[] Where do you hail from?
"Oh, I am from East Necluda. My family's manor is right on the sea, the view is absolutely wonderful to behold," Lady Linette says, before giving you a look as she twirls a strand of hair with a finger, "Perhaps you could... come to visit someday and see it for yourself?"
"It might be some time," You say, looking over to Malon for a second. She's glancing between you and Lady Linette with an odd smile. Looking back to the noblewoman you figure to just speak the plain truth, "My companions and I have a job after we help Malon and given the nature of our work we'll be far from the coast. Thank you for the offer though."
Lady Linette looks disappointed for a moment, quietly saying, "The offer will stand Sir Link, I am sure a... knight-errant of your calibre could use a bit of rest," She pauses for a moment before perking up, "Perhaps we could accompany you? In my position a bit of..." She pauses, looking you up and down again, "
Excitement is hard to come by~ Where perhaps will your work take you?"
"Faron," You say, there was no point in disguising it.
The instant you say that though both guards inhale sharply through their teeth, looking at you with shocked expressions. When Lady Linette turns to them with a quizzical expression both shake their heads rapidly. The noblewoman's shoulders sag noticeably, but when she turns back to you there is a good deal more admiration. You only notice then the more at ease guard suddenly looks to be considering something, before turning to you and suddenly asking "Hey, when you say companions you wouldn't happen to be travelling with a red female Zora, has this really nice trident and a sla-
employment collar?"
You notice out of the corner of your eye Malon step back slightly as you slowly regard the guard, "Why are you asking?" You ask slowly, not making any threatening movements yet.
The guard notices the change in the atmosphere immediately and throws up her hands in a placating gesture, looking rather nervous by your change in demeanour, "Hey hey, don't mean to put any of you in danger or anything! Just words got around that a group of Sorceresses and a knight singlehandedly saved a village from an army of Moblins and Bokoblins! Only real detail was one of them was a Zora! So I just thought..." She stops, her hands lowering as her jaw does, "Oh goddesses, that was you!"
Figuring that there was no real ill will from the guard you nod, "Yes, we did save the village and from your reactions we might be going into similar danger."
The more at ease guard swallows nervously, looking as though she was standing in front of a childhood hero. The more professional guard and one seemingly with a better idea of what you accomplished was practically shaking in her boots and looking as though a legend had practically sprung off the pages. If you spoke to her you were almost certain she'd salute you. The maid looks to be stuck between disbelief and a genuine look of respect though you can tell from her unfamiliar reactions from the mention of "Moblins" and "Bokoblins" that she wasn't quite aware of what those monsters were capable of.
Lady Linette though practically had stars in her eyes.
[] Could you tell us more about your family?
"Of course! The Kovrirsk family has a long and illustrious history serving the crown," Lady Linette responded instantly to your inquiry, "While we are only of minor nobility, my family owns quite a sizable portion of the Necluda Sea beaches and has long allowed locals and those seeking relaxation to make use of them."
"What of now, you mentioned your father collects royal artefacts?"
"Well, the Duke we are sworn too managed to simply buy all our noble titles back-" Lady Linette pauses, eying you with a curious look, "Hmmm, are you aware of the details on how your family likely lost their titles Sir Link? You mentioned you were the last of your line, and it'd be most unfortunate if such details were kept from you."
You shake your head and Lady Linette gives you a sympathetic look as you say, "While I... saw the vast differences in what I had compared to what I have now I was never told why, what little I know I gathered while travelling."
Lady Linette nods, and launches into an explanation; "Well, after the empire annexed Hyrule our noble titles were revoked, intended to be handed over to whoever the empire appointed. However, we of the Hyrule nobility are far more individually wealthy than any common Imperial appointee. Now, I won't say I'm any military expert," She waves a hand dismissively at this, her two guards giving the look of people who ensured she was aware of it, "But quite simply rather than simply seizing our lands they let us own it, though with an absolutely horrific tax levied against us. Father made it quite clear we would have lived as paupers if we actually paid!"
She shakes her head, "Most of our fellow nobility capitulated and sold their lands to the government for a paltry sum, but the duke who is fabulously wealthy helped us pay for taxes and bought noble titles. Why, you'd think he had access to the entire royal treasury!" Lady Linette chuckles, with her maid politely joining in.
"Actually, that's how my family kept the land, back when I was allowed to sell our milk. We just bought the rights to our land back and the taxes ended up having to drop as they appointed their own people to run the territory. " Malon adds in, her tone turning bitter at the end.
Lady Linette looks to Malon for a moment with a look of horror and sympathy, before giving a nod, "We were lucky that we were allowed in the end to keep our wealth and buy back our titles, though without the influence we once enjoyed even as minor nobility in the new Imperial court. It does give us quite the few connections to allow relics of the royal family to end up in the hands of those that appreciate it. No one views us as a potential rival, though it does leave things without any excitement..." She lets out a long, wistful sigh as her gaze drifts to the horizon.
"No one tries to sabotage your family buying these relics? They surely must have people clamouring for them, don't they?"
Lady Linette lets out a chuckle, barely attempting to stifle it, "Oh, on the contrary! Most seem desperate to get them off their hands! It seems all who have purchased our kingdoms royal items have any idea of what their worth, you've seen the gaudy fake wealth that's popular with the nobility yes?"
You nod, remembering the armour you had looked at in Castle Town, but it still perplexes you, "Surely who they belonged too would make them worth something?" You ask her, trying not to think of how obsessed people must be to get their hands on your childhood friends dresses for some creepy shrine.
"Oh yes, but it's remarkable how quickly you can buy them for such paltry sums. It seems amongst those the empire has elevated even the crown jewels could be sold for a paltry sum," She pauses, rubbing her chin, "It's rather strange actually, I'm certain they've lost rupees on it, but my father handles all the finances," Lady Linette replies with another chuckle, "It's why the duke entrusts him with gathering these artefacts. He's the shrewdest negotiator in all of Hyrule!"
[] Anything special in this collection?
"Oh! Why none other than a Tiara belonging to the princess!" Lady Linette happily tells you, and you catch a glimpse of Malon glancing towards you and rolling her eyes at Lady Linette's happy proclamation.
It takes a great amount of willpower to do the same, though less from Lady Linette's bold proclamation not being remotely what you want but more because you've spent enough time with Zelda that not only would she probably not care in the slightest but she'd probably not recognize it and wear it on her wrist or something as it must be
tiny.
"Is it all items belonging to her majesty?" You ask carefully, don't want to imply you're going to rob that Palace blind. Not that the others would support that, though you suspect if Zelda walked in you'd all have the pick of the litter.
Lady Linette shakes her head, "Oh no there's so much more. Dresses from the late Queen, weapons and armour from the royal guard-" She pauses for a second as both you and Malon do a double-take before she continues, "Art, treasures, I think they even have magical artefacts!"
You and Malon both look to each other and with a slight nod from you Malon turns and asks with a bit of faux surprise, "Magic?! Did you really see something like that?"
Lady Linette blushes, "Well no, I don't often get to see what my father procures, but I've heard mention! My father is quite thorough at procuring items! In fact, I think there's even a shield belonging to the Royal Family in the collection and that HAS to be magical!"
Well, that's a question for Zelda.
"If all this is true, why hasn't everyone tried to hoard it?" You ask, tapping the Master Sword's hilt, "I know exactly how powerful those items are, with monsters on the rise shouldn't there be people desperate to get their hands on such weapons?"
Lady Linette's expression changes, becoming a mask of worry and confusion, "I... I don't know Sir Link. As I said, my father doesn't involve me in the transactions," She pauses, her expression changing slightly as though just realizing something, "But... there is a new- how should I say this... Mindset? Everything is sold for short-term gain or to benefit some friend or another, I know as nobles there's the presumption we ruin lives for politics or rivalries but never could I have imagined so many so willing to ruin something solely at the whims of whoever they're trying to curry favour for..."
That... sounds important to ask about, but a less dire topic might be necessary for the moment...
[] Ask about the Manor? Palace.
"Oh, it is the most incredible place I've ever seen short of Hyrule castle!" Lady Linette exclaims, "I've never been inside of course, but it's like a castle out of a fairytale, even those few who maintain it have large manors!"
"Does the duke live there?" Malon asks, glancing towards her own manor home and trying to comprehend the scale of this palace.
"Oh no, he lives in a manor nearby, the Palace isn't ever occupied though it's cleaned regularly," Lady Linette explains, "I think only his son visits when they're not storing another artefact there."
"His son?"
Huh, you've never seen someone roll their eyes so hard as Lady Linette did just now as she makes a frustrated groan, with the rest of her servants pinching the bridges of their nose or also rolling their eyes, "Ugh, don't get me started. He's harmless, but he and his friends are the biggest group of idiots I've ever met. But at least they act like proper Hyrulean nobility, interacting with them doesn't make me feel like I have to scrub myself bloody."
[] What's the situation with the Imperial courts?
"I take it things at the Imperial courts are pretty bad?" You ask.
"Uuuuuuuuuuuuugh, it's the worst!" She exclaims, dropping any decorum as Lady Linette slumps, "Every bit of romance with our noble titles is gone and the courts are utterly worthless to attend. I spend more time at home then interacting with those of my social status."
"Not having to pretend to listen to others and play politics? Sounds pretty amazing to me," Malon mutters, which Lady Linette gives a sympathetic look too.
"Oh dear Malon, there so much you miss! Oh if only you could attend a true ball, feel the thrill of courtly intrigue," She sighs, "Or if we could go back to it, everything is run by some manner of governer now who has absolute power over their territory. Then they all kowtow to someone higher up who has absolute power over them, no ambition in anyone only sycophants who indulge in all manner of disgusting practices."
With a huff she makes a gesture towards where you know the spirit tracks are, "Did you know NONE of the nobility was told the spirit tracks were coming into being?"
That takes you aback, "What? But they're swarming with soldiers!"
She nods, "Soldiers who do not know their social status! They and whatever governor is in charge somehow found out before us, the nobility! These governors... they and the legions are together, abusing their authority and acting out however they please!"
"But... surely they answer to the Emperor and his followers?" You ask in utter disbelief, aware you were probably asking the worse person about this, "You can't just have a bunch of... Petty Warlords controlling their own little slice of territory and call that an empire."
"Oh Sir Link, I wish it wasn't so but that's exactly how it works. The only thing the greater military has is its legions of those..." She gives a shudder, "Disgusting golems. Without them I fear Hyrule and all nations in this empire would have descended into total anarchy."
"So the Emperor has no power?! What did the Nemesis who ran rampant through our country and destroyed our way of life take control?!" Malon shouts, a look of utter disbelief, not helped that as soon as Malon said "Nemesis" Lady Linette actually snickered.
When she sees both your's and Malon's expression at that she turns immediately apologetic, "Oh no, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize that it's so unknown outside noble circles! The Nemesis, the Imperial Prince he's... a fop!"
"...What?"
"He's a loser, a nobody. He runs around trying to appear like this great warrior but I don't think he's even been in a real battle! Everything is some silly myth the governors and legions try to push. He's nothing like you Sir Link!" Lady Linette says, getting a little closer to you, "You're the first real knight I've seen since I was a child."
"So the emperor and his son has no power and instead we have to deal with a bunch of warlords making their own laws," You state with a long sigh, no wonder the soldiers you've seen seem so cultish. No doubt whoever these monsters chasing you are and the Yiga clan are the ones actually running the Empire. You doubt the petty tyrants would resist entities with the ability to kill them at any moment, "I think this explains more than a few things I've seen... and the monsters."
[] What's the situation with the Gorman's from another noble's perspective?
"Bizarre and yet typical," Lady Linette says, "Oh I wish I could do something but these governors have near-total power as long as they pay their taxes and don't intrude onto another's territory. Your lands unique situation... it must be saving you."
"Great, other innocents are experiencing this as well..." Malon mutters bitterly before looking at you, a fire of rebellion and a deepening commitment to your cause apparent with only a glance.
"I must say though, I will be happy to be as far from their creepy antics as possible. I refuse to even be in the same building as them," Lady Linette says, with mutter agreement from her servants, "Their desperation to become part of the old nobility is almost as disgusting as how tyrannically they run their land, greedily devouring any wealth it has."
"Surprised no one has called them out," You say, taking note of the puzzled expression on Lady Linette's face.
"That is strange, no one around them seems to have any problems with them though anyone belonging to the old nobility chooses to stay far away from those brothers," She says, tapping a finger against her chin in thought, "Oh I can't wait to be out of here... I just wish I could take you all with me..."
[] Is there any aid you can offer to Malon's unfortunate situation?
"Isn't there anything you can do for her?" You ask, stepping forward slightly.
Lady Linette looks to her feet, cheeks turning red as she hurriedly says, "I... I don't..."
Suddenly she straightens up and with her chest puffed out she strides towards Malon and takes Malon's hands into her own, looking the farmgirl in the eyes, "Lady Malon, I swear I will bring your situation up with the Duke, who will undoubtedly come to your aid! Just hold out a little longer and I promise you and your sister will be dining with me in my manor, free from being slobbered on by that disgusting pair!"
Then she looks to you, "And I will tell him of the brave knight and his band of sorceress's who're doing to legions job and protecting us from the monsters plaguing our land. He will surely provide you aid if you were to show him your sword! Though, perhaps if you were with me when you approached him he might be even more receptive to your plight?" Lady Linette tells you, fluttering her eyelashes at you.
"Thank you, Lady Linette. I'm certain my companions will be most grateful to know we have someone looking out for us."
++++
"Oh yeah, the summer palace? Huh... yeah we should check that out or something," Zelda dismissively says as she flips through document after document, only pausing to push a pair of glasses up her nose.
"I expected you to be more enthuiastic," You chide the Princess.
"I didn't spend time there since I was a child! I mean, yes it's historically interesting. It was actually the original Hyrule castle, who knows what secret tunnels are under it but anything special was probably brought in by this Duke," She tells you, turning her chair around with a loud scraping to regard you with her arms folded in front of her.
"What of Lady Linette and all she said?"
"I wish I got to meet her, but she would have instantly recognized me. None of what she said was good news though, everything I read through in these documents and what she said... I fear at any moment the Yiga and those monsters can kick off a great Calamity and we'd be powerless to stop it," She responds with a sigh, sliding down in her chair. Paya, who was hiding behind a stack of papers she was pretending to read looked up with a worried expression towards Zelda.
"She also mentioned something about a shield belonging to your family specifically, any idea what-"
That makes Zelda shoot up from her chair as she practically screams, "THEY HAVE THE HYLIAN SHIELD?!"
"Uuuh.."
She runs up, grabbing you by the shirt and starts shaking you, "IT HUNG OVER THE MANTLE IN MY FATHER'S QUARTERS! IT'S THE STRONGEST SHIELD I'VE SEEN RECORDED IN HISTORY! IT'S CARRIED THE LEGEND OF THE ANCIENT HERO! WE HAVE TO GET IT!"
"Zel-da-if-you'd-stop-shaking-me-" You manage to get out, and Zelda thankfully lets you go with an embarrassed blush, "Okay, but are you fine with going there? It contains a lot of... well things that sound like they'd be painful to see again."
Zelda just looks up to you with a small smile, "Link... Thank you, but I've gotten a good look at my own intestines during our adventures. I'll be fine, it took me awhile but... I'll manage and there's NO way I'd miss the chance to be the first to hold that shield."
"And the duke and Lady Linette?"
"Lady Linette... she sounds like she'd be a good friend to have, I don't know how I'd explain well... myself but I think we should take what we can get," She frowns, looking like she was chewing on the inside of her cheek, "This duke though... stockpiling all these artefacts... it can't just be patriotism and where did he get the Rupees for this?"
"Think you can guess which Duke it was, sounds like he kept his lands-" You begin, but Zelda only shakes her head.
"I... never learned about the noble family's..." She mumbles, brow furrowing, "Which is strange, I cared more about academics but I was the Princess..."
"We were both young when things started happening-"
She shakes her head, "I know Link, but... well, let's say that recently I've started to consider myself how I... was, as a Princess. And... I know nothing of statecraft or politics."
"Paya?" You ask, looking over to the Sheikah girl, who turns beet red at being addressed and lets out a loud squeak, "I know things were rough, but was there any lessons Zelda may have missed while living with you, a book or conversation?"
Paya shakes her head, looking to Zelda, "N-no, I-I h-helped with everything e-even on... t-the bad days."
Zelda smiles at her friend, before giving you a serious look, "Either way, we need to focus on the mission. We need to find Medli and the last Maiden. Learning what's up with this Duke and meeting with all these people Moebius listed might be a lesser priority for now. Hopefully, once we're all together maybe... things will be illuminated."
"And I suspect the paperwork is helping us get Malon out of her so we can get on that?"
"If it doesn't kill us through tedium, ugh back to reading through tax documents..."
Which left you to figure out what to do.
[] Sit with Mipha and Irene.
[] Hang out with Malon and Midna
[] Patrol with Sif and Epona
[] Inspect the structures being built outside the property.
[] Write-in.
Merry Christmas
