The Settled Wanderer
Chapter 1: The End of Wandering
He walked along the main path of Hyrule Castle Town, staying apart from the crowds of the bazaar. He was being watched vigorously by the guards because of his appearance, such as it was. He looked homeless and penniless, his green tunic and matching green cap had seen much better days and were both frayed and unraveling. His turned down soft leather boots were scoffed and caked with mud. His now shaggy hair was pulled back with a piece of leather ripped from the top of his left boot.
In fact he looked very unsavory; the only thing on him that was clean was his sword, safely in its scabbard, on his back. He ignored the stares of people that avoided him and the watchful gaze of the guards. He stepped into a tavern to stay out of the sun and out of the way. As he turned to look at the tavern in question he realized it looked more unsavory then he did.
It was filled with dirty men drinking and flashing weapons at each other. He started to leave before something bad happened when something bad happened. As he turned to walk out the door he bumped into a man as he walked in. The man, already drunk it seemed from some other source fell into another man making him spill his drink. This caused the room to go into a small riot as everyone started fighting. One man pulled a knife on him and made a drunken swing for his throat. Luckily, though he was looking at him, he was turned to the side making him miss wildly. He stepped out quickly shielding his eyes from the sunshine.
As he hurried from the tavern he came across a wanted poster, which he glanced at in his rush. He stopped dead at what the poster read. Wanted Dead or Alive: A man that goes by the name of Link, considered extremely dangerous. Followed by that was a picture of Link in his most unsavory splendor. Link took the picture off and looked at the castle where the late king and his daughter lived. It had to be him that had sent out this decree, but he had not done anything wrong. Link decided to take this up with the queen in private.
He walked up to the front gate of the castle in the slowly lightening darkness before dawn, determining that now was the best time to sneak by as they would not be able to see well and his vision would still be good enough to see without light. He climbed to the nearby cliff that overlooked the gate and watched the sentries move across it. He jumped down behind one and lay as still as possible; he didn't hear or see Link. Link waited for him to walk off onto the other end of the gate; hopping over the edge onto the soft grass on the inside of the gate.
He ran silently behind two guards with torches to a small outcropping of rock. He waited for the opportune moment and climbed the outcropping swiftly. He had done this to get a better view of his surroundings, but it turned out this outcropping was level with the high iron fence around the castle itself. Link jumped easily over the iron fence and looked around quickly; there were two guards at the fence and two more on the inner walkway that he was on.
They had not seen him yet, but it would not be long on this walkway. He searched quickly and saw that there was a small moat between the walkway and the castle proper. Link slid silently over and saw that the water was low, most likely from the drought that had begun a week ago. He grabbed the edge of the walkway and lowered himself down. The water was up to his waist and walked extra slowly through the water away from the guards. Link saw a turn in the moat and came to it.
He looked down the way and saw that it went into a grate, not helpful to him. He looked for a way out of the moat and saw that the ground sloped up in the corner leaving the water altogether at its tip. Link used that to crawl out of the moat having got past both the guards and was then faced with another dilemma; how to get into the castle. He noticed that his clothes now looked cleaner from his walk through the moat and smiled to himself. Link walked to the edge of the walkway and searched for some way to cross.
He saw a small manmade hole that was used to drain water from the castle, it was bone dry now. He leaped across the moat to the hole praying to the goddesses that he would make it. Link sailed through the air and hit the wall with a thud as he grasped the opening as best as he could. Link pulled himself into the hole slowly checking to see if he would fit, luckily he did. He inched through the darkness of the hole for what seemed like hours in the small space. Link finally saw light up ahead as the sun had finally risen onto the horizon to appear as a sliver of molten fire.
He crawled out into a small dried up lake. He stood up and stretched before sidling up against a wall to look around the corner. Link saw no one and walked into the next part of the expansive courtyard. He walked slowly along the wall until coming upon the Courtyard Garden. He looked around the corner and saw a woman in lavish clothing tending to her dying roses. He walked slowly up behind her and heard her say softly, "I was expecting you to try this as soon as you saw the posters, but it appears that you are smarter then you look."
"Should I take that as a compliment from those that want me dead," Link asked her as she turned to face him. Instead of saying anything to answer she put her hand to her mouth and giggled. This caught him off guard as did her beauty.
She gained control of herself and said breathlessly, "Kill you, I would never dream to try and kill you, I assumed you had read the entire poster, it said to take him in alive for questioning." She looked over my shoulder and beckoned to someone. Link turned to see who it was and saw a tall gray haired sheikan woman walk past him to the woman he was talking to. "This is my nursemaid, Impa, She will take you to go get washed up, and then she will escort you back to me to continue our talk."
Impa beckoned to Link to follow her into the castle, which he promptly did. After all, they were offering him free use of the castle's bathing facilities, which he badly needed to use. "My name is Link," He said cautiously.
"I know," Impa answered. "You will not be allowed to carry your sword to the audience chamber to speak with Her Highness, Queen Zelda," Impa said as she pointed to the handle.
"I understand," Link answered. "And I thank her for allowing me to clean up before I see her. Here, I ask only that you take care of it for me, I find it is precious." he said as he handed her his sword still within its scabbard. Impa walked ahead and opened the door in front of them, and as Link looked through the door was awed at the majestic beauty of the room.
"This is where you will be staying until I come get you for your audience," Impa said. "The wash room is to your left; once you have washed, clothes will be brought for you to wear in Her Majesty's presence. I would ask that you be washed and dressed in time for your audience." Impa said, smiling at the end of her sentence.
"I could see why that would be an important reminder," Link said with a serious face. "Now as much as I would love to sit here and chat, I really need to clean up." Impa nodded understandingly and left the room.
Link having gotten dressed was surprised that he was wearing such rich clothing. Link was now dressed in a black tunic with gold trim along the sleeves and a matching cap his hair was left loose and was shoulder length after a quick trim with the knife he stashed in his boot. He had new turned down leather boots and his stockings were pure white.
He sat there waiting for Impa and was glad that it didn't take her long. "You clean up well young one," Impa said to him as she looked him up and down. "Now if you would follow me to the audience chamber, and give me your knife so that I don't have to call the guards on you, we can continue." she said with her hand held out. Link sighed and pulled the knife out and handed it to her.
"This way please." she said with a smile. Link followed her through the winding corridors and tried vainly to follow all the twists and turns they took. After what seemed like forever to Link they reached a pair of large golden double doors. Impa knocked on one loudly and it opened slowly into a room filled with the High Consulars and their guards. On the far end of the room was throne upon a dais. The throne was empty and Impa frowned at the throne and looked around quickly. "You need to go to the front of the dais and wait for Her Majesty with the others," Impa said hurriedly before walking across the room and through a door on the dais to the left of the throne.
This effectively isolated Link and he walked slowly to the front of the crowd, worried someone might point out he shouldn't be here. He came to the front slowly and saw the High Consulars members directly. They turned to see who had walked to the front where only the Consulars was allowed to be and were surprised to see some common rabble in expensive clothing. "What are you doing here at the front," one of them asked him with a sniff.
"Impa told me to go to the front of the dais," Link said slowly.
"And how do we know your not lying. Guards seize this man!" the consular said and waved at Link. The guards were just about to grab him when a woman's voice rang above the crowd commandingly.
"You will not touch him unless you wish to incur the wrath of your queen," Link looked up to see his savior and saw the woman in the garden. That woman was Queen Zelda, suddenly, Link's throat went dry. Everyone bowed to the queen as she sat down except for Link, who was to awestruck to think about what he was supposed to do. The consular who had tried to arrest him saw this and turned to him.
"You are very conceited to not bow before your queen," he said with a sneer. Link was broken from his reverie and looked at him. "Bow before your queen!" Link was startled by this yell and quickly started to kneel down.
"Link," Zelda said softly, causing him to stop and look up at his name. "Before you kneel come to me and ask forgiveness."
Link was surprised by this but quickly walked up to her and said, "I am extremely sorry your majesty, I was not aware of your status and forgot myself. I swear it will not happen again, if you will forgive my insult."
"Please, call me Zelda," Zelda said softly. "Kneel and receive my judgment," Link complied readily and was worried when he heard a sword being unsheathed. "Arise, Sir Link, and receive your sword, and with it take an oath to protect your queen in all her endeavors both for good and for bad."
Link stood up and reached for the hilt of his sword slowly, but before he had touched it he heard from behind him a now irritating voice, "Surely you don't mean to place a commoner as your bodyguard, someone with more experience with battle should hold such a position," the Consular started.
"I feel that you do not understand where your opinion matters and where it does not Consular Shoul. You do not hold advisory over me, as I believe that position is Impa's, and she agrees that the choice is wise. Link please take your sword and begin your oath to me," Zelda said firmly.
"What would you do if I refuse?" Link asked softly.
"If that were your choice I would have my guards escort you to town where you could continue your search," Zelda said softly with a sad smile flitting across her face.
"I will accept any duty given to me by my Queen," Link said as he took hold of his sword. "And none shall stop me from fulfilling my duties."
"With that done, you must stand at my left side for your position is one above that of even the High Consulate." Zelda said as she beckoned him to stand beside her. As Link moved to her side he felt a sense of peace that he had never felt before wash over him and he knew that he belonged at her side. "Now Consulars, you were present for the knighting and that was all I had needed of you. You may leave at your discretion but do not linger long." The men left quickly and filed at the double doors and talked among themselves about the appointing of the commoner. Link looked to his scabbard and saw that it was not the same, it had a few adornments now that made it worth more then he was. It now sat at his side instead of over his shoulder and he found the position just as comfortable.
"Link, I wish to talk to you alone, would you mind following me," Zelda said as Impa left. Link nodded and helped Zelda out of the throne. Zelda smiled at him and walked through the nearby door with Link a half-step behind her. Immediately, having left the audience chamber, Link saw that Zelda seemed to relax visibly, she sighed and then stretched and turned to him in the hall.
"Link, I need your confidence in me to be unwavering, and I need to have unwavering confidence in you and your abilities. So I would like to know more about you, if you don't mind me prying into your personal affairs." Zelda said seriously with a sad smile.
Link shook his head. "The past is done, all that I did before is over and cannot be changed. We must always look to the future for change and for the choices that will make a difference for you and for others."
"Why the sudden assuredness in your voice when earlier you were frightened and timid," Zelda asked as Link started to smile.
"Like you, I may have more then one face at will; you witness me as me right now, but in public I will be unsure and quiet, for your sake. If you want me to act like that at all times you would know nothing of me, as I would of you if you acted like Her Majesty, instead of as Zelda." Link said in reply, a crooked smile playing over his lips.
Zelda gestured for him to follow and was surprised when he took the lead. "I have a bad feeling about this walk, I will take point and you walk right behind me." Link explained as his hand went to his sword. They walked the length of the corridor and turned right when Link grabbed Zelda and pulled her to the ground yelling "Duck!" A dagger flew past where her head been a moment earlier, Zelda was terrified and could only watch the battle unfold.
Two assassins had snuck in through the window overlooking the courtyard and were laying in wait for the queen. They were surprised to find her accompanied by a young man. The daggers they threw were dodged thanks to the young man, which quickly angered the two assassins. Link jumped up quickly, sword in hand as he rushed forward towards the one with the daggers.
Link grabbed the man's hand as the assassin raised a dagger back to throw it at Zelda. With his forward momentum he ran onward and pulled the man off his feet where he hit the rugged stone floor with a dull thud. Link having disabled him momentarily swung at the other assassin but the strike was parried easily with the man's rapier, and the assassin stabbed at Link, who barely dodged the thrust in time. The assassin did not miss flesh as his blade sank deep into the chest of his companion.
The dying assassin made a gurgled cough and fell to the floor dead as the guards ran into the corridor to see what the commotion was. The remaining assassin smiled at Link and jumped sideways out the window. Link ran to the window and looked over the edge to see that the man was gone. Link sheathed his blade and ran over to Zelda and checked for wounds, as far as he could tell she was unharmed, if a bit shaken by the experience. It was obvious no one had tried to take her life before this.
Link helped her stand and supported her as shook with fear. He looked to the other guards and pointed at Zelda mouthing her room. The man gestured in soldier signs 'fifth door right, next hallway left.' Link nodded and walked slowly with her in his arms as she slowly gained control over her body. Zelda was able to stand without support by the time they got to her room. He opened the door and walked in after she was inside, shutting the door softly.
Zelda though calmer in appearance was still terrified, who would want her dead. She was just and fair to her subjects; her kingdom was prospering under her, what would they stand to gain. "I will leave you now, unless you have need of me." Link said to the distracted Zelda, who turned wide eyed at the thought of being alone.
"You would just leave me to get killed in the middle of the night," Zelda said her voice shaking as she spoke. "I order you to stay with me through the night, to protect me."
"Yes, you're Majesty. I will do as you command." Link said with a sigh. Link pulled the scabbard of his sword onto his lap and sat against the door facing the balcony. "I will sleep here and listen for intruders."
"Thank you Link, for staying here for me," Zelda said as she stepped into her actual room and out of the reception area where Link remained for the night.
A/N: This is my first attempt at a fan fiction and though advice is appreciated please don't flame me. Oh and I don't own anything, except maybe Consular Shoul, but I may not claim him. Please review!