1Chapter Two
Two Years Later . . .
The brutal sun beat down on Link and his fellow slaves like a smith's hammer on hot steel. The sweat poured down his face and drenched the beard he'd grown in the years following his enslavement. He couldn't wipe his face as he carried the heavy stones used to repair the street for fear of receiving the bitter sting of a whip. The Overseer took special pleasure in picking out the slave that he felt was not working to the point of collapse. All he dared do was blow his dirty hair from his face.
His hair had grown long since he'd been made a slave and hung down past his shoulders. The locks were tangled and matted to the point where their original color was lost. He wasn't sure if they would ever be clean again and doubted that even if Zelda saw him today that she wouldn't recognize her old hero.
Iron shod hooves struck the dark grey stone of the street as their racket echoed off the surrounding buildings and filled the air around the work gang he was in. Link and the other slaves glanced up in time to see a powerful black horse with a white mane galloping down the street in their direction. At the sight of the black horse, he feared that Ganondorf was coming to taunt him once again. The fear soon passed when he saw the garments of the rider and the clothing almost made him stop in surprise. He studied the rider as he and his fellow slaves hurried to move out of the way. The rider was a young woman with long golden hair that streamed behind her like a mane and a pair of angry dark blue eyes in a pale face. She wore a green tunic, like the Kokiri of his day, over a white shirt and hose. The Hero of Time felt a pang of longing at the sight of the familiar clothing and glanced down at the ragged smock he now wore.
His inattention caused him to trip over a discarded stone and he sprawled onto the hard surface of the street. As he scrambled to his feet, he heard the whip come whistling through the air toward him. Link braced himself as the blow fell upon his back and cut through his meager garments to the scarred skin below. He gritted his teeth as he suppressed a scream of pain and felt the blood flow down his back.
"Sluggish Idiot! Do you want me to fetch Lord Ganondorf!" The Overseer lashed out again with the whip, "No food if this section isn't completed at sundown!"
The Hero of Time tried to climb to his feet, but another whiplash sent him back to his knees again. Every time he tried to get up, the whip would yet again descend and send him back to his knees. He wanted to snatch the whip out of the man's hand, but past experience had taught him this was useless. His strength had at first returned, but the rations that the slaves received had diminished it. Then the whipping stopped and He glanced up with wide eyes.
The rider had dismounted and was holding the Overseer's wrist to prevent him from whipping Link. Her mouth tightened into a thin line and she grabbed the whip from the large man's hand. She glared at him as she wound the whip around her hand. The overseer's eyes narrowed at her and then his face flushed to a brilliant shade of scarlet. He scowled, "Princess Jaidra's playmate..."
She crossed her arms, "One of Lord Ganondorf's Trained…Overseers."
"Out for a ride..., Noble?"
"Since when does a commoner question a noble?"
"Nobles usually enjoy allowing me to work."
She arched an eyebrow at him, "Work? Watching other men sweat and bleed is work?"
"Where are the calluses on your hands, Dainty lady?"
Her cheeks flushed and she held out a hand that showed she worked with her hands, "Some nobles do know how to work for a living, unlike whipping a poor man."
"That wretch isn't a man, but a dog that must be trained!"
"He is a person who should be free!"
"Your family is no better than dogs!"
"At least we're dogs who can think! Unlike anyone else in Hyrule any more!"
The overseer leaned close to her and snatched the whip from her hands, "Lord Ganondorf has many spies, Lady Kiaria. You may wish to watch your tongue..."
She grabbed him by the front of his tunic and pulled him closer so she could look him in the eye, "The only one who has committed treason is Ganondorf. He rules Hyrule with a puppet king!" She shoved the overseer back, "As long as the people look up to my family, we'll protect them with our lives!"
The man smirked at her and her face became tinged with red, "That might be the price that Ganondorf demands. Besides, your father is the champion of Hyrule, not you. He's the one who should be concerned about the people."
She leaned toward him till her nose almost touched his, "My entire family has dedicated their lives to the greater good of Hyrule. We all care about the good of the people, not just because one of us bears the title of champion of Hyrule!"
He sneered down at her, "So the title is useless?"
"It's not as useless as some people's title… Overseer!"
She spat out the last word like it was a bad mouthful. The Overseer took a step back from her at this.
"Slaves are a part of Hyrule," She jerked the Overseer back toward her, "Understand?"
Even though the overseer towered over this woman, He cowered away from this fiery woman. This was the first time Link had ever seen the overseer lost for words and he watched with great interest as the man nodded at Kiaria. She held the man's eyes for a moment longer then shoved him away like an unclean animal. The overseer turned from her and walked off a short ways. The Hero of Time saw him look over his shoulder at her with hate filled eyes. Kiaria walked towards Link and he quickly lowered his head in the proper manner of slaves.
He had resisted the stupid act of not looking at nobles, but Ganondorf had made him change. The Dark Lord come around him every day when he found out. If the Hero of Time didn't bow immediately, The Dark Lord would make the earring burn and that would force him to bow his head. It had been another battle that his old foe had won.
Her footsteps came toward him with the stride of one filled with determination and then paused. He heard the sound of the whip as it whistled through the air. Surely, the overseer wouldn't try to whip this Lady?
He looked up in time to see Lady Kiaria catch the end of the whip with her bare hands. She pulled the whip taut and yanked it out of the overseer's hand. All the while, her gaze dripped with icicles as she fixed her eyes upon the larger man. Her hands shook as she coiled the whip up, "I haven't broken anyone's bones in a year," she slipped the whip over her shoulder, "How about I get some practice in?"
The overseer backed away from with hands upraised.
She turned away from him, "Why are they always at least a little bit smart?"
Link lowered his head once more as she turned back toward him. He felt his stomach knot up as she approached and knelt beside him. The smell of soap and herbs filled the air around her and He shuddered as she laid a hand on his shoulder. He shrugged her hand off and shied away from her, "Slaves are not the same as petting stray dogs, My Lady."
Kiaria placed her hand back on his shoulder, "But you're worth more than a dog."
He tried to shrug her hand off again, but she had a firm grip this time, "As, My Lady, says."
"People should look each other in the eye."
"I'm a slave, not a person."
"Slaves are people and I want you to speak with me like one."
"He'll punish me."
"Not if I buy you."
Link's eyes widened as his head jerked up and saw the determined look on her face. He did not doubt for a moment that she spoke the truth and gave her a grateful smile. He still didn't meet her eye, most in this new Hyrule found his gaze disconcerting at times.
She frowned, "What did I say about people?"
He suppressed a smile as she reminded him of Zelda for a moment, "They look each other in the eye."
"Then do so."
He shrugged and looked her in the eye like he did anyone else. She recoiled a bit at it and the Hero of Time knew what surprised her. His gaze was not the gaze of a frightened slave as most expected, but a warrior filled with courage. Ganondorf would never break his spirit, ever. He watched as Kiaria gave herself a shake and then returned his gaze. A slight smile tugged at his lips as he saw that she had the same spirit as he did. She raised an eyebrow at him, "What name do you go by?"
"Before or after I was a slave?"
"After if you wish."
"I don't believe any of my slave names are . . . Proper."
Her eyes narrowed at him, "Before, then."
"Link."
Her eyes widened, "Were you named after Tetra's Hero?"
He'd heard of Tetra before, but wasn't sure exactly who she was, "I was named after another legend."
"Some other legend? Which?"
He glanced over at the overseer and saw him pacing.
"Time" Link nodded at the overseer, "Can't be controlled for long."
Kiaria glanced back at the overseer, who scowled at her. She rose to her feet and turned to face the overseer. As he walked toward her, she crossed her arms and held her ground. He stood over her as if to intimidate her by his sheer strength, but failed as she gave him a calm look.
The Overseer crossed his arms as he gazed down at her, "Shouldn't you be getting home to your father, Little brat?"
She unhooked her purse from her belt and bounced it on the palm of her hand, "I'm not leaving alone."
The overseer looked over at Link and then back at Kiaria, "Can't you find another pet?"
"Can't you find another face?"
"Listen." The overseer leaned close to her ad the Hero of Time could just hear what he said, "Didn't you notice his golden earring?"
"Yes."
"And how many slaves wear gold?"
"None."
"Only Lord Ganondorf may say when he is not a slave. Not me."
She bounced the purse again, "Money is always useful."
The overseer grimaced.
The purse jangled again, "This purse grows heavy."
"My head grows heavy, But I don't want it cut off!"
Kiaria shrugged and bounced the purse some more so that the jingling of the coins grew louder, "Life is fleeting and so is my money."
Link watched the overseer with interest as he seemed to struggle with the decision. The Overseer spoke slowly, "True."
She made as if to put the heavy purse away, "So if you don't . . . "
"Five hundred rupees!"
The Hero of Time gasped at the price demanded and figured half of it was for the overseer's life as well.
"I suppose this proves one thing," She began to count out the rupees. "Money is more precious than life."
The overseer snatched the money from her hand and handed her a key, "He won't be set free by my hand!"
She took the key and turned her back to him. She wore a triumphant look on her face as she walked over to him. As she knelt down and unlocked his manacles, Link wondered what Ganondorf would do to the overseer. He felt sympathy well up inside of him and he hung his head.
"Shouldn't you be excited?"
"The Dark Lord won't spare him," He nodded toward the overseer, "Why should I be excited about that?"
"Last year, He beat a slave to death," Her face was grim, "It was the first time he did it in public. I've seen him do it before."
Link shook his head, "He doesn't deserve what he'll get. None deserve that."
She looked at him closely, "Who are you? Why do you care?"
He gave a half smile, "Someone who loves all of Hyrule, not just those who deserve it."
Kiaria shook her head with a frown and went back to unlocking his manacles. The Hero of Time allowed his gaze wander off to the castle, where the one who loved Hyrule more than he did, was imprisoned. He'd learned how to love all of Hyrule from her and she'd learned how to love all of nature.
Kiaria whispered as she took the manacles off his ankles, "He might change his mind if we stay."
He nodded and climbed to his feet. He was grateful that she didn't try to assist him, it was bad enough being this weak as a warrior. She walked over and spoke softly to her horse to calm it so he wouldn't startle it. In a distant way, it reminded him of his old steed, Epona. He looked down at the sores that ringed his wrists and realized there were many things he'd never have again.
Kiaria's voice made him look up, "Ebony's strong enough to carry both of us."
Link hurried over to Ebony's side and watched the noble mount up. She then helped him up behind her. He felt muscles protest that had not been used for riding in a long time. He hesitated about putting his arms around her to hold on, as her clothing looked to be of high quality. She glanced back at him, "You need to hold on."
"I'll ruin your clothes."
"You're more important than clothing," She reached back and grabbed him by the arm, "I need new court clothes, anyway."
He raised an eyebrow as she put his arm around her waist, "Court clothes?"
"Our family is descended from Tetra's Hero," He put his other arm around her waist and held on, "We dress as he did, at least at the palace."
"Oh."
Link frowned. Tetra's hero dressed like a Kokiri? He was sure he was missing something, but figured he'd ask about it later. He wasn't sure it would make sense, "Where are we going?"
She kicked Ebony into a gallop down the main street, "To my family's castle! There are things they should know!"
He took a last glance back at Hyrule castle and sighed. He'd been set free and he hoped to do the same for Zelda. He turned his gaze away from Hyrule Castle and toward the unknown road ahead.