A note from the Hime no Argh herself–
Couldn't resist putting up a new chapter. ^^ Thanks for reading, as always, please enjoy!
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Chapter 13
Hyrule Field
"Listen closely," Zelda ordered, grouped around the wagon with the Best Damn Thieves Around. Her voice was a low, almost soundless murmur. "Get your most precious possessions from the wagon and all the money you can carry. There's no reason we should go dirt-poor, but–"
"We're leaving the wagon?" Dagger gasped. "But–Miss Zelda!"
"No buts," Zelda said sharply. "You want to travel across Hyrule Field with something that large and conspicuous? You must be out of your mind!"
"But–" Bolo protested.
"Take nothing large or noisy," Zelda went on as if she hadn't heard him. "Only what you can hide. And take all the weapons you can carry, understand? Anything with a sharp edge, take it."
"What about the oxen?" Marek asked quietly.
"Leave them" was the firm reply. "The people of this city know the value of a good animal. The oxen won't be harmed." Zelda hesitated then, looking at Link. "Can we trust Demon to be quiet and stay with the group? Will he slow us down or draw attention?"
"You can trust him," Link replied immediately. "He'll be fine, don't worry."
"When do we leave?" Impa inquired.
"Tonight. Maybe we'll get lucky and the moon won't come out. We'll make do with whatever cover we have." Zelda paused briefly. "Where's Ronin?"
"Dunno," Parcleus told her in his usual gloomy tone. "Haven't seen him since he went to the city."
Zelda nodded. "We'll go on without him, then. Better that he not be involved in this mess, anyway." She was silent for a few moments, gazing around at all of them in turn. Her eyes lingered on Link the longest.
"That's it," she said quietly at last. "Stay close to the wagon and be ready to go at any moment. Anyone who wanders off will be in huge trouble."
* * *
The thieves stuck close by the wagon as ordered, quietly preparing for their escape, but Zelda retreated around the far side of the apothecary. Link found her there shortly after sunset, sitting back against the wall of the apothecary and watching as stars appeared one by one in the rapidly darkening sky. The wind picked up, stirring strands of pale hair into her midnight eyes.
He took a seat beside her and asked quietly, "Are you sure about this?"
Zelda smiled wryly. "Are you kidding? Of course I'm not sure. But we don't have any other option." She hugged herself tightly as if cold, though the night was warm and humid. "I've heard the rumors about Ganondorf's dungeons. I would do everything possible to keep my people from suffering that fate. I think I would even slaughter them myself, if it came to that."
"You're very devoted to them."
"I'm all they have." Zelda smiled halfheartedly. "No, they're all I have." She drew in a deep breath and continued determinedly. "I won't let them be captured, or kill them like spring lambs. They'll survive. I'll see to it at any cost, even my own life."
"You won't die," Link said with quiet certainty. "Worry about protecting them, and I'll protect you."
Zelda's lips twisted. "And who affords you protection?" she asked in an uncharacteristically high tone, turning her gaze to his. "Who is your salvation?"
It was there in her eyes, clear as day–the desolation, the terror. Determination and brave words were all a part of her facade. She knew that what lay before her was the unknown. Link had come to understand her and her desperate need to be in control of every aspect of her life, but now her fate was out of her hands, and she was terrified.
He caught her by the shoulders and pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her. He felt her fingers curl into the sleeves of his tunic as if clinging for dear life–then his lips founds hers, and there was nothing in the world but the two of them.
"Link," Zelda sighed when they parted, "Link..."
He smoothed her golden hair back away from her face, kissing her forehead. "What?" he murmured.
"I–we shouldn't do this."
Link cupped her face in his hands and kissed her again.
Footsteps heralded someone's approach. Link and Zelda sprang apart just as Cleo rounded the corner of the apothecary, carrying a lamp in one hand and a long, heavy war-axe in the other. Her curious gaze traveled between the two, but she said simply, "The thieves are ready to leave at your command, Miss Zelda."
Zelda nodded, a faint scarlet tinge in her pale cheeks. "Thank you. I-I'll be along in a moment."
Cleo spared them one more intrigued glance, then nodded and returned to the wagon. Zelda stood, brushing dirt off her dark breeches. "I was going to tell you," she said without looking at Link. "In case we die tonight. I am...I'm glad I knew you, however briefly."
Link climbed to his feet and slid his arms around Zelda's thin shoulders. He could feel her shaking. "Stay with me. Just for a little while."
Zelda glanced regretfully at the sky, where thick clouds had gathered to hide the moon. "We don't have much time."
She was right. Reluctantly Link let her go.
The thieves waited for them, all armed to the teeth, all wearing the same expression of borderline terror. Zelda took a brief moment to touch the wagon, her fingers tracing the jauntily carved letters that spelled out the words 'The Masked Players.' Her lips tightened, and she turned to her company with a pale, set face.
"Let's go."
* * *
Their pursuers were too far from the city to notice any of them slipping out of the gates, across the road, and north into the cover of a small forest. There was no one hidden in the tangle of trees–it was far too close to the field. The thieves stayed together in a closely-knit group, silent and alert, senses keened to any sign of danger. Every snapped twig or rustle of leaves was a monster slinking toward them, some kind of horrible creature ready to attack.
The trees eventually gave way to smaller brush, then expanses of wild grass. There was nothing to indicate they had crossed over into Hyrule Field, yet it was as clear as the vast, dark plain before them–something tangible in the air, a reek of fear and death.
The clouds overhead thickened as they ventured further within the field. Suddenly the heavens opened and rain poured down in icy sheets, as thunder and lightning tore across the sky. Zelda had heard that it was always storming in Hyrule Field. She supposed the rumors must be true.
She had Link on one side of her and Impa on the other–both seemed determined to keep her alive. The rest of the thieves were strung out behind them in twos and threes, huddled close to their neighbors. Demon walked on Link's other side, shaking his head and rolling his eyes every step of the way. He was plainly terrified, though he kept quiet. Link rubbed his nose soothingly.
It was pitch black in the field, broken by bright flashes of lightning. Zelda's biggest fear was that they were wandering in circles, but Impa, oddly enough, seemed to know where she was going.
More secrets, Zelda thought wearily, watching as Impa scouted out a small patch of trees ahead and led them in a different direction. She wouldn't complain, though, if they all got out of this alive.
"Do you hear that?" Rune whispered suddenly behind her. "Miss Zelda, there's something breathing."
Their company halted. Zelda listened tensely through the patter of rain and rumbling thunder. Parcleus and Oberon grimly drew swords from their belts. Dagger pressed close to Marek, sweating.
"I don't hear anything," Zelda said quietly at last. "It's just us breathing, Rune."
As if on cue, a jagged bolt of lightning lit the field around them with a blinding blue light. In the seconds before the flicker of light died, Zelda caught a glimpse of a huddle of dark, misshapen figures who most certainly did not belong to her group. The lightning flickered away, plunging them into complete darkness once more.
A hand gripped her arm tightly–Link's. "You saw that?" he whispered urgently.
"Oh yes." Zelda gripped the dagger at her side, raising her voice just loud enough for the thieves to hear. "Everyone, we're about to be attacked."
Someone cursed. "Oh goddesses, we're going to die," another voice shrieked.
"We're not going to–" Something struck Zelda's face, knocking her to the ground hard enough to take the wind out of her. A harsh, dry hand wrapped around her throat; another pinned her wrist at her side.
There were noises all around her–screams, ragged breathing, horrible scrabbling noises, and the unmistakable sound of sharp metal cutting flesh and bone. Zelda struggled wildly against the thing that held her captive, feeling it questing along her midsection. A horrible pain suddenly seared at her side just below her ribs; it felt as though dull nails were being driven into her flesh. She bit her lip until it bled and twisted her free hand out from under the creature, her long dagger in her grasp. Blindly she struck and felt the dagger slide into dry, papery flesh.
The thing above her gave a horrible, sickening moan that made her scalp crawl. Suddenly its weight was lifted; free, Zelda scrambled away and struggled to her feet, fresh pain searing anew through the wound at her side. A flash of lightning lit the field and Zelda caught a glimpse of her attacker–it was the dead come to life, a half-rotted, emaciated skeleton with thin, leathery flesh and a grossly misshapen face. Blood dripped from its jagged teeth–her blood, Zelda realized sickly, feeling bile rise in her throat. The thing had tried to eat her.
Through the flashes of lightning Zelda could see its knobby head swinging blindly left and right, searching for prey. Then the creature's eyeless gaze found her, and Zelda was frozen, paralyzed with terror, her unblinking eyes locked on its monstrous face. The creature gave another bloodcurdling moan and began to stagger toward her. Every muscle in her body screamed at her to move, to run away–but she was locked in place, helpless to do anything other than watch it draw closer with every slow, deliberate step.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Impa straighten from her crouch over the body of a monster and look to her. The Sheikah drew back her wrist and hurled a throwing axe at the skeleton; a flash of silver and the creature's head was neatly severed.
Zelda was abruptly free of her paralysis. She dropped to her knees with a small groan, pressing her hand against the flow of blood at her side.
"Run, you idiot!" Impa snapped.
Someone crouched beside her and wrapped a strong arm around her waist. "We're leaving," Link told her firmly, hauling her to her feet.
"But–"
"Now, Zelda!"
She didn't have the strength to argue. She and Link ran as fast as she could manage, rain pouring down in icy sheets, screams echoing behind them.
* * *
To be continued.