Author's Note:

PHEW! Sorry for the long wait again, folks. Life gets in the way of the muse sometimes.

Many things happened in the last chapter and this one, so pay attention to the details!

Enjoy!

Edit: I double checked some minor mitakes, and a very serious one at the beginning of the chapter, hopefuly it wasn't enough to drive you away. Sorry for the double update!


Chapter XIX

Trust

As he was soaring through the morning skies looking for the day's dinner, a cloud of dust big enough to cover a small town lazily appeared over the west side of the derelict castle. Dozens of now dead guardians remained near the gates, walls and grounds of the once-great Castle of Hyrule.

His father used to tell him stories about how his great-grandfather, the fabled Revali, once traveled to that very same castle and battled against the legendary knight, Link. In the story, Link had fought dirty against his grandfather, plucking his feathers out as to take his advantage out. He had grown somewhat despising the Knight... until a few months ago, when that very same blonde knight appeared in front of him, saying he wanted to fight Vah Medoh. The way way he spoke, and fought was nothing close as to how his father had described him. Sure, Link was a force of nature (he hadn't hesitated when he had told him he'd have to fight it up in the air!), but he also was a quiet and honorable man. He had even refused to take Revali's bow for the fight, because in his words "he wouldn't approve of me breaking his bow". He chuckled, becase it took little convincing for him to finally accept the fact that the legendary bow was just an object and it was an advantage.

It was in this train of thought that he saw another cloud of dust fly out of the west wing of the castle, a faint and far away sound reached his sensitive eardrums. He had watched, along with the rest of his people, how Link and the princess had defeated the beast. So he wondered who or what could be making so much dust and dirt fly away. Teba dove down to investigate. He didn't want to bother Link with anything if it just turned out to be some Moblins or a Hinox fighting over territory.

Landing atop the highest tower on the west side, he had to fight the urge to cough. He could see alright, but the dust needed to settle down before he could land on the plaza and find out the source.

Two high-pitched voices made him stay still, he even stopped breathing for a moment.

"Well this was a productive visit, again. All thanks to you dear sister" one of the voices shrieked.

"Don't put the blame onto me, old hag. It's this Vaisekerr she can't do anything without making a mess out of it, is it not, you disgusting beast?", she argued back.

"Fuck you!", a third deep voice retorted. The dust was beginning to settle. Now that he thought of it, the cloud of dust was very visible from his town... Was the third person in danger. They obviously weren't happy to be there...

Some sort of invisible force pushed him back, forcing him to open his arms and bat his wings so as to not fo fall to his death. That very same force had disipated the dust. He gasped when the scene was revealed to him.

Just beneath him, two small framed figures were standing opposite a third one much much larger than the other two. That third big person though was on all four coughing and gagging. He saw them vomit... One of the two smaller figures, which happened to be two very old and frail looking women, started cackling madly.

"You dissapoint me, whore.", the first old lady spoke. "But I guess I should have expected this level of incompetence from you and your whore generation", the other old lady started to laugh too.

"I swear it is here, the legend always spoke of a palace where the royal family dwells!", the bigger person said between coughing fits.

"Well, we've turned the place upside down -what's left of it, anyway, and there is nothing but piles of rubble and shit, you worthless dog!", the first one said. Her sister nodded. Teba was grateful that he had learnt how to be perfectly silent. The woman kneeling and vomiting was a gerudo, but that was as far as he could go. He saw some white haired buns, which he concluded, belonged to the two old hags. The third person bore a fiery red, waist-long hair. It was matted and dirty, but one could still make out it's original color.

"I don't know why, you have to believe me. It was just under the throne!", the younger gerudo shrieked. He couldn't see her face, but he assumed she had started to cry. Her voice had broken into intermitent sobs.

"That's more like it, Buliara. Remember your life is in our hands. If you want to keep it, you ought to behave. That rebelious attitude from earlier on is only going to get you into trouble", the other old woman said. She sounded less agressive than her companion.

"She needs to learn some manners, Koume", the yet unnamed hag said to the other one, named Koume.

"You're the only one to blame, you stupid hag. If you keep shagging the prisoners they'll think we somehow like them. Buliara here, thinks she's here alive, because she's been a good fuck. Don't you, sekkessai?", Koume said. Teba didn't see very well from where he was, but he heard a low gasp and the next thing he saw was the poor Buliara gagging and gasping for breath.

"I... don't...", she said panting, "I... swear... I... am... ", she almost threw up again, but seemed to have gained some control over herself, "I.. am... Lord... Ganondorf's... most loyal... servant...", she took a deep breath, while the two hags looked at her, as if waiting for her to finish her sentence, "for forty years... I have... served him... I SERVE HIM STILL!", she shrieked and crying uncontrollably. It was odd watching such a big woman crying like that. It was almost unnatural.

"Kotake here thinks you're just pretending. The fact that we had to bring you back to us by force made her doubt your true alliegances, dear Buliara", Koume said calmly and coldly. A gust of wind lazily filtered through Teba's feathers.

"Perhaps you'd be more usefull to us if we just transformed you into one of those brutes, like we did with the other dog, Kaheru. She seemed to enjoy it. Maybe you will do too", Koume cackled.

Buliara was unable to speak again for a very long time. The old hags merely watched her, they were whispering something between them, but he couldn't make out the words, and he didn't want to risk getting caught.

"There might be other place inside the castle...", Buliara finally said. Her voice sounded less and less pained and small. She had even stood up, she towered over the other two.

"Oh, this ought to be good", Kotake said sarcastically. "You dramatic hag", she spat.

"We need the matriarch for it to work... and the princess..." Buliara said, hesitant.

"You love that brat, then. Or perhaps you feel the descendant of that bitch Hylia should prevail instead of the rightful King of Hyrule?", Kotake spat at her.

"N-no", she replied doubtfully. "I will bring the matriarch here, Vawatai", she said bowing her head ever so slightly. Both hags cackled loudly.

"That you shall", they said in unison, "The princess is a business of it's own, we will take matters into our own hands with her, do not interfere", the trio disappeared into thin air with a loud crack and a flash of red and blue light. Far out in the distance, another figure was crouched under a dallen stone wall, unnoticed by the trio. As soon as Teba spotted them, the figure dissapeared.

"The princess...", Teba mouthed. He flew as fast as an arrow back to Rito Village. Something felt terribly wrong...

"Lord Ganondorf...", he repeated as the figure of Medoh appeared in the horizon.

"Hylia... help us. Help us all..."


Zora's domain's strategic location gave her some sense (albeit probably false) of security. They had spent the rest of the week doing hikes to the nearest peaks and mountains (the Lynel atop thunder mountain still lived there, for some reason, though. Today they had agreed to visit Ja'abu Ridge, which proved to be one of the most difficult climbing experiences yet. Link, as always, made it look like a walk in the park, whatever that meant. He was sweating, yes, but his tempo never slowed down and he never let out any sounds that indicated pain or exahustion. She, on the other hand, was happy to let him know how bloody tiresome this was.

"I don't remember feeling this exhausted when we climbed Mount Lanayru. Goddess help me..." she panted. Link turned around to see her. Without a word he merely wiped the sweat off of her brow, gave her a peck on the lips, winked at her and began climbing again.

"You're insufferable sometimes, you do... realize... that... do you?", she panted, as they were now climbing a steep hillside, the last one before reaching the top of the ridge. She heard him snort, and saw him shake his head.

Link had insisted on this particular hike, saying that it would give them a vantage point to plan their next move: How to get to Faron from there. She couldn't deny that the view was something else: Mount Lanayru rose above the clouds, its peak shrouded in thick mist and snow. Next to it, a few hillsides and cliffs from Lanayru Promenade were barely visible. Further south however, a thick mist covered most of Faron, she could make out Faron Woods if she squinted hard. All in all it was a view that would take anyone's breath away.

"Wow", she whispered quite involuntarily. Link seemed lost in thought. His eyes looked as mysterious as the southern snowy peak.

"I think we should take the long road. We need to make a detour to Hateno before we even get to Lanayru and then Faron. We're under-equipped. We also need to get some dried meat, nuts...", he trailed of as he rubbed his chin. She looked at him and smiled at how thoughtful he was. She wondered if he had always been like this (he obviously was now), but he never felt confident enough to voice his thoughts out loud like he was right now.

"... we need to get you more suitable clothing. I can lend you my cape, but it is rather illogical to bring only one with a party of two...", he said tapping on his chin. "I'll need to get another bow, arrows... another shield... a tent... spears... a broadsword is always a welcome addition. I reckon some knifes and daggers would have been our best option back in Gerudo City... damn.", he said listing things off with his fingers.

"Link", she said quietly, "Are we waging war on the forest?", she said jesteringly.

"Yes we- what?", he said blinking a couple of times and looking at her properly.

"Mond and Sonne are quite capable of carrying our stuff right now, but I don't know if they'd be up for the challenge of carrying that mobile armory of yours...", she said giggling. He blinked again. He was lost in thought again.

He nodded, "Yes, of course!" he said punching his palm with a closed fist, "We should get us another means of transport!" he smiled at her as if the answer were so obvious to anyone whom looked at him.

"We'll get an ox!" It was her turn to blink confusedly.

"An... Ox?", she asked. He nodded vehemently.

"I've seen some, in the wild, that is. But there's bound to be a ranch that rents or sells them. They're strong, sturdy, and they don't scare easily. Sonne and Mond would have to wait for us at the Dueling Peaks ranch", he took a deep breath afterwards.

"Are you sure we couldn't manage with two horses, some food, our current weaponry and clothing? It sounds as if you think we'll be travaling for quite some time...", she suddenly ached to see her home again. Her castle...

"I'm not, at least not that long, but I want to be ready for anything. Besides we could always move some of these things back into the castle, if there's any usable rooms still, that is...", he sounded concerned. She nodded. It was like he could read her mind sometimes.

"I've been thinking about the castle a lot lately. We need to get you there, give the people a place to look up to again. I'm pretty sure most of Hyrule knows about our battle with Calamity Ganon by now, so it's only natural if people start to wonder what's going to happen with their princess". He smiled knowingly. "Their Queen", he said pecking her on the cheek. She blushed.

"I still remember the morning we climbed Mount Lanayru"; she began. He turned away from the landscape and looked intently at her. "I felt cold all the way up. You offered your cape, your boots... I remember feeling a false sense of pride in refusing them...", he merely gazed upong her eyes. "I felt cold all the way up, and I felt like a snowflake after the failure that was the fountain of Wisdom...", his face looked saddened, she shook her head. "I felt like I was freezing, until I turned around and saw you. I noticed you actually listened to me, to what I said and meant", a sense of warmth took over her chest quite suddenly.

"Looking at you gave me so much strength. Even after you were... gone. I recalled your face that morning and it gave me the courage I needed to keep going...", she paused. He had his eyes glued to her, as he always did whenever she spoke to him. She had his absolute attention.

"I trust you above anyone in this world". The sound of her own voice was different to her, as if it were another Zelda speaking. A queen... Link nodded again. She let out a long sigh as she gazed upon the horizon. What could they possibly find in Faron that Urbosa deemed so important?

She couldn't prove it, but she was sure the message hadn't been hidden within the locket as long as it seemed. She was sure Urbosa was looking over her, over them.

"You're right," Link looked at her quizzically. "About the castle, but we need to get to Faron first, something tells me it is more important than refurbishing an old derelict castle...", a lump in her throat prevented her from talking further. Link caressed her face with the care of someone that is holding something precious in their hands.

"We'll get there", he reasured her, meaningfully. She nodded and wiped a single tear from her eye.

"Say, Link", she began glancing out of the corner of her eyes to her right, "Where does one buy Oxen?", Link laughed.

"I have some ideas...", he said as he placed his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him.


As he was nearing Rito Village, a sudden updraft took him by surprise and his arms started to fail him. He started to spiral down out of control. The air currents were tossing him like a rag doll, it felt as if he were crashing with invisible walls, he couldn't maneuver

"Damn!", he exclaimed as he tried to flap his wings to get some balance. Something grabbed one of his wrists, bending many of his primary feathers. "What the-!", a greenish pale hand was holding him middair. He turned around to see who had saved him.

It was a woman, as tall as a gerudo, but her skin was rather pale, as green as stale water. She was lean and slender. A cascade of white hair that had to be almost twice the size of her, was billowing with the wind. Her eyes were unusually big for her proportionately small head. She was wearing a black vest with matching trousers. The mysterious giantess was smiling at him, or rather, Teba thought, 'she's finds this funny'.

"Where do you think you're going so fast, little dove?", the woman said. Her voice was as soft as velvet, but her tone was as cold as ice. "Did you think I wouldn't notice your insignificant presence?", her smile didn't change, but the coldness in her voice only increased. He didn't understand a thing. Was she in league with those old hags?

"Who are you?", Teba asked defiantly, as he tried to reach for his knife. The woman clicked her tongue disapprovingly.

"You wouldn't want to fall down now, do you?", she said gracing the tip of his beak. "I don't like when vermin stick their...", she tapped the point of his beak maliciously, "ah... beaks, where they're not allowed to". Teba tried to lift his legs up, to try and scratch and cut her arm or slap her with his free arm, but she was bigger and stronger. He couldn't reach her face. His legs wouldn't respond, they felt as if they were tied together.

"I don't think so, birdy", the woman said. A beat later he was not only falling to the ground, but positively speeding towards it, an invisible force was pushing him down to the ground. The trees became bigger with each passing second. He mustered enough strength to call out Revali's name. A warm updraft graced his face, and he felt himself slowing down. It was too late, though, because a second later it was all was pitch black.


"What news of Goron City?", Makeela Riju asked her court. Only Buliara responded.

"Yunobo, is on his way here as we speak Matriarch, he sent word via a goron messenger earlier this week. They seek to further their ore treaty with us. Goron chief Bludo is apparently very ill, it's his back, you see...", Riju remained silent for a second.

"Yunobo is soon to become the Goron Chieftain any day now, then", she had never met him, but had heard from Link that his humble and a little insecure demeanor were some of his best atributes. If anyone saw past his enormous heart and unparalleled strength, that is.

"We will make sure everything is ready for our guest's arrival. Buliara, see to it that everything is taken care of". She said rather coldly. Buliara looked at her, puzzled, but nodded nonetheless.

Striking his sword on the ground she called.

"You heard Her Majesty. Get to work everyone!", no body fumbled or idled. They all walked surely to the places they needed to be. When they were left rather alone, Buliara walked towards the throne.

"Is something troubling you, Matriarch?", she asked, kneeling.

"As a matter of fact yes, my dearest Buliara", she crossed her legs, looking at the entrance across her throne. "I have an important mission for you", she turned her gaze to her trusted Guard and Teacher... surrogate mother.

"You will deliver a message with critical importance to the Princess and Link, if my calculations are in order, they should be on their way to Hyrule Castle by now", she regarded her, waiting for her response. Buliara didn't even think for an answer.

"As you wish, my Queen". She said, lowering her head.

"Very well," she handed her a small roll of parchment from under her long skirt. "You must leave at once. I know I ask much of you, but I trust no one else with this message". Buliara took the roll of parchment and put it away inside one of her pockets. "You must go alone, any company would only hinder you, leave now. Please!", she begged.

"I'll be on my way, then!", she said standing up and leaving her at once.

"Buliara!", she called out. The towering gerudo stopped and turned around, "please be careful!". Once Buliara was out of the palace, she waved her hand. A figure emerged from out of the shadows of one of the columns.

"It is as you said... it is as if she hadn't been in the castle just a few hours ago...", Riju said to the shadow. "I can only trust you, now. Aoane", she said as the figure stepped out of the shadows. The gerudo had puffy eyes and had obviously been crying.

"I don't know how, Your Majesty...", she said. Lost.

"Don't worry... I'm sure Buliara is fine, we'll get to the bottom of it. You know what to do now, go then. Tell no one." Aoane sniffed and bowed. She exited the palace out of the back opening behind the throne.

"Urbosa, help me...", she whispered to no one at all.


When he opened his eyes again, it was the middle of the night. He was cold and his left arm was bent in a very odd way. He was not going to fly anytime soon.

"Well, this is just great", he said oozing sarcasm only rivaled by the legendary Revali.

"Saki and Tulin must be worried sick...", he looked around, to get his bearings. He must have been somewhere south of Rito Village. A walk he could easily make in a couple of hours at most. It was the information he had just gathered what troubled him. Time was of the utmost importance, and by the looks of it he had atleast lost a whole day in making sure it reached the ears it was meant for.

He felt himself, looking for more bruises or wounds. He found none.

"Thank you, Revali", he whispered.

"No need to thank me", a voice said beside him, making Teba jump a good five feet in the air.

"Wh-what? How? Who?", he stuttered. A pale greenish flame engulfed his distant relative. Revali was looking defiantly at him.

"I'm a rito, I'm a ghost, I think. And the name's Revali, as you already know, by the look on your face". A sliver of a smile crossed his beak.

"Revali...", Teba said almost out of breath. "But how is this possible!", Teba said waving his hands, forgeting about his broken limb. Revali shrugged.

"I really don't know, and at this point I really don't care. I do know that something is keeping me here", he held out one of his wings, beckoning him to start walking. "I appeared here beside you a few hours ago, but you were sleeping, so I waited atop one of those trees. We're not far from home, you know?", he sounded defiant.

"I... I know", Teba said, feeling a warmth he wasn't used to get to his face.

"Are you not going to bring your knife with you?", Revali said, looking somewhere to his right. Teba hastily crouched and took his weapon. His bow was nowhere in sight.

"My bow...", he whispered.

"Bow's only as good as the marksman that wields it. Forget about it. You´ll get another one", Revali said, not waiting for him, floating in the direction of Rito Village.

"Revali... er... Sir?", Teba doubted the fabled champion would like to be called sir, but he did it anyway, for good measure. Revali merely looked at him out of the corner of his eye, Teba took his cue.

"Is it true you could fire five arrows at once?", he felt like a small kid in the presence of a Legend. Which was pretty much the case. Revali laughed sincerely for the first time. It was a mixture between a hylian sounding laughter and a squeak. It was a very odd sounding laughter.

"I only ever managed to fire three at the same time. But I was always the fastest archer in Hyrule. I fired the other two almost instantly. To the naked eye, naturally it seemed as if I had just fired five. Only one person knew my secret...", he ended the sentence bitterly, but an odd smile apeared as he said it.

"Link", Teba said. Revali nodded.

"Closest thing to a friend I ever had. And the only person that rivalled my stamina and marksmanship...", he said wistfully. "Pride got the better of me... and now, here we are", he said sadly. Teba had heard about the four signals. Revali's had come last.

"But I digress. We need to get you some help. Come on, keep up", he said firmly. Teba followed the ghost of his ancestor to the stairs of Rito Village.

"I shall watch atop Medoh. She's useless now, but at least it's still a good vantage point. Come see me again when you're healed up". And with that he disappeared, engulfed by the bluish flame.

"No one's going to believe me", he said as he passed the confused looking guards at the entrance.

"Alright Teba?", one of them called.

"Yeah, just a stupid branch, nothing serious Kehke", he said without looking back.

But the seriousness of the situation made every step up more difficult than the last.


A/N 2:

How? What? Why?

Fear not, all will be answered in due time!

Thanks for all the new reviews, favorites and follows. Keep them coming!

See you in the next chapter!