Kidnapped
by Judas
Zelda let out a relieved sigh as she shut the door of her chambers for the night. She was finally alone with her thoughts. After a busy day of arranging a diplomatic journey to Askahn, the princess was more than ready to retire for the night. She had spent the entire day signing papers and pouring over information about the country she was about to visit.
Tomorrow she would be ready to set out on a mission to sign a peace treaty with one of Hyrule's neighboring countries. And if she was really lucky, they might be able to forge an alliance. Tensions ran high between the two countries, due to a long history of bloodshed between them, but Zelda thought it was high time to end the misunderstandings and put aside their differences. She believed that if they allied, it would bring an era of prosperity to both countries.
A smile touched her lips as she finished dressing for bed and turned down her sheets. Yes, tomorrow would herald a bright dawn for Hyrule. A new era of peace between the great countries...
* * * *
Zelda stood with her small entourage on the docks, ready to board the royal ship. She looked up towards the clear blue sky, squinting at the brightness of the sun against the crisp white sails. The boardwalk was lowered and she took a deep breath and boarded the ship. This was it, she was on her way to finally sign peace treaties with the Prince of Askahn.
A slight smile touched Zelda's lips. Perhaps Hyrule could finally return to its former state of harmony. She leaned against the rail, face turned towards the wind as the ship slowly sailed out to sea.
Little did she know, a simple diplomatic mission would soon become much more complicated...
* * * *
A small boat slowed to a drift alongside the much larger ship. Three silhouettes shifted within the small boat, and one of them stood up, balancing carefully as he looked upwards. He swayed unsteadily for a moment as he gathered something in his hands and threw it upwards.
It took several tries, but the grappling hook finally found a secure mark. He looked over his shoulder and threw a grin at his two partners before grabbing hold of the rope and climbing up. They followed quickly and just as silently, slipping over the side and onto the deck.
"You two take care of anyone on watch--I'll get the Princess," the youngest of the three whispered.
"Take care, Naveed," one of the men said softly before turning to follow the third.
Naveed grinned slightly, a flash of white teeth. "Don't worry about me, Marcus."
The darkness covered him as he swiftly made his way down into the cabins below the deck. It didn't take long to figure out which cabin was Zelda's. Outside of the door stood two guards, each one holding a long spear.
Naveed crouched in the shadows of the stairs, mind racing to find a way to get rid of the guards without causing too much of a commotion. We're supposed to do this as quickly and quietly as possible... if anyone gets killed, it will go badly for us, he thought.
A silent sigh as Naveed reached into the pouch at his side. He drew out a small blowgun and two darts. If he was lucky, the guards would drop like flies, and would be out for a few hours at least.
It was over in a matter of seconds, and sure enough, the darts had hit their mark. It was a cold and silent testament to Naveed's skills. An icy efficiency that one so young should not have.
Naveed's lock pick made quick work of the cabin's lock, and in minutes, he was standing in the Princess' cabin. He took a slow, deep breath and his gaze stopped on the woman's sleeping form. She was young... probably no older than he.
And she didn't suspect a thing.
* * * *
"Damn it, Teegan! What are you doing!?" Marcus hissed.
Teegan looked over his shoulder as he lifted a bottle from one of the crates. "Taking me due, Marcus. Keep yer pants on..."
"We have a job to do, Teegan," Marcus said in a low, measured voice, "Now let's make sure Naveed is doing all right..."
Teegan shrugged and rose to his feet, bottle still in hand, and followed Marcus towards the stairs. They descended into the belly of the ship; the two unconscious guards told them that Naveed had been there already, and was in the Princess' cabin...
* * * *
Zelda's eyes fluttered open sleepily, but she was jolted awake when she saw a figure looming over her. Blue eyes widened and she opened her mouth to scream.
A hand clamped quickly over her mouth. "Be still, and for Din's sake, don't scream," a quiet but urgent male voice said.
The Princess began to struggle then, fighting and trying to cry out. She was stilled quickly when a second man appeared, dagger in hand.
"Do not make me use this, Princess," he warned in a low voice. "We are not here to harm you, but if you make it necessary..."
Zelda's shoulders slumped and she stopped struggling.
"Teegan, use the rope to bind her," the man with the dagger ordered. "Naveed, hold her still. Make sure she stays quiet... I'll keep watch at the door."
Zelda let the two men bind her hands and feet, and gag her. She couldn't fight the overwhelming sense of fear, but she did not want to risk getting killed. She did not know what these men were capable of, and a dead princess was no good to her country.
It took all of a moment or two before she was being carried up the stairs with stealth and speed, up onto deck. The man with the dagger swung himself overboard, and Zelda heard a faint thump accompanied by a soft sloshing noise.
A small boat! she realized, They intend to kidnap me!
Zelda tried to struggle then, but it was too late. Naveed and Teegan lowered her into the boat and quickly jumped down. Marcus had pulled up the small sail, while the other two took the oars. As the boat quickly pulled away from the royal ship, Zelda felt as though her stomach had turned to a hunk of ice.
Goddesses help me... she prayed in a silent plea.
Author's Note: Well, here's the first chapter in the second Zelda fic I'm working on... erm, I know it's extremely short, but I wanted to try to end on a bit of a cliffhanger. ^_^; Don't worry, I should have the second chapter for both fics up soon, if all goes well. Please leave a review on your way out!
by Judas
Zelda let out a relieved sigh as she shut the door of her chambers for the night. She was finally alone with her thoughts. After a busy day of arranging a diplomatic journey to Askahn, the princess was more than ready to retire for the night. She had spent the entire day signing papers and pouring over information about the country she was about to visit.
Tomorrow she would be ready to set out on a mission to sign a peace treaty with one of Hyrule's neighboring countries. And if she was really lucky, they might be able to forge an alliance. Tensions ran high between the two countries, due to a long history of bloodshed between them, but Zelda thought it was high time to end the misunderstandings and put aside their differences. She believed that if they allied, it would bring an era of prosperity to both countries.
A smile touched her lips as she finished dressing for bed and turned down her sheets. Yes, tomorrow would herald a bright dawn for Hyrule. A new era of peace between the great countries...
* * * *
Zelda stood with her small entourage on the docks, ready to board the royal ship. She looked up towards the clear blue sky, squinting at the brightness of the sun against the crisp white sails. The boardwalk was lowered and she took a deep breath and boarded the ship. This was it, she was on her way to finally sign peace treaties with the Prince of Askahn.
A slight smile touched Zelda's lips. Perhaps Hyrule could finally return to its former state of harmony. She leaned against the rail, face turned towards the wind as the ship slowly sailed out to sea.
Little did she know, a simple diplomatic mission would soon become much more complicated...
* * * *
A small boat slowed to a drift alongside the much larger ship. Three silhouettes shifted within the small boat, and one of them stood up, balancing carefully as he looked upwards. He swayed unsteadily for a moment as he gathered something in his hands and threw it upwards.
It took several tries, but the grappling hook finally found a secure mark. He looked over his shoulder and threw a grin at his two partners before grabbing hold of the rope and climbing up. They followed quickly and just as silently, slipping over the side and onto the deck.
"You two take care of anyone on watch--I'll get the Princess," the youngest of the three whispered.
"Take care, Naveed," one of the men said softly before turning to follow the third.
Naveed grinned slightly, a flash of white teeth. "Don't worry about me, Marcus."
The darkness covered him as he swiftly made his way down into the cabins below the deck. It didn't take long to figure out which cabin was Zelda's. Outside of the door stood two guards, each one holding a long spear.
Naveed crouched in the shadows of the stairs, mind racing to find a way to get rid of the guards without causing too much of a commotion. We're supposed to do this as quickly and quietly as possible... if anyone gets killed, it will go badly for us, he thought.
A silent sigh as Naveed reached into the pouch at his side. He drew out a small blowgun and two darts. If he was lucky, the guards would drop like flies, and would be out for a few hours at least.
It was over in a matter of seconds, and sure enough, the darts had hit their mark. It was a cold and silent testament to Naveed's skills. An icy efficiency that one so young should not have.
Naveed's lock pick made quick work of the cabin's lock, and in minutes, he was standing in the Princess' cabin. He took a slow, deep breath and his gaze stopped on the woman's sleeping form. She was young... probably no older than he.
And she didn't suspect a thing.
* * * *
"Damn it, Teegan! What are you doing!?" Marcus hissed.
Teegan looked over his shoulder as he lifted a bottle from one of the crates. "Taking me due, Marcus. Keep yer pants on..."
"We have a job to do, Teegan," Marcus said in a low, measured voice, "Now let's make sure Naveed is doing all right..."
Teegan shrugged and rose to his feet, bottle still in hand, and followed Marcus towards the stairs. They descended into the belly of the ship; the two unconscious guards told them that Naveed had been there already, and was in the Princess' cabin...
* * * *
Zelda's eyes fluttered open sleepily, but she was jolted awake when she saw a figure looming over her. Blue eyes widened and she opened her mouth to scream.
A hand clamped quickly over her mouth. "Be still, and for Din's sake, don't scream," a quiet but urgent male voice said.
The Princess began to struggle then, fighting and trying to cry out. She was stilled quickly when a second man appeared, dagger in hand.
"Do not make me use this, Princess," he warned in a low voice. "We are not here to harm you, but if you make it necessary..."
Zelda's shoulders slumped and she stopped struggling.
"Teegan, use the rope to bind her," the man with the dagger ordered. "Naveed, hold her still. Make sure she stays quiet... I'll keep watch at the door."
Zelda let the two men bind her hands and feet, and gag her. She couldn't fight the overwhelming sense of fear, but she did not want to risk getting killed. She did not know what these men were capable of, and a dead princess was no good to her country.
It took all of a moment or two before she was being carried up the stairs with stealth and speed, up onto deck. The man with the dagger swung himself overboard, and Zelda heard a faint thump accompanied by a soft sloshing noise.
A small boat! she realized, They intend to kidnap me!
Zelda tried to struggle then, but it was too late. Naveed and Teegan lowered her into the boat and quickly jumped down. Marcus had pulled up the small sail, while the other two took the oars. As the boat quickly pulled away from the royal ship, Zelda felt as though her stomach had turned to a hunk of ice.
Goddesses help me... she prayed in a silent plea.
Author's Note: Well, here's the first chapter in the second Zelda fic I'm working on... erm, I know it's extremely short, but I wanted to try to end on a bit of a cliffhanger. ^_^; Don't worry, I should have the second chapter for both fics up soon, if all goes well. Please leave a review on your way out!