CHAPTER 2 TRAVEL
Link and Zelda were rather rudely awakened by Cheyan leaping into the bed in-between them as the sun came over the horizon. "Mommy! Daddy!" Cheyan giggled bouncing up and down on the bed.
"Hi sweety." Zelda said with a smile, brushing away a blonde locke from the young Hyrulian's face. "What are you doing up so early today?"
Cheyan shrugged. "Cause I wanna ask Daddy if we can go see 'Pona and Malon today at the ranch." Link shook his head.
"Sorry hun, not today."
Cheyan pouted. "Okay."
Link smiled. "But, how would you like to go see visit Uncle Sage and Aunt Emily?"
"Really?!" Cheyan said, her eyes lighting up.
"Sure! Now go down and start eating you're breakfast, we'll be down soon."
"Okay!" Cheyan said jumping off the bed and running out of the room. Zelda sighed.
"Too bad it won't be just a friendly visit." Link peeled his view from the door way to see his wife looking down and wringing the sheet nervously. He leaned over and gave her a reassuring kiss on the cheek.
"Don't worry Zel, I'm sure that with their help, we're going to do just fine." Zelda was still looking down when she nodded. "Now, C'mon." Link said getting from the bed. "I'm sure Cheyan is there by now, so if we don't want her bouncing off the walls, we better get down there too."
***
"Ung!" An ax split the chunk of wood in two. Sage McIntire, a Scotsman with short brown hair, hazel eyes and a goatee stood up straight and wiped the sweat from his brow. Four years ago, he happened to stumble upon a portal to Hyrule during a battle with the nearby clan, MacInnes. There he met Link and Zelda, and just moments after they introduced themselves, Ganon attacked the castle. Two nights after that, Ganon kidnapped him after meeting his future wife Emily and infected him with a shadow creature, and he easily defeated it. He then left the protection of the castle to seek revenge upon Ganon and as he was about to battle three ironknuckles, he was saved by Zelda, Link, Emily, and Perrin. After Perrin had died in a fall, the four remaining heroes battled and killed Ganon, or so they thought.
"Da', I'm bored, ye gaun be done soon?" A four year old with wide emerald eyes which he got from his mother, short brown hair from Sage and long, but rounded ears, the result of human and Hyrulian heritage, complained.
Sage laughed. "Well Connor, ye could always help ye ken!" Connor held up three fingers.
"But Da' I'm only four! I canna lift that ax!"
Sage continued playing this little game. "Oh come noo lad, I'm sure ye could!" He said laughing.
"Sage! Connor!" Emily, with long black hair, wide emerald eyes and a slim figure called from a window from their cottage, "Lunch is done, come on inside! We have some visitors as well!"
Propping up the ax on the stump, he called back. "Okay lass, comin'! Who is it?"
Emily laughed slyly, "You'll just have to come and find out!" Sage looked over at his son.
"Wit is yer mither up tae noo? Huh? where'd ye gae?"
"C'mon Da' hurry!" Connor said running to the house, nearly jumping with excitement just to see who came to visit. "I canna reach the door knob ye ken!"
"All right, all right, keep yer kilt oan lad!" Sage said opening the wooden door. When Sage saw who it was, his eyes lit up. "Link! Zelda! 'tis great tae see ye two again!" Sage and Link shook hands then Sage bowed and kissed Zelda on the hand.
"Uncle Sage!"
"Chey!" Sage picked up the girl and tossed her up in the air. "How ye daen' little lass?"
"Fine, um Uncle Sage, can I go play outside with Connor?"
"Aye Da', can she?" Putting Cheyan down, Sage said.
"I dinnae see why nae. Link?" He questioned.
Ruffling Connor's hair Link laughed "Sure! Us grown-ups need to have a talk anyway." Sage then noticed the false merriment and forced smiles coming from the rulers of Hyrule. 'Something is up, an' it ain't guid.' He thought, his eyes narrowed abit.
"Yeah! C'mon Cheyan!" The two children ran out.
"And don't slam the-"
BAM!!
"door." Emily finished with a sigh.
"Connor is getting big, Sage." Zelda complemented.
"Aye, and Cheyan is as beautiful as you." Sage replied but then grew serious looking back at them. "This isnae just a friendly visit is it?"
Link went over to Zelda and sat down at the table, holding her hand, both wore faces of worry. "Link, Zelda? What's wrong?" Emily asked worriedly.
"I-its Ganon, he back." Zelda said, looking down at the table. A wave of cold terror ran through the bodies of Sage and Emily as memories of the hell that Ganon put them through when Sage first came to Hyrule.
Emily sat down in disbelief, "But, I thought we finally got rid of him four years ago when Sage and I helped you two!"
"It was only temporary, Em." Link explained. "As long as Ganon holds Power, then he is essentially immortal. You should know that. And now he has a companion of sorts who's power is even greater then his!"
Emily shuddered and whispered. "By Nayru's love how!"
"Link," Sage began, "How dae ye ken this?"
"Because," The images of Perrin and Anubis appeared in the room with a flash of golden light. "we told them." Perrin said simply with a smile.
Sage's and Emily's jaws dropped. "Perrin?!"
Perrin chuckled "Its too hard to explain, but they are right, and my friend here will explain everything." He waved his hand to Anubis.
"Hello," Anubis' voice echoed. "Friends, I bring news most dire." He then went onto explain about his life with Talpa and about the Ronins and the deal with Ganon. After a few moments of silent disbelief from Sage and Emily, Link spoke up.
"This is why we came, we need your help, Hyrule needs your help."
"Well of course we will Link! After all if it wasn't for Sage helping the last time, there wouldn't be a Hyrule to save now." Emily said for the both of them.
"An'," Sage added with a smirk, "I bet a few of me clansmen will love tae help as well." After he laughed lightly for a moment, Sage continued. "The stories that Em told them about Hyrule, I'm sure they'd jump at the chance, since the fighting 'round here has ceased, it has left'em itchin' for a fight. This will be a great way fer them tae let off alittle steam."
"All right, but please make haste, Talpa's and Ganon's powers grow stronger with each passing moment." Anubis said, strangely calm for his statement.
"We'll stay here until you get back Sage." Perrin continued. "Then we'll return to Hyrule and with the help of the Sages, we can bring the Ronins and Warlords to the kingdom." Sage nodded and gave Emily a quick kiss on the cheek and walked out the door. The remaining persons and spirits heard him shouting. "McIntire tae arms!" as he made his way to the village square.
***
Out in the back yard, the two four year old children were playing. "Cheyan, how come ye look sae sad?"
Cheyan looked down at the ground and twirled a locke of blonde hair around her finger nervously. "Mommy and Daddy said that the evil King Ganon is coming back to Hyrule soon and that we have to bring some people from another place to help us." She explained softly. A child that age shouldn't worry of such things, but those are the signs of the time she guessed.
"Is that why ye came tae visit us today?" Connor guessed.
"Yeah, Daddy said that your mom and dad will help us." It was almost a question for Connor.
"Well o' course they will!" Connor exclaimed picking up a stick and swinging it around like a sword. "An' sae will I!" Cheyan just had to giggle at the young boy's 'swordsmanship'. Zelda and Emily were watching them through the window.
"Well," Zelda began with a smile, "Connor certainly seems to have taken the news well. Heh heh, reminds me of his father you know." She looked over at Emily through the corner of her eye to see a look of concern.
"That's what I'm afraid of, you know how Sage gets when he is getting into a fight, I don't want Connor to pick up that nasty little habit and have him bite off more than he can chew." Emily sighed and shook her head. "But its probably too late for me to worry about that, Sage has already taught him the basics of swordplay, there is no stopping it now."
Zelda put her hand on Emily's shoulder "You should be happy though, Connor will make a fine Knight of Hyrule." She said jokingly. Emily smiled but didn't find it funny.
Link and Zelda were rather rudely awakened by Cheyan leaping into the bed in-between them as the sun came over the horizon. "Mommy! Daddy!" Cheyan giggled bouncing up and down on the bed.
"Hi sweety." Zelda said with a smile, brushing away a blonde locke from the young Hyrulian's face. "What are you doing up so early today?"
Cheyan shrugged. "Cause I wanna ask Daddy if we can go see 'Pona and Malon today at the ranch." Link shook his head.
"Sorry hun, not today."
Cheyan pouted. "Okay."
Link smiled. "But, how would you like to go see visit Uncle Sage and Aunt Emily?"
"Really?!" Cheyan said, her eyes lighting up.
"Sure! Now go down and start eating you're breakfast, we'll be down soon."
"Okay!" Cheyan said jumping off the bed and running out of the room. Zelda sighed.
"Too bad it won't be just a friendly visit." Link peeled his view from the door way to see his wife looking down and wringing the sheet nervously. He leaned over and gave her a reassuring kiss on the cheek.
"Don't worry Zel, I'm sure that with their help, we're going to do just fine." Zelda was still looking down when she nodded. "Now, C'mon." Link said getting from the bed. "I'm sure Cheyan is there by now, so if we don't want her bouncing off the walls, we better get down there too."
***
"Ung!" An ax split the chunk of wood in two. Sage McIntire, a Scotsman with short brown hair, hazel eyes and a goatee stood up straight and wiped the sweat from his brow. Four years ago, he happened to stumble upon a portal to Hyrule during a battle with the nearby clan, MacInnes. There he met Link and Zelda, and just moments after they introduced themselves, Ganon attacked the castle. Two nights after that, Ganon kidnapped him after meeting his future wife Emily and infected him with a shadow creature, and he easily defeated it. He then left the protection of the castle to seek revenge upon Ganon and as he was about to battle three ironknuckles, he was saved by Zelda, Link, Emily, and Perrin. After Perrin had died in a fall, the four remaining heroes battled and killed Ganon, or so they thought.
"Da', I'm bored, ye gaun be done soon?" A four year old with wide emerald eyes which he got from his mother, short brown hair from Sage and long, but rounded ears, the result of human and Hyrulian heritage, complained.
Sage laughed. "Well Connor, ye could always help ye ken!" Connor held up three fingers.
"But Da' I'm only four! I canna lift that ax!"
Sage continued playing this little game. "Oh come noo lad, I'm sure ye could!" He said laughing.
"Sage! Connor!" Emily, with long black hair, wide emerald eyes and a slim figure called from a window from their cottage, "Lunch is done, come on inside! We have some visitors as well!"
Propping up the ax on the stump, he called back. "Okay lass, comin'! Who is it?"
Emily laughed slyly, "You'll just have to come and find out!" Sage looked over at his son.
"Wit is yer mither up tae noo? Huh? where'd ye gae?"
"C'mon Da' hurry!" Connor said running to the house, nearly jumping with excitement just to see who came to visit. "I canna reach the door knob ye ken!"
"All right, all right, keep yer kilt oan lad!" Sage said opening the wooden door. When Sage saw who it was, his eyes lit up. "Link! Zelda! 'tis great tae see ye two again!" Sage and Link shook hands then Sage bowed and kissed Zelda on the hand.
"Uncle Sage!"
"Chey!" Sage picked up the girl and tossed her up in the air. "How ye daen' little lass?"
"Fine, um Uncle Sage, can I go play outside with Connor?"
"Aye Da', can she?" Putting Cheyan down, Sage said.
"I dinnae see why nae. Link?" He questioned.
Ruffling Connor's hair Link laughed "Sure! Us grown-ups need to have a talk anyway." Sage then noticed the false merriment and forced smiles coming from the rulers of Hyrule. 'Something is up, an' it ain't guid.' He thought, his eyes narrowed abit.
"Yeah! C'mon Cheyan!" The two children ran out.
"And don't slam the-"
BAM!!
"door." Emily finished with a sigh.
"Connor is getting big, Sage." Zelda complemented.
"Aye, and Cheyan is as beautiful as you." Sage replied but then grew serious looking back at them. "This isnae just a friendly visit is it?"
Link went over to Zelda and sat down at the table, holding her hand, both wore faces of worry. "Link, Zelda? What's wrong?" Emily asked worriedly.
"I-its Ganon, he back." Zelda said, looking down at the table. A wave of cold terror ran through the bodies of Sage and Emily as memories of the hell that Ganon put them through when Sage first came to Hyrule.
Emily sat down in disbelief, "But, I thought we finally got rid of him four years ago when Sage and I helped you two!"
"It was only temporary, Em." Link explained. "As long as Ganon holds Power, then he is essentially immortal. You should know that. And now he has a companion of sorts who's power is even greater then his!"
Emily shuddered and whispered. "By Nayru's love how!"
"Link," Sage began, "How dae ye ken this?"
"Because," The images of Perrin and Anubis appeared in the room with a flash of golden light. "we told them." Perrin said simply with a smile.
Sage's and Emily's jaws dropped. "Perrin?!"
Perrin chuckled "Its too hard to explain, but they are right, and my friend here will explain everything." He waved his hand to Anubis.
"Hello," Anubis' voice echoed. "Friends, I bring news most dire." He then went onto explain about his life with Talpa and about the Ronins and the deal with Ganon. After a few moments of silent disbelief from Sage and Emily, Link spoke up.
"This is why we came, we need your help, Hyrule needs your help."
"Well of course we will Link! After all if it wasn't for Sage helping the last time, there wouldn't be a Hyrule to save now." Emily said for the both of them.
"An'," Sage added with a smirk, "I bet a few of me clansmen will love tae help as well." After he laughed lightly for a moment, Sage continued. "The stories that Em told them about Hyrule, I'm sure they'd jump at the chance, since the fighting 'round here has ceased, it has left'em itchin' for a fight. This will be a great way fer them tae let off alittle steam."
"All right, but please make haste, Talpa's and Ganon's powers grow stronger with each passing moment." Anubis said, strangely calm for his statement.
"We'll stay here until you get back Sage." Perrin continued. "Then we'll return to Hyrule and with the help of the Sages, we can bring the Ronins and Warlords to the kingdom." Sage nodded and gave Emily a quick kiss on the cheek and walked out the door. The remaining persons and spirits heard him shouting. "McIntire tae arms!" as he made his way to the village square.
***
Out in the back yard, the two four year old children were playing. "Cheyan, how come ye look sae sad?"
Cheyan looked down at the ground and twirled a locke of blonde hair around her finger nervously. "Mommy and Daddy said that the evil King Ganon is coming back to Hyrule soon and that we have to bring some people from another place to help us." She explained softly. A child that age shouldn't worry of such things, but those are the signs of the time she guessed.
"Is that why ye came tae visit us today?" Connor guessed.
"Yeah, Daddy said that your mom and dad will help us." It was almost a question for Connor.
"Well o' course they will!" Connor exclaimed picking up a stick and swinging it around like a sword. "An' sae will I!" Cheyan just had to giggle at the young boy's 'swordsmanship'. Zelda and Emily were watching them through the window.
"Well," Zelda began with a smile, "Connor certainly seems to have taken the news well. Heh heh, reminds me of his father you know." She looked over at Emily through the corner of her eye to see a look of concern.
"That's what I'm afraid of, you know how Sage gets when he is getting into a fight, I don't want Connor to pick up that nasty little habit and have him bite off more than he can chew." Emily sighed and shook her head. "But its probably too late for me to worry about that, Sage has already taught him the basics of swordplay, there is no stopping it now."
Zelda put her hand on Emily's shoulder "You should be happy though, Connor will make a fine Knight of Hyrule." She said jokingly. Emily smiled but didn't find it funny.