Chapter Three: The Pirate Queen

The cannons spat smoke and metal at the pirate ship, ripping the planks from its hull. Still, the pirate ship came closer. As it neared, a rain of harpoons and grappling hooks jettisoned from its deck, hooking it to Lute and Cassandra's ship and dragging it nearer.

Then, the pirates began to swing onto their deck.

Lute drew his sword as a black-cloaked figure landed on its feet before him.

"Cassandra, go below decks," he commanded.

"Yeah, right," Cassandra muttered, pulling a small wand from her pocket. She murmured a spell, and the wand elongated into a staff.

"Two of you, huh?" asked the cloaked figure in a feminine voice. "That's hardly fair. However, I think I can take you both on."

"Try it," Lute challenged.

"I will." The figure whipped a sword out from beneath her cloak. "I am Captain Tetra, the Pirate Queen. Remember it."

"It won't matter once I'm done with you," Cassandra taunted.

"Exactly. You won't be around to remember anyone."

Lute looked blankly at Captain Tetra for a moment. "Do you realize how unutterably lame that sounded?"

"Yes, I do. However, pirate tradition dictates that I say it."

Lute shrugged. "Whatever."

"Now, let us begin!" Tetra exclaimed, raising her sword into the air. She brought it down on Lute. He swung his sword up and parried the blow. While Tetra was distracted, Cassandra cast a small lightning spell. Tetra sidestepped it, but it caught and singed the end of her cloak.

"Aw, and that was brand new, too," the pirate whined. Lute lowered his sword.

"You're not much of a pirate, are you?"

"Is it that obvious?" asked Tetra.

Lute and Cassandra stared at her in silence for a bit.

"Yeah, it is," Cassandra said finally.

"Darn it," Tetra grumbled. "Do you think you could let me win and take you captive so that I can convince my crew that I'm worth keeping? Mutiny is always a possibility when you're a pirate."

"If I wasn't so busy, I might consider it, but we need to get somewhere," Lute said.

"I know, but I'm having a bit of trouble with them."

"You sound familiar," Cassandra mused.

Tetra froze. "I do not."

"Do, too. I know I've heard your voice somewhere before."

"I've never seen you in my life."

Cassandra covered her eyes with her hand, thinking. "I know I've heard you before."

"Take off your hood, captain," Lute said, sheathing his sword.

Tetra seemed to be considering for a moment, but finally she reached up and lowered the hood. She had sun-brown skin, and her blonde hair was pulled back in a high ponytail.

Cassandra squinted at her thoughtfully. "Oh, my gosh, you're my old friend Lisana!" she exclaimed after a moment.

Tetra looked baffled. "What? No, I'm not."

"No, she's not!" Lute agreed. "That's Zelda!"

Tetra looked shocked now. "Am not."

"Are, too."

"Am not."

"Are, too!"

"Fine. I'm Zelda. Happy? But I'm not going back there!"

"You have to! Impa and the others are worried sick about you!"

"No, they're not. Maybe Daddy is, but Impa probably assumes I'll be heading back home as soon as I get hungry enough, and Link is probably vegging out somewhere or other with Epona."

"That's not true."

"Yes, it is. I know them well." She pointed her sword at Lute's chest. "Now, I'm taking you to my ship and holding you for ransom."

"Whatever," Lute said, knowing that it would all be over once Zelda got bored. "But I have a question."

"What?" asked Zelda, looking quite pleased with herself.

"How did you get tan so quickly?"

Zelda shrugged. "Instant tanning lotion. It works wonders for pale skin." She reached into the pocket of her cloak and pulled out a small bottle. "Want a spray?" she asked.

Lute shook his head politely. "No, thank you."

"Your loss."

She turned to the pirates, who were mostly lounging around the deck. A few of them had even taken to conversing with the sailors that they had tied up.

"Boys!" Zelda called. The pirates looked up at her lazily.

"Let the rest of the crew go. We're only taking these two!" she said, pointing at Lute and Cassandra. "Along with our other captive, we should make a pretty penny off of them."

"That was lame, too," Lute informed her.

"Shut up," Zelda commanded. "I can use this cutlass if it involves stabbing."

Lute complacently fell silent.

"Other captive?" Cassandra repeated. "Who's that?"

"Oh, just a little prince that we found in a lifeboat," Zelda said, grinning.

"In a lifeboat?"

"We burned down his ship."