Liesl didn’t know how long they stared at the infernos as they towered up toward the heavens. And it wasn’t just the sight of the flames that kept her rooted to that spot. No, faint screams were carried across the fields and the water by a warm breeze that rustled the grass they sat in. She even thought she could pick out figures silhouetted against some of the closer fires that engulfed the farms not far outside of the castle. They should’ve left right away, but it seemed neither could bring themselves to get up. As if they had to force themselves to witness what was happening.

Eventually, the distant horizon was lit by more than the fire, indicating sunrise was quickly approaching. And they should really be as far away as possible before that happened. Just so no one spotted two figures retreating in the distance. Then again, they probably wouldn’t be the only ones fleeing the city today. Still, better not to wait and add risk.

This time, it was Liesl’s turn to make the suggestion, and she finally peeled her eyes away from the destruction in front of them to find her friend. “We should go,” she muttered before standing tall, her legs protesting against the movement after being in the awkward position for so long. Without waiting for a reply, she hooked her hands under Zelda’s arms and helped her get onto unsteady feet. The princess didn’t protest as Liesl started leading them along the river in the opposite direction, arms still wrapped tightly around one of Zelda’s.

Tensa. She had no idea where this village actually was and couldn’t recall its location from any of the maps she had seen over her life. But Rowan had given them directions of sorts, and that was better than nothing. Besides, she knew all the landmarks he gave, even if they were all obviously large. First step, follow the river.

A silence settled between them as they started walking, but she knew right where Zelda’s mind was because every few minutes she peered over her shoulder, looking at the city and the castle slowly receding into the distance. It would probably take some time for it to completely fade from view, but Liesl was determined to lead them as far as she could in the meantime.

She only wished the going was easier. The grass was still long and wild, even up the bank, and full of all kinds of things she couldn’t see in the dark. Rocks, sticks, and objects she couldn’t identify and tried not to think about. Hopefully, they would stumble across the small road that followed the river away from the castle. It was nothing like the giant ones that ringed the kingdom and helped trade flow, but at least it would make the trip easier.

They continued in their quiet for what felt like ages, but was probably only an hour or two, judging by the sun finally making itself known. It wasn’t until Zelda brought her free hand up to investigate it that Liesl finally cleared her throat and found her voice. “Do you still feel…different?” That was the word she used, right?

At first, Zelda didn’t answer, only closed her fingers into a fist and dropped the hand by her side once more. “Yes,” she said with a nod. “Before…it was like I had to search deep inside to find my power. Something that I could only do when I was with you.”

“And it’s different than your singing?”

“The singing made it easier to draw the power out,” Zelda mused before pursing her lips in thought. “Like using an aqueduct to transport water. It was smoother, more efficient. However, the well was still far away.”

Honestly, it was hard for Liesl to imagine it. A piece of yourself being locked away felt so strange, but Zelda was doing a good job explaining, or so she thought. And even if she wasn’t, Liesl wanted to keep her talking. Keep her mind off of what they were walking away from. “And now?”

“Now, it feels like the well is closer and easier to find. And perhaps bigger, too? It’s hard to say for sure.”

“That sounds good, especially in conjunction with your music.” Not that they could stop and do an experiment right now, but that had to mean it would be easier, right? “I can’t help but wonder what changed, though.”

“Me too. I can’t make sense of it,” Zelda admitted with a shake of her head.

“I suppose it’s like the healing?” Liesl continued. “Like… you’ve always wanted to keep me alive and healthy in the past, so wasn’t it much the same?” And then she realized her mistake almost as soon as the words left her mouth.

Zelda came to a stop then, as her mind no doubt went exactly to where Liesl’s did. To the woman who died so that Liesl could stay “alive and healthy.” She brought both her hands up this time and stared down as her fingers spread and they flipped this way and that. “I killed that woman,” she muttered, though not necessarily to Liesl, judging by the sound of her voice. “And I still failed…”

If the first assertion had been a slap across the face, the second had been a punch to the gut. “Zelda,” Liesl said as sweetly as she could before crossing the little distance between them and taking her hands. “You didn’t fail anyone. And that woman? You thought I was going to die. Right there, in front of you.” Goddesses, Liesl thought she was going to die.

“I will never let them hurt you,” Zelda said before lifting her head and gaining some of the resolve back in her features.

“I know, I know…”

“But it’s always only you. Why not Rowan? Why not the rest of them? I didn’t even try,” Zelda continued with a shake of her head. “I ran away like a coward.”

“You didn’t r–”

“I did!” She yelled before the tears reappeared in the corners of her eyes. “And worse yet, I encouraged you to run, too. I couldn’t fight, but you could. I saw you. Not me, though. I hurt one person and just froze.”

Liesl’s grip on those hands tightened following the words, determined not to let go. “You’re selling yourself short. You were right to encourage us to go; we weren’t ready.”

“No, we weren’t.” There was a hardness to those words that Liesl did not like, but apparently Zelda had her fill of talking and let her head fall forward to rest on Liesl’s shoulder.

Liesl let her stay there like that for a few moments, looking over her shoulder to ensure they weren’t followed. “I know it’s hard, but we have to keep going.”

Zelda nodded but didn’t say anything further, only let herself be pulled along by Liesl’s hand once it dropped to grab one of hers. Liesl had to be strong enough for both of them, but how could she do that when she was terrified?

The blanket of silence settled over them once more, both women seemingly stuck in their minds. At least until they saw smoke again. However, they were walking away from the castle, not toward it. So, what was happening out here? Liesl was the first to notice, and she pulled them to a stop after only another step.

“What?” Zelda asked, her gaze coming up from the path where it had fallen.

“Look,” Liesl answered before raising a hand and pointing.

“Smoke…” Zelda stood on her tippytoes thereafter as if that would reveal the mysterious source of the black puffs rising into the sky.

Hmm, Liesl didn’t like this. Not one bit, and she immediately started scanning the surroundings for danger. “Let’s get off the path and into the trees.” The ones that sparsely dotted the other side of the road and would at least help break up their profile.

“And then what?”

“Go around.”

Zelda didn’t answer, but Liesl could see her biting her lip in thought. “No, we have to go check. What if someone is hurt? There are monsters everywhere.”

“That is precisely why we should go around,” Liesl countered with a shake of her head. They were tired, ill-equipped, and had no reasonable means of escape. If they got into a fight here, she didn’t know how things would fare.

But Zelda wasn’t having it, and she stepped off a moment later, dragging Liesl with her as she stalked off toward the source.

“Zelda!” The name came out as more of a hiss so as to not be too loud, and the insistence caused the Princess to spin on her heels.

“I’ve already left a whole city behind; I’m not abandoning anyone else!”

At that, Liesl couldn’t help but shut her mouth and look away for a few moments. It was dangerous…but could she ask Zelda to do that very thing? “We can’t stop for everyone needing help. We have to make it to this village.”

“We’re not stopping for everyone; this is literally right in front of us.”

In the end, Liesl relented like she always did. “Okay, but…we have to sneak up on whatever it is. Just to give us a chance to run away or stay hidden.”

“Alright, we’ll do it your way.”

Well, thank the Goddesses for small compromises! Liesl led them off the path thereafter, into the area with small trees and sparse bushes. It wasn’t he best as far as camouflage, but it would have to do. The two women carefully picked through the wild landscape around them until they made it to a campsite of sorts.

The first thing that stood out was the smoke rising from a smoldering carriage. However, as soon as her eyes dropped lower, Liesl saw them. The bodies of the soldiers still ringed around a fire that had died hours ago.

“Goddesses, the attackers are out of the castle already? How can this be?” Zelda asked.

“I don’t think they’re storming out of the castle,” Liesl said before drawing the master sword and taking a few cautious steps forward. “I think they were on the way to it.” To carry out the attack they’d both lived through. At least, that’s what she assumed. The castle and city were big; it would take more than one night to completely subdue them, right? Which should give them time to escape. And Liesl was glad she hadn’t said that out loud because the pang of guilt that flared up at thinking of all those people that way nearly left her reeling.

Zelda released a heavy sigh and then turned to go, but Liesl stopped her with a tug on her hand. “Hold on,” she said before nodding back in the direction of the camp. “We might be able to get a few things.”

“Like what?”

“Water, food, things Rowan didn’t leave us. It also looks like you lost your weapon.”

Zelda looked down at her hands as if to confirm that fact, but remained silent for a few moments before nodding in agreement. “Yes, I suppose we do.” Still, it didn’t make it easier to wade into the camp to rob the dead of their things. No, it didn’t feel right at all, even if they both knew it needed to be done.

“I wish we could bury them,” Zelda said before closing the eyes of the man she knelt over. She subsequently went to his belt, but instead of pulling out the dagger like Rowan had done, she removed it altogether and stood to attach it to her waist.

“I do too,” Liesl said with a nod of agreement and let the unspoken remainder of her thought stay unsaid. Of course, they couldn’t. They also couldn’t dally, and once Liesl gathered two leather canteens, a single bedroll, and some food, she went to gather Zelda as well. But the princess met her with another dagger and belt, outstretched in her direction. To which Liesl looked confused.

“I already have a weapon,” she said, looking down at the smaller blade.

“You never know,” Zelda said before removing the sheath and tossing the belt aside. “Besides, unless you are going to cut an apple with the Master Sword, I think having something for utility won’t hurt.

“No, I suppose it won’t.”

Rowan had said he wanted her to train on different weapons, but Liesl always assumed that was because she might not get the Master Sword right away. But Zelda was right, there were various uses for each. Things that would be easier with a spear over a sword. And she still needed to

“Okay, let’s go…”

“One more moment,” Zelda said before pausing at the edge of the camp. At which point she closed her eyes, dropped her head low, and clasped her hands together in silent prayer over the sight of the battle. A small gesture, but one that warmed Liesl’s heart and hopefully made the prospect of leaving a little easier.