Disclaimer:The Legend of Zeldais property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning The Legend of Zelda. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

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"Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi" — Chapter Nine: Fate Begins to Tighten Its Grip

By The Last Princess of Hyrule

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"Phillip's invading army?"

Garret looked at the Sheikah in surprise as she spoke these words.

"How did you know that was an army?" he asked, referring to the camps outside the wall. Quickly, Impa explained about the movement on the hill she had seen and then how she heard news from the guard on the wall.

"What are we going to do?" Talmar asked anxiously. "We can't very well wait until James's force gets here to help. They might not even be coming."

Garret nodded. "Even so, they'd never make it before those invaders attack." The Master of the Knights grabbed his horse's reigns and started toward the stables, the others following. As they walked, the three compared strategies, but nothing seemed as though it had any chance of working.

"I don't think we have any choice," Talmar said as they reached the stable doors, pushing one open and stepping in, "But to—"

"Wait!" Impa interrupted. "Someone's coming."

Talmar leapt out of the stables and both men strained their ears, but heard nothing. "I don't think so, Impa." Garret turned back to her. "I don't hear anything."

"Because they're not in range yet," Impa explained offhandedly. "Just give it one . . . more . . . moment . . ." No sooner had the words died away the knights heard a pounding of feet heading in their direction. They turned around to see the soldier Impa had been talking to earlier, running toward them as fast as he could. As he reached them, the guard collapsed on the ground.

When Talmar recognized the guard, he knelt down and began to speak to him. "Paulo? What in Hyrule are you doing here? You're supposed to be at the manor guarding Lady Coquina!"

"You know this man?" Impa asked curiously.

Talmar nodded. "Yes, he's my squire." He turned back to Squire Paulo. "Is something wrong?"

Paulo nodded as he gasped for breath. "It . . . it was my watch that was on . . . guard tonight on the wall . . . that missing army of Phillip's . . . that Lady Impa spotted . . ." Impa let out a groan the name, which fortunately, Paulo did not hear. "They . . . they must have spotted you and . . . Sir Garret coming in so they . . . must have . . ." Paulo's voice trailed off as his words collapsed on each other. "Phillip's army attacked the drawbridge . . ."

Impa gasped. They had left the gatehouse not even fifteen ago. It wasn't possible for an army to congregate so quickly, was it? She thought about taking a look using her telepathy, but declined. It would take too long for her to channel her energies to do such a task.

"Goddesses! We can't possibly fight them," Talmar exclaimed.

"But we can't wait around for the rest of the force to arrive, if they are coming," Garret countered. "They wouldn't be here for at least three days."

"And we'll be long gone by that time," Paulo agreed.

"Isn't it obvious we can't stay here?" Impa said as Talmar surged to his feet. "We have to get everyone out now. That army could be through the outer wall any minute!"

"Evacuate the entire town!?" Talmar shook his head. "You're mad, Impa. That'd take hours."

Before Impa could say a word in protest, a loud bell rang out through the town. It echoed through the alleys and seeped into the houses, awakening the villagers. The message they woke to was one clear to them—Hyrule was under attack and it was time to flee.

Within minutes, the town of Hyrule was swarming with people running as fast as they could toward the castle. Mothers herded their screaming children before them and husbands wrapped their arms protectively around their wives. Wives. The thought struck Garret like a bullet. Coquina. She did not know she was in trouble.

The knight leapt up. He had to warn his wife of the danger and bring her to safety. However, just as Garret was about to enter the stream of people rushing past, a hand caught his wrist. "Garret! What do you think you're doing?" Impa cried above the crowd.

"I need to help Coquina!" he answered hurriedly, tugging his wrist out of her grasp in desperation, his face filled with fear. "She doesn't know about the attack!"

Several more hands latched on to his wrist and with one swift jerk, pulled him back against the wall of the stables. "Be rational, Garret! Chastrion is twenty minutes ride from here and even farther on foot," Talmar explained calmly. "Coquina will be safe for a while, but these people need our help now."

Garret shook his head. "No they don't. They know exactly what to do—when the bells toll, they are to take refuge where they can. I should know, I set up this system."

"What about Princess Liana?" Paulo brought up. "I don't believe she knows about the bells."

Impa nodded in agreement. "Their sound will not reach the castle, even if she did know what they meant. And I mustprotect Zelda. She's my responsibility."

"Very well." Garret stopped struggling resentfully. "I'll help you save Zelda and Liana and get the castle staff out, but then I must help Coquina and Link."

Impa smiled at him and grasped his hand. She pulled him to his feet and, as the last of the townsfolk hurried past, Impa and the others ran out onto the street toward the castle. Risking one last look back, Impa strained to see the drawbridge, but the entire town was shrouded in silent mist and the cries of the villagers drifted away on the wind. Shaking her head, Impa turned back to the road and followed it to the castle, her flapping cobalt cloak leaving waves in the settled mist.

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