Whom She Found

by HylianHero5465

Before the battle with Nergal, before the fight for Caelin, before her journey began, Lyn found a young man unconscious on the Plains of Sacae, only he wasn't a tactician or even from the same world. LegendofZeldaFireEmblem cross. Please R&R.

23. The Legend Returns

Back again! Man this chapter took me forever to write, but I finally did it! I've been waiting to get to this part for a very long time and it feels good to get it out. Can't help but feel like it's missing something though…like maybe I should have spent some more time with Eliwood and the others…oh well…I might go back and add in a little more later…maybe…

Big thanks to MidnightFenrir for beta reading this chapter!

Not much to say other than that so let's just jump right to:

Reader Response!

To:

Obiki Doragon: Thanks! Appreciate your support. I kinda agree with you that it felt a little lacking. Can't put my finger on why though…But I'm still going and hopefully you like this next chappie.

Jimbob5536: Yeah…it happens sometimes…Glad you liked it! Hyrule Warriors FTW!

Bloodwolf432: It's a pretty awesome game. True it does have some things that it could improve on. More variety in bosses and perhaps a less linear path like you say…but still – it's a beautiful hack and slash game featuring Zelda characters….WIN! Don't get me wrong, I liked Dynasty Warriors but Hyrule Warriors just screams to every fibre of my fan boy being. Hot girls and a badass Link that you throw at an army and the army is the side that's in trouble….sounds like I story I know….

Dragon God xxx: You're welcome! Hope you like this one! Thanks for your support!

LewadeeLewada: I know! *Gasp* It's a Halloween Miracle! You actually have a right to be upset. I meant to update long ago but…life…time…goes by faster every day…Oh and if you are a Zelda fan then you MUST play Hyrule Warriors! Even if that is the only reason for you to buy a Wii U! AWESOME!

Regis JN: Hey thanks!

Lincoln time: Yeah…sorry about that. I'm terrible at updates…I'm really glad you like my story though! Hahaha I thought about leaving Link in Goron form but they spend a few days in Laus after the fight, so he really has no reason to do it. I have different plans for their reunion anyways...Hope you like them!

Anarion Star-Dragon: Yeah, sometimes it is. Thanks for the review! I'm glad you still enjoy this fic!

Darklink1011: Yyyyyyyyup…Very long time…still going though

Itherael: Hahaha I really hope you're satisfied with how I plan to reunite them. It was fun for me to write at least. Goron Link FTW! Thanks for your support!

Schniedragon88: Hahaha! Yes! Fan boyism! Heh Matthew is one of my favourite characters! Heh glad you approved of the events of last chapter. I find that giving context to the elements that make up an event really helps to drive home the significance of said event. Kinda like seeing somebody do something semi cool and then you think "pssh I can do better than that!" then you try it and you find out that it's actually a lot harder than you thought. You develop a greater appreciation for it from then on. At the very least it makes for a better story than "they dropped the gate but Link knocked it down." Lord Elbert's exact motives are kind of left up to your imagination…you do get a general idea of what happened but not really anything specific. Thus I can take creative liberties! Huzzah! I do hope that this next chapter is of significant length to make the tease worthwhile…Thank you for your continual support! I love getting reviews from you! And thanks, I do so hope she says yes…

Mubouuu974: Haha sorry for the wait! Glad you liked it!

Hakuryukou79: Yeah, sorry it took so long. Haha well the Laus battle really isn't that difficult in game although the concept behind it isn't so easy. Had to figure out some way of clearing through it with such a small force so I thought 'Hey! Let's blow them up Hulk style!'…Sometimes I think I'm an evil person…

WildfireDreams: Trust me, the only time this story will officially die is when I post an announcement that says it is. Or if I actually die in real life and don't get the chance to…That would suck. Maybe I should start doing monthly bio updates just to let people know I'm still alive. Something to think about at least. Glad you liked the chapter though!

MissMoe: Hahaha oh the exuberance! I love it! I hope to hear how you feel about this chapter!

Guest: Yeah I could have done that…but how boring would that be? I had a lot of fun writing the reunion, I hope you like it! Thanks for your proposal advice. I actually had a friend show me a youtube video of a guy that did that. It was pretty cool. She doesn't like big public things like that though…well she does but not directed at her…she would be one the people participating in the mob for a friend. I'll tell everyone how I did it after it happens.

A Certain Unfortunate Guy: Really glad you liked it! Have some questions though…Illusion breaking? How so? And forgive me if I'm being ignorant but what does Kamijou mean?

Linkfan680: Thanks! Hope you like this new one. It's longer.

JohnTitor: Happy life changes all around! Zelda fans unite! Thanks for your support!

The Oblivion Soul: Thank you so much for your praise! I do hope you continue to enjoy my work! Thanks for your support!

KaiserUltima: Thanks! Really hope you like this chapter and the reunion! They'll find out about his title eventually, but I'm not sure when. As for future developments with masks and stuff, I can't really say much but I will say that while Link is helping everyone power through everything right now, Nergal will be taking steps to deal with the unexpected threat. That's all I'm gonna say. Thanks for your support!

Aquariausthewaterbearer: Huh…bet I can guess who your favourite Fairy Tail character is. I'm really glad that you love my story so much! Zelda and Fire Emblem are two of my all-time favs as well and I'm really trying to do them justice. I really hope you like this latest chapter cause I've been dying to write it for a while!

Cj1of4: Yup. Gorons. Don't make them angry. You wouldn't like them when they're angry. You know I actually forgot about bombchus cause I only used them like twice in the whole game. Hmm…have to think about that…

Ethereal780: You're very welcome. The pairing question is hard to answer…I think about it all the time and I've drawn out several possible ways that different romances could work out. I initially started this fic with LinkxLyn solely in mind but things have changed. Right now I'm heavily debating between three. Lyn is one of them and is tied in my mind with another. The third will doubtfully happen but there will be some moments that may suggest otherwise. We'll just have to see how things go.

Zero Sparda: Possibly…

WhiteHero: Haha glad you approve!

OniKiDD: Shock and awe! Love it! Thanks for the compliment! I'm so glad that you can see an improvement in my writing. I'm hoping to be good enough someday to write an original work but I still struggle with some aspects (like commas. Commas are hard.) but I like to think I'm getting better. Hearing you say so really brightens my day. Been thinking of going back and revising some of my earlier chapters too…I'm super excited to hit the meat as well. This chapter was one I've been dying to write for a long time! Hope you like it! You might be on to something with your guess. Can you predict how I'm gonna handle some of the other events in the game? Thanks for your support and congrats on asking your own girlfriend last year. I hope this it works out for both of us.

SneakyDorcas: Oh you…you send me such wonderful reviews…they truly make my day. I do hope to hear your opinion on this chapter because it's one I've been dying to write for a long, long time. I must say, you do have a rather vivid imagination. Hahaha but then I again I like to think that I do as well. Erk was never my favourite character but he has some potential I'm having fun exploring. Hector is young and impulsive so that's fun to play with. And yes, I have a girlfriend. I feel like a lucky guy to have found someone who can put up with my crazy. I hope she says yes. For now though, I'll sit back and listen to the orchestra you put together.

The Eternal Forgotten: Thanks! Hopefully I can finish it too.

Greener223: I've thought about it quite a bit. It does add clutter and take up space, I might decide to stop one of these days. Some people seem to like it though.

LoveMadness: OH ME! OH MY! WHAT A NICE SURPRISE! I remember your last review, glad you discovered my fic!

The Epic Legion: Thank you very much! Will do!

OmegaInfinita: Wow! Quite a rating. Didn't know that was possible!

Epic Snow: THEN I SHALL GIVE YOU MOAR!

KarelDLC: I just feel bad…and when I feel bad I apologize…part of being Canadian I guess. I truly appreciate your support though! Loyal fans are wonderful boosts to my self-esteem! Puns are great. They fuel some people's lives! *gasp* Sorry I didn't reply (there I go again) I really wanted to reply to everyone but there was just sooo many…I hope this next chapter makes up for it. I'm not really sure how I ended up dating her, she doesn't really know either. Her friends know how it happened, though. They kind of made it happen so they should (conniving scheming people that they are). She never played much games growing up so her fandom unfortunately went elsewhere. She did however accompany me to the Symphony of the Goddesses before we were even dating. The next year she bought us VIP tickets for the return tour. So yeah…I'm keeping her :-P Hopefully she decides to keep me too…

AmazingOne and Jake101: It's kinda funny how you guys sent me reviews literally within seconds of each other and said the same thing. It's a tempting idea but not sure I'd be able to write that very well though…

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Hammershlag: Glad you found it! It's always nice to hear from a new reader! Don't be shy about telling what's on your mind. The good, the bad, the in-between – it's all constructive criticism and appreciated. Haha yeah Link is kind of my hero so I've made him pretty awesome. That being said I do have plans to adapt the storyline to accommodate for his might. Right now is basically the beginning of their big struggle and nothing in these first bits is much of a threat to him. But once the villains become fully aware of his presence and capabilities, measures will be taken to deal with him. I would definitely consider him up there with the Eight Legends because he's accomplished similar feats but he definitely wouldn't be able to win the Scouring by himself. I'm glad you like how I'm portraying some of the characters! I'm trying really hard to stick to how I think they're personalities would be like all flushed out based on the basic info we're given in game. It's an interesting challenge. I hope to hear from you again!

Alright now that that's out of the way, on to the good stuff!

Whom She Found

Chapter 23:

The Legend Returns

xxx

It was glorious day in Caelin. The sun was shining brightly across the land with nary a cloud in the sky to impede its rays, a gentle breeze stirred the air just enough to keep things fresh, and the temperature was just perfect. All in all, it was a day in which very few people would choose to stay indoors.

And Lyndis, the last survivor of a Sacaean Tribe and recently discovered heiress to Caelin's throne, wished desperately to not be one of those people.

She groaned aloud as she leaned back in her chair and tried to stretch the kinks out of her back. She sighed contentedly when her efforts rewarded her spine with several pops of relief. That done, she once again turned her attention downwards and glared daggers at the scroll set out on the desk in front of her. It was the latest in a seemingly never-ending series of accounts, duties, and lessons that Chancellor Reissman insisted she work on. Having been raised amongst a nomadic tribe, there was a distinct lacking in Lyn's education as a noble which Reissman was determined to fill. Unfortunately for the free spirited swordswoman this entailed hours of study, lectures, and practical application in all areas which she was expected to perform.

For a young woman who had happily lived a simple life up until a little year ago, it was a very daunting task.

Luckily both her grandfather, the Lord Hausen of Caelin, and Chancellor Reissman were very patient and kind with her tutelage; her grandfather, especially. As the only family that the other had, the two of them spent much of their time together and Lyn loved every minute of it. She absolutely cherished the grandfather she never knew she had and Hausen loved her dearly as well. More often than not it was Lord Hausen that dismissed Lyn's daily lesson whenever he sensed she was becoming overwhelmed and insisted that his granddaughter either accompany him for something or spend time outside where she was most comfortable.

Unfortunately today was not one of those days. Reissman had put his foot down and insisted that she spend the day with her studies and as much as she disliked them, Lyn knew that they were vital to her new life and she was determined to make her grandfather proud.

Lyn allowed herself a small laugh when she thought about that fact. A year ago she had considered nobles with an heir of disdain at best and despised them at worst. Now here she was, trying to learn how to be one of the very people she had hated after discovering that she in fact held the equivalent social status of a minor princess. While Lycia itself had no monarchy, the fact that each territory was individually governed by a marquess and that most of those territories could potentially declare independence effectively made their governing families minor royalty. It was quite an ironic twist of fate in her opinion.

Now, after being subject to Reissman's tutelage, she had a greater appreciation for all those who responsibly bore the title of nobility. Her experience in the past had been limited to the typical discrimination and air of superiority that most nobles showed towards the people of Sacae who, in turn, rarely saw more than over privileged and pompous buffoons that had no appreciation for the simple pleasures of life.

While she knew that there were still many nobles like that, particularly among the lesser nobility, Lyn had not realized how much responsibility and difficulty was present in governing a land. There were countless laws to uphold, taxes and funds to organize and distribute, audiences to hold with the citizenry, difficult decisions with far reaching consequences to make, and many other responsibilities that the common folk looked to them to deal with. Lyn had never once considered what kinds of things nobles had to do that regular citizens were not aware of; she had only seen the things that most believed they were not doing. An increase in taxes, for example, meant harder work for the peasants and was met with contempt and derision, even if that increase was meant to fund the development of new roads for commerce or supply an army in response to invaders. A small village left to recover from a disaster feels abandoned when they don't know that resources are being focused toward preventing greater damage elsewhere.

And that was just one side of a noble's responsibility. There was an entire new dimension of troubles when it came to the social aspect of their lives. Lyn had believed that the extravagant parties and gatherings that nobles so often participated in were frivolous activities meant to further separate them from the common folk. It wasn't until after some lessons and first-hand experience with one of those parties that she realized them for the battleground that they actually were. There were so many rules of etiquette and manners that one had to observe and it wasn't good enough to just be able to perform them passably. It was a harsh competition, especially amongst the ladies, and if one did not EXCEL at them then you were judged harshly by those who were better.

Then there were the political conversations where everyone wore carefully constructed emotional masks that forced everyone to speak in multiple layers; conversations with many meanings and implications where a single thoughtless word in the wrong tone could spell political disaster. During these times one was expected to remember the names, titles, and responsibilities of everyone they met and take interest in and recall seemingly useless information like whose great grandnephew was showing a romantic interest in which baron's estranged cousin twice removed. Alliances could be formed or broken and enemies could be made or vanquished during these times and Lyn had been astonished to learn about all these hidden factors she had been unaware of.

It was a battlefield where words, manners, and intrigue were the weapons. Where gossip, rumours, and attire were all carefully cultivated and used with cutthroat intentions. A time when even the perceived frailty or innocence of a lady could either be genuine or a feigned act in order to further their goals. The real trick was trying to figure who was acting and who wasn't.

This was a war zone that Lyn, for all her training as a swordswoman, had floundered around hopelessly on its grounds. Luckily her grandfather had been a present at her side for the entirety of those first few gatherings and had guided her effortlessly through those turbulent waters. But eventually she had to step away from him and mingle without his aid and those times had been among the most terrifying of her life.

Oddly enough it had been Sain that had been the most help during these times. Kent was, of course, incredibly proper when it came to manners and etiquette, but as a knight he was held to a different standard than the princess of Caelin, so his help in that area, while invaluable, was more limited than Lyn would have liked. Sain, however, for all his flamboyance, was a social savant. Despite his roguish nature he was surprisingly sharp and could readily follow and interpret the countless subtleties that court life entailed. While many scoffed at his manners and actions, he was perfectly capable of using that image to his advantage and often did so. Of course it went without saying that his judgement became rather…tenuous around the ladies of the court and many had rebuffed his advances, but what people never seemed to remember was that he had successfully wooed a surprising number of girls both noble and common alike. Even most of those that had rejected his affections found his presence amusing and many of them had even sought his company as a political statement whenever their original escorts displeased them.

Being surrounded by women all the time, Sain had become very adept at reading their behaviour and mannerisms, as well as being privy to much of the gossip and dirt that those ladies had over the noblemen they associated with. Consequently, Sain held a unique advantage over many lords of much higher social standing and if he wasn't so cursed, as he put it, by being hopelessly attracted to all beautiful women then he could be a considerable political powerhouse. Unfortunately, his curse and his distinct disdain for responsibility kept him happily away from such potential and most noblemen were completely unaware of the threat he could pose. That being said, he had no qualms whatsoever about sharing his knowledge with Lyn and while she had been very sceptical at first when he had offered to help her, he had proven to be an absolute godsend. Anything that helped her avoid bringing shame upon her grandfather was something she absolutely required.

So great harsh was her self-judgement that if Lyn had been a less humble young woman, perhaps she would have been comforted by the true knowledge of how she was actually viewed at court. Unfortunately, she was so focused on her own short comings that she failed to see the areas where her own upbringing was an advantage. An advantage that served her in more ways than one.

While there were unavoidably quite a few people who recoiled at her heritage and simple education, many found her straightforward attitude and honest opinion to be refreshing. She spoke her mind when she felt it was necessary and was unafraid to be blunt or stand her ground on an opinion. No one ever had to worry about ulterior motives or hidden desires when dealing with her, nor did she care for pointless drivel or beating around the bush. It was a rather startling change for the veteran court members; a change which was met with secret approval by many of them.

Her striking natural beauty was also the subject of much envy and gossip by the ladies of the kingdom, both noble and commoner alike. Lyn did not understand anything about fashion, usually choosing to wear simple but elegant formal wear or dresses rather than the sophisticated and complicated outfits typically worn by others. She often felt rather underdressed when compared to the other court ladies, who used their wardrobes as much as social weapons as any nobleman's silver tongue. She felt wholly inadequate before them and their expertise on proper social practice and Lyn had felt several contemptuous stares from a number of them on more than one occasion. She had thought they were disapproving of her attire and her inadequacy at courtly behaviour.

She couldn't have been more wrong.

The truth was that Lyn's beauty and simple attire had caused great despair amongst them. She was absolutely gorgeous, especially with her long green hair, and the outfits she wore suited her perfectly. Not only that, but Lyn's dedicated training as a swordswoman made her unconsciously carry herself with a natural grace, elegance, and stature that the other ladies couldn't hope to match. The disapproving stares directed towards her stemmed from the wide belief that Lyn was boldly declaring her superiority over them by showing that she outshone them all even without all the fancy dresses and accessories. Thus their emphasis on exhibiting proper court manners in her presence stemmed from the belief that they were the only weapons they had against her.

If only both parties knew that they felt completely outclassed by the other.

Lyn's unknown success at court was not the only impact she had either. She trained with her swordplay a little bit every day and could often be found wandering around the barracks and sparring with the soldiers. All of the soldiers had been understandably apprehensive when she had initially insisted upon running drills with them; but they soon learned to accept her presence and even appreciated her genuine interest in their daily lives. Her frequent need to escape the confines of the castle had also led her to ride out to the nearby towns and villages and mingle with the people there. The results of these activities made her much loved by both citizen and soldier alike.

Her sincerity and genuine desire to be of service to the land and its people were felt by all and garnered much admiration and loyalty from them.

Of course, she was unaware of all this. Lyn's humility prevented her from realizing the truly exceptional young woman that she was. She was a proud person, true, but that pride stemmed from her heritage and the support of the friends she held dear and not from her own personal achievements. While she knew her social standing granted her a measure of authority, Lyndis truly believed she was no better than anyone else and used that authority with respect.

In less than a year, she had unknowingly become the treasure of the land. A jewel harvested and tempered in the wilds of the plains. A woman who men would gladly give their lives for if needed.

Perhaps it was a good thing that she was unaware of all this. Being the person that she was, such knowledge might well and truly terrify her. But for now, she was stuck facing the newest task Reissman had set before her.

A light twittering noise reached her ears and Lyn turned her head to the hand carved wooden perch next to her desk where Shakkar, her hawk, sat preening his feathers. She smiled ruefully and reached her hand out to stroke his neck.

"You don't have to stay here, you know?" She sighed. "No sense in both of us being cooped up in here."

She carefully coaxed him onto her arm and stepped over to the window. She wasn't wearing her usual fingerless gloves so she had to pay attention to avoid his sharp talons piercing her skin. It usually wasn't a problem though, because the bird was surprisingly gentle and seemed to take his own care to avoid injuring her. The two of them shared a unique bond that Lyn was hard pressed to describe, especially considering that Shakkar was technically still a wild bird.

She had saved him from a fox seeking to poach his kill early on during her quest to defeat Lundgren and ever since then, the bird had accompanied her. He had proved himself to be a valuable addition to their troop and had showed a remarkable level of intelligence that astounded many of them. There were even a few times when it seemed like Ninian and Shakkar were having a conversation with one another; the beautiful dancer apparently understanding his chirps and various body signals and replying to them in turn. It had bewildered the members of the Legion for some time, although Lyn was unaware that now that same bewilderment was being extended towards her by all her friends at the castle. After a year in the hawk's company she seemed able to understand him as well, even if it was a subconscious act Lyn didn't even realize she was doing.

Either way, she truly treasured his presence. They were both from the plains and she had named him based on her love of Sacae and the pride she had as a free spirited nomad. He served as a constant reminder of the land she loved and helped keep her from being swept away completely by the waters of her new life.

The window was already opened and she leaned on the sill to gaze at the ground below, holding her arm with Shakkar out. She could see a small group of soldiers running some drills in the courtyard and gave another rueful smile. Caelin's military forces had been severely depleted during Lundgren's coup attempt and the territory was still trying to recover from it. While certainly not weak, Caelin had never been the strongest of territories, especially when compared to the likes of Pherae, Ostia, or Laus. However, being the most central territory of the Lycian League gave it some manner of unspoken protection due to its connections to the others. Even so, Caelin's military might had been respectable despite its slightly smaller than average borders. Now, however, the castle garrison was little more than a third full.

Despite this, the soldiers and guards available trained diligently to fill their positions and new recruits were constantly sought out. General Wallace had stayed among them just long enough for Kent and Sain to get acquainted with their new positions and to help lay a foundation for them to build upon. Then he had left to once again slake his rekindled thirst for adventure.

Kent had fulfilled his position as Knight Commander admirably despite his youth. His sense of duty and propriety garnered much respect from his peers and he worked hard to meet all of his responsibilities. Lyn was of the opinion that he stretched himself too thin at times and had said so on a number of occasions. She needn't have worried herself much, however, because Sain made sure to keep his friend from over taxing himself. The roguish knight had also done surprisingly well with his job although his strengths lay, as previously mentioned, in the social aspect of things. He may still scoff at authority and occasionally shirk responsibility, but he had an unyielding sense of honour and passion that everyone respected. The two young knights made an incredible team.

Lyn's sharp eyes caught the familiar sight of a young lavender haired woman moving about the far side of grounds. This time, Lyn's face lit up in a genuine smile of pleasure. Florina had come a long way in the past year. The beautiful Pegasus Knight had thrown herself into her training with an almost unmatched zeal in order to fulfil her new duties as Lyn's lady-in-waiting and bodyguard. The latter title was a subject of no small amusement to the castle's many residents as Florina's androphobia and generally timid nature was common knowledge. That, coupled with the fact that Lyn was the stronger fighter of the two, made her position as bodyguard more of a formality than anything else and many people wondered if it was done more for Florina's benefit than Lyn's. Either way, Florina had worked hard to improve not only her combat skills but also her confidence, although the former saw significantly more success than the latter.

Florina tried her best to be a good lady-in-waiting and support Lyn in any way she could at court. Due to her poor upbringing she also faced the challenge of learning proper court etiquette; however she had an advantage over Lyn due to her official training as an Ilian Pegasus Knight. The much renowned knights of Ilia were a unique fighting group within Elibe. The frozen country made farming extremely difficult and forced many people to seek work as mercenaries; the royal Pegasus Knights were no exception. While their first loyalty was of course to their country and queen, they would faithfully serve any who could afford to pay them. In fact, it was required of all Pegasus Knights to join a freelance mercenary group after graduation to further their experience.

Due to the wide variety of people they would need to deal with during their careers and in order to maintain their reputation, another requirement was to have a firm grasp of proper manners; training that Florina had also been required to have, though she had not had much practical experience. The two dear friends made quite the pair at stately affairs. Florina, herself, had several admirers due to her own gentle beauty and shy demeanour and the pair of them turned many heads.

Outside of the court, Florina had also trained diligently to improve her fighting skills as well. Kent had taken Lyn's request to look after her to heart and spent many hours personally supervising her practice. The other soldiers had quickly learned of her timid nature and while it remained a source of amusement among them, Florina's honesty and determination had endeared her to them almost as much as Lyndis. The young stable boys were definite fans of her and her Pegasus, doing everything they could to assist her, and laughing merrily whenever they sensed Florina was becoming overwhelmed by their affections. They were careful to never cross the line, however, and anyone who managed to bring tears to her eyes was brutally reprimanded out of sight by the others.

Lyn smiled once more at her friend before looking around to try and spot the last member of the former Legion. Wil was nowhere to be found, however, and she idly wondered if he was perhaps sleeping on a pile of hay somewhere. Everyone had been relieved when the archer had slowly returned to his normal cheerful self. It had taken awhile but it had happened. He never forgot his mistake though, and still constantly practiced to prevent such a thing from ever happening again. Now, however, he no longer pushed himself to the absolute brink every day and that fact had lifted a heavy glum from everyone's hearts.

Lyn took a deep breath, savouring the scent of the fresh air and sun, before turning her wrist enough to make Shakkar take flight and soar through the sky. She watched him go enviously. If only she too had wings…she could fly through the clouds and touch the heavens. Another gentle smile crossed her lips.

Yes. It was truly a beautiful day.

If only she knew how quickly that was about to change.

xxx

Rebecca exhaled slowly through her nose as she concentrated and focused all her will on the task at hand. Her muscles screamed in agony and protest, begging her to release them from the torture she was forcing them to endure. She ignored those cries and kept her arms as still as possible, maintaining her shaky position for several seconds longer. Suddenly her fingers, unable to take the strain any further, lost their grip on the string she had drawn back and her bow snapped back to its original form.

"Ack!" the young girl hissed in pain as the string slapped against her forearm, stinging mightily even through the thick protective leather used to shield against such an event. She forced herself to blink back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes in response to the pain and glared hatefully at the weapon in her hands, her mind flashing back to the memory of when Link had given it to her…

"You've come a long way in a short time, Rebecca," the Hylian had smiled at her. "I'm impressed."

"Thank you," Rebecca grinned wearily at his praise, though she was sweating heavily from their latest training session. "I couldn't...have done it…without your help."

"Maybe," Link shrugged. "But you could have become great even without me; you're a natural. I just helped speed you along."

"You think so?" Rebecca beamed at him and her smile increased even wider.

"Definitely," he nodded seriously. "In fact, come with me. I have something for you."

The young Pheraean blinked at her mentor and hurried to her feet, curious as to what he wanted. She followed him over to where Merlinus's supply train was gathered and where she could see the aforementioned merchant bustling from cart to cart, giving orders to the assistants that served under him.

"Merlinus!" Link called out. "Do you have a minute?"

"Ah! Sir Link!" the exuberant man greeted cheerily. "How are you this fine day?"

"Fine, fine," Link waved a hand dismissively. "Do you have that thing I asked you to get?"

"Oh!" Merlinus's face lit up again. "Yes of course! Right this way."

He led them to the back of another wagon that was filled with all many of spare weapons and the means to maintain them. Merlinus rummaged around for a bit before retrieving a large roll of protective cloth.

"Here you are! The first part of your order, and I must say I'm quite pleased with the results. You're second part is going to take a little longer…it's an odd request."

"That's alright," Link nodded and took the package from him. "I won't need the other one for a while any way."

He quickly undid the bindings that kept the bundle together and unrolled it to reveal the contents inside.

It was a bow, slightly different in design than what Rebecca was used to seeing but a bow nonetheless. The weapon was only several inches longer than her small hunting bow but it was made with far higher quality materials and had a distinct wavy shape to it that confused her.

Link eyed the weapon with an expert eye, carefully examining its every detail, and judging its worth. After a few moments he gripped both ends of the blow and flexed back slightly a few times to test its condition. He seemed to approve of what he found for a slight smile twitched at the corners of his mouth and he reached for the string already looped around one end of the bow. With expert proficiency and lazy ease Link quickly strung the bow, surprising Rebecca with the shape it made, and drew the string back experimentally.

Rebecca could hear the weapon creak with protest as brand new material was forced to bend in ways it wasn't used to. The volume of those sounds surprised her. She had never heard such protest from a bow before. Granted she had only ever used the simple hunting bows available to a peasant such as herself and even those creaked a bit when they were brand new. Still, this bow was far louder in its screams in comparison and she wondered how much weight was behind the draw.

Link held the string at full draw for a moment before slowly allowing it to return to its original position. His face lit up with a satisfied grin.

"Well done, Merlinus," He nodded his head in emphasis. "This is perfect!"

The merchant basked in the praise and immediately launched into a long string of self-deprecating comments belittling the value of the task and thanking him profusely for his kind words. Link ignored most of it and turned to present the bow to his student.

"Here, this is for you."

"For me?" Rebecca looked at the bow and then him in shock.

Link nodded. "You need a better weapon then that small hunting bow you've been using and its high time you got one. As your teacher, it is my responsibility to make sure you are properly outfitted to use what I am teaching." He chuckled at Rebecca's expression and continued. "This is a recurve bow. It's a bit different than the types of bows you're used to. The wavy design allows it to be made smaller than a typical bow yet still pack an equal punch. This makes it better suited for terrain where larger bows are more cumbersome." He tossed the weapon to the still stunned girl, forcing her to snap out of her stupor and catch it. "The problem is that they're harder to make, slightly louder when shot, have a bit shorter life span due to the increased strain on the materials, and are a harder to adjust to because they shoot differently than a regular bow."

Rebecca looked at the bow in her hands in awe and gently ran a finger down one of its limbs. It was expertly made and of such quality that she doubted she could have afforded to buy one if she saved every coin she had for five years. This was NOT a weapon a commoner could afford.

As if sensing her thoughts, Link waved a hand dismissively. "You're an archer in service to nobility and you need a weapon that matches your position." He smiled that disarming smile of his that he gave whenever he was pleased with her efforts. It was somehow different than the usual smile he gave off, although for the life of her she couldn't place her finger on exactly how. Perhaps the difference lay in his eyes or perhaps his bearing…maybe even the emotions behind it. There was pride in it; pride for her and her achievements, as well as genuine happiness. Whatever the case may be, it was a smile that meant more to her than any amount of words from anybody. "Don't worry about the price. Consider it a reward for your progress."

Rebecca flushed brilliantly and immediately threw her arms around Link in a crushing hug.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" She tilted her head up to look directly into his eyes and smiled brightly. "I love it!"

She stepped back, still grinning, and raised her new weapon in one hand. With the other, she tenderly wrapped her fingers around the string and pulled.

Nothing happened.

She blinked in surprise and stared for several long seconds at the bow before trying again.

Again, nothing.

Narrowing her eyes in slight frustration Rebecca pulled back as hard as she could, using all the muscles in her arms, shoulders, back, and chest.

Slowly, and with great protest, the string receded back away from resting position and began bending the limbs towards her. Arms shaking and teeth clenched with the exertion, Rebecca managed to draw the string almost to half-length before her strength gave out and the bow forced her hands back to the neutral position.

She stared at the bow in shock for a moment before her head snapped towards Link when she heard her mentor chuckle.

"It's got a little bit more draw weight than you're used to, but I'm confident you'll be able to use it with a little practice. You might need this though," and he tossed her a new and much thicker padded arm guard than the one she currently had. He smiled at her again, however this smile held the same evil glint in it that was present whenever he decided to introduce her to a new form of training. "I'm glad you like it so much. I was worried you wouldn't like it."

Rebecca shook her head and cradled the weapon in her arms. It was grand gift from a person she respected more than anyone else. She didn't care that she couldn't use it right now; she loved it and would practice with it until she could.

She HATED this thing!

How could anyone use a bow like this?! Rebecca had spent days working to draw the bow to its full length and when she finally managed it, it was impossible to hold her arms steady! Her forearm had turned into one massive bruise over and over again as the string slipped from her fingers and punished her severely even through the protective guard. Thank Elimine for Serra who would spend some time each night healing her injuries only for the process to start over the next day.

Rebecca doubted that she would have ever been able to draw the string without the exercises and training Link had provided over the course of their time together. But thanks to those torturous sessions and pure force of will, she could at least manage that now. Keeping it drawn was another matter altogether, let alone holding the bow steady long enough to aim properly. If she hadn't seen Link pull it back that first time as easily as breathing she would have not believed it possible.

She sighed heavily to herself, the sting in her gradually ebbing away. She eyed the bow again and wondered, not for the first time, about the specifics of the weapon. Being raised in a small village and having taught herself how to hunt, she had no formal training prior to Link's apprenticeship. As such she really didn't know much about the different kinds of bows outside of the common hunting bow used by peasants. She knew that larger bows were stronger and harder to pull back and that war bows were more powerful than hunting bows, but she didn't know about the specific amount of force needed to draw them or even what constituted as an average draw weight for bows designed for certain tasks.

Link had explained it to her roughly when she inquired about her new weapon and promised to go into detail about it later. For now though, he had told her the approximate weight of her bow and assured her that it was a good next step in her training and that they would look into a better one once she got used to this one. Rebecca had been surprised at that. The number he had revealed seemed like a lot to her but he had waved it away saying that it was pretty good but certainly not great. She did, however, think that his instructions to not let anyone else try it or to reveal its weight was a bit strange.

She sighed again and shook her head before reaching for another arrow to begin the process again. Link believed that she could do it and she would not disappoint him, especially if this wasn't even the weapon he wanted her to use once she finished her training. If that was the case, then she certainly wasn't about to let a measly one hundred and twenty pound draw stop her.

xxx

Hector growled to himself while he paced back and forth. He, Eliwood, and Link were all situated in various positions around a meeting table within Castle Laus. The hot tempered Ostian youth had long since abandoned the chair he had been sitting on and took to his current repetitive movement.

"Blast! Where on earth has that snake, Darin gone?"

Eliwood sighed at his friend and shrugged. "I doubt he's left Lycia yet, but…" his faced took on a worried expression. "Hector…it's been five days. The death of Marquess Santaruz…Our attack on Laus Castle… Word of these things must have reached Lord Uther by now. And yet he shows no sign of action… Why?"

This time it was Hector's turn to shrug.

"I'm sure he has his reasons," he replied. "My brother has other concerns tying his hands right now."

Eliwood blinked at that.

"What do you mean?"

"It's Bern," Hector said with a frown. "We've received disturbing reports over the past few months. King Desmond is behaving oddly. If he sees even the slightest crack in Lycia's defenses, we believe he'll invade with all of Bern's might behind him. My brother has only recently become marquess, as well as head of the Lycian League. He can't allow another country to see weakness or discord."

Eliwood rubbed his chin in thought. "He has to present the face of stability and strength, is that it?"

Hector nodded.

"Yes. It seems every country has a spy working in Ostia right now. They all want to assess the new marquess's temperament and skill. If they sense anything wrong, word will spread like wildfire."

"I see…If that is indeed the case…then Hector…you're the marquess's brother…Would not being at his side be seen as something 'wrong'?"

"Hah!" the blue haired noble barked out a laugh. "The marquess's brother is a well-known lout. If I WERE at court, they'd sense something wrong."

"You're not too proud of that reputation, are you?" Eliwood laughed, knowing full well the truth of the opinion.

"Hmph. Not in the least."

"At any rate…" Eliwood leaned back in his chair. "We won't be able to make another move until we get more information. Erik has told us all he knows and we have no idea where Marquess Darin went. We can't just run around blind, not with these new developments."

"I agree," Hector replied. "But this waiting around for something to happen is grinding my patience."

Eliwood nodded in agreement but there was little they could do to change that.

Suddenly the door burst open and Marcus rushed in with a look of pure urgency on his face.

"Lord Eliwood! Lord Hector!"

The three occupants of the room turned to the veteran knight in surprise.

"What is it, Marcus?" Eliwood asked. "Have you heard something?"

"Yes, my lord," He nodded gravely. "A messenger from the east! Castle Caelin has fallen to a surprise attack from Marquess Laus!"

There was silence for several moments as the shock of the news registered in everyone's mind

"Castle Caelin?!"

"They've struck again..." Hector muttered.

"Lord Hausen…" Eliwood continued. "Is he unharmed?"

Marcus shook his head. "We've no word on Lord Hausen or his granddaughter, the lady Lyndis."

Eliwood shook his head in astonishment. "I never expected them to attack Caelin… Lord Hausen… Lyndis…"

"Lord Eliwood, Lord Hector…" Marcus implored. "What should we-?"

But he was cut off when Link suddenly stormed towards the door.

"Wait! Link!" Eliwood jumped in front of the green clad swordsman.

The Hero of Time stopped inches short of the young red-haired noble and narrowed dangerous eyes at him.

"Move."

The simple command sent a shiver of terror down Eliwood's spine. There was no volume to it, but it carried more force than any shout possibly could have. He almost obeyed out of sheer instinct but some logical part of his mind let him hold his position.

"We…We need to decide what we're going to do now."

Link, however, was in no mood to deal with this. His reaction to the news had not been good. He was not angry, no, he was not even furious. Such words were an insult to the describe the rage he currently felt.

"Ido not care what youdo. I am going to Caelin and I am going to killthem."

He pushed past the young man standing in his way and headed towards the castle entrance.

Eliwood watched him go with a stunned expression and shuddered again. THAT was terrifying.

"Hector?" he turned to his best friend with an unspoken question.

"They might still be alive, right?" Hector nodded. "There's only one thing we can do!"

"Right," Eliwood turned back to Marcus. "We ride to their aid! There may still be time!"

"Of course my, Lord," the knight bowed and the three of them quickly hurried to catch up with Link.

Though they remained silent as they hastened to the door, they all agreed that Laus had just made a very, very big mistake.

xxx

From their hiding spot in the woods around Castle Caelin, Lyn grit her teeth tightly in an attempt to control her raging emotions. This sudden turn of events was so shocking that she had to convince herself that it was not just a nightmare. The attack had come swiftly and without warning. With its drastically reduced defenses, the castle had fallen in moments. The young heir wondered how many of her brave soldiers had been slain before they were forced to surrender. She had no way of knowing however as her grandfather had ordered her and her retainers to flee the castle immediately. Lyn had protested vehemently, of course, but Kent and Sain had literally dragged her away through a secret passage created for just such a purpose followed by Florina and Wil. Upon exiting the passage, they had quickly taken refuge in a small clearing amongst the trees. Now the remainders of Lyndis's Legion waited for Kent to return from scouting the enemy forces.

The wait was agonizing and Lyn prayed that he would be safe. Luckily her prayers were answered when Kent emerged into the clearing, however his grim expression did not bode well for them.

"Milady, I've returned, and I have brought news," Kent bowed slightly to her. "Laus soldiers are scattered from the castle to the edge of this forest. I counted at least 50 soldiers and there could easily be more!"

Sain cursed under his breath at the news. While fifty men didn't sound like a lot, it was actually a very formidable force. The Lycian League was comprised of thirteen individual territories unified into a nation. Together their combined military might was the equivalent of any of their neighbouring countries, but individually their armies were small. Some territories could boast armies that numbered in the thousands but those numbers were somewhat deceiving. For one thing those numbers did not represent a standing army, but rather the total force that they could put together into a temporary one. Armies were expensive to maintain and keeping a large standing force ready to march at a given notice was incredibly taxing on resources. That was why most armies were comprised heavily of militia, citizens of the land that could be called upon to fight, and mercenaries. While it was required for members of the militia to undergo routine training, they were not typically professional fighters and few of them could boast full sets of proper military equipment and were thus less effective than proper soldiers.

Therefore, most territories only kept an average of 100 – 250 trained standing men on hand; men who were in a different league altogether than typical militia. An invading force of 50 such men was nothing to laugh at, especially when there could very well be more. Actually, now that Lyn thought about it, there were probably quite a few more then that since Kent would only have been able to see the forces outside the castle and not the ones who were currently occupying it. Either way, it was a daunting and grim task to take on with just the five of them.

"Are you sure about this, milady?" Sain rubbed his neck nervously. "We barely escaped… Going back to the castle would mean almost certain death."

Lyn nodded sharply in response.

"My grandfather is in the castle. I left the castle on his orders, but… I can't leave him in there alone!"

"The numbers we face…" Wil frowned grimly. "Rescuing Lord Hausen will be no easy task."

Lyn bowed her head in despair and clenched her fists so tight she drove all the blood from them in an instant, turning them pale white.

"I know…but I can't…I can't just do nothing…"

'If only Link were here,' She thought bitterly. If he was here then Lyn was sure that they could have succeeded. But he wasn't and Lyn, despite all of her training, felt powerless.

She hated that feeling.

"I wonder if we can expect any reinforcements…" Sain sighed aloud.

"It is possible," Kent replied slowly, causing everyone to perk up and stare at him. "I overheard some of the Laus soldiers talking. They claim that Lord Eliwood invaded Laus and drove them out."

Lyn blinked in surprise. "Eliwood? Why would he attack Laus?"

Kent shrugged. "It gets even more interesting… Not only did Marquess Laus abandon his castle, but he also left his son, Erik, behind when he fled here to Caelin."

"That's despicable!" Sain cried out in disgust. "He abandoned his own son?"

"So it seems," Kent nodded. "What I want to know is how Lord Eliwood got a force large enough to drive Lord Darin out of his castle to here without us knowing it. Laus's forces are on par with Ostia's after all."

"He would need a substantial army that's for sure," Sain agreed. "Why though? Why would he attack them?"

"Who can say?" Lyn straightened and her eyes hardened with resolve. "But at least we know Eliwood is in Laus. We might be able to ask him for help…Assuming there were a way to contact him."

"If we are to avoid being caught," Wil tapped his chin in thought. "The best path would be through the forest. Shall I go?"

"I suspect you're right," Lyn nodded slowly. "Horses cannot move well in woods… It'll take you a while, but you can travel lightly…"

It was at this point that Florina interrupted.

"Lady Lyndis! I'll go!" She announced excitedly. "I can fly above the forest. I can be in Laus faster than anyone else."

Lyn balked at the suggestion and fear instantly gripped her heart. "Florina? You can't do this on your own! It's not possible!"

Florina nodded purposefully. "Thanks to my time here, I'm no longer as timid around men as I used to be. And I've met Lord Eliwood before. I'm sure I can do this on my own! Please let me go! I can do this!"

Lyn was hesitant to answer. Florina was her dearest friend and she had spent so much time protecting the timid girl that she was loathe to expose her to any kind of harm. But she also knew that Florina was right. She was by far the best person to send on such an errand…and she also knew that her friend had grown much stronger over the year.

"It will be terribly dangerous…" She said at last. "You understand, don't you?"

"Yes." Florina stated, a hint of fear clearly evident in her eyes. "But… I promised myself I would become braver for you. I'm not the weak little Florina I used to be. I'll be fine. Trust me."

Lyn couldn't help but smile at her friend and she quickly enveloped her in a tight embrace.

"You've convinced me. The job's yours, Florina," She pulled away just enough to stair directly into the Pegasus Knight's eyes. "But you must promise me that you won't try anything impossible!"

Florina smiled reassuringly and nodded.

"Yes, my lady."

"Take Shakkar with you." Lyn raised her hand to allow the hawk to alight on her arm. "He'll help you keep an eye out for danger."

"Alright," Florina nodded again and mounted her beloved Pegasus. "Farewell!"

Lyn couldn't suppress the smile that crept across her lips as she watched her friend take off. Apparently neither could Sain.

"Did you hear our meek Florina?" The green knight beamed. "She sounded most forceful! Beautiful!"

Kent nodded in approval.

"She's become a full-fledged Pegasus knight."

"Yes, she has," Lyn smiled sadly.

"All for you, Lady Lyndis.," Wil chimed in brightly. "That's quite gallant."

Lyn kept her eyes firmly fixed to Florina's dwindling form, a look of melancholy settling on her face.

"When we lived on the plains, I was always her protector…I know I shouldn't feel sad, and yet…"

"She will be fine, milady." Kent tried to reassure her. "She's grown strong. We need to decide what we are going to do now in the meantime."

"Yes…" Lyn replied slowly and then turned her gaze back to him. "Yes, of course."

xxx

Florina flew high above the trees in an attempt to get her bearings. From the sky she could see the Laus soldiers below and grimly realized that Kent had correct in his assumption that there were more troops than he had counted. This fact made her task all the more imperative.

"Let's see…" She thought aloud. "To reach Laus, I must go over the forest…and fly north." She angled her Pegasus, Huey, towards the north and the small mountain range that ran along the edge of Caelin's border. "Then, I'll have to…"

Her thoughts were interrupted by the excited screeching of Shakkar, who flared his wings wildly around her head.

"What the-What's gotten into you?" Florina demanded of the irate bird and glared in his direction. She suddenly gasped in surprise when she noticed a group of people approaching from the North-northwest.

"Wait! Who are those people?" She squinted in an attempt to get a better view. "They fly no banner, and yet…" Her heart lifted with hope and she urged Huey towards them. She couldn't make out any clear details from here but there was one thing that did stand out: a familiar shock of flaming red hair. "Ah!" She cried out in delight. "That man in the lead! It's Lord Eliwood! He's come to Caelin's aid! That's wonderful. I have to tell him where Lady Lyndis is waiting!"

She spurred her mount on with renewed vigor and dove swiftly towards Eliwood's approaching caravan; her sense of excitement and haste causing her to forget all thoughts of caution…

xxx

After coming around the last remnants of the mountain range, Eliwood's company could easily make out the form of Castle Caelin in the short distance as well as the soldiers at its gates.

"There's the enemy," Hector growled. "Looks like they've indeed taken the castle."

"So it would seem," Eliwood nodded sadly. "They have quite a numerical advantage, but not as many as I would have believed."

Hector shrugged. "Perhaps Darin was unable to gather the rest of the forces he had prepared for his takeover. We did drive him out rather quickly."

Eliwood nodded thoughtfully. "If that is true, then we are lucky."

A deep throated growl from behind made the two lords made them both turn their heads to the noise. Link held a terrifying gaze full of cold rage locked on the forces of Laus around the castle. Their numbers, or lack thereof, meant nothing to him. They had not only taken over the capitol of an innocent territory already struggling to recover from civil war, which by itself he would have deemed an unforgivable act, just because it was convenient and abandoned their own home to do so, but they had done something far worse in Link's mind.

Link was many things: wanderer, adventurer, peerless warrior, hero, mentor, and much more. But above all else he was a protector. A guardian to those who could not protect themselves and a sentinel against evil. A symbol of hope and light against the darkness.

He truly cherished the people he cared about and would move mountains if need be to ensure their safety. To see them suffer in any way was agony to his soul and he would walk through the fires of Hell if it meant bringing them peace.

Link had been instrumental in driving this army out of Laus and now they had done something that ignited the hottest flames of his wrath: they had attacked his friends.

He didn't care how many or how few of them there were. They were all dead men walking.

"Hmm?" Hector suddenly squinted as movement amongst the enemy caught his eye. "Why are their archers advancing? They're aiming at something up high."

It was Marcus who was the first to spot the reason for their sudden action.

"Lord Eliwood, look! Up there! A pegasus knight!"

Link's heart dropped like a stone. A Pegasus knight coming from Caelin could only mean one person, and if archers were moving to intercept…

His fears were confirmed with cruel clarity when an unmistakable voice filled the sky.

"Lord Eliwood!"

The lord in question stared in shock at the young woman calling his name. "Could it really be… Florina, is that you?!"

"Yes!" Florina cried happily in reply. "I'm Lady Lyndis's…"

Whatever she was about to say was cut off when Eliwood screamed a desperate warning at the same time Shakkar screeched wildly by her ear.

"Florina! Fly lower!"

In her haste to reach him as soon as possible, Florina had flown within range of a pursuing squad of archers. Had she been more aware of her surroundings she might have been able to stay out of their reach but as she was now, Florina was a perfect target. Climbing higher would have been suicidal, she needed the safety of the ground and cover of the trees.

Florina balked at the two warnings and looked around frantically for the danger. She found it just as a volley of arrows sailed towards her.

"Wha– Oh!" She gasped and instinctively jerked her reins to the side. Her Pegasus responded with a wild cry and tumbled completely off balance away from the hail of deadly missiles. By some miracle she managed to avoid them but now she was flailing out of control as her mount failed to correct its mad spiral. Then the unthinkable happened – she fell from her saddle.

"Florina!"

Eliwood's cry was mingled by the equally loud and terrified screams of the falling rider and her steed. Florina's scream echoed across the sky and she shut her eyes tightly in anticipation for her death. A sudden brilliant flash of green lit up the air around her and she felt a powerful force wrap around her lithe frame. The frightened young women had no time to even comprehend this new change before she felt the unmistakeable jar of impact followed by a grunt of pain. Somewhere in the very back of her mind she also heard the whumping sound of another heavy collision and a few indistinct cries that followed.

She didn't register any of that, though. She was too busy dealing with the adrenaline of fear coursing through her mind and body and waiting for the pain to hit her. It never came.

Seconds seemed to drift by like hours and as Florina slowly came to the realization that she was alive, she also become aware of the presence around her. It felt strangely familiar to her, though she couldn't place exactly why. Then she became aware of someone's heavy, ragged breathes close to her ear and the sound of a heartbeat that was not her own. Ever so slowly, Florina managed to open her eyes and what she saw stunned her mind back into silence.

Golden hair falling around a long pointed ear filled her vision. She blinked several times, trying to comprehend the sight, and then gradually became aware of the strong arms wrapped tightly around her in a crushingly protective embrace.

Florina knew those arms; it was not the first time she had been in their grasp.

Her eyes widened in shock but she was still too stunned to do anything else. His head was bent over her form so she couldn't see his face, but she could feel the edge of his hot breath and hear the hammering of his heart. He was holding her so tightly to his chest that it was almost painful. Almost.

She didn't know how long they stayed like that. Seconds, minutes, hours…Florina couldn't tell. There was only one thought that registered in her addled ming: He was here.

But he couldn't be here…could he? Were they that fortunate that he had shown up now of all times? It did not seem possible…and yet…

Her thoughts were suddenly halted when she felt her saviour finally shift and whisper to her.

"Are you alright, Florina?"

His tone was so delicate and fragile, as if pleading for her to answer in the affirmative, that she could scarcely believe it had come from whom she thought it had. And then she could see his face; the familiar and strong image of the man who had saved her life more than once and the only man thus far to have her complete trust. If she had any doubts as to his identity before, they were gone the moment she gazed into the piercing blue eyes that seemed to cut through her very soul.

There was only one person who had eyes like that.

"L-Link…?" She breathed. "Is that…h-how could…"

"Are you alright?" he asked again more urgently.

"U-uh…y-yes…"

"Thank the Goddessess…" Link sighed in relief and smiled softly at her. "You scared me to death…"

And just like that, all the resolve and emotional strength that Florina had built up for this task broke like an over flooded dam. Her hands seized the front fabric of Link's tunic and she buried herself even closer to his chest as she burst into tears.

Link cradled her gently; standing up straight from the crouched position he had landed in, and crooned gentle comforting sounds in her ear.

"Shhh…It'll be alright, you're safe now."

"L-Link!" She bawled and continued to soak the front of his clothes. They were so many emotions in those tears: lingering fright, shock, relief, joy, hope, all were present and they overwhelmed her. When they had fled the castle, Florina had known that their odds of success were slim. Even if she was able to find Eliwood's party and convince them to lend their aid, the Pegasus knight knew that there would be every possibility she would be too late.

But not anymore. He was here and she knew everything would be alright.

"I'm here," Link reassured her. "I'm here."

"I…*hic*was s-so *hic* afraid…Lyn and t-the others…*hic**hic*…Came t-to…get help…"

"You did well, Florina," the Hylian smiled at her again. "You were very brave. Is everyone alright?"

Florina nodded weakly. "Y-yes…in the southern woods…"

Link sighed in relief. "That's good. Can you stand?"

Florina took several deep breathes to calm herself and then, after another moment, seemed to fully realize her position. Her timid nature resurfaced and her face immediately flushed bright red. She nodded vigorously in response, suddenly unable to speak.

"Good," Link nodded and gently placed her on her feet. "It's good to see you again, Florina. You've grown a lot stronger since the last time we met."

Florina returned the smile shyly and nodded. "Uh-huh. I've worked hard so that I could be of service to Lady Lyn."

"That's good, I'm sure she's proud of you. I know I am."

Florina blushed again but beamed at the praise.

"Tell me, what happened?"

The young woman's strength returned in force as she remembered the danger that her friends were still in and she quickly explained everything that had happened in the last few hours.

"Lady Lyn and the others are beyond the southern forest," she finished. "But Lord Hausen has been captured and is still in the castle. They're waiting for a chance to attack and rescue him."

"I see," Link nodded and turned his gaze in the direction of Castle Caelin. "Florina, can you lead Eliwood and the others to their position?"

Florina blinked but nodded. "Y-yes."

"Good."

"W-what are you g-going to do?"

Link's face then sharpened into a harsh glare directed towards the castle.

"I have some business to take care of."

"Wait!" Florina suddenly cried out, startling the Hero of Time. He turned back to her with a look of mild surprise.

Florina raised her hand up and, a moment later, a large hawk flew down and landed on her arm.

"Shakkar can take you to Lyn."

Link smiled at her once again. "Good idea."

With that, he dashed away in the direction where he knew the soldiers who had shot Florina down would be; his rage returning tenfold. Of all the people they could have harmed, it had been Florina that they had almost killed. Sweet, innocent, and kind Florina…a young woman who should never have been exposed to the harsh life of a soldier and who had now seen more brushes with death than anyone else in the Legion.

He ran faster, his clenched in pure anger.

He could see them now, the men who had shot her down and caused her to fall.

Hearing her scream had almost shattered Link's mind. It wasn't a scream of pain, but one of pure unadulterated fear. Such a sound should never be heard from one such as Florina. It was just wrong on some primal level that one could not explain but still accepted as fact. That sound had been one of the worst things he had experienced in a long time and, for the first time in years, Link had been afraid.

No…that wasn't right. It wasn't just simple fear…it had been terror. Pure and abject terror.

Link had reacted on pure reflex. Instincts sharpened and honed over a life time of combat to take control when his mind failed. He had been too late to cast a barrier to protect her, but he had been able to teleport to her in midair; where he could hear that scream directly into his ear.

He hadn't even registered the pain of impact when he landed. Such a thing meant nothing then. All that mattered was that she was unharmed.

Now that she was…well…somebody needed to answer for it.

Looking back on what was about to come, one could perhaps make comment that Link had done what he had lectured Hector against: let his anger cloud his judgement.

Of course that would be assuming that anybody to witness the event was left alive afterwards.

The archers easily spotted his mad charge towards them and responded by firing a volley of arrows towards him. Link didn't slow down at all. His shield came up in his right hand and arrows bounced harmlessly off it as he advanced. With a primal roar of fury, Link fell upon them and unleashed the rage burning inside.

He didn't care who they were. Did not care what they looked like. He cared not for anything but one fact: they had almost killed Florina.

These soldiers were not men fighting for their lives or even waiting for their execution: they were already dead.

"Lady Lyndis!"

Lyn turned at the call to see Wil dart into the clearing, a look of urgency on his face.

"The enemy forces are moving towards us!"

"Blast!" Sain growled and mounted his horse. "They must have seen Florina take off."

"What should we do, milady?" Kent turned to his liege.

Lyn grit her teeth in thought. "We may have no choice but to hold our ground and hope that Florina can reach Eliwood in time. I know we can't assault the castle on our own but…"

"Hah!" Sain grinned and hefted his lance. "We can do more than just hold our ground! We may as well try and meet them halfway!"

"Don't be so reckless, Sain," Kent chided. "We have no way of knowing how close Lord Eliwood may be. Until we know for certain, we should assume that there are the only four of us against Laus."

"Kent is right," Lyn agreed. "Which means that we need to use every advantage that we can. The trees will help mitigate their numbers; we should use that to our advantage."

She gripped the hilt of one of her swords. She knew that most of the work would need to be done by herself and Wil. Sain and Kent were competent fighters on the ground but their greatest strength lay in mounted combat and their horses would be at a disadvantage in the woods. Lyn and Wil were much better suited for a fight in the trees; in fact, she grinned lightly, this might just prove to be beneficial.

xxx

Wil's breathing was slow and deliberate, controlled to the point of near silence. He sat in complete stillness and peered through the leaves at the soldiers fanned out below. Luckily the soldiers were not marching through the woods in a strict line, they had spread out in order to sweep the forest more effectively search for them.

Perfect.

Wil, like everyone else in the Legion, had trained hard over the past year. He had finally managed to return to his cheerful, happy-go-lucky disposition, which was a huge relief to many, but the lessons he had learned from his past failure was burned into his memory. One of those lessons included having the patience to wait for the perfect opportunity to strike. He was hidden in the branches of the trees for now, but if he started firing arrows at the nearest target, his location would be compromised instantly.

Off to the side he could see Lyn leaning tightly against a tree, peering with one eye around the trunk. She was close to the line of soldiers and they were approaching steadily. In a few minutes they would pass her and she would be behind them. Wil slowly drew an arrow back in preparation and waited. His found a target and he focused his attention on the timing he would need.

Just a few more steps…

3…

2…

There!

Wil's arrow flew through the air and sank into the chest of one of the soldiers. The man fell to the earth with a cry of pain that alerted everyone around him to the danger. As one they all turned to where the comrade had fallen. One of them craned his head just as he stepped past the tree Lyn was hiding against, mere feet away from her position.

Lyn's sword flashed once and his head fell from his soldiers. The sound of his body and armour hitting the ground caused a few more cries of surprise from those close enough to hear it and they turned to try and find the new threat, but Lyn was already gone.

Wil allowed a dark smile to creep across his face. Perfect. Now to try it again. He quickly scanned for a new target while also noting Lyn's movement and found one. Once again he drew his bow, waiting for the opportune moment, and let another arrow fly. This one sank into the side of a soldier just as he lifted his arm to move a branch out of his way. Another cry of pain distracted the men and they all turned their attention to the sound. One man turned away right before he would have noticed Lyn dash up to him. The Sacaean swordswoman streaked by him in a blur of motion, opening him up with a reverse gripped quick slash before disappearing out of sight again.

While not necessarily trained in the art of stealth, Lyn was the no stranger to moving quietly and she was easily the most fleet footed of them all. Her blinding speed and nimble footsteps allowed her to ghost from one spot to the next, using the confusion wrought but Wil's unseen arrows to further hide her movements.

Thus the vicious cycle of death continued. An idle thought drifted at the back of Wil's consciousness and marvelled at the fact that less than a year ago he would have been incapable of performing this task with such efficiency and skill. His practice was paying off in dividends now. He didn't have any time to dwell on the thought though as he kept a constant vigil on Lyn's movements and appropriate targets. It was imperative that he remain unseen as long as possible and to do that he needed to hit soldiers who were not only looking away from him but also when no one else was looking at him either. To top it off he also had to make sure that none of his shots caused someone to discover Lyndis as well.

Lyn, for her part, was wreaking havoc among the soldiers of Laus. They knew something was picking them off but they had yet to see what. Any attempts at investigating the causes of their fallen comrades was cut off by the sudden death of another. Some of them had caught glimpses of a person moving through the trees but the figure was moving too fast to get an accurate bead on. She never gave them a second glance; darting from soldier, to cover, to soldier, and back into cover again, over and over; striking at any exposed vital point she could find.

Unfortunately the numbers were heavily against them and it was only a matter of time before their actions were discovered. That time suddenly hit them when Lyn attacked a foot soldier that spotted her movement out of the corner of his eye and somehow managed to instinctively react fast enough to block her slash with his lance. The sound of the two weapons colliding ring out through the trees and caught the attention of the soldier surrounding them.

"Here!" The soldier cried out in a panicked voice. "She's here! Over Here!"

Lyn cursed under breath and quickly struck again, silencing the shouting man. It was too late however, the soldiers had spotted her and now it would be impossible to hide. The soldiers quickly moved to surround her but Lyn was still faster than them. She slammed her sword back into its sheath and darted towards the direction Wil was hiding. The archer began firing arrows as fast as he could, headless of stealth now, in an attempt to cover her retreat. He was able to kill one soldier and injure a couple more, allowing Lyn enough distraction to put some distance between them, before Wil began to scramble out of the for his own retreat.

They had managed to cut down a third of the squad of soldiers after them but they were still grossly outnumbered. Lyn could hear the soldiers pursuing them as well as a number of other voices from men she couldn't see around them. She cursed again. Reinforcements.

One soldier, a swordsman, appeared in her path and she charged to meet him. Gripping one hand on her sword's hilt and the other on its scabbard, Lyn slid forward and struck with a single blindingly fast slash across the man's chest. One casual flick to rid the blade of blood later and the sword was back in its sheath, the encounter having barely slowed Lyn's momentum.

Sudden movement to either side caught her attention as she ran and glanced back and forth to ascertain the new hazard. A pair of myrmidons, running almost as fast as she was, flanked her with another following behind. Mercenaries from Sacae, trained in a similar style to her. Lyn cursed again and tried to outdistance them.

On flat ground she might have managed it, she was a bit faster than they were, but she was slowed by the debris and obstacles of the forest and they were moving to pincer her in a straight line. Eventually one of them found and opening and leapt towards her, his blade held high.

Lyn darted to the side, directly into the path of the other flanking myrmidon and was forced to draw her sword to block his attack. She was able to deflect the strike and pivot around his body, giving her an opening to continue her retreat but the first swordsman recovered almost instantly from his miss and lunged forward to cut off Lyn's route of escape.

They had her now, surrounded on all sides in the center of a triangle. They were all breathing fairly hard from their run but Lyn forced herself calm and focused all her attention on the three mercenaries surrounding her. She shifted her feet into a ready stance, one hand hovering just above the hilt of her sword, ready to draw it in an instant. She honed her senses into a sphere around her, blocking out all distractions, and concentrated them on her opponents. Two of them had their swords already drawn, practitioners of kenjutsu, and the other stood in a similar stance to hers, a fellow iaijutsu swordsman.

Lyn felt a bead of sweat trickle down the side of her face. This wasn't good. One on one she would have been fine, she could tell that none of the men present were sword masters and while she herself had a long way to go before claiming that title, she was confident in her ability to match anyone who wasn't. Even two on one was not a something she would have hesitated at, but three? That was pushing her ability to the absolute limit, especially against fellow Sacaeans – a people renowned for their deadly swordsmanship.

Luckily they seemed to have reached a stalemate for now. If they were to attack her all at once they would probably succeed in killing her, but she would be able to kill at least one of them in turn. They had noted her own abilities in the same way she had judged theirs and they were wary.

But time was not on her side.

With every moment that passed, more and more soldiers were closing in on her. Already a loose but definite ring was beginning to form around her. She had no clue as to the welfare of her comrades. Sain and Kent had stayed back on her orders since their armour was difficult to move silently in and Wil had vanished once she gained some ground from her pursuers. None of them were in sight now.

She was on her own.

Lyn's mind raced as she weighed her options. She could charge one of them but as soon as she did, the other two would be right behind her. If she was fast enough to kill her initial target, she might be able to recover enough to face a two on one battle. But if she couldn't kill him on the first attack then Lyn would be wide open to the attack from behind. Trying to break through between them would result in an immediate two on one lock up with her back exposed to the third.

The question then: which one did she have the most chance of killing in one shot?

While she tried to ascertain the best course of action, another thought suddenly occurred to her. She did have one option that she hadn't considered. Something that could greatly increase her chance of success, but it would be very difficult to pull off. The more that Lyn considered this new course of action, the more she became convinced that it was her best shot. She had never attempted it in such a way before, but if she could pull it off…

Her decision made, Lyn took a slow, deep breath, and focused her mind. She didn't dare close her eyes and the task of keeping awareness of her three opponents while preparing herself was greater than anything she had done before. Each second felt like an eternity, but Lyn could feel her body prepare for the action, could sense her internal energy harmonize with her breaths. She concentrated harder, envisioning the path before her and focused her will on the outcome.

Then she moved.

Releasing her energy, Lyn vanished in a burst of speed, and three shadowy images of her launched at each swordsman. The men cried out in alarm and each brandished their blades to counter the attack. Three quick flashes of metal filled the eyes of those who watched but there was no sound of steel against steel.

Time seemed to freeze for a moment as the appearance of six swordsmen stood motionless, their swords held out in follow through positions. Then, suddenly, the iaijutsu swordsman dropped to the ground - dead. Lyn stood up straight and turned to the remaining two swordsmen who watched in astonishment as the images of woman before them faded away.

Shadow Dance.

The combination of speed, energy, and will to create after images of the user; a killing technique perfected by the nomads of Sacae. Normally these images were used to confuse and overwhelm one's opponent; however, true masters of the technique could even hurt with their phantom projections – slicing multiple times at once. It was an extremely difficult technique to perform and was usually meant to be used in a one on one setting because the technique involved manipulating the opponent's perceptions on top of everything else. Lyn had never before tried sending her shadows towards more than one person at once, let alone in three different directions.

Had she been a master then she could have killed all three at once. As it was the two copies were merely illusions meant to distract the other two while she targeted the other herself. But even by that standard, what she had just done was nothing short of a display of prodigious skill and discipline well beyond her years.

And the two remaining myrmidons knew it.

They stared at her with stunned expressions and gripped their swords tighter. Now the positions had changed and Lyn stood, back in her ready stance, facing them both. She was now fully confident that she could beat these two, especially now that their morale was rattled.

Unfortunately, in her distraction, she had forgotten one important fact: she was now surrounded.

Laus soldiers stood in a tight ring all around her, every one of them with weapons drawn and ready.

"Dammit," Lyn cursed again, looking around in dismay at her predicament.

The two myrmidons, their resolve bolstered by the reinforcements, began to laugh at her.

"An impressive display," One of them called out. "Especially for a woman."

Lyn narrowed her eyes dangerously at that, but didn't respond.

"The game is over, however," the man continued. "Surrender now and we will spare your life."

Lyn was about to tell him where he could take his surrender when a sudden war cry shattered the air around them. An instant later something hit one of the soldiers surrounding her with the force of a charging bull, sending him flying clear to the other side. He landed in a crumpled heap and all eyes turned to the figure who broke the circle.

A lone swordsman stood there, his blue decorated shield thrust out through the spot where the soldier had been standing. Piercing blue eyes surveyed the scene before him and he quickly charged forward to attack the two myrmidons facing Lyn. Caught by surprise, they stood no chance.

Lyn stood stock still, her eyes wider than dinner plates, as she stared in complete shock at the man who strode up to her with a casual smile.

"Hi, Lyn, mind if I join your little party?"

"Link…?" Lyn tried to jolt her brain back into function. "Is that you?"

"One and only," the Hylian grinned as he took a good look at the friend he had not seen in a year. She looked very much the same, although there was an air about her that made her seem even more beautiful than before. She even wore the same clothes, albeit a different set made of finer material and tailored to accommodate the minor growth and maturity she had experienced over the past year, including the special padded harness he had given her for Shakkar to perch safely on her shoulder. There was, however, one change in her attire that he noticed immediately and couldn't help but inwardly smile at.

She was carrying three swords. Two of them were tied at her left hip, like he remembered, but now there was a third blade strapped across her back, its hilt resting by her right shoulder.

The two stared at each other for a brief moment before Lyn burst forth and threw her arms around him, crushing him in a tight hug.

"Father Sky and Mother Earth!" She cried in relief and joy. "You're here! Oh, Link, you're here! Thank the gods!"

"G-good to see you, too, Lyn," Link coughed through the embrace. He smiled at her and tried to return the gesture, though her hold was so strong that he found it rather difficult to do so. Inwardly, his heart sang with relief. He had made it in time and she was safe. This knowledge did much to temper the anger that had boiled over, allowing him to finally bring it under control. He chuckled ruefully. "As much as I'd love to continue, I think we have something else to deal with right now."

"Oh!" Lyn gasped and jerked her head up, remembering the fact that they were surrounded by enemy soldiers. She looked around sheepishly. "I forgot…"

Link laughed heartedly and gently pushed her away. "I see you've gotten stronger since we last met and," he indicated the sword on her back. "Picked up another accessory."

"Of course," Lyn smiled mischievously. "I said I'd be ready to face you with both the next time we fought."

He grinned at her. "I look forward to that." He then turned casually to the soldiers around him. "Shall we do this together then?"

Lyn's smirk widened and she happily mirrored his movement, crossing her arms so that her right hand grasped one of the swords at her hip while her left reached up for the sword at her back and drawing both blades in a single smooth motion, so that they stood back to back. Two close friends who had met at major turning points in their lives; friends who had fought side by side and forged a unique bond tempered by their mutual need for each other. She had found him, nursed him back to health, and taught him about this new world. He had been her rock, her support against the trials set against her, a teacher, and a friend. They had separated reluctantly when their paths had suddenly split, but now no longer.

They were reunited once more.

"Let's."

And they danced.

That was the only thing their actions could be called. Water and wind mixed together in perfect harmony.

The soldiers charged forward seeking to overwhelm them, but their numbers meant nothing to the pair. One soldier thrust a lance at Lyn – it was blocked by Link's shield. Lyn darted forward in response and sliced him open with a horizontal cross slash. She immediately twisted backwards away from an incoming sword, rolling across Link's back and kicking another soldier away as she did, while Link came up with his own blade and bifurcated the swordsman who had struck at her. They spun as one and took out another pair attempting to catch them in a pincer.

Link tossed his sword into the air and turned to face Lyn, cupping his hands together. She smoothly placed one foot into his grip and he heaved her skyward just in time to spin, catch his falling blade, and stab an axe man in the chest. Lyndis arced gracefully in the air and twisted at her apex, flipping one sword into a reverse grip, and then spinning to descend like a whirling mill saw, slicing through two close standing soldiers as she landed. Someone moved to attack her while she recovered but Link was there to cover her back and ended him before he got the chance.

They continued on in that manner; moving in unison, utilizing each other's strengths and covering their weaknesses, flowing from one motion to the next in a glorious dance of death. Lyn's blinding speed and precision a perfect complement to Link's flowing movement and raw power. They spun, dodged, parried, countered, and struck with such purpose and grace that no one could have guessed that it wasn't choreographed.

Lyn struck at one soldier who managed to block and attempted a counter. She flipped away, her body stretched in a back layout, and soared towards her partner. Link, as if sensing her movement, spun in perfect timing to her flip and brought his shield to bear as an angled platform and stopped her backward momentum. With a grunt of effort Link thrust forward in time with her push off and sent Lyn rocketing back through the air towards the hapless soldier. A split second later saw his head leave his body.

Lyn slid along the ground smoothly, spinning one more to cut two more soldiers as she passed, before kicking up and springing off the base of a tree to re-join Link who took out three soldiers at once with a single circular swing. She breezed past him in a flash and quickly cut down another man with two precise cuts, ending in a crouched position, while Link turned and disembowelled the last soldier with a rising slash.

Silence fell on the area as the two held their positions for a moment. All around them the bodies of soldiers littered the forest floor; every single one of them brutally and efficiently slain. None had survived.

As the two swordsmen slowly stood up straight and sheathed their weapons, they suddenly became aware of an audience. Turning to the side they could see Kent, Sain, and Wil, the former two looking a little battered up but none worse for wear, staring at them with gaping expressions. Lyn couldn't suppress the sigh of relief that came from knowing her friends were safe.

"Lady Lyndis…" Kent attempted to break the silence between them but couldn't find the words.

"That was…" Wil tried to pick up for him.

"Incredible!" Sain burst out and rushed forward. "That was a truly wondrous display! Such dazzling beauty! Ah! Be still my heart!"

Link couldn't help himself. He laughed.

"It's nice to see some things haven't changed at all," He chortled.

Sain grinned at him. "Ah! Sir Link, my friend! Well met!" The two clasped each other's forearms heartily. "Fortune brings us back together once more! Now we have a chance against this accursed Lausian dogs."

"Well met, indeed," Kent agreed as he and Wil strode up to join them. "It is good to see you again, Link. St Elimine favors us this day it seems."

"Hi Kent, Wil," Link nodded at the two and exchanged a grasps with the two in turn. "It's good to see you, too. Wish it was under better circumstances though."

"Maybe," Wil chuckled. "But it's just like old times. Lyndis's Legion back together once again! We just need Florina here with us."

At the mention of the young Pegasus knight, Lyn gasped.

"Oh! Florina! Link did you—"

"She's alright," Link reassured her. "She's the one who told me where to find you. She's leading Eliwood and the others here as we speak."

"Ah…" Lyn sighed in relief. "She made it then…Oh Father Sky…"

"Yeah, she did," Link smiled. "She's grown. You both have."

Lyn returned the smile and nodded. It was so good to see him…Right when she truly needed him, again. And just like that, all her fears, doubts, and despair evaporated into nothing. Link was back; her friend, her mentor, and her pillar of strength. Nothing would stop them now.

"We should meet up with Eliwood and the others," Link announced. "Then we can decide what we're going to do now. I would like to hear the whole story about what happened and they should be present as well." He then grinned again. "You might find a few other familiar faces as well."

xxx

Eliwood, panting heavily, slowly withdrew his rapier from the chest of the man he had just faced. A few meters to his side, Hector crushed the defense of a footman who had rushed him. After Link had departed so quickly and left Florina to guide them, and after discovering the remains of the squad of advance archers he had attacked, they had met the forces of Laus who had begun to move after Florina had been shot down. The sounds of battle had alerted the rest of the forces and the fighting quickly escalated into full scale combat.

The first wave had been routed, falling to the group's superior abilities, and Eliwood gratefully took the moment to gather his breath. He knew the fighting was far from over.

It was at this moment that he spotted Link's approach, leading a small group with him.

"Lady Lyndis!" Florina cried out in joy, identifying the group instantly and rushing forward on her Pegasus.

When she got close enough, Florina launched herself out of the saddle and threw her arms around her friend, quiet sobs muffled by Lyn's body.

"Florina!" Lyn returned the embrace happily. "I'm so glad you're safe!"

"I-I did it…I found them."

"Yes, yes you did," Lyn smiled at her. "You've saved us Florina. Thank you."

"And Link!" Florina exclaimed excitedly. "He's here too! We…we can do it now, can't we? We can win?"

"Yes," Lyn nodded with determination. "We can."

"Well met, Lady Lyndis," Eliwood stepped with a smile. "It's been some time, hasn't it?"

"Hello, Eliwood," She replied. "Well met, indeed. Thank you for coming to our aid."

"Hah," Eliwood laughed. "Didn't really have much of a choice. You should have seen Link's face when he heard that Laus had attacked Caelin. I swear that was nightmare I'll not soon forget! Besides, it was our fault in the end. They would not have come here had we not attacked them."

"Hmm…" Lyn mused. "I would hear an explanation for that, but it can wait for now."

"Agreed," Eliwood nodded. "Can you tell us the situation right now?"

"Of course. Laus attacked early this afternoon, there was no warning. Their numbers were far too great for our troops to handle and we were overwhelmed. Some of them tried to fight back but to no avail. I do not know how many have survived, though I suspect more than a few were taken prisoner. My grandfather ordered myself and the others to flee, though he refused to come with us. He claimed that if he stayed and surrendered, they would pursue us with less aggression than otherwise." She paused for a moment to stare remorsefully at the castle. "I…I did not want to leave…I would have gladly stayed and faced them with him…but he made me leave..." She then turned back to her fellow lord. "I will save him. I cannot bear to think if any harm has befallen him."

"Do not worry, Lyn," Eliwood reassured her. "We will assist you."

"Of course we will," Hector announced, hefting his axe over his shoulder. "Those cowardly traitors will pay for their crimes."

Lyn turned to the new voice and raised an eyebrow. "And you are?"

"Ah, Lyn, this is Lord Hector," Eliwood introduced his friend. "Younger brother to Marquess Ostia and my closest friend."

"I see," Lyn nodded. "You're assistance is most appreciated."

"Forget it," Hector shook his head. "Let's just focus on taking back your castle."

"Right," Eliwood agreed. "How shall we proceed?"

While the three of them had been talking, Link had listened to Lyn's story, heard her sorrow over having to leave her grandfather - the man she had fought so desperately to meet, behind and his rage had resurfaced. He narrowed his eyes at the castle, directing his glare at the soldiers within its walls, and crossed his arms in a threatening pose of pure fury. There was something he could do right now to not only turn the odds in their favour, but also help prevent something like this from happening again.

Link knew he had built quite a reputation in Caelin during the civil war; a reputation that apparently had spread rather far in Lycia. It was time to reinforce that reputation even further and associate it directly with Lyn and House Caelin. Laus needed to pay for what they had done and Caelin needed protection until they could recover.

And he knew just how to do both.

"Do you think you can handle the soldiers outside the castle?" Link asked, interrupting the conversation between the three lords.

"Huh?" The blinked in surprise at the sudden question.

"Can you handle the soldiers outside the castle?" He repeated, turning to them.

"Uh…I believe so, yes," Eliwood nodded. "Why do you ask?"

"Because while you do that, I'm going to deal with all the ones in the courtyard."

They all blinked again.

"You're going to what?" Sain voiced all their thoughts. "Not that I doubt your ability to do so, far from it. But how do you plan on doing that?"

"When I left Caelin last year, I left behind a little something in case I ever needed to return quickly," Link replied. "Had I known this was going to happen I would have been here much sooner. I would have been here the moment I found out, but Eliwood unknowingly convinced me to hold off until we could better understand the situation," He turned an eye to the red headed youth. "Believe me, It was hard to wait that long," He then turned his gaze to Florina and Lyn. "But I'm glad I did. Now, though, I think it's time to teach these fools a lesson."

"What did you leave behind?" Lyn asked curiously.

"Have you ever noticed anything strange about that large fountain in the courtyard?" Link asked with an amused expression.

Lyn blinked at him. "Yes…there's a strange light that…Wait, that's your doing?"

Link's smile widened into a grin. "Yup. It's an anchor point for my teleportation spell. Takes a lot out of me to cast one that lasts so long and but as long as it remains I can use it to transport myself there from any distance."

"That's…incredible," Lyn smiled at him. "So you can distract the soldiers within the castle and prevent them from reinforcing the ones outside while we deal them."

"That's the plan," Link nodded.

"Then we shall hurry to meet up with as quickly as we can."

Link smiled at her, a little touched by her absolute faith in him, an unspoken message of 'Be safe' passing between them.

"Right then," He cracked his knuckles before raising a fist and gathering his magic power, green light beginning to swirl around the hand as he did. "Good luck."

With that he disappeared in a flash of green light, leaving the others to face their own battle. He reappeared in another flash inside the courtyard of Castle Caelin, seeming to burst forth from the air over the fountain and catching the attention of the soldiers inside. Their cries of surprise went unnoticed by the Hylian while he used the time to gather in his surroundings.

There were quite a few soldiers of all types in the area, all of them bearing the arms and colors of Laus. He could also see a number of servants and other attendants spread out among them as well as a few people gathered in one area that he knew to be citizens of Caelin, though whether they were soldiers taken prisoner, servants, or ordinary folk in the wrong place at the wrong time he could not be sure. Either way, they were people who would bear witness to what was about to happen and would live to tell the tale.

Perfect.

The Hero of Time quickly identified the leader of the soldiers by his arms and armour and with perfect confidence directed his address to him.

"Hear me, soldiers of Laus!" He declared with a powerful voice that carried to all ears. Link was not usually one for words, but he could get people's attention when he wanted to and he definitely wanted to do so now. "You occupy a land which is not your own! Surrender your arms now and leave this place at once!"

As he spoke, he had made his way towards the center of the courtyard where everyone could see him clearly. He was inwardly pleased when he noticed that several of the people detained by the soldiers, castle servants perhaps, had recognized him and were whispering excitedly to the people around them.

Better and better.

"And who are you to make such demands, boy?" Baulker called back, his heavy armour gleaming imposingly in the sun.

"I am a representative of Lady Lyndis of Caelin! As we speak, she has joined with Lord Eliwood of Pherae and Lord Hector of Ostia and are about to engage your troops outside these walls!"

"So the brat survived did she?" Baulker replied. "And the Pheraean welp is here as well? Hah! They are but a motley crew of rabble, no match for us."

"And yet they drove you out of Laus did they not?"

"Hardly!" Baulker laughed. "Lord Darin had planned to leave the castle anyway, the fact that his son, Lord Erik, lost to them just proves how weak he was."

"If that is what you think, then you have already lost this fight. Cease your foolish campaign!"

"Hah! Lord Darin will rule Lycia!" Baulker cried in amusement. "You have courage standing in front of us alone like this boy, should you swear fealty to the marquess I'm sure he will reward you."

Now it was Link's turn to laugh. "There is only one person to whom I bend my knee and she is not of this world!" Then his face turned angry and he yelled once more. "I give you one last warning! Lady Lyndis is a dear friend of mine and as long as she calls Caelin her home, this castle is under MY protection! Leave now or face my wrath!"

"Ha! HAHAHA!" Baulker's roar of laughter was soon joined by all the soldiers around him. "You're wrath? Haha! Oh that is funny boy, by all means, do your worst."

They continued to laugh at him; one lone swordsman, perhaps only a year or two old enough to be considered a man, demanding an entire army of professional soldiers to surrender. It was an outrageous event and one they all took great pleasure in mocking.

They completely missed his cruel smirk.

Link suddenly whirled, drawing his sword, and pointed the blade out sending a bolt of magic shooting towards the gate. The beam of energy struck the heavy gears that ran the portcullis, sending them spinning rapidly, and dropping the gate with a resounding crash that cut through the laughter.

The abrupt silence that followed was almost deafening and all eyes focused on the lone figure they had so recently jeered. They watched as he turned back to them and with slow, deliberate movements, he removed his shield from his back and swung his sword in a wide arc over his head. As the sword traveled, the blade began to glow and blue fame gradually encased its length, growing in intensity with each second. The arc ended with Link holding both sword and shield loosely at either side; a look of pure, intense, terror-inducing fury on his face. He stood like that for a second before his lips twisted into a quiet snarl.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

The Master Sword suddenly erupted into brilliant red flame and he lunged forward.

xxx

Guy watched impatiently as the castle gate was cranked open. The fight reach them had been long but not very difficult considering the numerical disadvantage. The addition of Lyndis's Legion to the company had greatly bolstered their strength, especially with their knowledge of the land. There had been a few close calls but nothing too serious. In a way, it had been rather disappointing for the Sacaean youth.

He had heard that the strange swordsman, Link, had gone ahead to strike against the forces within the castle walls in order to delay reinforcements and he was anxious to meet back up with him and fight the rest of the soldiers inside.

For as long as he could remember, his greatest dream in life was to become the best swordsman in the world. He had hoped to improve his skills by becoming a mercenary and fighting against all manner of foes. Lately, however, his battles had become rather dull. With the exception of the fight he had lost against Marcus, Guy had yet to face anyone he really considered a challenge.

Link was apparently held in some high regard by the people around him and Guy desperately wanted to challenge him to a fight. He had never found the opportunity to do so in the short time he had been with this group, but Matthew's insistence that it was a bad idea only made that desire stronger. Of course, Guy was admittedly impressed by the transformation ability he displayed at Laus, but he had yet to see much in terms of Link's skills otherwise.

As the gate opened fully and the group rushed in with weapons ready, only those who had once been members of Lyndis's Legion were prepared for the sight before them.

Bodies lay everywhere; knights, swordsmen, mercenaries, and footmen, all strewn about the courtyard. All of them dead. Broken and shattered weapons littered the ground around them. They could see several regular citizens or servant moving about the area, some of which had worked the cranks to open the gates, but not a single Laus soldier was among them.

In the middle of the carnage, by the steps of the keep, a lone figure sat upon the chest of a heavily armoured fallen knight. One hand held the sword planted in the ground by his feet, the other hung loosely between his legs as he leaned his elbow against his knee, his shield resting against the dead knight's legs. He, his sword, and shield were all covered in blood.

None of it was his.

Guy looked around in astonishment. One man did this? Impossible. He wondered if Link had transformed again into the giant rock creature to be able to do this, but his sharp eyes quickly discerned that most of the wounds inflicted upon the soldiers had been done by a blade. So it had been all him.

That made the young swordsman swallow nervously. He wasn't the only one.

"By St. Elimine…" Marcus stared intensely at the area, his actions and thoughts mirrored by all those in Eliwood's company. If the display at Laus hadn't cemented their opinions of Link's power, THIS certainly did.

Meanwhile Lyn strode up to the figure with an unconcerned expression, stopping just short of him and placing one hand casually on her hip.

"About time," Link smirked lightly at her. "What took you so long?"

"Ran into a bit of a road block on the way," Lyn smirked back, before glancing around a bit. "Think you might have overdone it a bit?"

He shrugged. "Not really. Accomplished exactly what I wanted to do."

"Oh?" Lyn tilted her head to the side curiously. "And what was that?"

Link smiled darkly.

"To send a message."

He then stood, kicking his shield back up into his hand, and casually hefted his sword.

"Now then, shall we take back your castle?"

Lyn's smile was replaced immediately by a determined look.

"Let's go."

xxxx

A/N: Aaaaand another one down! Man that was a long chapter! Whatcha think? Should I have spent a little more time with the other characters? Did everything I explained make sense? I really hope you liked how I reunited Link with everyone. Next chapter I'll touch on reunions with the others. I had a really hard time trying to decide how I was going to deal with Florina's fall; I had a number of possibilities to choose from and it was really difficult picking one. I hope the decision I made works for everyone. Heh, I'm really excited with how Rebecca is turning out. she's one of my favourite units and I'm having fun writing her. Poor girl though, Link employing a bit of what-you-don't-know-won't-hurt-you training. I did some research and apparently real English longbows used in war were estimated to average that much draw weight, perhaps even more. What does that say about modern days when an average draw for today's fancy bows is between 40-70 lbs. Rebecca can't use this bow yet, but very soon...muahahaha! So that's about it for me this time around,please let me know what you think! Until next time: Please Read and Review!

P.S – Haven't decided if I'll update another chapter in this story or my Fairy Tail fic…