A/N: Oh, Anni, the pic was so good! I really loved it! In fact, I saved it to my computer! And many thanks to Miss Piratess and zeldaisthebest for reviewing again!
Lute reluctantly followed the King, Impa, Link, and Aridia into the palace. Cassandra walked beside him, rigid due to the fact that the sniffing guard walked right next to her. Daphnes led them into the Great Hall, where a long banquet table had been placed to accommodate everyone. They all took a seat, the King at the head of the table.
"Now, do we know why we're here?" Daphnes asked.
"Your Highness," Lute said, "this is a kingdom-wide crisis. We all know why we're here."
Daphnes glowered at the prince, but then his face softened. "You're right. I'm just worried. My daughter's been kidnapped."
Lute released a tense breath. "Yes, I know." He didn't like Zelda all that much – okay, he barely liked Zelda at all – but he didn't like for anything bad to happen to his acquaintances. "What do you need me to do?" he asked.
"Actually, we don't know what to do," Daphnes admitted, red in the face as he said it. He didn't like others to have to do what he thought he should be able to.
"Well, first things first," Cassandra said. "What's in the ransom note?"
"The kidnappers say they want someone to come and negotiate at the Desert Colossus tonight."
"Okay, then. Link and I can go to the Desert Colossus with a bag of money, give them as much as they want, and bring Zelda home," Lute said. "It's simple."
Cassandra looked at him in annoyed surprise. "Excuse me? I intend to come with you."
Lute sighed and gave her a sidelong glance. "Who knows what the kidnappers want? If something happened to you, I'd be responsible, and I don't like to think of you getting hurt. I mean, we don't even know who the kidnappers are! What if we get lost in the desert?"
"What if you never come back?" Cassandra countered. "What if I follow you, and when I catch up I knock you about the head a bit? Why do you think you can stop me?"
Lute swallowed hard, but then Impa began laughing. "Good one, Princess!" she chuckled.
Cassandra faked a bow and grinned.
"Enough!" Daphnes cried. "We're here to talk about Zelda!"
The Hylian guard, who'd been silent through all this, sniffed and said, "I think we should go with what the prince said." As he saw Cassandra's annoyed look, he misinterpreted it and added, "And the princess should go with him."
Cassandra crossed her arms and leaned over next to Lute's ear. "If the sniffer thinks I should go, then I should go."
Lute shook his head. For the millionth time since he'd met her, he realized there was no arguing with her. "Fine."
Just then, the cook rushed in. "Not only did they take the princess, but they've stolen the silverware, as well! How can I cook?"
"Cooking is the least of our worries!" Daphnes roared.
"Well, what about this fish-girl?" the cook shouted, pushing a Zora out of the kitchen. Link's mouth dropped, and like a shot, he dove under the table. It was Ruto.
"Daphnes, I want to know where the Zora's Sapphire is!" she shouted, grabbing the King by the front of his crimson robes.
"It's in the Temple of Time, Princess," Daphnes said, trying to pry her fingers off.
"Wrong answer, Daphnes!" she shrieked. "I was just there! There was the Goron's Ruby and the Kokiri Emerald, but there was no Sapphire! So I want to know where it is!"
"Calm down, dear. It was probably taken by the same people who stole our silverware and kidnapped Zelda."
"Stole your silverware? And kidnapped Zelda?" Ruto let go of Daphnes and stared at him in shock. "So…Link's open? I mean, they're not engaged anymore, right?" She looked simply ecstatic. "I have a chance!"
"Uh, no you don't," Impa said. "Link is going to go save Zelda. In fact, he's already headed off after her."
Link sat under the table and thanked Farore for Impa's intelligence. It was a lie, sure, but at least it was only a little one. He hugged her boots. Impa kicked him. Okay, maybe he took that back about her intelligence. He whimpered and scampered to the other end of the table, knocking into Lute's legs. Lute kicked him. Absolutely furious, he flung himself out from under the table and yelled, "Okay, bye guys! I'm off to save Zelda!" He then proceeded to run across the Great Hall like a lunatic.
"Stop!" Daphnes called. Link froze in place, which was unfortunately mid-stride. He promptly fell over with a loud, echoing thud.
"Link, you will carry the Master Sword, and will go save Zelda along with Lute, Cassandra, and Aranel," Daphnes said in an impressive voice.
"But I want to go with Linky!" Ruto cried.
Daphnes shrugged. "Okay. You will be called…the Fellowship of the Triforce."
There was utter silence, and then Link said, "You know, Daphnes, I'm not the sharpest tool in the toolbox, but I have to say that that's pretty stupid."
"I agreed with every word he said," the cook said quickly.
"All in agreement with what Link said, say 'aye'," Impa said.
A chorus of ayes echoed through the Great Hall.
"It's settled then," Daphnes said. "You'll all go save Zelda."
"I'm warning you, Daphnes," Link began, pointing a finger at the King. "You'd better not tell the press about this."
"Oh, believe me, I won't," Daphnes said reassuringly.
The motley crew then bid everyone goodbye and left, sweeping off on Aranel's back in the location of the Haunted Wasteland. As soon as they were gone, Daphnes called Aridia to his side. "Call the Hylian Times and tell them that the Fellowship of the Triforce just set off to save the Princess."
Aridia nodded and ran off to find the sniffy guard. Daphnes grinned to himself, sat down on his throne, and began signing a proclamation. That would teach them to call his ideas stupid. Ha!
A/N: Sorry it took so long! (whimpers and sobs) I'm so sorry! I've already started working on the next chapter to make up for it! I hope you're not angry! The next chappie will be up by Monday, I promise! And if you haven't read "Experimentation", you should, because I'm sure you'll like it!
