I don't own anything to do with Zelda.

--

Tetra sighed in relief when they finally made it to Forest Haven. They had been relatively lucky on the trip over; only one storm crossed their path. It had been just over a week since the group had left Outset Island, and her nerves were frayed from worrying about Link.

She, Aryll, and Orca had taken a small boat to the beach while the rest of the pirates waited on the ship. The vast majority of them were spooked by the island's ethereal demeanor, and Tetra did not blame them. There had always been an other-world feeling to the forest island, and today it was magnified by about ten.

"Something's off," Orca said, looking around.

"Something's always off," Tetra muttered, but she too looked around, on guard. Aryll inched closer to the elderly Sheikah, her eyes darting back and forth.

"Hurry, get back!" a small voice squeaked from the trees. They looked over to see two Koroks, hunched behind a protruding tree root.

"Get behind the trees!" one shouted, beckoning. The trio started to move towards the trees when suddenly they were surrounded by a ring of Stalfos and Wolfos. Gasping, Aryll clutched Orca's arm. Tetra swore under her breath, drawing her sword.

"Kyyalt," one of the Stalfos said, holding its skeletal hand up. Tetra looked at Orca, her expression asking him if he understood the creature. He shook his head.

"Gajjain a Link gra Ra Ganon." Tetra looked back at Orca, shocked at hearing the Stalfo say Link's name.

"K'ap," a stern voice said, coming from the trees. The Stalfos and Wolfos all looked at the speaker, grinning. The word was repeated, and the monsters, still grinning, backed off.

"Get behind the trees; Oakin will lead you to the forest center," the voice commanded the three. Orca turned to see who was speaking, and he held back a gasp at seeing a well built man with silvering hair in a green tunic.

"That was an order, Sheikah," the man said, his blue eyes snapping when they did not move.

"Come," Orca said as he began to walk into the forest. Tetra held back, suspicious at the sight of the man, but a look from Orca had her move towards the forest as well. Just as she entered the forest and began to walk down the trail, Tetra heard the man say,

"Now what does Ganon have to say to me?"

--

In his dark cell, Link slept. He was cold and hungry, for all he had been given to eat in the past week was a few scanty meals, and the room was drafty. Shi'ah had come to visit once since the first time, and he now had a receding black eye.

Link, a voice called in his dream, and he looked around, trying to find the speaker. He was in a gray world, full of mist and fog that somehow felt familiar. He was not cold though and relished the feeling of warm fingers and toes.

Here, the voice said again, and he turned to see a tall woman standing before him. Her deep green hair was cut close, and it flowed in the slight breeze. Two earrings hung down from the tips of her ears; they were shaped like the Triforce. She wore a loose muslin shirt, and it was tucked in to a pair of tight pants, which looked like the type of pants called breeches that Sturgeon had once told him about. She wore knee high brown boots, which had iron nubs connected to them.

These are spurs. They are used for riding horses, she said, noticing his confused look as he saw them.

"Ah," he stammered, looking back up. "Umm… Who are you?"

A friend, she answered. I know your father. Link stared at her, shocked. He was about to ask a question when a sharp pain in his side caused the wind to be knocked out of him. The dream began to fade as he left it for the real world, and the woman smiled sadly.

I'll still be here, so don't worry.

Then he was awake.

"Why in the hell can you sleep when I am haunted by nightmares and ghosts?" Shi'ah snarled, looking down at Link. He wondered if she was going to kick him again, but she just glared at him.

"Answer me!" she demanded, and Link sighed. Either way I'm going to get the shit beat out of me, he thought before he answered her.

"Because it's all I have now." Shrieking in anger, Shi'ah grabbed his shirt front and hauled him up.

"What did you say?" she seethed, glaring at him. Link glared right back, while wondering what on earth caused him to say that.

"Or maybe it's because I don't call innocent people traitors!" he shouted, suddenly furious. He lashed out with his left hand, connecting with her cheek. She grabbed his hand with her free one, laughing.

"What were you going to do, eh?" she jeered. Snarling, Link threw his right hand towards her face, his fingers going for her eyes. He managed to hit her right eye, and he dug his nails in. Gasping in pain, Shi'ah threw Link to the side, and his fingers were ripped out of her eye. He lay there, panting and wincing in pain.

"You'll regret that," she snarled as she walked over.

"Never," Link breathed, and everything went black as his head was slammed into the stones below him.

Everything's going to be okay; your father is coming.

--

"Who was that man?" Tetra demanded as she, Aryll, and Orca followed the two Koroks down the forest path.

"You'll find out," the Koroks both said, causing her to grind her teeth in frustration.

"He's a powerful man," Orca said softly.

"What?" Tetra asked, confused

"He said, 'That was an order', remember? No one without a great deal of confidence in themselves and with the power to back it up says something like that."

"Oh, ok…"

"There's something else; I find it very odd that he knew I was a Sheikah. We've tried to keep our heads low ever since the Great Flood, and especially when Ganon was out. We weren't exactly his favourite of the races. Though…" he paused, pursing his lips in thought.

"Though what?" Aryll asked, looking up.

"The way he said 'Sheikah'; it hasn't been said like that in centuries. Sturgeon unearthed that pronunciation years ago; he said it was used by the Leader to let scouts or fighters know when they were in trouble."

"So like you not moving when he said to?" Aryll asked, and Orca nodded.

"We're here!" Oakin suddenly exclaimed. The three looked ahead, gasping as they saw the Deku Tree's glade. When they got a little closer, a blonde woman gracefully rose from her seat beside the Deku Tree. Her violet eyes looked at them, concerned. Aryll stared at her, confused. She walked a little closer, stopping when the woman began to walk towards them as well. After the woman made it a few steps, she too stopped. Her face held a pained expression, as if she wanted to say something, but could not or did not know how.

"Ummm…" Tetra muttered, looking from Aryll to the woman. "Do you two know each other?"

"Aryll wouldn't remember!" a high pitched voice called out. All four of them looked down to see Bandam staring up at Aryll, perched on a tree root. The woman had paled, her lips drawn together in a thin line. Tetra wondered if she was going to vomit; she looked like she might.

That story is for Zelda to tell Bandam, not you, the Deku Tree chastised.

"Ze- Zelda?" Aryll stammered, looking back at the woman, who nodded weakly. Tetra blinked in confusion, was she the legendary princess who bore the Triforce of Wisdom? If it was, then she could understand Aryll's shock. Despite Sturgeon's lack of scholarly proof of the Hero of Time's wife, she had a pretty good idea who it was. The stories always had him falling in love with the beautiful princess Zelda, no matter what the outcome.

Aryll continued to stare at Zelda, paling as well. She then turned her eyes to the ground, as did the woman opposite of her.

Oh come on! A voice whispered beside Tetra. Just say it! Tetra gasped, turning to see a silvery outline of a creature that she knew to be a horse from tales she heard of them.

"E-Epona?" Zelda stammered, shocked as she looked up. "When did you get here?"

Just now! The horse replied, and Tetra swore the animal grinned evilly. It's too bad Aryll doesn't remember the world of the shadows of light. Then she would have known what I was, unlike little Miss Princess here.

"Hey!" Tetra protested. Epona snickered, or at least made a noise that sounded like a snicker.

It's really pretty now, with all the new foals out. There are way too many colts this year though. And you should see Taliesin's new filly! She looks just like me! And I'm going to teach her how to fight and be strong! Course he says I can't teach her to beat up all the colts, but pssh! What does he know? He's only male.

"Epona…" Zelda said softly, starting to get annoyed. The mare continued though, oblivious.

And all the flowers are out, so there's lots of new stuff to eat. Oh! And the goddesses visited after you and L-

"Epona!" Zelda finally shouted, and the mare stopped, looking at her.

Yes?

"What do you want?"

To annoy you. Tetra thought that Zelda was going to start screaming at the smug horse; she certainly would have. Zelda just took a deep breath before she answered, calming herself.

"Then you've succeeded. Anything else?"

Oh, right! Nayru said I'm to tell you to hurry up the family reunion. He is pissed and is almost done hurling rocks into the ocean so he doesn't kill somebody.

"Oh… great," Zelda sighed

Well, I've got to go! The mare said cheerfully, and then whinnied a good-bye to everyone before she disappeared.

"Oh I am sure he will," Zelda muttered. "But what language will he do it in?"

"So, ummm… are you my… mother?" Aryll asked weakly.

"Yes… yes I am," Zelda said softly, smiling slightly. Aryll smiled in reply and was about to say something when the man the three had seen on the beach came storming in, followed by two very worried Koroks, and started to shout at Orca in some language. Aryll stepped back, surprised, and pressed up against her mother when Zelda stepped forward.

"Syh'ai mal…" Orca stammered, stepping back with his hands out. "I don't understand, what is he saying?"

"I don't know," Zelda said, gritting her teeth. "He always forgets to speak the current Sheikah tongue when he gets angry. Damn him; I can't reach him through the mental connection."

"What?" Orca asked, looking at her in surprise. Tetra looked up in surprise too; this man was a Sheikah? He looked nothing like what Orca had said the Sheikah looked like. And what was this mental connection?

"One moment," Zelda hissed, glaring at the man. "Link! LINK!" she shouted, and when he still did not stop badgering Orca,

"LINK 'AL INJA'IN!" The man finally stopped and turned to glare at her. He opened his mouth to yell back, but Zelda spoke first.

"You will calm down now," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Now what was that you were just yelling?"

And in this tongue, if you don't mind Link. I don't think they would be very amused if you told them all in Kokiri, just to make a point. You're lack of being able to write in anything but Kokiri has already given them enough headaches. Link's eyes snapped, and Tetra was reminded of the expression that her Link got when he fought Ganon. He clenched his fists, and everyone was silent until his shoulders relaxed. Tetra then looked up at the Deku Tree, confused as to what language he was talking about.

"Kokiri?" she asked.

"The Koroks were once children, kept forever young by the Great Deku Tree's magic. They were the Kokiri, and thus they spoke, and some even wrote, Kokiri," Zelda explained for Tetra. "Link grew up in the forest."

Orca smiled slightly, thinking of the letter that had given Sturgeon so many headaches. It was no wonder his brother could not read it; the forest children did not leave any behind anything outside of the forest.

"So you are the Hero of Time." Link glared at Tetra, though it was mainly from annoyance.

"Yes, though please don't call me that," he said as politely as he could through clenched teeth.

"Then that creature, he wanted to talk to you?" Aryll whispered, and Link's expression softened some as he looked at her.

"Ganon wanted to gloat," he said sadly, his temper fading some, and then turned to face Orca.

"Now what the hell has happened? Am I to believe Ganon's gloat that my son was taken by a Sheikah? And above that, his kidnapper was a Sheikah Leader?"

"Yes," Orca said sadly, looking Link in the eye. "The tribes have split, Scion. Link's kidnapper is angry; she and her kin believe that you deserted us, and thus they hate."

"They are your kin too," Link said softly, his shoulders slumping, "And mine. Now-"

"Umm, one minute," Tetra cut in quickly. "What do you mean exactly by 'Leader'? And why did you," she pointed at Orca, "call him a 'scion'?"

Zelda chuckled softly as she explained, "A Leader is to the Sheikah what a King or Queen was to the Hylians. Only it didn't matter if they were male or female. You've heard of Impa, right?" Tetra and Aryll both nodded. "Well, she was Leader when Link and I were young." Link snorted at this, but Zelda continued anyways.

"A Scion is what the Leader's heir was called. Link's father, who was Leader, named him heir along with Link's cousin."

"Oh, ok," the two girls said, no longer quite as confused.

"One more question," Link said, looking at Orca questionably. "How did you know that? Father left no written will behind him."

"The complex that the other tribe is said to live in is the 'Al Inja'in complex. Also, tradition has it that the First Leader was the Sheikah Leader when the Kingdom of Hyrule was formed. I don't know when this started, but every Leader, of both tribes from what I understand, lists the Scion of the First Leader as their heir before their own Scion."

"Oh," Link said, blinking slightly. "And since father would then be considered the First…. Damn. I had hoped to avoid this." Orca chuckled slightly and was about to continue when the Deku Tree suddenly stiffened.

"What is it?" Link asked softly.

We have some visitors, the great tree said darkly. Aryll, you and Tetra go with the Koroks. Children, hide.

"But…" Tetra protested.

"Go Tetra, look after them," Zelda said, pushing her to follow the Koroks and Aryll.

"Oh, wait," Aryll stammered, reaching into her dress pocket. "This is yours, right?" She held up the blue Ocarina of Time. Smiling wanly, Link nodded and took the instrument, thanking her. She smiled slightly, and then ran off to join the hiding Koroks, Tetra behind her. After they were all hidden, the Deku Tree sighed.

They'll find the glade now, he warned.

"I'll handle them when they first get here," Zelda whispered, and the other two nodded. As princess of Hyrule, she had the authoritative voice necessary to make the visitors take them seriously. Not too long after she said that, too dark skinned men in dark blue body suits cautiously made their way into the glade. Their faces, except for their eyes, were hidden by white head wraps, which also held their knives and throwing stars that were not currently in their hands.

"Stop," Zelda commanded. "Who are you?" The two men straightened, staring at her.

"Our names are our own," the foremost one said softly in heavily accented common tongue. His companion grabbed his shoulder, indicating that he would handle the talking.

"You will give us yours?" he asked, stepping forward some. Link's eyes narrowed; this man was the senior scout, and he would be most likely the hardest one to deal with.

"Only if you give us yours first," Zelda replied, her tone regal and commanding. "You have come into the glade of the Great Deku Tree, and we are under his protection. Thus you are in our place, and it is by our rules that you must abide if you intend to keep this meeting peaceful."

"I am Jah'na 'al Kaiz'e. My partner is Haise 'al Qa'ra. Who are you, to know Sheikah ways so well?"

"First," Link asked, still standing to the back, "What tribe are you of?"

"The right one," came the blunt answer. Sighing, Link looked to Zelda for help.

"Both tribes say that," she said haughtily. "But you answered the question, so I will ask another one. What does your Leader believe concerning the Hero of Time?" Orca smiled to himself; this question was harder to weasel out of.

"That he is a traitor," Jah'na 'al Kaiz'e said softly. "Now, we have answered your three questions. What are your names?"

"I am Orca," the Sheikah said simply. Last names were given out to only close friends in his tribe, which neither of the two Sheikah standing opposite of him were. Both Jah'na and Haise narrowed their eyes at his statement; they knew what tribe he was from.

Zelda looked back at Link to see if he wanted to speak up first, her eyes widening when she saw his expression. She stepped back slightly, indicating that Orca do the same. Link could be unpredictable when he was this mad.

"I am the father of the young man that your Leader kidnapped," he began darkly, stepping forward. He continued to walk towards the Sheikah in slow, measured steps as he talked, his voice slowly getting louder and louder. "I am the past, present and future; Azaman, Link (lii-n-sk last syllable is pronounced softly), and Enzaman. I am both Sage and Hero, bearer of the Ocarina of Time, the Master Sword, and once of the Triforce of Courage. I am a Prince of Hyrule through my mother and through marriage to the Princess Zelda, and a Scion of the Sheikah." By now he was directly in front of Jah'na and looked him squarely in the eye as his voice dropped to barely a whisper, "I am Link 'al Inja'in, son of Izal 'al Inja'in, the First Leader of the Sheikah people."

--

A/N: Sorry this has taken so long! My summer job was painting the house, and I had this huge writer's block. Then I didn't get my internet here at school set up until just now. It's been an epic to get this story finished, but the next chapter should be up sooner!

And for those who have been nice enough to keep up with "High King", it's going on hiatus and may even be taken down. I can't get anywhere with the story, no matter how hard I try. Nothing's working out anymore. It will stay on my computer though, so a newer and better version of it may appear. But thank you for reading it.

And thanks to everyone for your reviews! They made me very happy. :D

Oh, for those not too familiar with horse terms, a foal is a baby horse, a colt is a baby boy and a filly a baby girl. And Taliesin is Epona's brother from the prequel to this one.

(And if you want me to update faster, you could always review… :D )