Xzero: Thank you very much!
Terachi Kaishaku: Well in a way there will be action but not like my other fic where you have explosions, carnage, and battles in every chapter. Yeah I decided to keep Washington.
Trekken46: Yeah, rest assured there will be conflict. I'll leave it at that, don't want to give away too much, hehe.
Tymaporer: Lol, thanks. That makes me feel special.
Sapphira603: I'll try and stay away from the clichés. Lol, I like that term, Lexitours.
oOoDancingQueenoOo: Thanks, what was your prediction?
Bright Future in Sales: Thank you very much.
Lost Soul 01: Lol, I love the Revolution too. I can't tell you too much but Link wont escape just yet, then he won't get that quality bonding time with Zelda, hehe. I hope to take it to war's end but I'm not sure.
Thanks to all of my reviewers, it makes me feel good that people actually take the time to read my stuff.
Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I was busy all over break. Well here's the next chapter. A belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year's to everyone. To the readers of Freedom's Cry, I have not abandoned the story, I am planning on continuing at the same pace I did before now that I am back from vacation and no longer distracted by final exams. The next chapter is half done and should be posted very soon, I promise.
And as always, let the good times roll.
It was four days later and Zelda sat in her library upon a comfortable chair with a large volume in her lap. Reading on her own was of her most favorite activities. She loved her books, and the way that the words on the pages wove their spell over her. Unexpectedly, she was interrupted by the opening of the door, revealing Link standing there shifting his weight about on his feet.
"Is there something that you would like?" Zelda said in arch tones, a bit annoyed at being interrupted from her reading.
"Yes, I was wondering if it would be possible for me to walk about the streets of the city." He mumbled.
"Trying to escape perhaps?" Zelda said in a condescending tone. "You won't get far, there are British troops all around the city." She replied. "Well I guess I don't have to worry about that then, you may go about as you please." Zelda concluded dismissively, eager to rid herself of this nuisance and return to her reading. In her haste, she did not notice the dark look that Link cast at her before turning on his heels and leaving.
Link put on his boots and left through the front door of the house. He had been in New York before but it was a lot different now with little columns of redcoats marching about the streets. While he was walking he became a little distracted, wondering what his relatives and friends thought of him. His parents were dead and his only relatives were an aunt and uncle who lived in Maine, while his friends surely thought he was dead, or rotting on some prison ship. At that last thought, Link laughed to himself. There were times in the last few days where he felt that he would rather be on a prison ship in miserable conditions rather than where he was now, stuck with some stuck up Tory girl and her father. He disliked the girl in particular, the way in which she spoke to him and treated him, and for some reason her beauty vexed him even more.
He was brought out of his thought by a sharp jolt. Looking down he saw that he had knocked down a man in a large heavy coat.
"I'm sorry sir." Link blurted out.
The unknown man looked at Link silently for a while. During the silence Link took note of the man's features which were quite unusual, blond-white hair and a pair of red piercing eyes.
"That it quite alright. I assume you were looking about at the wealth that is abounding in the city due to the protection from our brethren overseas." The mysterious man said.
Link was caught off guard. He had not been expecting a statement of this sort and had no answer readily available.
"You seem to be a little hesitant about our British friends." The main stated.
Inside Link's head panic was running rampant. He had been caught off guard by a British sympathizer who would surely turn him in. He might even be executed for being a spy because he was out of uniform. Without thinking, Link turned around and started to run, unfortunately he had forgotten the lamppost behind him and ran headlong into it, dropping himself to the ground. He then felt a pair of hands grasp him firmly and bring him back to his feet.
"That was quite and unexpected reaction. Perhaps it would be best if you come to my place." The man said dragging Link along who was too dazed to resist. The two men walked along the street coming to a small shop with a sign over the door that read "Sheik's Book Shop."
"That was quite a fall there young sir." The man said fetching a pitcher of water and a towel for the man.
Link remained silent not wanting to reveal anything about himself to what he thought was a British informer.
"Now, now, no need to be so unfriendly. I didn't mean to scare you like that. Doubtless you think I am a Tory."
"Who are you then?" inquired Link, still not sure whether or not to trust this man.
"I am Sheik, a spy for the American Army." Sheik said with a bit of dramatic flair.
"Why are you telling me this? Aren't you afraid I might turn your in." Link replied with a twinge of nervousness.
Sheik laughed at Link's comment and opened his mouth to speak, "I might be, but you don't seem one who is adept at deception so I am quite sure you aren't a Tory either."
"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Link stated, still uncertain.
"So many questions. Well I can understand your point of view. Here, perhaps this will calm your conscience." Sheik said, simultaneously tossing to Link a letter bearing the commission of an officer from the Continental Army. "So then, now that we've answered your questions, how does a Patriot like yourself get into New York City, the new bastion of the British?"
"I was wounded in the battle a couple of weeks ago. I remember crawling to near the side of a road and then being picked up by a carriage. Next thing I knew I was in this gigantic house of some Tory merchant and his daughter." Link said hurriedly.
"Quite and unfortunate journey if I may say so myself." Sheik commented, with a low chuckle.
"Well then, what do you plan to do from this point on?" Sheik inquired of Link curiously.
"I was hoping to escape, could you possibly help me get out of the city?" Link said hopefully, eager to leave this stuffy, pompous, British stronghold.
"Well that depends, I can get you out, but it will most likely be in a coffin." Sheik replied light heartedly.
"What do you mean?" Link said, puzzled.
"What I mean is that the city is too well guarded. Alone there is no way you could get out. While I do have channels of transport in and out of the city those are suited for information only." Sheik stated in a more serious tone.
"What shall I do then?" Link said, despair filling him once more.
"What is the surname of the family you are staying with?" Sheik inquired, suddenly changing the direction of the conversation.
Link was taken aback by this sudden change but managed to answer the question, "The Harkinians."
At the mention of that name Sheik's eyes lit up. "Excellent, perhaps you could be of some service to the Patriots even from inside New York." He muttered to himself.
"What are you talking about?" Link questioned, now totally lost.
"The Harkinians are a powerful, rich, and well connected Tory family. Now as a spy I have my eyes and ears in many places but I cannot be everywhere at once. Having someone like you to aid me would be most helpful. The Harkinians would be a wealth of information as they are frequently invited to dinner parties and such. Now, what I suggest is that you get into their good graces and then perhaps they will take you along to these events where there will surely be British officers, with loose tongues from the wine. You will be able to gather vital information, give it to me and then I shall relay it out where it will be utilized accordingly." Sheik said with a spark of excitement in his voice.
Link jumped at this idea, eager to do anything for the cause of independence instead of just moping around the city.
"When shall I start?" Link exclaimed eagerly.
"As soon as possible. However, you must remember some things. You must be careful at all times, never must you be seen to be deliberately eavesdropping or pumping someone for information." Sheik said in a grave manner.
"Yes, I shall do all those things." Link replied.
"Good, now get going, I have work to do." Sheik said with a grin once more as he ushered Link out of his shop. As Link opened the door Sheik opened his mouth to say one more thing. "I'm quite jealous of you, you know. Your work shall be much more enjoyable than mine. You're staying with the most beautiful young lady in the entire state of New York." He quipped with a grin.
Link flushed a bit before leaving the shop and closing the door behind him. Jamming his hands into his pockets to shield them from the cold that encroaching as night fell he strode back from whence he came. During his walk he felt not nearly as uncomfortable as he had before, now that he knew that he had a friend in the city. Within twenty minutes he arrived at the Harkinian residence and was let in by the maid at the front door. Walking in and taking off his coat, Link saw Zelda waiting for him off to one side.
"Did you have a pleasant walk?" Zelda asked lightly.
"Yes, I did as a matter of fact." Link easily replied.
"Find any escape routes out of the city?" she prodded with a slight smile.
"Possibly, but if I did I wouldn't tell you would I?" Link said with an equally slight smile upon his lips.
"My, aren't we in a good mood today? Well I have news for you. A courier has just returned from General Howe saying that he has routed the Americans off Harlem Heights and they are now fleeing as fast as they can." Zelda remarked pointedly.
Link's face broke into a scowl, and he strode past her without a single world, deliberately running into her with his shoulder as he passed.
"Well! Have you any manners, or didn't your lazy, wretched parents teach you any?" Zelda exclaimed with a touch of cruelty in her voice.
At that last remark, Link spun around on his heels and stomped back towards Zelda, his face contorted with anger.
"Don't you ever say such a thing about my family again!" he said in a low, dangerous whisper. "You don't know what it feels like. You just live out your sheltered life here with servants catering to your every whim, not knowing what true pain is. You've never had to see your parents burned alive while you watched helplessly." At the end of this, Link spun around once more and headed for his room, closed the door, and did something he hadn't done for twelve years, cried.
Meanwhile Zelda stood riveted at the landing. While most high society Tory ladies such as herself would have brushed off this incidence by noting the inferiority of the colonists, Zelda felt remorse in every fiber of her body. Something in her wished that she could have taken her last statement back. For reasons unknown to her she felt a surge of sympathy for the young mad, and guilt for having provoked him as she had. She would apologize to him in the morning perhaps when he had calmed down a bit.
Whew, finally I'm back on track. Sheik comes into play and we see a bit of conflict between our lead characters. Well I hoped you like this, please review and tell me what you think.