Chapter 7: Battle Cries at Dawn
Link felt the harsh carpet tug at his clothes as he was dragged along down a leering and foreboding hallway. It was dusk, and the raging crimson colours of the sky flooded through the glass stained windows, leaving reflections on the walls and floor. The rebel leader felt his open wounds push and pull apart as the calloused hands of two guards brutishly carried him. Struggling to comprehend his surroundings, Link faintly noticed the carpet shift to dark stone as they moved into a different room that was dimly lit by blazing torches on the walls. Link was suddenly dropped and forced to kneel upright in the center of the room, he was too weak to fight back. Then, the rebel came face to face with the infamous King of Hyrule himself and the distaste in Link's mouth caused a revolted expression to be painted on his face as he glared sharply towards the throne. With a sadistic grin and plotting stare, the monarch watched over the prisoner like his captured prey, ready to be ripped apart.
The king stood, "Welcome Link Nohansen to Hyrule Castle! I must say I am overjoyed to finally meet you. I pray your stay here has been comfortable?" He chuckled to himself. Link remained quiet, simply looking the King in the eye with detest. "You've given my men quite the challenge, haven't you? Bravely keeping silent to protect your friends, how touching," Slowly King Cedrick made his way down the steps of his golden throne, approaching arrogantly towards Link. The rebel leader never so badly wanted to slit a man's throat and his mind flooded with bloodlust. "Why the face Link? Oh come now, do try to be a gracious loser and accept defeat. It will be so much easier on us both."
Link could not stop his anger from taking over and he snapped, "I am not defeated until I am dead." The rebel pushed against his restraints in frustration, causing him to almost lose his balance.
With a roaring laugh, the King lured over Link, "Do not tempt me," and he casually strolled away from Link, turning his back to him.
The rebel sneered, "If I am to die, then my cause will live on. A civil war is brewing, and you'll be the first to fall."
A strong hand whipped across Links face as a guard growled, "You would do well to learn to hold your tongue in his majesty's presence!"
Link spat the blood out of his mouth and defiantly snarled, "That is not my king."
Outside the Great Hall, a curious and unsettled Zelda hid behind a marble wall looking into the throne room where she could see the rebel and her father from a close distance. She was shocked at the boy's battered state. His clothes were soaked red and tattered, his face purple and cut, his arms and legs slashed, and even his once beautiful blond hair was tainted with blood and dirt. It upset her to think her father's men went to such extremes, but she could not speak out and had to remain quietly hidden in the shadows.
"My my you are persistent. Well, let's see if our guests can help you regain your manners." With that said, Cedrick motioned to a guard and a door of the hall was opened. Links eyes went wide, and his skin became cold as the familiar faces of Taiga and Jax entered the room. However, they were not as Link remembered, they were bruised and bleeding with their once carefree expressions now absorbed by sorrow.
"What? No, it can't be…" Link thought. He gathered all his strength to stand and tried to run to their side, ignoring the sharp burning in his leg that threatened a collapse. Roughly, the guards pulled Link back towards them, raising a knife to his throat as a warning.
With an amused tone, King Cedrick explained, "Your friends must care about you greatly to come to your aid. A noble effort, yet in vain."
The King leisurely stepped towards the two young rebels, receiving a yell of retaliation from Link to stop. The sinister king ignored the rebel leader and watched the frightened youths menacingly. At the same time, Princess Zelda was peering from around the corner, unsure of what to make of her father's strangely malevolent behaviour and tone. It was almost as if that man was just an imposter that was wearing his clothes and crown, but under his facade was a stranger. His wicked eyes and evil grin bore no resemblance to the warm and friendly face of her father. He toyed and mocked the rebels in such a distasteful manner for a dignified king. She listened as he continued once again, "As fortune would have it, your friends have looser tongues than their leader, and we finally have the location of Hylia's Isle. Such a shame for your sacrifice to have been a waste." Link gazed upon the guilty and despaired faces of his friends. He understood all too well the horrors they had faced in that dungeon and could not bring it upon himself to feel angry towards them. From their severe injuries, the rebel knew they had put up a good fight, and he knew that in the end, he was the one to blame. Link cursed at himself for being so naive and idiotic as now all of the lives of his friends were in peril because of his poor decisions.
Sadness surged through him as he saw a grieving Taiga whisper in his direction, "I'm sorry."
"Damaris, hand me my sword," said the King as he turned to face the rebel leader, "It would appear that your friends are of no value to me now, and it is my responsibility to purge this world of such...filth." Anger flooded into Link's face. Damaris, the name of the man who ordered his fathers death, a man so shrouded in corruption and greed he was more part monster than human. Obediently, Damaris handed his king his blade, which caused terror to flood into Link's face.
"No don't!" The rebel leader demanded. It seemed that the fear that once was ridden in Taiga and Jax's faces melted away. Perhaps their fear was not of the King or his weapons, but instead from the idea of facing Link after their betrayal. Tears threatened to fall from Link's eyes as he struggled helplessly in his captor's grip. "Not again!" the rebel leader thought, "Please not again!" King Cedrick raised his blade and ran it across Taiga's throat. "STOP!" Link cried. The young girl did not fall right away and a crimson liquid traced down her neck and from her mouth. Her eyes that were once locked on her captain slowly closed and she hit the stone floor hard. Unhurriedly, the King moved towards Jax, who looked away from the body of his fallen comrade to face him. The sword was sent through Jax's chest, and he let out a gasp of pain while the blade remained buried in his body for a few seconds. Jax gave one last look to his captain, his expression calm and almost blank. Then he fell. Link's friends laid in a pool of their own blood, lifeless and still. Silently Link fell back to the ground, his face stained with salty tears.
Zelda wished she had looked away, but her eyes could not leave the gruesome sight of the young rebels deaths. The princess felt like crying or running away, but instead, she stood like a statue hoping it was a terrible nightmare. "This is how war is Zelda," she tried to reason to herself but failed to find comfort in her excuses. She watched as her father trudged towards the rebel leader, the bloodstained sword still in hand and she began feeling panicked. The King raised the sword above his head, but Link did not look up to face it. When the sword came raining down the rebel leader awaited the abyss, but it never happened. Instead, the sword was driven into the cold stone in front of Link's face. He looked up confused.
Boisterly, King Cedrick claimed, "You will not have the satisfaction of death. Instead, you will watch as we burn down every house and slaughter every man, wife, and child on Hylia's Isle that you so dearly cherish. It will be your fault that they die, and you will have the rest of your days rotting in prison to remember that." Zelda could not listen any longer, and she finally regained enough strength in her legs to leave the room. She sprinted down the halls, her footsteps echoing with every frantic step. The princess passed by the castle's servants and disregarded their curious faces.
Zelda spotted her faithful friend Impa approaching from down the same hall and heard her ask, "Where in the goddess's name have you been? I've been looking for you all over the castle—" But Zelda did not answer her. Instead, she ran into her and planted her face into Impa's chest and began desperately weeping.
"Zelda? My dear, what is the matter?" Impa encircled the princess in a caring embrace trying to calm her down and when Zelda refused to speak, Impa took her up to her chambers. Her guardian did not know what put her in such a state and could only seem to comfort her with her company. The princess sat on her window seat facing the glass, staring with swollen eyes at nothing in particular. While she and her father did not always see eye to eye, she never would have believed he could act that way unless she saw it herself. Zelda felt guilty for the rebels deaths, for their pain. If Pipit never saw her the night she snuck out, he would have never found Link and those two young rebels would still be alive today. The princess felt that she had been forced to see the truth of the world around her and therefore, to leave her sheltered life. It was the first time she had witnessed someone die, but she feared it would not be the last time.
Link stared up at the moon from the tiny window high above his head. He felt alone as the giant light was in the sky. The death of his friends still weighed heavy on his heart and the guilt stun more than any of his wounds; they were younger than him, just kids, and now their life was cut short. How would he ever be able to face their families and their friends again?
"Oh, that's right. I won't ever be seeing them alive again, and it's all my fault," Link said in his thoughts. He basked in the moonlight and rested his weary head against the hard stone wall and felt hot tears roll down his cheeks as he ran his only working hand over his face. Link started to shiver and he wrapped his other arm around him. Praying to the sky, Link begged for help from the Goddesses -if they even existed- and if not, for forgiveness from his friends, for his death. Gradually exhaustion took over Link, and the light of the moon went dark.
Link was woken up with a start. A hand was placed over his mouth, and when his eyes stopped fluttering and focused, he met eyes with the princess of Hyrule. Startled by her sudden appearance Link pushed away from her, causing him to hit his head against the wall behind him.
Quickly but quietly the princess explained, "It's alright, I'm not here to hurt you." Link only responded by meeting her gaze. She was as beautiful as he remembered, but behind that pretty face laid the ugly truth; they were born to be mortal enemies. When Link did not say anything in return, Zelda gently raised her hand towards his face as she frowned at his cuts and bruises. "What have they done to you?" She whispered softly. Link flinched at the touch of her hand and moved away as far as he could.
"Why have you come? To admire your father's handiwork?" Link scoffed. Zelda felt hurt by his harsh words but understood he was in pain, mentally and physically.
Without returning his dour demeanor, Zelda spoke hesitantly, "I have come to help you escape. You need to warn your people if we want to avoid a complete massacre." The rebel was shocked by her answer and did not know if he believed it, would she betray her father?
"Aren't they traitors to you and the King? Why would you help them?"
Zelda let her frustration show, "You believe I wish for the deaths of hundreds of people?" He did not answer her and broke eye contact. She continued, "Look, we don't have much time until the guards find me here, if you want to leave this place, you have to trust me and go now." The rebel knew his options were limited and if she was lying, it could not get much worse for him. So the young man agreed, and soon another figure emerged into the cell. It was a tall and built woman with strange tribal clothing. She had deep, sharp red eyes and had a teardrop tattoo on the left of her face. The woman was years his senior but by no means an "old lady," even though her hair was bright white.
"This is Impa, my guardian and most trusted ally. She is here to help us in your escape." Link nodded in acknowledgement but knew from the disapproving stature of the woman that she was not there for his sake. Quickly, the princess grabbed the cuffs around Link's wrists and spoke a few inaudible words, and to his surprise, the chains crumbled into silver sand before his very eyes.
"How did you—?"
He was cut off by Impa's stern tone.
"We have no time to lose, let's go." The princess guided Link, who was being supported by her servant as he could not walk by himself with his injuries. The rebel did not know how many bones were broken or sprained and counting seemed futile.
After a long and nerve-racking journey from the dungeons, Link was set on the princess's bed, and he took in the sights of the room decorated with gold relics and ancient paintings. It was extraordinary for Link to see such a sight, for he would never dream of possessing such immense wealth. The princess closed her door carefully and made her way to the bed while stating blatantly, "We haven't much time, I need to heal as many of your wounds as I can, then you must go." She turned to her servant, "Impa, please keep guard for a moment. It won't be long."
The Sheikah's face contorted in disbelief, "You cannot expect I'd leave you here with…him can you?" Zelda gave a stern and pleading glance at her guardian who finally resigned and obliged. Zelda took no time in casting her healing spell, revealing a light blue glow over her hands. She touched the young man's fractured leg, making him draw in a deep breath of air and to bite his lip.
Softly the princess relented while gazing up at Link, "I'm sorry, for everything." The rebel looked down at Zelda and saw the shame and the remorse in her eyes. It reminded him of how Taiga looked before she died.
Forcing the thought away, Link replied, "You didn't know, and it was not your hand that killed my friends or sliced my skin." He gave a somber smile towards her.
"But it was my father and his men…" After a second of quiet, she added, "You asked earlier if I felt the people of Hylia's Isle were traitors. In all honesty, I think it is the royal family who betrayed them first." It amazed Link how he never could predict her words or actions, she was a mystery to him.
Once Link's leg was restored to normal, Zelda moved unto the bed. Link was cradling his injured hand, which appeared very disfigured. She gestured out her hand and apprehensively, and he took it. He listened to the strange words of a language he did not understand and watched as a bright blue light shown through their hands. The pure light danced around them, and Link felt the pain subside from his broken fingers. After a few minutes, Link regained full use of his hand and chuckled in amazement.
"That's incredible, I've never seen magic like this since—" Link paused, feeling his own guilt wash over him, "Since we met on the night of your birthday." Zelda let go of his hand and shifted her gaze, but Link grabbed her hand once again, "I am sorry for what I did and said to you that night. Please forgive me." He looked sincerely into her eyes, making her blush.
"I-It's fine." She stammered. Her cheeks only became hotter once she realized something, "Um-can you take your shirt off for me?" The rebel's face went flushed as his eye's widened and whatever response he was going to say was jumbled. Zelda added quickly, "I-I mean since I should heal the slashes on your torso…they seem quite severe…"
Link felt very foolish for a moment and nodded. He removed the bloodstained shirt from his body and Zelda delicately placed her hands over a large diagonal gash on the rebel's chest and began casting once again. It did not help her when trying to concentrate that she was afraid of shaking; it was the first time in her life she had ever touched a man's bare skin or ever been alone with a man who wasn't her father. Their close proximity and the fact that Link was half naked made Zelda feel aflutter and embarrassed. Despite that she tried not to, Zelda could not help but glance at the rebel's muscular body. He was tall, extremely toned and built with large shoulders. His skin was lightly bronzed from days in the sun, which made his bright blue eyes stand out. It was like he was sculpted by the goddesses, she found him…breathtaking. His skin felt smooth and warm under her fingers and she was worried she would lose concentration. "This is not the time to be thinking like this!" Zelda scolded herself while trying to ignore his gaze as he watched her with his sapphire eyes. Finally, her magic had done its job and the gashes on his chest, back and arms stopped bleeding and were almost completely healed. The princess felt a wave of lightheadedness swarm over her from using her magic so much at one time -considering she almost had no experience using it- and would have fainted straight into the rebel's chest had he not caught her. Both of her hands were placed just under his collarbones, and his arms were holding her firmly, but kindly. The princess's hazel brown eyes bore into his with her face only inches from Link's.
"I'm so sorry I don't know what suddenly came over me—"
"It's quite alright," he said sweetly, without breaking their stare. It almost seemed as if they were being drawn together, slowly. When it appeared they as if their lips would practically touch, Impa came bursting through the door frantically.
"The boy needs to go now, something's happened—" The Sheikah stopped for a moment and looked at the two youths who rapidly separated from their close encounter and nervously avoided each other. The guardian gave Zelda a disapproving glare and furrowed her eyebrows skeptically. Continuing her speech, she gave the rebel a hostile scowl.
"Hyrule Castle is under attack by Terminan troops. You must leave now if you don't want to be caught within a war zone!" Both Link and Zelda's faces showed their bewilderment, especially Zelda.
"Why now? This cannot be…" Said the princess confused.
Impa addressed the princess urgently, "Take Link down your secret passage and return here as soon as you can. I'll wait here to make sure no one finds out about where you have gone, but please hurry!" Zelda nodded and removed the stone in the center of the room to expose the hidden door. Zelda disappeared into her closet and returned with a cloak. Taking Link by the hand and torchlight in the other, she began racing down the steps into the tunnel. Sounds of explosions could be heard through the walls of the passage, and the distant sound of battle cries reverberated through the hall.
When they approached the final wall Link alarmingly declared, "There's no way out!" The princess let go of his hand and placed it on the wall, provoking the symbol on the back of her hand to glow.
"The Triforce?" Link questioned internally.
With a hum the door lit up and began shifting to make an opening, "I have left through this door many times, every time I went to meet you in fact." Zelda said reminiscently. After the door was completely opened Zelda turned to Link. "This is where we part, for good this time." She wrapped the cloak around Link and tied it affectionally.
Link felt sullen and murmured graciously, "Thank you for all your help, I'd be trapped in that cell for the rest of my life if it weren't for you."
Zelda let out a small chuckle, "I was just returning the favor…" Her smile disappeared, "Save your people Link, as I couldn't," She gave the rebel a genuine embrace in which he returned fully. Link held her and placed a hand on the back of her head tenderly. The princess hid her face in his cloak but their time together did not last long. She let go, "Good luck, and goodbye." Without letting Link respond, Zelda ran up back towards the stairs with a peculiar feeling of the strings of her heart pulling tightly.
Link discreetly made his way through the burning streets of Castle Town with enemy soldiers of Hyrule and Termina swarming the roads and alleys fighting one another. The rising sun made the sky shine a red colour that matched the fires and ambers of the fallen houses and shops of the town. People were fleeing and shouting, Terminan soldiers clashed swords with Hyrule's guards or chased the citizens like hungry beasts. There was only one thing the rebel had left to do in the city, to find his horse Epona. The rebel headed towards the stables as Link turned around a corner near where the stables were, and he saw a mother and her two young children being taunted by a Terminan foot-solider. Link recognised the fallen behind them who was bleeding on the ground unconscious. It was the kind stable's owner, and Link suspected that these people guarding him were his family. The young children screamed in terror as the man pulled on their mother's hair while she shielded them from him with her arms.
"Please stop it!" Begged the women desperately and she fought to stay by her children's side. When he refused to listen, the mother's son came from behind her and kicked the man hard in the knee. The soldier let go of the women's hair, but then turned to the child and slapped him, causing him to fall over.
"You brat!" Angrily yelled the solider as he picked the little boy up by his neck and shook him relentlessly. Ignoring the mother's screaming and pleading for mercy the man grabbed his dagger from his belt and aimed at the boy's stomach. However, before the solider moved his arm Link darted towards the man and slammed into his side, making the solider drop his knife and drop the boy. "Why you—" The soldier picked up his dagger and charged towards the rebel leader. However, Link grabbed the man's wrist of the hand holding the knife and sent his foot hard into the soldier's stomach. As he moved back gasping for air Link used that time to release a punch to the man's jaw, knocking him out cold. The boy ran back to his mother's side and wrapped his arms around her leg.
She gave a grateful smile towards the rebel, "Thank you for saving us!" Link nodded gently and asked hastily, "My horse was kept in your stables, and I must find her. Can you help me?"
The woman's eyes filled with tears and looked somberly at Link, "I'm sorry…it's too late."
"What?" Link turned and raced towards the stables fearing the worst. When he arrived, he saw that what he dreaded was true. Flames spewed from the windows, roof and doors of the wooden stables and Link heard the frantic whine of Epona from inside. Link noticed a sword and shield near a fallen Hylian soldier and grabbed them for himself. Just before Link went into the burning building the little boy from before came running from the street behind him shouting, "Wait! You can't go in there! You'll die!" But the rebel ignored him and barreled through the front doors with his arm in front of his face. Link spotted Epona in a nearby stall who was wildly rearing and kicking her front legs.
"Hold on!" Link called as he raced towards his horse, nearly being hit with a falling plank from the ceiling. With the smoke burning Link's lungs he charged towards Epona's stall and yanked on the door but noticed a fallen pillar blocked it. Without hesitating Link began slicing away at the wood, his breath getting weaker as he started feeling fatigue from loss of air take over him.
Outside the little boy watched the flames grow higher around his father's stable, searching for any signs of the man who disappeared within the fire.
"He's not gonna make it." Whispered the boy dismally as he turned to find his mother. The boy had only walked a few steps when the sound of the stable's doors whipping open and a horse's loud neighing behind him. The boy turned his head and saw the young man triumphantly on the back of his horse, his clothes slightly charred and his face marked with soot. Mystified, the boy watched in awe as the man rode off with the stables collapsing aflame behind him and a determined look in his eye.
The rebel directed his horse the Elden province as he could see Terminan troops were advancing from Faron Woods. He rode fast and felt Epona's feet run over the tuff terrain. The sun rode overhead and let down an unforgiving blaze over the rebel leader. On high alert, Link noticed two white horses galloping furiously through the field just slightly behind him. It appeared four other black horses were chasing them and their riders cloaked. When the rebel looked closer, he recognised the two passengers as Princess Zelda and her bodyguard Impa. Multiple arrows were being shot towards them, and their assailants were catching up swiftly. Link thought about turning away and riding to safety, but he remembered something. He remembered Zelda's kindness, her sincerity, and her ideals of justice. Then his mind imagined what would happen if he turned a blind eye, arrows would pierce through them and they would fall into the grass below them, soaking it red. Link refused to let that happen.
Abruptly, the rebel pulled on the reigns of Epona's harness and stormed towards the black horses. Zelda was vigilantly avoiding the arrows flying past her head and tried to maneuver her way over the rolling plains. When she turned her head to look behind, she saw an arrow going straight towards her and chest. Surprised, Zelda watched as a familiar figure rode straight into the arrows path and blocked it with his shield. It was Link. Another arrow came after and sliced the rebel's hand slightly, but not enough to cause serious harm. Link swung his blade at the adversaries, and one by one fell to their death, their horses saddles empty and the horses running away scared across the field. Link noticed something strange about the aggressors; they were all women with very similar defining facials features. Their skin was a dark golden tan, their eye's piercing with intensity, their hair a scorching crimson. Were these warriors women of the lost Gerudo tribe? Their appearance fit the legends and their strength would indicate they were skilled fighters. Link was filled with questions, why would people of the Gerudo tribe wish to harm the future monarch? Why would they be sided with Termina? Didn't the tribe go instinct?
In the distance Link could see more approaching soldiers coming for them at an alarming rate. The rebel caught up to the princess and Impa and yelled, "More troops are headed this way, we need to escape their line of sight and hide you two somewhere they can't find you!" Without saying a word, Zelda turned to Impa for advice, who looked at the two youths and stated, "I know a place, we can take a hidden road in the forest just outside of Kakariko Village, follow me!" Quickly all three riders rode into the camouflage of the forest, galloping as fast as their horses would go. They dodged tree branches and jumped over gaps along the untraveled path. The trail was on top of a very steep hill and had an unforgiving drop. Link felt Epona's foot slip on the edge of the road and felt her weight going downwards towards the cliff.
"Link!" Called out Zelda startled. Epona struggled to regain her footing but soon found a steady rock and gave a hearty push back to the path on the hill and the rebel nodded for them to continue. The group rode for a long time into midday and eventually the horses began to tire. So, the Sheikah, princess, and rebel stopped to allow their horses to rest by a fresh spring. The rebel laid in the grass calmly under the shade next to a paranoid princess. Impa was tending her horse that was strained from a bad landing when they jumped over a large hole on the trail.
Link looked up at the princess who was holding her knees close to her chest and said reassuringly, "Don't worry Zelda, your safe now. We've made enough distance between them and us so you can rest for a little while."
She looked at him pessimistically, "How can I rest when my father and people are still fighting for their country while I run like a coward to safety?"
The loud voice of Impa was directed at the princess, "Because if you were captured by enemy forces you could do very little to help your people from behind bars. We were invaded, outnumbered, and unprepared. By getting you out of the capital, the country still has the certainty of a future monarch."
"But it is not like I would be allowed to rule, the law states that a woman is unfit to rule without a husband, a rather stupid law might I add. And besides, I do not wish my father's death." Zelda retorted bitterly. Everyone went silent and Impa went back to nursing her horse. Zelda spoke up once again and broke the stillness, "Link, why did you come to save us?"
Link sat up leisurely and faced the princess, "It's just like your friend said, you're the next monarch of Hyrule, and in all honesty, I trust you more with the country than some random pompous noble who they would sit on the throne to replace you."
"I'm flattered," Zelda said wryly and turned her attention to the glittering pools of the spring.
Link knew his response was cold, but he did not know how to truthfully answer her question.
What was he supposed to say? "I had to save you because I couldn't bear the idea of losing another friend and I care greatly about your wellbeing for some strange reason I don't understand?" Link's pride prevented him from saying such things. So instead, he got up and made his way towards Epona, who was near Impa, her back turned to him and petting her horse. He sighed and got onto Epona's back and took the reins in hand. "You're leaving already?" Asked Zelda dolefully.
Link turned to face the princess and stated, "I must return to Hylia's Isle to warn my people of a possible attack. The invasion by Termina may delay your father's troops for a little while, but the Isle is no longer safe. I have to go to them." Zelda nodded and stared down at the grass dejectedly. However, when Link was about to order Epona forward, he felt a pain travel up his arm from his hand that had been cut by the arrow and then felt the burning move through the rest of his body. Every inch of him was in agony, and his breath sharply left his lungs. The girls looked worryingly at the rebel and called out his name but he could not hear them. His vision went blurry and his head felt light. Suddenly, Link fell from his saddle into the water's below him, his body crashing and caused a loud splash! Zelda and Impa rushed over to Link to raise his head from beneath the water and to pull him out onto dry land. He coughed up the water, and then it was followed by blood. The princess placed the rebel's head on her lap and called out his name multiple times, but he was not responsive.
With anxiety creeping upon her face Zelda turned to her guardian for help, "Impa what do we do? What's wrong with him?" Impa's eyebrows furrowed confused and her eye's glanced over the young man until she spotted his hand. It was oozing with a black liquid that almost seemed to emit a dark light. The dark colour ran up the rebel's arm, his skin beginning to look tainted black.
Then it hit her, "Don't touch his hand Zelda!" Impa warned, "The arrows those soldiers were shooting must have been coated with poison!"
Zelda's eyes widened with fear as she looked down at the rebel who was breathing heavily and becoming feverish.
"Can we help him? I can try using healing magic!" Zelda offered.
"No I don't think so, you don't have the strength to be able to cleanse him completely, and I don't believe this poison is normal. I've never seen any behave this way."
"Then what do we do Impa? There must be something!"
Impa was not sure if they could save him but she had an idea, "We will take him with us to the Sheikah village outside of Kakariko, the elders may know how to cure him. We don't know how much time he has left so we must leave now." Zelda agreed with her friend's plan and they rode off towards the village, with Epona tied to the reigns of Impa's horse and Link resting his weight on Zelda as she rode on and held him in front of her. They hurriedly travelled through the trees wasting no time. The colours of the tress began a blurred green as the sped through the endless miles of forest. They approached the end of the rode and the sun's rays lighted up forest. Zelda was following Impa until she suddenly stopped and put up her hand to signal the princess to do the same. Without warning, people jumped down from tall branches; carry knives, bows and other weapons. Zelda's face went pale. They wore clothing similar clothing as her guardian and bore the same teardrop symbol under their eyes. A young woman walked forward towards Impa, whose body was cover with by heavy cloth.
"You are trespassing on sacred land! It is forbidden for outsiders to continue beyond this point, leave now or die!"
Impa laughed genuinely and spoke with confidence, "Oh? And am I an outsider?" Impa pulled her hood back and faced the younger girl before her.
The girl's tone shifted immediately, "Impa!" Then she quickly kneeled down to her superior, "Please forgive me! I did not know it was you!"
Impa spoke warmly, "All is forgiven. It seems I was right to leave you in charge of guarding the village entry. Good job." The girl seemed happy with Impa's praise and stood back up at attention. Solidly, Impa called out to the other Sheikah around her, "I have returned with a very important guest, the Princess of Hyrule herself." Impa gestured to Zelda behind her and the others took no time to bow in respect. Zelda was shocked to see how pleased and excited they were that she was there and knew this was indeed the loyal tribe of the Sheikah. Impa continued, "With her is an ally who risked his life to protect the princess, he is in urgent need of our aid and I have brought him here to receive help from the elders. Hyrule Castle is under attack from Terminan forces, so we cannot return to treat him in the city. Please help me protect the royal lineage at all costs." Whispers were heard around the Sheikah people with shock of learning about the invasion. Also, with doubt about letting Link in, he was a foreigner. Composed, Impa explained, "I understand you may have misgivings but please understand that we must act now!"
"Yes Chief!" Called out the Sheikah warriors as they made way towards the camp.
Zelda exclaimed to Impa, "Chief? Why didn't you tell me you were elected as the new chief?"
"Because the tribe does not believe that a chief should be so far away from the village like I am when I serve you at Hyrule Castle. So I haven't accepted the role officially as I would rather stay by your side."
Zelda chimed, "I am forever grateful for you Impa," the princess giggled, " And it seems they've accepted you as their leader." The two continued into the town, Zelda clinging carefully to Link in her arms. He was silent and almost completely unmoving other than his shallow breaths that made his chest rise and fall. The appearance of his pale skin made Zelda frightful and she prayed to the Golden Goddess Hylia for his survival.
Author's Note: Thanks for reading another chapter! I tried to get this one out faster than the last so I spent a little less time editing...hope it's still readable. Anyway, I sincerely hope you've enjoyed reading thus far and feel free to leave a review!
Disclaimer: I don't not own "The Legend of Zelda". All rights belong to the respective owner(s).
