"Thats's really her, " someone said, "She is the spitting image of her mother."
"She survived?"
"So the rumors are true?"
Zelda tried her best to tune out the whispering, her pointed ears catching every word. She wondered if they were doing it on purpose, but she was going to let that thought bother her instead she kept her back straight and her head held high, her smile never wavering as she kept her eyes on Link. She had to admit he looked handsome. His usual curly hair brushed and styled, he was wearing a new green doublet to match her dress. His hand placed gently on the sword at his hip. He was smiling too, but his gaze shifted around the room.
Perhaps her nerves weren't just nerves after all.
Someone was here.
Link finally locked eyes with her, his jaw set.
He reached for her as she drew near and held her hands in tight grip.
"Stay close." He whispered.
She nodded behind her veil, as the priest began the ceremony. Link held a tight grip on the sword at his hip. Zelda felt like ants were crawling beneath her skin, every nerve and muscle poised for action.
"Do you Zelda Harnikan take unto thyself the Noble Link Forester to be thy rightful lord Husband and pledge unto him before the Goddess and these witnesses," Zelda tried to listen the priests words but her eyes were frantically searching the rafters above them. "to honor and cherish him, to cleave unto him, in sickness and in health, in fair and in foul, be his one true and lasting counselor and solace, and forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live"
"I will." There was movement above them, Zelda felt Link place a small gold band around her finger.
"Do you Link Forester…"
"Aren't you supposed to ask if anyone objects?" A single voice rang out.
Impa was at Zelda's side in a flash as were two more Shiekah guards. Rusl stood drawing his sword and Link followed.
The voice laughed. Zelda looked up trusting Impa and Link to guard her.
"I didn't realize I had so many secret admirers." Zelda said, as several masked figures fell from the ceiling, some even standing from the crowd their noble disguises disappearing in a cloud of smoke.
"It's been awhile since I killed a Yiga," said Impa.
"Keep one or two alive," Link said, "They make lovely prisoners."
There was a heartbeat of silence before the sound of steel against steel filled the room. Nobles fled and tripped over themselves to escape the bloodshed. Several of Link's knights, as well as some Shiekah were hidden amongst them. Surprising the Yiga Clan members.
"Stay close Zelda," Link said, "Your dress will limit your movement."
He turned to look at his bride to be.
"Why am I not surprised?" He whispered, watching Zelda pulling several knives from her sleeves.
"The goddesses always favor the well prepared," she replied, tossing a knife into a masked enemy running towards her.
He smiled taking a step in front of her, his sword clashing with another.
"I am bit insulted," Zelda shouted, her eyes roaming over the battle in front of her. "You think Ganon would bother to send at least some adequate fighters." She could see that the Yiga were being easily dispatched by the Shiekah and Link's forces.
She pushed away another Yiga with a small blast of magic. Sweat forming on her brow. She wanted nothing more to be in her armor, rather then a heavy wedding dress. She felt Link at her back, and her eyes found Impa several Yiga lay at her feet.
"This is too easy," she found herself whispering.
"I agree." Link mumbled his free hand reaching for hers.
His fingers just settled around her wrists when a shuddering blast filled the room. Smoke and flames erupting around them. Zelda's throat constricted and she started to cough. Her eyes burning from smoke.
Magic.
Then the sound of screaming filled her ears. Familiar screams. Screams that caused her heart to halt and her chest constrict.
"That's my mother," tears already running down her face.
"Zelda!" her mother's voice screaming back at her.
She felt strong arms wrap around her waist, Link pulling her towards him. Pressing her face into his chest one arm settling around her head to block the sounds.
"It's an illusion," he shouted, as he moved back, dragging her towards Impa. "We need to get out of here, how they were able to get this many men passed our guard is ludicrous."
Zelda felt his chest rumble from his shouting, her fingers clutching the fabric of his doublet. She could hear her family's screams. her father now joining her mother. Her brothers were screeching her name.
She heard laughter, a cackling, that flowed in between the cries of anguish. Zelda could feel magic pulsating through the air and as she pushes away from Link's chest she can see the source, a witch, one with leathery skin and shockingly white hair riding a broom. She flew around the room fire sprouting from her hands.
"Koume!" Impa shouted.
Zelda had heard that name before, whispered amongst Shiekah around campfires. Koume was a well known mage and one of Ganondorf's favorites.
"Impa!" the witch screeched, "It has been so long. I believe the last time we saw each other was five years ago?"
Zelda's grip on Link tightened.
"We were surrounded by fire then too!" She laughed. "I still remember the screams, and who is this? Our favorite princess all grown up?"
Impa moved to stand in front of Zelda.
"She looks exactly like her mother! I wonder if they share the same cries of anguish." The broom she was riding disappeared and she landed on the ground fire at her feet.
"Impa!" Zelda screamed, "Move!"
Koume was already raising her fists, pulsating waves of energy erupting around them sending Impa flying towards the ground.
Zelda pushed Link away sheilding them both from another attack.
"Stay back!" She commanded reaching for the rapier Impa had dropped, she placed her finger on the tip coating it her magic whispering prayers to the Goddesses above.
Koume's laughter once again rang out.
"Zelda!" Link shouted as a fire ball headed her way.
Zelda gripped the blade tightly in her hand, her knuckles turning white. She could feel the heat from the flames on her face, making her stomach turn and causing sweat to sprout from every inch of her body, but she took a step forwards anyway. The fire illuminating her skin and swung her arm in a wide arch connecting with the spell and sending it right back at the caster.
Another scream joined her families as it connected with Koume.
"That was for my mother," Zelda screamed before taking a running start towards the stunned witch. "This for my father," She shouted as she slide the thin blade in between the other woman's ribs.
Blood splattered on her white dress, she pulled the blade free. Koume falling at her feet. The roaring flames now gone.
The remaining Yiga turning to run.
"Sieze them!" Link shouted, while clutching his arm, blood slowly trickling down his fingers. His knights blocking the entrance.
Zelda reached for one grabbing him by the collar and pushing him to the floor. Her heeled foot coming to rest on his neck.
"My husband's arm is injured." she said, pointing the tip of her sword at his neck. "Tell Ganondorf he will not only pay for the bloodshed he caused here, but for lives he took five years ago as well, " she increased the pressure of his foot on his neck until he was gasping underneath her. "Tell him his end wont be as swift has Koume's"
She brought her sword down cutting the mask that hid his face, shattering it into pieces. A young but terrified face looked back at her.
"Leave, I have a party to get too."
He scurried away, hands clutching his bleeding face.
Zelda dropped the sword in her hand when he was out of site, fleeing in between scenic green oak.
"Are you alright?" Link asked, his left arm bleeding freely.
"Is Impa?"
"I'm fine your grace," Impa replied one hand holding her her head blood seeping in between her fingers. "It's only a scratch."
"I suppose a change in venue is in order." Zelda said her hands coming to rest on Link's arm
He smiled.
"I guess you could say that."
Zelda smiled too. Her eyes darting to the captured Yiga, then to Link's knights and the loyal shiekah.
"You all did well today," She said, "Tonight we drink to not only Link and I's union, but also to your bravery." The knights shouted banging their shields. " and to the future liberation of Hyrule."
Rusl led the cheer that erupted from the surrounding fighters and noblemen.
"Long love Hyrule," they shouted, "Long live the queen."