Princess Zelda V watched the scenery of the Zora's river trickle by outside the carriage window. Even with the trees mostly barren, the grass decaying and the frigid river dropping to its lowest, the country here was stark and beautiful. She defied dropping temperatures by keeping the window cracked open, letting the air in. Wrapped in a heavy coat and fur-lined boots, she kept warm.
She and her father, the King of Hyrule, were returning to the castle after a short visit to Zora's Domain, where they'd been hosted by King Zora and his daughter, Princess Ruto.
"Zelda."
She glanced at her father with an apologetic expression. "Sorry, father, I was distracted."
Leaning forward, she studied the game board between them and plucked a piece from its position, nudging it ahead. King Ealtus grunted and shifted forward to make his own countermove.
"You've been preoccupied with your thoughts all morning," he remarked. "Is there something bothering you?"
At his choice of words, a shadow passed over the king's face, and he faltered in moving his next piece. Zelda noticed the slight tremble in his fingers that he tried to hide.
"Have you…had a vision?" he asked. His tone was admirable neutral, but there was the undercurrent of fear.
"No," she assured him quickly. "Nothing like that."
Her father nodded, returning his attention to their game. Zelda gazed at him with a mixture of sadness and regret. Though the king now believed in the veracity of her prophetic visions, he feared them. To him, any more glimpses of the future of his kingdom would herald destruction and death. It pained Zelda, but she knew her father held some fear of her, as well, for her abilities. It wasn't unheard of for members of the Royal family to be magically gifted; however, hers far surpassed any in recent memory.
Over the last decade, their relationship had been tumultuous. Now that she was twenty and an adult, her father seemed to be relaxing his grip somewhat, though she knew it was difficult for him. Since she was a child, her father had been somewhat aloof, keeping himself at a distance from his only daughter. Zelda knew now that the death of her mother was the cause of her father's withdrawal from everyone, but it hurt no less to be a child who didn't understand why. And then, when he'd doubted her visions of Ganondorf's impending assault on Hyrule and the gathering darkness—it had driven a wedge between them.
"Foresight is as important in running a kingdom as any other," her father continued, drawing her attention. "People think it's easy to rule in peacetime, but that is when it's most important to think of the future." He sighed, leaning back in his seat and drilling her with his gaze. "You must be ready for when that peace is inevitably threatened."
"I know, father." She gave him an encouraging smile.
Ealtus reached for her hand, meeting her eyes. "I will not be here forever," he said, cutting off her instant protest. "I know you will be a good queen, my dear, but as your father I can't help but want to prepare you for everything you will face."
Zelda squeezed his fingers to show she understood.
"You have been preparing me for my future my entire life," she told him. "You should enjoy the time we have together right now." She nodded at the game board, where she'd maneuvered her latest piece into a winning position.
The king laughed. "You've bested me again," he said proudly.
Zelda smiled back, resetting the pieces in their original places. "We've both been distracted today."
"You never told me what was plaguing you."
"I was thinking of Link."
"Ah."
Zelda narrowed her eyes. "I'm allowed to worry about him."
"My dear, it is a wife's disposition to worry. But I shall return the advice you gave me." His mouth curled. "You should not worry about what may happen and enjoy the present."
Zelda shook her head, a smile creeping onto her face despite herself. The king chuckled, reaching for his starting piece when the carriage jolted to an abrupt stop.
"Whoa!"
King Ealtus frowned, peering out the window to address the guard captain accompanying them.
"What's the trouble?"
"A small rockslide, your majesty, blocking the road."
Zelda pressed her cheek to the window, watching their guards dismount and approach the barricade, discussing the best way to remove it. Glancing above, she trailed her eyes to the sheer cliffs surrounding them, the shallow river, the skeletal trees.
"Father—"
An explosion rocked the carriage, turned all noise into a sharp, high-pitched hum. The glass window burst inwards, showering Zelda in razored projectiles. Unable to hear, she instinctively reached for her magic. With a flare of energy, she pushed it outside herself, catching several bodies and flinging them in all directions.
Friend or foe, she didn't know.
"Zelda!"
Her father's hand grabbed her arm, his panicked face filled her vision. Behind him, someone wearing a black mask over his face was wrenching open the other door. Zelda summoned the spell without thinking, creating a powerful crystal blue barrier around her and her father.
Their attacker drew a knife, hacking uselessly at the magical shield. She couldn't see the lower part of his face, but his eyes glared. "You can't hold that forever!"
Zelda, one arm still raised to support the shield, lifted her other and swung it in the man's direction as if she were swatting a fly. He flew backwards, tumbling out of sight.
Outside the carriage, pandemonium still raged. Their guards battled a dozen armed men in black clothing, their faces covered to hide their identities.
Panic flickered just as her shield did, threatening to fall. Pushing her first reaction aside, Zelda focused on her next move. They were safest inside the carriage for now, but they had no way of moving, as the bandits had likely cut loose their horses.
She didn't have time to formulate a plan, since her barrier dropped and someone grabbed her from behind, hauling her kicking and clawing through the shattered window.
Zelda was tossed to the ground, looking up in time to see two of the black-robed bandits approaching her father. He crouched in the broken door, one hand clenching a dagger, his expression set in grim lines.
Using the dubious shelter of the carriage, her father held off his attackers. With only his knife against two swords, he was quickly overwhelmed. One of the men's blades slid beneath his guard and drove straight through his chest near his shoulder.
"Father!"
A pair of hands seized her, picked her off the ground. She screamed, fighting and sending out bursts of magic, but he managed to clamp down her wrists, stopping her.
"Someone knock her out!" her captor complained, trying to keep her from kicking him.
Zelda fought harder, punching throwing elbow and knees. She landed a hit, but the man grunted and carried on. He sloshed through the shallow river, heading downstream. Desperate, she switched tactics and honed all her mental strength into a single thought.
Link…she called. Link, can you hear me?
There was no answer. He was too far away to hear her telepathically. Biting back a curse, Zelda reached out instead to Impa—she had other ways of communicating with Link and could get a message to him quicker.
Her message sent and received by Impa, who was close enough to hear her at Hyrule Castle, she called again on her magic, letting it pool itself in her centre, letting it build until it threatened to explode out of her skin.
Gritting her teeth against the pain of holding onto the excess energy, Zelda waited until it became unbearable—then she released it.
Zelda dropped to the water with a splash, several objects falling around her with dull thumps. Pulling back to her knees, she surveyed the damage, her brain refusing to process what she was seeing. Her captor her lay in bloody pieces around her, destroyed by the force of her magic.
Fighting the urge to retch, Zelda crawled out of the river and up the bank so she could see the carriage. She needed to find her father. Several of their guards and the black-clad bandits lay on the ground, either unconscious or dead. Her father was slumped next to the carriage. His eyes were open but unfocused, and he breathed laboriously.
The man who'd come after them with a knife, the leader, maybe, was standing over him. Turning, he saw her and stalked towards her. He stopped, eyes widening fractionally, when he saw the remains of the other man in the river.
"You'll pay for that," he growled, snatching her by the shoulder and hauling her to her feet.
His eyes were a pale green-brown, cold and unsympathetic. Looking into them, Zelda changed her impression of him from bandit to mercenary. Someone had hired these men to kidnap her and assassinate her father.
Struggling in his grip, Zelda grunted when he tossed her down beside her father. Ignoring his cold stare, she checked his wounds, assuring herself that he wasn't on death's door.
"Who sent you?" she demanded of the mercenary, who continued to stare down at her.
"We've taken care of the guards."
One of the others had come over to address the man, who flicked his fingers in acknowledgement. Zelda stared right back at him, memorizing what she could of his features.
He knelt in front of her, the mask he wore shifting as he talked.
"No one is coming to help you," he said coolly. "We have ways of muting your magic, so once we finish here, you're going to come with me, and you're going to behave." His eyes narrowed in a glare. "If not, if you try any of your little tricks?" He unsheathed his dagger, waving it under her nose. "I won't hesitate to cut that pretty face."
Zelda lifted her chin, refusing to look away. "I'll cooperate," she told the mercenary. "If you leave my father be."
"Afraid not." The man sighed, standing back up. "That wasn't part of the deal."
Lightning cracked between them, lighting up the scene in a blinding flash. Zelda blinked, finding Impa now crouched protectively in front of her, swords drawn.
The mercenary blinked, backing away. "Damn it," he hissed.
Impa straightened to her full height, flicking her swords out in a combative stance. She and the mercenary were motionless, staring each other down, before he cursed again, shouting an order to his remaining men.
The leader's hand snaked towards his pocket. Impa lunged, but he threw down a small object, and a second flash blinded Impa and Zelda. When it was gone, so were all the men in black.
Impa whirled, sheathing her swords in a practiced motion and grasping Zelda's face in her hands.
"Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm fine."
Zelda felt the tremors raking over her skin, but she couldn't stop them. She thanked the goddesses for the Sages' abilities to warp anywhere they chose, as well as the connection that had allowed Impa to pinpoint her location.
Assured she was telling the truth, Impa laid a hand on the king's arm, examining his wound.
"He needs attention immediately," she said. She glanced at her young charge. "He will be alright, Zelda."
"The guards," she managed, clasping her hands together in a vain attempt to stop the shaking. "They're…"
Impa stood up but didn't leave Zelda's side, she assessed the guards with a look, making her decision. She placed a gentle hand on Zelda's shoulder.
"I'm taking you and your father back to the castle. Hold on tight."
Zelda didn't argue. She looped an arm around Impa's waist, grateful she still had enough magic to warp them. Zelda had used all but the last few drops of hers on the last attack.
As Impa's magic swirled around them and shock set in, Zelda squeezed her eyes shut and focused on the details she needed to remember about their attackers.
She needed to find out who they were. And more importantly, who had sent them.
~oOo~
Silas' chest rose and fell in the peaceful rhythm of sleep, but Dark watched him for signs of distress anyways. From the moment they'd boarded the ferry and been escorted a private room belowdecks, Silas hadn't left Dark's sight. And he wouldn't leave his friend's side until he was cured of the stalfos poison trying even now to spread through him.
The ferry was quicker and safer than riding, but every time they stopped to pick up passengers or clear ice from the water, it grated Dark's nerves. Silas needed a more permanent solution than the drops of blue potion he'd been giving him every few hours, and the sooner the better.
He was starting to feel cramped from sitting in a chair at Silas' bedside so long, and he'd refused to eat anything. Eventually, Link had gone to the galley and brought him a tray of food back, almost commanding Dark to eat something. He'd agreed, if only to get Link off his back.
Staring at Silas' sleeping face, raked a hand through his hair. Chances were good Silas would be fine and make a full recovery. The reassurances didn't stop the fear, though.
"How is he?" Link asked from the doorway.
"The same." Dark sighed.
Link nudged him and held out a cup of something hot. Dark took a sip—hot cider. Perfect.
Link took the chair next to him, sipping at his own cup of cider. He didn't offer any words of reassurance or comfort, which Dark appreciated. His brother wasn't one to give words when they weren't needed nor wanted.
"I shouldn't be so worked up," Dark muttered, partly to himself. "He's taken a lot of blue potion. He'll be fine."
"He's important to you," Link said.
He glanced at his brother. "I wouldn't be here talking to you now if not for Silas."
A frown creased Link's brow, but Silas stirred before he could question Dark.
"Dark?" Silas cracked one eye open blearily.
"I'm here." He shoved the cup of cider at Link and leaned over his friend. "You're okay. We're on a ferry, on our way to Castle Town."
Silas tried to sit up and hissed. "Damn." He glanced down, lifting the sheet. "That looks bad."
"It'll heal," Dark said firmly. "You need to relax or you'll open the wound again."
Silas slumped back on his pillows with a sigh. "Yes, sir," he replied, with a dramatic eyeroll for effect.
"Dark." Link put a hand on his shoulder. "Come outside with me for a minute."
Dark drew the blankets back into place, then reached into his pocket for the bottle of potion. He placed it on the table beside Silas' head with an order to drink some.
When they were alone in the hall, Link turned to him with a serious expression.
"We need to leave as soon as possible."
Dark blinked, confused. "Leave? We're already on our way—"
"I received a message from Zelda," Link cut him off. "She and her father were attacked on their way back to Castle Town from Zora's Domain. Assassins."
He cursed. "Is she alright?"
"She and the king are fine. I came to see if Silas was well enough to warp, but…"
Dark rasped a hand down his face. "We shouldn't move him now. Not with magic; it's dangerous."
"I agree. Which is why I think I should go alone. I'll send someone to bring you and Silas straight to the castle. He'll get the care he needs as quickly as possible."
Dark blew out another heavy sigh and placed his hands on Link's shoulders. "Thanks," he told him. "I know you don't like leaving like this, but I appreciate that."
Link briefly touched his hands. "I'll see you when I can."
"I know. You should go. Make sure Zelda's all right."
With a nod, Link stepped back, giving himself a bit of space. The air around him shimmered like rippling water, then he vanished.
Link was one of few people with enough magic power to warp at will, anywhere he wanted. Most people, even those with magic of their own, needed the help of an object or another magic user to transport them. Dark had also managed to learn the skill himself, but unlike Link, he couldn't warp past magical barriers, such as the ones placed on Hyrule Castle. As far as he knew, only the Sages and Link were strong enough to do so.
Dark would have warped himself and Silas straight to Castle Town after the fight if he'd been able to. But magic could be unpredictable, and in his weakened state, Dark didn't trust the effects.
Returning to Silas' bedside, he wasn't surprised to see his friend had fallen back to sleep. Settling himself back in the chair, Dark stared at his friend's pale profile.
Long ago, he'd decided it was always best to trust one's instincts. So far, they hadn't steered him wrong, and right now they were adamant that Silas was going to be fine. Still, there was the other feeling—the one Dark had kept from Silas at the start of their journey because he didn't want to come off as paranoid as he felt.
Danger. That's what awaited them in Hyrule.
Being the sort of person who would rather face the danger head on than wait for it to show its face, this foreboding in his bones irked him. But Fate was not on his side, as she'd proven time and again, and she would not give him a sneak peek into the future.
Dark leaned back in the chair and propped his feet on the very edge of the bed so he wouldn't wake Silas. He could feel the knots of tension curling tighter in his neck and shoulders, so he tried to relax.
Unfortunately, there was nothing to do but wait.
~oOo~
Lymira was ready to leave the meandering ferry boat behind when it finally docked in northwest Hyrule, a few miles from the capital. It was a faster and more direct route than traveling through Gerudo Desert, but it was a tedious form of travel. She was anticipating a bit of excitement once she arrived in Castle Town.
Disembarking with her few belongings, she searched the crowd of fellow passengers for the Hylian soldier, Link, she'd met. He wasn't among them. He hadn't disembarked at an earlier stop—she'd been marveling at the natural beauty of the redstone Gerudo canyon long enough to see all comings and goings.
Deciding he must have slipped through her watch somewhere, Lymira accepted a ride on a public coach and stashed her bag beneath her seat. As the coach lurched onto the road to Castle Town, she studied the scenery outside.
Like Labrynna, Hyrule's rolling hills and forests seemed never-ending. This corner of the land was sparsely populated with a handful of villages and farms, so there wasn't much to see except trees iced with frost, stubbornly holding on to the last of their leaves.
The white spires of Castle Town were the first thing that caught her eye, rising above the peaked roofs of the town. They stood out among the red, blue, dark green and brown shingles, regal and elegant. Thick stone walls surrounded the town, with grates installed in its base to allow the Hylia River to pass through on its journey east. Soldiers patrolled the walls, walking in and out of guardhouses.
The coach detoured around the bend in the wall to the town gate, which was already open for them. They rolled through, over a short bridge spanning the river and into town. After a sharp right they arrived at the coach house and Lymira had her first true look at the Hylian capital.
Her observations were cut short by a polite tap on her shoulder. A young man with brown eyes and sandy blonde hair smiled at her, offering a short, formal bow. By his uniform and smart cap, she guessed he was a servant up at the castle.
"Hello," she said uncertainly. Her Hylian was near fluent, but Link's easy placement of her accent had her second-guessing her pronunciation.
The guy smiled at her, gesturing towards a smaller, open-air carriage waiting in the square. It was designed for comfort and style, its sides embossed with the Hylian crest. Evidently, the royal family had sent it for her, specifically.
Unused to being the cause of so much fuss, Lymira pursed her lips. At least she'd be able to look around a bit on the short journey up the hill to the castle. There was clearly no use in protesting that she preferred to walk—the sandy-haired attendant was already opening the door for her.
Lymira climbed in, followed by the young man, and the driver snapped the reins. The carriage ride was much smoother than the public coach, rattling over the cobblestones easily. Turned in her seat, she watched the goings-on of the Castle Town streets as people went about their daily lives.
Thinking she should be polite, Lymira remarked to the attendant, "I expected Castle Town to be crowded, but this is insane. How do so many people—" she broke off when she saw the young man holding up his hands with a smile.
He cupped one hand around his ear, then tapped his mouth with one finger. Realizing, she gave him a sheepish smile and faced him.
"Sorry, I'm afraid I don't know any Hylian Sign."
He shrugged and reached into a pocket of his vest, withdrawing a pen and notebook. He scribbled on a page and handed it to her.
"Dagan, huh? Well, thank you for escorting me. Though I doubt I would have gotten lost on my way to such a noticeable building." She gestured at the enormous castle looming on the hill above them.
Dagan chuckled and took his notepad back. As the carriage approached the castle's main gate, the waiting guards raised the portcullis, allowing them inside the interior courtyard. Dagan made a series of signs at the carriage driver, then stepped down, turning back to offer his hand to Lymira.
He led her to the interior doors, twin oak behemoths also etched with the Hylian crest, which opened before them. Inside, a massive staircase dominated the space, with servants, guards and attendants hustling all over the place. To the right of the stairs was a set of closed doors, decorated beautifully with a motif of flowering vines and songbirds. Just over her shoulder was a long corridor leading to unknown rooms. To the left, a wide, grander hallway welcomed guests with a row of stained-glass windows and plush purple carpet.
Dagan brought her upstairs to a guest room decorated in shades of pale blue and grey. Through gestures and points to her luggage and the wardrobe provided, she gathered he wanted her to unpack and get comfortable. Another message written on his notepad told her that someone would come by shortly to welcome her.
After Dagan left, Lymira took a few minutes to explore her room. It was larger than she'd expected, but then she was used to living in the mountains, in her one-room cottage. The balcony was her favourite part. The glass-paned doors were painted with a lovely ocean motif, tricking the eye into thinking a sandy beach lay outside.
There was a nice view of the forest bordering the north side of the castle instead. The commotion of clattering metal and shouts drew her attention to the grassy area just below her balcony. Soldiers were clustered all around a white circle painted on the grass, watching the sparring matches. Some grappled or sparred with each other while others used straw practice dummies to test their skills. To the west, a long, blue-roofed building probably housed the soldier's barracks and armory.
Interest piqued, Lymira leaned on the stone railing to watch. She was too far away to make out any faces, but she catalogued their strengths and weaknesses anyway, analyzing their abilities like a commanding officer. She spotted who she assumed was the commander strolling among the soldiers, pausing to offer feedback and occasionally demonstrating a move themselves.
A knock at the door drew her away with a sigh. She crossed the room, ignoring her still unpacked things and answered the door.
The woman waiting on the other side was tall and fit, wearing shorts, greaves on her legs, bracers on her arms, and a leather chest piece that left her upper arms bare. From what Lymira had seen, most Hylian women wore dresses, skirts and occasionally tunics or trousers. She'd been assuming the courtiers and servants would wear exclusively dresses suited to their station.
"Ambassador Talen," the woman greeted her. "My name is Impa." She gave a formal bow, with her hand flat over her heart. "Allow me to welcome you to Hyrule."
"Thank you," Lymira said, returning the gesture.
"I'm the personal attendant of her highness, Princess Zelda," Impa continued. "She sent me to beg your pardon, but she has been delayed and won't be able to greet you properly until this evening."
"Oh." Lymira was only marginally familiar with court etiquette, but she wasn't some snooty courtier. "It's no problem," she assured the attendant. She paused, then asked, "Am I allowed to wander around? Are there rules against that?"
A small smile curled Impa's mouth, and amusement sparked in her strange eyes. Neither Dagan nor Impa had reacted as people usually did to Lymira, but then Impa herself probably made people uneasy as well and understood how alienating it could be.
"As our guest, please feel free to explore and make yourself comfortable," she replied. "If you need anything, our servants can help you. Once her highness arrives, I'll come find you."
Lymira had no doubt Impa could find whoever she wanted, wherever they were. She exuded a cold capability and confidence that spoke of both great skill and tested experience.
With a few hours to explore, she decided first to grab a midday meal before touring the rest of the castle. She asked Impa the most pressing question.
"How do I get to the soldiers' barracks?"