Disclaimer: I still don't own Zelda etc., and d'you know what? It sucks! Because if I did, she wouldn't be allowed to wear pink, but I don't, so never mind. Hey, I'm getting royally off track…on with the story!

*

Can a reflection ever be the truth when the mirror is made of lies?

*

Damion raced through the halls to the King and Queen's Rooms. He burst in to find both awake, but just barely. "Your Highnesses," he gasped. "Thank Din and Nayru you're awake!"

            "Damion, what happened?" the Queen asked. "What's wrong?"

            Damion calmed down his breathing a bit. "Oh, goddesses…curse her, curse Shiek!"

            "Who?" the King asked. "And why?"

            Damion looked the King in the eyes. "Your Majesties, I know the identity and appearance of the Princess' assassin. Her name is Shiek, she is blonde with red eyes, almost the same build as Zelda. And she's…let me start at the beginning. I was in my room, experimenting with potions when I felt a magical tremor. Zelda was issuing a cry of help to me. I raced to her room, only to find her being stabbed by Shiek. I assaulted Shiek, hoping that Zelda could live. But Shiek threw me off, stabbed Zelda once more, and jumped from the window to bury the body."

            The King and Queen stared at Damion. "You must be lying," the Queen said, in an almost zombie-like manner. "Please, Damion, tell me you are lying."

            Damion bowed his head. "I'm so sorry, your Highnesses," he said. "I'm so, so sorry."

            The King stood up slowly, hot, angry tears in his eyes. "This will not go unpunished!" he yelled. "Shiek and her master—if the bitch has one—will be found and killed!"

            "Send young master Link," Damion suggested. "He will surely wish to avenge the Princess' death."

            The Queen nodded, making no effort to wipe tears from her eyes. "I will trouble you no longer," Damion said gently. "I will go and inform Link now and send him on his way. Shiek cannot have gotten far."

            Damion exited the King and Queen's Rooms. Once out of sight of the guards, he grinned. He could charm Link to have such anger towards Shiek that it would be kill first, ask later—if it wasn't already at first. And chaos in Hyrule would begin. After Zelda was taken care of, the King and Queen would go down, and chaos would reign. And through the midsts of the darkness and turmoil, out would step the father of a new, darker dynasty: Damion.

*

Lindsay was eighteen, almost alone in the world. Her father had died when she was very young, and her mother, always a frail thing, had died after a long illness when Lindsay was fifteen. Lindsay lived in Hyrule Proper, the bustling town that surrounded the castle. She lived alone in the house she'd grown up in. Although Lindsay was nice, she also had trouble making and keeping friends. She had long ago adapted to her loner's lifestyle. The only problem with her isolation was her personality. She was kind and nice, but also fiery, and when she mad…well, watch out. She frequently got mad at herself for stupid little things, not really knowing that she was secretly venting her frustration for a real friend who didn't use her.

            It was dawn. Lindsay stood in her door, watching the fiery sun rise over the buildings, mimicking her thoughts. With a sigh that wasn't sad but wasn't happy, either, she stepped into the street. She carried a basket, and, in her belt, a pouch of money. Today was her market day, and she hated the crowds that resulted in midmorning. The vendors always opened at dawn, and were always happy to see her, though very few actually knew her by name. They simply knew her by looks: flaming red hair, bright green eyes, and always a smile.

            Lindsay hadn't gotten far when the first strange thing of the day happened. She was innocently looking up at the gorgeous sunset—it was unusually red this morning—when she saw a figure on the roof beside her. The figure was looking over his—her?—shoulder worriedly, as if someone from the castle was pursuing him/her. Lindsay was about to shout warning, but she was too late. The figure didn't see the end of the roof, missed his footing, and fell nearly three stories.

            Lindsay, horrified, rushed over to the figure. Sure enough, it was a young woman. She was wearing a dark blue outfit of skintight material, with rags wrapped around her hands, allowing only fingers to peek through. The collar of the outfit came up above her lips, and she had rags wrapped about her head, so only part of her nose and her red eyes peeked through. "Are you all right?" Lindsay asked the woman, who was conscious, but only just.

            The woman groaned. "Not really," she said. "Ooohhh…"

            "Here, I think I can carry you," Lindsay said. The woman moved her head in what she thought was a negative response. "Don't be stupid!" Lindsay snapped. "You're lucky you didn't break your back or neck. As it is, you've probably broken your legs or arms or ribs or something. At least let me take you back to my home and try to bind them!"

            The woman said nothing. Lindsay took that as a yes. She put one arm under the woman's knees and the other under her back. The woman was surprisingly light; now that Lindsay looked at her, she was slight, slim, and probably malnourished. Lindsay was athletic and lithe, and didn't have too much trouble taking the woman the few yards back to her home.

            Once inside her house, Lindsay put the woman down on her one couch. Lindsay's parents hadn't left her poor; quite the contrary. However, Lindsay had never understood the need for lavish spending, and so only had one couch, one bed, and very little other furniture. Lindsay kneeled down to examine the woman's wounds. "I'm Lindsay," Lindsay said. "What's your name?"

            The woman laughed a little. It was a low, sorry sound. "It's funny you should ask that," the woman said after a moment. "Don't worry about the breaks. Both my legs and my right arm are broken."

            "How did you know?" Lindsay asked. She probably never would have diagnosed the arm.

            The woman blew a sigh out from her nostrils. "Promise me—and I mean promise—you won't get scared," she said.

            "I don't get scared," Lindsay snapped angrily. "I can't afford to. Besides, what could you do that would scare me?"

            "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insult you," the woman said quickly. "It's just…what I'm about to do next is very weird."

            "I think I can take it," Lindsay said. "I'm not a kid."

            The woman whispered words that were strange to Lindsay's ears. Balls of glowing light surrounded the woman and changed her. Suddenly, lying on the couch was the Princess Zelda in a green dress. Lindsay leapt up and shrieked. "See, that's what I didn't want," Zelda said quietly. "Wait, wait, listen, at least hear me out—" Zelda explained what had happened, to the best of her knowledge, to Lindsay. "And so I can't go back as Princess Zelda, because Damion has charmed them to think that Shiek can change—which she can, I suppose—into Zelda, and that the real Zelda is dead. You have to believe me!"

            "I do," Lindsay said. "I know what it's like to be alone. Where will you go? You can't stay here."

            Zelda shook her head. "I don't know," she said. "Excuse me briefly—" Zelda changed back into Shiek. "You're right, I can't stay here. I don't know where to go. Damion will send word out everywhere to be on the lookout for me. I'm a marked woman."

            Lindsay snapped her fingers. "I know where you could go! The Tourney!"

            "The what?"

            "The Tournament in Sikvan," Lindsay said. "I've gone, a few times. They'll except anyone there!"

            Shiek grinned half-heartedly. "Considering that's probably my only option, that's great!" Suddenly, Shiek's grin died. "I don't know how to get there."

            "I do," Lindsay said. "I could take you."

            "If anyone sees you with me, you'll be wanted for the murder of Zelda too," Shiek said. "You can't. I'll find my own way."

            "Don't worry about me," Lindsay said. "I've always been a loner here. I have no one and nothing; no one and nothing has me. Hell, I could use some spice in my life. Frankly, Shiek, it's really boring. I have no goal, no purpose. And helping you will help me, it'll give me a goal and a purpose."

            Shiek shrugged. "It's your funeral, Lindsay," she muttered. "Could I rest today? I've been running since midnight, I think."

            "Sure," Lindsay said. "Besides, I have to set a few things in order, and then I have to pack a few clothes, and food, and all my money. You may be here a day or two." Lindsay picked up her basket again. "Lay low, don't let anyone see you. I have to go shopping; I'll be back soon."

            Lindsay left to do her shopping. Shiek stretched out on the couch, ready for some much-deserved sleep.

*

"Only bring her back alive if it's not a threat to you," the King reminded Link. The King and Queen were already dressed in black. Link wore green, as almost always; green was the better for travelling. Link nodded. "I know."

            Damion stood to the right of the King and Queen. "I cast a scrying spell," he said to Link. "I am only powerful enough to see in Hyrule, and I will not be able to contact you efficiently once you are gone. But she is still in Hyrule Proper, Link. Let me give you the details…"

            When Damion was finished describing Lindsay's home, Link mounted his horse. "I will avenge Zelda," he said, his voice choked with tears. "Shiek won't stand a chance." Link slapped the reins and he was gone, riding out to Hyrule Proper. The King escorted the Queen back inside, her leaning heavily on his arm. Only Damion remained outside to thank the darkness that was his; and the shadows thanked him back, for he was theirs.

*

Shiek knew to sleep lightly when she was alone; she could be awakened at the slightest sound. And she was when she heard somone picking Lindsay's lock. Shiek quietly crept upstairs and out the trapdoor to the roof. She crawled over to the edge of the roof and saw Link picking the lock. Shiek instantly knew what was going on. She waited until Link had opened the door, then somersaulted over the roof and behind Link.

            It is important to note that Shiek, being highly unusual, had a highly unusual variety of weapons. She carried thousands of tiny, sharp needles, which she could fling with painful accuracy. She also had a long whip made of crackling lightning. Shiek took out said whip and grabbed Link by the waist with it. "YOW!" Link yelled.

            Shiek let the electricity crackle a bit, then flung Link to the dust. "Looking for me?" she said. As Link got up, Shiek gestured to herself. "Well then, mama's boy, catch me…if you can!" Shiek jumped into the air and disappeared with a puff of fiery smoke. She reappeared on a roof nearby. "Having fun yet, Linky? How 'bout now?" Shiek pulled the same trick, reappearing nearby. She did that for a while, until she knew Link was following her. Then she jumped, disappeared in smoke, and reappeared by Lindsay's house. She breathed a small sigh of relief, but she knew Link would be back.

            Shiek let herself into Lindsay's house. She plopped down on the couch, biting her lip anxiously. Link could be back at any time, but Shiek had no idea how to find Lindsay. This day could have gone better, she reflected. Waiting sucks.

*

Lil' Blue Muse: See, Simi, that wasn't mushy stuff. That was a whip!
Simi: Lil' Blue Muse, you are disgusting.

Lil' Blue Muse: I'm just sayin'…

Simi: *snort of utter disgust* Anyway, to those of you who've played Super Smash Brothers Melee (SSBM), recognize Shiek's weapons? Heehee…Please review! I like it, but I really need to know if you guys do! Well, until Chapter 4, bye…

P.S.—Becky, you're going to show up in Chapter 4. Man, your character's gonna be fun…= ) Bye!