A Lesson Concerning Projectiles (OPEN)

Only silence followed Marianne’s decision as her piercing gaze relentlessly barraged the two guilty parties. She had asked whether they wanted to say anything. But they merely fidgeted and glanced towards each other, their lips as closed as clams.

Which made her remember herself all those years ago, in front of a table like this, facing the wrath of Mrs. von Brandt for doing something totally inexcusable. It took weeks for their relationships to be really return to how it was, but young Marianne would never forget that fear; The feeling that she had done something terribly wrong and how it seemed that her little legs were clad in stone.

Marianne sighed.

“Very well. I hereby declare this meeting over.”

Ursula bowed her head slightly and Marianne nodded in turn. She sensed that a similar agreement had been made between the two people and her teacher, but she did not say anything. In any case, what was being offered was probably the same as what she said.

Easing her back to her chair, Marianne brought both of her hands on her lap, still toying with the stress ball. “I will have to prepare myself for The Baron, then. Sooner or later he will give up waiting for King Leon. Postpone the review of Monster Research Council new grant until tomorrow, Miss Eva.” She glanced at her attendant. “I am really sorry. It seems I’ll have my dinner here again today….”

“I’ll have it prepared for Your Highness,” said the taciturn sheikah, her tone clearly indicating that this was the norm rather than the exception for the busy princess. The princess nodded.

“Thank you. So then, Mr. Zahari. Catch.”

And she unexpectedly lobbed the stress ball lightly towards Vladimir. The Princess’ tone was slightly different now. More airy; At ease. A friendly smile had spread on her pretty face.

Then towards them she opened her arms slightly, graciously.

“I do hope that this affair will not weigh too heavily on you, Miss Merrows, Mr. Zahari. You are not innocent, yes, but you are not totally wrong either. Things happen even to the best of us.” She smiled. “Lady von Brandt is a fair person. Strict, yes. Very. But fair. As long as you do as you are told and doesn’t attempt anything funny, I don’t see why you two can’t keep on with your lives. Baron Perseus will be my case, and I have never been defeated in any legal arguments before. Worry not.”

And with a wave of her hand she kindly allowed them to leave the room. “May this incident does not decrease the value of Hyrule in your eyes, Terminans. We are proud of our connection to Clock Town, and will strive to keep it so. Farewell.”

---

As she allowed her guests to leave the room, Marianne turned towards Mrs. von Brandt. She was about to ask her to stay, but it seemed her resourceful mentor had taken care of that. She quickly spun a lie about accommodation details with the Princess, although a learned mind might knew that it was within jurisdiction of Constable of Hyrule. The princess played along, however, nodding if needed to reinforce the claim.

And just after Vladimir and Selene passed through the great oak door (freedom!) the princess herself turned towards Miss Eva and gave an understanding gaze.

Miss Eve stared at her quizzically, but soon after nodded. She would bring Chaska out of the room, too, for she knew Marianne desired a private conversation with her guest. Marianne watched them crossed the room silently with tender love in her eyes. How she adored her sheikah Companions. So understanding, so dependable, so quick to know what to do and when not to do. Without her Companions, Princess Marianne would have long ago collapsed on herself.

Thus, all that's left in the room was Princess Marianne and Ursula von Brandt.

The Princess' fingertips met in front of her, forming a prism. Her eyes searched for Ursula's own. She knew that the room was enchanted. Anything being said here, should she willed it, would only be heard by her and Mrs. von Brandt's alone.

"That is her, isn't she, Mrs. von Brandt?" she stated, without so much as an introduction, "The daughter of my late father's sister. The daughter of the one royal who renounced all her royal ties and chose to live a commoner's life....

Marianne cupped Ursula's hand with both of her palms and affectionately put it on her own cheek. On the hand she would lean her head, like a child finding her favorite pillow. She closed her eyes and for a moment, the princess' tired face truly felt bliss.

At this kind of moment, people are reminded how frail this kingdom’s caretaker really was.

"Mmhmm...." she mumbled softly, without opening her eyes, "I know I shouldn't have known about Theia, Mrs. von Brandt but I...I tend to find secrets I shouldn't have found...."

The last words were spoken almost apologetically. In Marianne's mind, memories started to surface. Memories that she never forgot, but never shared with anyone, not even her beloved Mrs. von Brandt.

Memories of a promise.

It all started with an old picture of a beautiful woman with silvery hair, in a seldom-visited wing of the castle. Little Marianne asked her father and mother who that woman was, and she received it. It was her step-father beloved sister, Princess Theia de Hyrule, who perished sometime ago before Marianne was born. He had said her name with such a sad face, and The Queen's face was sad, too. For Theia was a good friend of hers.

A few years before now, during an excursion to Termina, young Marianne sneaked out of her family’s sheltered compound in disguise, eager to experience real Clock Town beyond what the mayor would show them. There, somewhere in the West Clock Town, by sheer dumb luck or perhaps some subtle weaving of fate, she bumped into a mailwoman who, after a hurried exchange of apologies, quickly left for her next assignment.

The mailwoman apparently forgot about her, so many people she had bumped over the years. But sharp Marianne immediately noticed her resemblance to the woman in the picture, and followed her in secret.

Until she came across a nice little home in Southern Clock Town. The mailwoman had entered and quickly left again after some time, holding a sandwich. But someone else in the house noticed a young girl lingering around the house.

Perhaps it was because she was a blessed of Hylia and Marianne was such a powerful conduit for Demise, but the woman on the bed looked out of her window straight into Marianne’s eyes and gestured her to come closer.

And so, separated by an open bedroom window, Marianne came face to face with her stepfather’s sister, the beautiful woman in the picture.

Marianne remembered the woman didn’t look well. It seemed like she was sick and had been confined in bed for some time. For the woman’s part, she immediately noticed the ruby engraving on Marianne’s hood clasp and asked her if she was a member of the Royal Family of Hyrule.

Marianne replied that, yes, she was the daughter of King Daphnes and The Queen, to which the sick woman’s face visibly brightened. She said she knew of The Queen, and thought that they made a perfect a pair. She then asked her about the current affairs of Royal Family to which sheepish Marianne answered, somewhat confused of being asked such questions

And then, the woman smiled and said she wished a bright and happy future ahead for the Royal Family and especially Marianne, for she said she had inkling that Marianne would have trying times ahead of her. She said that she hoped Marianne would never give up, and stay strong for the Kingdom. Lastly, she extracted a promise from the young princess. A promise that the princess would not tell any single soul that she had ever met her, and to never come looking for her again even if she could. As she spoke she looked so frail and weak, which made Marianne reluctant to decline. Thus, she made a promise with the beautiful lady in the picture.

A promise that the princess had kept all these years, and had no intention to break.

“I will address the topic to Selene myself when I speak with them again. As for Her Highness... You have been working very hard for the kingdom, but do not neglect your own needs and run yourself into the ground. You will become thinner than I am at this rate.”

She rubbed her cheek on Ursula’s hand, eyes still closed in bliss. “I know…. But as long as the kingdom is fine I…I don’t mind…. But I'll try not to skip meals so often, Mrs von Brandt, I promise.”

She bit her lips for a moment, as if gathering courage to ask something.

“Mrs. von Brandt….” she finally said, “If Selene really is Theia’s daughter, do you think she will be a threat to our kingdom’s stability?”

The princess was referring, of course, to the many dissatisfied nobles which might rally behind her or made her a figurehead. It was true that Theia might have renounced all her connection and her bloodline, for it was unthinkable for a king's sister to lead a commoner's life unless she did so, but as was usual for kingdom politics, people would always find excuses.

“Because if you think she will….” she lingered, clearly what she was about to say weighed heavily on her mind, “Then I…I would do what is necessary…to prevent that threat from ever forming….”

And behind her closed eyelids, one could almost see Marianne’s eyes hardened. Her grip on Ursula's hand subtly tensed. Then and there, one would realize what exactly allowed this young girl to reined the chaotic kingdom almost single-handedly. How she managed to keep the nobles in line and the populace content.

For the kingdom, there was no good or bad for Marianne de Hyrule. Only what was necessary and what was not.

The tired princess smiled complacently the moment Ursula’s hand ran through her hair, her hand still holding on to Ursula’s own as if not wanting to ever let go. If Marianne was a cat, she would have heard purring. So happy was she at the touch of someone who cared, when in her days and her nights she had always been alone, by herself against the cruel realities of a kingdom.

“If there are those who already threaten the stability of the kingdom, the reasonable thing to do is to quickly nip it in the bud.”

Marianne’s heart sank. But she didn’t say anything. Yet.

“... But do consider this, Mari,” Ursula ran her other hand through the princess’ hair, “If her mother is indeed Theia, know that she was a carefree spirit and followed after the winds of Farore. I’ve always know her to be led by the lure of adventure, and had even dragged me along once.” She reiterated flatly, “Once, and never again. If Ms. Merrows is the true daughter of Theia, then that spirit of freedom and adventure would remain with her. She would not want to be shackled by the responsibilities of royals... especially after today.” Her free hand fixed the princess’ locks of hair. “That is what I think.”

This prompted a chuckle from the Princess. “You… being dragged by someone on a lure of adventure….” She giggled, finally opening her eyes and slowly looking back at Ursula. “Theia must have been quite a personality! I wish I could meet her.”

And her smile grew even wider as the tingling sensation filled her body. There was no one, not even her own mother, who could do it better than Mrs. von Brandt. There was an unbreakable bond between the two disciples of Demise, no matter how unlikely it seemed.

“... Mari,” Ursula said with a chuckle, “... I wonder how you would do without me sometimes.”

“I would have collapsed,” she replied without hesitation, “Or lost in the shadow like Mother told me. Or turned into the beast which the other kids always said I would…” she added, a little bitterly

Then, the princess’ silvery eyes gazed straight at Ursula’s. For a moment, Ursula could see the soul within, a small child curling on herself and afraid of the dark around. The soul lifted her tiny head slightly, and only when meeting Ursula’s eyes could that little girl smiled, behind those silver eyes.

“Mrs. von Brandt…" whispered she, "please promise me that you will never, ever, die on me. I don’t know if I can take it if, one day, I ever wake up to a morning…and finding out there is no you in it… I don't know what I would do....”

The grip on Ursula’s hand tightened. Tiny tears had coalesced on the edges of the Princess' eyes. The Princess tone was more than a simple whim. It was a plea. An honest plea. A plea from someone who was drowning in the sea, holding on to the only lifeline she ever had.

Ursula von Brandt
Always the feels....