The hideout
I had lost track of time, and I didn't know if it would be dark outside or if more than a day had passed.
"I'm very hungry," Mabet whispered.
"You've already eaten all the cookies we had, you're worse than Link," I grumbled. He hadn't stopped complaining since we hid, understandable, but I was tired too and my patience wasn't the usual one.
I approached Impa to talk to her. She'd been rigid all the time, with her hand on the hilt of her dagger and a tense, alert stance. My legs and arms ached just looking at her, I don't know how many hours she'd been like that.
"Get some rest, please.", I begged.
"They could find us at any time."
"No, Impa. It's been hours, they'll be gone by now. You need to rest," I tugged on her arm and miraculously managed to undo her tension "sit there and I'll watch."
She dropped down and allowed herself to drink a few drops from her canteen. I know she only wet her lips, she wanted there to be water for everyone and if necessary she would die of thirst herself.
"We just need to wait a little longer until Link arrives."
She nodded and said nothing. I guess she didn't want to contradict me, she didn't want to give me another lecture about how far away Link really was and how unlikely it was that he would cross the border again and come to help us. Impa looked at me with horror the first time I told her where Link had gone and I know, I know, she thinks he may never come back. But I know he will.
"You've saved us, Your Highness."
"No, it's been all of us."
"I disagree. It was you."
I sighed and looked around. Frea had fallen asleep with her back against a huge barrel of mead, and Manroy was snoring on her lap. The two Impa's Eyes had managed to relax, especially the one with the leg wound. Frea kept some medicinal and we made an infusion to soothe his pain. The hideout was small, we couldn't hold out much longer like this and we'd have to go outside. Gae discovered the trap door in the floor of the cellar when he was visiting us at the Nest. "Come with me, I've discovered a treasure, little sister." I remembered his voice perfectly. The place was well hidden, surely it was a primordial cellar that passed into oblivion as it wasn't used that much.
I don't know why I thought we'd get in here. And I don't know why I saw the attack coming either, but my dream warned me. I saw the dark tide of wraiths long before they approached the walls of the Nest, their presence waking me in the middle of the night, like a suffocating nightmare the likes of which I hadn't had in a long time. I woke up sweating, nauseous. Everyone looked at me like I was crazy when I said we had to hide.
Jannie stirred, cowering. I took off my cloak and threw it over her. She curled up as she felt safe. It wasn't really cold in the hideout, the human warmth was enough to make the temperature very pleasant, more so than the preservation of wine and liquor demanded. But the poor children had lived through two sieges, two, in a very short space of days. When it all began they both clung to the edge of my cloak and wouldn't leave my side except to collapse from exhaustion.
"King Rhoam must be warned as soon as we get out," Impa whispered, by my side.
"That's the last thing I'm worried about."
"Princess..."
"When we get out of here, we'll go find Link, if he doesn't come looking for us first. We can warn Father with a hawk."
"We don't know what we can find out there."
"Oh, goddesses, I love the sheikah positivism."
"I just want us to be prepared for anything, even the worst. You heard it like I did. Part of the tower may have been knocked down, all the foundations have been shaken."
"And I'm just asking you to support me on this, to tell me that everything will be all right, and that you think my husband is alive."
I felt my energy falter, but I swallowed the anguish. We'd have time to get in trouble, I didn't understand the value of "preparing for the worst".
"I don't want to hear about fallen towers again, nor how impossible it is to get back from Ikana or anything like that, okay? Much less when the kids have woken up."
Impa rolled her eyes, but decided it was better not to argue with me. We had hundreds, thousands of arguments at the time when she helped her master in my sheikah training, and we both knew each other well.
At some point I must have dozed off a bit. Okay, what the hell, I dozed off completely, but it was just a little doze. I opened my eyes and everyone else was asleep, even Impa, so I sat up in case she opened one eye and discovered I'd neglected to keep watch. Then I heard it: voices, footsteps.
"... are we doing here, moblin head? Do you want to steal from the captain's cellars?"
I pressed my ear to the trapdoor. It was hidden and the words came to me like a distant murmur.
"Princess, it's... " Impa had heard it too and came over to hear it with me.
"Sshh, listen. They're not monsters or spirits," my heart started to race.
The footsteps reached the limits of the trapdoor, but out of fear, we didn't move a single inch. The hideout was not in sight, it was hidden behind shelves of dusty wine.
"... and he told us to look for them everywhere. If you're too lazy to obey, go compose one of your songs and let others work."
Now that they were closer I certainly recognised them. It was Fridd and Ardren. They were back from Ikana, I knew it! I knew they'd come back. Blinded by euphoria, I tried to open the trapdoor, but Impa's claw stopped me.
"I'll go and check."
"But Impa-
"There's no discussion about this. I'll make sure it's not a trap. The wraiths might be trying to trick us through a mirage."
"No one is going to trick us, stop thinking dark things, dammit."
"And you have to stop being so confident. Overconfidence is not what has saved us and you know it better than I do."
I snorted and folded my arms. I would never say it out loud, but she was right.
Wielding the dagger, she opened the trapdoor and slid down silently. I left the trapdoor open a little so I could look, I had to look in case she needed my help.
"Identify yourself or I'll slit your throat."
I don't know how, she'd managed to grab one of the men from behind and slide her dagger.
"Impa! You're alive! I knew you were infallible!"
"Identify yourself!"
"Don't you know who I am? You've seen me a thousand times at the camp, with Link, I thought you'd know who I am. You know, we fight the wraiths at the border, side by side, sometimes we share the canteen. Twice, to be exact. I thought you'd be thirsty and-
"Dear Hylia, how hard is it for you to identify yourself?"
"I'm Ardren from Nightfall."
I heard Impa snorting and letting Ardren go.
"Your Highness, it's safe," she told me.
I carefully came out and warned the others to do the same.
"The princess is also here, Ardren," Fridd said, when I showed up, "and so are everyone else."
"Where's Link?" I asked.
"Join us," Fridd said, with his usual seriousness.
"Is it safe? Have the wraiths left?" Impa asked.
"It's safe."
Manroy and Frea's cabin was calcined. I had to hold back tears when I saw Manroy, arms in a jug, watching what had been his home forever, with the helplessness of those who know there is no way to save something from there.
"We have to inform everyone that we are here," Impa said.
"I will send hawks with messages," Ardren offered, "and I will begin to rebuild the wall, we must protect ourselves. I'll lift every stone fallen because of those monsters, I swear."
"My Eyes can help you with that." She replied.
"Where-is-Link?" I insisted. I started to feel distressed, why wasn't he with them?
"That's it! Where's Link?" Leri had sneaked into the conversation.
"Leri, Jannie, come with me. Maybe there's something left in the Nest pantries, aren't you hungry?" Frea intervened.
"Good idea, go grab something to eat with Frea."
The kids complained at first, but we hadn't eaten for hours and hadn't had more than a few drops of water to drink, so they let themselves be dragged away. I just hoped there was something left in the rubble.
"Link has gone to look for you," Fridd said, once the kids were away to hear him.
"To look for me where?"
"Hyrule," Ardren intervened.
"Is he okay? What happened in the Black Tower?" The anguish took hold of me. I was hoping Link hadn't gone after the wraiths. I was hoping he wasn't hurt, I was hoping he hadn't been captured.
"Long story," Ardren said, grimacing, "but he's okay physically if that's what you're worried about. We got here and didn't see anyone except... but well, we didn't see you, Impa or the others. So the captain thought you might run away and go to Hyrule for help. He asked Fridd and I to search the forest and the surrounding area."
"And the fortress. Look under every last stone, those were his orders," Fridd said.
"Yes, right," Ardren admitted, "he was a little... worried and did not want to waste any more time. He ran to find Lord Tyto at the Rito Village."
"I'm going to get him, where's a horse?" I said, feeling despair.
"Your Highness, it's not a good idea," Impa said.
"I'm going to find my husband right now, he must think those things have kidnapped the kids, I don't know what he must have thought when he saw all this blown up and you know how much he cares. He... won't stop until he finds us, he's not going to stop. Look around you, Impa," the sight of the wreckage and mountains of debris brought tears to my eyes, I hadn't shed a tear in all the time since the wraiths had appeared, "what do you think's going to happen to Link if he faces those things on his own? He'll throw himself at them trying to save us all and... and..."
"I'll go with you," Fridd said suddenly. I stared at him, dumbfounded, "I agree with Princess Zelda. The captain's life is in danger. He's saved us a thousand times and I have to go get him."
"Alright," Impa relented, "then I'll go with Fridd to find Link. You stay here, princess, rebuilding the defences. It's very important to protect all this in case there are more attacks. A second attack could be lethal."
"No," I faced Impa, "I have to go. It's my... it has to be me. You'll stay looking after Link's siblings. Fridd, is there a horse for me?"
"Yes, let's what I can do...," he immediately ran to the stables.
"Your Highness, it's very dangerous, you've seen what happened."
"That's why you have to take care of the kids... please," I grabbed Impa's hands, "please."
"I can go get Link too, I'll go where it takes," Ardren said.
"Weren't you going to rebuild that wall? Weren't you going to lift every fallen stone?" Impa growled, rolling her eyes, "I don't see you rebuilding anything and you're making me lose my patience."
"Yes... True, you're very right. I'll be right there."
Fridd and I departed to the Rito Village, despite all the Impa's faces and snorts. She made me promise that I would send a message from the village, and that I wouldn't venture too much. I don't know what she considers venturing too much, but if I had to, I'll go to ask for Father's help.
"This is not my horse." I noticed.
"There was a problem with the horses, and with yours, Your Highness. That's Ardren's," Fridd murmured. A problem. I'd seen some horses were burned… what a horror those things left behind.
"Don't call me Your Highness, please."
"And... And how-
"Zelda. No formalities, alright?"
An unexpected blizzard forced us to ride slower, but neither of us mentioned the idea of s stopping. The Rito Village was not far away and we had to get there as soon as possible.
"Perhaps you were right when you said I was a traitor," I said, a little overrun by the anguish, "I brought nothing good to your people. Since I arrived, everything has been problems, especially for Link."
Fridd watched me with a serious countenance, but he didn't open his mouth.
"I always imagine how happy Link would have been if he's just married Eve, as planned. Those in your mountain clan wouldn't have complained on that union. Link would never have been humiliated at the Or Games, nor would he have been expelled. Nor would they have questioned his authority in the kandar. I'm like a symbol of bad omen."
"Uhm. For Or bad omen is something else," he growled. I was a little surprised, I didn't expect any answers. "Bad omen it's like all that horse-killing darkness... and everything in its path. It's like people who lie or don't keep their word. That's a bad omen. That and drinking mountain liquor in metal cups."
It made me laugh a little, the truth is that I remembered the barbarians filling their horns and refusing to use the thin cups of Hyrule Castle to toast at my wedding. Now I understood everything.
"Thank you so much for taking care of Link, and for accompanying him on that dangerous mission. You always care about him, you're a good friend."
"You... you also take care of Link. You couldn't choose your marriage, just like him. That doesn't mean bad omen for Or. You could be cold to him, despise him for being a barbarian, but… you're not like that. I haven't always been good to Link. I didn't approve of his marriage to you, like the other barbarians. I should have supported him. And now some brainless have negotiated with Ikana and we all are in trouble."
"Who would they negotiate with?" I asked myself out loud, "what do you gain from that? Destroying Nightfall?"
"I don't know... but there was nothing alive in Ikana. Or has punished all the barbarians, for not respecting the Blood Pact, and for negotiating with the forces of darkness."
I don't know why, but I had a strange feeling of déjà vu, as if Fridd was right about the punishment, as if we were somehow doomed to face such an uncertain fate. We had a much bigger problem on our hands now, the Ikana attack, but the culprits would have to be found sooner or later.
We arrived at the Rito Village when the sun was high in the sky, it may have been noon. That meant that we had left the hideout just at dawn, it was good that I had become aware of the time again, I needed to think clearly if I wanted to find Link. The rito guarding the village looked at us a little surprised but they opened the way immediately, that made me realise that Link had already left the place.
"Come on, hurry up," I pressed Fridd.
I practically made him run around the village until we reached the presence of Lord Tyto. Once we were allowed to have an audience with him we had to explain almost nothing, he looked at us, understanding.
"Your husband will be gone about two hours ago, no more," Lord Tyto said.
I felt my spirits crash on the ground. Two hours was an eternity, he would be away, he would travel relentlessly, it would be impossible to reach him.
"Do you know which way he might have gone?"
"I don't know, princess. He travels with a patrol of five of my best rito soldiers, as I told you, his only intention was to find you as soon as possible. It's unlucky they left just before you got here. He wanted to keep traveling overnight, but we managed to convince him to get some rest."
I looked out the window. The sky was white, threatening heavy snow.
"Do you think Link will have returned to the Nest?" Fridd whispered to me.
"I don't think so, we'd have crossed our path him. He went to Hyrule."
"If you hurry, perhaps...," Lord Tyto intervened.
"Thank you for receiving us," I said, "we're leaving now."
"Don't despair, princess. They may have amused themselves searching the lake, the stables, the woods. Anywhere your husband thought you might be hiding. That gives you a head start in the search. I'll send hawks to the nearby posts and stables."
I nodded and Fridd and I left as fast as we had arrived. I didn't want any more rito patrols accompanying us, I preferred us to continue alone, despite Lord Tyto's reluctance.
I tried to do as the rito patriarch had suggested, think as Link would, think as he thinks I would have thought. That was nothing more or less than a straight line to Hyrule, towards Father's Castle. It was the safest place, and... I suppose if I had to run away from home, it would have been to take refuge in my former home.
We rode in the midst of a whitish and opaque fog, but despite the cold and bad conditions we didn't stop at any stable, village or nearby place. It was the only way to cut the lead in our pursuit. Fridd agreed with me, so he just rode close behind me, silently. That's how we got to the Tanagar bridge.
"Goddesses...," I pulled the reins and stopped in my tracks.
When I crossed the bridge with Link I hadn't been able to see the canyon with my own eyes because I fell asleep. It was pretty scary, and I don't know if it would always look the same. It was now impossible to see beyond a few feet, because a thick fog surrounded the bridge and the gorge, and it seemed as if the bridge walkway went into the middle of the void, as if there was nothing on the other side. The gorge got wider and wider as we looked further away from the bridge, so we could only cross there.
"Alright," I got off the horse and took a breath.
"No, wait," Fridd stopped me.
It was he who went a few feet down the footbridge, sword held high.
"Hey!" He yelled.
Hey, eh, eh... returned the canyon.
Fridd squeezed his hands around his sword and took a few more steps.
"Fridd, wait... please…"
"Stay here. I'll make sure the road is safe, and then I'll come back for you."
I was just going to complain, but I just nodded. That bridge scared me, and more so with the low visibility there was, so I stood still and saw how Fridd barely advanced until the fog engulfed him completely.
I waited. It took too long to get back and I couldn't see what was on the other side of the bridge, it was impossible, plus it started to snow. What if there were monsters on the other side? What if it was a trap set by Ikana's wraiths?
"Fridd?" I called him. Fridd, idd, idd, dd... answered the canyon.
I heard footsteps approaching, making the planks of the wooden walkway creak.
"Fridd, it's not funny, tell me something, please."
"Something."
"Link!"