Life in Zora's Domain - Part Two

Chapter 31 - Attack on the Yiga Clan

Summary: Astra makes final preparations for her confrontation with the Yiga Clan. Queen Zelda reviews the battle plans with General Gavin. Hyrule's attack begins at noon.

After conducting many interviews and collecting information from key participants, the Hyrule Royal Historian would eventually produce the story of Hyrule's campaign against the Yiga Clan. They would describe the preparation, the strategy, the tactics, and finally, the various battles and their outcome. They would provide the much-needed big picture. But the details of the many individual acts, those of victory and defeat, life and death, were lost in the big picture. Some of these are described here.

It was evening at Hyrule Castle, and Astra had already said goodnight to her mother and retired to her room. But, as was her habit since childhood, she opened her bedroom window and took a moment to look outside. Her window faced south toward Hyrule Plain, and you could clearly see most of Castle Town. But Castle Town was dark now, quiet, vendors having already closed their stalls and shops for the night. Then Astra looked beyond it to the clump of trees that surrounded the Sacred Grounds.

The Sacred Grounds. Her mother had said she hoped Astra could be publicly crowned princess of Hyrule at the Sacred Grounds one day. Zelda felt that would help restore people's confidence in their and their children's future, knowing that the Royal Family would continue, that she had an heir. Other races had their own leaders, but Hylians relied on the Royal Family to maintain order, preserve the peace, and protect them from harm. Older adults could remember how difficult life had been before Zelda's miraculous revival. But Astra firmly believed that her coronation should come only after they were rid of the Yiga Clan, and her mother wholeheartedly agreed. To do otherwise would only make her a target.

Astra looked past the Sacred Grounds into the distance. On a clear evening like tonight, you could make out several Sheikah Towers glowing blue in the nighttime. But there was nothing much of interest to see tonight, and after a few more minutes, Astra shut the window.

Tomorrow was the big day - the long-awaited attack on the Yiga Clan. The attack would begin at noon for logistical reasons involving coordination with everyone in Hyrule. So, there was no reason to sleep yet and rise early.

Astra had physically prepared for combat most of her life, and she felt confident in her ability. She had her father to partly thank for that. Of course, she was the one who had put in the many hours of hard training. But he had helped her perfect her skills, shared his experiences, and worked to make her more like him. And, of course, she had inherited his unique flurry rush skill. So, she felt confident she could handle herself in a fight. But now, in these last hours, before the battle was drawn, Astra wanted to prepare mentally and spiritually too. There was still one more thing she wanted to do.

"Fi, I've prayed at the Spring of Wisdom and the Spring of Power here, but not at the Spring of Courage yet. I should like to do that before tomorrow. Thanks to mother's Sheikah Slate and my father being so diligent about completing all the shrine quests, getting there and back is easy."

"It would be very fitting to do so, Mistress Zelda," said Fi.

Astra walked over to the end table, picked up the Sheikah Slate, opened the map, and then pressed the marker for the Shae Katha Shrine. In an instant, she dematerialized and reappeared at the travel gate in the small cave behind the colossal stone statue of Hylia. Astra made her way out the cave entrance and then waded through the warm, ankle-deep water until she was several paces past the statue. Then she turned to face it, taking in the sights and sounds.

This was the Spring of Courage, one of the three sacred springs Princesses of Hyrule from ages long past visited to pray and purify themselves in its waters. It was awe-inspiring to imagine her predecessors from time immemorial had once prayed here, for this sacred spring was older than even the sword that seals the darkness.