GAH!!!! Have not updated in long-butt time!!!!! So sorry!!! I've
been extremely lazy as of late, but, I have completed this story.well, in
my head.but, fear not!!! This is gonna be a long story, so, haha!!!! I
HAVE RETURNED!!! But, without the legal rights to Zelda!! I own nothing
of it!!! BWAHAHAHAHAA!!!...must stop drinking steak sauce.
**
Ch. 11: Roh
The night was beginning to grow old when Gate finally fell "asleep." Sleep, to a fairy, meant merely floating down to the ground and turning a soft green to signal sleep, or an unconscious state, as Gate would prefer. With a satisfying sigh, he relinquished to the wonderful relaxing feeling.
But such was a different story for Airaen. Sleep, it seemed, dangled out of her grasp. Lost in strange images and voices, Airaen sat up, pressing her hands against her head in a last effort to drive it all out of her mind. But the images merely intensified, the voices rising to a roar. Out of the indistinguishable babble of voices, she could hear someone calling her name. No! she cried inside her head, hands pushing away an invisible foe. Leave me be, please! She fell back onto the grass, her back arching as the voice called her name, louder and louder until it was a dull scream that echoed off her skull. Tears fell down her face as she whispered, "Please.go.go away.leave me alone.please."
But the voice cried out, Airaen!! Answer me!! Answer me, you fool!! Airaen! Unable to stand it, Airaen cried, "SHUT UP!! JUST SHUT THE HELL UP!!" Silence was her answer. Sighing gratefully, she relaxed, her mind blank and aching. She realized that she was out of breath, perspiration on her forehead. Feeling sick, she got to her feet and made her way over to the nearest tree to lean against. Her feet placed firmly on the ground, she stared up through the eaves of the tree and sighed blissfully. Closing her eyes, she made to sit down when she thought she heard something, like the cry of an animal carried towards her on the wind. Wind? There hasn't been a breath of wind in ages. Opening her eyes, she was met with blinding sunlight. Shielding her eyes, she stared ahead as her eyes adjusted. Something wet was about her feet, for she looked down to see her bare feet submerged in water. "What the hell is going on?!", she cried out to no one. Again, she heard the strange cry of an animal, this time above her. Looking up, she saw a bird flying on the wind. A gull?, she thought, not knowing how she knew. Looking behind, she saw a great body of water, seemingly endless in every direction with the sun high overhead, signaling noon. Turning, she saw a great mass of land. She stood upon a beach with trees she had never seen before. Odd shacks were strewn across the beach. She made to move forward out of the water, when she slipped and fell onto soft grass. The vision faded, and she was back to where she was before. Dammit, she thought as she got up slowly, what the hell was that?! Sighing, she leaned back, exhausted. Graciously, sleep began to take her. The last thing she remembered before falling asleep was seeing a familiar blonde-haired woman crying over something. "Mother," Airaen murmered, and fell asleep.
**
"Get up, you filth!" came the rude cry from one of Ganon's men. Opening the cell door, the guard came in and kicked Zelda and Link awake. Slowly, the two got up, Link helping Zelda. Gruffly, the guard shackled each and pushed them out of the cell. "Lord Ganon wishes your pathetic presence! Look lively, you bastards! We ain't got all day! I guess I'll have ter help you lot, if you gonna move that slow!" Obviously, the guard's method of "help" involved kicking Zelda in the back. But Zelda neither cried out nor replied. A change had come over her since she had seen her daughter fall. Clothes reduced to nothing but rags, days without food, Zelda's eyes spoke of a lost hope as she made her way down the long stairs, across the battlements of Gerudo Fortress, and into the throne room of Ganondorf, Gerudo King.
Ganon sat on his throne, a sly smile playing across his face. "Ah," he said as Zelda and Link were thrown down at the bottom of the small steps leading to the throne, "Welcome, my Lady. I trust my men have been treating you fairly?" He bowed in mockery to her. Zelda did not meet his gaze. With a signal from Ganon, one of the guards brought Zelda closer to him, until she was only a foot away from his face. "So, this is the mother of that little brat I sent down the bridge the other day, eh? Amazing I could not see it at first, but you two are so alike to each other!"
For the first time in her life, Zelda wanted to kill. Staring into that hateful face, rage burned in her heart. She would have liked nothing more than to have driven a sharp knife through that face. "Oh, don't be mad, dear," he said mockingly, seeing the hatred in her eyes, "you'll be seeing quite a bit of that brat soon enough. Didn't think a little tumble could hurt a Bearer like her, now, do you?"
Zelda's heart skipped a beat, and Link looked up in amazement. "How.?", but Zelda never finished as Ganon reached out and grabbed her by the neck, pulling her close to his face. Link let out a cry and attempted to attack, but the other guards held him back as he struggled to break free.
"I wouldn't try those kinds of stunts ever again with me, my Lady. Two pieces in one body, what a shame. An imbalance like that will kill her, did you know that? Rip her entire body to shreds if she uses that power again. But when that happens, good old uncle Ganon will be there to pick up the pieces. You underestimated me, Zelda. I'm not as dense as you thought, bitch!" He struck her across the face and hit her hard onto the ground. Blood splattered from Zelda's mouth as her face struck the tile floor. Kneeling down, he grabbed her by the hair and wrenched her painfully upwards, then pushed her down the steps into the arms of a guard. "Take them back to their cells, separately this time! Let them ponder on the stupidity of trying to outguess me! Don't you worry, you two," he called to Link and Zelda, "I'll make sure to save the girl's head for you!"
Enraged, Link fought against the guards, but because of his underfed and exhausted body, the guards easily overtook him. As they dragged him away, Link screamed, "I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS, GANON! IF YOU LAY ONE HAND ON MY CHILD, I WON'T REST UNTIL YOUR HEAD IS MOUNTED ON A WALL AND YOUR SOUL DEVOURED! YOU HEAR ME, GANON?!! I'LL KILL YOU, DAMN YOU! GANON! I'LL KILL YOU!" He was only answered by laughter.
"Airaen? Hey, wake up. It's morning. Hey, are you listening to me?", Gate said angrily. Groaning slightly, Airaen got up, wondering how the fairy could have known it was morning in the endless blackness of the forest. "Well?", Gate said, "How did you sleep?"
"Could have been worse, I guess," she replied, deciding not to tell him anything about voices and visions.at least not yet. After a rushed breakfast, the companions set out again on the forest road, moving at a swift pace. As time passed, the trees began to get thinner, the dark beginning to recede. Though hope swelled in her heart, Airaen still felt ill, and her right hand still burned and ached as she rode Perigan. Thankfully, no voices or visions impeded her again, and she sighed gratefully.
Suddenly, without warning, the companions were greeted with brilliant sunlight that blinded them for a moment. As their eyes adjusted, they found themselves standing outside of the forest. They had passed through the forest. Ahead of them lay a huge, white wall the expanded to the east and west. A large iron gate lay in front of them, meeting with the beaten path. "Well, we made it," Gate said. Airaen did not reply. She was feeling very sick again, and her vision was blurring. She urged Perigan forward, Gate floating close above her head.
They had not gone far when an arrow landed a foot in front of them. Perigan reared in fright, which did not improve Airaen's aching head. As she calmed him down, a voice called out from the wall above: "Halt! You are entering into the Realm of Sidar, home of our great leader, Rohkensagen! State thy name, demon!"
The insult did not improve Airaen's mood one bit. "Give me your name first, jerk, and then I may just feel in the mood to give you my name, if you stop being a damn coward and show yourself!" There was a pause, and then the gate creaked slowly open.
Marching towards Airaen and her companions was a great host riding horses and brandishing spears. At the head rode a boy of about her age in armor, his red cape flowing behind him. With a signal from the boy, the host halted spears ready to be driven into human flesh. The boy drew his sword and pointed it at Airaen, saying with a proud voice, "I am Roh, son of Rohkensagen, Prince of Sidar! I am the supreme authority here, forest rat! State thy name or we shall kill you!"
Airaen rolled her eyes: "I came here to talk to the Lord of Sidar, not some pompous prince who thinks he's so tough with his little sword.I am Airaen, child of Link, the Hero of Time." with a small pause, she added, "and of Zelda, Lady of Hyrule." Surprised, Gate glanced at Airaen, but said nothing.
There was a small pause from Roh, his face now blushing. After a time, he called, "Send for my father immediately."
A guard rode up behind him, protesting, "But, my prince, you know your father is-"
"I know.but, I need his guidance on this. This girl may be lying, and we can't have another attack on us if she proves to be false or in league with that Gerudo guy like that last man." None of this was heard by Airaen, who probably would have kicked Roh for that insult. Roh's command was carried out, for a man rode out on a white horse, seemingly bent as if he bore many years.
"I am Rohkensagen, child. I hear that your name is Airaen, am I correct?", he said slowly, his voice hoarse.
"Yes, sir, that is my name. You.don't look so well, my Lord.are you feeling okay?" Airaen knew what the answer would be, for she was beginning to feel the same way.
The Lord of Sidar laughed quietly, coughing slightly. "I see you have more manners than my son here. You are not of Ganondorf's kind, I can tell just by looking at your eyes. Tell me, though, because I am curious. Do you bear the Master Sword?"
Taken aback at this unexpected question, Airaen drew the Sword out from its sheath that had been tied to Perigan's saddle. It shone brilliantly in the sunlight as Airaen showed it to Rohkensagen. A few guards gasped, while others whispered to each other. Roh was looking from his little sword to the Master Sword, a look of utter defeat on his face. Rohkensagen chuckled quietly: "My dream was not simply a dream. Come, Airaen! We've kept you out here long enough."
Puzzled, yet curious, she sheathed the Master Sword and followed the Lord past the Gate of Sidar, her eyes staring straight ahead to avoid the hundreds of eyes that followed her. However, she could not help glancing at Roh, who was glaring at her, blaming her for his embarrassment. She smiled slightly at him in mockery and urged Perigan forward. Roh followed close behind, his head held high.
As she passed under the great arches of the gate door, Airaen beheld a breathtaking sight: a glimmering sea lay before her like a blanket of perfect diamonds, each caught flickering in the sunlight. The cry of gulls was carried towards her from the wind that blew threw her hair, combing it like soft and gentle fingers. The path she now rode alongside Rohkensagen ran downhill, ending at the edge of the town that lay some twenty feet from the water: the beach itself laid untouched, save for a few fishermen and their beached boats.
The village that lay at the foot of the small hill that they were descending was, in Airaen's mind, a sharp contrast to the busy streets of Hyrule Market. There were no cobbled streets to be found there; the main path merely broke off into similar, yet smaller paths that served as streets. The houses that lined the streets were set apart from each other, not tightly-packed together as in Hyrule Market. Towards the beach lay an open-air market filled with people buying and exchanging items. As Airaen entered the village, she noticed that on each round door of every house lay, towards the top of the door and in the very center, was the symbol of the Triforce. However, Airaen's right hand burned again as she gazed at it, and had to look away.
Rohkensagen motioned for Airaen to turn to the left, and she obeyed. The path was slightly more beaten than the one before as they passed through the quieter section of the village. After a time, they passed out of the village and began to ascend slightly. Ahead, Airaen could see a large house lying at the top of the small hill. Palm trees swayed in the wind in front of it, as if giving a gesture of welcome to the visitors.
There, at the entrance, stood six guards who, upon seeing the party, hailed them. Dismounting, Rohkensagen met with one of the guards, who bowed and took the Lord's horse. The other guards did the same with Airaen and Roh, and then began to help the rest of the host dismount and escort the horses to stables that lay scattered about. As the host scattered to find various jobs, some returning to the village, Rohkensagen motioned for Airaen to come inside the house with a smile. Nodding, Airaen followed with Roh, a frown upon his face close behind.
**
Ch. 11: Roh
The night was beginning to grow old when Gate finally fell "asleep." Sleep, to a fairy, meant merely floating down to the ground and turning a soft green to signal sleep, or an unconscious state, as Gate would prefer. With a satisfying sigh, he relinquished to the wonderful relaxing feeling.
But such was a different story for Airaen. Sleep, it seemed, dangled out of her grasp. Lost in strange images and voices, Airaen sat up, pressing her hands against her head in a last effort to drive it all out of her mind. But the images merely intensified, the voices rising to a roar. Out of the indistinguishable babble of voices, she could hear someone calling her name. No! she cried inside her head, hands pushing away an invisible foe. Leave me be, please! She fell back onto the grass, her back arching as the voice called her name, louder and louder until it was a dull scream that echoed off her skull. Tears fell down her face as she whispered, "Please.go.go away.leave me alone.please."
But the voice cried out, Airaen!! Answer me!! Answer me, you fool!! Airaen! Unable to stand it, Airaen cried, "SHUT UP!! JUST SHUT THE HELL UP!!" Silence was her answer. Sighing gratefully, she relaxed, her mind blank and aching. She realized that she was out of breath, perspiration on her forehead. Feeling sick, she got to her feet and made her way over to the nearest tree to lean against. Her feet placed firmly on the ground, she stared up through the eaves of the tree and sighed blissfully. Closing her eyes, she made to sit down when she thought she heard something, like the cry of an animal carried towards her on the wind. Wind? There hasn't been a breath of wind in ages. Opening her eyes, she was met with blinding sunlight. Shielding her eyes, she stared ahead as her eyes adjusted. Something wet was about her feet, for she looked down to see her bare feet submerged in water. "What the hell is going on?!", she cried out to no one. Again, she heard the strange cry of an animal, this time above her. Looking up, she saw a bird flying on the wind. A gull?, she thought, not knowing how she knew. Looking behind, she saw a great body of water, seemingly endless in every direction with the sun high overhead, signaling noon. Turning, she saw a great mass of land. She stood upon a beach with trees she had never seen before. Odd shacks were strewn across the beach. She made to move forward out of the water, when she slipped and fell onto soft grass. The vision faded, and she was back to where she was before. Dammit, she thought as she got up slowly, what the hell was that?! Sighing, she leaned back, exhausted. Graciously, sleep began to take her. The last thing she remembered before falling asleep was seeing a familiar blonde-haired woman crying over something. "Mother," Airaen murmered, and fell asleep.
**
"Get up, you filth!" came the rude cry from one of Ganon's men. Opening the cell door, the guard came in and kicked Zelda and Link awake. Slowly, the two got up, Link helping Zelda. Gruffly, the guard shackled each and pushed them out of the cell. "Lord Ganon wishes your pathetic presence! Look lively, you bastards! We ain't got all day! I guess I'll have ter help you lot, if you gonna move that slow!" Obviously, the guard's method of "help" involved kicking Zelda in the back. But Zelda neither cried out nor replied. A change had come over her since she had seen her daughter fall. Clothes reduced to nothing but rags, days without food, Zelda's eyes spoke of a lost hope as she made her way down the long stairs, across the battlements of Gerudo Fortress, and into the throne room of Ganondorf, Gerudo King.
Ganon sat on his throne, a sly smile playing across his face. "Ah," he said as Zelda and Link were thrown down at the bottom of the small steps leading to the throne, "Welcome, my Lady. I trust my men have been treating you fairly?" He bowed in mockery to her. Zelda did not meet his gaze. With a signal from Ganon, one of the guards brought Zelda closer to him, until she was only a foot away from his face. "So, this is the mother of that little brat I sent down the bridge the other day, eh? Amazing I could not see it at first, but you two are so alike to each other!"
For the first time in her life, Zelda wanted to kill. Staring into that hateful face, rage burned in her heart. She would have liked nothing more than to have driven a sharp knife through that face. "Oh, don't be mad, dear," he said mockingly, seeing the hatred in her eyes, "you'll be seeing quite a bit of that brat soon enough. Didn't think a little tumble could hurt a Bearer like her, now, do you?"
Zelda's heart skipped a beat, and Link looked up in amazement. "How.?", but Zelda never finished as Ganon reached out and grabbed her by the neck, pulling her close to his face. Link let out a cry and attempted to attack, but the other guards held him back as he struggled to break free.
"I wouldn't try those kinds of stunts ever again with me, my Lady. Two pieces in one body, what a shame. An imbalance like that will kill her, did you know that? Rip her entire body to shreds if she uses that power again. But when that happens, good old uncle Ganon will be there to pick up the pieces. You underestimated me, Zelda. I'm not as dense as you thought, bitch!" He struck her across the face and hit her hard onto the ground. Blood splattered from Zelda's mouth as her face struck the tile floor. Kneeling down, he grabbed her by the hair and wrenched her painfully upwards, then pushed her down the steps into the arms of a guard. "Take them back to their cells, separately this time! Let them ponder on the stupidity of trying to outguess me! Don't you worry, you two," he called to Link and Zelda, "I'll make sure to save the girl's head for you!"
Enraged, Link fought against the guards, but because of his underfed and exhausted body, the guards easily overtook him. As they dragged him away, Link screamed, "I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS, GANON! IF YOU LAY ONE HAND ON MY CHILD, I WON'T REST UNTIL YOUR HEAD IS MOUNTED ON A WALL AND YOUR SOUL DEVOURED! YOU HEAR ME, GANON?!! I'LL KILL YOU, DAMN YOU! GANON! I'LL KILL YOU!" He was only answered by laughter.
"Airaen? Hey, wake up. It's morning. Hey, are you listening to me?", Gate said angrily. Groaning slightly, Airaen got up, wondering how the fairy could have known it was morning in the endless blackness of the forest. "Well?", Gate said, "How did you sleep?"
"Could have been worse, I guess," she replied, deciding not to tell him anything about voices and visions.at least not yet. After a rushed breakfast, the companions set out again on the forest road, moving at a swift pace. As time passed, the trees began to get thinner, the dark beginning to recede. Though hope swelled in her heart, Airaen still felt ill, and her right hand still burned and ached as she rode Perigan. Thankfully, no voices or visions impeded her again, and she sighed gratefully.
Suddenly, without warning, the companions were greeted with brilliant sunlight that blinded them for a moment. As their eyes adjusted, they found themselves standing outside of the forest. They had passed through the forest. Ahead of them lay a huge, white wall the expanded to the east and west. A large iron gate lay in front of them, meeting with the beaten path. "Well, we made it," Gate said. Airaen did not reply. She was feeling very sick again, and her vision was blurring. She urged Perigan forward, Gate floating close above her head.
They had not gone far when an arrow landed a foot in front of them. Perigan reared in fright, which did not improve Airaen's aching head. As she calmed him down, a voice called out from the wall above: "Halt! You are entering into the Realm of Sidar, home of our great leader, Rohkensagen! State thy name, demon!"
The insult did not improve Airaen's mood one bit. "Give me your name first, jerk, and then I may just feel in the mood to give you my name, if you stop being a damn coward and show yourself!" There was a pause, and then the gate creaked slowly open.
Marching towards Airaen and her companions was a great host riding horses and brandishing spears. At the head rode a boy of about her age in armor, his red cape flowing behind him. With a signal from the boy, the host halted spears ready to be driven into human flesh. The boy drew his sword and pointed it at Airaen, saying with a proud voice, "I am Roh, son of Rohkensagen, Prince of Sidar! I am the supreme authority here, forest rat! State thy name or we shall kill you!"
Airaen rolled her eyes: "I came here to talk to the Lord of Sidar, not some pompous prince who thinks he's so tough with his little sword.I am Airaen, child of Link, the Hero of Time." with a small pause, she added, "and of Zelda, Lady of Hyrule." Surprised, Gate glanced at Airaen, but said nothing.
There was a small pause from Roh, his face now blushing. After a time, he called, "Send for my father immediately."
A guard rode up behind him, protesting, "But, my prince, you know your father is-"
"I know.but, I need his guidance on this. This girl may be lying, and we can't have another attack on us if she proves to be false or in league with that Gerudo guy like that last man." None of this was heard by Airaen, who probably would have kicked Roh for that insult. Roh's command was carried out, for a man rode out on a white horse, seemingly bent as if he bore many years.
"I am Rohkensagen, child. I hear that your name is Airaen, am I correct?", he said slowly, his voice hoarse.
"Yes, sir, that is my name. You.don't look so well, my Lord.are you feeling okay?" Airaen knew what the answer would be, for she was beginning to feel the same way.
The Lord of Sidar laughed quietly, coughing slightly. "I see you have more manners than my son here. You are not of Ganondorf's kind, I can tell just by looking at your eyes. Tell me, though, because I am curious. Do you bear the Master Sword?"
Taken aback at this unexpected question, Airaen drew the Sword out from its sheath that had been tied to Perigan's saddle. It shone brilliantly in the sunlight as Airaen showed it to Rohkensagen. A few guards gasped, while others whispered to each other. Roh was looking from his little sword to the Master Sword, a look of utter defeat on his face. Rohkensagen chuckled quietly: "My dream was not simply a dream. Come, Airaen! We've kept you out here long enough."
Puzzled, yet curious, she sheathed the Master Sword and followed the Lord past the Gate of Sidar, her eyes staring straight ahead to avoid the hundreds of eyes that followed her. However, she could not help glancing at Roh, who was glaring at her, blaming her for his embarrassment. She smiled slightly at him in mockery and urged Perigan forward. Roh followed close behind, his head held high.
As she passed under the great arches of the gate door, Airaen beheld a breathtaking sight: a glimmering sea lay before her like a blanket of perfect diamonds, each caught flickering in the sunlight. The cry of gulls was carried towards her from the wind that blew threw her hair, combing it like soft and gentle fingers. The path she now rode alongside Rohkensagen ran downhill, ending at the edge of the town that lay some twenty feet from the water: the beach itself laid untouched, save for a few fishermen and their beached boats.
The village that lay at the foot of the small hill that they were descending was, in Airaen's mind, a sharp contrast to the busy streets of Hyrule Market. There were no cobbled streets to be found there; the main path merely broke off into similar, yet smaller paths that served as streets. The houses that lined the streets were set apart from each other, not tightly-packed together as in Hyrule Market. Towards the beach lay an open-air market filled with people buying and exchanging items. As Airaen entered the village, she noticed that on each round door of every house lay, towards the top of the door and in the very center, was the symbol of the Triforce. However, Airaen's right hand burned again as she gazed at it, and had to look away.
Rohkensagen motioned for Airaen to turn to the left, and she obeyed. The path was slightly more beaten than the one before as they passed through the quieter section of the village. After a time, they passed out of the village and began to ascend slightly. Ahead, Airaen could see a large house lying at the top of the small hill. Palm trees swayed in the wind in front of it, as if giving a gesture of welcome to the visitors.
There, at the entrance, stood six guards who, upon seeing the party, hailed them. Dismounting, Rohkensagen met with one of the guards, who bowed and took the Lord's horse. The other guards did the same with Airaen and Roh, and then began to help the rest of the host dismount and escort the horses to stables that lay scattered about. As the host scattered to find various jobs, some returning to the village, Rohkensagen motioned for Airaen to come inside the house with a smile. Nodding, Airaen followed with Roh, a frown upon his face close behind.