Shades of Blue

The Silent Princess

"I used to want to draw, when I was a kid."

"You are a kid."

"No more than you are."

"I guess you're right..."

"What about you?"

"...the only thing that has ever caught my eye has been wood carving."

"Like with your bows?"

"Yes...but I want to make things that aren't designed to destroy."

******

Ridgeland burned bright in the midday sun, all of the rays of warmth reflected off the tan stone of the mountains with a vengeance. The sun beat hot, but the air was mild, the wind temperate in its lazy gusts. The skies were so clear across most of Central Hyrule that he could clearly make out the odd blob which he knew to be Vah Ruta, her sights set northwest on the Castle.

High above him, so high that the jade wisps of spirit fire which made up his shape were all he could occasionally glimpse, Revali flew in circles, scouting. Every so often, the wind would pick up around him as Revali used his gale to get more height, but beyond that, there was little sign of his presence at all.

Physically, anyway. In a more internal way, he could feel how close Revali was, like a taut string tugging intermittently on his chest. He didn't mind the pull.

They left Rito Village a few days previous. For now, Revali was traveling with him. As they went further from Rito he would likely only appear when Link called, but they weren't yet far enough for that to be a problem.

He didn't exactly have a thorough plan. He knew where he needed to go next, and had decided against going to Gerudo first (Urbosa was strong, stubborn, and her homeland was both combined in a deadly package—he did not feel like testing his newly regained strength in the desert just yet), and so the broad stroke of a plan was to head for Eldin. But that was a while away yet, as he was doing his best to heed Mipha's advice.

That is, he was trying not to dive directly into danger once more.

There weren't many monsters in Nima Plain. The last camp they passed was before Jeddo Bridge, a handful of bokoblins and moblins crowded around the shattered shell of an old garrison or outpost, he couldn't remember which. Revali had spotted them from a mile off, and warned him, and so they were able to avoid their detection with ease. He kept to the roads, letting Epona choose the way for now.

A rush of wind preceded Revali's arrival, flying low so he was only a few feet above eye level. "There's nothing through this whole plain. Nothing but grass, anyway. We should be able to make it to the next stable without issues."

"Might need to stop for the night there."

"A good idea. I don't think you'll have much good company in the wild horses."

Epona nickered, tossing her head. With a (slightly comical) shout, Revali backpedaled quickly, flying higher and away.

"Can't you control that—thing?"

He shrugged. "She's fine."

"She's a menace! Dragging us halfway across Ridgeland all so she can, what, trot among the wild horses? Why are you letting her lead, anyway?"

"Epona does what she wants."

"She's a horse! Aren't you meant to be steering?"

He picked up the reins again as she tugged sharply to his left. Clearly, he was not steering.