A/N:- Here is chapter one of another group story, brought to you by the Link and Zelda C2! Well, actually, this is ZoraAngel writing the first chapter, so prepare to be rocked...! Three, two, one...

Disclaimer:- I do not own Zelda. Now THERE'S something that goes without saying.

An Unbroken Skyline

Chapter One:- Four Seconds

Two strangers drank together in a crowded tavern. One was a young woman, her face obscured in the shadows of her cloak. She clutched her half-empty tankard so tightly that the whites of her knuckles showed. The other was a man with ruby red eyes and a bandaged head. He seemed at ease with his surroundings, and drained his tankard with relish.

The young woman took a deep breath, and opened her mouth to speak. Her voice quavered nervously, but the man could not dispute that she was telling the absolute truth.

"It's amazing how much I took time for granted. A single second was nothing to me, something that could be filled out with a pluck of a lyre, or the clearing of a throat. Never did I dare dream that a single moment in time could change my life so wholly, so drastically...so completely."

The young woman cleared her throat awkwardly, as if embarrassed by her openness. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered, turning to her companion. "I didn't mean to-" She broke off, tugging her hood further over her eyes. "No, I will continue," she murmured.

She surveyed the insides of the tavern briefly, noting the roudy tables and overflowing tankards. Her own mug was half-empty, and she hadn't noticed herself sipping the pale liquid. She wondered if this was truly the best place to reveal her secret, but she didn't know what else to do.

"I...my name is...Zelda."

The hooded woman's companion drew a sudden, involuntary breath. He slowly reached out a hand and brushed the thick fabric of Zelda's head covering. Zelda jerked backwards at the contact, and a golden curl tumbled from her disguise. The man obviously knew who she was, now all she had to do was convince him to help her.

"Don't," she warned. "Have you any idea who could see me here?"

"Princess, have you any idea what you have done by coming here!? By coming to me!?" the man asked in a furious whisper. He slowly leant across the table, making as if he was collecting the tankards. "I...am...being...watched..."

A dark night on the streets. Cold.

'People are more wary of their pockets these days,' thought Zelda irritably. She sifted through her own pockets and stared at the single rupee she had stolen at the market. Of course, she only pickpocketed the rich toffs that strutted from stall to stall, and that lessened her guilt somewhat. 'Stealing from my own subjects,' she thought to herself, disgusted. 'I'm taking people's hard earned money just so I can survive!'

Muffled voices alerted her to the fact that she was no longer alone. She shrank deeper into the little alcove in the wall she had discovered, and listened.

"...don't care if you don't like the man! He's damn loyal to the Crown and gets results...which is more than I can say for-"

"Shut up! There's just something I don't trust about Shiek."

"Only because he doesn't kiss your Din-damned boots all the time! He may not be conventional but-"

"I..."

"SHUT UP!"

Zelda carefully noted the name she had heard. Maybe this 'Shiek' could help her, Din knows, she was desperate enough for anyone. The bitter wind howled down the alley, and she shivered.

"Shiek-" Zelda began. Her companion rose from the table, eyes burning.

"Leave while you still can. I can't do anything for you," he said roughly. Zelda felt a wave of disappointment and hopelessness rush over her, then Shiek spoke again, leaving her with one last word. "Yet."

Clinging to Shiek's words like driftwood in a shipwreck, Zelda slipped quietly from the tavern, not relishing the prospect of another night on the streets. Judging by the length of the shadows, she guessed she only had a few hours of daylight left. She made her way to the marketplace and wove in and out of the crowd, looking for people who could afford to lose a few rupees.

A tall merchant in richly coloured silk bustled by. Zelda could almost hear the jingling of his purse. Ah yes, there it was, swinging beguilingly from his belt! She fumbled for her knife, a dull, rusty thing she had found by the castle moat. She edged closer. The idiot man was talking with a cotton trader, waving his arms enthusiastically. She walked confidently towards him, planning to slice the purse right off his belt.

One...

She was right next to the merchant. She could even smell his perfume, a confusing blend of exotic oils and myrrh. She felt lightheaded, and cursed the ale Shiek had offered her.

Two...

There wasn't much time left. Zelda knew that her target would soon move on. But why couldn't she move her hand?

Three...

It was now or never. Zelda forced herself to do it. The purse dropped neatly into her palm.

Four...

She kept moving, walking evenly with the rest of the crowd. Her heart was beating wildly, as it always did when she picked someone's pocket. Exhilaration made her feel sick. At least she was going to get away, maybe even to buy a sweet, juicy apple! It had been awhile since she'd tasted one of those. A coach clattered over the cobblestones behind her. Quickly, she dove out of the way, but the alleyway was narrow and she collided head first with the side of a building.

Darkness fluttered at the edge of her vision. Where was the purse? Where was she? Something sticky trickled down her forehead, but she was too tired to care. It felt good, not caring, even about the thing that had been on her mind for weeks, the reason she was now living on the streets of Hyrule Castle Town instead of in the palace, taking care of her people.

"Hello. My name is Link. Pleased to meet you," said a voice above her. Zelda opened her eyes. A man was kneeling beside her, meeting her gaze with his piercing blue eyes. She felt cloth being pressed against her forehead. Silk.

"You're bleeding quite awfully," Link continued, as if this were a normal conversation. "So before I ask you why you felt the need to cut my purse, I really need you to stay conscious."

Zelda blanched. He was the merchant from earlier! The damn man must have followed her, even though it had never happened before. "I..." she choked out.

"You could start with your name," Link suggested calmly. There was another ripping noise, and more silk against Zelda's forehead.

"My name is Esme," Zelda replied, retaining the presence of mind to keep her identity secret.

"Well, Esme, you really shouldn't go diving into walls. Not good for the soul," said Link.

"I'll keep that in mind," said Zelda dryly.

"Look, I really think you're going to need some proper bandages for this. I'll have to take you to the medic," Link informed her. Zelda felt a flare of panic. What if he intended to give her up to the guards?

"It would be much easier if you took your purse and left," she said quickly. Link tilted his head and looked into her eyes.

"Hmm. Can you even get up?" he asked. Zelda struggled for a second, and her world spun. "Exactly," Link confirmed. "This will do for now." He wrapped some strips of silk around her head tightly, holding a larger panel of material in place over the cut. "Now let's see about that medic," he muttered, lifting Zelda gently into his arms. Zelda felt her eyes close again. There was dirt and blood all over her face, and she was most likely about to be put into gaol, but all that mattered at that moment was she was being looked after.

"HALT!" an authoritive voice bellowed. Zelda guessed the guards had found her before Link turned her in.

"I've halted. What now?" Link replied.

"Now we take the girl," the voice answered, with a menacing undertone. Zelda opened her eyes a slit. There were four men at the end of the little alleyway, all dressed in black. She squinted, making out a white insignia on their fronts. His symbol. She made a muffled, whimpering sound. How did they find her? How did he find her??

"Friends of yours?" Link whispered.

"No," Zelda gasped, trying to slip from his arms and run away.

"Can you run?" Link asked quickly. Adrenaline coursed through Zelda's veins. Anything, anything to get away from those thugs. She nodded, but hesitated. Funny how she felt such loyalty to a complete stranger. "Did you think I would not recognise my own princess?" Link whispered again. Zelda gave an involuntary gasp of shock. "Go," Link ordered.

To Zelda's intense shame, she started running.

"I SAID HALT!"

The drawing of steel was the last sound she heard before she escaped from the alley.

A/N:- So...what did you think? I'd like to think that I raised some questions in this opening chapter. What, or who, drove Zelda from the palace? Why are people searching for her? People dressed in black more specifically! What role will Shiek play in all of this, or Link for that matter? Only time will tell...because the next chapter goes to someone else!

This is ZoraAngel, passing the torch on!