Chapter 2: Bloody Sights
The day before Zelda's coronation, Castle Town bustled in preparation for their princess soon to be queen. Telma had closed her bar and all of the shops closed. The people of Ordon and Kakariko began traveling to the castle as well, adding to the crowd even more.
Link was thankfully staying at the castle simply because Zelda could not take no for an answer when she asked him the say before. He walked down the hall to the dining room where Zelda sat looking at some papers. "Hello, Princess."
"Link, do not call me Princess, call me Zelda. Remember that," she said putting the papers aside.
Just then, a small girl with dark brown eyes and hair walked into the room. "Princess, the Royal Court wants you to know that you must get engaged in one month to a prince after your coronation," she announce nervously before she ran back to wherever she was previously.
Zelda stood horror-stricken and began to look pale. "Zelda? Are you okay? You better sit down," Link said pushing Zelda back into her chair.
"No… no, no, no…" she said weakly. Zelda looked up at Link. "I knew that I would have to marry soon, but not I know how soon…" she trailed off in a daze.
"Zelda, listen, your getting your coronation tomorrow, you don't have to worry about getting married right now. Just relax," Link said soothingly.
"You wouldn't be saying that if you were being forced to marry," she said under her breath.
Link shook his head and sat beside Zelda. He looked curiously at her and shook his head, "You better go to bed early for your coronation, Zelda. You will forget all about you having to marry tomorrow, trust me."
Zelda stood up without replying to Link and walked to her bedchamber, wishing that he would stop saying that word. Her footsteps echoed throughout the stone hallway and voices grew louder with each step. Zelda walked over to the corner of the hall and hid in the shadows as she tried to steady her breath, trying to listen to the voices.
The voices began to grow louder and two men walked down the hall, "Listen, Teivel, we simply cannot force the princess to marry in such a short time. How will we notify all of the kingdoms in such?" asked a man whom Zelda immediately identified as Mirek, the Head of the Royale Court.
Teivel laughed, "I can arrange that, Mirek. For it will not be difficult and, honestly, I know many who would willingly take care of it." Zelda felt a strange feeling about the man Teivel. When her father still lived, Teivel was honored more than he should have and only came when called, nothing else. Everything he did was perfect and he would do it in the most unusual way. Zelda shuddered in her corner and listened more.
"Teivel, hear me out now, the princess will marry whenever she wants and to whomever she wishes. And she will not be told when and whom to marry. I will not permit it."
"I see you will do everything in your power to stop me, but it has to be done. A princess cannot go forever without marrying, what would happen if she is killed by a chance? There would be no heir to the throne. That is why she must marry: to create an heir." Teivel stopped and looked at Mirek who did not want to force the girl to marry, but he would do as told.
"Even if she is killed, I will not listen to you. You are a man of lust and ambition; you do not know what is right for this kingdom."
"And you do? Ah, what does it matter, don't listen to me, see if I care," Teivel said dismissing the matter with a wave of his hand. "Good night."
As the two men left, Zelda walked out of her corner and walked thoughtfully to her room. Mirek was a powerful and wise man of age, so few dared doubt him. Teivel seemed to get the best of Mirek though, something that Zelda had never seen happen. Zelda opened her door, quickly changed, and fell to sleep that made her think of things she would never when conscious.
Zelda arose from her bed as she heard a small knock form outside her door and the early morning sun shone through her window. Zelda stood and opened the door. It was her dresser, Madri, who had come to prepare her gown.
"Hello, Princess. I am greatly sorry to wake you at such an hour, but your dress for your coronation must be finished," she said.
Zelda nodded and allowed the maid to garb her in the dress. It was a beautiful violet silk that had been purchased with great amount of rupees. Ruffles flowed at the bottom of the dress, and a Hylian sash hung at the waist. Madri tightly tied her shift and Zelda winced, "I am not hurting you Princess, am I?" she asked.
"No, no. I am fine," Zelda said through gritted teeth.
Madri continued lacing up her dress and looked at her princess. "I probably should hem the sleeves. Or do you prefer them like that?"
"Hmm? Oh, they are fine. No hemming needed." The sleeves of the dress were cut in a V-shape and hung loosely around her lower arms. They were embroidered with gold and intricately designed. The dress fitted Zelda and complimented her figure greatly.
"Well, very nice then. How should I do your hair?" Madri asked putting a golden necklace around Zelda's neck. She began fumbling with the clasp and finally got it to close.
"I believe I will keep it down." Zelda looked down at the necklace that had belonged to her mother. So many stories for such little objects… she thought.
"Oh, no, Princess, that will never do…" Madri said. She smiled and began to brush Zelda's long dirty blonde hair. Madri carefully parted it and began to form a braid with the top of her hair around her head. She began tugging at it and braided the lower half of her hair as well. "There you are, Princess. All done!" Madri looked joyfully at Zelda and asked for leave to go.
"Hello, Queen Zelda," Link said sitting beside her at the coronation ball. People from all across Hyrule wore beautiful outfits and were enjoying themselves immensely. He smiled to himself when he saw the people of Ordon and Kakiriko dancing. Telma was with Renado, Talo was with another girl from Kakiriko Link didn't know, Colin was with Luda, to Link's surprise, Beth was dancing with the Zora Prince, Ralis.
"I will always be the same Zelda, princess, queen, or even peasant or commoner. Is that understood?" Zelda asked, interrupting Link's daze.
"Yea, yea," Link replied.
Zelda shook her head and sighed. "Now I must marry," she said dolefully. Link nodded his head and jumped up as a child ran into the room dodging the guards.
"Help! Get these men off me!" yelled the child as a guard grabbed him.
"Let him go," ordered Zelda walking over.
The child looked at the queen in fear and bowed. "Something is wrong, terribly so. My mother sent me for you when we were ambushed while traveling alone. She told me 'Find the Queen in the castle and tell her what is happening.' I ran here as quickly as I could," the child who appeared to be male and eight years of age said.
"You were traveling alone with your mother at night?" Link asked as people gathered to see the boy.
"No, I was with my mother and father and then we were ambushed and my father was killed," the boy said with tears in his eyes. "Our attacker was a tall man who looked incredibly strong. He seemed to have dark eyes and hair along with many scars as well. And there was someone else, but I do not know what they look like..."
Zelda kneeled beside the boy and looked at him. He wasn't telling everything that was needed to know, but then again he looked horrorstricken, and it was obvious by his appearance. Mud was all over the boy and his clothes while he stunk of fear and urine. His hair was a mess and covered with grass and... gore. "Where were you when you were ambushed?"
"We had just left the Faron Woods and-" The boy sniffed and burst out crying. He fell to the ground and covered his eyes with his arms.
Zelda sighed, "Get this boy a room," she called to a servant. The servant led the boy away and turned to the crowd. "I am sorry to say such, but you all must go to your homes at this time. We must find out about this boy. Now," she added softly to Link.
The people groaned and left as Zelda instructed her guards to do nothing. "WHAT!" they all shouted. Zelda repeated her command to her men and heard one whisper with a laugh to a fellow comrade, "I think the Queen has had a bit too much ale."
Zelda frowned and ran to her room to change back into a casual dress. She ran back down to Link and they set out. Link called Epona with the horse whistle Ilia had made for him.
Link mounted Epona and helped Zelda on. "Hold on, Your Highness," he said as he pushed his horse into a full gallop. The air was bitter cold and it stung Link's cheeks as he rode to the entrance of the Faron Woods.
Zelda jumped off Epona as they reached the wood's entrance. Link drew his sword and led the way. They both jumped at the sight of blood. Link walked to where the blood came and saw a dead man. His hair and skin was dark with dirt, and blood soaked through the remaining tatters of clothes. Alongside him was a woman who was headless, with blood still pouring down her.
Zelda closed her eyes at the horrid sight of the decapitated woman. "L-L-Link, what did this?"
Link shook his head and closed his eyes as well. After awhile he reopened them and looked around. He dragged Zelda further along and saw another bloodied body.
Zelda gasped. "That's Mirek!" The most trustworthy High Royale Court member was dead and clearly recognizable with his elderly looks and grey-ish brown hair. Mirek was the one who acted like a father to Zelda as a child when her very own father could not. Who was second in place? She wondered suddenly curiously thinking who the new head of the council, Teivel. "Oh goddesses…"
"Who is doing this?" Link thought aloud. "Zelda, we cannot bring these bodies back to the castle now. We must send for someone to do it for us."
Zelda frowned and shook her head. "Fine, Hero." Zelda walked beside Link through the dark forest occasionally pausing to look around. "Link," she whispered. "When will we reach the forest's end?"
Link shrugged and suddenly sat on a flat rock. "We'll never make it at this rate. We need somewhere to sleep. If we continue on we might get lost." He looked over at Zelda. She was sitting on the ground and was twirling a flower in between her fingers. She looked up and nodded. "I am sorry that I cannot supply you with a bed, and you'll have to sleep on the grass covered ground. I will keep watch as you sleep, Your Highness."
"Mmmhmm…" Zelda replied already closing her eyes. She shivered as an icy chill swept pass, the same one that had been coming repeatedly throughout the nights. "Good night, Hero. And thank you," she whispered as her eyes slowly closed.
Lightwolf8: yup… well theres chapter two. More are a comin' folks. PLEASE REVIEW. Random fact: the sound of E.T walking was made by someone squishing their hands in jelly. E.T PHONE HOME!!!!
