The Pirate Prince
Chapter 16: The Quest begins
"IT'S BEEN WHAT?!" Came Impaya's shout, making the various crowd members flinch, before the Sheikah Matriarch threw her doors and stormed down the steps, rage practically sparking off her.
"Where is Yigia?" Impaya grit out, her eyes narrowed.
"He said he had business at the shrine." Said Kado, as he sharpened an arrowhead, "He said he didn't want to be disturbed."
Impaya reached forwards and grabbed Kado by the lapels of his coat, "Bring. Him. Here. Now."
Kado was silent, before he placed two fingers in his mouth and blew. A lone falcon flew down from the sky and landed on his arm, Kado made a strange jerk with his head, prompting the bird to fly off towards the shrine behind the fairy fountain. Kado turned and faced Impaya, "He'll be here by noon."
Impaya gave Kado a glare that could melt steel, before she turned on her heel and stalked towards the graveyard.
"Who's Yigia?" Whispered Link, leaning towards Zelda.
"Yigia is the grave keeper," Said Impa, not looking at Link, "The Royal graves are the only graves that are built to be maintained, if the tomb has fallen into such a state that a monster could inhabit it without our notice, it would be a form of desecration that even the Yiga Clan could not ignore."
"And Yigia is the grave keeper?" Asked Link, making Impa turn towards him.
"Yes, he's also supposed to be at the Graves at all times, unless he has permission otherwise." Responded Impa, before an arrow flew towards Zelda.
Impa grabbed the arrow out of the air and launched it back towards it's origin point. The Arrow fell short, but it had the intended effect of making everyone look at the attacker. A Shiekah with an upside down Shiekah Tattoo snarled at the group, before notching another arrow and losing it at Zelda. Impa caught the arrow, before throwing at knife at the attack. The knife hit home and the attacker fell forwards with a sickening thud.
"Who," Said Link, "was that?"
"That, was Yigia." Said Impaya, flipping the corpse over with her foot, "Treacherous slimeball."
A thunderous scream broke the air. Link gazed upwards, before spotting Skyloft, his wings arched above the village. And then he left, his giant wings creating a massive gust of air that knocked everyone down. Link could've sworn that he heard Skyloft singing.
"I don't understand." Said Zelda, after a moments silence, "He could've destroyed the entire village, but chose to spare it."
"He was fighting." Said Impa, narrowing her eyes, "At least we know that they aren't acting on their own accord."
TPP
The screaming grew louder, He could barely keep his balance as he flew. He spotted Mare and Viribus stalking around Hyrule Field. Oh, how he longed to speak with them once more, but he felt the curse taking over again.
No where in the fifteen regions and five kingdoms would be safe if he allowed the darkness to take hold. The oldest of the Guards felt weary, he flew towards the great gate. The sword must be protected.
TPP
Link checked the travelling pack on Epona. The dark brown mare huffed towards her rider, butting her head against his shoulder as she started to circle him. Link ran his hand down her face, he felt, without Epona, he'd be lost.
Link kept his ears open, the Princess's safety was in his hands, Impaya made that all too clear. He heard Zelda come up behind him.
"Are you ready?" Asked Link, turning to face his friend.
"As I'll ever be." Said Zelda, quietly, "Impaya believes that we should go to each of the regions, reunite Hyrule before taking the Castle back."
"A wise strategy," Said Link, before moving to check Arawn's pack. Arawn was a white stallion that was descended from the same white stallion that was found by the Hero of the Wild, "No one in Hyrule would dare turn away their Queen."
"Link," Said Zelda, quietly, "we both know they won't see me as their Queen."
"The Rito, Zora, Gorons, Sheikah, Gerudo and Kokiri do," Responded Link, counting them off on his fingers, "That's six out of fifteen. So, I think we're going great."
"The Lord of Akkala barely stood by my mother, the Lord of Hateno and Faron are both dead with no heirs, Hebra, Ridgeland, Lake and Central Lords would rather see me married off and we're not counting the lesser lords in Lanayru, Eldin, Tabantha and Woodlands."
Link stopped and looked at Zelda, who was hugging herself, "Zelda, they're old men, who'd rather live in the past than actually help themselves or the others around them. Yes, the Wolves of the Forests and the Hunters of the plains are gone, but we may find what remains of them. Zel, we're going to have to keep fighting, even if we don't go to the Lords, the Colossi and whoever is controlling them are hunting you and anyone with the blood of the Goddess until their dying day."
Zelda looked at Link, "When did you become so wise?"
"I had a really shitty week, Princess." Said Link, leaning against Zelda's horse, "By the way, where did the name 'Tetra' come from?"
Zelda blushed and scratched the back of her head, "It's my middle name."
"You told me you didn't have a middle name." Said Link, folding his arms.
"I lied, my middle name is Tetra," Said Zelda, blushing, "You know, after the one that rediscovered Hyrule before the seas receded?"
"The same one who was the wife of the Hero of Winds?" Asked Link, raising his eyebrows.
Zelda nodded, before looking at Arawn and stared, "What the hell did you do to my horse?"
Link looked proud of himself, "You like it? It took me two hours to fully plait his mane."
"He looks ridiculous!" Protested Zelda, her hands going to her hair, "No one is going to take me seriously if my horse looks like he belongs in a show!"
"Isn't that what a Parade is?" Snarked Link, before Zelda hit him with the map, "Okay, not funny, but seriously, where we're going, they are going to look at him and see him as a Royal Stallion fit enough for the Queen of Hyrule."
"I'm not a Queen, Link." Said Zelda, shaking her head softly.
"That's how they're going to see you, Zelda," Said Link, stepping closer and placing his hand on her shoulder, "They see your parents as dead and the Royal court with them. They'd jump as a chance to aid their monarch."
Zelda looked up at him, "Hateno is overrun with monsters, Faron is rife with infighting and betrayals and the Guardian Protectors of this land are against us. Link, if we're going to have any chance of swaying them, we're going to need the Master Sword."
"And to get that, we're going to need the Tokens of the Goddesses." Said Link, leaning against Epona.
"We already have one," Said Zelda, gesturing to the bag that held Farore's Pearl, "The other two are in Hebra and Eldin."
"And Lord Arnold hasn't stood with the Royal Family since your mother married your father." Said Link, folding his arms, "And the Lord of Akkala isn't known for his hospitality."
"After what he did to the Wolves and the Hunters?" Asked Zelda, sarcastically.
"But he is your grandfather." Said Link, straightening up, "That may convince him to allow us to cross his lands."
Zelda was silent, in truth, she didn't know how the Lord of Akkala would react to her presence, he barely acknowledged her existence and when he did, it was always to ask why she hadn't been married off.
There was a scream, making Link and Zelda look towards the north entrance to Kakariko, and both immediately wishing they hadn't. On a lone horse, was the beheaded corpse, with a giant bird's head pinned through the body where the head would be. Kado grabbed the horse by the reigns and cut the body free and carefully lowing it to the ground.
"It's Stritch." Said Kado, before looking at the bird's head.
Impaya approached the horse and looked at the markings on the saddle.
"This horse came from Akkala." Said the Matriarch, her red eyes narrowing.
Link and Zelda watched as Kado, finally, removed the bird's head.
"And this," Said Kado, grimly, "is definitely a Loftwing."
The silence echoed through the village; the implication clear as crystal. The Lord of Akkala now stood against Hyrule.
TPP
Link ducked behind a rock, he had joined Kado and a few others in tracking down the Akkalan soldiers, finding them terrorising a village. Courage hummed in his hand, making Link look down at the Sword, Zelda had suggested naming the swords they'd both been given. Link saw Kado notch an arrow, before taking aim at the soldiers.
Link vaulted over the rock, slipping his shield beneath his feet and surfing down to the bottom of the hill, just as Kado's arrow struck a soldier in the neck. Two others fell to Link, after he rammed courage through one's chest and removed another's head. Link spotted two more Soldier's trying to get away.
An arrow struck one in the back and another struck the second through the back of the knee. Link looked over at Kado, who pointed behind him. Link turned and looked up the hill, spotting Zelda at the top, an ancient bow clasped in her hand.
Link turned around and looked at the surviving soldier, now desperately trying to crawl away. Link and Kado quickly made their way over to him. The soldier grunted as Link kicked him and forced him onto his back.
Zelda watched on as Link and Kado interrogated the soldier. She didn't hear what they said, but Link took a step back and brought Courage down on the soldier's head. Zelda glared at the corpses, before turning around and returned to Kakariko. Link watched as the Soldier's blood drained from his body. He didn't know his name, but he had met him when his father took him and Aryll to the Castle.
Link and the other warriors followed Zelda back into the village. Link stopped and looked at the shield on one of the soldier's backs. Picking the shield up, Link examined it. It was circular and looked like it was made of wood, but, at its base, it was steel. Link knew what the wood was for. Noticing that he was falling behind, Link ran back up the hill.
Link saw Zelda by the horses, double checking the supplies he'd packed. Link was a few feet behind Zelda, when she said, "Are you ready to go?"
"I'd follow you into the depths of darkened lands." Said Link, earning him a small smile from Zelda.
"Then, let's be off." Said Zelda, climbing onto Arawn's back and settling herself into the saddle.
Link followed suit, before gently spurring Epona forwards. As he and Zelda passed, blossom petals were thrown on the ground in front of them. Link smiled, knowing that the village was wishing them luck.
"To Hebra?" Asked Link, looking back at Zelda, before she drew level with him.
"To Hebra." Confirmed Zelda, a determined look in her eyes.
Link grinned, before spurring Epona into a gallop.