Year 122 After the Triforce- In the winter of the year 122 massive blizzards ravaged the country. Lake Hylia and the Zora's Domain froze over, Death Mountain was capped in snow. In the northwest the Guerudo Fortress was buried under ten feet of snow and the Haunted Wasteland became tundra. White wolfos attacks on the Great Ranch increased dramatically. At this time a relic of might, created by the sages to harness the power of the savage winter was created. It was named the Frost Stone.

The scholar's eyes strained to read the faded writing on the old parchment. The candles that lit up the massive interior of the Library of Hyrule cast menacing shadows across the mostly deserted room. Bookshelves bearing row upon row of ancient tomes towered about the room.

The scholar was surprised by the oldness of the story as well as the fact that he had never heard it. He quickly jotted down some notes on the entry including the page number and title of the book. He wondered what his commander would make of this knowledge.

………………………

At the moment his commander was strolling through Hyrule Market town with his lieutenant Karac. They were going over the plans they had made for the upcoming murder of the King and his Knight. At the moment the assassins were discussing the troops they had at hand.

"Well, sir", Karac said in response to his commanders questions, "We have ten soldiers in my brigade, eight male and two female. One of them is a bomb expert, six are well skilled in fighting, and the other three are skilled in escaping and infiltrating arts, such as the equestrian and climbing ones."

"Good, lieutenant. We shall divide your brigade, I will take five and you will take the other five. Your job is to handle the killing of Link. I will take the King. I will need two of the infiltrators, the bomb expert, and two fighters. That will leave you with four fighters and one of the escape artists. Make sure both groups each have one female member incase we need her for unique purposes. You pick the soldiers and inform my group to gather at the Temple of Time at midnight tonight.

"I shall commander. Anything else?"

"Yes, even though you are in charge of Link's death you will keep me informed with written reports. Do not deliver them to me by hand; in fact we shall never talk in this town again. Address your letters to a Mr. Donlin. If you see me do not act like you recognize me or try to speak to me unless it is an emergency."

"Yes, sir."

The two men turned from each other, Karac walking over to a stand to haggle with the vendor there while his commander turned down a back alley and entered the apartment where he was staying for the duration of the job.

………………………

The knights jogged around the lawn under Link's watchful eyes. Gone was his green forest tunic, replaced by shining red armor emblazoned with a lion on his chest plate. He wore a silver helmet that his golden hair flowed out of. A majestic blue cape with red lining adorned his back.

"That's good men", Link yelled out signaling for the knights to stop their jog. The jog was a warm up procedure that opened up every training session. Link had been late so the knights had begun practice with disorganized sparring instead of the usual run hence the fact that they were doing it now. Almost every one of Link's soldiers had known the reason he was late and hadn't wasted a moment in teasing him about it.

"Alright men, get with your sparring partner, we will engage in our slash patterns, then our thrust patterns, and finally our footwork. Begin!"

On his call the knights rushed at each other and started combat, in groups of two. Each group clashed together, one knight falling back and parrying with his sword or shield while the other launched three slashes across and then a downward chop. After the man had finished the pattern he fell back on defense while his counterpart now pressed in attack. They went through their patterns one after another for about an hour until they were done.

Link had barely broken a sweat by now but his fellow knights panted and wheezed many of them slumping to their knees the moment he called for the session to end. Link walked about the lawn commenting to each knight on his strengths and weaknesses. When he was finished he strode to the head of the group and addressed them, "All right men, as usual you did fantastic today you continue to prove that the Hylian Knights are the most elite fighting force in the world. We shall have practice tomorrow at the same time. Dismissed."

A single knight raised his hand, "Yes", Link called on him.

"Well sir", said the knight he had called on, "Will you be late arriving because of that pretty little ranch girl again." The group of knights burst in guffaws. Link laughed and said in answer to the knight, "Probably," That brought more hearty laughs as the tired knights broke ranks and went about their way.

Link walked across the lawn to the doors that led into the castle. After entering the great building he quickly made his way through the halls racing to get out of the building, once again Malon was on his mind and he wanted to make sure he was ready for tonight. He was moving so quickly he almost ran over Princess Zelda as she came around the corner.

"Whoa", he yelled as he spun out of her way. After the initial surprise faded they both burst into laughter.

"Where are you heading so fast, Hero of Time?"

"Oh, uh, no where really, what about you Zel?"

A knowing smile spread across her face, "I know where you're going, to visit Malon right."

"Maybe", Link said with a blush, how could she know.

As if reading his mind Zelda said, "It's no secret around the kingdom that the beautiful maiden of the ranch favors you Link. Though it is heartbreaking to many women around Hyrule."

Link laughed in surpirse, "I bet it is."

Zelda smiled dreamily, "It must be a great thing to be in love, if only I could find some."

"What do you mean, Zel?"

"I hate every suitor that comes to the court, pompous knights, fat nobles, and that hideous Duke Ralain", that last name being the man who happened to be her father's military advisor. The obese man also happened to be dead set on winning the Princess' hand in marriage, much to her horror.

"Has he been bothering you again", asked Link. Since Link was the Chief Knight and Duke Ralain was the military adviser they usually briefed King Harkinian on matters of the army, and they usually disagreed. Neither Link nor Ralain had much use for the other and neither made a secret of it.

"No more than usual"

"Goddesses, if he was anyone else but a noble I would have his large ass on a stick", Link cursed.

Zelda giggled, always finding Link's sometimes course peasant vocabulary refreshing in the proper and polite atmosphere of the court. She patted Link on the shoulder and said, "Well I shouldn't you any longer Link."

Saying their goodbyes the two headed off on their separate ways, Zelda to her quarters and Link out to the exit of the castle. He strolled throughout the front lawn of the castle chatting with the guards as he headed towards the market.

He strolled over to a clock stone and hit it with his sword listening intently to hear the time. It was 2:00. Damn, Link thought, I still have a few hours. What should I do while I wait? I know, I'll get Malon a present. He headed off again walking into the bustling square of Hyrule Market Town. He headed towards one of the vendor's who he knew sold fine clothes.

The swarms of people who haggled about the booth made room for Link, being the Hero of Time had its benefits. He surveyed what the vendor had to offer in terms of clothing. He saw some two piece outfits the man must've bought from Gerudos and Link snickered as he imagined Malon's reaction if he bought her some of those. He continued to scan the booth and then decided he didn't see anything he thought she would like. Turning away he walked out towards the fountain at the center of the square whistling to himself. He didn't seem to notice the quiet man who was following him.

………………………

Karac had stayed in the market square after his boss had left to get a feel for the area he'd be operating in for the next few weeks. He had been surprised when he noticed the target, the Hero of Time himself, suddenly appear on the scene. His assassin's instincts taking over him Karac had begun to quietly stalk the young man about the square, his intentions undetectable to even the most vigilant observer.

What should I do? I could go for the strike now, he would never see it coming. But would the commander approve, I mean, we were supposed to strike as a group, a planned assault but this is a huge opening. I could slash his exposed throat with my dagger and grab his wallet, make it seem like a simple robbery. That would still lend our brigade surprise when we go after the King. Yes, the commander would definitely approve of this, its creativity, quick thinking, and disguise, the three virtues of assassination as the commander always tells us. Goodbye, Link.

Having made his decision the assassin moved in for the kill. He slipped one hand into his belt pouch discreetly to grasp his knife while he strolled nonchalantly and quietly up to the fountain where Link unexpectedly sat. Karac began to withdraw his hand from his waist, clutching his dagger's blade in his hand to cover it up until the moment of the strike. He began to slide the cruel blade between his fingers as he slowly lifted his arm for the attack. He was only a few feet away from Link and coming at him from his blind side.

Now his arm was fully up in the air the dagger clutched openly and ready to strike. The assassin moved fluidly taking the next few steps quickly and in time with the downward thrust of his weapon. He saw the point of his knife flying towards Link's exposed jugular vein. He looked forward in time in his mind picturing the slight struggle as the blade pierced the skin, feeling the blood squirt onto his arm, feeling the weight of Link's body as he pushed him dead into the fountain, hearing him gasp his last breath, feeling his strike knocked aside and a tremendous blow hit his elbow breaking his arm.

Karac screamed in pain and his knife slipped from his hand. His other hand came around to grasp his snapped arm and he sunk to his knees in pain. Link was somehow standing before him having deflected the attack at the last second, then following up with a blow on Karac's arm which had broken the bone cleanly.

"That's not possible", the assassin gasped through gritted teeth as he winced from the fiery pain in his arm.

Link responded by snapping his leg out in a sudden kick, his heel connecting solidly on the assassin face, crunching his nose and drive his body flat onto the ground. The man's head smashed viciously on the cobblestones of the market square hard rendering him immediately unconscious.

It took a moment for the people around Link to notice what had happened, the couple who usually danced in the square stopped their waltz and the woman screamed as she saw the assassin lying unconscious with his arm bent the wrong way and blood flowing out of his head wound.

More people noticed and their was shouting and pointing as the crowd began to surge toward Link and the downed assassin. Before they could reach Link two guards pushed through the throng driving people aside with their shields and shouting for the people to stand back. The crowd obeyed backing away from the site of the attack.

One guard went to check on the assassin as the other went over to Link asking, "What happened?"

Link explained, "I noticed him following me", he gestured to the assassin, " So I sat here on the fountain to appear as a target. I noticed him approach and he drew a weapon so I disabled him."

The guard nodded believing Link immediately, it also helped when a little boy pushed through the crowd to yell, "That bad man tried to hurt Mr. Link."

The guard nodded to his partner and they hoisted the man up off his feet, "Alright we'll take this bastard to the dungeon, when he comes around we'll question him."

Link nodded, dazed. Why, he wondered, that was no simple mugging. That man was a professional, an assassin. His thoughts left him with one recurring question. Who wanted him dead, and why?

………………………

Consciousness returned to Karac slowly. He wondered why he was being carried and by whom. He also wondered quietly at the pain in his arm and nose. Thought returned to him suddenly. He had to bite his lip to keep from crying out and he kept his eyes closed not wanting whoever was holding him to know he was awake.

He knew well the grip of guards, firm yet not cruel but in no way friendly. He also gathered that from the lack of noise or light, and from the echoing sounds of footsteps, that he was inside somewhere. Karac remembered the attack and felt enraged. Enraged at Link for foiling his assault and breaking his arm and nose and enraged at himself for such a rash act.

I must escape, he decided. He regulated his breathing slowly to gather strength and let himself hang down a bit to increase the guards work. He bided his time gathering strength and waiting for the opportune moment when he could make his escape.

"Heavy son of a whore isn't he", said one of the guards.

"Yeah. We should just waste the bastard and be done with him."

"Then we couldn't get any information out of him though."

The other laughed, "Yeah, this little shit will be sorry when he wakes up."

I definitely must escape, decided Kara, I know the positions of my group and if they are revealed it could ruin the job and the organization. And I don't feel like being tortured right now.

He nearly laughed with glee when he felt one of the guards release him and say, "Here we are. You hold him while I open the cell."

Karac formulated a plan in his mind and waited, he heard the grating sound of metal keys being shoved into a lock followed by a screech as the guard pulled the rusting iron cell door open. Karac opened his eyes to see the man slightly bent in front of him as he pulled the door open and the other whistled quietly in no way suspecting what was to come.

Karac jumped up and kicked both feet off the guard opening the door's rump, the momentum propelling him and the guard holding him backwards. He heard the guard holding him's head connect with the wall in a sickening crunch. The man's grip turned lax and the assassin pulled out of it, the guard slid to the floor.

Karac rushed the other guard who was starting to get up and seized him in a choke hold, his arm around the soldier's throat. The guard dropped his spear and grabbed at the assassin's arm while twirling about trying to grasp him. Karac kicked in both the guard's legs dropping him to his knees. Then he pulled back on the soldier's throat with all his strength and didn't let go until he felt the man go limp in his arms.

Karac slumped against the wall panting heavily, exhausted from his exertion and the incredible pain in his arm. He rested for a few minutes deciding his plan to escape the castle, for he was sure that was where he was. Then deciding on a plan he went to work.

Later that night a hunched beggar wearing a face covering cloak crawled away from the square of the market and into one of the many alleys that sprang off from it. Slumping in a gutter the beggar fell flat. Then when the alley was silent the cloak was thrown off and Karac sat up in the gutter breathing heavily.

He laughed grimly and started off, heading towards the Temple of Time where he knew his commander was breifing one of the strike groups. He had been ordered not to speak to him except in the case of an emergency, but Karac had decided long ago that this was an emergency.