It's at last warming up around here! It's about time!
iheartLink: Thank you! I'm glad you like this! Yeah, Maxi was based on an already existing character, but he still deviates from it quite a bit. Thanks for reviewing!
ShadowVDP: I love Aladdin! Thanks for your review!
TwilightQueenMidna: Haha, yeah, but it's not my fault! I had to cut the chapter off at some point! 8D Thanks for the review!
Andor1: Awesome! Spirit Tracks is really great, you won't be disappointed! In my opinion, though, it's the hardest Zelda game since the Ocarina of Time. Thanks for reviewing!
Linkandzel: Haha, you don't hear the word 'obsconded' very often! I'll have to use it sometime . . . 8D Thanks for your review!
Principessa Dell'Opera: That poison thing's a good idea! 8D Sorry about your boyfriend! –hugs- Thanks for the review!
NintendoChick: Thanks so much! I'm really glad you like it! And thanks for reviewing!
And thanks bunches to kk44 and EscarlethofSoren for your reviews!
Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda
Rated T for violence, torture, and sensuality
"Pathetic? To die for love? How can you say so? What could be more glorious?" –Marianne in Sense and Sensibility
CH. 36
Zelda paced restlessly in a small living area in the castle, the window wide open to let in the breeze and sunshine. Simple furniture sat about, paintings of the creation of Hyrule adorning the walls. She had been told by Impa that Touchstone wanted to speak to her about his search, and that Roofy was coming with him. She had already received word from Maxi, saying they hadn't found anything yet.
She was on the verge of hyperventilating. If Touchstone and Roofy didn't have good news, she didn't know if she could keep her composure.
There was a knock on the door and she replied quickly, "Come in."
It opened to reveal the army leader and large wolf, both with serious expressions. The sunlight caught Touchstone's silver armor, making blinding streaks along it. They came in, shutting the door behind them.
"Yes?" Zelda asked, her throat tight in anticipation.
"I have all of Hyrule on alert," Touchstone stated. "But so far, we've received no news. We'll keep looking, Zelda."
"I have my pack still searching," Roofy said. "But the truth is that Link's scent is everywhere. It makes it hard to track his trail. We're following the freshest ones, but so far we've only gotten dead ends."
The princess stood silently, her face blank. Her lungs constricted, cutting off her air. She felt her knees weaken so she sat back on the red chair, the cloth sinking under her.
Roofy came up to her. "We'll find him, Zelda, don't worry."
Zelda dropped her head down, leaning it against the wolf's soft, thick fur. There was a moment of silence before Touchstone's raspy voice said, "Link's tough. He'll make it."
She slowly lifted her head off Roofy, eyes widening. She looked to the army leader but he was already walking out. She was stunned. That was the first compliment she'd ever heard him say about Link. A smile touched her lips. She wished Impa had been there to witness.
The carriage came to a bouncing halt, and Link felt his nerves react like electric, pumping his body with energy. They had kept going all night long, and he assumed some of the men went to sleep because they didn't talk as much. He had dozed off, trying to save his strength. The hunger pains had subsided, but his mouth was dry from no water. The gag was beginning to rub his lips raw. He hoped it would come off soon.
Navi disappeared through the opening, looking outside. After a few moments she ducked back in, coming close to Link's face and whispering. "I see where they're taking you. I'll go tell Zelda, okay?"
He nodded, feeling a tug at his heart. If Navi left him, he'd be completely alone. But no one else knew where he was. He didn't even know where he was.
The fairy paused, her wings fluttering. She pressed herself against his cheek. "I love you, Link!" Then she shot off out of the carriage.
Navi flew high into the air to keep out of sight, then turned around to get a good look at the area, the wind buffeting her body. The road the carriage had traveled on was dirt and surrounded by dense, dark green forest that stretched for miles. There was a large clearing, one side ending in a cliff face that dropped to the ocean. The ocean was gray, waves splashing up against the cliff with white foam. Rain clouds still hung in the sky, but these were thinner.
Navi then turned her attention to where Link would be. It was designed like a castle, with four towers and battlements, but it was much smaller. It had three stories and likely a basement. The stone was dark and cracked, giving off a haunted aura. It didn't look like anyone lived there. She supposed at one time it might have been the house of a nobleman, or a country home for a rich family. But now it was ugly scar over the hill it set on, its front overlooking the ocean.
"I'll be back, Link," she promised, then turned abruptly in the air, taking off.
She beat her wings as fast as she could, the mild air getting colder from her velocity. The woods passed by under her as her eyes traced the path they had taken to get there. She was nearly positive they weren't in Hyrule. If they were, it was on the extreme border. It was so far out in the wilderness, with no towns or dwellings in sight. Those men that had taken Link would have complete privacy to do whatever they wanted.
She pushed the thought from her mind, but its echo propelled her faster. It had taken about a day for them to reach that sinister dwelling, but she vowed she would reach Hyrule Castle this night. Link might not have very long.
The back of the carriage was thrown open, noon sun blinding Link. He squinted his dark blue eyes, looking at the silhouetted forms of the men who kidnapped him. A few laughed, and two reached in and pulled him out, setting him on his feet and gripping his arms securely. He wobbled, getting feeling back in his legs.
"Look at your new home," one sneered.
Link's eyes flicked around at his surroundings, taking in the woods and the structure that resembled a minor castle. Then a cloth was bound around his eyes, blind-folding him. More laughter followed.
Link tried to struggle out of his ropes, but they held tight, digging into his skin. He couldn't move his legs or feet so he had to be dragged along as they headed into the building. He knew they had come inside when he heard the dangle of keys and then the creak of a door. His feet were drawn along a smooth surface, probably stone, and the air became much cooler. He could smell wax from candles, and dust that possibly coated the corners of the hall he was in.
They walked for awhile, making occasionally turns, before they headed down a flight of stairs. The hero could tell they were descending by the drop in temperature and by the way the men's footsteps began to echo. He heard the crackling of a torch, the heat brushing his skin as they passed it.
The stairs ended and they were on a flat floor again. Link crinkled his nose at the smells that assaulted him. Dust, grime, decay, and the metallic scent of blood made his stomach churn in revulsion and apprehension. He heard a loud creak of a door being opened and he was dragged through it, his boots going over a gritty floor.
They stood him upright, supporting him because he couldn't keep his balance. He heard the clanging of chains and felt two shackles strapped around his ankles. A knife cut through the ropes that bound his legs, and blood rushed into the areas. Suddenly the cold blade of the knife was pressed against his throat, a hand grabbing his hair and tilting his head back. A voice hissed, "Struggle and you're dead."
Link saw no reason why the man wouldn't keep his word, so he stayed still as the rest of the ropes were cut from him and his hands were raised above his head. Cold, heavy, metal shackles were locked around his sore wrists and the chain they were connected to was pulled taut, stretching his arms over his head. The knife was removed from his throat and he felt the men back away.
He stayed immobile, listening as he heard their footsteps fade away until they were gone. He wiggled his wrists, hearing the chains clinking together. He moved his feet and found that he was allowed a few inches of freedom, but the chains those binds were connected to hooked into the floor.
Minutes dragged by as he tested the strength of his bindings. They were sturdy, not allowing him to have hope.
Zelda, he thought. I have to get out for Zelda. And if I can't get out, I have to stay alive until help comes.
That thought was comforting to him, filling him with new vigor. So he stood straight and raised his chin as he heard a single pair of footsteps enter the room, going at a measured pace before stopping in front of him.
"My men did well," came the smooth, accented voice. "You're even in one piece. I'll have to be sure to reward them."
Silence stretched between them momentarily.
"You're out here alone," the man continued. "No one knows this is here, and no one can find you. No help is coming."
Wanna bet? the Hylian thought, a smugness settling over him.
"I know who you are, Link, warrior from Hyrule. I was quite surprised when I received this task. I suppose you at last made an enemy that didn't want to face you directly."
Received this task? He was hired to do this?
"You're at our mercy here, Link. We can do whatever we like without any interference."
The hero felt a shudder go through him. He hoped Navi would hurry. Silence came again, and for a moment he wondered if the man had left and he just hadn't heard him. Then he felt a finger touch the inside of his thigh, and he jumped at the contact. The finger slowly made its way up, and Link wasn't sure whether to stay still or struggle against the touch. As the man neared his groin he grunted in protest, pulling against the chains on his wrists and trying to move his leg away. The man laughed, but the finger was retracted.
"You're a virgin, aren't you? I can tell."
Link felt sick at his words.
"Now listen to me. I won't rape you, but if you try to escape, or give me a hard time, then I'll let my men do it. Are we clear?"
There was a pause, so Link nodded in response. Of all the things that had entered his mind, rape hadn't been one of them. The thought made fear sink its teeth into his chest.
"Good boy."
At last his gag was pulled off, and he worked his mouth to loosen his sore jaw. Then the blindfold followed, and he blinked a few times before getting a look at where he was. He was in a cell, three walls made of stone that were covered in grime. There was a space in front of him that was blocked off by rusty bars, one section as a door, a lock made into it. He could see into the area beyond which was nothing but a small, empty space, torches burning on the wall. He got the feeling that a few more cells were next to his own. The place reminded him of the Gerudo Fortress.
He turned his attention to the man in front of him. Dark-skinned with black hair and a stubble along his jaw, the man was of average build, his muscles evident under his tattered and dirty clothes. Some gold jewelry hung on his neck and he had rings on his fingers. His face was thin and rough.
"Who are you?" Link asked, his voice hoarse from disuse.
"My name is Jabez," he responded. "I am the leader of a band of criminals, and this is our outpost. We're from the Black Islands, miles off the coast. Our influence, however, runs far."
Link glared at him. "So how did you meet Prince Casimir?"
Jabez studied him, as if contemplating whether or not to answer it. At last he said, "The Prince and I have had plenty of dealings in the past. He may seem very noble and uptight, but he likes to get his hands dirty." He sneered. "And yes, he hired us to kidnap you and take you here."
"What are you going to do?"
"Oh, the Prince didn't say anything specific," Jabez replied. "He just said to 'teach you a lesson', but I know what he wants. This isn't my first go round with one of the Prince's enemies."
Jabez reached to his belt and pulled free a whip. Link's eyes widened, his heart stopping before thundering in his chest. He pulled on his chains some more, but it was to no avail.
"You're a warrior, right, Link?" the criminal said, going around behind him. "I bet you can take more of these than most can. Let's see, shall we?"
Link bit his lip as the first strike lashed across his back, ripping his clothes and splitting his skin. He curled his hands into fists, his nails digging into his palms as the whip cracked again and again over his skin. Pain flared through his body relentlessly. He strained against his bonds, but he couldn't move. He was forced to stand and take the pain.
As lash after lash continued, Link closed his mouth tightly to stop the scream that was battling to force its way from his throat. He felt warm blood running down his back and dripping onto his legs. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to shut out the agony that the whip produced.
He had felt plenty of pain before, but this was different. He'd never been whipped, and he had never been tortured. To be able to do nothing while suffering was almost worse. The sound of the whip was loud in his pointed ears, the crackling of the torches fading into a background hum.
At last Link couldn't hold it in any longer and he screamed, his throat raw and burning. His wrists were becoming chafed from him pulling against his shackles, which he was doing unconsciously now. His screams resonated in his prison, the dirt and grit on the floor crunching under his boots.
Jabez finally stopped, hooking the whip back on his belt. Link slumped in his chains, his head rolling to the side. Jabez stopped in front of him and patted him on the cheek. "We're going to be good friends, no?" With that he walked out of the cell and shut the door, locking it with a click and leaving the dungeon.
Navi gasped for breath, pushing her body to fly faster. Hyrule Castle was right there! Night had just fallen, causing her to panic. Stars twinkled above her, a crescent moon coating her in silver light. She was hungry, and most especially thirsty, but that was a second priority. Getting to the princess was the first.
Navi shot down to the castle and curved around its towers, coming to Zelda's window. She peered inside, placing her hand on the glass. She saw Zelda sitting on her bed, face buried in her hands and her shoulders shaking. Navi pushed off the window and went over to the balcony, the door open. She sped inside, screaming, "Zelda!"
Zelda jumped, turning around as the fairy crash-landed on the bed. "Navi?"
"Zelda!" she breathed, not possessing the strength to fly into the air again. Her heart was beating rapidly, her heavy breathing making it difficult to speak. "Link – captured – help. I know," she gulped in air, "I know where – he – is."
"Calm down, Navi, you'll hurt yourself," the princess said, although hope and dread ignited in her at once. She got up, rushing over to her small table where she had a glass of water. She brought it back to the bed, pouring some into her hand and laying it by the fairy. "Drink this."
Navi crawled onto her hand and drank the water greedily. After she got her fill, she looked up at the Hylian. "I know where Link is! We have to help him! He was captured by these foreign men, and-"
Zelda held up a hand. "You can tell me on the way there."
Navi nodded, flying up, her light illuminating the princess's face. "We have to hurry! I think they're going to hurt him."
Zelda stood up, grabbing her boots and pulling them on. "Where is he?"
"Not in Hyrule, maybe on the border. I memorized the way there. It's some sort of old mansion-thing."
Tying her boots, she began toward the door, and then pulled up short. She paused, thinking. She turned to the fairy, the only light in her room. "What does this place look like?"
Navi answered quickly, "Like a castle, only smaller."
"How many stories?"
"Three. And probably a basement."
"What's the layout of the land around it?"
"A cliff on one side, and woods on the others. It's on top of an incline in a clearing."
Zelda shifted her weight to one foot, her sheikah skills evaluating her options. She considered telling Touchstone, but he would take knights to help rescue Link. That would make them move slower and be noticeable, especially since the building was on top of a hill with clear space around it. That would give Link's captors time to kill him or use him as a hostage. And if she told Impa, she would tell Touchstone.
She thought about bringing Maxi, but dismissed it. She could move much faster on her own, and the pirate didn't have the sheikah abilities she possessed. No, she would do this alone. She'd be a one-man – or, rather, woman – break-in team. She could slip in, get Link, and get out hopefully without being noticed.
Zelda flung open her closet door, grabbing two bags and setting them down. One was large and meant for a horse to carry, another was smaller and meant for her. She grabbed brown pants and a light blue tunic, pulling them on.
"What's the plan?" Navi asked.
"You and I are going after Link," Zelda replied, tying gray cloth around her forearms and taping up her hands. She strapped on a belt and got two daggers, a chain, and her darts. The sheikah symbol was on the front of the tunic, with extra cloth around the collar so she could pull it up over her face. "Link will be safer if no one else comes."
Navi nodded, watching the princess tie her hair back and throw a few extra clothes into a bag. Her body was tingling with anticipation, ready to leave.
Zelda yanked open a drawer on her dresser which contained sheikah medical supplies. She bit her lip. They didn't know what kind of state they would find Link in, so it was best to be prepared. She grabbed bandages and needle and thread, sticking them in the bag. Grabbing both sacks and slinging them over her shoulder, she said, "I need to go get food and water to bring along and then we're out of here. Stay hidden."
The fairy darted into Zelda's pocket, her light extinguished. Zelda listened at her door for a moment until she was sure no one was there. She crept into the hallway, shutting the door behind her. Moving quickly and silently, she went down to the kitchen. Opening one of the double doors, she was happy to see that all the cooks were gone. She grabbed two loafs of bread, a bag of nuts, a few apples, and canteens of water. She could hope for food on the way and kill animals to eat them if she had to.
Finished, she hurried outside of the castle and to the stables. It was very dark inside, the horses lying down on the hay in their stalls. She glanced up to the ceiling where Ricky slept in the room upstairs. She heard light snoring and smiled. Going down the stalls she found Epona, who stirred as she said her name.
"Come on, Epona, we have to go help Link," Zelda whispered, opening the door.
The horse stood up and came out, the princess leading it to the exit. She flung the saddle on, buckling it up quickly, and then attached the heaviest bag. Grabbing the leather reins, she led the horse out through the market and into Hyrule Field before mounting it.
Zelda steadied herself, shifting in the saddle. The wind stirred her ponytail as she scanned the landscape, moonlight shining down on her.
Navi flew out, going in front of the horse. "You ready, Zelda?"
The princess nodded, adrenaline fueling her. "Let's go."
"Then follow me."
As the fairy took off, lighting the area around her, Epona raced after her, hooves kicking up dirt and grass. Zelda clutched the reins tightly, squinting her eyes against the wind that hit her face. It was time to get her fiancé back.
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