I'm back! The horror!

Chapter 11

Captured

Link and Zelda had emerged from the forest several hours ago, and were now making their way across Hyrule Field under the blistering sun. Zelda was fanning herself with one of the masks that Link carried everywhere with him. He said she could use it, as long as she didn't put it on her face. She wondered why, but had not asked.

The top of the Castle was now visible to them. It was, however, reaching into the later part of the day, when the monsters came out. If they wanted to make it to the castle alive, they had to make a secure camp until the next morning. Zelda did not like the idea of them sleeping in the dark, out in the middle of the field. She felt a bit safer, though, knowing that Link would be nearby.

IN THE CASTLE

That night, the King sat in his throne, snoozing as his Cheif of Affairs was droning on about a dispute that some farmers were having over some unbranded livestock. He really couldn't care less. He was a kind and caring King, but these little matters were easily resolved. When the Cheif was finished his reading, he asked the King what was to be done.

"Separate the herd equally into each of the farmer's paddocks. If there are any spare, they come to the Castle." The King declared. The Cheif noted down the King's proclamation, and left the room.

"My Lord!" A guard burst into the Throne Room, and dropped to one knee, "A lookout post in the south has reported witnessing Princess Zelda and a man emerging from the Forbidden Forest!"

"What?" The King roared, now fully awake, "Then why did they not capture the man?"

"My Lord, it seemed that he was defending her from the Stalchildren of the Field." The guard did not even look up, "Even if they could get close enough, I doubt he'd let them near the Princess. After the battles were won, he would turn and she would heal any of his wounds. The guards believe that they are friends, or at least very well aquainted. They believed that there was nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about?" The King roared in disbelief, "Nothing to worry about? They have to worry about me beheadding them if the Princess is not standing before me at sunrise, and if that man isn't exectued before sundown tomorrow!" The guard mumbled a 'Yes, your Majesty', and went to form a band of Hyrule's best fighters.

Now that the King was alone, Starger crept out of the shadows. Now was his chance...

IN THE FIELD

Link hacked down another mob of Stalchildren. He was getting pretty tired, and he had various cuts and scratches everywhere. He was just turning to make sure Zelda was alright when he saw a small band of riders in the distance.

He heard a faint yell, and then the horses started to speed towards them. He turned quickly, and mounted Epona behind Zelda. He ignored her protests, and sped off back towards the Forest.

He looked over his shoulder, and calculated how long it would take for them to catch up to them. If both parties kept going at the pace they were now, they'd surely capture him before they reached the Forest. As it was, he couldn't push Epona any harder than she was already going. She was already extremely tired, and in need of a rest.

So, instead of getting himself into any deeper trouble, he reared Epona to a stop, and waited for the riders to come closer. He'd just have to go down fighting.

He stood there, with his sword at the ready, fire blazing in his eyes. He could hear Zelda saying something behind him, but he could not understand the words. It didn't matter to him. Words would have been blown away by the faintest winds while Link was in combat mode. He did not notice Zelda dismount behind him.

He stared at the riders as they came closer. He could see them draw nets, and he got his sword ready to slice the nets in two. There was no way he was going to be captured like some kind of animal.

Link put up a spectacular fight. He did indeed go down fighting. He flailed his sword to the left and to the right, but a bowman managed to peirce his defences. The arrow sliced through his right arm, rendering him unable to use a shield. Still, he fought on, heedless of the amount of blood he was losing.

Link still did not know who his attackers where. He was just about the decapitate one of the men when he finally heard Zelda's screams.

"Link! Stop it! They're my father's men! Stop!" She cried. This statement shocked Link into compliance. His mind was too slow to digest the information.

One soldier tackled Link from behind, and his hands were bound tightly behind his back with a thick rope that was tied expertly. Even if he was in his right mind, he might not have been able to break it.

Link was thrown onto the back of a horse, and the rider was careful not to let him fall off. If Link were thinking properly, he would have realised that he was being taken prisoner. No one headed Zelda's cries of protest.

"No! I demand you release him! That's an order!" She cried. A soldier roughly put her atop Epona, and tied her reins to his own. He steered both horses back towards the Castle.

"Forgive us, Your Grace," One compassionate man whispered, as he put a cloak around her, "We do not mean to cause you any distress. We are simply following the orders of the King." Zelda looked over at the man that had spoken. It was Sir Harold, Link's close friend. Zelda looked at the man in disgust.

"You call yourself this man's friend?" She hissed, venom in her voice. The man nodded.

"Of course, but my loyalty lies with the King." Zelda stared at the man as if he were delerious.

"That may be," She said coldly, raising her voice so that everyone could hear, "But I am your Princess, and you should heed me. If this man is harmed in any way, I shall hold all of you personally responsible. I shall have your heads on a silver platter!" Zelda disliked using death threats, but sometimes it was necessary. All of the men looked at each other in fear. They weren't the type to give up in the face of such threats, but with the Princess... if she said it, then it would be legal if it were done.

"What will we get in return if we do this?" One man licked his lips as he looked her over, like a lion stalking it's prey. Zelda was repulsed by the man's suggestive manner and vulgar beaviour. She gave him a cold stare.

"You execution, if you imply that ever again." Her voice was like ice. All of the other men looked as if they were glad that they weren't that guy.

It was not just a rumour of what happened to men that came onto her. Especially if she and he were not wed. He would be dead by tomorrow morning, a Sheikah's dart hanging out of his neck. Many speculated that it was Impa that carried out these assassinations, but she was usually tending to an ailing elder or something else. She was never available when the murders took place. Now the men of the Kingdom had claimed Zelda 'Untouchable'. They were all shocked when thay saw how she acted around Starger.

While the men were muttering to themselves, and saying their last farewells to the somewhat bewildered new soldier, Zelda transformed into Sheik, and slipped away from the group. She was surprised that they hadn't seen the spell. But then again, they weren't widely known for their perceptiveness. The perceptive ones were in the lookouts. She shrugged it off, and made for the shadows outside a nearby building.

Link looked wildly around him, seeking out Princess Zelda. What his eyes found, however, was Sheik. He gave her a puzzled look, and she held a finger to where her mouth was, hidden by her scarf. He got the message, and stayed silent.

It took the soldiers several minutes to raise the alarm. By that time, Sheik was gone. The men all either called out to her, or fretted about being beheadded by the King. Link surveyed the chaos around him, and knew that, as preoccupied as the soldiers were, he would never make it out.

It neared dawn when the soldiers finally gave up their search. They knew that they were as good as dead. The King would make good on his word, whenever it concerned Zelda. They began to trudge back to the castle on foot, seeing as their horses were tired from racing around all night, dreadding the moment that the King ordered the axe swung.

They had been going for about fifteen minutes before a band of Gerudo and Sheikah outcasts came racing to surround them. All of the men were bewildered, and did not give much of a fight before being subdued.

Link looked amongst the warriors and, lo and behold, Sheik was amongst them. In fact, it was she who came and cut his bindings. Before she left, he grabbed her hand.

"Thank you, Your Grace." He whispered, and she made a motion to follow her. Link did not hesitate, and allowed himself to be steered back over to the men and women that Sheik had called on to help him. He noticed a few familliar faces in the band of warriors, some of them being people that he had saved in his countless adventures.

He was given the reins of a horse, and looked back for his own.

"Where's Epona?" He asked. Sheik was the one who answered his question.

"She is in the village. Come with us, it is not far from here." She said softly, and they set off together. Link looked over his shoulder, and saw the warriors robbing and tieing up the King's men. He then saw them throw the guards into a carriage that had just arrived, bound and gagged. They were also wearing blindfolds. Link was a little surprised when a woman approached him with one.

"I'm sorry, Hero," The Gerudo said, "But we must ask you to wear this. No one can know where our village is. The only reason the Princess knows is because she is on the inside. We fear that you may raise the alarm on us."

Link, bewildered, allowed the woman to tie the blindfold around his eyes. He was just sitting there, on a horse, unable to navigate it. Just as he was beginning to wonder how he was going to get there, he felt someone mount the horse in front of him.

"It will take a few hours." Sheik whispered to him, "If you feel that you are about to fall, hold on to my waist." Link shook his head in disbelief. Surely she had not said that.

"Why must I be blindfolded?" He asked out of the blue. Sheik sighed a long and deep sigh.

"These people are outlaws, Link." She explained, "Half breeds of Hylians, Gerudo, Sheikah, and there are a few with Zora blood here was well. Under my father's law, they are mutants, and need to be executed." Link was shocked.

"How does one have children with a Zora?" Link asked, half disgusted. Sheik drew another breath.

"The normal way." She laughed. Link chuckled a littel himself.

"I mean about the species difference." He pointed out, "Wouldn't it be impossible for a Hylain woman to conceive a Zora's child?"

"Obviously not." Sheik said dryly. She left Link to ponder such things as they rode on to the encampment.

Well... There we have it! Please review...