No one was eager to start a war. "But sire, please be reasonable." pleaded Lord Gonhaussen of Tranora. "A war would be a terrible strain on our economy. I do not think Calatia can afford a war. Not with Hyrule." The other lords nodded. They were all in the study of King Eridanus, all of the four Lords of Calatia. Eridanus paced angrily around the table that the other lords sat at. "I don't care." Eridanus said bitterly. "I want Hyrule punished." "But sire, -" started Lord Gildebrandt but was cut off by the king. "And we treated them so well! They were our guests and look how they repay us! Link I may be able to forgive. He was not in power when this Ashir was imprisoned, but that little wench of a daughter Gerrik raised deserves the block!" Silence filled the room as the other three lords thought of Zelda beneath the axe. They shuddered at the thought. "Where is this wizard now?" asked the Lord of Torano. Gonhaussen sighed. "We think he may have crossed back into Hyrule." "Perhaps we can ask Hyrule to return him to us to deal with?" suggested Gildebrandt quietly. "No!" Eridanus shouted, "I will not negotiate with those magicians! They should all be destroyed!" "Sire!" exclaimed Gildebrandt. "The last thing we want is another Inquisition!" "I don't care!" roared the king. "I want Hyrule under my control so that they can be punished for their unnatural beliefs! Start gathering troops, gentlemen, we soon go to war!" The other lords exchanged worried glances. This was not good.

"M'lady!" Julia turned to see Roland burst through the door to Mira's chambers.

"What is it, Chamberlain?" she asked. "M'lady, Princess Zelda has just arrived in the castle!" Julia quickly stood up and rushed out the door to see her younger sister running down the hall toward her. Following the young girl was Link and another young man. Trailing him was a small moblin. Julia and Zelda embraced as they met, both crying as they were overcome with emotions. "Zelda, it's been so long since I last saw you!" exclaimed Julia. Zelda stepped back from the hug and glanced to the queen's room. "I'm just sorry we have to meet again like this." Julia nodded and walked in the room. She was followed by Zelda. "Mira!" gasped Zelda as the girl saw her oldest sister laying silently on the bed, bandages wrapped around her. The young princess knelt beside the bed and took hold of her sibling's hand. Looking to Julia, she asked, "How is she?" Julia looked down. "The doctors don't think she'll make it." "What happened?" came a voice from the doorway. The women turned to see Link standing beside Roland with the other two standing behind them. "The- the gatehouse collapsed. All four of us were on it." She began to cry softly and collapsed into a chair. "Four?" asked Link. Julia nodded but said nothing. Roland answered the young man. "The Queen Mira, King Torvus, Queen Julia and her son, Prince Trine." "What happened to Torvus?" Zelda asked. Roland looked to the stricken Julia before answering. "He was killed in the gatehouse." "Torvus is dead?" asked Zelda and Link simultaneously. The chamberlain nodded. The room fell into silence. After a few minutes a sudden commotion outside brought their attention out of their thoughts. "Let me through! Let me through!" Roland and Link looked behind them to see a man in white robes struggling against Vincent and Kubo, trying to get into the room. "Let him through!" ordered the chamberlain. The two moved aside silently but kept wary eyes upon the man. "Link," said Roland, "This is Mendregere the healer. He is tending to the queen." Link shook hands with the man and watched as he checked on the injured queen. He went to a table and mixed some strange plants together in a bowl and then added water. He silently put the bowl to Mira's lips and made her swallow the liquid. Then he held his hands above her and muttered a spell. Beneath his hands a bright light flashed and seemed to turn into a gas as it surrounded the body of the queen. When she was totally covered, the light faded and was gone. "What was that?" asked Link. "A simple sleeping potion and a healing spell, that is all." said the healer. "Will the spell work?" Mendregere looked at Link and said, "I doubt it." Link just stood there, looking at the stricken body of the queen beside Julia and Zelda. The healer asked Link outside. "Boy," he said, "I suggest that you get some rest. You look tired and if the queen does die, the land will need some strong shoulders to lean on. Queen Julia's will not be strong enough and neither will the Princess Zelda's. You must be there when the power shifts or the country will be in chaos. Do you understand?" Link's eyes seemed to glaze over slightly and he stared off into the distance, looking at nothing, and then he snapped out of it and nodded silently. "Good. Go get some sleep." With Vincent and Kubo trailing him, Link walked off, leaving Mendregere standing in the hallway across from the two cloaked figures, who had never left their posts.

The dinner that night at Hyrule Castle was more jovial than most nights, for the nobility of the land finally had a reason to be happy- Link and Zelda had returned. During the past few days, dinner had been a solemn affair. With the death of Torvus and the near dead Mira, dinner had lost its appeal to most nobles. Link had taken his places near the head of the royal table and was currently sharing his adventures with the diners. Seated next to the hero was Vincent and Kubo, both given places of honour. Beside them sat Queen Julia at the table head and Prince Trine at her right hand. Zelda was absent from the meal. When Link had finished his long tale, Julia spoke up. "Link," she said, "Your tale is fascinating and we all thank you for letting us listen to it, but you have not formally introduced us to your new companions." As she said this, the queen gestured to the knight and the moblin. Link bowed his head slightly and said, "Forgive me, your highness. He gestured to Kubo and said, "This is Kubo. As I said, he helped Zelda and me escape from Calasta." To Vincent. "And this is Vincent, son of Gregory." The two rose and bowed to the assembled nobles then retook their seats. "What is it you do, sir Vincent?" asked one of the nobles. The knight said, "I free the oppressed." "The oppressed?" asked another lord. Vincent nodded. "Yes. I was once a royal knight of Calatia before I stopped a noble from beating his slave. That noble had me discharged from the army and since then I have helped free the slaves with my father." "I did not know slavery was still allowed in Calatia. Or the world for that matter." said the first noble. "It is still very much a reality, sir." "And what of you, sir Kubo?" asked yet another lord, "What was it you did in Calatia?" Before Kubo could respond, Vincent said, "A slave." The nobles muttered. "Moblins are slaves in Calatia?" asked Julia. "Only moblins?" Vincent nodded. "Only moblins." Kubo gave the knight a cold stare. Silence filled the room as the nobles tried to avoid staring at Kubo in pity. The castle chamberlain, Roland, interrupted the silence by walking to the head of the table and asked Julia permission to speak. She nodded. "My lords and ladies," he said, "may I have your attention please?" All eyes looked to the tall man. He cleared his throat. "I have some sorrowful news to announce. Her Highness, Queen Mira of Hyrule, has just died." As one, the diners stopped eating and stood in surprise. Some cried out and wept, while others sat heavily and stared into the distance. A giant uproar arose as many tried asking Roland for more information. "Please! Please!" he shouted, calming the nobles. "Now is not the time to be mourning the departed ruler. We must celebrate, not the death of a queen, but the ascension of another! Now Queen Julia is ruler of Hyrule! All hail Queen Julia!" Many of the lords and ladies took up the cheer, and Julia rose from her seat to welcome the praise. Link stood and came before her. He knelt down on one knee and placed his sword at her feet. Looking up, he said, "I pledge my loyalty to you, Queen Julia." The queen smiled and rested a hand on his shoulder. Link then rose and moved to the side. Other lords were likewise pledging their loyalty to the new ruler. The mourning of Mira was quickly replaced by the celebration of Julia.

Link, Julia, Trine, Roland, Sir Rampt, Vincent, and Kubo all went to the castle crypt where Mira's body awaited the journey to the Royal Tomb. The crypt's many low-ceilinged, vaulted chambers forming a maze of tunnels that any uninvited guests might lose themselves in. Torches burned brightly in their sockets. Kneeling beside the body was Princess Zelda. The group approached the body and stood next to the mourning princess. "Zelda?" Link asked, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Are you all right?" Zelda looked up at the boy with tear reddened eyes and said, "Yes. Yes, I'm fine." "Maybe you should get some rest, princess." the chamberlain said. "No. I'll stay here." Vincent and Kubo were looking at the queen's body as the others tried to console the princess and the new queen. "How did she die?" asked Vincent. The others looked up from Zelda and stared at the knight. "She was injured when the gatehouse fell, of course." Trine said. Kubo shook his head. "No wounds." he said, pointing to the head. Link and Roland looked closely at the corpse. "He's right." said the chamberlain. "Where's that healer?" asked Link. "He should still be upstairs." "Get him. Both of you." ordered Julia to Link and Roland. They nodded and ran off. The remaining people stared at the body of Mira. "Zelda," said Trine, "Where were you during diner?" Zelda did not move her gaze from her sister as she answered her cousin. "I was in Mira's room." "Doing what?" "Just- just being there. At her side." "Were you alone?" "Trine!" scolded Julia, "Do not pester your cousin! Can't you see that she is grieving?" Julia knelt beside her younger sister and embraced her. The crypt fell to silence. Minutes later the healer, Mendregere, was brought down by Link and Roland. "Healer," said Julia, "How did my sister die?" "M'lady," said Mendregere, "Mira died due to much trauma to the body and the mind." "Where?" asked Vincent. The healer walked to the body and pointed. "Well, to the head, mainly, and-" He paused and the others looked at him accusingly. "Her head-!" he said, in shock. "It is perfect, healer." said Trine. "Not a scratch." "I-I do not understand! I treated the wounds myself!" "I you did then there would have been scars." pointed out Link. "There were scars!" "I don't believe you, Healer. There never were scars, were there?" said Trine in a quiet voice. The others looked at the young prince in confusion, but the healer's eyes held fear as he dreaded what would come next. "What do you mean?" asked Zelda. "I mean," said Trine, walking close before Mendregere, "I believe Queen Mira was murdered." "No! It is not true!" shouted the healer, falling to his knees before Julia. "I loyally served the Royal House of Hyrule! I have never taken a life and would never have taken your sister's! I swear it!" "What makes you think murder, Trine?" asked Zelda. The queen does not have any wounds whatsoever and yet she is dead." said the boy, indicating the body. "The only one who had constant access to the queen was the royal family and this murderer. I know that you, mother, would not harm your sister, and you, Zelda, were away with Link. That only leaves Mendregere at fault." "But he was not even in the land when the gatehouse collapsed. Surely he couldn't have destroyed that from outside the kingdom." pointed out Link. Trine nodded. "That's right, I hadn't thought about that." The others fell silent as they watched the healer cower on the floor before their critical eyes. "Unless..." They all looked at Roland, who continued. "Unless he had an accomplice...?" The healer whimpered on the floor as the thoughts of conspiracy filled the royals' heads. "Who was there when the gatehouse collapsed?" asked Link. Julia and Trine looked at each other. "There was me, you," said Trine, counting on his fingers, "some guards and... Sir Rampt." Julia inhaled sharply. "After the accident, Sir Rampt came to me talking of conspiracies. I put him in charge of an inquiry into the matter." "Why would he tell you of a conspiracy if he were in on it?" asked Zelda. "To be in charge of it and possibly falsify evidence." said Link. "That's what I would do." Trine nodded. "Yes, sometimes the best place to hide is right out front." "But could he have done it?" asked Julia. "He visited the queen many times. He always seemed to look... distraught over something." comprehension lit up Roland's eyes. "Guilt?"

Trine grabbed the healer and hauled the man to his feet. "Sir Rampt is your accomplice, isn't he?" he barked. "Admit it!" "I am innocent! Please believe me, highness!" pleaded Mendregere. Julia turned on her heel so as not to look at the wretched man. "I shall make sure that you die for your treachery, healer. As well as all those who helped you." The queen walked toward the crypt exit. "Take him to the dungeons until he admits his accomplice." As Link and Vincent pulled the poor man to a cell, with Trine, Kubo, and Roland following close behind, Zelda had her doubts about the guilt of the healer. There was no evidence and he had just been doomed to death. What of Sir Gain Rampt? Would he be executed also on such superficial grounds? The young princess had no idea.

Sir Gain Rampt was standing atop the west battlements overseeing the crews working to uncover the truth behind the collapse of the gatehouse. Was he really to blame? Only time would tell but so far nothing had turned up to indicate otherwise. The small man turned as the noise of armoured feet reached his ears. "Sir Gain Rampt?" asked the young lieutenant of the squad of Praetorian Guards. "Yes?" asked the lord. The guards surrounded Rampt as the lieutenant said, "Sir Rampt you are under arrest on charges of high treason and plotting against the Crown." "What?" shouted Rampt in surprise as his arms were bound behind him. "Treason?" "Yes sir. Please come quietly." Sir Gain could only nod dumbly as he was taken down from the ramparts. The soldiers below noticed the lord and the Guards and could only guess as to what was going on.

The small trial was held in the throne room. Under the grand columns encircling the hall stood the nobility of Hyrule all eagerly awaiting the outcome of the trial. Upon the throne sat the regal Queen Julia with Princess Zelda at her side. Prince Trine stood slightly behind the pair along with the captain of the Praetorian Guard, Link. In the centre of the grand room stood the accused, hands bound behind their backs, flanked by two Praetorian Guards each. Before the two men stood the castle chamberlain, Roland. Julia raised her hand and the trial began. Roland read from a parchment. "Sir Gain Rampt and Healer Mendregere. You are both charged with treason against the crown of Hyrule. How do you plead?" Rampt and Mendregere looked at each other before replying, "Not guilty." With a gesture form Julia, Roland began his inquisition. He turned to Sir Rampt. "Sir Gain Rampt, you were put in charge of an investigation into the collapse of the gatehouse. Is this true?" Gain nodded. "And what have you found in this investigation?" "Nothing." the lord said glumly. "Nothing. What reason, then, can you give for this centuries-old building falling down at the exact moment the royal family was standing on it?" "Maybe it was just old and nature took its course." "If so, then why did you voice concerns about a conspiracy to Queen Julia?" "I thought exactly as you. This was too much of a coincidence. I have so far been proven wrong." Roland paced a bit before asking another question. "What were you doing near the gatehouse when it collapsed?" The lord seemed confused and did not answer. "Were you not one of the first people who arrived to aid the royal family? You must have been near the gatehouse. What were you doing?" Rampt opened his mouth as if to speak but then closed it. The chamberlain continued. "Did you not just finish rebuilding the castle walls? What did you do with the gates? Just leave them?" Rampt just fell to his knees, his head bowed in shame. Roland sighed and turned to Julia. The queen rose and delivered her verdict of the lord. "Sir Rampt, because of your negligence of the gatehouse, you are responsible for the deaths of King Torvus and Queen Mira. I therefore sentence you to be executed tomorrow night at sunset. Take him away." Wordlessly, Rampt was taken away by his guards.



"Carry on, chamberlain." said Julia as she sat down again. Roland bowed and resumed the trial. "Healer Mendregere, you personally tended to Her Majesty's wounds after the incident at the gatehouse, did you not?" inquired the chamberlain. "Yes I did." answered the healer. "What wounds were upon her body?" "Many wounds to the head and some to the body, lord." "And how deep were these wounds?" "Some were very deep, lord." "Deep enough to completely heal in a day?" "No sir! They would not have healed once she died. And they would have taken weeks if she had lived." Roland looked to the royals on the thrones. "Would magic have healed them so quickly?" The healer nodded. "Yes. But only very strong magic." "Magic you posses?" "No. My magic was not enough." "Really? And how much magic would have been needed to heal such wounds?" Mendregere shook his head. "I do not know, lord. Much more than I have. Perhaps more than anyone in the kingdom has. With the exception of Their Majesties, of course." he quickly added. There was an audible noise as those in the gallery sharply drew their breath in surprise at the obvious allegation. Roland took a step back and barked, "You say that the Queen killed her own sister? How dare you imply such a thing!" The healer cowered in fear. "I did not mean the queen! I just meant that the royal family has more magic than anyone in the land and might have been able to heal such wounds as Mira had." "If not the queen, then perhaps Princess Zelda? Or maybe Prince Trine? Who?" "Well," said the healer, "the princess Zelda did visit Her Majesty shortly before her death. When dinner was being served. She was the last person to see Queen Mira alive." Again the crowd muttered. Roland was aghast. "Are you saying that Princess Zelda killed her own sister? You lie, sir!" The Healer seemed to regain his lost courage. "I do not lie!" he shouted, "All I know is that Mira was ill when I left the princess in the room and when I returned the queen was dead." "Why, then would the princess kill Mira?" "I don't know! To get to the throne quicker?" "Absurd!" "Her father died unusually too, didn't he? Perhaps she had a role in that too?" The room lost all sound as every soul in the room chilled in horror. Roland was at a loss for words. All eyes turned to Zelda, whose skin had lost all colour. "Princess?" the chamberlain asked quietly. "Can you answer these allegations?" "I- I cannot." stuttered Zelda. "What happened in the last few minutes of Mira's life, princess?" The princess drew a deep breath. "The healer left the room and I was beside Mira. Then she was dead. That's all." "You have the magic to heal her scars, don't you?" Eyes turned to Trine, who was now standing beside Roland. "Y- Yes, I do." The assembled nobility gasped. "Then you could have done it?" asked Roland. "Whose to say she didn't?" asked Trine. Julia rose in surprise. "Trine! What are you doing?" Her son ignored her and continued. "Are you actively trying to become queen of Hyrule? You were fourth in line when Gerrik was living. You would never have seen the throne, so you decided to kill your own family for power!" By this time, Trine was shouting. "You kill Gerrik, then you have Sir Rampt sabotage the gatehouse, killing Torvus, and then you kill Mira. Whose next? My mother? Are you going to kill her as well? Then me? Will the killing stop only when you are seated on the throne? I say we don't give you the chance to kill any more!" The room was in an uproar. In distress, Julia fled the chamber. Link and Roland had approached the prince and were arguing angrily with him. Zelda felt as if her world were falling away form her. One minute she was overseeing a trial, the next she was being accused of murdering her family. She looked down to Link and saw him finish the argument with her cousin. "Guards!" shouted Trine. "Take the princess to her quarters and keep her there until further notice! Court adjourned!" Saying that, Trine strode from the room. Link and two of his Praetorian Guards approached Zelda. "I'm sorry Zelda." he said. Zelda was speechless as she was escorted by the Guards to her chambers. She was now on trial.

Julia was a wreak for days after the trial. Her life had been torn too many times. First her father died violently, then her brother-in-law is killed, and then her sister is killed. Now her younger sibling is being blamed for the murders. It was too much for the woman to handle. Therefore, until she could regain control of her emotions, Prince Trine had assumed control of the land. The healer, Mendregere, was convicted of treason and executed; Sir Rampt would have been executed for his crimes had he not been found in his cell hanging by his belt. The Princess Zelda was, under the piercing eyes of her cousin, convicted of murdering Mira. Luckily, because she was royalty, she was not executed but had to suffer the disgrace of exile.

The sky was stormy as the gates of Hyrule City were opened one last time for Zelda. Zelda stood beside what few belongings she had been allowed to take with her. Before her stood Link, and several guards. "I can't let them do this to you, Zelda." Link said. "You're innocent. I know it and you know it. All we have to do is convince the court of that." Zelda shook her head sadly. "They won't believe us. Besides, Trine wouldn't allow it." The two looked over at the castle where the prince was surely standing, looking to them. "I don't trust him." Link said. "I know, but he's ruler of Hyrule until Julia recovers. There's nothing we can do." "I will never stop believing your innocence, Zelda." the boy said, embracing his friend in a tight hug. Zelda, tears streaming down her cheeks, said nothing but held the hug. The thought of never seeing her beloved Hyrule or her beloved protector again was sickening. Where would she go? She didn't know. All she did know was that she was given a horse and a week's worth of food and banished from the land, never to return. A guard came over to the pair and grunted slightly. Zelda pulled away from the hug and said the Link, "Good bye, my hero." "Good bye, my lady." With that, two guards helped the former princess onto her horse and joined the other two mounted guards in formation around the girl. Zelda and her escort slowly faded from view as they set out for the border of Hyrule, leaving Link standing staring after them in the cold rain and the sharp wind.