I suspect that since 3.0 she has been using Minfilia. Remember prior to Minfilia's vanishing we had heard nothing from her for quite a long time.

There are still so many unknowns here. Hydaelyn definitely started the current situation by banishing Zodiark but depending on the truth of what she said Zodiark might have made that a necessity. Hydaelyn suggests that Zodiark was the one to destroy balance and seek dominance and if anything the rhetoric of many of his servants seems to confirm it. Note that Ascians, save for a single comment by Elidibus to the WoD have never talked about Balance and have always talked about Darkness swallowing all. Combined with the behaviour and attitudes of the Ascians, it makes me feel that regardless of Hydaelyn's position, the Ascians and quite probably Zodiark aren't 'good guys' or at least don't have the interests of the people of Hydaelyn in mind.

For Hydaelyn's part, I think her stance is kind of a moot point. She has been finding this war for a long time and she has been losing very badly. The Ascians have succeeded with every attempt at a rejoining and have weakened Hydaelyn to the point where she cant really fight back for herself. The sole thing that keeps team Hydaelyn in the game is that Hydaelyn's last trump card has turned out to be a game changer and able to fighter without her direct assistance. That's the WoL. Certainly we are much beyond what the Ascians expect. We are far from the first WoL they have had to deal with and frankly I suspect that lead them to underestimate the WoL this time round and because of that they allowed the WoL to grow to powerful to easily snuff out.

At this point the WoL are basically the main player on team Light.