Something was missing from Castle Town. The noise had left; the shouts and squeals of children chasing cuccos, the bellowing of merchants all trying to outsell each other, the ambient roar of conversation and bargaining and street musicians- gone. It was as if the very buildings held their breath, waiting for something.
Many of the shops were closed and the curtains drawn, an unusual sight on a weekday in the royal city. Only a few small groups of people hurried along the footpaths, speaking in hushed voices and ducking through doors as if to dodge some invisible thing, some menace that Link could not see. Though it was midsummer, they clothed themselves tightly in long robes and scarves.
The Happy Hearth was open, but empty. The bells on the door jingled loudly as it slammed shut behind him, and the noise brought the old inkeeper shuffling out of the back room.
"Link!" he exclaimed. "What a surprise to see you again."
"I see you haven't forgotten me yet, Jules." Link smiled.
"Hard to forget the mercenary in green. How long will you be staying?"
"Just two nights. I'm preparing for a trip into the Gerudo Desert. I just hope the shops will be open tomorrow. Where is everyone?"
Jules' eyes widened. "You haven't heard?"
"I've only been in back in Hyrule for a couple of days."
"I'd suggest you don't stay long, if you've anywhere else to go. Things have been… troublesome, to put it mildly."
"What kind of trouble?" Link patted the bow and arrows at his side, but Jules only shook his head helplessly.
"A plague has fallen on Hyrule. A terrible sickness... rumors say that even some of the king's own courtiers have fallen ill. No one is safe from it and everyone is scared of it. I don't even know how many people have died already. They call it the Scourge."
"Just how long has this been going on?"
"A month now, I'd say." The inkeeper pushed a room key across the desk with a shaky hand.
Link found himself suddenly very eager to be back on the road again. Being achy and starving had its perks, compared to dying of some terrible mystery illness, at least. Regardless, he needed supplies, rest, and a new pair of boots. He paid the innkeeper, slung his bag over his shoulder, and headed up to his room for some much-needed sleep.
It was late afternoon when he woke again, refreshed, and strode out into the market- and then, two strong arms slipped under his. A pair of soldiers began dragging him away.
"What in Din's name-" Link began to protest.
"We're sorry, sir, it's the King's orders!" One soldier said.
"The King? Where are you taking me?"
"We're bringing you to the palace. Wouldn't worry too much about it, he didn't say anything about beheading. His daughter's had some- vision-" the soldier grunted as he pushed Link into a wooden cart.
"You could at least tell me why I'm being arrested instead of giving me some half-baked story!" Link tried to hop out of the cart, but he was pulled back in by another soldier.
"Sorry mate, it'll only take an hour or two."
"I don't have an hour or-" Link turned around and found himself facing a cart full of blonde-haired, green-clothed men. He blinked, looked to the soldiers, and looked back to the other captives. His stare was met with a few defeated shrugs. Link groaned.
"It'll go faster if I don't ask, won't it?"
