Laurel wasn’t sure what to make of it, but she was in higher spirits now. It seemed somewhat counter intuitive. Back at the camp she couldn’t even manage to muster up the willpower to eat properly, but now...well, she almost felt better. Almost. Maybe it was the adrenaline. While part of her was absolutely mortified at having this place desecrated by beasts, the other part couldn’t see the beasts at all. In her mind she was thirteen again, playing with her makeshift sword, imagining the way she’d singlehandedly defend the castle should something truly horrible happen to it. And then afterward her mother and father would thank her, and Iris would be so proud, and Ashton – oh well, if she knew Ashton then she would of course have been right there on the battlefield beside her. So perhaps she wouldn’t save the kingdom singlehandedly. She’d have a partner, at least.
These daydreams, miraculously enough, seemed to help more than they hurt. They provided the wall she needed to block out the harsher realities of this situation. She did indeed know the former occupants of most of the bodies that now littered the castle grounds. The only good part of being down here now, caged in with several other monsters, was that none of those bodies had managed to make their way into these caverns. Laurel was, at this moment, far too crippled by self-doubt to have been able to take this battle for everything that it was – but mind over matter.
Mind over matter! She said it again and again to herself until the monsters seemed to fade away before her eyes, replaced by practice dummies – and in some cases Ashton, the most wonderful of all sparring partners. She moved quicker and easier with this illusion in place. So much so, in fact, that she managed to slash at the Moblin one more time before it raised its spear to cut her down…
…And was stopped just before it might have hit her by someone she initially mistook for her father.
The illusion faded all at once, and there was Nyles. She was not any less happy to see him than she might have been if it really had been Tion. At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter who swoops in to block a blow for you just so long as they so. She laughed for the first time in months when he spoke, offering up a quick “thank you” and going in for a more successful strike. This one landed.
[ DAMAGE TO MOBLIN 1 : - ]
“Keep at it!” She shouted back at the group, surprising herself with her own assertiveness. “They’re weak – we have this!”
These comrades of hers were better warriors than she could ever dream of being. Maybe it was them, she thought, that gave her this new strength.
As upset as Laurel had been these last few weeks, she could at least find it in her to fight when necessary. Even as she doubted her own abilities, she did not doubt those of her allies. The grounds were absolutely overrun with monsters. That was to be expected, but it didn’t make it any easier to deal with. Laurel bit her lip – something she tended to do when she was either nervous or plotting something – and went over the situation in her mind. They were a strong group, no doubt, but they couldn’t take all of those beasts. Still, they needed to find a way into the castle. Suddenly, she had an idea.
“Follow me.” She said, turning to the three others behind her. She crept as slowly and quietly as possible toward the tower that was positioned just in front of the castle. It was, like the castle itself, surrounded by creatures that had for the most part conjugated on the roof. So far, it seemed that they hadn’t noticed the trespassers. Good. A little ways in front of the tower, there was an irregular circle of grass. Laurel walked until she reached it with the others in tow, crouched down in front of it, and lifted it up. It wasn’t grass at all – it was the hidden entrance to some kind of chute.
She and her sisters had discovered it as children. Once they’d jumped down it and gotten stuck in the caverns below. She might have smiled at the memory had she not been so preoccupied right now. Back then, they hadn’t known where it led. They’d walked and walked hoping to reach a way out, and eventually it had led them to a door positioned right at the back of the castle. That would do nicely for their purposes. “There’s a series of tunnels just underneath here. If we follow them, they’ll lead us right past those monsters. We’ll likely be safe down there – no one’s used these in years. It’s not as long a fall as it looks like. Just jump when you’re up to it – but, erm…quickly.” She explained.
And then she jumped. It was sort of impossible to land gracefully from that height, and so she did stumble when she hit the ground, but…that was the least of their worries. The tunnels, which she had assumed would be empty, were now home to several Mummies and Moblins. Still far, far less than what was outside, but that didn’t make them any less menacing.
“…We may have some company after all!” She shouted, drawing her sword. “Keep your wits about you!”
With that she charged forward, slashing at the first of the Moblins with her blade.
______
[ DAMAGE TO MOBLIN 1 : - ]
[ NOTE : ALL MEMBERS OF LAUREL'S PARTY GET AN EXTRA DUE TO HER TECHNIQUE! ]
GREEN BLOCK : Indicates underground area. ORANGE : Indicates indoor staircase. LIGHT BLUE : Skippable monsters. We're going underground to avoid having them seeing us.
We're got a good number of people, and so we're moving into the next part of the quest...the castle siege! You've all been sorted into teams. You'll follow your party leader into your own quest thread and continue from there. The teams are...
The sight of Einnashe had made her jump her a bit when she’d first come into view. It was either instinct or jumpiness that had come as a result of lack of rest – likely the latter. She had not, after all, been scared of this slow-moving and familiar figure. She had indeed noticed a change in the knight since their arrival here, but felt it was not her place to voice it. It seemed to her that they all had their ways of coping, and Einna’s was at least healthier than Laurel’s…just so long as you didn’t ask the animal population of the Faron Woods.
Once, when she was younger, she’d seen this before. Back then, they’d both been teenagers and Einnashe had been…wild. Or wilder than she would become. She had apparently been downright feral as a child, but knowing nothing about the woman’s people, Laurel at the time could not have found it anything but fascinating. This was different. It wasn’t fascinating, it was…telling. She wondered at times what the lady was thinking. She’d lost people too, of course – people just as dear to her as Laurel’s family had been to her. Einna, once the picture of a perfect knight, could not hide that pain. That meant that no one could.
She very nearly bowed back to her without thinking, but stopped herself just in time. That might have looked like mockery. Gods was she lightheaded. It felt as if she was constantly talking through some thick, oddly textured fog that had also wormed its way into her brain and taken residence there. “I was not. I’m sorry if I disturbed you.” She said quickly, forcing a smile that was probably meant to be reassuring. It was not. “I’m having a look around. Someone may come searching for us and I won’t have them getting lost.”
Laurel felt as if she was shrinking. She didn’t know why. She’d never been a tall woman, but she had always had a decent amount of confidence even in the most troubling of times – she somehow found it within her to feel as if she was more powerful and physically imposing than she actually was. The reverse was happening now, and not only because of her ridiculous routine. More and more she found herself wandering about with her stack of fliers, lost in her thoughts and feeling foolish.
Today that had brought her to this tavern. She’d entered at exactly the wrong time and had witnessed the better part of Einnashe’s lengthy tearing apart of a blond knight that she initially mistook for Ricard. No, that was…Drystan. There was no time to be thankful for his survival. She froze, clutching her fliers, eyes wide like a frightened deer. Very, very slowly, she lowered herself into a wooden chair and put the papers down on the table beside it, eyes pointed at the ground as she listened.
There was so much rage in this. She had never heard that from Einna before, but maybe it was because she hadn’t listened carefully enough. Perhaps this was opening her eyes to something that had always been there. Her words, which may have been encouraging to an extent, were distorted by way that she said them. But Drystan…he was worse. His laughter cut her like a knife, as did his request to be killed. The princess would likely have not been able to recognize Einna if she hadn’t known the shawl. It hit her now, as he asked for the other knight’s identity, that her assumption could just as easily been incorrect and it had not been Einna who spoke with such desperation in her voice. Any hope of that was dashed when the woman complied with him and showed herself.
When she finally did speak, it was in response to his question to the barkeep.
“I might have something to cover it.” Laurel said quietly, looking down at her hands as she spoke. While she no longer carried anything of real value besides her sword, she did still have the pair of golden rings that she’d worn to Termina just before her kidnapping. They weren’t anything particularly notable. Only one had a stone in it, and as well cut as it was, it was also small. She honestly couldn’t remember where or when she’d gotten them. The last week or so had been an uncomfortable mix of trying to recall and repress things. She couldn’t have told you what she’d done the morning of that journey into Termina. Still, she didn’t think they could be all that important. The memories that stuck were the ones of her family – if these had been some sentimental things, she’d surely not have forgotten that. “All of these useless things…I’d be better off getting rid of them, I think.” She muttered.
She slipped both of the rings off her fingers and set them in front of her on the table, examining them closely as if to try and appraise them herself. At least, that was what it probably looked like. She was, to be truthful, purposely avoiding eye contact with either knight despite having addressed them. Or…ex-knight. She wasn’t sure. It didn’t matter what they wanted to call themselves – she was, at this moment, terrified of them both.
They had power over her that they would never understand the full extent of. These people – the knights, the ones that fought for her and her family and her country – they were sort of like a mirror for Laurel. In them she saw what she could be and what she wanted to be. Since she was a girl, they’d been heroes of hers. Maybe not these ones exactly, but they were all similar in their undying loyalty, power, compassion…
She had failed them in so many ways, beginning with the way that she sat here stupidly while they despaired and had not one single thing to offer but a pair of rings.
Laurel looked up the moment she heard footsteps. She was getting better and better at that. Apparently paranoia was stronger than sleep deprivation. Perhaps she shouldn’t have been as shocked as she was to see a boy approaching the camp instead of the monster she’d expected. The monsters were all a bit closer to the castle if her sources were correct, which was why they’d chosen the Faron Woods in the first place. And besides, she’d asked for warriors. Sooner or later, they were bound to come.
The princess stood, suddenly unsure of what to say. About two months ago, she’d been an intelligent and articulate young lady who more or less spoke well for a living. She was just a shadow of that now. Again the dread crept up and she wondered if the sorry state she was in was as obvious to him as it was her. That was shameful. Now of all times, she was meant to be regal and strong. But then, when had she ever been good at being what she was meant to be?
Maybe it was good that others were arriving. She’d likely have thought herself to an early grave otherwise.
She forced a smile and greeted him, listening quietly at first. This boy looked too young to be here. While she herself had certainly started training at a young age, her mother and father would never have allowed her to commit to something as unbelievably dangerous as this. It had nothing to do with her title – there were simply some places where children did not belong. This, she would argue, was absolutely one of them…but beggars could not be choosers. She couldn’t turn him away any more than she could bring Iris and her parents back to life.
“That’s just fine.” She said gently, taking the paper from him and trying with every single ounce of strength that she had to appear warmer and stronger than she felt. The only thing stronger than her sadness was her undying sense of duty to her people as well as anyone who fought on their behalf. They at least deserved a smile. “Thank you.”
“If you’ve got any questions, I will answer them. Otherwise...” She continued, but stopped as yet another new warrior entered. And to think she’d doubted her fliers for even a second. Weeks of no news and now all of this at once. Had they come together? This one, a blond with a colorful family name, greeted her with the same kindness that the first one had. He had a very comforting way about him, and his composure seemed for a second to transfer to her. This was a blessing. Laurel’s mental state aside, this response was more than she could have hoped for. “Thank you. Both of you. Really, I…I couldn’t tell you how much it means to me.“
There were others behind them. One was a dark-haired male who she’d been about to address when yet another person arrived. The light-haired newcomer asked for her by name, and while she thought she may have heard his name before, the reason escaped her. It was something she’d heard in passing once while on a trip to Termina. Or perhaps it was a name on a shop? She wasn’t certain of that or of the identity of the other person he’d named.
The knight entered just as she opened her mouth to respond. The sight made her pause. She knew that armor. If it was a knight, it was likely someone she knew. But…how? They’d died. Or else they’d be here with her now, she was sure of it. Her stomach knotted itself up and she waited there, frozen, waiting for whoever this was to speak.
The next few moments were a blur. Somewhere in between Ashton’s arrival and their embrace, she’d revealed her identity. Laurel was in such shock, though, that it all seemed to happen at once. She had doubted all of it. It wasn’t until she’d pulled her sister up from her knees and wrapped her up in her own hug that she was made aware beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was who it appeared to be.
“Ashton. I-it’s really....” She stammered, but she couldn’t finish the sentence. Before she was aware of it, there were tears in her eyes as well. She didn’t want to let go. As clichéd as it sounded, she felt that the second she let go, her sister would vanish. If only she knew what to say to comfort her. While Laurel couldn’t bring herself to confirm for Ashton the death of their family, her silence said all that it had to.
But, for a moment anyway, she was happier than she’d been in a month. There is no feeling quite like being reunited with someone you thought you’d lost forever. After what seemed like ages, she finally did let go. She would not, however, budge an inch from the younger girl’s side. Never again.
“I-I’m sorry.” She stammered, wiping the tears from her eyes. She seemed to almost be in a trance for a moment, repeating her apology over and over. But she really did have a million things to apologize for. See Ashton now was both the best of blessings and a terrible curse. She looked so much like their mother. That and she was so, so upset! She’d seen it – she’d fought in the battle that Laurel herself had conveniently missed. Her younger sisters, both of which she was meant to protect. Not to mention that countless subjects that she, as heir, was responsible for. And here she was moping over it. They must have thought her so silly. They had every right to, especially Ashton. “I’m sorry, everyone, I’m so sorry. I promise you, t-this will not be…I-I will not be this way. I will become capable. I owe you all that much.”
Everyone who has signed up so far has been added! Sign ups are still open, obviously, but y'all who are already in on it can head down to that board whenever you like!
Laurel was getting by mostly by keeping herself to a tight schedule. Most of the time, she was either patrolling or making fliers. So far there hadn’t been much of a response. That was to be expected. She likely wasn’t the only nutjob with an army claiming to have the more-than-likely-dead heir of Hyrule on her side. Desperate times meant desperate people, after all, and the vast majority of those desperate people now had no one to turn to with the entire royal family supposedly gone. The difference was, of course that she was the heir. It somehow didn’t make her feel any more confident.
She wondered every now and again if they would even trust her. If anyone did come…how could they follow her now? She had failed, as far as she was concerned. Most of Hyrule had no idea why she’d vanished. She’d just up and disappeared one day in the middle of a mission in Termina and had thus conveniently missed out on the castle massacre. Not that she wasn’t assumed dead herself – she certainly was – but it seemed even to her to have been a strangely coincidental disappearance. Were she one of them and not…well, her…she would have questions.
But she dreaded answering the ones that would inevitably come. Here she was, supposedly strong, and yet she’d been kidnapped and kept away for a month. Perhaps if she’d escaped she could have done something – anything! She’d at least have been there when it happened. But no, she couldn’t even manage to save her own sister. The memory might have brought tears to her eyes if she had any left.
Right now, she was sitting out in front of her tent attempting to put together more fliers. When it got dark, she’d start another patrol. Anything to keep the mind busy.
The forest was quiet and the camp was just about empty. That wasn’t good – they needed more people if they were ever going to stand a chance. Laurel wasn’t sure that they would stand a chance anyway, but she was doing everything she could to push that thought to the back of her mind. It always found a way to creep back up.
She was, in all honesty, a mess – if only on the inside. It thankfully had yet to shine through to her outward appearance in anything but the smallest ways. There were dark circles under her eyes, yes, but they were neatly hidden by the hood she’d taken to wearing ever since her rescue. It made sense to wear it given how chilly it was, but on a more personal level, it made her feel just a little bit calmer than she actually was. How could she be calm, though? She couldn’t sleep anymore. Every time she tried, she saw her mother and father and cousins all dying in various terrible ways. In some strange, sick way, it was almost better that she’d seen Iris die. At least she wasn’t left to imagine it. If there was one thing that they couldn’t have right now, it was a royal so unstable that she woke up screaming every night. The solution was simple: She would not sleep anymore.
She wouldn’t eat either. That was less because it brought up memories and more because she kept forgetting to do it. Her daily routine had become an endlessly repeating thread of chores – write up as many fliers as she could, patrol the forest, gather supplies, rinse, repeat. When she remembered she would grab a handful of berries or something small like that, but she was getting worse and worse at remembering with each passing day as normal things like hunger and boredom left her. It was almost as if she was attempting to convert herself into convert herself into an automaton. Maybe she was!
That was what was needed. Not a weepy, shaking, depressed young lady – someone who could shrug all of those things off. Maybe a stronger woman could have looked all of this in the eye and smiled, but she couldn’t. She had failed. But the least she could do was pretend that she was better. If all they needed was a smile and a “things will get better”, then she could of course provide that. Not sincerely, but it would look sincere.
Laurel was on one of her patrols now, though there really wasn’t a reason for her to be. It was late enough that it would have been reasonable to assume that no new recruits would appear tonight. These walks had become her substitute for a good night’s rest, though, and she welcomed anything that would give her an opportunity to busy her mind. Pulling her hood up over her head, she continued on her way.
Deep within the Faron Woods sits a small camping ground. There’s not much there right now – just a few lonely little tents, a fire pit, and piles of resources scattered about. The occupants are mostly refugees at the moment. It’s the tired but dedicated group that managed to escape the area surrounding Hyrule castle alive. They’ve been working tirelessly to recruit for this mission, and their efforts may finally be paying off.
Among the survivors is Laurel Hyrule. She’s the one who posted the notice, and while she hasn’t quite recovered from these recent events, she’s doing what she can to assist and motivate the growing army. If you’ve got any questions, seek her out. If not, pitch a tent and settle in. We might be here a while – might as well spend the time planning.
Note: This is a heavily plot-related quest! The quest-giver, Princess Laurel Hyrule, is attempting to put together an army capable of defeating the monsters that have taken over the castle. Anyone who would like to participate should post here, and then head to this board. The army won’t move out until a decent-sized group has been gathered, but in the meantime you’re welcomed to hang out at the rebel base.
This thread will be updated with more information as participants arrive.
Quest Name: The Rebellion Quest Location: Faron Woods Quest Goal: To reclaim Hyrule Castle. Quest Description: A flyer is posted in various places throughout Hyrule – the safer parts of it, at least. Runners have distributed it as best they could, but given the rebel army’s small numbers, it’s been difficult to get the word out. It reads:
TO ALL WHO ARE CAPABLE – HELP IS NEEDED! - You with time, resources, and skills – the realm needs you! We are gathering an army of able-bodied warriors to retake what is rightfully ours. I have reason to believe that the heir to the throne of Hyrule is alive. That’s all I can say here – For more information, find me in the Faron Woods. - This tragedy will not ruin us.
Party Size: Unlimited. Difficulty: Hard. Possible Threats: Anything and everything. More details to come.
Joyeuse - A beautiful, well-crafted sword that was given to Laurel for her eighteenth birthday. She liked the look of it so much that she's continued to replicate it with slight modifications each time she's in need of a new blade. Level - 1
SPELLS
Haste - Take an extra action. This does not cost an action. MP -
TECHNIQUES
Clarion Call - All members of Laurel's party gain an extra for as long as they remain with her.
SKILLS
Frenzy - Once per thread you may deliver a basic physical attack to all surrounding enemies
Leadership - The ability to boost morale if in a party.
RACIAL ABILITIES
Mana Charge - A Hylian may recharge MP while not casting magic.
Level 1 - Every four posts a Hylian goes without magic, they may restore a single .
Woodfall Rises is an au legend of Zelda RP
the current skin was made by Rozie. with the exception of the miniprofile which was
created by RITZ! Codes seen and used were taken from resource sites such as slightly insane, ProBoards
support, and Socal. all images are either from Zerochan or made by original owners.