Princess Zelda, aren’t you?”

At first, Zelda held her hands up as if trying to get them both to be quieter about the revelation. She looked over at Liesl as if for advice thereafter, but the woman was right; the princess’s supposed powers were well known through the deeds of her forebears. So, Liesl only shrugged in begrudging acceptance.

“That’s right,” Zelda said, turning back to the family. “And I’m just happy I could be here to help.”

“I don’t believe it, this is incredible! But if you’re the princess, then…” The woman trailed off as her gaze shifted to Liesl and narrowed once more. “Who are you? You don’t look like a guard.”

Well, excuse Liesl for not being a hulking man! However, before she could say anything in her defense, Zelda reached up with a hand and placed it on her shoulder. “This is Liesl,” she said with a fondness in her voice that was hard to ignore. One that filled Liesl’s chest with some of that warmth that had seeped out over the past few days. “And she’s the Hero we’ve been waiting for.”