Another day, another chapter. HOLY CRAP I BROKE THE CYCLE

Disclaimer: MERP (see other chapters.)

The First Battle

Zelda

Ollivar stood up, "Shit! We gotta get back to the castle!"

He dug behind a pile of books and brought out a sword and shield. He gave us an urgent look. "I have my own horse. Did you bring one?"

Link nodded. "We left her in the village, though."

Ollivar groaned. "We'll have to squeeze on mine then."

It was a tight sqeeze, but we all fit. When we got back to the Kokiri Village, all the Kokiri children were rushing toward the Great Deku Tree. Link and I quickly jumped onto Epona and we all rushed to Hyrule Castle.

As we ran through town, Link and Ollivar were sheparding the citezens to the castle.

Impa was waiting at the door. "Princess! Link! Aiden!" she shouted. "This way!"

Impa brought me into my dressing room where I was put into a chainlink shirt and armored leggings.

"We're going to need you to give a speech. Inprire the people willing to stay for their country."

I interpreted "stay" as "die." I felt my pulse quicken.

Out on the balcony where I usually give speeches, Link, Ollivar and my best war general, Seedlin, were waiting.

I've given countless speeches on this balcony, but this is the first war I've been in as a leader. Seeing all those faces down there, expecting something great from me. I became dizzy.

Using the balcony rail to balance myself, I stood straight and tried to make my speech.

"Citizens of Hyrule! You are still here because you want to- to- to protect... protect your..."

I fell to my knees. I let my head rest on the rail, and let the tears fall. I'm scared. I don't know what to do. I don't know if I should run or stay or keep quiet or scream at the world. I hear the murmurs.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. Link smiling face was looking down at me. Link brought me to my feet and stepped in front of me.

"People of Hyrule! You all know me as Link, the Hero of Time," Link paused. Cheers filled the silence. "Today, I am merely Link and I am here for the same reasons you are. I want to protect the people and the land that I love," another pause filled with cheers. "If I could fight all this on my own, I would. But I can't. I need your help. I beg you to help me," another pause, but this time, it is completely silent. "Just like you, I feel a strong passion in protecting this land," more cheers. "So who's with me?" More cheers. "I can't hear you! Who's with me?" Roars of agreement. "FOR HYRULE!"

They chant "For Hyrule," over and over again. Link was grinning and there was fire in his eyes.

Everyone on the balcony congratulated Link on his excellent speech. He met my eyes, but didn't say anything. Instead, he gave me a smile and took my hand.

We were put on our horses and went out to Hyrule Field. We could hear the Cyrillian army coming toward us. Link raised his sword in the air as a starting signal. Once the other army sounded like they were close enough, Link cut through the air. Everyone ran toward the other army. When Link and I caught up with them I expected to see Cybalt, but he was no where to be found.

I stood behind, waiting for General Seedlin's signal. All of a sudden, an arrow landed in front of me. There's his signal.

I unsheathed my sword and began to fight off the soldiers coming after me. Only half of them were wearing armor. One man was screaming.

"Attack! Plan Din! Plan Din!" Seedlin was shouting. Hyrulian soldiers came rushing back. Everyone took out their bows and arrows and Link came running by, lighting the arrows on fire.

Just like Din used her flaming arms, my army used their flaming arrows.

Still, the Cyrle army did not retreat. We repeated Plan Din several times. Still, they attacked.

"Get the princess!" the Cyrle General shouted. "That is the only reason we're here!"

Soldiers began to appear from left right and center. I tried to fight them off by myself. Without my armor, I would surely be dead.

"Help!" I shouted. "Help! Link!"

Almost instantly, Link appeared. He fought off most of the soldiers around me and picked me up. He ran toward the forest.

"We're going to hide. Just until the battle is over, okay?" he said.

"No! I'm going to fight for my country or die trying!" I declared, hitting his shoulder.

Link kept running. "I won't let you die. I won't allow it."

"Let me go, Link!"

Link glared at me. "This is an order from the princess! Let me go!" I cried.

"I don't take orders from anybody! Not even my princess! Now shut up, I'm trying to save your life!"

I hit his shoulder again. We were in the forest. Link put me down.

"You could be tried for treason, not obeying me," I huffed.

Link gave me a glare and bowed. "I'm sorry, your majesty! I'm sorry for saving your life!"

"You didn't need to! I would have gladly died for my people!"

"And who would rule after you? Me? Impa? You have no heir! You would practically give your country as a gift to Cybalt!"

I was taken aback at this. "I... I never thought of that..." I whispered.

"Exactly! Now, c'mon. There's a cave that I used to use somewhere around here. I have food and water in there, too."

I followed quietly behind as Link led the way. His back was stained with blood. His own or someone else's, I don't know.

The silence was so akward, but I couldn't say anything.

"Ah, here we are," Link said, stopping in front of a stone covered in vines.

"Uhm, Link... that's just a wall," I said.

Link laughed, lightening the mood a bit. "I know that's what it looks like, but trust me. This is a cave."

He pushed the vines aside like a curtain, revealing a cave the size of a regular bedroom. There were barrels of dried meat and fish and a small bed just the right size for both of us.

Link dug behind the barrels and retrieved a sponge and bucket.

"Here," he said, throwing the bucket and sponge to me. "Go wash up. You're covered in blood."

I looked down at myself, seeing that I was as bloody as Link was.

"Okay. Where's the stream?"

Link silently led the way again. Not too far from the cave, was another vine curtain. Link leaned against a rock and pointed toward the vines.

"Through here there's a waterfall and a lake. Just wash up, I'll get you some extra clothes. Are you okay with mine?"

I nodded. Link walked back to the cave whistling a song.

When I looked past the vines, I saw something amazing! The water was sparking, the plants around were abundant and the flowers were all so colorful! The waterfall was practically musical with the sound it made. It fell off of the rocks with a rhythm.

The water was cool. I swam around a few times after washing the blood out of my clothes and armor.

I sat behind a rock and closed my eyes. Link barely talked to be on the way here. Was he mad at me? He always says he loves me now... but he's stil Link. Link gets angry a lot. Why wouldn't he let me fight? Why? This is my country, I would do anything for it. For my people. If my people wanted me dead, I'd walk up to the gallows immediatly. If my people wanted to fly, I'd create wings for them.

But Link is something different. If Link wanted to fly, he'd find a way. If Link wanted anything, he'd definitely get it for himself. If he wanted me dead though... would he kill me? If I wanted to die, would he kill me? If I died by Link's hand...

"Zelda?" Link's voice rang throughout the pool.

When I didn't answer, Link poked his head through the vines. "Zelda?"

Link

I looked around the lake and found her gold hair behind a rock.

"Zelda, you okay?"

"Yeah!" she called.

"I'll leave the clothes over here, okay?"

I didn't wait for an answer. I dropped the clothes on a rock and left.

Why was I still boiling? I should've calmed down, but I'm still angry at Zelda.

"I would gladly die for my people!" she says! What the hell! Is she stupid? Does she think that she could just die and everyone will be happy? Does she think dying will just make all of the problems disappear? Because it won't! What would Hyrule do without her? Turn to democracy? These people can't do anything without a leader let alone vote for one!

"Damn it!" I yelled, kicking a rock into a tree. The rock backfired against the tree and hit me in the head.

"Shit!" I said, clutching my forehead. When I made it back to the cave, I slumped onto the matress and sighed. Things were going so perfectly... what happened?


"Link... Link. Wake up."

I opened my eyes. Zelda was shaking me. "Link, you awake?"

I nodded. Zelda poked me in the forehead. "No you're not, now wake up!"

"What?" I spat.

"Can we go back now? I don't hear anymore fighting," she said.

I rolled over so I was looking at her. "Just because things have gotten quiet, doesn't mean the fighting is over. It's night time. Some soldiers are sleeping, and some are standing guard. The battle isn't over. They'll send someone to find us when it is."

"But how will they find us? This cave is so perfectly camoflaged!"

I shrugged. Zelda huffed. She started to dig through the dried meat and nibbled on a piece.

Zelda was obviously bored and nervous. She paced. She did handstands. She even cartwheeled a bit.

"GAH!" she yelled. "I'm so bored!"

I held back a laugh and left the cave. "Where're you going," Zelda asked.

"No where. I'll be back in a minute or so."

Zelda collapsed on the bed and sighed. Smiling, I left.

I found four bowl shaped rocks and filled them with different colored berries. I pulled a few large pieces of bark off of some trees. Then I found a dead deer. I cut off some of the meat for later, and pulled off its tail hair. Feeling a bit guilty, I covered the wound I left with leaves.

I attached the hair onto a twig and crushed the berries, leaving only their juice in the bowl shaped rocks. I had just made paint. Satisfied with my work, I brought my finds back to the cave where Zelda was sleeping. I placed the paints and things next to the bed.

"Zelda," I said, poking her shoulder.

"Mmm?"

"I'm gonna go wash up, 'kay? I brought you something. It's right next to the bed, alright?"

"Mmm..."

I left the cave with the bucket and sponge. Which was the worst decision I had ever made, because when I came back, there was a bloody soilder standing with Zelda.

The world suddenly went into slow motion as I watched him pull out a knife. He stabbed Zelda and Zelda fell to the ground.

CLIFFHANGER! Zelda's dead. I killed her. Or did I? You'll have to wait and see! Oh, the suspense!

WEIVER!