Link had gone off like he always seemed to when there was work to be done, and once again Zelda had been stuck with the cleaning. She hardly ever let her maids and servants work without her alongside them, and today was no different. The Royal Family had a long way to go in cleaning the Main Hall of the celebration's aftermath. The queen was pleasantly surprised when Redaya, Quill, and several other Syfortian guests came into the hall and volunteered to help. The elves planned on staying at least one or two weeks before traveling back to their homeland.

Aside from the Syfortians, Mayor Kafei had also stayed the night in the citadel, though Draton returned to Termina with the majority of the Hylians, Gorons and Zoras from the westerly realm. Most of the Hyrulean guests had returned to their closer homes as well, with at least half a dozen fine Hylian soldiers keeping a well-trained eye on each group that left the safe castle walls. Most often the evil skeletons were too afraid of the wrath of the King of Hyrule to emerge from their underground burrows other than to devour less satisfying but safer critters, and when they did it was only when the victim traveled alone and unarmed. Nevertheless, it didn't hurt to take extra precautions, and the guards had stayed wary and vigilant as they escorted guests from the celebration on their nightly journey home.

With Lankin's mother Corill working in the kitchens, breakfast had been quite enjoyable. Link had showed up at the table later than usual, only to kiss Zelda on the cheek, snatch a few biscuits from a nearby bowl, and stride out of the castle. If Zelda had noticed the blade he carried at his side perhaps she would have had a few soldiers follow him.

But Link had carefully placed the Master Sword so that it hung near his back, hidden behind his billowing purple cape. He wanted to speak to Raven alone.

……………………………..

When Nabooru awoke the next morning Raven was not laying beside her. Despite his gruff appearance, the Desert General had a confident and gentle touch, and Nabooru had slept well. The fortress was already up and busily into its daily routine when she got up from Raven's bed and quickly dressed.

She wasn't concerned about the king's absence. He liked to begin the day the moment the sun rose, and this wasn't the first time he had left the stronghold to hike or train. Perhaps she would go train with him. Nabooru often challenged him in hand to hand combat. She would someday like to be able to pin the Desert General, but for now it was enough for her when her lover, not holding back any of his raw strength, wrestled her to the sandy ground. Nabooru smiled to herself as she strode through the winding halls of the mesa dwelling.

But when she reached the training ground, Raven was nowhere in sight. She grabbed a passing Gerudo. "Have you seen the king?"

"Not myself. I heard he traveled to the wasteland early this morning."

"The wasteland?" Nabooru did not hide her surprise. The Desert General was the last person she expected to go there; he constantly warned his people of the ancient evils that lurked beneath the sands. "Who went with him?"

The Gerudo let out a laugh. "You know Raven better than any of us. Even if anyone had wanted to accompany him he would have refused."

At this Nabooru began to worry. She knew that he held amazing battle skills, but sometimes he made descisions that she didn't necessarily approve of. "And no one bothered to tell me this? Quickly, gather up a score of warriors and meet me by the gate. He may need help out there!"

She felt a hand on her shoulder and whipped around. It was Link. "Do not worry about it," he told the Gerudo. "I will find Raven. Remain here, and if we do not return within the hour, send the score."

"Surely you should—"

Link silenced her. "We will be fine. Now remain here. That's an order."

Nabooru nodded dully.

Satisfied, Link swung up onto Epona's saddle and rode off into the dangerous wasteland, his hand on the hilt of his trusty Master Sword. He met many dark spirits and creatures that morning, but none could match the strength of the Hero of Time. Especially not when four goddesses watched over him, not ready to let this vital Hylian king lose his life.

Four goddesses and one anxious bearded man.

……………………………..

It cooed in delight. How easy would this be! Not only had he walked right into its clutches with no resistance, he was all alone. That accursed whore of a sage that was always so close, or that damned magical king… neither could stand in its way now.

Of this man's soul it wanted nothing. It would devour that in an instant. His body, his skills, his strength is what it coveted.

It nearly screamed in anger. Why had the king entered the desert? It would have to hurry. Once it had the desired man, then the idiot Hero of Time no longer posed a threat. It smiled.

And it pounced.

……………………………..

"That's it," whispered the bearded man. He glanced around at the four women that stood near him. "It has begun."

……………………………..

Nabooru was just about ready to send for the score of warriors when a distant figure appeared in the blowing sands of the wasteland. The figure's steed stumbled through the shifting sand. Epona!

Nabooru rode out to meet Link. As she drew nearer to the Hylian king she cried out. His right side was matted with blood and his garments were ripped and torn. He had a long cut above his left eye, and the blood flowed freely. His ragged gasps could be heard over the howling of the wind.

She wasted no time with questions. As quickly as possible, she guided Epona through the remainder of the wasteland and into the fortress.

"Gerudo!" she shouted as soon as they passed through the huge gate into bandit territory. "The king is wounded! Prepare a bed and summon the doctors." She very well knew that at this point, doctors would accomplish nothing. It was she, Nabooru, sage as she was, that had to use her little knowledge of white magic and save the King of Hyrule.

Once Link was safely inside the stronghold she laid him down and slowly peeled off his shirt. He wore no armor. Nabooru nearly fainted right there; the wound went much deeper than she had thought.

Link rolled his head towards her, agonizingly slowly. "He is… not himself," he coughed.

"Don't try to talk," whispered Nabooru, but Link paid no heed.

"Tighten the defenses and close the gate," he gasped. "Whatever you do, do not… let… Raven… in…"

The King of Hyrule went limp and unconcious. Nabooru took a breath and began to work, no time to contemplate his words. Only after she had cleaned up the blood and did her best to close his wounds did she begin to wonder what had happened.

No normal desert beast could have done this to the Hero of Time. What was out there? And if it had this much power, what had happened to Raven? Nabooru didn't dare think further on the subject.

But Link had uttered something about the Desert General. He had clearly said that Raven should not be allowed entrance to the stronghold, or even be allowed to leave the desert. But how could she do that to him? Raven was her king, and, which is more the eyes of a young Gerudo female, her lover. She would strengthen the defenses at the gate and detail several sentries around the clock. Nabooru did not know what she would do if the Desert General showed up, but at least she could do that.

……………………………..

To her great relief, one week passed without the appearance of Raven. Link rarely did anything but sleep, and today Nabooru had decided he was healthy enough to ride back to his own bed in Hyrule Castle. It would be safer for him there, as well.

Mayor Kafei, who delayed his return to Termina once he received word of Link's predicament, had ridden west to the fortress with Quill to return the king to his home. Queen Zelda was more than concerned, but she had been warned not to leave Hyrule Castle at least until they knew exactly who, or what, it was they faced. Nabooru was desperate to get away from the fortress herself, but she knew she had to stay. What if Raven appeared the moment she left?

With Kafei and Quill rode threescore Hylian soldiers to give the tired Gerudos some relief at the gate. The Goron Lord Dayon had also supplied a score of his warriors, and with the combined forces of Gerudo, Hylian, and Goron, over fourscore diversed warriors guarded the desert gates at all times. The Gerudo Fortress was now a bustling center of activiy at all hours of the day and night, and Nabooru and various Gerudo captains could be seen striding through the ranks and supervising the soldiers under their command.

Kafei and Quill helped Link mount Epona and turned back to Nabooru. "Thank you for your help thus far," bowed the Terminian mayor. "If you ever need more soldiers, contact the queen and she will be happy to oblige."

Nabooru nodded.

Quill glanced up at Link. "How long would you say before all his strength returns?"

Nabooru thought for a moment. "The wounds run deep," she said. "It will be at least two weeks before he fully recovers. No more than four."

Kafei cursed aloud. "That long?"

The sage nodded again.

"Then goddessed help us," said Quill quietly, "for in all my travels, I have yet to come across a stronger warrior than the one who has just been discarded like a crooked arrow."

No one spoke for a long time after the elf's grave comment.

……………………………..

On the way back to the castle they came across a lone man, sitting silently upon the green grass in the middle of Hyrule Field. Kafei hid his surprise; he had never seen this man before, and people hardly ever braved the vast field alone. Kafei reigned his white steed to a halt. Link was lucky enough to have a horse such as Epona—he hardly had enough energy to sit upon the horse without falling off, and she carried him safetly and smoothly without his command. She halted as well.

"Hello there," greeted Kafei.

The man took his feet and studied the face of the mayor. He never thought he would be able to stand in the presence of this hero again. Kafei had earned himself legendary status not only on earth, but throughout all immortal existence as well. The man hadn't ever met Quill, but Link—he longed to speak with the Hylian king as in old times. The man lowered his hood and bowed to Kafei. "And a friendly hello to you too, good sir."

The man had thin brown hair that was pulled back into a short ponytail. He had intelligent hazel eyes and a closen-shaven beard. Some twenty years appeared to be behind him and he stood at about six feet tall. Sturdily built and handsomely musceled, the man was of tan complexion and wore a beautifully designed cloak, lined with ancient runes and depicting mysterious scenery. As Kafei looked closer he noticed streaking ghosts of red in the man's thin hair. He was Gerudo, the mayor decided.

"Let me introduce myself," he said, realizing he was being rude. "I am Mayor Kafei of Termina, and I ride with the Syfortian elf Quill."

"Well met, Mayor Kafei of Termina," said the bearded man. "My name is of no importance, but I seek shelter for the night. Is there, perhaps, a chance I could find a bed wherever it is you are traveling?"

Kafei was cautious. He glanced over at Quill before answering. "I'm sorry, but I would like to know your name at least before I invite you into my home. I am sure you understand—" He stopped abruptly. Link had dismounted Epona, and now slowly worked his way over to the bearded man, wincing with every step. Kafei tensed, his hand clutching the hilt of his saber protectively.

Link put a hand on the man's shoulder and looked into his eyes. "I do not know how you live," he whispered for the bearded man's ears alone, "but I welcome you home." The king turned to Kafei. "Make sure he has a bed and whatever else he desires for the night," he said firmly, before his feet gave way and he fainted. The bearded man caught him before he hit the ground.

……………………………..

Over a month had passed, and Link had regained every last ounce of his lost strength. On a warm summer evening he summoned all the leaders of the Hyrule area to the main council room of Hyrule Castle. He needed to speak with them; even though no word of Raven had come from the Desert Gates, he wanted to inform his captains as soon as possible. Plus there was the issue of the bearded man, who had stayed in the castle on Link's wish. He needed to be discussed as well.

Around the large circular table sat some of the most powerful figures in the Hyrule area, all close to the king's heart: Queen Zelda of Hyrule, Mayor Kafei of Termina, Queen Redaya of the Syfortian Elves, Queen Ruto of the Zoras, Nabooru the current head of the Gerudos, Lord Dayon of Goron Mountain, and Captain Lankin of the Pakomi Guard. They were all chatting lightly when the Hero of Time entered the chamber. Wasting no time with formal greetings, he took his seat at the head of the table and began the discussion.

"Thank you for coming as I asked," he addressed them. "Please do not interupt now, for I have a story I must share. It is very serious and must be presented." Link glanced around the table.

And he began his tale.

……………………………..

The bearded man gazed out over the vast desert wasteland and felt the hot sun upon his face. He had ridden to Gerudo Fortress on Link's command to oversee the gate defenses. Raven hadn't been sighted in over a month, and the bearded man guessed that Link just wanted him out of the castle. He was well aware that Link knew his true identity, but he no longer cared about keeping the secret.

The bearded man felt lonely. Somewhere out in the sandy wasteland was a man he loved, a man he cared about, unreachable. Raven, the real Raven, was gone now, perhaps forever.

And oh, did he miss her. It had seemed like such a good idea to return to Hyrule, but now that he was here, he found that he desired her over anything else. Now there was no way for him to ever see her again.

Finally, there was his sister. He had learned the truth about their relationship during his time with the goddesses. He realized that because of it, he cared about her more deeply than he ever had before. Perhaps there was at least a way to see her again; his lover had implied this many times when they had spoken to each other.

The time would come, decided the bearded man, when he would release his sister. She would make sure of that.

Until then, he would stay with Link and the others he once walked with. They would soon all know exactly who he was, but he didn't mind. It would not hinder his cause.

The bearded man sighed. He would happily die a thousand deaths to be with her for just one more day.

……………………………..

"After Raven shared with me his fears of somethins amyss, I had a strong urge to speak with him alone. The next morning I rode out to the desert fortress, where I found that Raven had entered the Haunted Wasteland.

"I would be lying if I told you that I was not concerned for the Desert General. I respect the king's judgement, not to mention his skills with a blade, but the wasteland is always dangerous. I decided to find Raven myself in the sands, as to not put others in any unnecessary danger. In addition, we would definitely not be disturbed if I found the chance to speak with him alone.

"So I rode into the desert. Along the way I met up with various spirits and Leevers, but I quickly dispatched them with the Master Sword. I began to grow even more concerned; there seemed to be more of the monsters than the last time I had braved the badlands.

"It didn't take long to find Raven. There he was, seated upon an old crate near the River of Sand. Epona trotted over to him, and I dismounted.

"Now perhaps it was the distant look in Desert General's eyes, or perhaps it was that his blade was stained with blood, a substance that neither Leevers or spirits carry. Regardless of its source, my stomach lurched with dread as I looked upon Raven. I didn't know what to say to him.

"He stood and turned to me. I was startled. I could see torment, anguish, pain, despair, all inside his eyes. It was as if a battle was raging on inside them. He opened his mouth and breathed one word to me.

" 'Run.'

"Oh, I wish I would have listened. Instead, I tried to help Raven onto Epona. I would take him back to the fortress, and all would be well.

"Suddenly, Raven lashed out his blade in a swift stroke that was barely visible to my eye. I was just surprised at first, but then I felt the pain. Blood emerged from my opened side. Raven drew back to strike again, but this time my warrior instincts kicked in. I rolled under the stroke and drew the Master Sword. Raven spun around but I was ready. I caught his blade with my own.

"We locked eyes. And it hurt, for I saw an emotion there that will haunt me for a long time. Hate. Raven hated me. I did not know what I had done, but something kept me from speaking out and asking.

"And so we fought. Sand blowing in my face, struggling to ward off Raven's vicious assaults, I realized that the Desert General's battle skills had increased at least threefold. I was no longer even a match for him. It took all I had merely to prevent the fatal stroke.

"Out of seemingly nowhere galloped Epona, and with last covering stroke at Raven, I swung onto the sadle. He recovered quickly however and slashed one of Epona's back legs. As fast as the poor steed could, she limped with me on her back until she could go no further. I spotted the old ruined tower through the sandstorm, and decided to make my stand there.

"As I awaited the Desert General I bandaged Epona's leg as well as I was able. I remembered the spell of Nayru's Love that I had slipped into my cloak before entering the desert. To my dismay, the crystal that encased the protecting enchantment had cracked and split into five different pieces, partially hit with Raven's first stroke. Nayru's Love saved my love, for the blow would have taken me full in the heart, but now its effect was gone and useless to me.

"Raven hardly gave me time to rest. Out of the sands he leapt at me, whirling his blade all around. I barely got my sword up in time to block the ferocious assault. At this point I knew: I would not survive. Raven was so much more powerful than me, and both Epona and I were wounded badly. Raven rendered me to my knees, knocked the Master Sword from my hand, and prepared for the final blow.

"But it just so happened that the very same Poe spirit that led me across the wasteland those eleven years ago was still hanging about his tower. Perhaps it remembered me from so long ago, or perhaps it recognized me as the Hero of Time. Whatever the reason, the Poe materialized and came to my aid. For a short moment its sunken, dead eyes rested on mine. And then it twirled its lantern and launched itself at Raven. He snarled and whirled about to face the spirit.

"The Poe's desperate attack provided the distraction I needed. Again Epona came to my rescue and I struggled to mount her. I prayed my makeshift bandage would hold out as she galloped. Finally, I reached the desert gates, where I tried to warn Captain Nabooru of the treacherous Gerudo King.

"And you know the rest."

The entire council was silent. Nabooru was in a state of denial, tears fighting at her sparkling brown eyes.

"Raven," whispered Zelda, breaking the silence. "He could not have been acting upon his own will."

"My thoughts exactly," said Link quietly. "For he acted normally up until that morning, and, more importantly, he gave me warning before losing complete control and striking me."

"He knew," said Nabooru, using all her might to keep her voice from cracking. "He prophecied the coming evil at the celebration, and the very next morning he went out alone into the desert. What other reason could there be?"

Lord Dayon shifted uncomfortably in his large chair. He had spent much time with Raven during the period of restoration after the War of the Sorcerer. "Let us not dwell on what has happened. We know that Raven is against us. It matters not how or for what reason."

Kafei agreed. "Dayon is right. As much as we ponder this, no logical explanation will come of it. We must decide how to act according to the obstacles thrown our way."

"I spent much time thinking about possible courses of action," said Link, "and at the moment there is no clues about Raven's motivation or his goals. We will wait it out and see what he does. In the meantime, I would ask you to supply even more soldiers for the desert gates. Lankin, you will stay at the fortress and oversee the defenses."

Lankin wasn't surprised at this new position. He expected that Link was apprehensive about leaving Nabooru in charge of the gate. She had done well thus far, but he wasn't sure how she would react if and when Raven appeared in the sands. Nabooru might not take him captive or even keep the gates closed, while Lankin would fulfill his duties to the very end of time.

"There is another matter that requires discussing," continued Link. "The man who currently oversees the desert operation and has lodged here in this castle for a month now."

"I do not trust him," said Kafei automatically. "He is a Gerudo bandit, not from our lands or anywhere near them. His companions must be lurking about somewhere."

"Let us not jump to conclusions, friend," said Link. "This man is far from what he seems. He has risen from the dead, and now walks among us when once he lay unmoving beneath the cold dirt. Though I do not know how he is with us, I cannot help but trust him from what knowledge I have of him."

The council went silent for a moment. "Pray, enlighten us," broke in Redaya. "I think we would all like to know who it is you speak of."

"Patience, I will tell you," Link smiled, looking around the room at each and every one of the leaders that were seated at the council table. "The man is Ganondorf's youngest son." He let it sink in, and the entire council was speechless.

"You mean…?" stuttered Kafei.

Link nodded. "Zega has returned."