Author's Note: Hello, everyone. This is the third and final installment in my series of fan fiction. My other two stories (Outcast and Second Wind) take place before this and introduce characters, events and places that appear or are mentioned here. It is not 100% necessary to read them in order to understand what is going on here, but you may wish to do so before continuing on. In any case, thanks for reading, and have a great day!


A couple sat at a small table, their idle chat interrupting the otherwise mundane afternoon. Their laughter was infectious to anyone who happened to pass by the small cafe in the middle of Castle Town. It had become a favorite spot of theirs lately, both because of the quality of the food, and for the owner's insistent generosity towards Hyrule's finest general.

A blonde-haired man approaching his thirties sat with his back to a wall, periodically eyeing spots in the distance for anything unusual. Even as he spoke, he'd take constant note of the area around him. First, he'd scan the shadows between the buildings, followed by observing the small passing crowds and the rooftops across the city.

He stuck to the process until it became almost involuntary. Like most days, he saw nothing out of the ordinary. The oddest thing he spotted was nothing more than a quarrel between two familiar individuals.

"What are they arguing about this time?" he wondered. "Do they ever get along?"

Link returned his attention to the table in front of him. Despite the mundanity of his surroundings, something still stuck in his mind.

His redheaded companion was far more relaxed, on the other hand. Ever-optimistic and upbeat, she would continually remind him that there was nothing to worry about... sometimes after sneaking food from his plate while his attention was divided.

"Something just feels wrong, Malon," he stated, looking down to his slightly emptier plate.

"Link, there are guards all over the place," she reminded him, gesturing towards a pair of them in the distance. "Even if something were to happen, we'd be well-defended." She couldn't guess what specific thing occupied his thoughts, so it was about all she could offer for reassurance.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," he replied. "Maybe I'm just tired. No more late night parties at the castle for me!"

She giggled and ruffled his hair a bit, hoping to get a reaction out of him. He laughed slightly as he adjusted his hair and messed with her own hair in return. A few townspeople waved as they passed by the couple, Link and Malon offering them a greeting of their own. It was predictable for them to be here. Perhaps too predictable.

Not far away, a duo of men stood by a small shop. They stood in unassuming, bulky brown clothing, shifting about slightly. They looked to each other with neutral expressions, and then back to their quarry. Any movement they made was carefully timed- nothing to invite wayward, suspicious looks.

"Third table from the right. That's them, isn't it?" one of them asked, averting his glance elsewhere. His face was young, but it had been scarred by battle all the same. "They fit the description."

"Correct," the other replied, pretending to read a book in between moments of looking at the two Hylians.

They made no effort to hide in the shadows that had been cast between the shops. It would be a foolish mistake to do so on a day that was neither hot nor particularly bright. Nothing that the Hylians did caused them to change their expressions, even if Link's gaze crossed them momentarily. It didn't bother them- they had chosen to hide in plain sight. Even if he approached them directly, they were incapable of flinching or panicking.

"Should we just do it now?" the eager, younger man asked quietly, inching his hand towards a hidden knife in his coat. "I don't think he will care one way or the other."

"No," the other said calmly. "Not yet. Just observe."

He was momentarily disappointed by this but was not about to disobey an order. He crossed his arms in slight frustration and spat on the ground. "Hmm. And what about the lady?"

The other man eyed her carefully with a flash of anger in his eyes. "No. She is... important."