It was early morning; the red sun was just rising over Death Mountain and casting rays of light down into the Market Town. The light entered the Temple of Time, streaming through the windows to illuminate the dark hall. Within the assassins were finishing getting their orders and were about to leave.
The commander turned to Karac, his gaze freezing the man in place. "Do you understand your orders", he asked.
Karac nodded. Do I understand? Yes. Do I want to do it? No. And it was no surprise that the assassin felt some hesitance at carrying out his orders. But he knew that to disobey would be worse. Far worse.
Satisfied, Karac's commander turned to address the whole group, "So my faithful troops. Be at the castle this day next week. It will be the most eventful Royal Ball that has been held in a long time I wager." There were some sniggers at his sarcasm.
The assassins strolled calmly out of the Temple of Time, safe in their knowledge that Karac's orders would bring them perfect disguise, and allow them all the time they needed to prepare for the upcoming ball.
Karac's stride, as he left the Temple and walked down the stairs towards the awakening Town, was anything but calm. He wondered if he would die, if the Hylians would simply kill him once they had apprehended him. He almost turned and ran as he exited the town proper and headed up the path, the castle towering majestically in the distant.
His master trailed him a few yards behind, just to make sure he didn't have a change of heart. The assassin thought to himself, I am sorry Karac, you were a good man, but you failed me here. I cannot give you a chance to fail again. The assassin had no intentions of rescuing his lieutenant, unless a completely risk free opportunity presented itself. He wondered if Karac had known what his sacrifice would accomplish, would he have been more enthusiastic. The assassin laughed quietly, Probably not.
Karac took a deep breath as he neared the gate. The guard looked up to regard the stranger and asked, "Can I help you sir?"
Karac, his face turning steadily paler, answered, "Yes. My name is Karac. I was once a follower of King Ganondorf Dragmire. I was the assassin who attempted to kill Link in the square and who then murdered the two guards and escaped. I am here to attempt to kill him again."
The guard was silent for a moment. Confusion, surprise, and fear crossed in his mind. At first he thought the man was either a joker or crazy. But then he recognized him and realized that Karac was not lying.
The guard brought his whistle to his lips and blew a long and loud note before yelling, "Intruder!" Then he rushed at Karac, who stood unflinchingly accepting his fate, and slammed him in the face with the butt of his spear. He straddled the fallen assassin and slammed him in the face twice more, rendering Karac unconscious.
A moment later two guards came rushing out of the opened gate and down the dirt path to where the soldier stood guard over the captured killer, a triumphant smile lighting up his face. He explained to his two fellow soldiers what had happened. Surprised and overjoyed the guards dragged the soldier to the castle where they threw him into the dungeon, under heavy guard, before reporting.
From his perch above the hill that he had climbed with a vine rope, the master watched the events transpire below him. He felt a small pang of sadness as he watched his once skilled lieutenant beaten unmercifully, but only until he reminded himself of the benefits of this sacrifice. Climbing nimbly down the vine the commander headed back towards the town. He had work to do.
………………………
Link rode Epona through the lowering drawbridge and into Hyrule Castle Town. When the gate guard noticed him he jumped up and ran after the horse and rider yelling, "Sir Link, wait."
Link stopped Epona's slow walk and turned around to acknowledge the guard smiling and saying, "How many times must I ask you guys not to call me Sir."
When the guard didn't laugh at their usual joke Link knew something was up. His grim face, that looked like it could've been set in stone, also tipped off Link. The guard stopped alongside Epona and told Link about the apprehension of the assassin and that Link was expected at the court for the trial. Link nodded grimly and thanked the guard before starting off towards the castle.
Link, finding himself longing to meet face to face his attacker, kicked Epona lightly to speed her. The great horse raced up the path to the castle blowing through the hastily opened gate. The horse and her rider flew across the front yard of the castle and entered through the main gate.
Link leapt off his horse before the handlers in the courtyard had even reached it and set off at a quick pace to the throne room. He pushed through the ornate golden doors and entered the room. Either side of the room was lined by grim faced guards. At the far end, across a long red carpet, sat King Harkinian looking very royal on his tall and golden throne. Princess Zelda sat his right hand wearing a beautiful red and black dress. Many nobles milled about the room to the sides and away from the throne including, Link saw, Duke Ralain surrounded by his usual group of Gerudo bodyguards. There were rumors that he paid them for things beside his protection….
But Link only took a quick observation of all this, his eyes focused on the hunched figure who knelt before the throne, flanked by two guards. Link narrowed his eyes and strode angrily up the carpet as the royal announcer said,"Now approaches Sir Link, Chief Knight of The Red Order."
Link ignored his title and the greetings of the people in the room, only acknowledging Zelda and the King with a curt nod. He walked up to the prisoner and pushed the guards aside and grabbed the assassin by the throat. With fire in his blue eyes Link pulled the assassin up and brought his face only inches away from his own.
"Why", Link growled shaking the assassin brutally and tightening his grip on the man's throat. "Why?" Link felt hands grasping at him trying to pull him off the choking assassin. Link, coming around and realizing where he was, let go and allowed himself to be pulled away. The assassin's cold eyes revealed nothing as he massaged his bruised throat.
Link was pushed gently into his seat at the King's left hand and watched intently at the proceedings, ignoring the unsettled looks he got from many people around the throne room, including the Princess and King.
Duke Ralain snickered and said, "Well if our Hero's temper has subsided maybe the Chief Justice can continue with the trial." The duke's voice dripped with contempt.
On cue, Lord Ranhault, the Chief Justice, began speaking saying, "Karac, this court finds you guilty on the charges of: two counts of murder, attempted murder, loyalty to an enemy of the crown, escape from prison, and treason. We have ample evidence from the testimonies of ten material witnesses as well as the fact that you did not deny you confession to our gate guard. In the opinion of this court, death by hanging is too merciful to an evil man like you. You are sentenced to life imprisonment in the deepest bowels of the dungeon."
Then, addressing the two guards flanking the condemned assassin, the judge added, "Take him away."
The guards roughly grabbed the man and dragged him out of the throne room. Falling in step behind them was a contingent of twelve more guards. After the assassin's first escape the King was taking no chances. Their orders were to kill the man if he made any attempt to run.
The King smiled trying to alleviate the tension in the room and said, "Well now that that's cleared up shall we discuss more happy things. Such as the upcoming Royal Ball."
Zelda nodded hurriedly, "Yes lets."
Link looked at the two rulers with confusion, "What about the assassin. Aren't we going to discuss going after his group."
The King laughed trying to hide his concern, "Well Sir Link, the man confessed that he was a servant of the banished king."
"He could've been lying my lord. Maybe he's been order to do this to throw us off. Now our guard is down. He could be working for an extensive organization that even now plots against us."
Link could see that he had hit the nail on the head and that King Harkinian began to look worried. But then Duke Ralain cut in saying, "Though your theory is a well developed one Knight, I will assure you that every single crime organization in Hyrule has been infiltrated and we would know if they moved against us. Also, because of my campaign against criminals hiding in the desert it would be impossible for them to get past our army there."
The king nodded and smiled looking very relieved. He turned to Link and said, "You see my boy. There is nothing to be concerned about."
Link nodded and said, "I am sorry my King. It is not my place to question your authority." In his head though he wondered, will this come back to haunt us.
As the talk around the throne turned to the upcoming festivities the mood in the room brightened. Zelda took a very determined drive to make sure arrangements were made to make it the finest Ball ever had. But though Link gave his advice here and there his mind was focused on one thing, the assassin he knew that was right now in the very same building as he. Another thing disturbed Link very much about the morning, the smug smile that Duke Ralain had been showing the whole time.
…………………….
Karac sat in the dank dungeon quietly thinking about his fate. He knew he could not escape. He was doubly chained to a pole in the center of his cell. The pole sat on a platform surrounded by a pit. Stalking about the pit were a number of chained wolfos who would be only to happy to feed on an unlucky prisoner. Only a small walkway connected the platform to the room's entrance, and at the moment it was retracted.
Karac began to feel rage, and not at his captors. Damn you commander, why would I ever trust you. You never trusted us, not even with your name. And now I will rot away in this cell for you.
The assassin sat in the darkness his hate and anguish festering in his soul. He was drawn from his thoughts by the sliding sound of the door opening. A large figure strode into the room. Karac was surprised when he realized that the man who had entered his cell was no other than their employer. The noble pressed down a switch and the walkway extended slowly across the chasm. The man crossed it silently and walked over to Karac ignoring the yips and growls of the wolfos beneath him.
"What are you doing here", Karac asked.
"I am here to offer you a proposition."
"Get away from me, if It wasn't for you I wouldn't be here."
"Really, I was not the one who had you give yourself up to keep cover", the large man countered.
"What are you talking about?"
"I deduced that since I hired you I know you are assassins not slaves to Ganon and that since you escaped you wouldn't walk right back in unless you were ordered to."
Karac slumped down defeated. What does he want? The assassin sat quietly wondering and then asked.
The noble laughed and said, "I want you help. I have a plan, a plot that will leave me in control of this entire kingdom. But I need your help. If you agree I will free you and make you a powerful man in this new kingdom. If you don't, then you will rot here for eternity."
Karac had already decided he would help the man but he wanted to know more so he asked , "What is your plan and what do you desire of me."
The man smiled and explained. A few days ago Karac would've angrily refused the man his help for what he asked. But now he didn't care. A few moments later the man had Karac unchained. The assassin grinned and flexed his sore muscles before following his rescuer out of the cell… and into freedom.
