Chapter 3
"The land is dying," Link stared at the desolation outside of the walls of Hyrule castle town.
Where there should've been lush green grass, there were bare patches of dry ground and dying weeds. Two large pits were sunk deep into the ground a mile from the castle and town. Large Moblins and fierce men let whips fly through the air and strike the bare backs of pitiful slaves. The ragged slaves dragged heavy carts laden down with raw ore out of the mines. Deep scars in the brown earth slashed away from the mines and led towards the road. It was in these deep ruts that the carts were dragged through as the slaves strained to bring them towards the castle.
He looked away as bile rose up in his throat, "How long has this been going on?"
Kiaria looked up, "How long has what been going on?"
He scowled and gestured towards the pits, "This! Or are you blind to the problems of the people?"
"The ore pits?" She glanced at them, "They've been there ever since King Jarrod killed his brother. The foul Moblins are recent additions though."
His eyes narrowed, "Aren't you concerned about those slaves in the pits."
"Look at their rounded ears, it's not like they're from Hyrule."
His jaw dropped open at this statement. She only cared about the people of Hyrule...Didn't she realize that these were people as well? They weren't that different from Hyrulians. He shook his head, "So the king supports these… acts?"
"The ore pits have been there since the time of the prior king," She looked ahead at the road, "He had the slaves brought in from other countries to work them."
His stomach churned, "And so this is just a common thing? A slave dies and you just go to another country to get more?"
She nodded, "They shouldn't use Hyrulians as slaves at all. After King Jarrod killed his brother, he permitted them to be made slaves to do street repair. The Fiend!"
"So he's a fiend for making Hyrulians slaves and not the others?" Link felt disgusted at her attitude.
"I don't mind slavery. I just don't like Hyrulians being made into slaves."
"So then anyone outside of Hyrule isn't a person?"
"Now you sound like Kokarin," She glanced back at him, "He always thought that all slavery should be done away with."
He arched an eyebrow, "And you think it shouldn't?"
"How could we afford to have anyone else work the mines?" She glanced back at him with a smile, "Besides you'll be able to help us over throw the king and free the Hyrulian slaves."
His eyes narrowed, "Oh, Really? How in Din's name will I help you with that?"
"You look enough like my brother to pass for him."
"I fail to see the connection."
She turned back to watch the road, "The people loved my brother and would've followed him anywhere. After we clean you up…
His stomach churned at the thought, "I was never good at being a leader."
"Oh, We'll help you with that part."
His scowl deepened as he turned back to watch the scenery fly by them and felt the turmoil of his thoughts. The thought of being another pawn made his blood boil and he now knew that the only reason she'd rescued him was to impersonate her brother. Link watched the scenery for someplace to make an escape, but wondered what he'd do once he was free.
What he saw, as Ebony continued to gallop down the road, sickened him further and made his life as a slave seem like luxury. Hovels, that were little more than twigs held together with mud and rope, stood in fields that grew only weeds and were worked by narrow face Hyrulians. The clothes on their backs were little better than the ragged smock that he himself wore. Fenced in, near the hovels, were scrawny half starved animals and he saw one cucco, but it was being chased by a child with a knife.
The land and condition of the people added fuel to his already growing anger at Ganondorf and the stuck up hierarchy. What had taken place over the years? How had all this come to be? Why was the land dying?
After an hour's ride down the road, He saw a stunted forest rise up on their left and an idea formed in his head. He glanced at Kiaria and waited until they were even with the withered forest. Then he did something that he knew was stupid, but it was all he could think of. Link let go of her waist and slide off of Ebony's rump.
As he dropped off of her, One of the horse's hooves came up and struck him in the side. White hot pain flared through his side and he grunted as he tumbled to the hard dusty road. He landed on his hands and knees and knelt there drawing in shaky pain filled breaths, 'You knew that wasn't a bright thing to do…'
He heard Ebony whinny and his head jerked up to see Kiaria whirling the horse about. Link ground his teeth together and tried to get to his feet, but extreme pain kept him on his knees. Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes and his hands clenched into fists, 'I can't be captured again…Not for what she wants.'
He heard the dull thuds of the hooves striking the dirt of the road and looked up as the animal bore down on him. He blocked the pain from his mind and clambered to his feet. The pain doubled him over and he clutched at his side. He forced himself to move towards the forest, but knew he wouldn't make it.
Then, in front of him, a column of brown smoke swirled with white-gold light sprang to life and he staggered back. A whiny from behind him made him glance back and see Ebony rearing up with the whites of her eyes showing. Kiaria fought to calm the horse and a deep scowl was chiseled onto her face. A hand grabbed him by the arm and his head whipped around.
He found himself face to face with a man of the same height and build as himself and dressed all in black. Black wrappings obscured the man's face except for a pair of dark brown, almost black, eyes. They stood out like obsidian against the pale skin that Link could see. The man's gaze darted to Kiaria, then back, "Ready?"
The Hero frowned and drew a breath to answer, when pain sliced through his side and doubled him over. The man sigh, "You're more than ready."
Link raised his head to speak, but the brown smoke and light engulfed him and hid his surroundings from view. He felt himself whirled about and away until the pain in his side rose to a crescendo. It forced a scream from his lips and sent him tumbling down into the comforting pain free blackness.
