Liesl would’ve liked to say she didn’t cry anymore that night. That she didn’t cling to Zelda so fiercely as they slept, it might’ve prevented her from getting any rest. Thankfully, that didn’t seem to be the case as she eventually realized that the steady, low breaths of the Princess meant she had drifted off to sleep with her hands still wrapped protectively around her Hero. 

Honestly, Liesl didn’t know why it all hit her so hard all of a sudden. Rowan’s death, fleeing their home, knowing they could never go back to what they once had. Perhaps her mind chose this moment to let it flood in because they were finally safe? For tonight, at least. Either way, she left Zelda’s shirt damp from her silent sobbing before managing to follow her friend into a dreamless sleep. Thank the Goddesses for that.

The warmth from Zelda’s body definitely helped, as did the gentle way she saw to Liesl’s every need before they went to bed. It had even been difficult to convince Zelda to let her repay the favor. Talk about a role reversal. The next day came with its rising sun and the busy sounds of those who worked and lived in the inn. However, they were in no rush, and the pair stayed warm in bed, wrapped together even after they both stirred. 

“Good morning,” Liesl finally said after opening her eyes and finding Zelda staring back at her. 

“Good morning,” she said before leaning forward and kissing Liesl on the forehead. “I really needed that.” A soft laugh followed, and at first, Liesl only nodded while a hum of agreement sounded deep in her throat. 

“We both did,” Liesl agreed.

“I suppose we should pack and then find some breakfast?” 

“Do we have to get out of bed?” 

“I see the fact that you are a sleepyhead also hasn’t changed,” Zelda said with another snort of amusement.

“Your sleepyhead,” Liesl corrected. “And no, I’m still much too fond of our warmth beneath the blanket.”

“Well, there will be plenty of time for that in the future. For now, we should get ready to go.”

As much as Liesl hated to acknowledge it, Zelda was right. They needed to get moving if they were going to make it to their destination in any reasonable amount of time. Unfortunately, that meant not sleeping frequently in comfortable beds.

“Fine, fine, we’ll do it your way.”

“I am the princess,” Zelda mused. “A hungry princess, so…how about you move to the side so I can go find Itin.”

Wait, what? Zelda go downstairs? Oh, no, no. That wouldn’t do! Liesl immediately sat up and even moved to the edge of the bed first. “I don’t think so, princess. I’ll be doing that.”

However, no protest came from Zelda. In fact, she even looked like she was getting more comfortable beneath the blankets following Liesl’s pronouncement. A fact that made her narrow her eyes in suspicion. “Oh, you knew I’d say that, didn’t you?”

“Some things don’t change…”

Well, that earned her a toss of Liesl’s pillow, and for the briefest moment, the small room at the inn was filled with laughter instead of sobbing. Still, Liesl eventually quieted and slipped to their door before opening it to check on their clothing. Sure enough, it sat folded just to the side, along with a small jug of water and some cups. At this rate, they’d have to leave Itin a few extra coins for her service because she was really going above and beyond.

Back inside, it didn’t take long for Liesl to throw on her pants and boots and head to the door…without her sword. “Alright, I’ll be right back.”

“Take your time,” Zelda said before winking and settling deeper into the blankets. Cheeky princess.

“You’d better be up and packing by the time I get back, young lady.” 

“Excuse me, I’m the one who gives the orders around here!”

Hmm, maybe Liesl would regret insisting she was still a princess out here after all! No matter, a wag of her finger preceded her slipping through the door before she started down the hall. The last room before the stairs sounded like it was currently hosting a wrestling match, and Liesl quickly figured it was Rosi and Moll’s room. However, before Liesl reached the top step, different sounds caught her attention. The heavy thud of boots across the downstairs floor and the unmistakable sound of armor clinking as someone moved. As more than one person moved. Soldiers? It had to be! But whose? The King? The man in black? Liesl’s heart suddenly seized in her chest, and she had to fight the urge to run back down the hall to Zelda.

It couldn’t be, right? There was no way the attackers had managed to track them all the way to this remote inn in the middle of nowhere. Perhaps they were scouts for the army headed back to the castle? Had word gotten out that something had happened? That made more sense to Liesl, but she wasn’t about to run downstairs and announce that the princess was here. Still, she wanted to find out why they were here and figured she could be quiet enough to figure it out. So, she carefully made her way down, boots barely making a sound as she went. However, she paused at the bottom, where the staircase still kept her hidden.

“Oh! Oh my, good morning!” Itin’s same excited greeting made it across the room to Liesl’s ears, but unless she was imagining something, there was a little something more to it. Surprise or something else?

“Good morning, Miss,” a man started. “My colleague and I were hoping to ask you a few questions. Do you have a moment?”

“Of course! Are you looking for food or a room?”

“Answers will be fine,” another, deeper voice answered. Liesl could read annoyance in the words, and her breath came in a little quicker at the revelation.

“Oh, sure…what did you want to ask?”

“We’re looking for someone,” the original man replied. “A rather well-known someone, actually. Princess Zelda.”

“The princess!?” Liesl could hear the disbelief in Itin’s voice, but at least she had the good sense not to voice any gasp. “You think the princess is out here? Wouldn’t she be in the castle?”

“If she were in the castle, do you think we’d be out here looking? Seriously, what kind of qu–”

“What my friend is trying to say is we’ve searched the castle, the city, and the surrounding area, all with no luck. However, we did learn that she may have traveled along the river recently. Which you aren’t far from.”

Oh crap, she and Zelda had gone around announcing themselves to all those farms close to the castle! Of course, someone would tell a group of soldiers what they saw! Shit! This was bad, right? Unless the army arrived in the days following the attack…

“Really? Well, I can assure you, Princess Zelda isn’t here. There’s barely anyone here, and if they were royalty, I’d know.” Thankfully, Itin sounded quite sure of herself. She really had no idea that the Princess was lying in a bed upstairs. And Liesl intended to keep it that way. However, before she turned to go, the next question stilled her feet.

“Why are you looking for her?” Itin continued. “Is there something wrong?”

There was a noticeable pause before the original man cleared his throat. “The King is looking for her. He grows concerned at her absence.”

“Her father doesn’t know where she is?”

Another pause and more dread gripped Liesl’s chest.

“No, King Ganondorf,” the impatient-sounding man answered.

“King…who?”

Yes, exactly, Itin. King who!? King Ganondorf? As in…Ganon? 

“He is the new King, girl. And he needs to know the princess is safe. Now, you’re sure she isn’t here? Or another young woman, perhaps? She may not be using her name.”

“A new king? I…well, some young women arrived with a family last night. They said they were from the city but left after the attack.”

“Really? What were their names?”

“They were…well, they didn’t actually ever give me their names, come to think of it.”

“…and you didn’t ask?”

Liesl pictured a shrug coming from the young woman because, of course, she hadn’t. And Liesl hadn’t been about to offer. Thank the Goddesses she hadn’t! “My job is to help people; I don’t need to know their names to do that. But I guess it would make it easier? I should probably ask next time.”

A sigh followed, in addition to muttered words that Liesl couldn’t quite make out. But in that absence, the original man took over with a voice that sounded like it retained enough patience to not be outwardly hostile.

“Which room were they staying in?”

This was bad. Oh, this was so bad. Liesl didn’t know who this Ganondorf was, but the fact that it wasn’t King Hyrule only meant one thing. Whoever attacked the castle was successful. She had to get back upstairs, and she and Zelda had to hide or do something!

“Oh, Liesl, you’re up!”

Crap. Rosi must’ve emerged from her room while Liesl was focused on the conversation below. A conversation that now stopped…

“Who’s there? Show yourself!”

Rosi made a face like she was eating something sour, and Liesl immediately heard the heavy thump of boots once more. Two men appeared from around the corner, covered head to toe in plate armor. Well, except for any helmets.

The taller of the two had cropped blonde hair, and his inquisitive blue eyes darted between the two women as he studied them. Liesl much preferred that over the downright belligerent expression on his partner’s face. The shorter man’s red eyes were filled with uneasiness, in full view since his long, white hair was drawn up into a ponytail that folded back on itself for stowing away.

“Who are you?” The red-eyed man asked before fixing his stare on Rosi. “And what name did you just use?”

Liesl’s heart was beating so fast she was surprised the sound of it wasn’t giving her away. Thankfully, the soldiers didn’t seem to recognize her, something made easier by the fact that she didn’t have the Master Sword attached to her hip. Which was stupid! She shouldn’t have been so complacent! But there would be plenty of time for self-loathing later, after she made it out of this.

“My name is–” Liesl started before she was cut off.

“Not you,” the red-eyed man said, cutting her off. Before he raised a hand and pointed a gloved finger at Rosi. “You.“

“Lisa, what’s going on?”

Oh, Rosi, you beautiful, quick-witted woman! She turned to the man thereafter, eyebrows furrowed as if she were on the verge of losing her patience. “This is my fieldhand, Lisa. Why are you bothering her? Has she done something wrong?”

“Your…field hand?” The taller, and apparently more reasonable, man lifted an eyebrow and exchanged a look with his partner. Who immediately turned to Itin out of sight.

“You said a group arrived together last night?”

“Uh-huh. Husband, wife, three kids, and two young women.”

Two…Itin! Why!?

“Two?” He confirmed before turning back to Liesl and Rosi. “And where is this other young woman?”

“She’s asleep upstairs,” Liesl said before indicating Rosi. “It was a busy day yesterday packing up. We’re all very tired.” Which wasn’t even a lie.

“Lots of hard work,” Rosi continued. “I’m sure you gentlemen can appreciate.”

“That we can; however, I’m afraid we’ll need to speak with this…tired young woman.”

The shorter of the two men moved to take the stairs following his partner’s assertion, but before Liesl could muster an excuse, it was Rosi who was stepping around her to confront the soldier. “You will not,” she said with all the defiance a mother of three could muster.

For his part, the angry ball of metal actually seemed stunned for a moment before his scowl returned. “I will be talking to this young lady; now move.”

“Lisa can go get her, but you will not be bursting in on a woman in an unknown state of undress. Or have your mothers done a poor job of raising you?”

The sight of this woman staring down two fully armed and armored men was truly a sight to behold, and before the shorter one could manage a retort, his comrade reached up and took hold of his shoulder. “Come on, Shol, we can let the young lady rouse her friend.” As he used his hand to encourage the other soldier down, his gaze shifted to Liesl. “But if you’re not down in ten minutes, we’re coming up there whether you’re ready or not.”

Ten minutes? Well, that would have to do because asking for more had to seem suspicious.

“Yes, sir,” Liesl said before offering a bow of her head. She turned thereafter and practically flew up the stairs, silently thanking Rosi as she started to berate the soldiers for scaring “two young women who hadn’t done anything wrong.” Which, in all fairness, was exactly right. She and Zelda hadn’t done anything wrong, but Liesl wasn’t about to argue that. There was no way she was marching Zelda down to those soldiers. They just had to figure out what they needed to do…in only a few minutes.