.


Xxx 7 xxX


Thirteen days.

Nearly a fortnight had passed since the soldiers left for war, and I had received no word of their current status. Reports from sentinels posted in other towns and villages had arrived, but not a single Vandelian soldier had been sighted. Such things were no cause for alarm, but I worried nonetheless. Protective though he was, Link knew better than to keep me in the dark.

And so I waited. I threw myself into my work, struggling to stay occupied as the days dragged by. I had launched a full investigation of the attacks in Vandelius, exploring every possibility and naming all potential suspects. Vasilis and Kinsley led the investigation, working closely with Ian and Impa.

I knew evidence would be scarce, perhaps impossible to collect. Our soldiers had gone to war, and we had no way to question the victims of the attacks. I feared we would never find the true perpetrator.

Aside from a tense, solemn atmosphere, daily life at the castle carried on without much change. I performed my usual duties and attended court as expected, but I devoted much of my solitary time to prayer. I spent at least three hours in the chapel per day, offering one hour to Din in the morning, one to Nayru in the afternoon, and one to Farore in the evening. These prayer sessions helped me endure the endless days of waiting, but my restlessness remained. This fight is personal — let me draw my sword against him!

I was a fool to entertain such thoughts. Our soldiers fought to defend me as well as our kingdom. As Hyrule's sovereign queen, I had no place on the battlefield.

Outside the afternoon rain covered the world in a wet veil of gloom. Ordinarily I could appreciate the cozy tranquility, but knowing our soldiers endured wet, muddy conditions brought me anything but peace.

Wearily I rested my temple against the cool windowpane, watching lazy droplets streak the glass. Sleep continued to elude me, even with the aid of Maddox's herbal concoctions. Nightmares haunted the hours I did sleep, and thrice I had revisited my visions of Link. Each time I woke in tears, wrought with fear and regret... I would find no rest until he returned to me.

Turning away from the window, I extinguished my desk lamp and grabbed my shawl, suddenly eager to leave my study. Walking the gardens was not an option, so I decided to return to the chapel. Slowly I descended the stairway, my fingertips brushing the rail as I drifted in and out of thought. As I neared the first floor, however, the sound of raised voices drew my attention. Curiously I followed the sound, rounding the corner to find three guards forcing a struggling young man toward the dungeon — a man wearing a military uniform.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Startled, the guards looked up and straightened to salute me. The young soldier fell to his knees and stared at the floor, looking more troubled than ever.

"Forgive us, your Majesty," the lead guard spoke. "This man had been charged with desertion. He arrived at the South Gate on horseback, claiming he has an urgent message to deliver — a verbal message. He's identified himself as Adam Carlen of the Seventh Legion, but he refuses to speak with anyone but Captain Ian."

"Why have you accused him of this?" I asked him. "We haven't received a courier in days."

"He concealed his uniform with a cloak, and he carries no evidence that he is a courier — no registration and no letter from a commanding officer. We thought it best to let Captain Ian handle the situation."

"There was no time to send a registered courier!" Carlen protested. "I was sent to deliver a verbal message — by the Lord General himself!"

My breath hitched in my throat — just as a young woman's voice rang down the corridor. Startled, I turned to see a maid rushing toward us.

"Adam!" she cried. "Oh, please don't hurt him!"

"Heather," Carlen breathed, clearly glad to see her.

The girl slowed to a stop, slightly breathless as she dropped a perfected curtsy. "Please, your Majesty, Adam is not a criminal; please don't send him to the dungeons..."

I studied her a moment, recognizing her dark curls and her pretty, youthful face. She was a new addition to the castle staff — Arielle had hired her only a few months ago.

"That has yet to be determined," I told her. "You are Heather Larson, correct?"

She blinked, surprised that I knew her name. "Yes, my Lady," she answered, giving me another flawless curtsy.

"How do you know this young man?"

She cast a worried glance toward Carlen. "He is my betrothed."

"I see," I murmured, feeling a twinge of sympathy. "I understand your concern, but this matter must be resolved privately. Please return to your duties until further notice."

Heather hesitated, failing to hide her disappointment. "Yes, your Majesty."

"I will see that you are informed of Mr. Carlen's fate," I added.

Her face noticeably brightened as she dropped another curtsy. "Thank you, my Lady."

I waited as she hurried off toward a servants' corridor, casting her fiancé one last concerned look.

"Mr. Tarken," I then said, "see that Mistress Impa and Captain Ian join us in the Council Chamber. The rest of you come with me."

Tarken saluted and left while I led the others down the corridor. I glanced at Carlen, noticing his solemn, almost fearful demeanor. Odd behavior for one carrying an urgent message — unless he brings terrible news? A cold tremor ran through me, but I quickly brushed it aside. Stop jumping to conclusions.

Once we had reached the Council Chamber, I took my seat at the far end of the table while Carlen remained standing near the door, shadowed by both guards. I waited for the heavy doors to close before addressing him.

"Mr. Carlen," I spoke. "You claim my husband sent you here in place of a registered courier."

Carlen nodded, still visibly nervous. "Yes, your Majesty."

"Can you explain why he sent a soldier of the Seventh Legion, rather than someone of higher rank?"

The young man tensed. "I... I assume he wanted to keep the better soldiers on the field."

I considered the unlikeliness of his response, eyeing him closely. "And you claim there was no time to send a registered courier with a written message. Why is this?"

"He sent me straight from the battlefield," Carlen said hurriedly. "He — he feared it would be his only chance to send a message — a warning."

"A warning?" I echoed, struggling to mask my alarm. "What do you mean?"

"It was... terrifying," Carlen whispered, his eyes going distant. "No one could have prepared for it... not even the General himself."

"Prepared for what, soldier?" I demanded, impatience lacing my tone.

He straightened, as though recovering from a daze. "The battle began at dusk, and for a while we fought the Vandelians. But then, after the sun had set… everything changed. The ground began to shake, and these… monsters appeared..." Carlen paused, swallowing to regain his voice. "They looked like skeletons... with swords and armor..."

I stared at him, aware of the horrid chill creeping down my spine.

"Impossible," one of the guards breathed.

"It's true, your Majesty!" Carlen cried. "I saw them with my own eyes!"

I lifted a hand, silencing his protests. "This is… most difficult to believe," I said quietly, "...but not impossible."

Slowly I rose from my chair, crossing the room to study the young soldier more closely. He held my gaze, nervously shifting his weight.

"Still," I added, "I hesitate to act on your word alone. Given the circumstances, I struggle to believe my husband would leave me with so little information. The situation would have to be quite desperate..."

Carlen swallowed, clearly unsure how to explain himself. I noticed his hands shook at his sides, though I could not place the cause of his fear — guilt or lingering horror.

"There's something else I don't understand," I said, turning away and crossing my arms as I approached the window. "Under the cloak of darkness, an army of the dead would be near unstoppable. If what you say is true, and Ashton has acquired such power, surely he would have infiltrated our kingdom by now. I have received reports from all corners of Hyrule, and the enemy has yet to be seen…" I turned back to Carlen, searching his worried face. "…Have you any idea why this is?"

"I... No, your Majesty…"

"Did you see anything on the battlefield, anything that suggested Ashton is not as powerful as you claim? That it was all some kind of grand illusion?"

The young soldier hesitated, clearly struggling for a response. "I don't… The battle had barely begun when I left, and it… it seemed very real to me… I'm sorry I don't have a better answer, your Majesty."

Again I studied him, searching for some sign of deception — when a knock drew my attention. I looked up as the doors swung open, glad to see Impa and Ian enter the Chamber.

"You summoned us, your Majesty?" Ian spoke.

"Yes, Captain. An urgent matter had come to our attention. This young man, Mr. Adam Carlen, is either an unregistered courier sent under desperate circumstances, or he is a deserter. Until I find out which, I need him kept under close supervision. Have him confined to guest quarters until I say otherwise."

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Guards," I addressed the others. "Inform Captain Ian of everything you know, but speak of this matter to no one else; do you understand?"

They each gave a firm nod. "Yes, your Majesty."

"You are dismissed."

Quickly they took Carlen's arms and filed out of the chamber, leaving me alone with Impa.

"An unregistered courier?" she asked, arching a skeptical brow.

I sighed and rubbed my forehead. "Courier or not, his claims are disturbing."

"His claims?"

I nodded and gestured toward the table. "We should probably sit down."

We did so, and quietly I repeated everything Carlen had reported. Impa listened with her knuckles pressed to her lips, masking her emotions as usual.

"An army of the dead..." she murmured. "But how is this even possible? We haven't faced something like this since —"

"The Imprisoning War," I finished, remembering the hordes of monsters Ganondorf had enslaved to fight his battles. "I know."

"Ganondorf had the Triforce of Power at his disposal," Impa said. "How could a Giftless maggot like Ashton gain such power?"

"He either obtained this power by unnatural means… or someone bestowed it upon him — someone very skilled in the ways of magic."

"Of dark magic, no less. But how could someone so Gifted escape our attention all these years?"

"By keeping a very low profile," I murmured. "Possibly beyond Hyrule's borders."

"Then why the sudden interest in Ashton? Or perhaps his interest lies with Hyrule, and Ashton is merely a pawn? Either way, if this soldier's claims are true, we must prepare for the worst."

I did not reply but sank deeper into my own reflections, recalling the dark figure in my visions. His dungeon was crawling with ReDeads...

Something clicked in my mind, forcing me up from my chair. "I must speak with Link," I said firmly.

"Zelda—"

"Impa, don't you see?" I exclaimed. "For weeks I've seen him in that dungeon, surrounded by ReDeads, and now I hear Ashton can summon the dead? This can't be coincidence!"

She hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Perhaps not. But you know Link might not respond at this distance —"

"Then I'll ride to the army camp — whatever it takes. I won't rest until I know what happened on that battlefield."

With that I pushed open the doors and hurried down the corridor, my skirts rustling with each urgent stride.


xxxxxxx


Hurriedly I locked my bedroom door and closed the drapes, darkening the room to aid my concentration. My bedside lamp illuminated my surroundings, creating a gentle ambiance while the rain poured outside.

Quickly I removed my jewels, leaving them scattered across the vanity before I kicked off my slippers and settled onto the bed. There I tried to relax, closing my eyes as I sank back against the pillows. Long-distance telepathy meant transcending the physical confinement of my surroundings, including my own body. With Link being so far beyond my reach, and considering my anxious state of mind, telepathic communication would require my deepest concentration.

Simply thinking about Link was not enough. I had to feel him, to touch his mind with my own. I often began this ambiguous task with a simple memory.

Effortlessly I recalled the day Link and I first experienced telepathy, shortly before the Imprisoning War began. Ganondorf had already launched his attack upon Castletown, but Impa and I managed to escape. Just as we thundered over the drawbridge into Hyrule Field, a flash of green caught my eye, and I recognized Link standing near the gate. In an act of desperation, I grasped the Ocarina of Time, the most sacred heirloom of the royal family, and threw it toward him. The instrument landed in the moat, where Link quickly dove to retrieve it.

Somehow, by the will of the gods, I had sensed the very instant his little fingers touched the Ocarina. Despite the distance between us and surrounding chaos, I somehow communicated with this boy I barely knew, instructing him with little more than a thought…

I sighed and shook my head, letting the memory fade. Thinking about the Imprisoning War would only hinder my concentration. So, releasing another deep breath, I closed my eyes and started again.

A smile tugged at my lips as I recalled the time Link and I began exploring our telepathy as children — just weeks after I had turned back time and erased the Imprisoning War from history. In some ways the war had forever claimed our childish innocence, and in other ways our naivety remained. Telepathy had enabled us to speak without words, but years would pass before we realized the true intimacy of our bond...

Immersed in the memories of our past, I let each detail fall away until only Link himself remained. Then I allowed his physical properties to fade... his voice, his face, his touch... I relied only on what I felt, on the warmth I recognized as Link's spirit. It pierced my dark awareness like a beacon, guiding me to him…

And then we connected.

Raw, agonizing pain blazed through me, tearing a startled cry from my throat. Link's anguish flooded my mind, and I screamed his name above the chaos attacking our minds.

Link! Link, what is happening?

Again and again I called to him, refusing to break the connection until he responded.

Link, please! Where are you?

Then, at last, his weak recognition pulsed through the bond. I caught a distant echo of his voice, whispering my name like a weary sigh.

"…Zelda…"

Then he was gone.

I felt nothing — no pain, no anguish, no Link. I fought to regain communication, but his presence had significantly weakened, as though he had lost consciousness. I could not reach him.

Slowly I opened my eyes, aware of my labored, uneven breaths… the blood pounding in my ears...

Link.

I leapt off the bed, shoving my feet into my slippers as I ran for the door. Breathlessly I flew down the corridor and descended the stairs, drawing a flock of servants as I went.

"Is there something we can do for you, my Lady?"

"Inform the stable workers to ready my horse," I ordered. "I leave within the hour."

"But, your Majesty!"

"It is too dangerous to leave!"

"Where are you going?"

"Do as I say!" I snapped, too shaken to bother with patience. "I have no time for questions."

They fell back and dispersed, knowing better than to question my orders.

I pressed on toward the castle's western wing, which housed the royal apartments. Two guards stood before the first guest chamber — Adam Carlen's room, I assumed. Immediately they straightened, saluting as I approached.

"Is this room assigned to Adam Carlen?" I asked them.

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Stand aside, please. I must speak with him."

Obediently the left guard opened the door, and I strode inside to find him seated on the sofa with his head in his hands. He looked up as I entered and shot to his feet. "Your Majesty!"

"Mr. Carlen," I said firmly, "do you know the location of the army campsite?"

He blinked, visibly surprised. "The... campsite?"

"Yes, do you remember where it is?"

"Yes... I think so."

"I need a definite answer, Carlen."

He gave an affirmative nod. "I remember where it is."

Inwardly I sighed with relief. "Can you lead me there?"

His eyes widened. "Lead you there?"

"There's no time for explanations. Can you or not?"

"I… I can, your Majesty."

"Good. We'll leave within the hour. Guards," I called, turning to address them. "See that Mr. Carlen is prepared for the journey."

"We're leaving now?" Carlen stammered.

"Correct." I turned to meet his troubled gaze. "Something urgent has come to my attention, something I must investigate immediately. I suggest you cooperate."

"But I…" His face reddened as he sought a more courteous response. "Please… could I see Heather before I go?"

I hesitated, considering his request with a small twinge of empathy. "I will have her sent to assist you."

A relieved smile lit his face, one I might have returned under less frantic circumstances. "Thank you, your Majesty."

I nodded and promptly left the room, hurrying back toward my own chambers. I moved with purpose, ignoring the constant inquisitive looks of passers-by.

Hold on, Link. I'm coming.