WHOOO BOY

Buckle up kids, the ride has begun!


Telma grinned and wrapped Zelda in a hug, smelling of cinnamon and smoke. "It's good to see you, hon, but I hoped it wouldn't be like this."

Zelda might have frozen solid from shock, but then, she really shouldn't have been surprised. Of course Link would have this up his sleeve. She squeezed her eyes shut and hugged Telma fiercely, unaware she'd missed the sassy bartender so much.

When they disengaged, Link and Ilayen received the same; Zelda shot Link a look while Telma was busy pinching Ilayen's cheeks and Ilia laughed, a look that said, Taking me out that night wasn't just for dinner, huh?

Link grinned and, glancing at the distracted group, leaned in and kissed her. It was unexpected, but entirely welcome, and she responded eagerly. She slid her hand in his hair, their surroundings fading to the background, and she realized how much she'd missed this--missed him, even if he'd been beside her all this time.

His hands went to her hips, but a series of uncomfortable coughs made them break away. Ilia was red, looking anywhere but at them, Ilayen was smirking, and Telma had a look on her face that made Zelda afraid to hear what the woman was thinking.

Telma winked at them. "I see things have progressed well somewhere."

Zelda and Link laughed, despite the circumstances, feeling the heat rise in their faces. She glanced at him, at his bright blue eyes, then away, biting her lip. Goddesses, he makes me so giddy.

All too soon, however, the mood declined. Telma's face turned serious. "Now, listen," she said. "All of you. Nol isn't safe. Not for long. Those monsters in the castle will spread, and this will be the first place they'll hit. But that's not all. We've got someone else."

Someone else? Zelda glanced at Link, but he was as lost as she was. Ilayen came to stand beside them, and she could feel his hope. He thinks it's Tetra. He needs it to be her.

She didn't know why she doubted it, and hated herself for it, but she just had this feeling . . . she glanced at her hand, but the Triforce's imprint remained dark and unfeeling.

Telma opened the door and knocked on the one across the hall. A hooded figure scurried out, a long purple scarf trailing behind him. Once the door was shut, he removed the hood, revealing the very last person Zelda had expected to see.

"Ravio?!"

He shook his black hair out of his face and sketched a quick bow. Once she could see him clearly, she saw how haggard he truly was.

Gone was the clean-shaven, happy and silly young man from Lorule. This was a boy, out of his element, with dark circles under his eyes and a three week shadow. He wrung his hands, and his cheekbones stuck out from his face.

With a cry, Zelda rushed forward and clasped his face. "What happened to you? Why are you here?" A stone of fear settled in her gut. "Is Hilda all right?"

At that last, Ravio's eyes widened and he bowed his head, shoulders shaking. When he lifted it, he swiped an arm over his face. "Hilda banished me," he answered, voice wooden.

Zelda's hands fell, slack. A glance at Telma told her this wasn't news to the bartender.

"What . . . What do you mean?" she asked hoarsely. "Why would she do that?"

Ravio swallowed. "I . . . her drinking problem kept getting worse. And Yuga never gave her any peace, constantly hounding her and pressuring her." His hands clenched into fists. "She secluded herself more and more, until she would only let either me or Osfala in her rooms, but eventually . . ."

"She sent Osfala away too," he said, staring at Zelda pleadingly. "And she drank all the time—she never went anywhere without a bottle. She . . . it was terrible. I tried to get her to stop, I tried to talk some sense into her, I even . . ."

He trailed off, swallowing once, twice, three times. "I confessed to her," Ravio whispered. "I thought that might break her out of it. I didn't know . . ."

"Know what?" Zelda was afraid of the answer, but Hilda . . .

Tears fell from Ravio's green eyes. "I didn't know Yuga had already done that!" he cried. "He—he tried to get her to marry him, so he could get control of Lorule, but she refused him. That's when she started secluding herself in her rooms. When I . . . told her, she thought I was doing the same thing."

"But I wasn't," he insisted, grabbing Zelda's hands, searching her face, Link's, Ilayen's. "I would never. I . . . I love her . . ."

"I know," Zelda whispered. "I believe you. But . . . what happened next?"

Ravio wiped his face and swallowed. "She banished me. She sent me away, to wherever I would be least bothersome. I know she didn't mean it, because she was drunk, so I refused to leave her. But then she called the guard in, and made it an order. So . . . I left."

"I came here, over land, about two weeks ago. I have a shop somewhere in Nol, and I thought I could just stay here. But then the monsters attacked, and—"

Zelda shook her head, backing away. Hilda . . . why? How could you do this?

It's not her fault, a voice said in her head. It was Yuga, and the alcohol. They twisted her mind.

Zelda bit her lip, hard, aware that Ravio had stopped talking. She looked up at him with a smile. "We'll just have to go save her, won't we, then?"

Ravio blinked, uncertainty in his eyes. "You . . . really?"

"Hilda is my friend. I would never be able to face my people, nor the people of Lorule, without doing everything I can to save her."

A moment of silence fell, in which Ravio covered his face, whispering indecipherable words. Ilia came forward and wrapped him in her arms, leading him to the bed she'd been sitting on earlier. Zelda cast a weary glance to telma. "Anything else?"

Telma bit her lip. "Yes, actually. There is a resistance, in the south. It's already coming together, given how fast everything happened, but it's gathering members quickly. Apparently, Ganondorf has made quite a few enemies."

None more chief than those in this room, Zelda thought furiously, standing. Purpose filled her body. "Where is it?"

"As far as I know, it's in Zora's Domain." Zelda started. "It's relatively untouched, and damn near impossible to attack," Telma added, shrugging. "And it's in a good location—far enough to bear the initial attack, yet close enough to stage one itself. And it boasts a secret not many are aware of. Master Link will know."

Everyone turned to Link, whose ears twitched. "Underground tunnels," he said, glancing at Zelda. "Before the earth shifted, changed elevation. It used to be much lower; the tunnels and caves are where the first Domains used to be."

Tunnels . . . caves . . . enough room for an army, maybe? If we can find one, she thought. Ganondorf will have exterminated most of the soldiers at and around the castle.

Still. It was a start. "It's perfect," she murmured.

She wanted to leave right away, but Telma caught the look in her eye. "For now, you are going to rest. All of you," she added, with a hard look at Ilayen. "I know you're worried about your sweetheart, but if she's smart—"

"She's brilliant," Ilayen murmured.

"—then she'll know to head for the Domain. In the meantime, you're exhausted, you need food and rest, and your horses are in no shape for another cross-country ride."

"Not to mention, we have to figure something out for those two," Link added, glancing at Ilia and Ravio.

"I'm coming with you," Ravio declared, a bright look returning to his eyes.

"But you're not," Link said to Ilia, who'd stood with the Lorulian. She opened her mouth, but Link cut her off. "No, Ilia. There's no way in hell we're taking you with us. You're staying here or going back to Ordon."

Zelda thought she might argue, but Ilia simply crossed her arms. "Then I'm staying here to help Telma. She'll be sending more resistance recruits to the Domain anyway."

Link looked like he wanted to argue, but Telma added, "She'll be a help at the bar. I'll take good care of her, Link. Don't worry."

Zelda knew by the ferocity in Telma's eyes she would never let Ilia get hurt. She laid a hand on Link's arm. "She'll have to stay," she murmured, and felt him stiffen. "Telma will keep her word."

After a moment, he relaxed. "I know. I'd just feel a lot better if she was safe in Ordon."

Zelda knew. She felt the same. She'd only just met Ilia, but she liked her. She didn't want her to get wrapped up in something she wasn't cut out for. The girl was strong, that much was clear. But she was a farmgirl.

A war was no place for farmgirls.

"And there will be a war," she muttered darkly, wrath flooding her veins as an image of Ganondorf appeared in her mind. "You mark my words."


Zelda tossed and turned, but sleep evaded her. Just as it had since Telma sent them to bed—four hours ago.

She rolled onto her back, her shift twisting. If she listened hard enough, she could decipher words from the mangled noise below. It was early morning, but the city was still in mayhem.

She shut her eyes, not wanting to hear the damage Ganondorf had inflicted. After a moment she threw off the covers and looked out the window, the breeze stirring her hair.

The flames had dimmed, but that gave her no comfort. Once the monsters were done burning, that only left so many other things to do.

She didn't want to think about that, and turned her mind elsewhere. The fact that the resistance was in Zora's Domain led her to believe either Laruto or Mipha was at the head of it all. It's probably Laruto . . . As far as I know, Mipha is on the Zora River, and Lulu is in Great Bay. Ruto—

She gasped softly. Ruto . . . was it possible the youngest princess had put this all together? She'd sent her the research she'd done before she'd gone to the Wastelands, but she had no idea if Ruto herself had gleaned anything more, and been unable to reach Zelda, or if she'd discovered the truth for herself.

She was a Sage, reborn to fight Ganondorf. Alongside five others.

Nabooru was one—she'd told Zelda that herself. But the others . . . who could they be? All of Zelda's research was in the castle. She sighed, bowing her head. She couldn't remember off the top of her head the names of the others; if she could, then it wouldn't be nearly as hard to find them and herd them to the resistance.

But then . . . if they were Sages, then would they be guided to the resistance anyway? Were they guided by some voice, like the one in Ruto's dreams? Was that how it worked?

Or did they not know until a certain point? Did they need someone to tell them the truth? That could prove problematic. Zelda rubbed her face, pinching her nose. There was no way to know without her books.

A knock sounded on her door, but he didn't wait before letting himself in. Link joined her at the window. "Can't sleep?"

Zelda grunted. Glancing at him, she saw he wore trousers and an unbuttoned shirt. She was no better; her shift ended before her knees and left much skin exposed.

Still. She shivered in a way that had nothing to do with the breeze from outside and rubbed her arms. Link didn't move, but his ears twitched.

Zelda pursed her lips. "I don't suppose you know who the other sages are."

"Wouldn't I have told you if I did?"

She hmmed, poking his arm. "I don't know. You have a history of lying to me when you're in this city."

He snorted softly and turned to her. "Then here's the truth. I don't know."

Zelda thought as much. She turned back to the window, tongue between her teeth. She tried to puzzle it out, but with everything on her mind, and with Link's eyes on her, she found it impossible.

She faced him, a smile growing to match his. "How are you handling it?" she asked softly.

He raised a brow, stalling, but her face didn't change, so he ran a hand through his hair. "Honestly?" he murmured. "I don't think I've even processed . . . everything."

He looked down at his hands. "The Triforce, the Hero . . . reincarnations and prophecies . . . it's a bit much. I'm not sure I can be who the Hero was, do the things he did. I never expected to be here, now."

Now he looked out the window. "I know I've taken it all in stride so far. I felt like I had no time to adjust, so I just went with it--like if I slowed down, I'd fall behind, and by the time I caught up, it would be too late." He sucked in a shuddering breath and finally looked at her. "I don't want to be too late again," he whispered.

The story of his family flashed in her mind, and she bit her lip. She swallowed. "For a long time, I felt the same. Ever since Snowpeak, I've been pushing ahead, trying to forget. Shoving those memories back. And then, something else would happen, and it all came rushing back again. My nightmares are an example of that."

Her chest hitched as she breathed in. She found she couldn't look at him, so she stared out the window. "I . . . never told you about them. And you never asked, so I let it be. I thought, maybe if I just keep going, they'll fade. But they never did. Every night, they came back. And it was always the same thing."

"I saw the fields," she whispered, letting the warmth fall down her face. "I saw my people dying. I saw a slaughter, and . . . I saw you."

He didn't speak, but he shifted just slightly so his arm brushed hers. "You were fighting. Always, you were fighting, until you were the last one standing. And then . . . he would appear, and--" She broke off sharply, inhaling several times before she could speak again.

"And you died," Zelda said, looking Link in the eyes. "You died, right in front of me. And there was nothing I could do about it. And then I would wake up."

She swallowed again and turned away. "For a while, I thought that was it. But then they started invading my thoughts. Lurking in my mind, torturing me in waking hours as in my sleeping ones. I felt like I was losing grip. Fractured."

"And now, they've disappeared," she murmured, staring at her hands. "I didn't know why. Is it because of the desert? Is it because we met Nabooru? Is it because of the Triforce? I can't tell. Sometimes, I think that might be worse."

She took a deep breath. "Or maybe I've just come to terms with them. Maybe that's it. I've accepted their possibility--but not their finality." She finally looked at Link and smiled through the wetness on her face. "I've acknowledged that they can happen, but that doesn't mean I'll stand back and let them."

For a long moment, Link simply stared at her--at this incredible, beautiful, strong woman. Would she never stop surprising him? He nearly laughed; honestly, she was a wonder. She took all his fears and melted them away. She'd dealt with mental and emotional trauma, and yet could still look ahead to the future with a smile. Could still envision a future, despite what stood in their way.

Her face slipped a moment at his silence. She opened her mouth to speak, but he seized her cheeks and kissed her, wanting--needing--to feel her. She made a little noise against his mouth but responded, sliding her hands into his hair.

Maybe if I just never let her go, Link thought, breathing her in. Her body went flush against his; she fit perfectly with him. Maybe then I could be half as brave as she is.

Bearer of the Triforce of Courage, my ass.

He could feel her legs trembling; they'd had hardly any time to rest, and he knew she hadn't been sleeping these hours. He lifted her up and carried her to the bed. As her head sank into the pillow, she opened those brilliant blue eyes and his heart cracked at what shone in them.

Link's chest trembled like a bird's; he pressed his forehead to hers. Zelda's thumb traced his jawline, her callouses scraping his stubble. "Stay with me," she breathed, and his heart leapt.

He gazed at her, wondering . . . but no. Her eyes held desire, yes, but it was a need for comfort. A need to feel someone beside her, to keep those nightmares at bay. And, more than that, simply because it was her . . .

It was an offer.

To be there for him, in the hours where they were at their loneliest, the way he had always been there for her. When he'd lain beside her, either as a man or a wolf, until her screams had faded.

He felt his eyes burn and lowered himself until he was beside her, his arms encircling her tightly, his lips meeting hers once again. They were warm and soft, and they moved on his in a way that made him tremble in her grip. He lost track of how long they stayed like that; it could have been hours, but when she broke off to yawn, he smiled softly and flicked her nose. He settled beside her, his arms wrapping around her. I'll always stay with you, he promised her, swore to her. I'll never leave you, so don't ever leave me.

When his breathing had turned even, his arms loose, Zelda stared out the window at the moon, beginning her descent. Her words were as quiet as the autumn breeze stirring the grass of the Fields.

"I won't."

The next morning, Zelda woke early and dressed. Disentangling herself from Link's embrace, she dug through her bag, and yanked out the custom-made uniform.

The original had been dyed white for her trip to Snowpeak, and there she'd nearly died. Since then, she'd avoided wearing this particular outfit, as if it would keep the nightmares at bay.

It hadn't, and reluctantly, she'd followed Tetra's advice and packed it before Gerudo. You'll need something the people will recognize you in, and you can't very well fight in a ball gown, Tetra had advised, her eyes sparking the way they did when she knew she was right.

Zelda had sighed and agreed, and the uniform had since been re-dyed to its original colors. Though, she supposed that after last night, she needn't avoid wearing it anymore. Her smile was fleeting.

As she pulled the dark blue jacket over and buttoned it closed and reached for the pants, she heard the bed creak again.

She buttoned the pants and turned to see Link sitting up, his hair tousled but eyes already on her. His lips curved into a sleepy smile. "Come here."

His voice was hoarse and it sent shivers down Zelda's spine. She crawled onto the bed and into his lap, sliding her hands into his hair. "Good morning," she murmured.

He hmmed, his deep voice rumbling in his chest. "So it is."

Zelda smiled; the previous night's memories rose, and she laid her forehead gently against his. He shifted under the sheets, and she caught a whiff of him. Woodsmoke and pine, with a hint of ice. A short breath escaped her. Such different scents, yet when they came together, they formed something completely new. It was him.

She could have sat there all day and breathed him in, but--

With a monumental effort, Zelda pulled away. But only just. "We have to get ready," she sighed, already regretting it.

He sighed as well. "I don't want to. I want to stay here and pretend that this is our life, instead of saving the world. Again, it seems."

Zelda smiled softly, glad their enormous responsibility hadn't diminished his dry humor. "We will," she promised quietly. "We will have that life."

She pulled away, leaving her fingers in his. "But first," she said, and now she grinned, "we have to save the world."

Once Link was dressed—an endeavor that took far longer than it should have, never mind what Zelda had told them—they made their way downstairs and met Telma, Ravio, Ilayen and Ilia in the taproom. The silence struck Zelda as weird, considering the noise from the night before.

"I put up as many people as I could," Telma said by way of explanation. "But I only have so many rooms, so a lot of them ended up on the street."

Zelda nodded, and indeed, when she looked out the window, there were countless huddled shapes littering the roadside. She turned back to Telma. "We'll be going now. We don't want to attract any unwanted attention to you, so we thought it best to leave as early as possible."

Telma's raised brow said it was clear something had gotten in the way of that plan, but thankfully didn't comment. She shot a look at Ravio, a question in her eyes.

Ravio stepped up. "Actually, Telma and I worked something out beforehand. She had a feeling you three would make it here at some point, and I myself have been here a while, so if you wouldn't mind following me?"

Zelda cocked her head, exchanging glances with Link and Ilayen. They shrugged, so she gave Ravio a nod. "Lead the way, then."

He bowed quickly, and loitered at the door while the three said their goodbyes. It was surprisingly tearful; she hugged Telma tightly, feeling as though it was the last time she'd be seeing any of them.

Ilai released her, green eyes unusually bright, and Zelda followed Ravio down the street. Most everyone was still asleep, given the early hour, and they were everywhere, so they had to hop in some places to avoid crunching exposed fingers. Ravio led them into the West Side, taking side passages and alleys. It was even quieter here than in the Southern Square, thought it was a different sort of silence.

Black cats scavenged in trash cans, and dogs fought over bones in doorways. Zelda kept her eyes forward as one of those dogs snarled at her. This was where she'd found Saria and her troupe, all that time ago. She'd dragged them out after Tingle died, and she hadn't been back since.

Why is Ravio bringing us through here? She wondered. She got her answer as he turned into a main street and ducked into a nondescript doorway. No bell rang when the door opened, but it would have been lost on Zelda besides.

They'd stepped into a softly carpeted room that could easily have fit two of Zelda's bedrooms in the palace. And every spare inch of it was covered in . . .

Where did she start? Weapons, books, tools, instruments, wands, staffs, maps. Chests filled with treasure and more weapons were scattered haphazardly. On the tables, smaller chests were loaded with so many pieces of jewelry Zelda's mind nearly broke trying to calculate the worth of it all.

Not only that, but the back wall caught her interest especially. She took a step towards it, but as she heard scuffling sounds, she drew her sword slowly. It was coming from a curtained off room towards the back.

Ravio flapped his hands, standing in front of her. "Don't attack, it's okay. They're with me."

"And who are 'they'?" Ilayen murmured, taking up a defensive position, back to back with Link.

"Just watch, you'll see," Ravio insisted, and watching him, Zelda thought he looked . . . giddy. Almost excited. Uncertainty clawing at her from the inside, she kept her eyes on the curtain, tightening her grip no matter what Ravio said.

She needn't have bothered. Several people filed out, dragging huge crates with them. "Sorry we're late, Ravio," one of them called softly, and Ravio rushed over. "There was trouble getting these out of the warehouse."

"It's okay. Go as fast as you can, it's almost time to leave."

By this time, Zelda and the boys had sheathed their weapons and were watching with increasing curiosity—and humor, if they were being honest. Ravio rushed around the room, stage-whispering orders and organizing what went into which crates. Zelda sidled over with a nod to Link and Ilayen and quietly watched the proceedings. As amusing as they were, she really wanted to know, exactly, what was going on. Did Ravio really need them to observe his hoarding problem? They could have been well on their way by then.

"Ravio," she said conversationally. "What is going on?"

He blinked, his eyes flicking over her shoulder. A white blur flew past Zelda and whirred around the boy's head before settling on his hand. "Sheerow," Zelda said blandly. "How good of you to make it."

Ravio laughed sheepishly, rubbing his neck. "Apologies, Empress. This is all relevant, I promise."

"See all this?" He gestured to the contents of the house. "This is my store. Things I, and my ancestors, have collected over centuries. All hoarded here. At first, according to legend, it was to help the Hero on his journeys. But after the Hero of Worlds, we fell out of business. But my ancestors always believed that one day, the Hero would need our help like he once did. And perhaps even the Princess, as well," he added, sketching a bow.

Zelda smiled as Ravio continued. "But this is what Telma and I arranged. People will be trying to get as far from Hyrule Castle as possible. So we thought, when you and Masters Link and Ilayen arrive, you'll be preparing a counterattack at some point. So we decided to move all this stuff along with you to the resistance as a caravan."

Zelda raised a brow. "You don't think anyone will suspect?"

Ravio shook his head. "Caravans are surprisingly common. Not all are as large as this one will be, and not as common in Hyrule as in Termina or the southern nations, but we won't be as out of place as you think."

Zelda pondered the idea, turning to Link and Ilayen. They nodded. "We don't really have a choice either way, and this is a sound plan," Ilayen said.

She nodded. "Do you need help, then?" she asked Ravio, gesturing to the quiet rushing around them. One of the younger helpers bent to grab a chest by Zelda's feet. "S'cuse me, miss," he muttered, eyes down.

He couldn't have been older than seventeen. Zelda sidestepped quickly. "Do you want help?"

He glanced up at her, one brow quirked, then did a double take. "Your Majesty! N-No, Empress, I can handle it—b-but thank you—"

Rolling her eyes, Zelda crouched down and grabbed the other handle. The boy stared at her for a second. "Really, Your Majesty, we can manage . . ."

His protest wilted under the look Zelda gave him, like, Will you relax? He smiled softly after a moment, and together they hauled the chest up. Zelda ground her teeth at its weight, ignoring the boy's worried glance, and they inched towards the curtain where the crates awaited. "Goddesses, Ravio, what the hell is in here?" she growled, earning a laugh from the boy. Behind them, Ravio glanced at Link and Ilayen, who were watching their queen proudly.

"You must be used to this," he commented.

Ilayen shrugged and grabbed a smaller chest, his shoulders tense with the weight. "She left her empire in order to share the burden of her people, and to live her life like they lived theirs," Link said quietly. "It was because of her dedication to them, and her wish to do more, that she returned. She still feels that she owes them every bit of effort she can give them, even if it's just helping load a caravan."

Ravio's green gaze followed the queen where she dropped the now-empty crate, wiping her brow. She and the boy shared a few words, and she laughed before seizing another one--albeit a closer one this time.

Ravio smiled sadly. She reminded him of Hilda, the way she used to be. "She only ever wanted to help her people," he said quietly. Too quietly.

Link glanced at him. "She still does. But she needs people beside her to help her." He took a deep breath, returning his gaze to Zelda. "How do you think my queen made it so far?"

Slowly, a smile curled the edges of Ravio's mouth. He slid a look at Link. "'My' queen, hm?"

The barest smile broke through the calm on Link's face before he, too, joined the help.

Zelda glanced up at his approach. She'd rolled the sleeves of her jacket up, and tied her hair back. It was still short from when she'd cut it after Snowpeak, only brushing her shoulders. The longer pieces broke from her knot and she swiped them from her face. "We're putting the weapons in special crates, but I'm worried about that back wall there." She pointed. "Those are all ancient pieces, extremely delicate. I don't know how Ravio plans to transport them."

"Lucky for you, I do," said a voice, and Ravio appeared behind Link. "I've got special, magic-proof crates for them, with extra padding. Some of those pieces are, ah, volatile, if you know what I mean. I've got a team for those, anyway. We should be nearly done."

A hand tapped Zelda's shoulder. "Your Majesty," the boy from earlier said. He handed her a long black cloth. "Your cloak."

She thanked him and slipped it on. It was warm and soft, with a silver clasp and a hood. Link and Ilayen received one as well. "Would you like to wait outside?" Ravio asked. "We've just about finished."

Looking around, Zelda was surprised to see he was right. The room was nearly empty, bare of any sign it had housed anything at all. "We'll be in the carriage, then," she told Ravio, who nodded and waved her off, his attention already on the back wall.

Ilayen and Link followed her out through the curtained area, leading to a wide alley filled with snorting horses and mules, pawing at the cobbled streets. Climbing into the carriage at the head, they waited in silence for about ten minutes, each consumed with their own thoughts. Zelda held Link's hands loosely in hers, her eyes in the direction of the castle.

People will be trying to get as far from Hyrule Castle as possible.

She swallowed. It was the truth, and she knew it, but still . . . when the monsters—when Ganondorf—was done in Castle Town, he would head south next. His razing of the castle will have told him that Zelda was not in attendance. It was no secret where Zelda had been that year. The most obvious place would, of course, be Nol.

She froze, her breath sticking in her throat. Link shot her a look. "Zelda?"

"They're here," she whispered. "Th—they haven't left yet!"

"Who? Who hasn't—Zelda!"

She leapt off the carriage and ran for her life to the house, following the map in her head. She'd kept track of how many turns they'd taken, which alleys. Soon, she was on the main street and headed north, to the front gates. Her breath burst out of her in sharp gasps until she reached it—the house she'd lived in for a year, where her only family still remained.

She burst through the door and up the stairs. When she reached the top, she stopped short, breathing hard.

There was no sound.

She raised her fist to knock, hand shaking, thinking, please, please, let them be gone. Please, goddesses, just this once—

She went to knock and her fist hit open air at the same moment her blade met steel. She stared into blue eyes she'd know anywhere, filled with the same ferocity they'd held last time she'd seen them.

Twin sobs escaped them and the kitchen knife fell to the floor, along with Zelda's dagger. Aryll held her so tight she was afraid she'd stop breathing, but she didn't care. The young girl was shaking, and Zelda could tell by her voice that she was close to tears.

"I . . . I th-thought you were a monster," she whispered into Zelda's jacket, making Zelda hold her tighter.

She pulled away and shut the door as she stepped inside the apartment, both knives in her hand. She handed the kitchen knife back to Aryll. "Where are Grandma and Colin?" she asked, the fear only abated a bit. Aryll wiped her face and pointed down the hall. "They're in Grandma's room."

Without waiting she headed down the hall, but opened the door softly to avoid another almost-accident. She found Grandma and Colin in the corner; the contorted expression Colin wore dissipated upon seeing Zelda, and he rushed forward, his blade lowered. "We heard the door slam open and thought the monsters had made it here already," he said, the relief in his voice obvious.

"Not yet, but they will be soon," Zelda answered gravely. "We need to get you out. Come on. Aryll, help Grandma."

She needn't have said anything; the university student had already coaxed her grandmother to her feet and was helping her out the door. As they passed, the little old woman gave Zelda's hand a squeeze.

Sounds from downstairs had Zelda in the living room. Her heart pounded, but she loosed her deep breath as the voices registered, shoulders falling. "It's just Link," she told Aryll, who'd raised her knife. "He must have run after me."

"How are we going to cross the fields?" Colin asked, grabbing a couple bags from the floor. "You said the monsters would be here soon, right?"

"I did, but we have a way to travel the fields safely," Zelda answered. "It's a bit of a walk, but—"

A hand grabbed Zelda's arm and turned her around. "Goddesses damn it, Zelda," Link hissed, his eyes filled with fear. "Never do that again."

"Sorry," she whispered, the realization of what she'd done crashing down. "I couldn't leave without them."

He sighed. "I know. But—still."

Zelda nodded, laying her head against his chest for a second. He pressed a kiss to her hair. She pulled away reluctantly and turned to the others. "We have to leave now. Follow me, okay?"

With that she led them out of the apartment, where the city was beginning to awaken. They slipped through the throngs, the difference as stark as could be. The night before, they'd been manic, calling for loved ones, wandering aimlessly, even screaming in some places.

Now, they were quiet; a low murmuring permeated the air--the sound of uncertainty. What happens now, they wondered? Where do we go? Where would be safe for us to go?

Ganondorf didn't just take lives when he attacked. He took security, and replaced it with fear.

Zelda stepped over a sleeping body and turned left, leading them through the alleys once again. They reached the waiting caravan in a few minutes, where Ilayen was arguing with Ravio.

As Ilayen spoke, Ravio glanced over his shoulder. "There you are!" he hissed, with a quick nod of respect to Zelda. "Where did you—"

Aryll, Grandma and Colin appeared behind her, and Ravio reluctantly quieted. "Get them some extra cloaks and put them in the carriage behind this one," he ordered one of his helpers, who obeyed with a nod.

"Can we leave now?" Ravio asked anxiously. "We should have been through the southern gate by now."

He says that like we don't already know, Zelda thought, irritated. She helped lift Grandma into the tarp-covered carriage, nestling her between two crates. Aryll stuffed as many pillows into the space before Colin pulled her aside. Once they were settled, he nodded to Zelda.

She rapped on the side. Almost immediately, the snap of reins sounded and they started moving.

It took almost an hour to leave the city, and Zelda spent nearly every minute of it on pins and needles.

If I have to stare at this tarp any longer, I'll lose my mind, she thought more than once.

They ended up having to go through the main gate; the city guard had closed all the others in preparation of an attack, which was both fine and not. It took longer, which meant that gave Ganondorf more time to strike out at Nol, but it carried the benefit of freedom.

As they reached the gate—luckily the first of many—Zeda recalled that she and the others had left their horses registered at the stables. While they were getting cleared, she hopped out with a word to Ravio and checked out their horses. The registrar was happy to see them go.

"They've been wild since you left," he'd told her. "Won't let anyone feed them, let alone take their saddles off. They quiet right down once we leave them alone, but still. Got all the others spooked."

Indeed. Her stallion had reared and almost kicked his handler multiple times as he was brought out, but the moment his dark eyes landed on Zelda . . . a long, keening sound came from him, and Zelda had rushed to him, stroking his nose, tears in her eyes.

The registrar had watched closely. "You two must have been through quite a lot for a bond like that."

Her stallion was quaking. She smoothed the hair of his mane, resting her forehead softly against his. "Too much," she'd answered, barely audible.

She'd brought Ilayen and Link's steeds as well; now, on the fields, they rode ahead, to the side, and behind the caravan, keeping watch for monster and bandit attacks and stretching their legs--something they'd all sorely needed.

They'd only been cooped up a day, but it had felt like an eternity to Zelda. Now that they were finally on the road, she rode her stallion in wide circles, stopping by Aryll's carriage here and there to heck on them.

She slowed her horse, peering below the tarp. Grandma was asleep in her palace of pillows, and Aryll's head rested on Colin's shoulder. Her hands were held loosely in his. Both were asleep.

Zelda smiled to herself, glancing across at Link, who was doing a perimeter check. Quite different from the first time she saw him, she thought, recalling that historic mistake on her part.

She'd forgotten that Aryll had come home from university to a random boy watching over her grandmother, instead of the woman she'd left there a year previous. She'd tried to strangle Colin before Zelda had shown up to explain.

She snickered to herself, pushing her stallion ahead. As she passed Ravio, she tossed over her shoulder, "All clear to the east!"

She didn't hear his reply, if there was one. They were at least three hours from Nol at this point; the sun was high in the sky, almost at its zenith. The Domain wasn't too far.

Overhead, a hawk soared past her, its shadow casting her in darkness for a second. Odd, Zelda thought, as it passed. Hawks don't often fly so low . . .

Hardly a half-minute had passed before thundering hooves pounded behind her. Link appeared by her side, wheeling his horse in front of hers. Zelda pulled hard on the reins and her stallion reared. As he calmed, Zelda looked at Link questioningly. He was breathing hard, a piece of paper clutched in his hand. His face was white.

Zelda's heart plummeted. Without a word she spurred her horse forward and snatched the note, peeling it open with shaking fingers.

The Takeover has begun. The monsters are everywhere. Lorule has fallen.

—Lulu

She thought she could actually feel the blood drain from her face as she lowered the note, but just as fast, it rushed back into her cheeks. The note crumpled in her fist.

"Zelda—"

She wheeled her horse around, searching the far-away skyline. Beyond the horizon, Hilda was battling for her life. For her people.

Lorule has fallen.

She gritted her teeth, tears scalding. No. I won't leave her to this.

"Bring Ravio!" was all she shouted before grinding the spurs into her stallion's sides. He reared, sensing the urgency in his rider, and broke into the fastest sprint he'd ever run, even faster than the flight from Gerudo, faster than the ride along the Twilight border.

Link's reply was lost to the wind and blood in her ears, but she knew by the hooves slamming into fresh grass that he was coming. They would be slower; as far as she knew, Ravio couldn't ride. At least not as fast as they needed to.

But Link's horse was fast. And strong. Epona could handle two riders, and Ravio was small besides.

She had to backtrack a bit to make it to the closest bridge; it shook under her passing, the trees blurring into a green and brown mess before turning to stone, the setting sun blending into a golden-red streak as the hours flew.

She lost count how long she rode, but she couldn't stop. Her horse foamed at the mouth, his sides slick with sweat--just like his rider. She knew they both needed a rest.

But she couldn't stop. Not as flames rose in the distance.

Too far. She was still too far.

She snapped the reins, the wind tearing the tears from her eyes. Hold on, Hilda. I'm coming.

Hold on.


Cliffies. My fave.

REVIEW REPLIES.

To Ultimate blazer: ah, but they tried! And it's not their fault, besides. Every male Gerudo born was fated, cursed, to share the same fate as the King of Evil, Ganondorf. The Gerudo tried for thousands of years to curb this fate, but no matter how much love and adoration they showered their princes with, they all inevitably turned to evil and fell. Eventually, distraught and grief-ridden, the Gerudo turned to the only solution they saw, and smothered their precious young. It was the only way to save the people and the country that, despite all it had done and how it had treated them, they still loved.

And yEESSSS i actually might be writing a fic with that sort of mechanic??!?? Shhh~ no spoilers tho ;)

To Generala: !!!!!! SHIT HIT THE FAN BABEYYY. Yesss hahaha I couldn't resist XD. I adore the twist. Ugh I love Urbosa, like, just ugh. Fave. (Aside from Revali ;) )

HAHAHAHAHAHA STEW IN YOUR AGONY. ALLL OF YOU! (Jk love ya'll lmao)

Well, it's all downhill from here, kiddos. oR iS It??!? Hehe. See you Thursday, and I hope you enjoy it!! Please review if you like, they make me happs. Later~