The first few chapters will be slow, boring, and basically containing mainly information to bring you up to step with what I have planned. So bear with me, within the next three chapters pace will increase, and we will see some action! Just a warning: Blood, torture, war scenes etc. you get it.
'They say his blade is as black as the night itself; that his hair shines like the silver of the moon, and his armor shines like the stars of the sky. They also say he fights like the raven engraved upon his chest plate. He is known as 'The Night Raven,' and is to be feared. They say… his heart is a heart of courage. But some say, he has a heart only of fear and weakness itself.'
There is a war looming upon us in the distant horizon. It was thick within the air of the Hyrule, so thick it could suffocate even the most innocent and peaceful things that the world first sees before its eyes crudely are opened to reality. The death and horrors of war are like the Angel of Death passing over the land wreaking havoc to all those in its path except for a few fortunate souls who outwit and in their knavery and cleverness cling to the fortune that they have stolen from the darkest recesses of the earth.
Our Hyrule is strong and ready, experienced and knowing of the consequences of the blackness of war, but courageous in a way that the men and women of Hyrule would cast themselves headfirst into any danger to protect their way of life and their country. We are lucky, to have such loyal people, people who know no end to sacrificing themselves in anyway possible. They fear nothing, but yet they fear everything. Therefore developing an inner sense of balance and purity, a blessing and gift passed from the Great Hylia herself.
There's nothing more I can do. What will happen will happen. I'm only 15… True, I'm adorned with the burden of the Triforce of Wisdom, but we have not quite been "mutually in sync" as of recent. God! I don't want to hurl headfirst into a war-wrecked kingdom!
The young girl of 15 huffed as she laid her head in her arms, placed on the balcony railing. The evening breezes came into o the richly decorated room, and the sun's light melted and spread itself across the floor.
A knock at the door, "Your Majesty? May I enter?" a voice resonated from behind the thick, hand crafted oak doors.
"Of course Impa, enter please." The Majesty answered walking back into her open room. Impa opened the door and turned to face the girl.
"What is that sullen, cranky, teenage look doing on our face?" Impa joked, "It'll give you acne! And goddesses know 'The Princess Zelda' couldn't possibly be blemished and imperfect in any way!"
"Thanks Impa." Zelda replied, sarcastically, yet a smile did appear on her face. "What is needed of me?"
"Good question. You won't like this, but you have to deal with it. There is an emergency council meeting being assembled now in the Grand Throne room. Your father and the council request you." Impa said, her disposition darkening.
"Troubles with Ariat I presume."
"Exactly. King Dresden has sent a letter of refusal to our attempts at peace. You will hear more of it at the meeting, we must go." Impa finished.
The pair exited into the marble floored hallways, filled with tapestries and high gothic style windows, high in the air, filtering in the light from the almost set sun.
"You know Impa, it sounded more as if you were trying to avoid the subject of the letter from Ariat, rather than making sure we were on time."
"My Dear Princess Zelda. Intuitive, precautious, and wise art thou!" Zelda began to laugh, yet Impa was not done, "Must you always rat me out? Some places are not for me to speak, but you speak everywhere, and expect all to follow! Naïve, naïve, my little flower, but to each their own, eh?" Zelda was now laughing out loud trying to hold herself together.
"Well said my friend, my guardian, my foe!" Zelda retorted.
"Touché Princess." Impa replied back. "You always seem to hold me at a draw theses days do you not? I remember the times where I would always win, but now, you are growing wise, stronger, and by-the-by more stubborn every day I know you!"
"Then let it be, Impa, for one day I shall best you and you shall not see it coming your way!" Zelda replies with confidence in her tone, yet joking all the same.
"I will dread to see that day, Princess." Impa said. Silence followed the pair as they proceeded up the left grand staircase to the throne room.
"You remember and have practiced all that I have taught you, correct?" Impa asked, more serious now than before.
"Of course Impa, how could I disgrace you in such a way! It is a part of me!"
"I only meant that your lessons and learned material may be tested of you."
"You don't think…"
"It is what I think exactly. Rumor is that the unborn heir of her late highness, Queen Grace, actually might have been born before she died. But that is just rumor. Yet, if there were to be an heir, boy or girl, King Dresden would push the poor soul into the fray without hesitation, and knowing your father, he will not want to be shown up, and since you are the only heir, stupid as this is, he may send you to battle as well. But do not mention this to him, you weren't supposed to know as of yet." Impa cut her off.
"That can't possibly be! She died at the end of 7 months pregnant, too soon before an heir could be born, and she died of the plague, not early child birth!" Zelda retorted, worry building up quickly as they reached the top of the staircase.
"Just as I said, it is only a rumor. And do not underestimate yourself Princess, you are stronger and wiser than you take yourself for." Impa reached for the door.
"Thank you Impa."
"Anytime, your Majesty," Impa said as she opened the door and bowed, flourishing her arm and hand out to the side jokingly but sincerely to the future queen of Hyrule.
The Princess of Hyrule entered into the Grand Throne room, greeted by the council as they all stood in unison, tradition when royalty entered the room. Zelda proceeded to her seat, a large ornate chair placed on the opposite side of the table from the King, but at a head.*
The council was seated once the princess took her place at the table. Taking a quick look about her, she saw the quills, inkbottles, and papers spread about in what was considered an orderly way by some. Impa took her place at Zelda's right side, stoic faced, hands folded behind her back and a passive stance with weight evenly placed on both feet.
"What is said is heard, what is heard is said to none, and to none the matter that which is not theirs." The King began.
"And to which is not theirs the matter is held to whom has heard, even at the knock upon Death's Door." The council including the princess finished.
"All of those present in this room are aware of the tensions with the land of Ariat. Many times we have tried for peace, but I am afraid, our attempts have been in vain. The King Dresden of Ariat, the second spouse to her late Majesty, Queen Grace, stepfather to the late heir of Ariat, whose predecessor was the late King Derik, biological father of the unborn heir to the throne, and sole ruler of Ariat and the Araitian peoples during our Silver Age, has sent a formal response to our peace treaty. What was simply stated is this:
'Peace is not possible, war is inevitable.'
Despite the laughable immaturity of this response, we are to expect a declaration of war within a few days, and are to prepare our land of Hyrule for a full-waged war against the Araitians. We are brought here today at the hour of the sun's setting to begin to prepare our country for the worst, and to the best of our abilities." The King explained. "Continuing. Also in awareness, is the rumor that has been circulating about the unborn heir of Queen Grace and King Derik; the possibility of the rightful heir to the throne of Ariat to be alive may seem completely absurd to most everyone in this room. Yet, with past investigations and observances, with help of a few who will not be named, information has come about for the possibility that the child is in fact, alive. This information is not yet proven correct and may not be until the war has begun, for the three who were grave enough to seek and find this information for us have also given us their lives in doing so. If there is to be an heir, I am sure we all expect to King Dresden to throw them into the fray without hesitation. Additionally, we have received word that there is in progress a highly trained and skillful sect of the army, numbering only 49 strong. Though the numbers are small, they have been marked as deadly, merciless, and elite killers."
Everyone was rolling the possibilities in their heads, and the princess was keen to see Impa shift slightly when the three un-named were pronounced dead; yet, she was not keen to see the direct eye contact from her father to Impa as that subject was breached. She dismissed the shift as nothing.
"Lord Ethan, would you begin our military standing please?" The King asked, rubbing a beginning headache at the bridge of his nose.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Ethan said with a bow of his head to the king then to the princess before he began. "Ariat has an estimated 60,000 men, equaling 6 legions of 10,000 men strong each. The information on where these troupes are to be placed is not yet known, but we expect them to be spread out from a split force left at the castle and the other half in the forest, then the rest spread out from the forest entrance to South Ariat Field. The 49 elites are to be expected as the most mobile of the troupes and probably will be extremely difficult to track. Our Hyrule has an accounted 65,100 men, with 12 legions of 5,000 men each. Due to numbers, it has been reduced to 6 legions of 10,050 men for each. Spread from a single legion split guarding the castle and town, to the other half guarding the entrances onto our island.* The other 5 legions will be spread from Kakariko to the West, North and East Hyrule Fields, and the Lake Hylia area. The other 100 are to be the best fighters from the whole army, and are to be trained in the art of cavalry and polished into our own elite force. The army is equipped with the traditional Hylian soldier's attire: leather under-armor; black, a purple tunic with chainmail underneath, and breastplates and gauntlets marked with the Harkinian Code of Arms. Swords will range from long to gladius, depending on the troupes and their abilities. Shields will be the traditional tall shields with the code of arms engraved as well. Geography wise, we do have some disadvantages and some great advantages in our favor as well. Hopefully, with some brainstorming, the defense team will be able to get around these problems and bring Ariat to its knees." Ethan finished, cocky though he was; he had experience and knew what he was doing.
"Thank you Lord Ethan, most insightful. Lord Alric, will you give us some history of the geographical make-up of Ariat." The King asked.
"Of course, your Majesty, thank you." Alric began, bowing in the same fashion as Lord Ethan. "Ariat lies in the area of land where the province of Ordon once existed before the second civil war. During the 20 years war, the rebels managed to conquer the province, and to end the bloodshed, King Robert the 2nd negotiated with the leaders of the rebellion and in turn, ended the war. With the war ended, the now South Ariat Field, once South Hyrule Field, was lost, as well as the once Kakariko Gorge, now the Divide of King Diaganis, and of course, the provinces of Faron and Ordon. The Divide is a flat and relatively flat area, while South Ariat Field is riddled with two lakes and sparse trees. Faron is covered in thick forests and sided by mountains, and inner old Ordon is relatively flat, surrounded by forests and sided by mountains and a lake. Currently, the forests and mountains are the biggest obstacles for our armies, as most Hylians are unaccustomed to these terrains. The best chances are for our forces to focus attacks into the Divide, the East Hyrule Field, and aim for South Ariat Field then continue through Ariat woods to the overtake the citadel." Alric finished, clearly little time to create anything, but what he had was well enough considering the circumstances.
"Thank you, Lord Alric. Lady Veronica, would you please present current foreign standings?" The King asked.
"As you please, your Highness!" Veronica said with her usual zest. Zelda had always liked her, she was kind, sensible, witty, and could hold a quite intelligent conversation.
"The civil disputes from the 20 years war left most of the outlaying countries and allies of ours dispersed in the choice sides to take on the matter. The country of Vivia, Luandiea, and Tyronae remain allied with Hyrule, though the strongest relationship is with Vivia, while Luandiea and Tyronae remain more distant and indifferent. Vivia has pledged to come to our defense if we call upon them, while Luandiea claims that they will come if there is desperate need, but Tyronae says they will remain neutral "for it is not their country's problem." Forsythia and Umbria side with Kind Dresden and Ariat; Forsythia will stop at nothing to rain hell upon Hyrule, considering our country's darker past with them. Umbria is like-wise to the former. The Gerudo and the country of Stanislav will remain neutral and will not involve themselves in the goings of Ariat, Hyrule, and each country's allies. Others like Amanad and Waker are too far outlaying and cannot enter Hyrule without crossing boarders of other countries and causing major disputes. Though the Gerudo and Stanislavians remain neutral, we need to keep a close eye on them." Veronica finished, her improvisational skills always there and sharp as can be. Zelda knew she made most of the speech on the spot, for her speech is much more colorful than what was presented.
"Lady Veronica, thank you." The King finished.
"All in good time, my friends, I wish to reconvene on the morrow. Then, I wish to hear financial placements, foreign allies within Hyrule's provinces, weaponry, logistics, statistics, etc. We convene at the hour of one." The King stated. He was distracted, something was on his mind and only a few could tell; Veronica, Zelda, Impa, and the Lord Rizohn."Let us finish. What is said is heard, what is heard is said to none, and to none the matter of which is not theirs."
"And to which is not theirs the matter is held to whom has heard, even at the knock upon Death's Door." The council was finished for the time being. A few stood up and began to speak with one another, but the Princess and her father remained seated, both deep in thought in different worlds. Impa was waiting, contemplating, and Veronica was watching to see how this played out. Rizohn had left rather quickly, and that was only noticed by Ethan.
Seconds ticked by as the five watched the set of events unfold, Veronica leaned back against her chair, arms crossed, Zelda sat staring at the table, eyes livid with thought. Impa stared from under her brow at the King's next move, not taking her eyes off Zelda, and curiously watching Veronica out of her right corner. She was waiting patiently, rolling a few possibilities over in her mind. The king stared at his daughter playing with a small golden locket in his left hand, elbow propped on his throne, right arm relaxed, but tense with the rest of his body in thought. A minute passed, and the princess made the first move. Abruptly, she sprang from her chair and rushed out the room, this Ethan noticed as well with a mutter "what's with everyone.." and the movement of the princess broke the stupor. Veronica raised her brow and her eyes followed the retreating princess, as did the king. Impa gave nothing but a glance, knowing she was up to something she would hear about at a later time. The King sat back in his chair and straitened himself. Three were left. The King broke it next.
"I wish to speak to Impa alone." Everyone left, Veronica slowly and reluctantly, Ethan without second thought, and two remained.
"You know what I wish to cover." The King said once everyone was gone, even the guards.
"Yes, your majesty. I do." Impa replied. She had guessed right, and it was time to see what other crazy shit he was gonna pull.
"Well then, begin." He sat back, prepared to stay hours if it took that long.
13to-be-and-to-not-to-be13
Thats chapter one for ya! sorry i have completely trashed the old few tries. yea. i finally got it where i want it tho! so thats good. hopefully every two to 3 weeks for new updates. depends, i go to a crazy hard high school. Homework is 24/7, then try putting track and field in there, as well as dance, singing, acting, and horseback-riding in ther. busy bean. ANYways. comment and review! it helps trust me! i only write if i get feedback! serious. bye! ill see you soon!
*but at a head=Head of a table. ends, no one else sits by them
*twilight princess=castle is surrounded by water as well as town, so="Island"