Hyrule Castle's throne room rumbled with a quiet murmur as the assembled court waited as Queen Zelda's latest order was carried out. Guards stood tall around the room, halberds at their sides and swords at their hips, their polished breastplates bearing the crest of the Royal family. Massive columns support the roof far above, while the dark stone tile completes the imposing look of the royal court.

Zelda herself sat upon the unyielding throne, the royal seat resting under the watchful gaze of the Triforce ensconced upon the wall, and the statues of the three goddesses surrounding the emblem. Zelda allows herself a moment of idle though, "By the Goddesses, I'm never going to get used to sitting on this granite. Would it be so bad to add just a bit more padding?" the Queen chuckled to herself softly enough only her nearby advisor could hear. The elder man looked at the Queen quizzically. Zelda catches his eye and shakes her head, "It's alright Trilane, I wan merely remembering one of my fathers lectures."

The wizened mage nodded knowingly, "He was one to talk on at great length, wasn't he?" Zelda nodded demurely as she continued to wait.

She didn't have to wait long before she heard the telltale rattle of chains and the heavy footfall of armored boots echoing through the cavernous room. A pair of guards approached the throne, as they half-carried half-dragged a ragged prisoner between them. Hauling their charge to the base of the steps leading to the Queen's throne, the guards dropped the prisoner. He fell to his hands and knees as the guards kneel in deference. The sergeant-at-arms said, "Highness, here is the gerudo you asked after." drawing out the name of the desert as he scowls.

The man between the guards forced himself to sit upright while still sitting on his knees as he slurred out, " 'm not a gerudo. Keep tellin y' all that."

Zelda appraised the man for a moment, a shaggy mop of bright red hair falling across his darkly tanned face. The queen noted the mans curiously round ears peeking out from his unkempt hair. Zelda waited several seconds before saying, "You are Cilin?"

The sergeant-at-arms answered in the prisoners stead, "That's what he claims my lady. I doubt it is true, 'tis a strange name for a gerudo."

Cilin leveled a vicious glare at the guard, as he spat out, "'s my name, 'n Is ain't a god-damned Gerudo." Cilin turned to meet Zelda's blue eyes with his own green eyes before speaking to her, "So missy, why'd ya drag me out of the local pleasure dungeon?"

The lower ranking guard stepped in and backhanded Cilin sharply across the the left side of his head, "Watch your tongue! You will show the Queen proper-"

The man is cut off as Zelda stood from her throne and snapped, "Guardsman, you will stand to. I will not have a prisoner abused. Especially not in my presence." as she descended the stairs from the thrones dias.

The guard quickly bowed his head again, his cheeks flushed brightly as he stammered, "M-my apologies my lady. I j-just-"

Zelda again interrupted the guard, "Just nothing. Such actions are inexcusable. Sergeant, I do hope that this is not how you have been treating all of our prisoners."

Cilin laughed as Zelda before he answered, "Not everyone Queen. Just the special cases like me. Then again, most Hylians I've seen come through were tossed in for petty things. So might be I'm getting the murderer special."

Zelda stopped in front of Cilin, and scowled at the guards as she said, "Remove his manacles."

The Sergeant looked up in protest, "My liege, you cannot be serious!"

Zelda stated firmly, "Sergeant, you queen has given you a command. Carry it out."

Cilin cocked an eyebrow as his hands were unfettered, "Well well, we have a brave royal here. Standing within arms reach of a condemned murderer."

The young guard sprung to his feet, spear leveled at Cilin, "Fiend, you shan't bring the queen to harm."

Zelda spoke a calm, firm command at the guard, "I said stand down." As the guardsman lowered his spear, the queen addressed Cilin, "So, you accept the title of murderer now?"

Cilin regarded Zelda warily as he rubbed his wrists, finally replying, "No, I don't. But you presided over the circus of a trial. You yourself condemned me as such your majesty. And for what crime? All for defending myself against three rich ponces. While suffering a case of, what was it your physicians said? Severe Octorock fever?"

"You laid your three victims open in moments. Should not a swordsman skilled enough to win against such odds be able to deal with such an assault without resorting to lethal force?"

Cilin leaned forward to brace his arms on his thighs, "Hard to say honestly. If I was in my prime? I'd say 70% likely. At this exact moment, I'd call it even odds. At the time, with my being gravely ill, half-starved, and nearly dead of thirst? I counted myself lucky to draw my blade at all."

Zelda nodded genteelly, "And why did you not offer this defense when you were tried?"

Cilin snaps, not even trying to keep the disdain or scorn from coloring his tone. "Come on you worshipfullness. You know as well as I that I wasn't even given a chance to defend myself. And even if I had been allowed a say, I wasn't in any condition to speak up. Your own doctors stated that my throat was nearly swollen shut from the fever."

The younger guard snarls at Cilin's disrespectful tone, and swings his spear down to cow Cilin into submission.

With a scowl, the dark-skinned man sprung into action, his hand lashed out, grasping the spear just behind the tip. Using the weapon for support he yanked himself upright, unbalancing the guardsman. Once on his feet, Cilin grasped the spear farther down with his free hand and yanked it free from his captors grip. In the same motion he swung the butt of the spear into the underside of the Sergeant-at-arms jaw. the elder guard's head snapping back from the blow, less a pair of teeth. Adjusting his forward hands grip, Cilin swung the spear tip around stopping just below Zelda's chin, the point leveled at her throat.

The rest of the royal guard start to rush in, only to stop short as they realize that their queen's life is under threat. Zelda stands unperturbed. "Surely you must realize that you will not save your neck by cutting mine. You don't have a hope to leave this castle alive if you kill me, or if you attempt to use me as a hostage."

"What makes you think I plan to your highness? Your own prosecutors called me a barbaric and lawless murderer, one who revels in bloodshed. You know, I'm think that the blood of a queen will paint quite the pretty picture."

Zelda and Cilin stare each other down for several long moments before the Queen speaks, "If you are going to kill me, please do go ahead and get it over. My time is too valuable to be wasted otherwise."

Cilin tenses and draws the spear back, tensing in preparation for a thrust. The entire court holds their breath silently beseeching the goddesses for the safety of their monarch. Finally, Cilin's shoulders slump before he lowered the spear point to the floor.

Zelda holds out her hand at waist height, silently commanding the guard to hold place before she speaks, "I hoped to discuss a situation with you. But I take it as a rule to not negotiate with anyone wielding a weapon in my presence."

Glancing at the spear, Cilin grunted in acknowledgment before roughly thrusting the head into a seam between the stone tiles near the younger guard. Cilin taking the chance to rub salt into the guardsman wounded pride, "A man that can't keep a firm grip on his spear ain't much-a a man, boy."

Turning back to Zelda, Cilin held his hands to his sides, palms up, as he waited for the Queen to speak. "Discuss a situation? With a prisoner? Oh by all means your highness, get this circus on the road."

Zelda maintains her decorous smile. "I have a proposition for you. Although, what shall I call you? Simply Cilin?"

"Tis the only name I have your majesty. No land, nor title worth speaking of. You may call me 'simply' Cilin, son of Noreb."

"Very well Cilin, son of Noreb. There is a man who is of great-" Zelda hesitated for a moment before she continues, "great import to Hyrule. Who has performed significant deeds in my name in years past. To whom we all own a debt of gratitude. His name is Link, and he has gone missing."

Nodding, Cilin said, "And let me guess, I help find this Lonk and you will let me go, absolve me of my crimes yada yada. If I don't then you'll turn me back over to my current *wonderful* hosts," he emphasized pointing at his guards to either side with his thumbs, "who I'm sure will be real happy to keep me after I made them look the fool. And put a pointy bit near your pretty little neck."

"No. If you do this. I will count it as a penance for the nobles of my kingdom that you killed. Regardless of if it was a murder or not. If you choose to rebuff the offer, I will have you sent out from the Gerudo valley and forbid you from returning to Hyrule. On pain of death."

Cilin growled and rolled his eyes, "I keep telling you people. I'm not a Gerudo. I'm not from their valley."

"That is immaterial. Where I choose to release you from captivity is purely at my own whims. You will have all of your property returned to you. And we will give you 2 days of water to permit the journey to the nearest of the Gerudo conclaves."

"So, I'm free either way. But if I help then I get to pick when and where I leave your podunk backwater of a country?" Cilin paused to grab his side as he is racked by a ragged cough, "I hope you understand, I'll need to hear more details about finding this Lun-" he stopped short under Zelda's glare, "Ah, right, this Link fellow."

Zelda nodded before she addressed her attendant, "Take Cilin to the guest quarters, provide him with a bath and a set of clothing to use until his own can be mended and laundered . Also bring up all of his gear, and if he so requests have the armorers so that they are in no less than excellent condition." Turning her piercing gaze back to Cilin, "And you shall meet with myself and a guest for dinner to discuss this job in-depth. And tomorrow either you will be taken to the valley, or dispatched on an errand of the court."