Disclaimer: The only things Zelda-esque that are owned by anime animal are: 1x Ocarina of Time, 1x Majora's Mask, 1x Link's Awakening DX, 1x Oracle of Ages, 1x Super Smash Bros, 1x Super Smash Bros Melee, 1x Link Lolly, 1x Link Pez-style candy dispenser thingy from Greece and several sheets of paper with Zelda related doodles. Other than that, it's all Shigsy's.

A.N: A ridiculously long time to leave the story without updating, but you have no idea how much my new teachers are making me work. Plus I've been so caught up in trying to understand AS level French (mon nouveau bete noire- and I don't care about the lack of accents), reading the Odyssey, the Agamemnon, Merchant of Venice AND trying to understand Chaucer that writer's block had kicked in well and truly. And I've had this bastard of a cough for about a month now. Oh, and I was in Greece all last week. BUT I will be hopefully updating quite a bit this week, (hopefully) and should before going back to school be up to Chapter Seven (again, hopefully). An unbelievably cool idea has just struck me for this fic, so with any luck I'll get this fic wrapped up in time for Christmas. Please excuse that appalling pun. It's terrible.

Chapter 5: Dangerous Power

"Oof!"

Navali hit the ground with a thud and an ugly squelch as her pristine white clothes became daubed in mud. Behind her, a chorus of high pitched laughter rang out and caused the now furious young Gerudo to look scornfully behind her.

"Aw, the little mongrel has fallen down and hurt herself," Alanya teased, flicking her ponytail over her shoulder.

Her two cronies laughed at the comment while Navali sat up and wiped the mud from her face. Her hands trembled with anger and humiliation while her face displayed a look of intense hatred.

"You shouldn't have done that," she growled.

Alanya paused from her laughter and cocked her head in mock curiosity.

"Oh and why's that? Because you're gonna tell your mother and get me punished? Unlikely, no-one's going to favour the word of bad blood like you over someone like me!"

She began to laugh again before something flashed in front of her and sent her flying back into a second muddy puddle. She cried out in indignation and glowered at the thrower of the offending object.

Ranlink Ferras stood alone with a Deku Nut in his hands and an angry scowl on his face.

"How dare you!" Alyana cried.

Her two friends, Cirys and Xera, took up their wooden staffs and glared at the boy. The humiliation that the best of their race had been felled by a Deku Nut was bad enough, but the fact that the nut had been hurled by a boy was disgusting.

"My mother told me never to pick on girls, but I don't think you three count," Ranny snapped. "And you Alanya, well I haven't seen a better cow than you even on a farm!"

Alanya screamed withrage and flew at the boy, forgetting all her fight training and resorting to scratches and pulling hair. Ranny's face was grim with determination as used his surperior strength to throw the Gerudo girl off before he was pounced upon by her cronies. By this stage, Navali had got herself up out of the mud and was yelling a flurry of words in a language that Ranny didn't understand, although Alanya was responding to them with her own verbal onslaught.

"Hey, what's goin' on over there?"

The brawling stopped immediately as a voice called out and before Ranlink was given a moment to blink, Alanya and her friends had vanished. A Gerudo in her mid teens took one look at Navali and Ranny and nodded her head.

"Oh yeah, I thought it might be you. What did you do this time, bad blood?"

Navali blushed furiously and looked at her feet while the sentry stared at Ranlink.

"You know that you're violating Gerudo law by bringing that Hylian here."

"No I'm not!" Navali protested. "And I didn't bring him here!"

"Silence! I shall inform Ura of your behaviour and then we shall see what happens. Nabooru's daughter or not, you'll be punished for this, bad blood."

She stalked off, leaving Navali to glare at Ranlink.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?!" She snapped.

Ranny looked hurt.

"Hunh?"

"I could've handled it! Now you've made it worse for me!"

"I was only trying to help..."

"Well I didn't need it! Now I'm gonna get teased for being helped by a boy and Ura's going to have it in for me even more than she does at the moment."

"Who's Ura?" Ranlink asked quietly.

"Who's Ura?!" Navali stormed. "Ura is the one person who is going to make my life miserable because of this! She's my teacher!"

"Well I'll just talk them out of it," Ranny grinned. "I'll say that it's all been a big misunderstanding and that I was only helping because Alanya pushed you into the mud."

Navali's glare didn't shift.

"And they'll believe you. Huh, don't make me laugh."

Ranlink looked at her curiously.

"Why wouldn't that work?"

"Because you're a boy and I'm bad blood. Ura would pick Alanya's story over the truth any day."

She sighed and brushed the mud off her nose.

"What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were still at your place."

Ranny grinned again.

"Well, me and my family are staying at the castle for a bit. Orla's busy and she asked me to come and get you so we can go swimming."

"Busy with what?" Navali asked quizzically.

Ranny shrugged.

"I dunno, she said that 'It was a matter of upmost urgency and that it couldn't be disturbed.'"

He sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Is it just me, or is she turning into a proper princess?"

It was Navali's turn to shrug and she did so.

"It's just you. Orla always goes into princess mode when she's got something important to do."

"Hmm."

"I'm gonna get my pony, you wait here," Navali instructed.

"Oh, OK."

Navali began to walk off, but as she did so she cast a look over her shoulder at Ranny.

"Hey, thanks. For what you did. No-one's ever stood up for me before."

Ranny blushed unconciously.

"It was nothin', forget it."

Navali smiled and went to get her pony.

******

Everything was silent and totally still. A cool breeze stirred the young princess' hair but didn't deter her from her cause. She stood still and focused, her eyes closed and her breathing even, waiting.

She felt it before she had even become accustomed to her current state of serenity and waited for a few more moments. All the while, her mother stood against the wall, watching intently both her daughter and the orb she had created for her to find. Her mind controlled its random pattern of motion as it circled the courtyard. It was completely invisible to all but her, and it was Orla's task to discover it and reveal it using her own skills.

"There!"

With a sudden cry, Orla spun on her heel and hurled a fine mist of blue light towards a seemingly blank space of air. Nothing happened.

"No, you were too slow," Zelda reprimanded. "You went for where it was, not where it would have been. The orb is constantly moving, you must sense the speed and the direction as well as the location."

Orla's breathing had become heavier as she scowled.

"I know, and I did! It must have swerved or something 'cause it was definitely there!"

"Yes it was there, but now..."

Zelda snapped her fingers and the pink orb flashed into view.

"...It is here."

Orla groaned in fatigue and exasperation.

"This is impossible."

Zelda smiled at her daughter and hugged her.

"No sweetheart, it's not impossible. It's just a little complicated, but you're doing so well for your first try."

Orla sighed and snuggled into her mother's embrace.

"Can we stop now?"

Zelda nodded and kissed the top of her daughter's head.

"You're right, that's enough for today. You go along to the lake."

Orla laughed.

"Thanks Mama."

"Have a good time and take care."

"Sure will. C'mon Fang!"

The little wolf pricked up her ears and bounded after her mistress with as much energy as the little girl. Zelda smiled and dispelled the magic orb, letting out a sigh of relief as she did so.

Nobody ever said this would be easy.

She wandered over to the small channel of water that surrounded the courtyard and kicked off her shoes before dipping her feet into the crystal clear liquid. It was cool and served as a perfect solution to the uncharacteristically warm spring morning's heat.

"Mind if I join you?"

Zelda smiled and nodded to her sister-in-law's request. Catrine removed her shoes and delicately dipped her toes into the spring beside the Princess.

"Impa's showing Ama and Ellie the new flowerbed," she informed Zelda. "And then I am certain that they'll blackmail her into taking them somewhere else."

Zelda laughed softly.

"Toddlers, the world's most devious and deceptive villains."

"Gods don't let Aidyn catch you saying anything like that about his little girl, he'd go nuts," Catrine laughed. "Elise has him wrapped around her little finger."

"Must be in the genes, Amalia's just the same."

"What about Orla?"

Zelda smiled.

"Orla's too much like her father to bother with all that 'daddy's little girl' act, although I'm not ruling it out until after puberty."

Catrine laughed and looked across at Zelda.

"You look tired, are you OK?"

"I'm fine," Zelda replied, smiling at her concern. "I have a lot on my mind at the moment."

"Care to unburden any of it on me?"

"I don't even understand half of it myself, Catrine."

******

He was being ignored, and he hated it. They knew he was there, and yet they continued to ignore him.

No-one got away with ignoring him.

But they'd regret ignoring him, he'd see to that. They'd beg him for his help, the woman with tears in her eyes and her proud and unwavering husband galled and ashamed to be giving in to him. And the satisfaction that he'd get from it would be wonderful.

But then he'd have a task that not even he wanted. The battle coming up would be hard, but it was not the fight that bothered him. He existed to fight, it was in his blood to do so. But there would be too many complex emotions involved in the battle ahead.

Emotions were something he failed to understand. They were too violent, there was no logic to them. But then again, the mortals were always praising many of them. Joy, Pleasure, Happiness and the one they praised above all, Love. They used the phrase all the time, during times of intimacy and at times when they were with their daughters. He just didn't understand it.

Not that he wanted to of course. The hour would soon be at hand, and he'd be able to live again. He hated this borrowed existence almost as much as he hated being ignored, but it was still a better existence than no existence at all.

Nox Nocte was soon to fall upon them, and then he'd be back, he'd fight once more.

Her soul would finally be saved, and to him that was all that mattered.

******

Fang dozed contentedly beside Orla's discarded boots as the three children sprawled out on the bank, their damp clothes drying in the late morning sun. The sun beamed down onto the landscape, dancing on the ever moving surface like impatient fairies. Orla kicked her heels against the earth and breathed deeply, her eyes watching the clouds above her. A pair of birds darted across the sky, gliding through the air like a Zora through water.

"Have you ever wondered what it would be like to fly?"

"What?!"

Both Ranny and Navali sat up and stared at the Princess with confused frowns on both their faces.

"Orla, have you been sneaking into the wine cellar again?" Ranny asked.

Orla smiled to herself and closed her eyes.

"No I haven't cousin dear. I'm just thinking about how it would feel to just fly like a bird with no responsibility, no worries..."

"No good blood or bad blood," Navali sighed. "It would be great."

Ranny's fists balled unnoticed at the sadness in her tone.

"Navali, you've gotta stop this. It's not fair."

"Tell me 'bout it, but I can't do anything. My mom can't do anything about it, and she's the leader."

"Hey Orla, why don't you get your grandfather to put a stop to it?" Ranny suggested.

Orla sighed.

"No good. Grandfather is the King of Hyrule and it is his duty to see that laws are enforced and that each race is governed fairly. He can't interfere with each races traditions and rites, and Gerudo law is pretty complex."

"Tell me about it," Navali grumbled.

"Well there's gotta be something..." Ranlink mumbled.

"What's it to you anyway?" Navali asked, staring at him unblinkingly. "It's not like you're affected. You're a guy."

Ranny blushed.

"I just don't like seeing people get treated badly," he murmured.

Orla threw an arm around her cousin's shoulder.

"Don't worry Ranny, we'll sort Alanya out. The three of us, we'll show her what a mistake it is to pick on a Sage's daughter."

Navali smiled.

"Thanks you guys."

Fang yawned sleepily and then suddenly jumped to her feet as the three ponies stopped cropping at the grass and turned to look at something. Navali tensed as she recognised three Gerudo girls coming towards them. Ranny got to his feet, trying to make himself look tough.

"If they just try it then I'll make them sorry they ever came here," he growled.

Navali rolled her eyes and got up as well.

"Ranlink Ferras, you'll do no such thing. You are going to stay out of it," Orla ordered him.

"This is my fight," Navali said softly.

Alanya advanced upon them, Xera and Cirys behind her. Orla noticed that each of them was carrying something that looked like a leather thong whip and instantly became wary. She'd left her sword in her room in the castle and Navali and Ranlink were both unarmed. She only hoped that things wouldn't get ugly.

"Well what do we have here girls?" Alanya taunted, tapping her whip against her palm. "Looks like bad blood's out with her little boyfriend again."

The other two girls giggled while Navali's face grew dark with rage.

"He's not my boyfriend," she growled.

Orla's eyes were narrowed and observing the newcomers icily. Alanya noticed her for the first time and chuckled softly.

"Hey girls, looks like bad blood can't get any real friends and has to resort to Hylians. Pathetic."

Orla said nothing, biting her tongue in order to do so.

"I mean, look at that one," she said, gesturing at Orla with the handle of her whip. "It looks more like some scrawny rat than a Hylian."

"You'd better watch what you say..." Ranny began.

"Leave it Ran," Orla said quietly, not once breaking eye contact with Navali.

"Alanya, leave them out of it," Navali snapped.

Alanya laughed haughtily.

"No, I think it's kind of fun. I mean, even though you're bad blood you've still got some Gerudo in you. Not these two weaklings, they're pure scum."

"Why you-" Ranlink snarled, lunging forwards.

Orla stuck her arm out to prevent him from attacking and then lowered it. Her stance and gaze were as cool as ice.

"Tell me, what position of authority does your mother hold?" She asked Alanya sweetly.

Alanya was thrown off by this and her eyes flicked back and forth somewhat nervously.

"My mother is one of the greatest Gerudo fighters," she bragged.

Orla smirked.

"Greater than the General of Farore? Because that's who Ranlink's father is."

Ranny puffed his chest out importantly.

"Yeah."

"A man," Alanya scoffed. "Men are weak and foolish. Not one man in this kingdom is worthy enough to become a Gerudo."

"Um Alanya," Xera began. "Link is welcome in the Gerudo Fortress..."

At this, Navali and Ranlink looked smug while Orla continued to look apathetic.

"My father is welcome amongst your ranks, and my mother is the greatest of the Seven Sages and heir to the Hylian throne," she said coolly. "And as I am her heir, that makes me a higher rank than you or your mother could ever hope to be. So even if I do look like a 'scrawny rat,' I'd sooner be that a truly pathetic excuse for a living creature like yourself."

Alanya began to quiver with rage and then rounded on Navali.

"Bad blood's got herself a snooty little princess for a friend," she said shakily. "Well I wonder if she can fight!"

Her whip flew out and stung the flesh of Navali's belly with a resounding crack. Navali hissed in pain before launching herself at the other girl in fury. Xera and Cirys went for their whips, but were halted by their limbs going stiff and heavy. Orla stood still with her left hand raised, a white haze expelling itself from her fingertips. Her eyes were dark with anger and her mouth was set in a grim and determined line as she glared at them.

"I think not. Two against one is dishonest. Ran, get those whips. Quickly."

Amazed, Ranlink did as he was told and then turned his attention to Navali, who was struggling to wrench the whip from Alanya's grasp.

"You're not gonna embarrass me in front of my best friend Alanya!" Navali hissed.

Alanya lashed out and tried to claw at Navali's face with her nails. Like lightning, Ran bowled himself at the offensive Gerudo and sent her sprawling to the ground and away from Navali. He pinned her wrists to the ground and glared at her furiously.

"I'm not gonna tell you again, leave Navali alone."

"Stay out of this!" Alanya screeched.

"That's enough," Orla said firmly. "Ran, let's go."

 Reluctantly, Ran released Alanya's wrists and stalked away.

"Why don't you fight me yourself?" Alanya challenged.

Orla glared at her and then walked away towards her pony.

"This isn't over, Hylian."

"My name is Princess Orla, and you're in no position to threaten me, bad blood," Orla snapped.

To Ranlink and Navali, the next few moments happened in slow motion. Furious beyond belief, Alanya raised herself from the ground and produced a dagger from inside her boot. With a shriek of rage, she hurled herself at Orla with the dagger gleaming in the sunlight.

"Orla behind you!" Ranny cried.

But Orla was way ahead of the game. She spun around quickly and to the amazement of all present, hurtled a brilliant white orb of magic at the Gerudo. Her face was dark with outrage.

"Leave us alone!"

The magic struck her full on, and for a horrible moment her body remained motionless in the centre of it, her face contorted with pain and shock. The scream that tore from her throat chilled the very air around them, and then she toppled to the ground and lay there, perfectly still.

Orla gasped in fright and shrank back, the hands that covered her mouth trembling uncontrollably. Ranlink stared at her in horror while Navali gingerly crept towards Alanya's still form.

"I... I didn't mean to do that... I don't know how... that happened..." Orla stammered.

Navali's face grew pale as she placed her ear against Alanya's chest and then she backed away to Ranny.

"She's not breathing," she whispered.

Ranny's eyes were wide in terror and he couldn't remove his gaze from his trembling cousin. Orla's whole body was shaking in shock and her face was as white as a sheet.

"You killed her!" Cirys screamed.

"I didn't mean to do it... It just happened..."

"Murderer!"

"No! No I didn't mean to..."

Murderer

MURDERER

MURDERER

The screamed statement echoed around the lake and through Orla's mind, and with her terrified tears blinding her, she ran.

to be continued...