-1After the Twilight Fades
Authors note: Thank you to all my regular reviewers for your opinions on this story, they've helped make it better overall and helped me improve in general. Don't worry I haven't got the heart to kill Link off, but that doesn't mean there won't be any death at all. I'm a bit of a romantic and I love good adventure/romance stories on paper, screen or fan fiction, and I hate it when the couple gets split up, (like in Prince Caspian, damn you Aslan!) Or where one half dies just before the end. With regard to this story, we move to the end of the war and some of the aftermath in this chapter, after I hope what will be considered another epic battle. Keep an eye out in the future for updates of my crossover fic, 'When Harry met Susan', if you like Harry Potter and Discworld. I thought it hadn't caught on, hence the lack of recent updates, but due to renewed interest I'm going to finish that story off when I finish this fic, which should have another 3-4 chapters in it.
Chapter 7: We Will Fight Them On the Plains
Link stood on top of the wall gazing out over the plains at the advancing orc army, clouds had blown in from the south covering Hyrule in a grey shroud as the two armies stared each other down. The orcs halted a few hundred metres from the moat and lined up in formation just as Links troops took their places, on the walls, behind the east gate and at the catapults and cannons waiting for the orcs to move. Link watched feeling increasingly puzzled as the orcs ranks staid still, and then felt his jaw drop as a few of them advanced including the one riding a palanquin, and as the party advanced, one of them began to wave a white flag. Link turned to Captain Hawkins who was standing beside him, the surprise clear on his face, and exclaimed.
"What in the goddesses names are they doing? They can't really be planning to surrender, can they?"
The Captain replied and said, "maybe they want to parley, I don't trust them, but we should hear them out at least."
Link shrugged and said, "I don't trust this either, but I agree with you, pass word to the men to be ready in case this is a trick."
The orders went around and the troops nocked arrows and loaded the catapults and cannons, waiting for treachery as Link ordered the drawbridge and gate to open. Riding out slowly with Captain Hawkins and a few of the high command Link approached the group of orcs and halted a few paces away. The orc riding the palanquin, who Link noticed was the most ornately armoured of all, wearing black plate mail, a matching helm and a blood red cloak, slowly dismounted it. He walked down a small set of stairs and onto the backs of the some of the orcs carrying the palanquin and onto the ground before opening his mouth and speaking.
"Come, Lysander, let us reason together, it would be a regrettable waste for you and your people to perish, because of the inability to see sense."
Link shrugged inwardly at the name he'd been called and replied, "let me guess, you must be, Urg. Why should we trust the words of an orc, when you slaughtered the Albionians without mercy."
Urg looked at Link, a mixture of arrogance and curiosity on his face and replied,
"the Albionians were a weak race and the weak do not deserve to survive. But you, Lysander Albert Norhansen von Albion, lead a proud and strong race even if you are an Albionian. You fight well for a human, and there is much we could share with each other."
Link frowned at the orc leader and said, "we've been sharing battle for the past few days, now what do you want now Urg?"
Urg looked at Link and said, "straight to the point, just like your family always was, I challenge you to a duel to the death, here upon the plains, the reward shall be total withdrawal from Hyrule and banishment for all time."
Link's frown deepened and he said, "and if I lose?"
The orc leader smiled viciously and said, "total surrender."
Link couldn't believe his ears and turned to the men he'd brought with him and spoke quickly, all agreeing that they had no time to consult Zelda and knew that either way the orcs probably wouldn't keep a fair bargain. Link also knew that if he refused he'd be labelled a coward by his men which would demoralize them for the coming battle and he'd need them at full strength. Turning to face Urg he said,
"we have terms, as long as you can vouch no interference from your high command."
The orc grinned and gestured to the other orcs standing nearby who took the palanquin away and Link ordered his men to back off as well, as the Hylians on the wall began cheering.
Turning to face Urg he drew his sword and shield and stepped into a guard pose a few paces away from Urg, and watched as the orc leader drew his sword and shield. Urg faced Link with bloodlust in his eyes and said,
"there is still a chance to surrender."
Link looked at the orc in an expression he remembered Midna using to Ganondorf and replied, "then go ahead."
Urg raced forward and jumped into the air swinging his sword in a downward arc screaming, "NEVER!"
At the top of his voice, and the duel began as Link stepped to the side and raised his shield blocking the stroke. Urg was an excellent swordsman and Link was forced to use all his skill, parrying the orcs savage thrusts and shield swipes as he tried to find a weakness in the orcs armour plates. Thrusting his shield forward, he managed to catch Urg on his cheek and knocked the orcs helm off and dazed him momentarily, taking advantage of the situation he swung his sword horizontally at the orcs head. But Urg managed to block the hit, and then swung diagonally at Links chest, forcing him to step back and parry the hit before counter striking upwards, but at that moment he managed to find a gap in Urgs armour and wounded him in the leg, causing the orc to cry out and the Hylians to cheer as their leader drew first blood. Urg came at him again, trying to use his height and bulk to overcome Link with brute force. However Link rolled around to the side and sent his sword in a horizontal sweep across Urgs back cutting a few connecting straps of the orcs breastplate. The angry orc just seemed to get faster and faster as they fought on and he seemed to use his shield more as a club rather than a defensive tool and soon forced Links helm from his head and opened a shallow cut on his cheek. Link used his improved vision field to his advantage and went on the offensive again, using his agility to out manoeuvrer Urg, and when the big orc did manage to disarm Link and knock him to the ground, Link scythed his opponents legs from under him and then struck the orcs wound with his fist as the startled leader fell.
Link then took his chance and got to his feet and found his sword, just as the big orc called out, "respite!"
Link backed away and walked over to Captain Hawkins as Urg went back to the other orcs who'd come with him, the Captain said to Link, "you're doing well Your Grace, a little bit more and you'll have him, even if they don't honour the terms the death will demoralise them."
Link grinned as his men cleaned the wound on his cheek, and then picked up his sword and shield and walked back out onto the arena as Urg came forward again. The fight resumed and Link could tell that his adversary was tiring and began to look for a way to end the fight cleanly, and soon enough Link parried a clumsy downward sweep and saw an opening and stabbed forward, dealing a wound to the orcs chest which while not lethal was enough to cause the orc to sink to his knees. Urg looked up at Link and mocked,
"what's the matter Your Highness, too scared to kill me?"
Link looked at Urg in pity and said, "you orcs never learn do you, you're more use to me alive, keep your life. But I am keeping Hyrule for the Hylians and giving Albion back to its people if any survived."
Link turned and began to walk towards his officers as the Hylians began cheering, but while Link had his back turned, an orc officer walked over to Urg and quickly stabbed him with a Hylian dagger, causing the wounded leader to slump to the ground dead, Link heard the orc officer shout out to the air.
"Treachery! They killed him, the humans murdered our leader! Death to the humans, leave none alive!"
Link turned and saw Urg on the ground and knew instantly that the battle was inevitable and after swiftly killing the orc officer he mounted Epona and raced back to the castle town as the orc leaders ran to their lines. As Link raced back into the castle town, a rumble of thunder shook the air and rain began to fall.
As the gate shut and the drawbridge closed behind him, Link ran back up to the top of the wall just as the orcs began to advance towards the castle town.
Getting back to his post on the wall, Link watched the orcs bearing down on the walls, siege towers sticking out of the mass of orcs like pillars as the orcs pushed the trundling edifices through the muddy field, he turned to his men and began to speak.
"Today, we fight to the finish, the orcs come to destroy us. We will not be moved and the orcs shall not take one step into the city while we defend her. We give no quarter, for you shall receive none from those hordes, For our country, and our Queen, we fight. Men of Hyrule, stand fast and make the enemy rue the day he decided to attack us."
Link drew his sword, the golden glow as bright as ever and raised it into the air, as the men began to cheer loudly. Link waited until the orcs and siege towers entered firing range and then turned to the men and ordered,
"open fire! Target siege equipment and large groups."
The order passed and with a series of thunks and explosions, cannon balls and rocks began to fly into the advancing orcs. Link watched as the projectiles fell in a deadly rain, felling orcs left and right and smashing into siege towers, cutting gaping holes through the rickety wooden structures, sending orcs flying. The men cheered as the orcs were knocked over by the flying projectiles, but Link knew that they weren't done yet and was proved right when the advancing orcs came close to the moat and drew crossbows. The orcs started firing up at the Hylian ranks on the wall, heavy bolts scything through the air cutting men down where they stood, Link winced as a bolt flew past and glanced off the plate mail protecting his arm.
Ordering his men to return fire, Link drew his bow and knocked an arrow. Drawing the string back he looked at the crowd of orcs at the edge of the moat and spotted the orc responsible for trying to kill him. He aimed carefully and sent the arrow straight into the orcs head cutting him down, the Hylian arrows flew into the mass of orcs and the enemy numbers plummeted further as the battle wore on all day, orc charges breaking on the walls like a green tide. The siege towers that had survived the cannons and catapults eventually reached the edge of the moat and Link ordered his men to draw swords, and watched as the orc bridges thumped onto the top of the walls and the crowd of orcs began to swarm over the gap. A melee broke out on the wall as orcs tried to storm it using their towers and ladders but they could never get enough onto the top and they fell in as steady a stream as the rain that fell from the heavens as the day wore on. The rain stopped late in the afternoon and Links men managed to throw bottles of burning oil into the towers setting them ablaze and stopping the stream of orcs coming onto the walls.
Link gazed out over the battlefield as a pause in the orc attack came as the twilight fell over the land of Hyrule, the pristine field was littered with dead orcs and splintered equipment and the ground was covered with scattered weapons and abandoned banners flapped in the breeze. There was still a mid sized group of orcs lingering just outside firing range and Link knew that they'd have to go out there to get them. Turning to Captain Hawkins he began to speak,
"we've nearly won, there can't be that many of them left now. But they seem to be hesitating, should we go down there and finish them?"
Captain Hawkins looked at him, the veteran soldier had fought like a tiger through the whole campaign and killed countless orcs through the days fighting and said.
"I'm not sure, they might have more in reserve and want us to do that. Hold on…. Your Grace, look, the air!"
Link looked where the amazed Captain was gazing towards and gasped in surprise along with his men as the very air ripped open. A column of humanoid shaped riders, much taller than Hylians wearing sleek light armour and flowing cloaks mounted on huge wolves rode in, and fell onto the orcs savagely. Link looked closely at one rider who seemed to be the leader, and saw despite the helm and armour waist length red hair and a face that he had only seen once but would recognize anywhere. He gasped, and turned to Captain Hawkins and said,
"get the men in formation, we've got reinforcements. We must help them, Cavalry to flank to the right, infantry to head down the centre. For Hyrule, lets finish this once and for all."
The men cheered as the order was passed and Link ran down and got onto Epona just as his troops lined up behind the drawbridge. It and the gate opened and the Hylians charged out onto the field shouting their battle cries into the twilight, Link urged Epona towards the battling wolf riders and orcs mowing down orcs left and right, his glowing sword breaking all weapons it faced. Link soon reached the leader of the wolf riders and shouted.
"Midna! You're here! How is this possible?"
The Queen of the Twili faced Link, one hand holding the reins of the enormous wolf she rode, the other holding a slim curved blade and replied.
"I couldn't let you and Zelda have all the fun now could I?"
Before Link could reply, Zelda herself trotted up to them on her own horse, holding her sword and wearing a specially made dress of chain mail and a gilded helm that Link had never seen her wear before. She held up a finger as Link made to speak and said,
"fight now, talk later."
Link shrugged, and the three leaders threw themselves back into the battle, leading their armies as they fought the remnants of the orcish horde, Links troops just as amazed as he was as all saw Zelda fight with a skill that none knew she possessed.
Soon enough with the weight of overwhelming numbers the last orc fell to Links blade and he turned to face the troops as well as Zelda and Midna and declared.
"Victory! We have victory, the hordes of Urg have been defeated. Hyrule is safe again!"
The sounds of cheering reached deafening levels as all around him, men began clapping and cheering. Link cleaned his sword and sheathed it, before dismounting and walking up to Urg's body. The orc leader laid where he'd fallen, the Hylian dagger embedded in his side. Something was glinting on the ground, and Link looked around and saw that a ring had fallen from a chain, which had been cleaved in two when Link's blade had hit it. He picked up the ring and examined it closely, it was a magnificent piece of work, too elegant to be the work of an orc smith. It had a square diamond in the centre as well as several tiny sapphires in a swirl around the central stone. There were markings on the band as well in elegant curving script, which were aged but still readable, which read.
"For the dearest treasure of the Kingdom of Albion. I pledge myself, in body and soul until the end of eternity."
Link felt confused about why Urg would carry this, but pocketed it, and took the dead orc leaders sword and helm before walking over to where Zelda and Midna were standing around and talking. Link dropped the sword and helm onto the ground in front of Zelda, before saying to her.
"Zelda my love, we have victory, Urg and his hordes have been vanquished and our homeland is again in safety."
Zelda beamed broadly at him before throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him.
Midna looked at the sight with a smile on her face and spoke as the two lovers parted and stood together, arm in arm.
"Congratulations, to you both, you make a lovely couple. If all the people in Hyrule look to you both as an example, you should be alright. While light and shadow cannot mix, it does not mean that they should never meet or work together. The goddesses agree, which is why I came here."
Link smiled at her and said, "thank you, and not just for the intervention which was timely, while in many ways we are worlds apart. When it comes to what's truly important, honour, bravery, loyalty to ones people and strength you and I are the same, I'm glad you approve of Zelda and I."
Midna looked straight at him, the orange eyes gleaming with a look of respect and replied.
"Link, you've become so strong since I met you, you've become a figure of great strength and courage, may you have many years of happiness with Zelda."
Zelda looked at Midna, the two Princesses seaming to communicate silently before Zelda spoke and said, "you have also grown strong Midna, you have learned the compassion you need to rule wisely. May your wisdom grace the Twili until the end of time."
Midna smiled and with a final wave led her army through the rent in the air before it closed permanently.
Link and Zelda waved her off and Link regrouped his soldiers and ordered them into the town as night began to fall, the townsfolk cheering as the men marched into the town square beneath a clear night sky. Zelda walked onto a platform in the square and held up her hands and began to speak.
"My people, tonight we stand victorious, for never have to many people owed so much to so few. Our valiant soldiers fought bravely to preserve freedom and have defeated the orcish hordes that intended to destroy us. Now, we have a new task ahead of us. Let us together rebuild our land so that we may all share in the new time of peace."
The crowd began cheering again with many shouting, "long live the Queen!"
Link silenced the crowd and began to speak,
"tonight we have won a great victory over the forces of darkness who once again tried to enslave our homeland. But let us not forget the price we paid for our freedom, never forget the sacrifice of those who gave their lives to save our homeland. Let today stand as a day of remembrance for all time so that we can remember what was done here today."
Everyone was silent as Link spoke with tears falling from many eyes, but as he finished the crowd clapped and began chanting his name.
Zelda gave a command for a giant party to be thrown immediately and the crowd began to disperse as Zelda Link back up to the castle. Link went up to his room and shrugged off the dirty armour and underclothes before sinking into a hot bath with a contented sigh as the hot water soothed his muscles. Link began scrubbing himself clean from the blood and gore that was all over him and then got out and dried himself, dressing in fresh clothes as he heard a bang from outside. He looked out his window and watched as the crowd in the town square began setting off fireworks and dancing around a giant bonfire that had been lit near the fountain, the sounds of happy people and the explosions of fireworks proving a nice contrast after the sounds of battle that he'd been hearing for days.
Link walked out his door and into the hall where he found Zelda looking as beautiful as ever, she smiled at him and kissed him again before leading the way down the stairs and out into the town square to where the party was in full swing. The townspeople and soldiers welcomed their leaders and Link and Zelda spent an enjoyable night feasting, drinking and dancing the night away acting like any other young couple should as they basked in the freedom of the wars end.
At one point Shad came over to Link as he was sitting down looking over at Zelda thoughtfully wile she was speaking to some of the town officials and said.
"Link, you look troubled, what bothers you?"
Link looked at the young scholar and said, "a few things Urg said on the battlefield, while we were talking he addressed me as Lysander Albert Norhansen von Albion. What's that supposed to mean?"
Shad gasped in shock and said, "that's a person, the house of von Albion was the royal family of Albion, from its founding, right until it fell to the orcs. Apparently at the end of the civil war when the orcs attacked the King and Queen fled, taking their son with them, who apparently was named Lysander, nobody knows what happened to them, but some folklore suggests they fled towards Ordon and were attacked on the way losing their last bodyguards and being gravely wounded themselves. Urg must have thought you are the son, you are the right age approximately."
Link frowned slightly and said, "everybody knows I'm an orphan, I don't remember anything about my family other than what I was told. I'm fairly sure they were Albionian refugees based on what Bo and the others told me but I don't know anything else. The other thing that's strange is that I found this ring on Urg, it's definitely Albionian because no orc could craft something so delicate, and the inscription on it says it's Albionian."
Link took the ring from his pocket and showed it to Shad, who looked at it carefully through an eyeglass and said,
"That's the ring of the Queen! It was always passed from mother to son in the Albionian royal family, the tradition was that the son would only give it to the woman he chose as his bride, why the orcs would keep this I cannot say."
Link shrugged and took the ring back before walking over to Zelda and after a short while they both left the party and walked back up to the castle where they were soon asleep as it had been an exhausting day and a long night and both looked forward to the new time of peace that had begun.
