Chapter 1: Bandit
"Stop, thief!"
Goddesses, the boy had to have heard that line enough times for a lifetime. But they'd never give it up, would they? You'd think they learned that he had no intentions of stopping for their sake. Instead, he merely let out a confident cackle and taunted the guards to follow him.
An arrow whizzed past the boy's head; this entertained him more than threatened him. "Bring it on!" he chuckled. "You think you can stop me? Or were you hoping I'd have change of heart and fall down to my knees before you?"
With that, the boy snatched a clothesline, allowing himself to slide away from the herd of arrows racing towards him. He plunged into a nearby window, guards still in full pursuit.
The thief laughed to himself before rolling his eyes and casually taking his escape through another window.
Three guards were waiting for him.
"Learning, are we?" the boy mocked.
He tore through the town crowd, making sure nothing happened to his bag of stolen goods. He knew exactly where to go to lose these goons…
"Get back here!" One yelled.
"Why would I?" the boy sneered. He picked up speed and continued running.
"Stop, thief!"
Again with that line… What idiots…
The boy leaped over stands and pushed through people before noticing the four guards from earlier approaching him from ahead. Cursing under his breath, he took a sharp turn into an alley and began to climb the wall. The guards took their chance to close in.
"Stop right there, thief!" one demanded.
The boy let out a burst of laughter, "Changing up our line, are we?" Still unimpressed by their stubbornness and poor aim, the thief snatched a roof and swung himself up. The guards simply stood their stupidly as he escaped.
I don't see why the palace hires these morons…
A few arrows were shot at him hopelessly, but none even came close. Two guards managed to find their way onto the rooftops, but none were fast enough to keep up with the teen. And none had been smart enough to bring their crossbows up there.
"What is that now, sixteen guards? I'm becoming quite the pest, aren't I?" the boy joked to himself.
"Stop, thief!"
So close…One more jump!
The boy then took a leap across the wall and he was in. He made it to his place of security. No guard would find him here, and once they'd given up, he'd make his escape.
He climbed up to a small tower and sighed.
"About time…" he said as he took a bite of bread.
"Link, are you sure this is the best place to hide?" a small blue fairy asked him.
"I told you, Navi. They'd never look at the palace itself."
"But they saw you go in…"
"So they'll secure their jewels and wait for me to come…which I never will," Link explained with a grin.
Navi attempted to think of some nagging to throw at the thief before sighing. "You have some crazy logic there…yet you're right."
"Of course I am." Link chimed.
-x-x-x-
"All clear?" Link asked.
Navi zoomed around the corner and back. "Yep."
Link smiled triumphantly and hopped into a nearby tree, then onto the wall surrounding the impressive palace.
"Too easy…let's go home, Navi."
"Alright…" Navi mumbled reluctantly.
Link peered over the palace wall and prepared to jump off, but something caught his eye. Another suitor approached the palace gates, head held high. He sneered at the commoners as he and his horse led his small line of guards and servants. Link growled underneath his breath. Those servants were carrying all kinds of gold, none of it their own.
Link peered over to Navi and let a smirk stretch across his face.
Navi stared at him. "You wouldn't…" she started.
Oh, he would.
Link stayed on the wall and kept low. He waited for the right moment as the prince began through the gate. However, the prince was stopped.
"Rich sir…can you spare anything for my mother…?" a small, poor boy said from in front of the prince's flawless white horse. "She's pregnant and we can't-"
"Shush, boy," the prince spat as he stroked his twisted mustache and fixed his (expensive) hat. "If you cannot take care of yourself, no one should have to take care of you."
Link bared his teeth. It's not like you take care of yourself, you brute…he thought. And he's just a kid!
The boy tried to protest, but quickly backed off as the prince raised his whip in the child's direction. Link was disgusted and looked over at Navi.
"Get him, Link," the fairy hissed.
Link's smirk turned to a mischievous grin and nodded. Navi dashed down to the men on the horses and flew around the horses' eyes, startling them.
Good work, Navi. Link thought as he jumped down and kicked a man off his horse.
"Thank you, gentlemen," Link laughed as he snatched a bag of gold. "You're too kind. Enjoy your visit to the palace."
With that, Link leaped up to the wall again, barely escaping the prince's whip.
The prince turned and shouted at his servants and demanded they keep going. He rolled his eyes at the other commoners and silently cursed their existence.
Link tossed a gold bar at the prince's pampered face.
-x-x-x-
"Link, why are we going back to the palace?" Navi questioned in a panic. "You already hit the man hard enough!"
"Yeah, but I can't miss the show…" Link insisted as he leapt into his spot again. He then climbed a little and peered over a corner.
Just in time…
Link watched the prince approach the girl in the garden. The girl stood up and examined him from head to toe, slowly and carefully. She then rolled her eyes and sat back down, disgusted.
Link snickered. Another failure…
"My princess, I have come to-"
"Take my hand in marriage?" she interrupted. "I've heard that one before."
"No, not at all. I merely came to-"
"Get to know me? Liar."
The prince was stunned. "Please, just-"
"Give you a chance? I'd rather not. You're just like all the rest." And with that, the princess got up promptly and left the garden. The prince stood there stupidly in shock.
Link muffled a laugh and quickly climbed up higher as the princess approached his area.
"We should leave…" Navi nagged.
"Yeah, yeah…" Link muttered.
The princess sighed and sat by her fountain, complaining to herself about the selfish prince. Link watched her curiously. She wore a light purple gown with white silk pants. Her deep blonde hair hung down in a long, elegant braid. She grabbed it and undid the ties, letting it hang loose. The princess then gazed at her reflection in the water before splashing it away. She then stood and gazed up at the sky. Link smiled slightly, and then turned to face Navi.
"Are you done creeping yet?" Navi asked.
"Yes. Yes I am," Link responded dully.
"Then let's go while the coast is still clear!"
"Yeah, yeah…"
Link took another look at the princess before jumping onto the palace wall and heading back home.
"I thought you hated royalty…" Navi said.
"I do," Link replied.
"Your face spoke otherwise…"
"Ha. I was merely amused. Besides… I have to stay focused on my goal."
"To rob the wealthy?"
"It's more than that, Navi." Navi looked unconvinced.
Link pointed at the palace, then at the dirty alley ahead of him.
"What did they do to deserve that palace?" Link began. "They were royalty." He answered. "But what good is that? That's like saying they are rich because they were born! It's disgusting… Who decided who was royal blood, anyway?"
Navi said nothing.
"No. I want to destroy their entire status eventually… I want everyone here to be equal: no more wealthy." Link whispered.
"That's… crazy," the fairy said after a moment.
"Maybe this town needs a little crazy, Navi…"
-x-x-x-
"Something must be done about this pest thief, my King."
"Yes I know, Aghanim…but the only one good enough to capture him would be…"
"I am aware."
"But we have no way of contacting him…"
"He has his ways of knowing when to show…"
"Why yes, yes he does. Fetch my daughter. I need to speak to her about the recent rejection of Prince Saerchi..."
"Yes, my King."