The Serpent's Egg

By Nicolle

1st Note: This story takes place in the future, as in, after all current canon games and other canon materials.

2nd Note: For all my "Army Life" Fans: I finally got around my writer's block and a Zelda fic was on the other side.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda is the property of Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo. Thank you for letting the fans borrow your ideas.

Chapter One

Link pulled Zelda into a corner and covered her after the first explosion took out a chunk of the wall, saving both of them from being struck by debris from the second, which felled a balcony. Sir Stewart, handpicked for the bodyguard detail, bled from a head wound, but otherwise looked fine. He dashed through the panicked palace staff to Zelda.

Link pulled Zelda to her feet. "Where's Bot?" The knight shook his head. Link gave him Zelda's hand. "Get her to the stables and off the palace grounds. I'm going to find Bot."

Zelda caught his wrist. "Track down Princess Elana. We need to get her out of this."

Link nodded and ran in the direction of the toppled throne. Jumping onto the dais, he spotted Bot behind the throne. The knight's armor was badly dented, but Princess Elana, who huddled underneath him, looked safe, if dirty.

Link knelt next to him. "Can you stand?"

"I'm pretty sure my leg is broken."

Link pulled a potion from his belt pouch. "Here." Bot downed it in a gulp. "Better?"

The knight nodded. "Where's the Queen?"

"With Stew. And with any luck, already far from here." Link held out his hand to the Princess. "Your Highness, it's best we quit the palace."

Princess Elana offered a trembling hand and Link pulled her quickly onto his back. He turned to find the mean end of a sword leveled at his chest.

The brown eyes of the man holding it were calm, collected, and unbending. "I've no quarrel with you, Hylian, but you will leave the princess."

"Does her death follow my leaving her?"

"Yes."

Link hefted the princess, adjusting where she lay across his back, while stealing a quick look at Bot. "I admit, Her Highness is annoying, but death seems a bit too final a punishment."

"Again, Hylian, leave her."

"How unfortunate for you. My Queen has ordered otherwise." Link dodged to the left and Bot shot forward, slicing into the man underneath the ribs, spilling intestines on the throne room floor. Link ran for the hole in the wall, followed closely by Bot. Jumping over the wreckage, he came up short next to his horse. He tossed the princess across the saddle, while Bot mounted his horse. "Remind me to tell Zelda I love her."

Bot smiled wide. "Triforce of Wisdom all the way!" He pulled his horse around and urged it toward the palace gates. The twang of a bow caught Link's ear and he quickly covered the princess. Nothing struck him. He looked up, and watched Bot fall from his horse, an arrow jutting out of his side.

"Bot!"

"It was a bad shot!" He grimaced as he pulled the arrow out. "Get her out of here! I'll be fine!" He scrambled unto his horse, blood leaking down his side.

Link nodded and rode through the gate. The streets of the city were in chaos. Street carts were overturned, the public running for safety and not knowing which way to go. Among all the panic, Link spotted an overly relaxed, black clothed man leaning against a wall next to an empty alley. He gave the Hero of Light a mock salute as Link directed his horse down the alley. The sudden stillness of the shadows gave him a moment to pause. He dismounted and helped the princess down.

He pulled off the armor marking him as Hyrule's Captain, stripping down to his green tunic, white leggings, and boots. He stuffed the armor into a bag on the saddle. "Quickly! Toss your jewels and royal insignia in the bag."

"What? How dare you!"

"There are men looking to end your life. I need to get you out of here safely. I can't do that if you look like a princess."

Elana huffed, folded her arms over her chest, and turned up her nose. "I refuse. I am no commoner."

Link raised an eyebrow. "Hard way it is then." He drew his knife and knocked her over the head with the hilt. She hit the ground like a sack of potatoes.

"I bet that felt good. Annoying little pest."

Link waved the man behind him off. "That's enough."

"For her? Please."

Link spun around and grabbed the man by the front of his black tunic. "I appreciate the help, but feel free to back off." He smiled and held up both hands in mock surrender. Link let him go. He gently stripped the princess of her crown, necklace, and insignia. "Help me get her on the saddle behind me." Link climbed back up on his horse and grabbed the princess's arms as the man lifted her into the saddle. He tied her wrists together with a bit of rope.

The man grabbed his arm. "You'll need help with this one."

Link looked down at him. "Do I ever do anything totally alone?"

He stepped back. "You were alone every time you faced me."

"Different." He looked toward the street. "What do you want in exchange?"

"My Queen," he breathed, eyes heavy lidded with the intoxication of the prospect.

"That's not a deal I can make."

"Then I'll ask her."

Link pulled the horse around. "You do that." He kicked his heals into the horse and urged it back into the chaos. With royal garb hidden and his ears stuffed in his cap, Link passed through the crowds and out the unmanned gate. The bodies of the city guard littered the streets and citizens in blood stained clothes were either running or hiding. Going off the main road, he followed a barely visible path into the woods beyond the farms ringing the city. An empty grove opened up in the woods. The familiar press of magic caressed his face. He looked at the trees around him and spotted a single triangle carved into one.

He unbuckled the armor on his left arm and pulled off the long glove, revealing the Triforce birthmark. He pressed his bare hand to the triangle and the enchantment snapped. In the grove, Zelda and Stewart knelt over a badly injured Drishti. The knight was coughing blood.

"Stew!" Stewart looked up in time to catch the potion.

Link untied the princess and wrapped an arm around her as he dismounted. He laid her on the ground before rushing over. "Where's Bot?"

Stewart shook his head. Link turned and Zelda grabbed his hand.

"Bot can look after himself. He'll catch up to us."

"He took an arrow in the gut."

Zelda pulled him down to sit next to her. "He's also a doctor. He'll be all right. We need to get Elana to safety and Drishti to shelter." Her eyes slid to the trees for a moment and then back to him. "Is Elana injured?"

"No, just knocked out."

Drishti's hand shot up and grabbed the front of Link's tunic. He caught himself before he fell into the knight's chest. "It... was the... Gerudo... Tell... Elise... love her..."

"No! Drishti!" Link reached out. "Potion! Quick!" A silvery liquid filled Drishti's mouth and poured out the side.

Zelda took Link's hand. "There's no potion to fix this." She bowed her head, eyes squeezed shut as tears ran down her cheeks. Link put his arms around her and pulled her close.

Stewart looked up. "It's not fair. The sun is shining. Not a cloud in the sky." He stretched his arms out and lay his head on his friend's still chest.

Elana's moan broke the silence. She sat up, rubbing the back of her head, and then screamed. Jumping to her feet, she rushed Link. "What did you do with my jewels?"

Zelda held up a hand and Elana slammed into a force field, falling back on her ass. Link gently wiped a stray tear from the Queen's cheek. He stood and walked through Zelda's spell. "Your things are safe."

"And you just let me lie on the bare ground? Just what kind of girl do you think I am? I am a princess and I won't be treated like common trash! Now apologize, peasant!"

Link leaned over and picked her up by the front of her dress, setting her on her feet, before slapping her across the face. "Never have I been subjected to such a dishonorable, undignified, and wholly miserable display by anyone who called themselves royalty. A princess lives for her people and right now your people are dying on the altar of your childishness. The only reason you live right now is because one of my men took several blows meant for you. Right now, he's missing and another is dead. You will be respectful or you will be silent, understood?"

Elana backed away, hand held to her face.

He turned to Zelda and Stewart. "We'll take Drishti home." He looked over his shoulder at Elana. "And then we'll find out why Ganon wants you dead."