[] Talk with Malon, discuss the paintings
"I could use a hand with my armour," You say after a moment, before sighing, "And... there's something we found there you'd find important."
Malon looks at you confused for a moment before she recognizes what you mean. "A-alright, I understand," She tells you, her expression grim. She reaches out towards you, putting her hand on your shoulder, "Just... If I-" Malon begins before cutting herself off as she pulls her hand back, looking at it with a bit of disgust. As Malon rubs her fingers with her thumb she makes a grimace of disgust, one you share when you see it covered in dust and splinters.
"Apologies, we had to... be
creative," You say, trying to not make much of a mess by accidentally brushing off the dust and grime you were covered in.
"And by creative...?" Malon asks, raising an eyebrow.
"We ripped or blasted every lock open with magic," You mumble, not meeting her eyes, "I'm sorry, I really should have followed through with my lessons. Even beings stealthy we made quite the mess, and they're probably on high alert rather than discovering in the morning. We're safe, but it was an unnecessary risk..."
Malon only chuckles, shaking her head, "Only a Princess would apologize for tracking in dirt into a farmhouse," She looks up to you, a warm expression on her face, "I'll heat up some water and find some towels, help you get cleaned up before you keel over."
You nod, swaying slightly as you feel your eyelids starting to get heavy. But a pit settles into your stomach and you hesitantly say, "B-but first... you need to see what I found."
Malon gulps, before giving you a nod in return and then silently leaves you to fill up a bowl with hot water. It isn't too long before she returns holding it and some towels and rags and none too soon, you were already beginning to nod off. The two of you share a look before with grim expressions you both make your way up to your room, with you stumbling a little as exhaustion began taking its toll. Your room was a rather spacious guest room, well carpeted with a dresser, a closet, a small bedside table with a lamp and chest next to a decently comfortable bed. A large mirror and folding dressing screen were in the corner, next to a simple ink-stained desk with a well-worn chair.
You take a seat on the chair as Malon takes the bed after setting the bowl and towels on the desk, nervously pawing at her smock as she looks at you uncertain for a moment before she calms herself, her resolute expression telling you of her decision, "Alright, tell me what you found."
"Paintings, one is..." You swallow, your throat feeling dry, you knew how this news would feel to Malon, "Of your mother, father and both you and your sister."
Malon's eyes close, her expression one of deep pain and sorrow. She stays like that for a few moments before she lets out a long breath and looks up to you, teeth gritted as though you're about to pull an arrow from her. "Show me," She tells you, her tone resolute.
You give a silent nod and begin tapping away at your Sheikah Slate. Then with a flash and a loud THUNK the wooden frame of the painting hits the floor and you need to throw out a hand to steady it.
Malon doesn't make a sound, though you do hear the bed creak slightly as she stands up. Stuck behind the painting you couldn't see her face so you clamber up onto your knees, awkwardly holding the painting the entire time as you peer over.
"I... don't remember this," Malon says, tilting her head slightly as she looks at this, "I must have stood still for hours but... I don't recall it..."
Malon shakes her head, looking away from the painting, "Please, send it away."
You don't hesitate, balancing it with your shoulder as you tap away at your slate before it vanishes into motes of blue light. Malon had fallen back to the bed, holding her head with both hands.
"Malon?" You ask with concern, stepping carefully off the chair.
"I'm fine, I'm f-fine..." She says, waving an arm at you and giving a good look at her eyes, they were red and puffy, "I... just give me a second."
You nod, "It's alright, here I can manage on my own if you need to-"
"No... no, I'm good," Malon says, sniffling and rubbing her eyes for a second before composing, "No I'm alright and just... I'd like to just do something, okay?"
You nod and step in front of the mirror and begin untying the plates on your arms before throwing off the cloak and scarf into the corner of the room. Malon steps forward and kneels down so that you only saw the top of her head, untying the armour from your legs as she occasionally brushed the hair out of her face. She gravitated first to pulling off the Suneate armour on your shins, tossing it aside before unwrapping the cloth you used to tie down the thigh guards you wore. Once done with that Malon carefully began peeling back the fabric to remove your boots which which resembled flexible leather Kutsu riding boots with thick soles with adjustable straps, however they were so tightly fitted they conformed to your feet like an acrobat shoes and had the back of your heel and toes exposed, revealing your Tabi toe socks. This gave you an impressive amount of flexibility and you had the skill to hang from a wire by your toes, though did give the impression you were wearing sandals instead of boots. Malon seemed a bit annoyed as she tried to yank it off, but your Sheikah training stopped you from losing your balance.
As you unwrapped the cloth on your arms you considered how long it actually took to put on your armour, hardly quickly thrown on armour for disappearing in an instant, though if you were willing to untangle it relatively easy to quickly peel off, the stretchy fabric made it simple if a bit frustrating at times. Malon, having finished pulling the armour of your legs off, thankfully was taking care of the thicker flexible outer Dou plate that stretched from chest to groin in the front, with now loose sections covering a good way down your outer thighs but only covered down to your waist in the back and left your inner thighs exposed. You feel her fumbling with the complex hidden straps on your back something even Paya had trouble with. You reach behind yourself to help, noting with a bit of amusement to see Malon's eyebrows shoot up at your flexibility as you help unlatch the armour. Finally, you were free of it and Malon helpfully chucks it into the corner with the rest of your growing pile of armour, leaving you standing there in your body-glove.
This seems to completely confuse Malon, as she starts looking you over and prodding you to find a way to take it off you. Her expression of complete bafflement was so amusing you couldn't help but giggle as you showed her the straps hidden near your collar and down towards your waist, carefully unbuttoning them as you pulled your arms from your sleeves and let the whole thing hang limply from your hips. Some part of you brought to mind images of reptiles shedding their skin as it flopped around uselessly while Malon tugged lightly at the sarashi around your chest, examining it with interest for reasons you had a good assumption of but quickly averted your eyes from, a heat spreading from your cheeks to your ears. You distract yourself by immediately focusing on the body-glove, quickly yanking it to your ankles before lifting your foot up to your chest while balancing on the other where you quickly pull it off, leaving the suit inside out and hanging off one leg but sparing you embarrassment. It was roughly around this moment that you remember you weren't wearing your fundoshi.
Malon ignores your face and ears turning a bright crimson as she bends down to pull your body-glove from your foot, straightening it out as you reluctantly begin to remove your sarashi. Shivering slightly in the slightly cool house you stand there, rubbing your arms as Malon sets the chair and towels around you, before bringing the end table beside you upon which she set the bowl of warm water. You expect her to have you take a seat but instead you see her bend down and to your great surprise, which you see clearly in your reflected expression as your eyebrows shoot up to your hairline and in your deepening blush, Malon's smock is tossed casually onto your bed. Your brain quickly rationalizes that Malon simply didn't want to get her sleeping clothes wet but...
something in the back of your head told you that maybe she just didn't want you to be alone; exposed and vulnerable as you were. You were quite the pathetic sight in the mirror and she could easily rest her chin on top of your head, you might as well have been a doll to her with how pale you were.
Your eyes take in details. Some the same as the ones you take in with your friends in the baths or with Link and the others in those quiet precious moments. The ones that make you feel shame, regret and those that quicken the heart and tie your stomach into knots as they fill your mind with mindnumbing terror. But others you just... note, as though they were clues leading to a conclusion just out of your grasp. The sharp contrast between pale and tanned skin, the clear and pronounced muscles under a smattering of freckles that told of long hours of labour even if you could see the faint outline of ribs under too tightly stretched skin, the toll of malnutrition on full display. Strong and calloused hands, rough yet warm against your skin, suddenly reach up and grip your shoulders as they hold you steady, cerulean eyes looking you and your reflection up and down before they darken slightly with sorrow, a quiet pained sound escaping from Malon's lips.
Guided as if by a voice whispering in your ear you follow Malon's gaze to the reflection before you and the figure held in her hands. You were small, a tiny frail thing and oh so young looking. You note dully in your head that you had only had your birthday shortly before Link pulled you from the river. The doll comparison was apt, your skin was so pale it might as well have been porcelain, your limbs fragile and thin as though they'd break at the slightest touch. Or... not quite the more you look. It surprises you slightly to see muscles on your frame even as thin as you are, eyes drawn to your stomach, legs and arms as you compared them to Malon's. You'd always been more of the...
academic persuasion, when had the journey changed you?
You look up to the face of your mirrored doppelganger, doe-eyed and framed by a long veil of light-blonde hair, barely hiding the deep bags under your eyes. You stare at that face for a few moments, thinking. You didn't see it, never thought of it but you'd certainly heard so many people stop to gasp about your supposed beauty when you didn't opt to have your face hidden by a hood. It had long past reached the point of unnerving you though you weren't exactly alone in that, your friends tended to get similar callouts now that you think about it. So many claiming to have their breath taken away as you'd all ride past. Yet when you had truly ever felt such a thing it was those times you saw your friends laugh and smile, joy in their hearts, something that seemed so fleeting nowadays...
Your eye's finally meet your doppelganger's, their clear red depths staring back into yours. You could see so many emotions in them, many you dared not acknowledge out loud. Not with Malon here, not yet... But what had made Malon cry out as she looked to the mirror? You look again, letting your eyes adjust to the low light cast by the lantern Malon had lit and set on your dresser and finally, you saw.
Mipha's healing while powerful was hardly perfect and though faint the horrors you had experienced in the few months since you'd been reunited with Link had written their mark all over your flesh. Thick, jagged claw marks as numerous monsters had tried and nearly succeeded in disembowelling you marred your chest and stomach, one set stretching from waist to shoulder with each mark wide enough that you wondered how you had survived. Patterns of indented flesh, paler than the skin around it marked where maces and clubs dug into your flesh, cracking bone with pain you began to recall, reliving each blow with such vivid intensity you could feel tears begin to form. Odd markings, ones that matched no weapon, reminded you of how you were slammed into stone by a limb the size of a treetrunk, your entire back likely bearing the mark where the force had ruptured your skin, broken bone and spine bursting free from the force which would have crippled you if you hadn't died outright and only by sheer luck you had swallowed a potion that kept you fighting. How could you have survived that and moments later still be running around, even with the potion? Then again, you'd seen Mipha reconstruct Paya's lung after she'd been stabbed by the Yiga, the sword had pierced all the way through her. Yet the power of healing magic gave no comfort as you saw the crisscrossing lines where blades had sliced through you, rending flesh from bone or arrows had embedded themselves so deep you weren't sure how you didn't have metal still in you. Each mark gave you a white-hot flash of pain as you recalled how you got them yet so many you couldn't, had combat become so routine that you'd stopped noticing? In just a few months you'd become so scarred by your journey were it not for healing magic you should have long since died. Worst of all you could see still the scars of what started it all still, the first mark of your foolishness and endangerment of all you love spreading out from a single recessed point like tightly packed tree roots. But you could still see the rotting, disgusting skin you, in the darkest parts of your mind as your flesh burned and writhed at night, began to believe you deserved to suffer from.
Sometimes you still did, as you saw your friends brutalized every other day. When you saw the pain, despair and regret plainly written on their faces. As you heard them dream at night, crying out in despair and terror as the nightmares followed them into their dreams. As you heard how you had left their lives while you hid in the village. You stared and stared and stared, committing each mark to memory so even when magic had made them all fade away you would still remember them. Each mark you deserv-"
HEEE?!"
You yelp in surprise as strong arms suddenly wrap around you, pulling you tightly against Malon as she buries her face into your shoulder, holding you in a tight hug. Thoughts whirl in your head, trying to make sense of what she was doing but as your shoulder begins to feel wet you understand, your expression falling as you bow your head. "Please... don't cry Malon..." You murmur, your stomach churning, an acidic pain racing up your throat.
"Gods if I'd only known..." Malon says back to you, muffled slightly, "Nothing should have hurt you like this..."
You stay silent for a moment, thinking over what to say before finally, you manage to speak, slowly and from the depths of your heart, "What's happened to me is nothing compared to what others have suffered. If what I have to endure means my friends and loved ones, my people, any innocent get to live happy and unharmed I would bare it tenfold," You look back into the mirror with half-lidded eyes, regarding your scarred form coldly, "You are all so much more deserving of happiness..."
Malon looks up from your shoulder, reducing her grip slightly. Then she sighs, eye closed for a moment until she speaks, looking at your reflection with a small smile, "And that's why I'll serve you, your majesty."
Your eyes shoot open, ears going slightly red as you shake your head, "W-wait what? But I-"
Malon gives your reflection a flat look, "All this time in your head you were going, "I'm worthless because others get hurt" or some other self-doubtful thing, right?"
You hang your head.
"Knew it, farm girl's intuition," She gives you a smile, "You care so much about people, wanting to help them however you can. You throw yourself into hardship for them. I can tell you're in a dark place, but I won't encourage you on some self-destructive path. Because I know you're clever, neither naive or recklessly endangering others. Even when you're down and stumbling you never ignore how your actions affect others in the short and long run."
Your head lifts back up slowly, blinking slightly as you stare into the reflection of Malon's azure eyes.
"People always spoke about how great you are, even before the empire," Malon shakes her head, chuckling to herself, "You know, I wanted to be a lady-in-waiting for you, tending to your needs as I basked in your holiness and grace. I dreamed of being waited on hand and foot by brave knights seeking to earn your favour who may one day sweep me off my feet," Malon tells you, shifting her hands to your shoulders again, "But even though it came with so much sorrow, so much pain... I'm glad I could be friends with the tiny, troubled girl in front of me. Who even as she doubts and hurts everyone turns too not because she's some dumb princess, but because she's more than proved she's someone worth listening too."
You close your eyes as if wincing, "I'm not like how people think I am-"
Your eyes shoot open as you feel Malon painfully pinch your cheek, the farm girl leaning down slightly to put herself at eye-level with you, "So you're not some scarred warrior-scholar who spends way too long at night looking at that weird glowing book and constantly beats herself up?"
"Err... well...OWOWOWOWOWOW-!"
Malon thankfully lets go of your cheek, which you rub with a pout. You turn around and face Malon, who was shaking her head with her hands on her hips. "Honestly," She says, "With what you found for me, how could I not want to follow you?"
You blink, "The... painting-?"
Malon grins at you, "Hope."
You shrink in on yourself, your cheeks and ears burning at Malon's words. She seems to realize your embarrassed state and gently seats you down, leaning your head over the bowl, your blonde hair dipping into the bowl as she begins to rinse it. It was relaxing as her hands deftly ran through your hair, as well as Paya does for you when she offers. As you see yourself in the mirror the reflection, if only for a moment shifts to not a poor farmhouse but a room of absolute luxury as Malon, your friend, tends to you not with warmed well water but with scented soaps recalled as if from a half-forgotten dream, as the others speak to you of the days schedule, what you and them together needed to do. For a moment you let this fantasy linger in front of your closed eyes, reflected in the mirror's surface before you cast it away, burying it. It was the first time in a long while you had even considered indulging in such a selfish fantasy.
But it was a fantasy, you didn't know if you would ever be close to that again.
Though one part of that you felt yourself yearning for, more than anything.
To be with your friends, who believed in you so strongly...
++++
You are Link. Last nights heist had proven a complete success and come morning Zelda and Paya had locked themselves in a room to decipher all the documents they had gathered. But while Mipha tended to Irene and Romani while Midna hid from the light work quickly piled up. Which left you and Malon alone to tend to all the chores on the ranch and today was a scorcher. It was so hot that by noon you had removed your shirt regardless of any sunburn risk and collapsed again the side of the barn, the wood you had agreed to chop up for firewood beside you unchopped. Figuring to get two birds with one stone you lift up the heavy log with one arm, adjust the strap holding the sheathed master sword and make your way towards the well.
To your great surprise you see Malon there, and not alone. A carriage had pulled up and four women were now interacting with Malon. Two of them were armed, though only one wore significant armour while the other you summarized was the driver of the carriage. The more armoured of the two was a rather severe-looking woman with dark red hair cut just short of the shoulders. The other wore her dark hair in a pony-tail and seemed much more at ease. They wore simple uniforms, detailing a crest you weren't familiar with. The other, a maid by the looks of things wore a simple if well made black dress, with a white apron and kerchief over her hair. She looked rather demure, chestnut hair cut to the shoulders and was in the process of closing up a chest you recognize as one magically enchanted to refrigerate its contents. The one in charge was an obvious noblewoman with long purple-black hair and green eyes with a thin though eye-catching frame, wearing a bored expression. She wore a golden headdress with blue sapphires set in it, making it obvious she came from wealth if her dress didn't give it away. It was you assumed Imperial fashion, the blue dress lacking any shoulder or back coverage. It was stretched to its limit in a rather noticeable manner and was kept in place by a ring attached to a gold necklace resembling two large leaves coming together at another polished sapphire. Two thin gold chains extended from this necklace and drapped over her shoulders. Golden, sapphire inlaid armlets held up white, fingerless gloves while a richly decorated sash with oddly familiar designs was tied around her wide hips, completing the whole affair.
What strikes you as odd though was that they were all Hylians, though it shouldn't have surprised you something about their clothing screamed that they weren't simply Imperial appointed nobility even with the fashion sense. More while the guard looked the oldest they all looked close to your's and Malon's ages. As she was not surrounded by dozens of guards you suspect the noblewoman was low nobility, but the amount of wealth she was wearing was staggering. You weren't like Zelda and could identify the history of items from a mere glance but you'd been alongside the scholar princess long enough to realize you were standing near someone from old Hylian nobility. You were bad enough in accidentally appearing like a knight and you curse yourself for leaving the master sword strapped to your back but Zelda was so obviously of an old Hylian bloodline and utterly ethereal when she had actually gotten more then two hours of sleep if they knew even from hearsay Princess Zelda was born with red Sheikah eyes her identity would be almost definitely exposed. So you stood there, the gravity of the situation weighing down on you.
That and they had all turned to look at you with expressions that surprised you for a second. The noblewoman looked quite taken aback and was openly looking you up and down, her eyes lingering on your bare chest. The severe-looking guard was pointedly looking away, though her ears had turned bright red. The more carefree one was cocking her head to the side, nodding with a grin. The maid meanwhile had covered her eyes, though you could see her peeking through her fingers. Malon meanwhile was as red as her hair and was slowly leaning forward at a rate that suggested she would soon fall over as the pouch she was holding falls to the ground, revealing it positively full of Rupees.
"I... hope I'm not interrupting anything?" You say, setting down the large log you were carrying.
Instantly, the hold your appearance has over them breaks, and Malon and the noblewoman both shoot up ramrod straight. Malon pointedly coughs and doing her best not to look directly at you tells you, "It's, ahem, quite alright Link, I was just uhm... finishing an unexpected business transaction. What were you doing?"
"I was... going to get some water and then chop up the log for some firewood? The axe is right there," You say, pointing to the axe leaning against the house, "That alright..?"
"Yes."
"Sure."
"Absolutely."
"Of course."
"Do as you must"
Riiiight. So giving a side-eye you begin to make your way to the wheel, lowering the bucket into the cold water below as the noblewoman begins speaking to Malon, her accent as well rather familiar, "Well, as I was saying the duke my family serves under is well known for collecting objects and knowledge belonging to the Hylian royal family, may they rest easily. Why I heard they've maintained one of the old palaces as a museum though they let no one visit. It's no surprise though, they were one of the few families to maintain their noble rank when the empire took over," She happily gossips with Malon, the bored expression the noblewoman wore disappearing slightly though from the lack of reaction it was one the servants had heard regularly.
Malon for her part quickly focused as soon as she mentioned the royal family, and you could see her making side-glances to the manor as she asked, "And are you interested in the royal family?"
"Oh of course!" The noblewoman declares, though freezes when the more serious looking guard makes a pointed cough, and she rather quickly adds with a nervous laugh, "W-within imperial law of course! But you are from one of the oldest lines in Hyrule; masters of the royal stables, Ladies in Waiting amongst countless Queens, Trainers of the peerless royal guard and legendary knights!" She looks to you with that last comment, before turning back to Malon, "A... bit of misspeaking about our great emperor would be excusable, yes?"
Malon eyes the noblewoman up and down with an intense stare, before letting out a sigh, "Do I look like I would have kind things to say about the empire? You can speak freely here."
Both the guards and maid noticeably wince at that, while the noblewoman just looks away awkwardly, no doubt having inquired about the state of the ranch and the sad state of affairs that had befallen it. You suspect Malon was far less tolerant of this person before she revealed she was eager to support the ranch. "Well, um... my father assists with the procurement of items that had value to the royal family to go into the duke's collection. All for their preservation of course! Between you and me, it is a crime how those relics are treated, passed around so lightly. Why I've even seen a headdress worn by Princess Zelda herself!" The noblewoman says eagerly, rapidly forgetting her momentary awkwardness.
Malon cocks an eyebrow, "How do you know it was worn by Ze- Her majesty?"
"Because I've seen her wear it," The noblewoman leans in, her tone reverent as every one of her servants sighs, "Oh it was when I was but a little girl, but I will never forget that sight. Why, she even laid eyes on me! Such a bright, beautiful shade of crimson! Oh, I could feel myself being blessed..."
...You strongly doubted Zelda even remembered whatever event she was referring too. Luckily it sounded like a time when you and Zelda were so young there was no way she'd recognize you if you were at whatever this event this was. Still, that proved she knew Zelda's unique eye colour. Meeting her would result in instant recognition and you weren't sure what would happen then.
"It was such a beautiful ceremony, the king walked up onto the balcony and addressed the gathered nobles," The noblewoman continues, lost in the memory, "Told us that the most holy Zelda will grace us all with her presence, ensuring that the grace of the gods will smile down upon us. Then she stepped out, oh to see such a thing again but that was more than a decade ago..."
"Her majesty... just stood and looked out at the crowd?" Malon asked, giving a side-glance to you of utter confusion.
"Yes, truly one of the greatest moments of my life. Sadly it was but for a moment, before the king had her return inside. My family was sadly not high enough in status to meet her directly, but that moment was worth a lifetime..." The noblewoman says dreamily.
You look to Malon who had glanced over to you and looking at her expression you could tell she was as disturbed as you were by what that was implying. Maybe the noblewoman was misremembering with how Zelda has been martyred in the years since but her own father, the King of Hyrule parading out Zelda in such a strange manner was... how do you not recall this? It also made the fact you and Zelda would only ever play with each other with no other children other than Impa present have... implications you really didn't want to think about. Then again, those implications didn't fit in with how the games you
did play usually involved diving into muck to pull out some strange insect or amphibian. There was a piece of the puzzle missing here...
Remembering what you had come over here for you bring up the small bucket, thankfully only a little bit of clear, cold water sloshing around inside of it. Enough that you could drink deeply from it without pouring water all down your front. As the cool water poured down your throat to your immense relief you had a slight twinge of annoyance as a good amount was pouring down your chin onto your bare chest. That annoyance changed into relief as you felt how cool it was against your skin and very keenly aware of how hot and humid it was you get an idea. Lifting the bucket up you let the cool, refreshing water pour over your head, sighing in relief at its touch even as it undid your ponytail so your hair cascaded around your face. You whip your hair back and forth, much like how Sif does, to get the excess water out before with one hand pulling your bangs back as you looked back towards the group who had all gone oddly silent.
"
Whew..." The less serious looking guard muttered aloud and for several uncomfortable moments that was the only thing anyone said.
Suddenly the noblewoman cleared her throat and gesturing to you with an oddly serious voice said, "P-perhaps," She paused as her voice cracked before she seemed to collect herself, "Perhaps it would be best if the sir knight would be properly introduced?"
Sensing no way out of it and the chance to maybe gather some info you made your way over as Malon was looking at you with eyes the size of saucers. She noticeably gulped as you got close before, after several deep breaths, Malon spoke, "Y-yes, Link this is Lady Linette Kovrirsk. She is here to purchase abs- I mean milk! Milk!"
"
By the goddess, you could grind meat on-YES, yes. Milk," Lady Linette responded hastily, "It is a pleasure to meet you Sir Link, t-though what pray tell is a knight of your obvious calibre here for?"
How'd she- Right, master sword, "I'm untitled actually, and the last of my line," You correct her, and Lady Linette actually gives a small sympathetic gasp at that, "I'm more of a monster hunter, dealing with Moblins and such. As for why I'm here I had a debt to Malon's family and it seems arrived just in time to help her through a difficult state of affairs."
At the mention of Moblins the serious-looking guard let out a long impressed whistle and all of their gawking took on a look of awe. While Lady Linette and her entourage seemed to be good people under everything you could probably use this situation to get information your group desperately needed, especially with how talkative the noblewoman was.
There was also the thought that maybe you could use this chance encounter to bring in more allies, but you'd effectively have to kidnap them and hold them hostage even if they'd be fully willing, simply for their own protection from the monsters and assassins after your group. The effects from a noblewoman's disappearance would probably have far-reaching effects, especially once Lady Linette's father got wind. It could cost you allies and potentially access to this royal family collection in the long term unless your group moved fast. You would need a serious long term plan immediately.
That didn't preclude though allying with them in the future. Whatever land they owned could be a safe haven in a time of need, and it would be much easier to potentially evacuate them without tipping off the entire empire if they were safely in their own home through any Sheikah Gate that's close to their lands, or perhaps even access to one without risking anyone discovering your groups use of them.
Still, there were things you could ask them. What do you ask? Please choose more than one.
[] How'd you hear about Lon Lon Ranch?
[] Where do you hail from?
[] Could you tell us more about your family?
[] What's the situation with the Gorman's from another noble's perspective?
[] Could you tell us more about the Royal Family?
[] Anything special in this collection?
[] Is there any aid you can offer to Malon's unfortunate situation?
[] What's the situation with the Imperial courts?
[] How difficult is it to travel these days?
[] Write-in
++++
I dedicate this update to my cat Leo who passed away recently at the age of 9 from an undiagnosed medical issue, loved till the end. I miss you so much.
