Past

The sounds were almost deafening. Steel clashed with steel and horses cries rang out as their riders would be suddenly struck down. I could still make out Link, his sword flashing as he made his way through the invader's lines. One of the townsmen ran up then, and I had not more time to merely watch. A small detachment had broken away from their main army and was presently attempting to scale our walls on the opposite side of the castle. The Prince obviously believed that all of our fighting men were on the field, and that the castle would fall easily into his hands with only a bunch of defenseless citizens to defend it. But if he believed we would topple easily, he was going to be sorely mistaken.

Hours later, my voice hoarse from issuing commands, we finally were able to repel the last invader from our castle walls. I was proud of these people. Though not formally trained, they had been ingenious and relentless in propelling everything they could find or get their hands on at the oncoming invaders. The cooks had even flung that morning's soapy dishwater down, making the ladders slick and difficult for the huge brutes in armor to climb.

***************

My arm hurt as my sword mercilessly swung to make my way through the invaders. Epona snorted, and slightly reared to avoid yet another foot soldier who tried in vain to unseat me. I was once again grateful my partner who had been with me through so many battles. She whirled and kicked as I swung and slashed, the two of us moving in flawless unity in a timeless barbaric dance. The field thinned in front of me and I was able to take a quick survey of our progress. The castle defenders had done well. Though we had been successful thus far to keep most of the enemy troops away from the walls, some had managed to sneak through with ladders to mount an attack on the walls themselves. Zelda's forces had repelled them, though, and from my viewpoint not a single one had managed to breech the walls. My concentration was quickly drawn away as a cry next to me revealed one of my soldiers being overcome by three of the invaders. Epona instinctively turned towards the sound as we rushed to the young man's defense.

"HYAH!" The shout caused two of them to break off and come towards me, swords clumsily trying to block my attack. One quick thrust, and the man on my right fell. The man on the left succumbed to Epona's hooves as we rode towards the soldier's side. He had, in the meantime, managed to successfully defend himself against the third attacker and looked up at me as I neared.

"Prince Link. Thank you. I thought I was going to die there."

"Guay, what are you doing out here. You are supposed to be in the castle, helping defend the walls." I was trying to figure out how my stable lad, who was too young to be out here fighting, had managed to find himself a horse and a sword.

"Sir, please don't be mad. But my father is sick, and I thought I should take his place. It is the honorable thing to do."

"Just get behind me. I will need you there to send a message to the Princess if things start going badly out here." I was desperately trying to think of a way to keep the young boy safe, yet not offend his sense of honor and pride.

"Yes sir." He saluted smartly, and drew up his horse behind mine.
******************

Present

A horse snorting could be heard down the line as the last remaining forces of Hyrule lined up, ready to charge and take back their castle. With the scout's information and the additional men that had been added to the unit from fractured remnants of other units, the defenders had developed a workable plan.

Link with his sword and Zelda with her bow rode in front. Both felt surprisingly calm considering the imminent danger both were facing. He glanced at her at his side, and she smiled to tell him that they both would survive victorious today. Raising his hand, he gave the signal to move silently forward.

The unit moved silently, ranks forming and swords readied. Link and Zelda moved off to the side to where Impa sat. "We leave you now. Good luck." Link stretched out his hand and shook Impa's in farewell.

"Good luck Impa. I'll see you for dinner in the dinning hall tonight." Impa and Zelda quickly embraced before the two rode off towards the castle.

"Well Milady, shall we go create a worthy diversion to go down in the annals of Hyrule?" Xiano asked as he gave the signal and the last remaining Hyrulian cavalry charged to retake their country.

*************** Past

The invading forces were breaking. I could see it in their eyes. They were tired, and ready to retreat. Encouraged by this, our forces renewed their attack, pushing at the weakest points in the enemies' line, causing them to break. Soldiers from the other side began to retreat, fleeing our wrath even as their commanders were shouting desperate orders for them to stay. On my right, I saw the beginning of the end of the battle. An entire unit of ours had managed to break the flank of the invaders, and the pressure had broken down their entire line. A mass panic had begun, and only scattering handfuls of men from their side had stayed to fight, the rest pushing each other down in a desperate attempt to escape. A face I had not expected to see was reveled before me in this panic, and I suddenly realized who was behind these attacks. Motioning for Guay to stay with my second-in-command, I rode forward to meet the leader of this army.

"You." He spat, at once recognizing who I was. "Yes me. And this time, there is nothing stopping me from killing you where you stand." "Cocky, aren't we?" He drew his sword as I swung down from Epona. We danced around each other, sizing each other's weaknesses. With a sudden movement, he lunged forward and a desperate battle began, the two of us oblivious to everything but each other's advances.

*****************

Present

Link reached the wall and looked up, motioning for Zelda to move behind him and as close to the wall as she could. The guards were roaming the wall at the top, but left as a horn sounded signaling an attack on the city walls. "It worked. Xiano must be attacking now. Here's our chance." The two crept to the edge where the moat began, and giving each other a look dove in. They swam to the edge, where Link pulled himself up and reached a hand down to assist the Princess. "It is still here. We should be able to sneak through this tunnel and reach the kitchens" Zelda looked a little dubiously at the small tunnel that led under the wall to the kitchen area.

"Will we be able to fit?" "It will be tight, but I think so." She reached out and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "I trust you, my love." He leaned forward and kissed her gently. "Then let us go." Dropping to the tunnel, he gave her one last look before shimmying forward, his head, then shoulders, and finally legs disappearing into the inky blackness. She smiled, thinking how this was the last thing that could be defined as proper princess behavior, before she followed him.

******************* Past

"Princess! Look!" One of my maids was hopping up and down excitedly as she watched our victorious force chase their enemies who were now in a dead, full out retreat from our borders. The other townspeople cheered with us as we watched them limp back towards their own country, like a dog whose tail is between its legs running from danger. "Your Highness." I looked up to see Link's second in command and the head of the infantry division, a big grin on his face. "We were successful, and their leader is dead!" I rushed down to the courtyard, the man following close at my heels. "And our losses?" "Five killed, twenty or so with varying injuries." "May their sacrifice never be forgotten." I paused a moment and turned to look in his eyes. His joyful countenance was momentarily shattered at the thought of our brave dead. "We will see that it is done." I nodded, and resumed my flight to the courtyard, smiling and looking for any flash of green that would betray my husband's presence. I expected him to pop out from among his men; his arms open and ready to give me a welcoming embrace. Not spotting him, I finally glanced Epona, and made my way towards her. I smiled at the boy attempting to hold her, and not being very successful. She was restless, pawing the ground and tossing her head. I stroked her nose, hoping to calm her down. "Hey girl. What's the matter? Where's Link, huh?" I followed her gaze to a group of men and Impa all gathered around something. "No.. no," my knees felt week and I fell to the ground. Hands reached down to pick me up, but I shrugged them off and stumbled towards the gathering. They parted as they saw me coming, and I saw my husband's still form lying on the ground next to where Impa was kneeling. She looked up at me as I took his hand, looking in her face for any sign of hope. "Zelda.he's alive.but barely." I knelt beside him. I could barely see his shallow breaths, and it gave me hope, even through blood was pouring out a wound in his side. Two physicians ran up, administering a potion that stopped the bleeding. Together, we all carried him up to our quarters, my hand never leaving his.
************************** Present

Inside the castle, the two crept along the hallways making their way to the throne room where they were almost certain they would find Ahenous. Evidence of how well the distraction had worked could be seen in the total lack of guards along the corridors. Only a few of the kitchen staff had been seen, and Link was able to avoid them easily. Even if he had not the two were hardly recognizable covered in dirt as they were now. A right, a left, and then they would be there. They passed the entrance hall, and paused outside the door to look in. Only one man was there, and they could see at once that it was not Ahenous as they had hoped, but his assistant Irank. Link shot Zelda a glance before pulling his knife and motioning her to remain where she was. Silently, the young man crept behind Irank and before the man could breath had his arm around his neck and his knife to his throat. "Where is your master?" "Why should I tell you?" "Because if you don't you will die within the minute." Zelda came up in front of him, her voice cool and confident. "I am surprised to see you, Princess. We have looked for you for months, and now you come when it is too late to save your country." Link pressed his knife deeper, causing a small red drop to form at the tip. "Where?" He growled. Irank sighed, giving up his show of bravado. "Down here." He motioned down the corridor. Link and Zelda pushed him forward, Link's knife and Zelda's bow at his back. "Try anything, and you are a dead man." Zelda stated as the trio began to move off.