I do not own Zelda. If I did, I wouldn't be taking the time to write
stories for web sites, I would probably be basking in the sun near a giant
swimming pool while the beautiful afternoon crawled by and I did whatever
really rich people do.
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"Raker?" Antia said, as she went down on one knee before the dark man before her. "How nice to see you again!"
Raker wore brown, ragged clothes that were ripped in many places. He had dark hair that covered his left eye, hiding half of an ugly scar that ran across his suspicious face. "Why are you here, Queen?" he asked in a cold voice. "I don't remember inviting you."
Antia rose, an insincere smile on her face, and spoke. "When did the sense of mistrust come into play? The last I knew, we were a powerful alliance."
"The mistrust has always been there," replied Raker, seeing right through Antia's phony cheerfulness. "At least on my side. Don't get me wrong, Antia, you're an excellent queen and an even better warrior-to your own people. But to other leaders, you are naught but a great threat. We know that you would turn your back on us in a second." Raker turned, his old, brown cape whipping behind him. His voice dropped to a whisper. "Just as you did the hylian king and your own sister."
"How do you know about that?" Antia snarled.
Before she could whip out her scythe, she found a score of Gerudo warriors, all with deadly arrows notched on powerful bows.
These were not the neat, uniformed Gerudo thieves that Antia was used to. These Gerudos were barefoot, and covered in sand and dirt. Their hair flowed unevenly down to their waists, and they wore no masks, exposing wicked battle-scars. They had on what little ragged garments they could find. Despite their unimpressive appearance Antia could tell the Gerudos were highly trained thieves and seasoned warriors.
When Raker turned back, he was holding a beautiful razor sword. "Forgive me for having spies, your Highness," he said mockingly. "Now listen, Antia. You must have a reason for traveling all the way across the desert to my temple. Now, tell me what it is, or I will give my archers the word!"
Antia nodded. "You know that Sonefor is dead," she started. "My plan is to take over Hyrule Castle before the hylians elect another strong leader."
"Oh, is that all?" Raker sneered sarcastically.
"Listen!" Antia hissed. "We are both Gerudo leaders. My strategy is fail- proof. With our combined forces, nothing could stand in our way!"
Raker seemed to be inspecting the blade in his hands. "We are not really true Gerudo, you know," he tonelessly. "Ever since my father and his followers were banished to that realm-Corland, was it? -I have been living here. My mother and some of her Gerudos built this place, you know. She called it the Temple of Spirits. Once she was found dead somewhere in the desert, I took over. The Gerudos that join me here learn to be rugged and independent. They forage the desert for food and clothing, and often don't find either of them. It lets them develop into their greatest potential. My Gerudos are superior to yours in every way!"
Antia narrowed her eyes. She wanted to turn, walk from the room, and declare war on Raker's warriors, but she knew her people didn't stand a chance against four powerful armies. Her Gerudos were a lot more skilled than Raker thought them to be, but they weren't that good.
So instead, she smiled sweetly. "What of it?" she asked. "Why create the perfect fighter if you don't even use her?"
The disguised insult hit home. Raker growled. "I will show you that I'm not afraid to fight," he said. "Now let's here your plan, and be on with the war!"
Sooner or later, the deceitful Queen Antia outsmarted all opposition.
* * *
The zoras were caught totally off guard on a normal, bright morning.
The Gerudos swung into the domain, hacking and slashing. They outnumbered the surprised zoras at least three to one. A few tried to fight, but were quickly overcome and slain. The remaining zoras dove into the pool of blood-red water and swam to the bottom, where they grouped together and wept.
One of these zoras was Ankor. "Listen," he told his few companions. A dozen of us were slain in less than a minute. We cannot fight them. But there is a chance."
Above the water, Antia and Raker stood watching the surface. "Only a few remain," said Antia indifferently. "We should leave some guards here to slay them if they come out, so we can go about phase two of my plan."
Raker nodded silently.
Not one of the Gerudos had been lost, and yet one race was already down and out of the newborn war.
* * *
Zenk was having nightmares. In his mind, he saw his father standing before him. Suddenly, a dark figure with a double-sided scythe hacked off Sonefor's legs. The dead king was screaming in pain.
Zenk cried out and leapt at the dark figure, but it disappeared into the shadows, cackling.
"One down, two to go," Zenk heard a cold voice say. "Next for the body."
The young prince woke up sweating. He stood up. "The zoras," he murmured, disbelieving. "She's gone for the zoras!" Then, he ran off to find Captain Ion.
* * *
Zenk suddenly understood everything. Words with an unknown source came pouring from his mouth as
Captain Ion nodded, a grim smile upon his face. "You've had your first prophecy, my Prince," said Ion. "If what you say is truly happening, we must act quickly."
Just then, a maiden named Shina came running up to them. The young hylian woman had always been quite taken with Prince Zenk, though the prince had not yet revealed to her that the feeling was not mutual. She straightened up and gave him a loving smile. "Brave Prince and Captain," she reported, trying her very best to sound important, "there are two visitors to see you at the main gates."
Zenk and Ion exchanged a worried glance.
Ion turned back to maiden. "What did they look like?" the captain pressed. "Were they Gerudo?"
Shina shuffled her feet nervously under the stern gaze of the great war leader. "Of course not, sir," she mumbled. "There were two young hylian women, and they say they've come from a far away realm."
Ion and Zenk started down the main hall, followed quickly by Shina and two armed guards. When the band reached the front gate, the sentry saluted. "Here they are, sirs," he said.
Two cloaked hylian women stepped into the castle, shivering from the cold of the outside night. "Well, it sure took you long enough," said one of the women sarcastically.
Zenk could tell from her voice that she was around twenty years of age. She lowered the hood of the cloak, revealing a pretty face, with a hint of wisdom but mostly the innocence of a curious youth. Her dark eyes glittered, and long, black hair flowed down to her shoulders.
Her companion did the same. Zenk took in a breath. Before him was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She looked about his age, and mist- filled yet bright blue eyes stared straight back at the speechless prince. Her golden-red hair was pulled back, exposing a slim, elfin face. She smiled, and Zenk realized he was gawking.
Shina was hurt. Tears threatened her stunned green eyes, and she looked upon the stranger with envy greater than even her admiration of her prince. No one noticed her running back to her room, her face glistening as she wept bitterly.
The dark-haired women spoke. "Well met," she said. "I am Leen of Fort Toren and this is my friend and long-time companion, Aridwyn." Zenk had found his voice. "Welcome to Hyrule Castle, Leen and Aridwyn. My name is Zenk, Prince of Hyrule, and this is my head captain, Ion." He bowed.
Ion followed the young prince's example, but then got right to the point. "You've wandered into the middle of a war, Leen," he said.
He and Zenk exchanged a glance which plainly meant that neither Prince nor Captain knew whether to trust the strangers. Zenk couldn't help wanted to trust the beautiful Aridwyn and her friend, though he wouldn't put it past Antia to come up with a scheme like this. However, he wondered, if it was one of the evil Queen's plots, would not he have been warned of it in his prophecy? Zenk decided to trust the strangers. They were, after all, hylians, and he felt obliged to help those of his own kin. Not only that, but he knew he could not face the pleading eyes of Aridwyn if he refused to take them in.
* * *
The sun had finally peeked its way out from behind the darkened horizon of Zenk's realm.
The young prince, his head captain Ion, Leen, and Aridwyn were sitting in the Main Hall, enjoying an early breakfast as they discussed important matters. Ion had put Captain Farhill in charge of an operation in which scores of soldiers hauled buckets of water from the nearby Zora's River to Hyrule Castle's kitchens to be cleaned and preserved. Because of Zenk's prophecy, Ion knew all of Antia's strategy, and decided to collect as much water as possible to outlast the siege the Gerudos had planned for them. Levin Bastor's defensive squad stood watch over the operation in case Antia's forces appeared.
Leen had nodded her head in approval at the idea, and so had Aridwyn. "I don't really know if this prophecy stuff can be trusted," Aridwyn had told Ion, "but it is an excellent plan." At this, Zenk had suddenly started to wish he had come up with the idea.
Leen told the prince and captain that their escort would be arriving shortly. "He met us at the edge of Hyrule," the dark-haired maiden had said, "and led us to your castle."
A guard walked into the hall, followed by a stranger. The man had sullen, dark eyes and was clad lightly with a simple brown cloak. "Ah, Zegonin," Leen stood up. So did Aridwyn.
Zegonin nodded to Leen, and then walked over to Aridwyn and hugged her lightly. The beautiful maiden smiled and hugged back.
Zenk had to hold back from crying out in dismay. Aridwyn had fallen in love with her escort!
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"Raker?" Antia said, as she went down on one knee before the dark man before her. "How nice to see you again!"
Raker wore brown, ragged clothes that were ripped in many places. He had dark hair that covered his left eye, hiding half of an ugly scar that ran across his suspicious face. "Why are you here, Queen?" he asked in a cold voice. "I don't remember inviting you."
Antia rose, an insincere smile on her face, and spoke. "When did the sense of mistrust come into play? The last I knew, we were a powerful alliance."
"The mistrust has always been there," replied Raker, seeing right through Antia's phony cheerfulness. "At least on my side. Don't get me wrong, Antia, you're an excellent queen and an even better warrior-to your own people. But to other leaders, you are naught but a great threat. We know that you would turn your back on us in a second." Raker turned, his old, brown cape whipping behind him. His voice dropped to a whisper. "Just as you did the hylian king and your own sister."
"How do you know about that?" Antia snarled.
Before she could whip out her scythe, she found a score of Gerudo warriors, all with deadly arrows notched on powerful bows.
These were not the neat, uniformed Gerudo thieves that Antia was used to. These Gerudos were barefoot, and covered in sand and dirt. Their hair flowed unevenly down to their waists, and they wore no masks, exposing wicked battle-scars. They had on what little ragged garments they could find. Despite their unimpressive appearance Antia could tell the Gerudos were highly trained thieves and seasoned warriors.
When Raker turned back, he was holding a beautiful razor sword. "Forgive me for having spies, your Highness," he said mockingly. "Now listen, Antia. You must have a reason for traveling all the way across the desert to my temple. Now, tell me what it is, or I will give my archers the word!"
Antia nodded. "You know that Sonefor is dead," she started. "My plan is to take over Hyrule Castle before the hylians elect another strong leader."
"Oh, is that all?" Raker sneered sarcastically.
"Listen!" Antia hissed. "We are both Gerudo leaders. My strategy is fail- proof. With our combined forces, nothing could stand in our way!"
Raker seemed to be inspecting the blade in his hands. "We are not really true Gerudo, you know," he tonelessly. "Ever since my father and his followers were banished to that realm-Corland, was it? -I have been living here. My mother and some of her Gerudos built this place, you know. She called it the Temple of Spirits. Once she was found dead somewhere in the desert, I took over. The Gerudos that join me here learn to be rugged and independent. They forage the desert for food and clothing, and often don't find either of them. It lets them develop into their greatest potential. My Gerudos are superior to yours in every way!"
Antia narrowed her eyes. She wanted to turn, walk from the room, and declare war on Raker's warriors, but she knew her people didn't stand a chance against four powerful armies. Her Gerudos were a lot more skilled than Raker thought them to be, but they weren't that good.
So instead, she smiled sweetly. "What of it?" she asked. "Why create the perfect fighter if you don't even use her?"
The disguised insult hit home. Raker growled. "I will show you that I'm not afraid to fight," he said. "Now let's here your plan, and be on with the war!"
Sooner or later, the deceitful Queen Antia outsmarted all opposition.
* * *
The zoras were caught totally off guard on a normal, bright morning.
The Gerudos swung into the domain, hacking and slashing. They outnumbered the surprised zoras at least three to one. A few tried to fight, but were quickly overcome and slain. The remaining zoras dove into the pool of blood-red water and swam to the bottom, where they grouped together and wept.
One of these zoras was Ankor. "Listen," he told his few companions. A dozen of us were slain in less than a minute. We cannot fight them. But there is a chance."
Above the water, Antia and Raker stood watching the surface. "Only a few remain," said Antia indifferently. "We should leave some guards here to slay them if they come out, so we can go about phase two of my plan."
Raker nodded silently.
Not one of the Gerudos had been lost, and yet one race was already down and out of the newborn war.
* * *
Zenk was having nightmares. In his mind, he saw his father standing before him. Suddenly, a dark figure with a double-sided scythe hacked off Sonefor's legs. The dead king was screaming in pain.
Zenk cried out and leapt at the dark figure, but it disappeared into the shadows, cackling.
"One down, two to go," Zenk heard a cold voice say. "Next for the body."
The young prince woke up sweating. He stood up. "The zoras," he murmured, disbelieving. "She's gone for the zoras!" Then, he ran off to find Captain Ion.
* * *
Zenk suddenly understood everything. Words with an unknown source came pouring from his mouth as
Captain Ion nodded, a grim smile upon his face. "You've had your first prophecy, my Prince," said Ion. "If what you say is truly happening, we must act quickly."
Just then, a maiden named Shina came running up to them. The young hylian woman had always been quite taken with Prince Zenk, though the prince had not yet revealed to her that the feeling was not mutual. She straightened up and gave him a loving smile. "Brave Prince and Captain," she reported, trying her very best to sound important, "there are two visitors to see you at the main gates."
Zenk and Ion exchanged a worried glance.
Ion turned back to maiden. "What did they look like?" the captain pressed. "Were they Gerudo?"
Shina shuffled her feet nervously under the stern gaze of the great war leader. "Of course not, sir," she mumbled. "There were two young hylian women, and they say they've come from a far away realm."
Ion and Zenk started down the main hall, followed quickly by Shina and two armed guards. When the band reached the front gate, the sentry saluted. "Here they are, sirs," he said.
Two cloaked hylian women stepped into the castle, shivering from the cold of the outside night. "Well, it sure took you long enough," said one of the women sarcastically.
Zenk could tell from her voice that she was around twenty years of age. She lowered the hood of the cloak, revealing a pretty face, with a hint of wisdom but mostly the innocence of a curious youth. Her dark eyes glittered, and long, black hair flowed down to her shoulders.
Her companion did the same. Zenk took in a breath. Before him was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She looked about his age, and mist- filled yet bright blue eyes stared straight back at the speechless prince. Her golden-red hair was pulled back, exposing a slim, elfin face. She smiled, and Zenk realized he was gawking.
Shina was hurt. Tears threatened her stunned green eyes, and she looked upon the stranger with envy greater than even her admiration of her prince. No one noticed her running back to her room, her face glistening as she wept bitterly.
The dark-haired women spoke. "Well met," she said. "I am Leen of Fort Toren and this is my friend and long-time companion, Aridwyn." Zenk had found his voice. "Welcome to Hyrule Castle, Leen and Aridwyn. My name is Zenk, Prince of Hyrule, and this is my head captain, Ion." He bowed.
Ion followed the young prince's example, but then got right to the point. "You've wandered into the middle of a war, Leen," he said.
He and Zenk exchanged a glance which plainly meant that neither Prince nor Captain knew whether to trust the strangers. Zenk couldn't help wanted to trust the beautiful Aridwyn and her friend, though he wouldn't put it past Antia to come up with a scheme like this. However, he wondered, if it was one of the evil Queen's plots, would not he have been warned of it in his prophecy? Zenk decided to trust the strangers. They were, after all, hylians, and he felt obliged to help those of his own kin. Not only that, but he knew he could not face the pleading eyes of Aridwyn if he refused to take them in.
* * *
The sun had finally peeked its way out from behind the darkened horizon of Zenk's realm.
The young prince, his head captain Ion, Leen, and Aridwyn were sitting in the Main Hall, enjoying an early breakfast as they discussed important matters. Ion had put Captain Farhill in charge of an operation in which scores of soldiers hauled buckets of water from the nearby Zora's River to Hyrule Castle's kitchens to be cleaned and preserved. Because of Zenk's prophecy, Ion knew all of Antia's strategy, and decided to collect as much water as possible to outlast the siege the Gerudos had planned for them. Levin Bastor's defensive squad stood watch over the operation in case Antia's forces appeared.
Leen had nodded her head in approval at the idea, and so had Aridwyn. "I don't really know if this prophecy stuff can be trusted," Aridwyn had told Ion, "but it is an excellent plan." At this, Zenk had suddenly started to wish he had come up with the idea.
Leen told the prince and captain that their escort would be arriving shortly. "He met us at the edge of Hyrule," the dark-haired maiden had said, "and led us to your castle."
A guard walked into the hall, followed by a stranger. The man had sullen, dark eyes and was clad lightly with a simple brown cloak. "Ah, Zegonin," Leen stood up. So did Aridwyn.
Zegonin nodded to Leen, and then walked over to Aridwyn and hugged her lightly. The beautiful maiden smiled and hugged back.
Zenk had to hold back from crying out in dismay. Aridwyn had fallen in love with her escort!