**All Standard Disclaimers Apply**

Book One in the Doppelganger Trilogy
 !
The Hero of Wolves
by The Wolfess

!

Chapter Eleven: Pushing Shadows

On its way back from the first royal celebration since the shadows of Twilight first engulfed the land, Link's carriage trundled quietly along the cobblestone streets. In the relative warmth of the carriage's plush interior, Link was fast asleep. His chest rose and fell, his body sprawled over the seat like an eight-year-old boy on a sofa, his calloused fighter's hand rubbing the pocket that hid the wolf stone in his sleep. In the haze of his dream-saturated mind, Link danced around a different ballroom, a much older and smaller one. The woman in his arms looked almost identical to Princess Zelda, but somehow she seemed younger and harder, fiercer than the monarch he knew. The hands he held were as rough as his, accustomed to the feel of weapons, and in her eyes was an ache deeper than any the young warrior had ever seen. She opened her mouth and closed it again, as if yearning to say something to him but holding herself back. They merely danced in silence, alone in the empty ballroom with shadows of faces dancing around the edges of his vision. Faint whispers of melodies and memories tickled at his mind, but he could not call them forth from the edges of his vision to really look at them. It all felt so familiar…

"Link?"

Link smiled at the voice, groaning slightly and flipping over on the seat. The voice wasn't coming from the Princess in his arms, though, he realized with a frown. Where…?

Someone shook his shoulder, saying his name louder, and Link's eyes slid open. The first thing he saw were a pair of laughing green eyes. For a moment he just blinked at the face, waiting as the dream haze faded. Feeling a bit disoriented, he sat up and shook his head, rubbing his face with both hands.

"Where am I?" Link muttered, his voice gruff with sleep.

"Back at Telma's bar." Ilia reached toward him and grabbed his upper arm, tugging him out of the carriage. Link glanced around the interior to make sure he didn't leave anything. "I think you better come along and let the cab driver go home, sleepy head," Ilia said, tugging at his arm again.

Link nodded and waved at the cabby. "Thank you," he called after the man. The cab driver tipped his hat and pulled away. Link blinked a few times, feeling more alert now. "Why are you still awake?" he asked Ilia.

Ilia let go of his arm, seeing that he was awake enough to walk on his own. "Everyone else is asleep, except maybe Shad. I think he's reading a book in his quarters. I wanted to hear how the ball went, though."

They were inside the bar now and sat down at a table. Link smiled at her. "It was great! I was Princess Zelda's escort for the night and she helped me a lot. She introduced me to all of the nobles and was really fun to be around. Quite a sense of humor, that one."

"The nobles, huh?" Ilia chuckled and shook her head. "I'm trying to picture you bowing and talking about fashion. Ha!"

Link laughed too. "Luckily Zelda picked up those parts of the conversation. Mostly, they asked me about my adventures and future romance possibilities."

"And you told them…?"

Link shrugged. "The truth. There's no one in my life right now. Zelda tagged on a comment about 'he's married to the sword, and will never give his heart to a woman.' I don't know about never, but…well, you know."

Ilia had looked away slightly and nodded. "Yeah, I know." She was quiet for a moment, then turned her gaze back to his with her old mischievous glint returned. "So, is the Princess icing her feet tonight?"

Link glowered at her. "No! Actually, I'm a natural dancer. I was the best one there."

Ilia gave him a doubtful look. "Yeah right. I don't believe you."

Link pushed back from the table and stood up. "I am! And I'll prove it to you." He walked around the table and held out his hand to her.

Ilia crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. "I don't think so. I'm a ranch girl, and ranch girls don't dance."

Link snorted and grabbed her arms, hauling her out of the chair despite her verbal protests. "It's all in the leading, Ilia. You don't have to know a step—just follow me." He pushed a couple tables out of the way and then led Ilia to the middle of the cleared space. Her cheeks were bright red in the moonlight streaming in through the windows. Link placed one hand on her waist and the other in her hand. He flashed her an encouraging smile. "Don't be nervous," he said, his voice soft. The ranch girl just gulped and nodded. "We'll start off with a simple one. Nice and slow." He stepped back and she forward to follow him. "Good, just like that. Okay now just follow me." So they danced, Ilia looking at their feet with an expression of intense concentration on her face, and Link looking at Ilia.

"Feeling comfortable with the steps yet?" He asked. Ilia glanced up at his face and nodded. Link smiled. "Good, so I'm going to twirl you." He did a couple simple twirls, blinking at how easily her slight form moved in his hands. It was so much easier without all of the skirts and fluff of High Style that Zelda had been wearing that night. The two friends got into the rhythm of the dance, their eyes glancing at each other in the moonlight when they thought the other wasn't looking. Time passed quickly by the hero and the ranch girl in their slow, ancient dance.

Finally Ilia let out a huge sigh and let go of Link's hand. "Okay, I'm exhausted. Let's stop now, please?"

Link nodded and let go of her, moving to push the tables back in place. Ilia flopped down in the nearest chair, breathing a little heavier.

"Where did you learn that?" she asked, watching him push things back into place.

"I…just knew somehow. That's all."

Ilia narrowed her eyes. Link knew he couldn't fool her…and why was he trying to? Would she really care if he was the reincarnation of some ancient hero and seemed to be turning into him, bit by bit? He opened his mouth to elaborate, took a breath, and closed it again.

Ilia continued to securitize him from her chair. "That's a load of goat turd," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. Link gulped, pretending to readjust some chairs to avoid her piercing green gaze. She was waiting for him to respond. It was now or never…

"I…got some extra lessons. It's kinda like footwork in battle…you have to be able to flip and twirl and move your feet when you're fighting. So dancing wasn't that far off. Zelda showed me a couple steps before we went out too." He bit his lip, then turned and smiled at Ilia.

She didn't smile back. "And you learned fighting where?"

"I—"

"And how to use that chest full of weaponry you came home with. Or how you suddenly go on diplomatic trips to the Gorons and Zoras—since when were you a good diplomat? Since when did you rub elbows with monarchs and talk about the Princess of Hyrule as if SHE was your best friend?" Ilia's eyes glittered with moisture that she promptly flicked away, her face red and hot with anger. "She hasn't known you since childhood, and yet these days I feel like I don't know you anymore. All of the sudden you have these secrets from us all. Maybe the others pretend not to notice or choose to look the other way, but I don't like it Link. I don't like this secretive, distant man you've become. This is not you. This is not the boy I fell in love with."

Her eyes widened and her hand flew to her mouth. Link looked the other way, the tips of his ears turning red.

"I'm sorry," she said, quickly and quietly. "I didn't mean to say that. But you already knew, so you shouldn't be so flustered."

Link sighed. "Yeah, I know." Silence hung between them for a moment as Link looked out the window and Ilia stared at the floor. Finally, Link came and sat across from her, folding his hands on the table top between them. "Ilia…I can't tell you. I wouldn't know where to begin, or how to proceed. I'm a different man than the one you grew up with…I'm more a beast than a man. I'm a warrior. I'm a killer. And I have an entire nation looking to me for hope. You have no idea how that is."

Ilia sat back in her chair, fresh tears gathering in her eyes. "You're right. I don't know. But does my best friend still exist in there? Anywhere?"

Link looked at his hands, seeing the blood on them in his mind and hearing the terrified shouts of the people of Castle Town or New Kakariko when they glimpsed the "beast" he was—the wolf. He believed more and more that those monsters couldn't help what they were. They were raised to be that way, but Link killed them anyway and he didn't fully understand why he felt so guilty about it. He knew what it was like to be called a monster. Knew what it was like to kill and enjoy it. "What do you think?" he whispered.

Ilia looked at his hands, then reached over and took them in hers, pulling them toward herself. There were so many lines and scars there that she didn't remember. How many other scars were there on his body from the battles he had seen? How scarred was he now, inside and out? How much could a few scars change who a man was? And if he was as different now as he claimed, if the boy she moved was buried or gone, could she love this new, hard, secret-keeping man? Did she want to anymore? Link looked at her, a sadness in his gaze that Ilia didn't recognize, but there was still a boyishness in his eyes that she did recognize. His mouth still had that mischievous pull at the corners. There was still a quiet firmness about his presence that made her feel safe. Ilia held his hands in both of hers and smiled. "Yes. I think that the Link I know is still there somewhere. Changed…added to and taken away from. But you're still there. Just different."

Link's shoulders slumped and he sighed, resting his forehead on their joined hands. Ilia freed one of her hands and stroked the back of his head. "Can you be okay with not knowing what I'm hiding from you?" he whispered, not looking up. "Can you be okay with just being my friend? I feel like I've lost so many of those. I really need this to be uncomplicated again…"

Ilia bit her lip and sighed. "Yes. I can be okay with that." They both knew she was lying, but at least that meant she was going to keep trying. Trying was better than nothing.

~! #$%^&*()

Count Durtain was up earlier than usual this morning. He sat out on his front porch, already dressed to the nines, sipping exotic coffee and munching on a sparse breakfast. He let the front of his shirt hang open a little bit, enjoying the feel of the cool air on his skin as the sun rose over the town. When he got home the day before, there was a kind reminder from Tarno on his desk about his secret monthly appointment. It always made him feel a little queer—somber and nervous in a way he hadn't felt since he was a boy being whipped by his father. There had always been something he did wrong according to the old man. Perhaps Durtain was a bit rude and a bit selfish, but at least he didn't hurt children like his father had.

When the estate and the title passed to Durtain upon his father's mysterious death, the Count soon opened a free orphanage for the homeless children in town, which was why people didn't see them running around town anymore. It was a hush hush affair. For all anyone knew, the Princess opened the orphanage. Its sponsor was listed as anonymous on the plaque, and he talked with enough disdain to dissuade anyone from suspecting him. Still, secretly he was pleased to see them safe from the streets and the life of prostitution and crime that would have awaited them. He himself enjoyed the benefits of those underworld institutions, but he wouldn't wish it on a child that young. They could make their own decisions when they became teenagers, the Count didn't care then. He wouldn't let them be forced into it though.

Once a month Durtain stole out to the orphanage in secret and met with the Head Mistress to discuss business and the institution's needs. On the way back he usually made his most secret stop. Today, however, he had requested that the Head Mistress—a woman named Bethinda—come to his house in the early morning before most of the town was awake. It was for this reason he sat on the porch at sunrise, watching for her and trying to look a little more "common" for her sake.

Just as the sun rose to peak its rays just above the housetops, glaring in Durtain's eyes, Bethinda came bumbling up the walk with her books in arms, overflowing with paper. He stood to greet her, bowing his head as a Lord would to a commoner. "Good Morrow, Bethinda. I trust that you are well."

She huffed and smiled at him, bobbling into an awkward curtsey and almost dropping her books in the process. Durtain did not reach to help her. Stray gray hair peeked out from under her cap, giving her a ragged look she always seemed to have. "G'day Count Durtain. I'm a li'l hurried, tell ya the truth, but I'm survivin' I is."

He smiled and picked up his breakfast, walking into the house. "Please come in. We'll meet in my office today."

She nodded and bustled after him, smiling at the servant who rushed to help her through the door. Durtain sat at his usual spot, clearing the paper from his recent studying off of the top, and Bethinda set the books on it before sitting down with a great sigh. "T'is so nice to sit. I never have the time."

Durtain gave a pained smile. "Yes, well that is your lot in life I guess." He cleared his throat and pulled the books to him. While he examined the numbers carefully, Bethinda sat still and let her eyes roam around the room. She'd been there a couple times, but it always seemed to change depending on his interests at the moment. Currently there were a lot of old genealogy books and books of old legends on his desk. Bethinda frowned—it wasn't his usual interests. These actually seemed interesting. Durtain cleared his throat, drawing her eyes back to him. "Everything seems to be in order. There is, however, a recent increase in the purchase of medicine—is the house sick?"

Bethinda nodded. "The young boys are circulatin' a flu, my Lord."

Durtain made a note to himself. "I will send for the doctor at once. Expect him by the end of the week. Anything else I should be aware of?"

"Not really, no. Same as last month. The boys did have a request, though."

Durtain folded his hands on the table. "And that is?"

Bethinda smiled. "They'd like some toy swords, sir. To play with. They're quite struck by hero-worship with the new general."

Durtain scowled, causing Bethinda to shrink back a little before he caught himself and righted his expression. "Absolutely not. Frivolous expense. They can use sticks if they want pretend swords."

Bethinda just nodded, swallowing. "I agree, I do." She said.

"If we are done here, then I must bid you adieu Bethinda. I have much work to do today."

Bethinda stood up and gathered her things, curtseying again. "Thank ya' very much, my Lord Count." She said, and then bustled out the door.

Durtain rubbed his temples, willing the headache away. Thee noise outside his office was increasing, normal sounds of the house waking up and servants bustling about morning meals and cleaning. The Count stood from his chair and crossed the room to a bookcase along the opposite wall, searching the shelves with his dark eyes until they landed on a tiny wooden box with a copper clasp. He looked at it for a moment, sighed, and picked it up. He brought it back to his desk and sat in his chair again. Durtain placed the box before him and opened the clasp, letting the lid fall back. Inside was a sparkling jeweled dragonfly clasp, glittering with green emeralds, red rubies, and blue sapphires set in twining gold and silver metal. He picked it up and turned it over in his smooth right hand, absently rubbing his forehead with the left.

"Count Durtain." The slippery voice of Durtain's number one man, Tarno, pulled the count from his reverie.

"Yes?"

The man was bowing at the door. "Your taxi carriage is waiting at the back door."

Durtain sighed. "Thank you. I will be along shortly." Tarno nodded and exited. Durtain put the clasp back in its box and slid it into a large change purse on his desk. He straightened his clothing, buttoned his shirt, strapped a sword to his waist, and slung a ratty black cloak around his shoulders to hide him. Satisfied with himself, he walked out to meet the waiting carriage.

~! #$%^&*()

Up with the birds, as always, the blue-eyed hero found himself in Eastern Hyrule Field being bested again. His trainer for the morning, Ashei, woke up long before dawn and scolded him when he only arrived to meet her at the crack of it. Link wondered if perhaps her lack of sleep accounted for the drooping, sunken appearance of her eyes. He dared not ask her, however, since he found himself yawning as he met her on the eastern lawn and already had to suffer her disapproving glare. He had fallen asleep on the table the night before and woke, quite alone, to the sound of Ashei's metal feet crossing the wooden floor. It surprised Link exactly how much room Telma had hidden in the back of her bar, but they were all grateful. Telma had quietly let them know that their welcome was almost worn out, however, as she was starting to demand that they all do chores on a regular basis, in addition to the rent and other fees they already were paying her. Shad was hinting at a hasty retreat.

"Today you prove your skill," Ashei said, snapping Link from his mental digression. The sun was rising behind her and glared off of the metal covering her body, making Link squint and shield his eyes. She immediately slapped the hand away and tapped his cheek none too gently. "Show no weakness. Do not betray that you cannot see." Link cleared his throat and frowned, but kept his hands by his sides.

"We fight now."

Even as the words were calmly pronounced, Ashei was already barreling toward him, metal hands swinging at his face.

"Woah! Wait!" Link dodged her swings, rolling and flipping away from her, but as he rolled to the side her right hand caught the leather of his sword belt and snapped it off, sending his sword and shield clanking to the ground. Link lunged for it, but Ashei was there already and slammed her fist into his shoulder. The metal sunk deep into his flesh, grinding the chainmail under his tunic into the skin. He screamed out in pain, staggering backward, and Ashei's other hand used the opportunity to collide with the side of his face. The force of it sent him crashing to the ground with a loud thud. Ashei's foot was soon descending on his head, but Link rolled to the side and used the momentum built by that motion to roll back onto his feet.

A familiar haze fell over the hero's gaze. He felt his mind ease into the cloudy, bloody niche his warrior's mind was accustomed to. When Ashei's attacks came now, he moved out of the way long before she got close to him, his own fists and legs coming up to strike her where her defense had gaps—too small for most people, but huge gaps to the wolf-man. A strike of his heal to the side of her head sent Ashei staggering backwards. Link followed around and rammed his shoulder into her breast, just above the metal girdle around her midsection, causing the woman to cry out in pain and trip over her own feet, falling. The hero would have continued to pummel her there, so quick she couldn't get a punch in edgewise, but her sword was out in a flash and pressed to his throat. Her face was calm, though her breathing was heavy. Link was growling, his eyes almost red with the battle-haze that was clouding his mind, his limbs trembling with adrenaline.

"Calm down," she said, her voice cold. "Control yourself."

Link closed his eyes, breathing deeply and lowering his clenched fists to his sides. Ashei stood up and brushed herself off, backing away a few paces.

"You fight well," she continued, "But you fight with instinct, am I correct?" She went on, not waiting for Link to respond. "Such blind bloodlust would be helpful for dungeons full of nothing but monsters needing to be killed, but when it is people you are fighting you must know how to control yourself. You have justice in your hands—but you must also learn mercy in equal measures. You must be free to choose when to kill and when to spare a life."

Link just nodded, retrieving his sword and strapping it back around his chest. Luckily she hadn't broken the belt, just removed it.

"Let us go again, this time with swords. Control yourself." She drew the sword from the sheath at her hip, and Link drew his sword and shield. Once more she came at him, and as the battle got harder and the hero felt himself on the losing side, once more his instincts started to kick in and the battle haze seeped into his mind. This time, however, he fought it back and harnessed the skills, fighting harder, moving quicker, managing his instincts. Ashei defeated him this time, but the sweat covering his face wasn't from physical exertion—controlling the haze cost him the battle.

"Again," he muttered, before Ashei could speak. She nodded, and the battling continued. The two warriors went on this way through the rest of the morning. Finally, when the sun started getting high in the sky, Ashei stopped their sparring and walked toward a shallow body of water nearby on the plain. They both sheathed their blades and waded into the water, letting it soak their sweaty clothes and cool their overheated flesh.

"You fight better than any I have met," Ashei admitted. "Even better than my father, ya?"

Link frowned, looking up at the sky. "But I lost most of the time."

Ashei waved a dismissive hand. "No matter. You are learning to control your instincts—your progression today was impressive. It took me two weeks of continuous training to learn what you have mastered in a morning's practice, ya?" She sighed and sat up in the water. It was very shallow. "Hyrule's army is in good hands. The Princess made her choice well in you."

Link sat up to and smiled at the warrior woman. "Thank you."

"Perhaps my father will return to the army under your command. He would serve a man like you."

Link tilted his head. "Why did he leave in the first place?"

Ashei stood up, walking to the shore and grabbing a fresh water skin sitting on the bank. "He did not agree with Gorkenheim and his twisted army Captains. So he left." She took a deep swig of the water and sighed, then tossed it to Link. He gave her a thankful smile and drank deeply.

"He sounds like a noble man. And if he trained you to fight as well as you do, I would love to have him."

Ashei just nodded. Link got out of the water and followed Ashei as she walked back toward the castle. "Auru is waiting for you inside with chess," she said. Link groaned. "I know you do not like it. Neither do I, ya? But Auru suspects your true tactical abilities will be unlocked after a morning of battle. In chess it is good to unleash those instincts I just taught you to leash. Play not a game, no—fight a war. Move men. Kill kings."

Being quiet people by nature, they walked the rest of the way back to the bar in a comfortable silence. Auru was already in the resistance group's normal corner with the chessboard set up, finishing off a game with Shad, who read a history book in between moves while Auru thought. Ashei moved to the bar and ignored them, unrolling a small map in her pouch to make some notations, and Link sat down with Shad and Auru. Following Ashei's advice, Link let the lingering feel of battle seep into his mind and cloud his vision as he watched the game—soon he saw the strategy in the combatant's moves. Auru was picking off the key players in Shad's forces to leave his king undefended, while Shad was using his queen's free movement to sneak through the holes in Auru's defenses to claim the victory. Auru was sharp, however, and cut him off at every turn. Shad's focus on intelligent strategy failed to harness the individual strengths of the different pieces, and Auru claimed the victory.

"Move aside, Shad," Link said, scooting Shad—chair and all—to the side of the table and yanking his own chair into place. Auru put the pieces back, and Link closed his eyes. Auru was white so he would move first, meanwhile Link let the battle lust flow through his mind. Ashei's training that morning was invaluable—he felt like the battle lust was starting to be a tool now, rather than an overcoming force. It was getting surprisingly easy to harness.

"Your turn, Link."

Link opened his eyes and looked at the board. This time he didn't see little carved statues on a game board, and he wasn't playing a silly game. His Princess was in danger, and it was up to him and the tools at his disposal—his forces—to defeat the threat. Eliminate the danger and protect the monarch at all costs. He moved his pieces forth to answer Auru's moves, his eyes never leaving the board. Auru seemed so distracted in between moves that surely Link would be the victor—but in the end Auru still won. It was closer than before, but Link still lost. He growled and pounded his fist on the table.

"I don't understand! How did I still lose?"

Auru leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms over his chest, and smiled. "Link. In battle, what happens when you focus all your attention on one enemy and forget everything else?"

Link blinked. "You are so absorbed in the one detail that you miss all of the others, leaving yourself open to attack from other, unforeseen factors. You have to focus on all aspects of the battle."

"And what of the things that are important factors but don't directly involve the battle?" Auru asked.

"You mean like terrain and wildlife?" Link asked. Auru shrugged. "Well, if you let a part of your mind focus on other things you have a higher chance of noticing different avenues of attack that you wouldn't have seen if you haven't been aware of them."

Auru nodded, the corners of his mouth twitching. "And how can you apply this to chess?"

Link frowned and thought for a while, idly resetting the board as he thought. "I have no idea."

"I'm disappointed," Auru said, setting up his own pieces. "I would have thought it obvious considering how observant you are. Be aware of the workings of your own mind. You see, Link, when you allow yourself to be completely absorbed in the game itself, your mind overlooks possibilities. If you let your mind wander to other things not concerning the game—or battle, as it were— when you look at the board again your mind will notice things it wouldn't have before. Shad read a book while I made my moves. I look around and think about past adventures. Our game will last for weeks on end sometimes while we wait to see our next move. When we come back to the game after distracting our minds with other things, our minds are fresh and we see the board with new eyes. Do you understand?" Link nodded. "Well then let's go again."

This time Link chose not to focus so hard, though he still harnessed his battle instincts to formulate strategies and execute moves. It was a different kind of battle, but the same basic principles none the less. In between moves he talked to Shad, Ashei, or Telma. Ilia came over at one point and distracted him. The game went on for quite a while because of this. When there wasn't any people around to distract him with conversation, Link found himself thinking on his past adventures, and on last night's ball. It seemed so far away he could hardly believe it was just last night that he danced with the Princess and nearly killed a drunkard.

"Checkmate, Auru. You can't get out of that." Link grinned triumphantly. Auru grinned back, crossing his arms over his chest and nodded.

"Indeed—and soundly slaughtered, I might add. Well done, General." Auru gathered up the pieces and started putting them away. "We will do more of this," he said. "You seem to have a good grasp on basic strategy now. Tomorrow we will do something more complicated. For today I have something else planned for us."

Link raised his eyebrows. When Auru didn't volunteer any more information, he prompted the old man further. "And that is?"

Auru fixed the latch on his chess case, pushed it toward Shad to take care of, and stood up. "You're going to meet the army today. They'll all be there—thousands of them, including all of your commanders. Gorkenheim would have been there, but the head of the castle guards tells me that he is in prison for assaulting the Princess. Rumor has it that you protected her from him like some kind of animal."

Ignoring that last comment, Link jumped to his feet and hurried to Auru's side as the old general exited the bar. "Right now?" he croaked.

"No time like the present, Link."

The hero fidgeted with his tunic and groaned.

~! #$%^&*()

Count Durtain stepped down from the cheep taxi carriage with his hood pulled over his face and clutched the cloak about him. He sighed and watched as the driver cliqued his tongue and the horses pulled away; they would return after dark, when his visit for the month was up. With a sigh he faced the front door of the familiar small house with its dark stained glass windows.

"Hey! If you don't like bugs, you have no business bothering Princess Agatha!"

The dark-haired count froze in his tracks and narrowed his eyes. A sneaky man with sunken eyes had place himself between Durtain and the door. Those eyes shifted back and forth in a paranoid manner, his little dirty hands wringing themselves again and again. It was impossible to tell what age he was through the grime on his face.

"I thought I told you to leave the last time I was here," Durtain said. "What are you doing still here, in defiance of my orders?" The Count's voice was cold and quiet. The small man didn't answer. He fidgeted some more and tried to avoid Durtain's gaze. "I asked you a question, street wretch. Why are you here?"

The man shrunk back from Durtain, pressing himself against the wall and shaking his head. Under his breath he murmured "no business…Agatha the bug Princess…you have no business here…"

Durtain shoved him to the ground and went to the door. Before opening it, he half turned his head and said, "I am going to have you arrested today for indecent stalking and possible violation of a child." With that he knocked twice and went in the house.

A genuine smile almost touched his lips when he looked around the space. He remembered where each item in it had been bought, and why Agatha chose it. It was many years ago, when the smiling blond girl was just a little kid who still needed to be babysat, and Durtain secretly took her on a trip to a neighboring country, just the two of them, where they spent days shopping for her "palace". The building hadn't been built yet, just a vacant lot, and Agatha was staying in his orphanage. He took her away on the trip on the ruse of an anonymous adoption, and her palace was built while they were away. Already in love with bugs, she picked out the bug displays all over the walls in a scientist's study, and skylights. Everything bought and packaged, they returned home where the house was completed. He'd chosen to leave the large tree on the lot there and build the house around it. It was a modest house, but a good one for Agatha—warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and filled with things to delight her. She loved it so much that the only time she left it was to buy things, or go bug hunting.

"Who's there?" Agatha's bell-like voice rang through the room, her eyes peering around the side of the tree. Durtain took his cloak off and hung it on a rack by the door as a gentle smile smoothed the tense features of his face. Eyes that were usually as hard and cold as steel seemed to get warmth in them, and his face—hard-lined with judgment and disdain—softened. "FATHER!" Agatha squealed and ran to him. He crouched and held his arms open as she barreled into them.

"Good morning, Agatha," he murmured, turning his smiling face into her hair and hugging her tightly. "You're up early today."

She giggled. "I always wake up at sunrise, silly! That's when the bugs wake up!"

He laughed and let her go, still crouching at her eye level. "Of course! My bug Princess has to be awake to serve her people. You're a very good Monarch, my little butterfly."

"Come have tea with me, father?"

Durtain nodded and followed her to a small tea table, looking around at the sparkling golden bugs flittering through the air. The ringing noises they made reminded him of Agatha's voice, and made him smile. "I don't remember you having all of these the last time I came," he remarked.

"A boy got them for me this month," she said as she poured some cold water into the tea cups.

"A boy, huh? A prince?"

She shrugged and put tea leaves in the cups. "I don't know. I guess maybe he is. He was on the stage with the Queen this week."

Durtain's eyes flashed and widened, the muscled in his jaw flexing as he clenched his teeth. He cleared his throat. "She's not a Queen, dear. She's not married yet." He said.

"Oh." Agatha sat down and stirred her tea.

Durtain took a measured breath, pointedly relaxed his expression, and stirred his own tea. "So," he said, casually. "This boy. What does he wear?"

"Lots of green. He looks light a giant grasshopper!"

Durtain laughed. "Or a slimy green slug."

Agatha shook her head. "No he's too nice and cute for a slug."

"Oh, no slug then. Grasshopper it is." He paused. "I know him, actually. His name is Link."

"You'll be proud of me, father," Agatha said with a grin. "I remembered what you said last time about being a more polite Princess, so whenever the boy brought me a bug I shared my happiness with him."

Durtain's brow furrowed. "Shared your happiness. How?"

"Just like you share yours with me. I gave him fifty rupees every time he brought me a bug, and a hundred when he brought me a partner for the bug at my ball! Did I tell you about my bug ball, father?"

Durtain nearly spilled his tea. "You what?"

Agatha looked confused. "I had a ball for my bugs, but they didn't get the invitations I sent, so the boy went and got them for me."

"No, no, no. You gave him your money?!" He looked around the room at how many glittering bugs were there and nearly choked again. He must have been there a lot to bring her that many bugs. I was right about him all along, Durtain thought. He is hiding something. To violate a little girl's privacy and take her money like that…what a slimy, underhanded, deceitful man. This will not go unmentioned!

"Father, will you go bug hunting with me today?"

Durtain jolted from his thoughts and nodded. "Of course, that will be fun. Before we leave, though, I have a present for you."

"Yay!" Agatha giggled and clapped her hands together. Durtain reached down to the change purse.

"First, your allowance this month is in it. But no more giving money to strangers, you hear me? Sharing your happiness doesn't mean you have to give them money." Agatha pouted her lower lip, but nodded. "Second, open the little box inside."

Agatha did as she was told and gasped in surprise. "OH! What a pretty clasp, father! It looks just like Mido over there!" She pointed to a green male dragonfly that was sparkling away on the side of the tree near them. She giggled and put it on, then twirled around and hugged Durtain. "Thank you, thank you!"

He laughed and hugged her back. "You're welcome, Agatha. Now, shall we depart out the back way?" Putting his cloak on and tugging the hood low over his eyes, Durtain took Agatha's hand and walked with her out the door.

~! #$%^&*()

Link was standing in the last place he had ever thought he would be. Every little kid dreams of being a hero, and he had become that. He fought monsters hundreds of leagues under the lake, and thousands of miles in the air. Dragons, sea serpents, dead fossils revived, possessed killer plants, and a giant spider that only existed centuries ago in a temple now nothing but lost ruins...all of these he faced and destroyed. He single-handedly rescued six different races from slavery and extinction—the Zoras, the Hylians, the Sheikah, the Gorons, the Oocca, and the Twili. He helped take care of goats on a ranch, and danced with queens. Sure, he had been afraid, but never in all of his wandering dreams was this scene ever in Link's mind.

Link stood on a make-shift stage set up on the field in the middle of the Army Compound. Rather than wearing appropriate General attire, he wore his ruddy green tunic, mud all over his boots and hair unkempt—his usual appearance, especially when he spent the morning training. A little heads up would have been nice. The entire army was spread out around him, standing in their units and looking up at him with expressions ranging from disdain to curiosity. Perhaps a few of them were happy, but it was impossible to tell with so many of them spread around. Right in front of him, the officers stood in a row.

Captain Volc, head of the castle guard, stood to the left of the other officers. Link recognized his ginger hair and angular features from his first post-war meeting with the Princess, and knew him to be the man who betrayed the Princess's trust. The timid head of the city guard and gate posts, Captain Farel, fidgeted right next to Volc. To his right were the three slippery-looking Captains of the messengers and border patrols—Doker, Refflan, and Morg—then the five main army Captains. On a first glance the five army Captains seemed like decent, rather unremarkable soldiers. The red tunics and plumed helmets were all that set the Captains' uniforms apart from that of the regular soldiers.

Link repeatedly stroked the wolf stone's pouch with the pad of his thumb. What he wouldn't give to turn into a wolf, jump on their heads to the wall close by, and escape…but no, this was his duty to the royalty, Hyrule itself, and his own destiny.

"You okay, Link?" Auru stepped onto the stage and placed a hand on Link's shoulder. Link just nodded. "All right then, I'm going to introduce you, and then the stage is all yours." The old general gave Link's shoulder a firm shake, and then stepped forward and held his arms in the air for silence. He waited for the angry-sounding murmurs to dwindle off and then spoke.

"As you know, General Gorkenheim is responsible for making this transition smooth and introducing you to your new General, but, as you are all aware of I am sure, he is in the dungeons. His brutal, drunken attack against our Princess is inexcusable, and punishable by beheading. I will take his place, although many of you will not remember me. I would like to introduce General Link, the Duke of Randulfr, to you all however you already know of him. You are also aware of the thrashing given to the six men your general and his officers sent to kill the Duke. As a past General of this army, I can tell you with full confidence that you will find no better leader or fighter than this man. He is worthy of your respect, your trust, and your fear. Without further ado, General Link."

There was no applause. Auru turned around and met Link's eyes for a moment and he walked off the stage. Link took a deep breath, steeled his mind as if for a battle, and stepped to the center of the stage. The wolf-man's sharp eyes roved over the crowd, his mouth set in a hard frown, and crossed his arms over his chest. He did not say anything. Auru walked around the stage to get a better view of him. Still, Link did not say a word. He stood like that, with his arms crossed, unmoving, until it started to feel awkward. The silence dragged on. Men began to shift on their feet, cough, and murmur. Link just kept glarring at them.

Finally, the hero opened his mouth. "I have nothing to say to you," is what he came out. His beast-like eyes kept glaring out over the soldiers. "You have made up your minds to hate me, and whatever I might say you won't hear." He turned on the stage to face a different section of the crowd, straining his ears to listen to the murmurs in the back. "I went into monster-infested temples that you were afraid to go near, recovered ancient weaponry and skills, and single-handedly delivered each race and region of Hyrule from the evil within. I have killed monsters bigger than the castle, whose fire was hotter than lava, and whose poison was more deadly than snakes. I've fought dragons in mid-air, and sea serpents at the bottom of the lake temple. I have defeated your strongest men with ease, surprised and unarmed as I was. I have even traveled through time…and yet, you wish me to prove myself." He scoffed and spit on the stage at his feet. "Disgraceful. Is the code of chivalry dead? Have you forgotten the vows you took?

"Captains," Link pointed at the line of ten. "You were the first to turn against me. The first to spread fowl rumors and defy her Grace's wishes. Do I need to fight you as well to earn your respect?" As he said this, the hero began removing his gauntlets. "Do any of you feel the need to be beaten? I'd rather have you strong for training, but not if you hold no respect for me."

All ten Captains, eyes wide, shook their heads and took a half-step backwards. "N-no sir!" Captain Volc said.

"No? Not even you, the first to betray Princess Zelda's trust? Tsk tsk." Link shrugged, taking off his hat and setting it next to the gauntlets. "Fine. Anyone else? Anyone? You can keep your arms if you would like, I'll fight you bare handed." The courtyard was silent. Some of the weaker-hearted soldiers were actually trembling. General Link chuckled, and crossed his arms again. "No one? Too bad. And here I was told you thought you were better than me. You would 'beat me to a pulp', and 'teach me what it means to be in the army' I was told. I am sorely disappointed." He leaned down and picked up his gauntlets and hat again. He put them back on and kept speaking.

"Don't worry if you feel like you missed your chance. You will have more opportunities in training. You all have a long way to go in order to improve. The damage done to this army by that trash, Gorkenheim, will take a while to repair." A smile crept onto his face. "But you will improve. I will teach your Captains what I know, and they will teach you. I myself will be as involved in your training as possible. Expect to have me involved in all of your lives. I have been told what it was like for you under Gorkenheim—actual involvement was optional. More were more interested in pleasure, entertainment, and prestige than they were in their duties as soldiers or their oaths as knights. That era is over. If you are sad to see it go, you may delist from this army. Men like the previous General are not needed or welcome anymore. Consider this a warning—and a promise. I will train you all, and together we will succeed. The Hyrulian Army will be a thing of honor and chivalry again. You will be able to tell your children that you were in the army and say it with pride. You will be a role model for all citizens. To be a soldier will be honest work again. It's going to be hard work for us all, but if you are willing, then I am able. I believe that every one of you has the potential to be a hero in your own right. Together, we will fight off the shadows of the past." He paused, smiling a little. "That's all," he finally said.

Link picked up his things and started putting them back on. "Captains, I will meet with you immediately. We will discuss your positions of leadership and why you feel I should let you keep them." The Captains nodded and shuffled behind him as he headed from the field to the General's quarters. Auru took a space walking by his side.

"Good show of strength," the old general murmured, low enough for Link's ears alone. The hero let the corners of his mouth curl a little and met Auru's eyes. He could hear the Captains murmuring to each other in low voices behind them. Auru pointed Link in the direction of the General's quarters, and once they entered the main conferencing room, Auru took a non-obtrusive stance by the door and Link turned to his Captains. They lined up in front of him in the same way they had at the ceremony—perhaps it was their set formation? Link wondered at how much of the army's procedures and formations he didn't know. He cleared his throat.

"I have been told of your deeds, and have seen them for myself. You are corrupted Gorkenheim-men who lust for power. Your troops are rude, untrained, and weak. They spend their time drinking in bars, and run at the first mentions of danger. I don't care that they were fighting monsters—it was their duty to fight anyway. And yet they ran away. Then again, it was your duty to train them to fight and be brave and you didn't. The Hyrulian Army's failure was on your shoulders, and those of your despicable General. What's more, you chose to be loyal to him rather than to your own Princess after the war because it was his failure to lead that gave you your power in the first place, so how could you defy him?" Link looked at Captain Volc pointedly. "Tell me why I should let you stay in power."

"Permission to speak, sir?" said Captain Morg.

"Go ahead."

"Captain Morg, northern and eastern Hyrule border patrol. Gorkenheim manipulated us when Volc let the information slip—he led us to believe that you were from nowhere. We didn't know that you were responsible for our deliverance—can you blame us for wanting to protect the army from an inexperienced boy? Gorkenheim may have been a slob, but at least he had battle experience."

"That makes no difference, Captain. Princess Zelda made a decision, and it is your duty to honor her decisions and trust her wisdom."

Someone else spoke up, without permission. "With all due respect to her Majesty, sir, it was after her father died and she inherited the throne that we came under attack and lost Hyrule."

Link's eyes narrowed, his left hand in a fist. "Your name?"

"Captain Doker, Hyrulian messengers."

"One of the rudest, foulest branches of the army. Of course. Your time in this army is over—I am demoting you to the lowest ranking. Such disloyalty and ignorance will not be tolerated, especially by someone with no firsthand knowledge of the Princess's person or the actual events of the war."

"Sir!"

"You do not have to permission to speak, soldier. You may go clean out your quarters. Do not address your men. I will address them, and I will speak to you further at a later time."

Grumbling and glaring at Link, Doker exited the room. Link tapped his boot. "Anyone else sharing Private Doker's sentiments may also leave, for such ignorance and treason against her Highness will not be tolerated in my army." No one spoke. "Good. I will speak to each of you in private at a later time. You have the opportunity to prove to me that you are willing to change and deserve the position you have. Make the best of it. If you don't meet my expectations, you will be likewise demoted. Am I understood?"

The Captains nodded.

"Good. As I said to the men, the shadows of the past will be removed from this army. If you insist on holding to them, then you will be removed. You all may go."

~! #$%^&*()

The taxi carriage dropped Count Durtain a few blocks from his mansion. The tired-looking, disgruntled count walked to the servant's door in the back of the house and entered. A glass of wine had been left on the counter for him, as he requested, as well as a freshly lit candle. Pulling back his hood, Durtain took both in either hand and walked through his corridors to the study. With a deep swig of the red wine, the black-haired man tossed his cloak on a chair in the corner of the room and sat at his desk. Still open on it were the Duke of Randulfr's genealogy charts. There were many holes in the charts, and whole centuries of missing ancestors. Also on his desk were reports on the Duke's activity, wolf sightings in castle town, and Ordon commerce from the present to a year prior to the war. Once again, it didn't add up. He was no one with no possible sword knowledge or ability. How had he possibly defeated the enemy and brought Hyrule peace? And if he had not really done so, as Durtain suspected, then who had? And how had Link deceived their Monarch so? Perhaps he tricked her, as he had tricked Agatha. To steal a little girl's money and invade upon her privacy…it was slimy and despicable. Perhaps there was black magic involved…

The shadows in the room seemed to get darker as these thoughts swirled through the Count's mind. The candle's light dimmed, seemingly suppressed by the room's shadows.

He is a liar and a thief, Durtain thought. It is my duty to protect the Princess from him, as well as Hyrule itself. If she is in league with him, then I must have Hyrule's best interests at heart. I will expose him for what he really is. Hyrule will see the truth, as I do.

The Count made some notations about the new information he had attained that day and leaned back in his chair. Plotting how he would go about this, Durtain drummed his fingers on the chair's arm and drank his red wine. The candle light glinted in the glass's depths like a pair of red eyes on the surface of the wine.

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Author's Note:

January 2015: REVISED CHAPTER UPLOADED.

Author's Comment from original upload: A Link and Durtain Chapter! And a little something there in the beginning…lol. Just keeping you on your toes! Is that character depth in Durtain? WOW! This chapter was a long time in coming, but as you can see the length of it I hope that you understand why now. It was a complicated chapter to write, especially with the shifting from person to person and the material being covered. Enjoy, review, and all that jazz! Thanks to everyone for your continued support, reading, and comments. One of these days, I'm going to have a thing here in the Author's Note to show what countries you all are from—all around the world! I love being able to see that. Yey !

On another note, I've really been enjoying the Zelda fanfilms that are out. There's Legend of Link (LOL) the parody of course, but there's also The Legend of Zelda: The Sage of Darkness that's been completed. It's a little hard to get into at first, but by the end of the film I was engrossed in it. Very great actor for Link, I thought. Two promising projects that there are numerous trailers for are Hero of Time (yes, it's actually happening!) and The Triforce Prophecy. Check them out on youtube!

-The Wolfess