Chapter Text
In the weeks since Urbosa left Zora’s Domain, she neatly tucked Princess Mipha away into the back of her mind. Her days were filled with long roads and diplomatic scrambling among the Gorons and Rito, punctuated far too often by ambushes by bands of monsters. Urbosa put aside memories of the Zora vai’s amber eyes and musical voice, caught up as she was in the rhythms of ruling and fighting and mothering. In a fortnight she could almost forget that foolish starlit moment when she had made an oath to the girl on her own life, and meant every word.
Urbosa had been home and settling the aftermath of the Reckoning for about a moon when a missive arrived from Hyrule Castle, heavy with the royal seal. It bid Urbosa to come at once to join her fellow Champions and be recognized before all the people in ten days’ time.
“ Put on a show for the Hylians, he means .” Arakna sniffed, leaning over Urbosa’s shoulder to better read. Urbosa grunted, irritated but not surprised.
“ Of course. I have, however, been graciously permitted to bring my Spearhead to the ceremony, to watch me bend the knee before the Hylian throne .”
“ How generous. Tell me again why you won’t let me get rid of him ?”
Urbosa ignored her sworn-sister in favor of penning her reply, resigned to another week in the saddle and another painful goodbye with Ubari and the children. This ceremony would be over and done with far more quickly than her journey to rally the other tribes to the cause, Urbosa knew this, yet these days any time spent away from her people weighed heavily on her soul. She sensed, somehow, that she must be among her beloved ones as much as possible, that she must hold them and love them while she could, and teach all that she had learned in her life.
Urbosa would go regardless. Her little bird needed her now more than ever, and Urbosa had missed so much of her life already. She could not leave her to shoulder this burden alone. And so Urbosa sent her swiftest runner with her message and set about preparing for the three day ride to Hyrule Castle.
Two days later, Urbosa’s preparations were interrupted by Ubala barrelling into her bedchamber without warning and shouting that a building had sprung fully formed from the sands just outside the town gates. It was glowing, too, because Urbosa’s life did not yet have enough complications. Sighing, Urbosa abandoned her half-packed rucksack and called for her Spearhead and a few mages, not about to leave anything to chance in these strange days. She led the way down through Town at a brisk pace, hand on the hilt of the Scimitar of Seven. She did not draw her blade, to avoid worrying the folk who milled in the plaza and at the gates, but she kept her every sense on high alert. They could not afford anything less.
Ubala broke formation to bound ahead of her out the gates, shouting a greeting to the guards assembled around–yes, yes, that was truly a building hunched at the feet of Urbosa’s walls, a squat, orange-veined thing that made Urbosa think of the strange mushrooms Imelda had loved to collect when they were girls.
“ I’ll be damned .” Taarvi said casually, as though this were a common occurrence in her long life. Urbosa slowly shook her head, wondering if this was a shared heat-dream, but the building remained where it was, ugly and gently pulsing with orange light. She led her Spearhead to join the defensive ring the city watch had formed, drawing up beside Captain Rima with a curt nod.
“ Good day, Captain. What news do you have ?”
Rima snapped a salute and delivered a quick, clipped report: “ Approximately half an hour ago we felt a ground tremor, and soon after this structure thrust up out of the ground. Thus far no contact from external forces has been made, my Lady, but my soldiers are ever vigilant!”
Urbosa frowned and sent two of the younger guards to examine the foundations of the town wall. Carefully she approached the new building with her hand on her pommel, trying to sense any magic at work. Up close, Urbosa recognized the strange swirling patterns in the metal and stone as Sheikah work akin to the patterns she found on mighty Naboris. Perhaps this was related to the Divine Beast in some fashion? Just how far did the Sheikah technology extend throughout the land?
Urbosa traced one of the lit pathways of the shrine’s wall, then stepped onto the dias to examine the lit terminal there. Immediately she felt a current of some power pass through her heels and up her spine, making her scalp prickle. Not electricity, that was an old ally Urbosa would know in her sleep, but some other energy that made the ancient stone come alive. In fact, as Urbosa stepped down to rejoin her women the dias glowed brighter still, and began to hum.
The hum grew in pitch and intensity as motes of light gathered over the shrine, and as Urbosa watched two forms began to emerge from the haze, solid flesh called from nothing. Immediately she swung her shield onto her arm and drew the Scimitar, her blood coursing cold in her veins.
“ Be ready!”
Around her Urbosa sensed her warriors prepare themselves, drawing weapons and tensing every muscle for the attack. She bared her teeth and waited for the moment when the invaders stepped forth; she would be ready for them, be they Yiga or monster or something else come to trouble the Gerudo.
She would not fail her sisters.
At last the light began to dim and the shorter of the figures burst forth, running straight for Urbosa with arms flung wide.
“Urbosa, Urbosa look ! We’ve done it!”
Urbosa knew that voice, down to her very bones, and horror curdled in her gut as she quickly lowered her blade. She shouted for her warriors to stand down, sheathed her sword and threw out her hands just in time to catch the joyous girl who hurled herself into her arms.
“Zelda! Goddess, what are you doing here? How are you here?” Urbosa demanded, squeezing the princess briefly before holding her at arm’s length to check for harm. Her little bird beamed up at her, cheeks blooming like roses and her eyes shining bright, utterly beside herself with excitement. Urbosa realized, then, that she had not seen Zelda so happy in nearly a decade.
“The Sheikah slate, that piece of technology I found on the excavation? Well, I was writing back and forth with Ritva–is she here, by the way?-- and she pointed out that new points showed up on the map on the slate whenever we came near these old shrines. So I thought–well, how else did the Champions of old get around? And so I began to run some tests–”
“She woke the whole danged network up! She reversed the signal from that tower on Hyrule Field and BAM! Near-instantaneous particle dissipation and reconstitution, courtesy of old school Sheikah tech and her Highness’ brilliance!”
Urbosa almost immediately felt the beginnings of a migraine coming on when she recognized the interruption as none other than Purah of Kakariko, one of the feral scientists Zelda had recently befriended. The renegade tinkerer snapped to emphasize her point and struck a pose she clearly thought was impressive, and Urbosa decided to take her usual option of not dignifying Purah with a reply. She turned to her heart’s daughter again, tucking Zelda’s tousled golden hair behind her ears.
“You…got the tower to speak to this shrine? It’s a form of transport, then?”
“Yes! There are dozens of points all over Hyrule– even the Divine Beasts have them! I think we can use them to travel instantly, people and goods alike. I got so excited I had to test it at once and…well. I…I missed you, so I thought I’d see you first.”
Urbosa could not keep the smile from her face then, and squeezed Zelda’s shoulder gently.
“I have missed you too, Princess. I am honored you chose to visit Gerudo Town for your first voyage.” Urborsa told her, and her heart swelled in fierce pride over Zelda’s brilliance. Hours later, well into the night, Urbosa would be gripped by cold horror at the idea of Zelda testing ancient, potentially malfunctioning , technology on herself. In this moment, however, she only wished Imelda could be here to see what their daughter had accomplished.
“Will you try it, Urbosa? Come back to the castle with me! I have already had your suite set up for you.” Zelda asked earnestly, staring up at Urbosa with such hope that Urbosa felt her heart melt.
“I would be honored to test the technology our wise Princess has restored to Hyrule– but the Champion’s ceremony is not for eight days yet. Is there something confidential required of us before the official oath-taking?” Urbosa asked. To her dismay Zelda’s entire demeanor seemed to wilt and the happiness left her as quickly as a candle snuffed in the wind.
“Oh…no, there is nothing extra required. I was only…I had hoped you and I could spend some time together before the other Champions arrived, as we used to do before…” Zelda’s voice grew softer and softer until it faded away entirely, and Urbosa’s heart ached with that decade-old sorrow. She longed to draw her heart’s daughter close and hold her as if she were once again a little girl, but she held herself in check. Instead she leaned down until she was at eye level with Zelda and gently laid her hand on her shoulder.
“I would love to join you, little bird. I have missed those days very much.” Urbosa told her softly, and Zelda offered a tiny smile in reply.
“As have I.”
And so it came to pass that Urbosa sent Ubala by seal to Kara-Kara, to alert her mother Ubari that she must act as Chief in Urbosa’s absence. Urbosa felt a little guilty for springing this on her sister so soon, when Ubari had her business to run and her daughters to raise, but sweet Ubari merely smiled and presented Urbosa with a bundle of spice cakes for her and Zelda to share.
“ Enjoy this time with your girl, Bosa. I will look after things for you.”
Urbosa drew her sister into a long hug, grateful beyond measure for Ubari’s kindness. With her final orders given and a week of necessities packed, Urbosa shouldered her rucksack, transferred her diadem to Ubari’s head, and met Zelda and Purah back at the shrine.
“Shall we? I am most curious to see how the ancient Champions traveled.” Urbosa said, striding up onto the glowing dias where Zelda and the scientist were tinkering with the Sheikah slate. Zelda gave an adorable little jump and blinked up at Urbosa like a startled fawn, and Urbosa had to fight mightily to resist dropping a fond kiss onto the girl’s crown.
“Oh, hello! Yes, yes, Purah and I are just about ready to–this one here, yes? Will that work?”
“I don’t see why not, your Highness, and it will be a great opportunity to test how well the teleportation works through solid matter!” Purah said happily.
“Wait a moment, what do you mean by test ? Surely you already know how this works?” Urbosa demanded, her blood running cold as the shrine began to hum beneath them. Her companions beamed up at her, entirely unconcerned.
“Do not worry, Urbosa! It should be fine!”
“Be sure to stand close to me, my Lady. Wouldn’t want any bits getting left behind!”
“What do you mean, left behind? ”
Urbosa never got her answer, for in that moment she and Zelda and Purah were swallowed up by a pillar of blue flame, one that consumed but did not burn. Urbosa felt herself gently lifted up, her entire body light and prickling from crown to heel. She had a moment to fiercely hope that Purah hadn’t just gotten her and Zelda killed before she was gone, dissipated into a thousand sparks like embers from a fire.
For a moment Urbosa was everywhere and nowhere at all, a scattering of thought on the wind, and just when she felt on the verge of being overwhelmed she was whole once more, staggering as her feet made contact with sweet solid earth.
“Incredible! It can transfer multiple animate forms through solid stone!” Purah crowed, absolutely beside herself with excitement. Without looking back the Sheikah inventor darted past Urbosa and Zelda to throw herself at a crowded workbench across the dim chamber they found themselves in. Urbosa glanced around as she got her bearings, and realized they had materialized in the chamber that held Hyrule Castle’s docks.
A journey of three days at best, complete in less than a heartbeat of time.
Urbosa swayed slightly, body flooded with adrenaline with no purpose, and Zelda was there at her side in a moment, bracing her elbow and looking up at her with worried eyes.
“Are you well, Urbosa? Here, let me–”
“I am fine, little bird, no need to worry.” Urbosa dismissed, shaking her head and forcing herself to stand tall. “It’s just… remarkable .”
Zelda’s face split into a delighted grin, a smile that Urbosa couldn’t help but answer. Zelda nearly bounced with excitement as she began leading Urbosa from the shrine and up a flight of stairs she knew led to the library, leaving Purah to mutter amid the sea of ancient parts.
“Isn’t it?! I have so many notes from my time with Purah and Robbie, and we recently discovered some schematics that I can show you–after you rest, of course.” Zelda brought herself up short, looking embarrassed at her excited outburst, and Urbosa bit back a sudden flash of anger. Someone, perhaps several someones, had taught Zelda to feel this shame.
“I would love to see them, Princess. As my grandmother always said, knowledge is the mightiest weapon in our armory, and these days we cannot afford to discard any weapon at our disposal.” Urbosa said firmly, putting her hand on Zelda’s shoulder and squeezing gently. Zelda’s smile returned, more guarded than before, but Urbosa was determined to kindle it often during her visit.
“Thank you, Urbosa. For…saying that. Father–I mean, our advisors do not see much value in the ancient technology, and many feel that my time is better spent…elsewhere.”
Urbosa knew what she was not saying, and struggled to keep her temper for Zelda’s sake. Instead she tried to draw her heart’s daughter out with questions of the schematics she had mentioned, what they contained, how they had been obtained, and this subject carried her and Zelda very happily through a secret door into the library, then out into the halls of Hyrule Castle itself.
Urbosa had a working knowledge of Gerudo infrastructure and technology, but the things Zelda spoke of were nearly unintelligible to her ears. She followed as best she could as they walked, enjoying the brightness of Zelda’s eyes and the animated way in which she gestured as she spoke. She looked almost like a little vehvi again, full of wonder at the world.
Hurried footsteps from behind had Urbosa tensing and glancing over her shoulder, but she soon relaxed. Their pursuer was a voe only a little older than Zelda, a Hylian with shaggy yellow hair and the most determined eyes Urbosa had ever seen. Though she had no name to fit to his young face, she knew the blade strapped to his back, had seen it woven into tapestries and carved deep into ancient stone.
This, then, was the Hero of Hyrule, and Zelda’s partner in destiny.
“Drat.” Zelda muttered at her elbow, and Urbosa shot her a curious look.
“Something wrong, little bird?”
“I told him to keep away, I do not need him dogging my every step as though I am a child .” Zelda said, and there was true bitterness in her voice. Urbosa quirked one brow and waited for some sort of explanation, but Zelda only stalked ahead of her, expression stormy. Unbidden, Urbosa recalled Zelda looking exactly thus as a little thing of four, glowering when Urbosa would not allow her to eat some questionable mushroom she had found.
For the sake of her little bird’s pride Urbosa bit down on the grin that threatened as Zelda beckoned her to follow her through a door she had unlocked, presumably Urbosa’s quarters for the next few days. Urbosa entered the antechamber, and was startled when Zelda suddenly darted under her arm and slammed the door of the suite shut in the face of the Chosen knight, sliding the bolt home with a sharp little smile.
“Much better,.” she said, with the sort of grim satisfaction usually reserved for putting down a lifelong enemy. Urbosa sighed and turned away, rubbing her temples a little. Zelda was growing into a fine woman, but there had always been a touch of vindictiveness in her. It was hard to say whether she got it from her mother or her father.
At last Urbosa entered the main chamber of her rooms and stopped dead. Transfixed, Urbosa stared in wonder at the chamber Zelda had prepared for her, stunned to find herself in an oasis of Gerudo textures and colors and scents. For a moment she forgot their impossible journey and thought herself at home.
“Little bird…”
“I found the tapestries in a trunk full of things from Mother’s study.” Zelda said quietly, coming to stand beside Urbosa as she ran her fingertips over a small piece depicting the abundant springs of Gerudo Town. She had not seen it in over ten years now, but could remember how she had agonized over the exact shades of red and gold and blue. Urbosa swallowed hard and blinked her eyes a few times before replying.
“My sister helped me to make this for your mother.” she rasped, her chest growing tight as she recalled how Imelda had lit up when she unfurled Urbosa’s gift, then crawled into Urbosa’s lap for a grateful kiss.
“Did you? I did not know you could weave!”
“I have set it aside for a long while now, but yes.”
“It is strange…I have known you for my entire life, Urbosa, but…I do not know much about you.”
Urbosa’s breath hitched, the sound of a warrior when the blade was drawn from a mortal wound. Zelda did not know her, not as a daughter should know her mother. Imelda’s death and Rhoam’s cruelty had banished Urbosa to the edges of Zelda’s life, left to cherish what little she was allowed and do her best for her daughter from afar. Ancestors have pity on her, but Urbosa did not even know what color Zelda liked best, or what books she was reading, or if she had lost her heart to anyone yet. With difficulty, Urbosa swallowed down the grief and made herself smile at Zelda.
“Nor I, you. If you would like, perhaps we could get to know each other again?”
And Zelda smiled then, joyous as the rising sun, and clasped Urbosa’s hands in hers. Her hands were soft, but her grip was as sure as any chieftain’s daughter’s ought to be.
“I would love to, Urbosa!”
And so it was. For the next week Urbosa was able to keep company with Zelda, who placated her father the King with stories of how she was learning magecraft from her mother’s old friend. Indeed, Urbosa did teach her chosen daughter some caster’s tricks between their long talks of hobbies and habits, and of Urbosa’s shared girlhood with Zelda’s mother. She taught her the controlled breathing that allowed Urbosa to wield the storm’s fury with precision, not because she thought it would awaken the girl’s holy power but because she hoped it might bring Zelda some serenity.
Her daughter was not sleeping well, that Urbosa knew without being told, and even when she was alone with Urbosa Zelda still seemed tightly wound, coming to the verge of frustrated tears several times over small things. This was no way for a child to live, not even a child born to bear the burden of her ancestors.
How I wish I could take it from you , Urbosa thought to Zelda, late one night when the girl had fallen asleep in Urbosa’s lap. Imelda had hated herself for not being the one of prophecy, hated that it fell to their tiny babe instead. Urbosa had gone to the temple and raged at Hylia’s smiling silence, furious that she would lay this fate on a baby newly born.
Even with these moments of tension, Urbosa and Zelda managed to have long hours of happiness in each other’s company, getting to know the people they had become after the loss of Queen Imelda. Urbosa found that Zelda was fond of green, and preferred tinkering to reading. Her heart was as yet unclaimed, though she mentioned time and time again the letters she exchanged with young Ritva of Urbosa’s Spearhead, a detail Urbosa noted with great intrigue. Zelda was, beneath the strain of her destiny, an earnest and eternally curious young woman, with an almost instinctive understanding of machines both ancient and current, and a deep wellspring of kindness. Urbosa could scarcely breathe for the love and pride she felt, and knew Imelda would feel the same.
It was with some sorrow that Urbosa woke on the day before the Champion’s ceremony, knowing that her days of peace with Zelda were for now at an end. Her little bird had her duties, as did Urbosa; the other Champions would arrive today, and Urbosa was determined to begin binding them all into a proper vanguard, even if she had to strangle young Revali of the Rito to do it.
The Goron Champion would help her in this quest, Urbosa knew. Their brief scuffle upon meeting had taught her that Daruk was great-hearted and wise in the way of turning warriors into an army, and already she looked forward to sharing her plans with another chief. Most especially on how to best break the arrogance of the young Rito Champion.
As for Princess Mipha…well. Urbosa looked forward to speaking with her as well.
First, however, Urbosa went to assist Zelda and Purah in bringing her Spearhead through the shrine located by the docks. Urbosa was privately delighted to see how Taarvi would take shrine travel, and prayed to the ancestors that she could maintain her composure.
Ubala came through first, to no one’s surprise, and immediately pounced on Zelda for a hug. Urbosa grinned when Zelda gave a startled laugh, and moved to embrace her niece.
“ The old battleaxe is pale as a shade. Five rupees says she throws up.” Ubala whispered to her, and Urbosa stifled a laugh, squeezing her tight.
“ Ten says she tries to throw the mad little tinkerer into the moat.”
Over the course of half an hour Sabri and Corvuu came through, Corvuu furiously taking notes the moment her body solidified, followed by Arakna, who seemed entirely unaffected as she materialized from the blue flame. She smiled serenely as she went to hug Urbosa, not a hair out of place, wicked amusement in her black eyes.
“ They’re back at Town cajoling the old woman like a stubborn mule. I will cherish this day for the rest of my life.” she murmured, no doubt already dreaming of all the ways she could taunt their spear-mother with this incident in the future. Urbosa shook her head, gently reminded Arakna that she was a fraction of Taarvi’s height and weight, and that Urbosa would not intervene if Arakna antagonized the old she-wolf. Arakna dismissed her as a spoilsport and sidled off to speak with Purah, a friendship that both surprised Urbosa and filled her with visceral dread.
At last the shrine glowed a final time, bringing the last of Urbosa’s warriors: Brona and Ritva , supporting a deeply shaken Taarvi between them. Zelda rushed to the trio, torn between concern for her elder and clear joy at seeing Ritva again.
“Oh, dear, did something go wrong? Is she alright?”
“She is well enough, your Highness! Just a little surprised is all.” Brona reassured her, wrapping an arm around Taarvi’s thick waist as the old soldier staggered gratefully off the dais.
“Everything ran perfectly, Princess, and our theory about the cool-down was disproven!” Ritva said, leaving the older couple in order to flourish a sheaf of notes to Zelda, who snatched hungrily at them. Urbosa caught Brona’s eyes and smiled meaningfully; Brona lit up and beamed back at the young girls chattering away, patting Taarvi’s back as she hunched over and began to hyperventilate.
Urbosa approached, clapping Sabri on the shoulder and towing Corvuu over to where Taarvi was struggling, reveling in the sounds and sights of having her sworn warriors, her friends and family around her again. Their warmth, their laughter and talk, their sheer presence lifted Urbosa’s spirit until she felt as joyous as a hawk on the wind.
Let Ganon try to stand against her Spearhead!
Urbosa was jerked physically out of her thoughts by a rough hand dragging at her bodice, and abruptly she was eye-to-wild-eye with Taarvi, her mentor’s face pale and drawn.
“ Never again, girl. Do you understand me? I’ll string my bow with your guts if you put me back on that thing.” Taarvi snarled, and Urbosa fought to keep her expression grave as she gripped Taarvi’s shoulder comfortingly.
“ We won’t make a habit of it, battle-crone, I promise. Let’s get you somewhere comfortable, yes?”
Zelda had brought a pack of attendants with her for precisely this purpose, and Urbosa sent her warriors off with the nondescript young women with a promise to catch them all up later. It then fell to Zelda and Urbosa to make the trek back to the central courtyard of Hyrule Castle, a place far more suitable to grand welcomes than this damp place.
(“It is not that I do not respect your warriors, Urbosa, quite the opposite. It’s just…well. Strangers come in the main gate.” Zelda had said, staring up earnestly at her. Urbosa understood very well what she meant; among the Gerudo, one’s family used the side door.)
Zelda grew tense as they and her silent guardian approached the courtyard, standing taller, keeping her face entirely blank as they encountered more and more courtiers. Urbosa herself had crafted a chieftain’s mask when she was Zelda’s age, but it hurt her heart to see her own child don one now.
That is the way of ruling women, she reminded herself. Zelda would have to learn it sooner or later.
They arrived in the courtyard mere minutes ahead of the Goron troop, and Urbosa grinned when Daruk spotted her and roared a greeting, pointing wordlessly at her as though singling her out on the battlefield. Without breaking stride Urbosa vaulted down the stairs and launched herself at Daruk, meeting him at the foot of the staircase with a joyous war-yell fit to frighten the dead.
“At last you’ve arrived, you old rogue!”
Daruk’s great bellowing laugh shook Urbosa’s bones as he caught her in a crushing hug, his beard tickling her face and shoulders. She squeezed him back as best as she could, considering he was shaped of living stone, and rejoiced in the presence of her new friend and fellow chieftain.
“Should’ve known you’d beat me here, brother! Think you can hog all the fun for yourself, eh?” Daruk chuckled, grinning down at her as he set Urbosa on her feet again. She couldn’t restrain herself from snorting slightly and gestured around at the clusters of prim Hylian courtiers, already whispering behind their hands.
“If you could call this viper’s nest fun .” she said wryly. Daruk followed her gaze and then grimaced, part awkwardness, part sympathy. During Zelda’s diplomatic mission to the Goron tribe, Urbosa and Daruk had stayed up late over spiced wine, commiserating over the misery that was the petty squabbling of court life. Be it snide Hylian nobles or red-blooded Gerudo thanes or impassive Goron artisans, all courtiers proved to be a misery to a chief.
“Announcing the delegation from Rito Village, headed by the warrior Revali, chosen of Vah Medoh!”
A shadow passing overhead drew Urbosa and Daruk’s attention to the skies, where they saw Revali soaring overhead flanked by two other Rito warriors. In unison, they banked sharply and began a graceful descent into the courtyard, banners and clothes buffeted by the beating of great wings. With a looping flourish, the young Rito Champion came to a landing before Zelda and bowed deeply, one wing over his heart, the other swept back in fine courtly fashion. From her vantage point, Urbosa saw Zelda laugh, quick but true. The rapport the two had formed in Rito Village was holding, however tenuously.
“Announcing the delegation from Zora’s Domain, headed by Princess Mipha, daughter of King Dorephon and chosen of Vah Ruta!”
Urbosa’s heart jumped behind her ribs as she spun around, her eyes drawn to the great doors of the courtyard where a half dozen tall Zora warriors stood, still dripping from the moat. They formed an honor guard for the woman at their heart, who seemed to glow golden in the light of the rising sun.
Before she could think properly about it, Urbosa was moving to greet the Zora delegation. She advanced with long strides and a straight back, looking far calmer than she felt. She raised her hand in salutation to the Zora Princess, then touched her brow and bowed at the waist, one chief to another. A slight smile overtook the smaller woman’s somber face, and she returned the gesture in kind, her head fins flicking back.
“Hail and welcome, Princess Mipha.”
“Hail and well met, Lady Urbosa.”
Urbosa hesitated over what to say to Mipha now that the formalities were done, and was frustrated with herself. She had sworn an oath on her own life to this woman, she ought to be able to at least greet her properly. Yet embracing her as kin as she did with Zelda and Daruk would be too forward, and she could not bear to use the distant civility she reserved for the courtiers. Mipha solved the dilemma for her by taking her hand and bowing low over it, very grave save for the twitching at the corners of her mouth. Urbosa gave a startled laugh, and Mipha straightened up with a grin.
“I saw that in a book of Hylian ballads, and it looked rather fun.” she said, very pleased with herself, and her little laugh warmed Urbosa to her bones.
“It is good to see you again, Princess. How is Prince Sidon? Has he single-handedly felled the Domain’s foes in the last moon?” Urbosa asked, reluctantly withdrawing her hand as the Zora vai loosened her grip. Mipha pulled a face of such pained exasperation that Urbosa laughed again, this time in sympathy.
“He is…most exuberant. He has just started arms training this year with his agemates, but at the moment…”
“His enthusiasm outstrips his ability?” Urbosa offered, and Mipha gave a fond little smile.
“Yes, that is it precisely. Did you know, this last fortnight, I caught him trying to ride a boar through the uplands?”
That image and the look of long-suffering on Mipha’s face startled a laugh out of Urbosa. She meant to offer her sympathies and relate one of her stories from Ubala’s early years, but a sudden gust of wind knocked them off-kilter, heralding the departure of Revali and his escorts.
“What, he is retiring already? Without saying a word to any of us?” Mipha asked, clearly bewildered by the snub. Urbosa scowled and shook her head; the boy was testing her patience already, and it had not even been a quarter hour since his arrival.
As Mipha mounted the stairs to formally greet Zelda, Urbosa caught Daruk’s eye and they shared a meaningful look between them. Wordlessly the thought traveled, and an accord was reached: nip this in the bud at once .
“I think, perhaps, one of our motley could benefit from a little friendly group sparring. I find it does wonders for easing a green soldier into the idea of being part of a team.” Urbosa observed, and Daruk grinned like a jackal in the sheepfold.
“Beat the slag out of him, you mean? Yeah, sometimes that’s how it’s gotta be with the flashy ones. I’ll rustle up some of the Hylian knights and make it happen. They got a wrestling ground here or somethin’?”
Urbosa gave him directions to the training grounds of the Hylian knights and then sent Ubala with a message to the Rito delegates that there would be a meeting of the Champions in one hour, to begin the forging of their fellowship. With her niece dispatched and Daruk talking to the Captain of the Guard, Urbosa led her Spearhead and the Princess Mipha to the training yard, talking lightly all the while.
Urbosa listened intently as Mipha described the extensive list of her little brother’s exploits and her own progress with Vah Ruta. She had missed the lyrical cadence of the Zora vai’s voice, the soft fall of syllables and the funny little trills she made to punctuate her stories.
The Calamity seemed very far away, when Urbosa was in such company.