Chapter Five

Princess Zelda hadn't been able to sleep. She lay wide-awake with the horrible silence as her only comfort. Too many thoughts and worries plagued her. She knew it wasn't to the best of her health, however she just couldn't prevent it. The silence wasn't much help either; it proved to only intensify her brooding. 'Goddesses please help me get through this…' she thought in dismay, burying her face into a pillow. When a maid came in she failed to notice.

"Morning my highness, your bath will be ready in a few moments," the maid said, laying down some fresh clothes. Zelda moaned.

"Yes I know, go about your business," she said, her voice muffled by the pillow. Either way the maid got her point and left the room without reluctance. Zelda, in an angry fit, threw the pillow across the room, knocking some items off a table. Damn this. It was too much for her. She knew very well that she only had a day left or so, and this was the first war she would experience. And hopefully the last.

The princess got out of bed and paused by her dresser. She lifted her garments to once again check on her scars. It had been a routine thing to see to their healing now. The marks were a watered down pink colour and were hardly noticeable. But whenever she recalled that eventful night she would often feel a phantom pain. 'No time to worry about the past, the future is what matters' she told herself.

"Zelda, I need to talk to you," Paer said from the other side of the door. A frown came across the princess' face. 'What does he want?'

"Come in and make it quick," she said. The advisor came into her presence with a dead serious expression.

"My highness. Scouts at the border have spotted abnormal activity several miles away. They believe it is Vonndrake's men," he said. Zelda felt herself begin to tremble.

"Already? That means he'll be here within a matter of hours," she murmured, aghast. "Tell Xanath to send out troops to stall him. We've got to brace ourselves." Paer bowed.

"Yes my highness…" he said as he exited. Zelda wanted to scream. 'Can things get any worse?'

The outcome looked very poor. Princess Zelda had refused to tell the inhabitants of the land what was about to unfold. Instead, she had moved what little people she could to either Goron City or Zora's domain. The Gorons and the Zoras had naturally questioned her motives but hadn't done anything else. They housed to people as a favour. Zelda saw these two places as an unlikely place for any soldier to venture.

"Well we've gotten the people secured, but some just wondered straight back," a helper said when they were within castle boundaries. "They keep on demanding what the hell's going on, and since the war is meant to be kept a secret, they won't stay."

"Such gibberish, you should have kept them in there at all costs," the princess said. The man frowned.

"I did what I could. Besides, I can't see why you're hiding this from them. You're causing more harm than good," he protested. Zelda clenched her teeth.

"How dare you question me?! Are you the one to determine Hyrule's outcome?" she saw the man fawning. "If only you knew how hard it has been for me…you wouldn't be running your mouth like that." Xanath walked in shortly afterwards and looked at the helper.

"Your service was very much appreciated. Thank you," Xanath said, nodding once to him. "Now, would you excuse me please? I need to have a word with the princess." The other sighed.

"Sure, go right ahead," the man said, walking out. "As if she's willing to listen. Her and her emotional outbursts…" Xanath cleared his throat before speaking.

"I need to inquire about on something," he said. Zelda leant her head on her hand.

"Let me guess. It's about our prisoner downstairs right? What do you want of him?" she said in a tired tone.

"I think he'll be an ideal person in the war. His cursed abilities will be to our advantage," he said.

"I can't allow that to happen," Zelda murmured, shaking her head slowly. "Yes he may help us, but he's likely to turn on us. He hates the people and no doubt holds a grudge against us two. So Link fighting is out of the question." Xanath knew any protest would bring back the old argument they had some time ago. There wasn't any denying that Link would be great help. Xanath could just imagine the boy tearing through the opposing army with effortless strength…perhaps laughing as he did…'Eh, maybe it wasn't a good idea.'

"You're right, he's not fit for this situation," he said quietly. Zelda gave him a small smile.

"It's alright…but right now we should focusing on the war, not Link. We have to mobilise the troops. Time is against us, and I fear we may not be ready when the time comes."

"This is going to be too easy," one of Vonndrake's men, said. He chuckled to himself as he picked up an apple from the ruins and greedily bit into it. But the foul fruit was rotten, and he readily spat it up. "Urk, this apple's full of crap!" Vonndrake's men were even closer to Hyrule than before. After destroying three villages and disposing of the 'stalling troops' they had camped somewhere in the desert. The harsh heat did ill to them as they were still in their armour. They figured it was wiser to wait until evening.

"You have to make do until we get to Hyrule. Then you'll be able to fill that bottomless pit of yours," another said.

"I can't wait, evening is hours away, and this bloody heat's getting to my head!!" the first cried out, shaking his fist at the sun. He looked foolish cursing at the sun.

"And frying your brain," one mocked. "At least I think that's a brain I hear sizzling." That got him jumped on.

"Calm down Eril, it's all for fun's sake. No harm done eh?" Eril narrowed his eyes and punched his assailant.

"Easy for you to say Blox, but I don't take mockery so well," he said, snorting. "I'll take my anger out one those pathetic Hylians. They think they're so special, so damn important." Another man, so called Serp, found himself liking that idea very much.

"Yes Eril. Wait until then. There's no need to fight our own men. Vonndrake won't like that much. Besides…taking out your anger on a Hylian is more acceptable…" he whispered.

"Hear that shit-head?" the man Eril hit, shouted. "Next time you do a thing like that again I'll rip your balls out and fry 'em for breakfast."