Updating again. I've lost all my hyperness. I think you can find that in Angel in the Battle…(sorry, am I self-promoting again?)

Living the Legend

Chapter Three: Skilled in Acting

"Announcing the arrival of King Byral, and his lady, Queen Zelda, with their son, Prince Zachary!" a soldier bellowed.

The crowd cheered as Zelda smiled, glad to be back home in the same familiar town. Zachary watched her smile and wave, but noticed she was searching the crowd, but for whom? Was it the friend she had mentioned earlier? Zachary dismissed her behavior and began smiling and waving himself. He turned crimson when he saw some little girls giggling, but Byral turned and gave him a hard look, clearly stating, "Sit up straight and act like a prince." with his eyes.

Then Zachary saw someone that caught his eye. It was a man, with blonde hair and deep blue eyes, dressed in a forest green, with brown gloves and boots, standing apart from the crowd. A sorrel mare was standing beside him. Zelda seemed to take notice in the man as well, but she said nothing. Zachary noticed the man's eyes never left Zelda, and could only assume the man was the friend Zelda wanted to notify. Still, he kept silent.

The rest of the day was nothing but boredom to Zachary. The King met him, talked to him a lot, and talked to Zelda and Byral, asking how things were going in their country. Byral and Zelda answered lengthy answers and Zachary was stuck sitting on the balcony and gazing over the town.

"Mother," he spoke, interrupting the conversation, "do they bring the drawbridge up at sunset?" He pointed to the edge of town, barely seen.

"Yes," Zelda smiled. "You needn't be afraid, Zach. We are protected."

This launched the King into a sudden lecture on security in Hyrule. Meanwhile, Zachary did his plotting.

"This sword is brilliant, is it not, Zachary?"

It was a week since they had arrived. Zachary was inspecting the sword, ordered by his father from the blacksmith.

"It is brilliant, Father."

"That is because all Hylian swords are crafted similar in look to the sacred Master Sword, which sits behind the Door of Time in the Temple of Time," Zelda explained, who was with them.

"And," Byral pulled something out, "a Hylian shield." He handed it to his son. "You are now a real warrior," he jested.

"I wish I actually was," Zachary held the sword up to look at it some more.

"Come now, son, do not make such wishes. Let us be about our business. Much needs to be done," Byral said. "I shall order for a servant to take these items to your room. You can gaze at them all you want at bedtime."

Zachary agreed and handed his items to a waiting servant, sighing wistfully.

The small clock on his wall chimed eight, and the sun was going to set soon. Zachary leapt out of bed (a prince's bedtime is always early), and opened his door a crack. The guard outside was awake and alert. Cursing inwardly, Zach knew he had only one option. He had to do it now—do it any later and suspicions would arise.

He crept silently about, getting necessary items. He opened his wardrobe, and pulled from the very back a green tunic. It was actually white ere he dyed it without anyone's knowledge. It was used for training, but armor was meant to be worn over it. Thinking the armor would just slow him down, he ignored it. Next he pulled on his training boots, his favorite compared the disgusting ones he had to wear when dressed up. His sword and shield sat by the window. Zachary put the belt on, and was about to strap the sword on when he realized it was too long for his size. It would clatter along the ground if he walked. He resolved the problem by slinging it around his back. It seemed to work well, for the shield could fit on it as well.

Now he could move with little sound, only the light clang of the sword and shield; if he jumped, they collided. Throwing his shutters open, he dropped down onto the roof. Proud that he got no one's attention after pausing from the thud, he crept along the roof under he could drop into some bushes in the courtyard.

He had done his studying—he had taken long walks in the courtyard before, looking for the easiest way out. This resulted in a little drain by the side, the perfect size for him to squeeze through and out to the side of the castle, by the stables. He was quite wet when the job was done, but he knew he would dry off. He opened the door to the stables after jumping across the small moat, and immediately found his horse, Shadowbrooke. Stroking the black stallion's mane, he saddled the horse and climbed up.

"We're going to have an adventure," he whispered to the horse. "Who knows where we'll go…anywhere but here!" He cantered Shadowbrooke out the stable and into the fading day. He looked up at the castle. Mother…I'm sorry for leaving you.

He urged Shadowbrooke up a stony hill that would take him past the guards and to the gate. He cursed at his luck as the guard stopped him.

"Halt! Who are you?"

"Please, sir," Zachary lied, hoping the guard was a different one from earlier that day. "I am a playmate of the Prince." The guard looked at him hard. He was indeed grubby looking (Zachary was glad the plants had scrubbed him, and that he was slightly wet and dirty from crawling through the drain.) His hair was dark because of the water, eliminating the beautiful blonde locks that usually sat upon his head. Even though he was unrecognizable, he wished for a hat—that would top everything off. "I was with the Prince and fell asleep. This is my horse; I used him to get here."

The guard stared, but did not budge.

"I fell asleep in the playroom. Please, please, let me go home!" Zachary threw in his best acting skills.

"The Prince saw no one today," the guard hissed.

"I'm leaving the palace," Zachary stated, getting irritated. "What harm would I do in leaving the palace?"

"Nothing, but it's still suspicious. I'm going to question the Prince," the guard spoke.

"Sir, it is his bedtime," Zachary begged. "My father will get mad if I am not home…"

"Fine, get out of here, then!" the guard snarled, opening the gate.

"My thanks to you, sir," the boy smirked, and kicked Shadowbrooke into a canter, riding into town.

He trotted along for fifteen minutes, reaching town. Shadowbrooke's hooves made a hollow sound on the cobblestone, and a few people were still out. He pressed on past town to the drawbridge. The sun was just slipping behind the horizon. Kicking Shadowbrooke hard, the horse raced out to freedom.

Freedom! The word rang in his ears. He was now in the vast Hyrule Field, away from the town and the castle…and best of all, court life! The drawbridge was pulled up only seconds after he left. He rode Shadowbrooke a few minutes, enjoying the liberty. He jumped small fences and bushes, enthralled. A wolf howled in the distance.

All of Zachary's pride and happiness melted as two skeletons pulled themselves out of the ground. They limped towards him, and Zachary grew scared. Shadowbrooke could easily trample them to pieces, but Zachary did not know this and stopped his horse. The skeletons let out a shaky laugh and began hacking at him.

"Ow! Stop!" Zachary shrieked, drawing his sword from his back. He had never learned to fight on horseback, and was soon knocked from the saddle. Landing on the ground, the skeletons continued to whack at him. Zachary finally beheaded one and cut off the arm of another, but they still hobbled after him. He ran, turned, struck, and ran some more, screaming all the while. He finally managed to destroy one, only to have more crawl out of the ground. Soon they surrounded him and began their attacking.

Something snapped. Zachary turned to see the head of a skeleton fall to the ground. It still walked, but a sword struck it, breaking the backbones. Zachary could only stare as a figure took them all down, one by one.

"Get on your horse!" it yelled to him as more crawled out after the boy. Zachary obeyed. As he did so, the figure climbed on his. "The stalchildren can easily be trampled."

Assuming the stalchildren were the skeletons (for what else would they be?), Zachary ordered Shadowbrooke to run through them, crushing them all. Pleased with himself, he turned to the figure, and gasped. It was the man from town, whom he had seen riding in.

"What are you doing out here?" the man ordered.

"I…um…"

"You must be a foreigner. Otherwise you would know how to destroy the stalchildren."

"I…well…I was frightened…"

Zachary didn't know how to answer. He desperately hoped the man didn't know he was the Prince…he had tricked the guard easily, but this man's eyes bore into his soul.

"Fine, you do not need to answer. I am Link, from Hyrule. This is Epona, my faithful mare."

"I am Zach, and I reside in Hyrule as well," Zachary answered, but then realized what he said. He had just given away his name! He knew the man heard the announcement and what the Prince's name was. He begged to the Goddesses for luck.

"You resemble Prince Zachary immensely," Link replied. "A funny coincidence, is it not?"

"Yes! A coincidence!" Zachary cried, too relieved to wonder if the man knew and was just not saying anything.

"Have you family, Zach?" Link queried. "For I do not remember seeing you in Hyrule before."

"Yes, and you never saw me because I was kept inside. My mother did the errands, and my father kept me inside to be his personal slave.They both beat me. I ran away…this is my father's only horse. I know it will take him a while to find me as he will either come on foot or have to borrow a horse." I think I'm getting better at lying everyday.

"Where are you headed, young one?"

"The lake. I saw it on my way—I mean, I saw it once, a tiny sliver of blue, when I was ordered to tend the roof ere the rainy season. I've always wanted to go there."

"It is dangerous for you to be riding alone at night, especially when you cannot correctly wield a sword," Link smirked.

"Maybe it is because I am left-handed," Zach sighed.

"That is not why." Link drew his sword. Zach's eyes widened at the sight. The man held his sword in his left hand as well. "I have defeated many foes in such a way. You just need to be properly trained. I shall accompany you to Lake Hylia, and help you on your journey."

So that was name of the lake. Zach was glad it was dark so Link could not see him blush in embarrassment.

"We must ride now," Link ordered. "Stay close. The stalchildren fear me."

And that was how their adventure began.

Yay! Zach and Link meet! How long 'til the truth is revealed? Find out! 8D