Repaying a Debt

Disclaimer: Oh, I wonder...

This chapter will be dark. Period. If you don't like this stuff, then scroll down until you see an author note sounding the all-clear, all right? There will also be an author note when it begins, so you're all right for the first scene. For those of whom don't mind a little bit of evil, until the author note, I will be having pain, torture, and general nastiness.

And if you're wondering what bought this on, I'll tell you shall I? (This series of events occurred on May 9th).

Some foolish little rude-boys decided to skip merrily into my school, and trash it. What got trashed, I hear you ask? Only a fucking year's worth of artwork, including that picture I was drawing of the Hyrule band that I was doing for Jordiscy. I'm so sorry about that Jord, it looks like I have to start from my preliminary and work through *again* which will take me ages. I *will* do it, somehow, some way, I will redo it and get it to you. It'll just take longer than I was expecting.

And, as well as that, they also wrecked a painting (a black dragon circling a tower, on which stands a white-robed woman holding a staff) that I was going to try and sell for a local charity auction. And now I can't - because by the time I've been able to paint in the wings and tail again, it will be too late.

So am in foul mood. Please review and cheer me up. Would be much appreciated. Every single torturous act, I will be seeing the little rude- boys screaming away. Christ, I'm angry.

[Demented laughter - peters out three hours later] Now onto the story, and let's try and forget about this juicy gossip shall we?

~/*\~/*\~/*\~

I don't know how long we were left in the darkness. It could have been days, weeks; maybe it was only a few hours. The time passed by at a snail's pace, and I was constantly worrying about my body, which was teetering on the brink of total collapse. I was aware, but not awake - resting, but not asleep. The only thing I could see was the void of black, and the only things I heard were intermittent screams of pain.

It did give me time to think though - which in retrospect, wasn't really that good a thing. For all that was on my mind, now that I didn't dare speak for fear that breaking the silence would cause disaster, was the case Lucifer had cooked up against me. If I was left hanging like this much longer, I'd be lucky not to die in my battle assessments, let alone pass the adequately.

Loki would do everything in his power, as I well knew; he'd never gone back on a promise in his life. But, it wasn't likely to be enough. As he had said, it was my own fault that I was in this mess - I had killed his partner, leaving myself with only one Master angel. I had also broken so many of the petty little rules placed upon me to make a case in itself. I did not want to think of what would happen at the end of my trial. Instead, I tried to focus on what was happening in the present.

It wasn't easy - images of the broken women from the house of courtesans floated through my mind. (I'd seen them many-a-time on my way to and fro, from the only café in town which would serve fallen angels as the sole customers.) All of the girls there went through phases, almost like a butterfly. At first, they were always beautiful, headstrong and rebellious. Then, slowly, you'd see the resolve wear down, and a tiredness descend bout the face. Next was the most horrific stage - their very features, which had made them so beautiful to begin with, seem to turn back, turn inwards, so that they are nothing more than burnt out shells. Then, they would snap and break and shatter into pieces.

Tears were running down my cheeks, and I couldn't even wipe them away. For the first time, Link spoke, "Blaise? Blaise? Are you all right - what's going on up there?" He'd obviously heard me sniffling away.

"Nothing...I'm just a little cold," I answered, surprised that my voice still worked. There was a groan, and then Sheik called up,

"Finally, we're talking! I thought you two had forgotten how."

"So did I," I muttered. There were shuffling sounds from the floor, and then a clatter of metal on stone. "What was that?"

"That," Sheik said gleefully, "could be our ticket to some light."

"Your flint!" Link said joyously. "Right, now all we must do is find the door, and the torch isn't far from that."

"All we must do?" Sheik echoed. "You make it sound so simple!"

"I was trying to be optimistic!" Link exclaimed, and I laughed in my croaky voice. "Well, c'mon then, Sheikah boy, the sooner we start, the sooner we get some light." More shuffling sounds ensued, and muffled whispers of "over this way a little" or "just follow the sound of my voice" drifted up to me. I shifted position so that my weight rested more heavily on my left foot, and waited.

"Here it is!" came a hushed, but nonetheless jubilant cry.

"OK; here, take my hands to it will you?" Sheik asked. This was soon followed by the chinking of Sheik striking metal and flint together. I looked in the vague direction of the door, and saw a couple of sparks.

"C'mon Sheik, you can do it," I urged, and he struck them together again. The fuel in the torch took, and the other two looked elated at their success.

"We did it!" Link smiled triumphantly, and turned back to look up at me. His tanned face blanched, and a look of horror overtook him. "Oh Goddesses, we have got to get you down from there." I wondered what he was talking about - the feeling in my upper body had died down to a numb pain a long time ago.

"How?" Sheik queried, following Link back over to where my chains were attached to the wall below. Link just shrugged, and took one of the chains in his hand to tug at it. "Blaise, we'll have you down in a jiffy, OK?" I made a sound of agreement, and then tensed as Link pulled the chain too far. "Careful you dolt!" Sheik snapped, then softened his voice, "Sorry. Just try pulling out the pins or something."

*

(A/N: And thus will the torture and darkness begin. You are warned. Skip to the next author note if you don't like.)

*

They scrabbled at the stone for some time, but the pins were wedged in firmly. I was drifting closer and closer to unconsciousness, and fearing what dreams it would bring. Sheik and Link kept calling up reassurances to me, but their voices easily betrayed their fear. "Guys," I called, my voice croaky. They stopped and looked up. "Listen for a moment." They fell silent, and listened hard - I was sure that I had heard footsteps, and when the door was slammed open against the wall, I knew I had been right.

And I had seen that silhouette too many times now to even try and mistake it. Link and Sheik sprang up defensively, but he just lazily extended an arm and they were chained down to the floor. Then, another calm little wave of that powerful limb, and my chains suddenly weren't there anymore. I crashed the ten-foot drop to the floor, and rolled as I landed to prevent further broken bones. Feeling returned swiftly to my shoulders, and I couldn't help but exude a small scream.

"I'm really fed up with you three jumped up kids," he said in a conversational tone, coming closer. Sheik, who I had landed next to, was bending over to check on me, but Ganondorf just swept him out of the way. "You especially lady - I would have thought you at least would have seen enough sense to leave behind this little idea of fighting me." He grabbed me by the hair and yanked me to my feet - this time, I bit my lip so as not to show my pain.

"And, where is this wonderful death that you promised me? It seems all your weapons are gone, and your source of magic is right here," he plucked the bottle with Navi in it from thin air. Now or never - I lunged forwards to try and get it, forcing my battered arms to move. He just hit me with a quick punch to the gut, and I doubled over.

"Leave her alone you bastard!" Sheik spat, stretching his chains as far as they would go to stand before me. Ganondorf growled, and grabbed Sheik by the throat. The magical chains melted away as the Gerudo lifted Sheik upwards. Then, he let him fly, to slam against the wall I had so shortly before fallen off.

"Sheik," I was able to worm my way over to him, ducking Ganondorf's attempts to grab me again. "Sheik, answer me - Sheik? Please? Sheik!" I was snatched back by the arm, and my shoulder clicked even further out of place. The Sheikah's body was twisted and bloody, a puppet when the strings have been cut away. "Let go!" I squirmed and writhed, the bones grating further and further away from where they were supposed to be.

Ganondorf just stubbornly pulled me along, and out of the door, which he kicked shut behind him. "Naomi," he barked, and a woman all in black hurried over, a sneer adorning her face as she regarded me. "Ready Ayesha for me." The woman's eyes widened, and then narrowed in sheer delight.

"Of course master," she bowed, and then stalked off with the grace of a mountain cat. Ganondorf then proceeded to drag me through a myriad of passages, my head reeling as the pain intensified ten-fold. The only thing I could liken it to was having my wings torn away - but that at least was in the past. This pain was here and now, and wasn't going away.

Finally, we stopped outside a heavy metal door, and he let go of me. [You idiot] I chuckled to myself, and turned to sprint away down the corridor. He didn't seem to notice, and I turned two corners before stopping to catch my breath. Footsteps approached, and I shrank back into the shadows. They were coming closer, and I turned to run the other way - only to face the woman Naomi, accompanied by another, who looked just as cruel.

"What have we here?" Naomi asked brightly, fist connecting quickly with the side of my head. Then, she grabbed one of my arms and twisted it behind my back. I howled in agony, and didn't have the strength to try and fight her off anymore. "Look here - the bones are already broken. That spoils a bit of the fun," she sounded disappointed. "Useless - I wanted to play with that Sheikah again - now that could provide hours of torturing pleasure."

I shuddered, and she pulled my arm further. "Let's take you back to his Lordship, shall we?" she whispered in my ear, and chuckled. She did just that, the other woman with her walking silently, dark eyes smouldering with some unspoken joy. I didn't want to find out what she was happy about. But I had a feeling I would soon.

"Ah, Naomi - thank you. I thought it would be interesting to see how far she would get." Ganondorf turned with a sadistic smile.

"Two corridors is hardly far my Lord," she snarled, and then bit the rest of her comment back as he glared at her.

"Give her to me - Ayesha, in," he commanded, and I was relinquished back into his grasp. Dark magic was pulsing through his palms, and blood sprang from every wound on me, oozing slowly across skin. "Now, I'm going to ask you some questions," he growled, pushing me through the door and into a bare room. "Tell me the correct answer, and I won't hurt you too badly. Answer me wrongly, and you will experience a pain unlike any you have felt before. Simple enough for you?"

I remained silent, and he sighed. "Ayesha? If you would be so kind." The woman removed a rolled up whip from her back, and opened a door at the other end of the room. It led through into a stone cell, much like the one I had been in before with the other two. There were even chains there. "Stand there," he demanded, pushing me to stand in the centre of the room. He cast a questioning look at Ayesha, who nodded curtly.

"Your name," he asked softly.

"Is not important." He tutted, and grabbed me by the hair again.

"Your name," he asked more forcefully this time.

"Blaise," I spat back.

"She lies," Ayesha whispered, and Ganondorf tutted again.

"I won't be fooled by lies - your name girl, lest you wish to be flayed within an inch of your life."

"Go - to - hell."

"Oh don't worry, I will - and you're going on a day-trip with me, you ignorant, proud bitch."

[Uh-oh]. I was propelled to the wall, and the chains snapped over my blood- encrusted wrists. Ayesha stepped behind me, and skilfully removed the nightshirt I was wearing. My cheeks flamed in shame as I stood there in only undergarments. I didn't have long to think on it, as the whip was bought down quickly across my back. Three - four - five - I lost count.

"Enough. Now, let's try this again - your name?"

"Alexis," I spat out, drooping in my chains, and hanging from my ruined arms.

"Good. Next - what are you?"

"What?" I was stumped - the whip came down for the insolence of questioning him back.

"What. Are. You?" he accentuated each word. "You're not Hylian, and the colour of your eyes betrays you as not being Sheikah either. And the elves across the sea are nothing like you."

"I *am* Hylian," I mumbled stubbornly, squeezing my eyes shut in apprehension of the whip. Something stayed it though.

"Ayesha - leave. The scenes here may be too much even for you." Shuffling steps left the room, and I sagged even more. There was silence, bar breathing. "You know, you could always just ask me to let you out of those," he said softly. "But, for not telling the truth, I might not oblige. You may ask anyway."

"Fuck off," I retorted. He laughed lightly, and the stood right behind me.

"Mind you manners," and he rammed my forehead directly into the stone wall before me. Stars exploded behind my eyes, and I dropped completely from the conscious coil for a few seconds. When I came back, there was a sheen of red dripping down over my eyes, and I felt as though I was being hit repeatedly over the head with the Megaton hammer.

"Don't you understand? Fuck off you bastard," I giggled defiantly, a little delirious from blood loss.

"Really now? Didn't your mother teach you any manners?" I didn't answer that one. How dare he dredge up those memories? Even unintentionally, how dare he? "I suppose not," he answered for me, and I tensed as his hand again pressed against the back of my head. "Say sorry." I didn't answer, and he slammed my head against the wall again. "I said say sorry!"

"You say sorry," I spluttered through a stream of blood, spitting out a mouthful of the stuff. His fingers tensed, and moved to my neck.

"What?"

"Say sorry for all the children without mothers cos your men took them away. Say sorry for all the families whose members you have killed. Say sorry because you fucked around with stuff only meant for the immortals." His nails were drawing blood from my neck, and I paused. [Wait - immortals...where did *that* come from? I'm going insane...]

"Immortals," he echoed absently. Then, he seemed to come back, and his strong fingers traced across one of the welts from the whip, making the blood flow again. "What would you know of immortality?" he asked angrily. "Don't talk about things you don't know!"

"I know more than you give me credit for, Dragmire!" I snatched the name from the reams of texts I had learnt on my portal journey to Hyrule. He faltered, and I was able to turn my pounding head around to glimpse his round eyes. When he saw me looking, he scowled.

"Dragmire is no longer alive," he said sharply. "Sadly for you, you still are. And I don't plan on killing you for some time yet." His fingers again traced my torn back, and I shuddered at the touch. They were withdrawn, and were replaced by the sharp bite of the whip once more. This one was different - I could feel small shards of metal woven into the leather. Twenty lashes - twenty one. I was loosing count again.

"You need only ask me to stop," he called over the crack of another hit. I remained adamantly silent.

But, after another few minutes, I snapped. "Stop!" I yelled, and then sobbed, "Stop...stop..." The hits ceased, and I was released from the chains. I dropped in a dead faint to the floor.

*

(A/N: OK, it's safe to come back out now - but there may be more torture later).

*

"Blaise?" someone was gently cradling me in their arms, and I opened my eyes to see Sheik, bloodied but alive. "Thank the Goddesses," he smiled, and kissed me softly on my throbbing forehead. "Link, she's awake," Link walked over, and I was vaguely amused to see that he was wearing only a pair of boxer shorts. I then remembered that I was similarly attired, and my cheeks became fiery hot.

But, looking down, I saw the white of a collar, and my brows furrowed quizzically. "I lent you mine - you looked a bit cold," Link said, and blushed a little at the memory. "Are you all right? What did he do?"

"Not much - though I did black out at one point," I said, cringing as I sat up. "Can I ask a favour before we carry on chatting?" they both nodded. "Good - could you help me relocate my shoulders?"

"Of course," Sheik answered, and didn't delve any further to ask how they'd been dislocated. He did have tact after all. Link's blue gaze was wide with shock at the sheer calmness with which I had asked, but moved to help anyway. "Link - hold her in place will you?" Link place one hand gently on my waist, and another above my collarbone. Then Sheik took my arm firmly, just above the elbow.

"Ready?" Link asked.

"Fuck no," I snorted. "Just do it." Sheik swiftly lifted my arm up, and pushed it back into place. There was a satisfying pop, and then he moved over to do the other side. "Thanks," I grunted, rolling the replaced joints.

"We should really do something about this," Link said, air touching my forehead. "There's not much we can do for your back, but this we should be able to do something for."

"Don't bother," I said. "He'll probably want to 'interrogate' me again."

"I hope next time he doesn't find it necessary to take the shirt," Sheik quipped. I just shook my head, unable to force a smile. His face became serious again. "How are we getting out?"

"I have no idea - the passages are like a maze," I answered, wiping the congealing blood away from my forehead with the sleeve of the shirt. "And there are sadistic bitch guards everywhere." [Hell, there are some half- formed telepaths as well, but I won't tell them about that right now].

"Look, we'll get out," Link stated matter-of-factly. "It may be a few days, and a few broken bones from now, but we'll get back out."

"I wish I had your confidence on that Link," I mumbled, and drew my knees up to my aching chest. Then, I put my chin on my knees, and drew in a deep breath.

"It's not just confidence," he protested. "I know - I can *feel* it." His eyes were blazing, and even though he was only clad in undergarments, and his skin was littered with fresh wounds over old ones, he looked every inch the hero.

"OK - I believe you," I said sincerely, and he nodded with a small grin. "Now then, how do we get out then?"

"Good question. I hadn't really got as far as formulating a plan."

"Well, let's get onto that whilst we're all here shall we?" Sheik said, and Link and I agreed. "So, our only option is really to try and jump a guard and get some weapons. Then we can at least be on equal terms when we fight."

"We could never be on equal terms with Ganondorf," I put in. "If only I had my sword..."

"It's a little late to wish for it now," Link scolded, then looked sorry for it. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Sheik, carry on - jumping the guards is the first step."

"That's as far as I got."

"We could always force them to lead us out," Link pondered, and I nodded.

"That could work. But, they might cry out an alarm. They don't mind dying, so long as you go down with them."

"That's true. So, what then? As you said, the passages are a maze."

"I don't know," I answered truthfully.

'CRASH!' All three of us jumped as the door was thrown open yet again. "Oh, what now?" I muttered exasperatedly. A whole army of guards, both Gerudo women and Ganondorf's men descended on us. We were broken apart, and Sheik and Link were dragged off, looks of fear quickly masked by brave determination. I struggled for all that I was worth, but the two men at either side of me were easily able to hold me in place.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked, and one of them jabbed me hard in the ribs with his armour-clad elbow.

"Shut up. You'll see soon enough wench." His eyes were gleeful, and I wondered briefly what kind of training would make so many people such fucking sadists.

~*~*~*~

(A/N: Welcome back to torture city. Don't you feel lucky this is only a PG- 13 - I could have decided to do things that were a *lot* nastier, but I toned it down. I've stolen the main torture idea from the Tenth Kingdom. Sorry, I just couldn't think of another one...)

*

The passageways were growing warmer with every step I was dragged along. The walls were lit by a dull red glow, and perspiration was springing out all over me. Where it ran over my wounds, it left a dull stinging sensation. I ventured another question, "What's down there?" The guard who had elbowed me earlier smirked,

"The Liege said you liked surprises, so shut up and wait."

"Surprises from depraved maniacs don't fall high on the list," I muttered darkly, and the guard to the right, who had been silent the entire time, snorted. Then, on catching the eye of his fellow guard, he raked the point of the rapier he carried down the side of my face as a reprimand.

We abruptly stopped at the entrance to a large chamber with heavy stone walls. Dotted here and there were blazing torches that cast a flickering light over the area. Instruments of torture were hung from the walls, including whips, braided with metal shards and spikes. There were also weapons of every shape and description, some of which I had not seen before. A low hum in the air told me they held some trace magic.

The men holding me threw me down the steps to the main floor of the room, and I tumbled head over heels before sprawling at the bottom. They laughed, and I hurried to pick myself up before they did it for me. I was taken over to a large table, with winches at either end, attached to ropes. A rack - how rather quaint. [I suppose I could do with the extra height] I thought sarcastically.

I refused to relinquish my arms, and squirmed and writhed until eventually about ten of them weighed me down enough to attach the ropes. [And I just put my shoulders back in as well!] The table, which was made of metal, was just hot enough to cause great discomfort. I arched my back as well as I could, so that as little as possible of the ripped flesh touched the table. The guards had withdrawn, and I was alone in this chamber.

Not quite actually - a stooped figure was stoking a fire in a large hearth at the other wall. I had to put my back down flat in order to see what was in the fire. They looked like a pair of shoes - heavy, ugly things made of metal. And, they were changing from a matt black to a dull red. The figure left as well, departing by another door to the one that I had entered by. Those shoes didn't look good - wouldn't they melt?

As I watched, they brightened to a red glow, the same colour as a few embers which drifted at the edge of the fire. Waiting around for something to happen was almost as bad as the torture itself. Images were forming in my mind as to what they might do, and I just wished they'd get on with it. Prolonging the wait was making me feel nauseous and panicky.

Two doors cracked open simultaneously, and Link and Sheik were bought in, shackled on hands and feet. They were pushed and dragged and pulled and prodded into two identical wrought iron cages at each end of the room. Each was just wide and tall enough for a man to stand in. Their chains were attached to the thick bars, and then each cage was hoisted up and over to a large pit to the side of the table I was on.

"Blaise, is that you?" Link squinted down through the heat-haze of the room.

"Aye, it's me."

"What's going on?"

"Beats me. Whatever it is, I hope they get it over with soon." I glanced again at those metal shoes, unable to keep my eyes away from them. The way they were glowing so brightly enthralled me.

"His Lordship, Ganondorf," a henchman announced, bowing the tall, proud Gerudo man through the door. His people were stationed around the edges of the room, like spectators at a show.

"Are the shoes ready?" he queried, and looked at the fire. "Good. I think you, Hero, and you, Sheikah, are going to enjoy this show." He strutted over, his cloak billowing behind him like the wings of a great bat. Then, he leant over me, so close that I could feel his heart thrumming in his chest. He put his mouth against my ear, and whispered, "You once told me you don't dance. Well, you shall dance now."

"What makes you so sure?" I demanded, and felt his face change into a smile. He pulled away, clearing my view to the fire again. Where the shoes lay, smoking slightly on the hearth, still red-hot. I looked at him for confirmation, and he stared back.

"You will dance," he hissed, "when you wear those."

"You wouldn't."

"I would - you pissed me off," he stated calmly.

"Ah," I gulped. "I don't suppose you would reconsider?" He smiled a fathomless smile, and again leant over to speak into my ear, so that the rest would not hear. They were all talking amongst themselves anyway, and Link and Sheik were conversing in hushed whispers high above.

"Would you make it worth my while?" he asked, one hand trailing to settle on my prone hip. I tensed, and he chuckled, bringing the hand up to settle under my chin. "I see you understand my meaning." I ducked my head and bit down on those fingers as hard as I could. "Shit!" he bought the bleeding digits to his chest. He quivered like a wounded rabbit, fascinated by the blood I'd drawn. Surrounded by the halo of the fire, he looked wild and unearthly. Maybe I could bring myself to make it worth his while - if he released the other three...

[What am I *thinking*? Oh demons, yuk - shut-up Alexis, that's gross!] I yelled at myself, and crept back as far as the ropes would allow me from him.

"Pity," he said, and turned away to the fire. Those shoes were going to go on my feet, and there was nothing I could do about it. I was beyond caring - my pride would not allow me to beg, and my sanity would not allow me to follow the other - option. Ayesha came over, her whip at her waist on a thick belt, and whispered into his rounded ear. He nodded, and looked at me appraisingly. I scowled back. He then stood back to his full height. "Darren - the shoes if you'd be so kind."

"Certainly sire," I recognised him as the man who had escorted Felicity away three days ago. Was it really only three days? I couldn't believe all that had happened since then. Darren grabbed a pair of leather handled tongs, and grasped the shoes in them. He then carefully manoeuvred so that he could pull them out of the fire without bringing any of the coals with him. Next, he began walking over to the table, and Ganondorf stepped back out of his way.

"Stop!" Everyone in the room fell silent as a white-clad figure sprinted down the worn stairway to the right. "Ganondorf, for Goddesses' sakes, don't you think you've done quite enough already?" The lady Nabooru rushed to him, and clasped her hands desperately before her. He just pushed her out of the way, and nodded to Darren. She let out a feral growl, and knocked the tongs from his hands. He dropped the shoes, one of which brushed against the bare skin showed by his sandal, and he let out a cry of agony.

"I assigned you to quarters, and I expect you to return to them immediately!" Ganondorf raged, threatening her with a thin dagger. She backed away warily, eyeing the men and women around. Then, she bowed her head.

"I shall stay sire - to - to watch," she forced the words out, and his eyes gleamed in amusement.

"Very good. Darren...Darren!" He barked at the man, who was clutching his burnt foot in agony.

"Sire - sire - I can't," he groaned. Ganondorf sighed heavily.

"It's a shame that," and he seemed to be struck by a sudden idea. "I think I've just had a better idea." He advanced on the shivering man. "The shoes, Darren. Put them on." The man's head snapped up, and he looked terrified.

"Sire?"

"Put. Them. On." The man quivered, and swallowing, forced his already pained feet into the shoes. A scream of agony sliced the tense air, and he fell down again, twitching and waving his feet to try and alleviate the pain. "Get up." Ganondorf lifted him off of the ground, and the man stood, tears streaming down his face, whimpering. "Dance." He did a semi jig, whining and keening like a puppy. "Very good," Ganondorf clapped, and his people around the edge watched with the same sick amusement.

I turned my head away, trying to blot out the smell of charred flesh that was in my nostrils. Ganondorf entwined his long fingers into my hair, and forced me to watch. I felt the bile rise in my throat, and squeezed my eyes tight shut. A burst of magic forced me to open them again. For the third time, he leant across me. High above, I could see Sheik tensed with unspoken rage. "Ayesha tells me you would be willing," he began, and again his hand rested all-to-comfortably on my hip. "Very good." I shuddered, and he stood up again, smiling crookedly.

"I grow weary of this - kill him."

"My Lord! Please - have I not served you well?"

"Of course you have," Ganondorf patted him on the head. "But, with feet like that, you're unsuitable for the work I require." He snapped his fingers. "What did I say? You know I don't like giving two orders." They descended on the unfortunate man like hungry vultures, steel and magic tearing him limb from limb. All that was left at the end was a bloody mess. My sickness finally got the better of me, and I emptied the contents of my stomach over the edge of the table.

"You sick fucking bastard," I managed weakly, and Ganondorf turned from his sport.

"You just don't know when to give up, do you?" he said disapprovingly. "I have an idea. Naomi, you take Darren's post, and bring me the signet." The cruel woman hurried over, and took a long metal pole down from the wall, on which was a shaped end. It was an emblem with crossed swords, and a 'G' overlaid. Now this, I knew. And it wasn't any better than the shoes. Naomi handed it to him, and the end sprung into a vibrant red glow in his hands.

"Hold her still," he demanded, and four people moved to hold me down. He yanked the nightshirt sideways so that it exposed my left shoulder. The poker was poised above my skin, and he grinned merrily. "Now you'll belong to me," he muttered, and made to press the burning hot metal on my skin. Again, Nabooru intervened, and knocked the poker from his hands.

*

(A/N: Torture over again. Remind me I owe a lot of characters cookies for being so mean.)

*

Then, swiftly and fluidly, she took out a Deku-Nut, and before anyone could stop her, threw it to the ground. I closed my eyes to shut out the bright light. The ropes on my ankles and wrists came free, and there was an arm around my waist and a hand at my mouth, which muffled my scream of indignation.

Everyone was staggering around blindly, bar Nabooru, and also Felicity the trainer, who was high above, ushering Link and Sheik away through a darkened passage. Nabooru was the one who was carrying me as though I weighed nothing more than a sack of flour, and soon, we were out in the passage as well. "That went rather well, don't you think?" Nabooru grinned, plonking me down. "Quickly now, follow us - they'll regain their sight quickly enough."

This was all rather surreal - they led us through the passages, and then we suddenly sprang into the very same storeroom I had come into with Felicity. And there, right in the centre, were our weapons. I ran to my sword and picked it up joyfully. "Quickly, for crying out loud," Felicity hissed as we strapped all our weapons on. "So, what exactly *are* your real names then anyway?"

"Link."

"Sheik."

"Blaise," I shook her hand firmly, and then Nabooru waved her arms wildly at us.

"They're coming - let's get the hell out of here." I ran with my sword swinging in my hand, and cast a couple of glances back. If we could just get out of sight before Ganondorf got there, we'd have a good chance of getting out now.

Nabooru led us through an archway, which led out onto the front of the fortress - we could see the gate to the desert there, and next to it, a stable full of thoroughbred horses. "Get a horse, and I'll climb up to open the gate," she instructed, swinging up the wooden rungs like a monkey on heat. We did as she instructed, jumping onto the first beasts we reached. The gate screeched open, and stopped at about halfway. Nabooru flew back down the ladder, holding onto the edges for a quick descent.

"Come - I'll take you to the Temple - he won't be able to follow us inside. It's a sanctified place, so evil bastards like him aren't allowed." She swung up onto a horse also, and wheeled around to exit the stable. And there was Ganondorf, breathing heavily, and looking very, very pissed off. "Get out of our way," Nabooru demanded, and he laughed shrewdly.

"You dare order me around?" He raised his arm, but Nabooru quickly countered it with a burst of her own magic. A bottle fell from his pocket, and tinkled onto the floor, smashing on impact. And there was Navi, dazzling the tall Gerudo man, driving him backwards - he fell over a water- trough backwards with a heavy thud.

"Let's go," Felicity said, and we trotted quickly past the still form of Ganondorf. I was last in line, and steered my horse around him; the creature stepped over one of his legs nimbly. And then he snapped up from where he had obviously been feigning unconsciousness and grabbed my leg. My sword metamorphosed quickly to the double-edged broadsword that I had used against the shadow in Kakariko, and I slashed it across his forearm. He let go, and I dug my heels into my steed's sides to follow quickly after the others.

As soon as I passed through, Link let loose an arrow, and the gate fell shut with a resounding crash. Turning about to face the desert, I at last realised it was nighttime, and cold, and there was a storm blowing. I felt sorry for Link, who was still clad in only boxer shorts. He didn't seem to notice the cold, and turned to lady Nabooru and Felicity. "I don't know why you're helping us, but thank you."

"No problem - Ganondorf's an evil git. It's nice to get one over on his at last," Nabooru answered.

"And Darren got his comeuppance at last," Felicity added, her eyes shining with relief.

"Where do we go now then?" Sheik asked as we were led over a dune into the desert proper.

"The temple, just as I said. They won't dare to follow until morning, which gives us a few hours head start." Nabooru pulled her horse forwards to trot at the head of the line. "Oh, and Hylian - here," she threw a cloak at Link, who wrapped it around himself thankfully.

"Now, we ride," she told us, and tapped her horse on the hindquarters. "Hyahh!" I did the same, and we were riding off into the desert night, with no idea about where we were going, being led by the leader of the Gerudo and a trainer. We didn't even know whether they were trustworthy. But, anything to get away from those iron shoes and that brand. I shuddered again as I though about it.

Glancing at Link, I saw that Navi was sitting on his shoulder, definitely the best for wear. She had her hands placed against the side of his head, and a small glow was spreading out from her tiny fingers. Link sat up slightly straighter in the saddle, and let out a heavy sigh. Then, Navi flew across to Sheik, and did the same to him, closing up numerous cuts on his arms and face. Lastly, she came over to me, and repeated the service a third time.

{I hope it doesn't take long to reach the temple. There's a great fairy there who could heal you three properly. I've done all I can for now.}

[Thank you Navi. It's good to have you back again.] I answered, and took her gently in one of my hands to prevent her from being buffeted away by the breeze.

{It's good to be back. Living in a bottle isn't very comfortable} she joked softly, and I smiled. It was good to be free again.

~/*\~/*\~/*\~

And there you have it. Oooh boy, I really let loose there. Sorry Sheik, sorry Alexis, sorry Link, sorry Navi (sorry Ganondorf and Darren as well, I was mean to all of you!)

Alexis: I know - I mean, dislocated shoulders I can cope with. Whipping - hmm, just about. But those iron shoes were pushing it!

Soda: Hey, it wasn't you who had to dance in them!

Darren's ghost: Yeah! Hey, Soda, you owe me a million cookies you bitch!

Soda: So I do. [Waves her author wand, and a fountain which spews cookies appears]

Sheik: COOKIE!

Link: Chocolate Chip!

Alexis: Ginger snap!

Navi: Shortbread!

Ganondorf: Mmmm - pink wafer!

Soda: O.o pink wafer biscuits are your fave?

Ganondorf: [Blushes and nods, mouth full of said biscuits]

Soda: How - rather...odd.

[Munch, crunch. Yummy yum!]

R+R, and give some other people some cookies. To people like kizna1200, The Weird One, Ranma Higurashi, Cassidy dell, Parmesan-Power, Winged One, Jordiscy, The Mighty Krazoa God, Oracle Vortex, Donovan, Miow, Kadros The Minion of Time, Saturnalia, Fortuna and Snowsilver. For you are the ones who have reviewed, albeit some of you only once. They counted, and reading them through again kinda made me less angry about the rude-boy incident.

But, make no mistake. If I ever see any of the little sods, I will kill them with my bare hands. [Smiles sweetly].

Luv Soda, and here, have your very own cookie fountain - only one review needed as payment! [Wink]