Happy Saturday! Sorry guys, I know this is another short chapter but I promise it's a gooder! I'll most likely do another bonus chapter midweek to make up for how short this chapter is though. On another note, I've been working on another story that I'll be posting once I have enough chapters written. This one is an Escaflowne fic and is a lot more ambitious than this story so keep an eye out for that one! It'll also be more mature than this story. I've also decided I absolutely will do a sequel for this story but I won't do that until after I've finished the Esca one.
As always, don't forget to like and review! It really means a lot to me. Enjoy!
Zelda nearly stopped in her tracks but Link grabbed her and forced her to run.
A guardian was right on their tail and Impa turned to face it. "Get the princess out of here! I'll draw it off!"
Link didn't wait to see what the Sheikah would do and grabbed the princess's hand and pulled her running behind him.
They continued South past Lon Lon ranch and ran along the river, taking shelter within the trees as they ran.
Link didn't know when the rain had started to fall but the ground was muddy and slick.
He pulled the princess along behind him, sword drawn to cut down anything that got in their way.
He felt her hand slip from his grip and heard her fall. He turned and stopped running to go and collect her but the way she crumpled on the ground made him stop.
"How…" she breathed heavily, "How did it come to this?"
He sheathed the Master Sword and knelt on one knee in front of her, listening.
"The Divine Beasts… The guardians…" Her voice nearly broke as she spoke, "They've all turned against us…" Her fists tightened on the grass, "It was… Calamity Ganon. It turned them all against us!"
Mud splatters covered her arms and her white prayer gown. Link knew they should keep running but for the moment, they were safe and Link would give her the time she needed as long as he could.
She looked up slowly, not quite meeting his eyes, "And everyone – Mipha, Urbosa, Revali and Daruk…" She finally met his eyes, tears flowing from her own, "They're all trapped inside those things…"
She covered her face with her hands in shame, "It's all my fault! Our only hope for defeating Ganon is lost all because I couldn't harness this cursed power!"
Link knelt before her as she seemed to collect herself.
"Everything – everything I've done up until now… It was all for nothing…" She dropped her hands and looked up into Link's eyes, "So I really am just a failure!" She cried then slowly looked down, "All my friends… the entire kingdom… my father most of all…" She looked up and spoke more softly, "I tried, and I failed them all… I've left them… all to die."
She squeezed her eyes shut and sobbed, collapsing into Link's arms. He held her as she sobbed, thinking of his own friends he had left in the castle and his own father who would have died protecting the king.
He felt his own heart clench at the thought of all that had been lost all ready. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a breath, pushing those thoughts aside. I have to protect the princess…
Her sobs slowed down and he took her firmly by the arms and held her up from him, "We have to go…" he said gently yet firmly.
Zelda sniffed and nodded, standing back up. They began to run again. They paused to catch their breaths at Riverside Stable. There were many survivors form Castle Town there, frantically trying to buy up horses to escape further but the stable owners had to fight them off to keep their own horses in case they should need to abandon the stable.
"We can't stay here." Link said to the Princess when he saw the accusing looks people were casting their way. We were supposed to stop this…
Zelda nodded and they continued South along the river toward the bridge that would lead them through the Duelling Peaks and crossed the river again at the Big Twin Bridge. The Duelling Peaks Stable wasn't as crazy but the big swords the stable owners and inhabitants were holding showed Link they weren't welcome there. They continued up the path across Kakariko Bridge where they were met by Robbie, one of the Sheikah researchers.
"Robbie! Where are Purah and Impa?" Zelda demanded.
"They're in the village. Impa sent me to wait for you." Robbie replied calmly.
Zelda released a breath in relief.
Robbie looked beyond them, "Let's get you two to the village where we can make a game plan."
They both nodded and continued up the path.
They met Impa at the entrance of the village where she was giving orders to the other Sheikah. She turned to them, "Good. You made it." She gave them a quick once over and determined they were uninjured. "I want you two to go to Hetano Village. It is far enough away that you should be safe. The men are putting up defences at Fort Hetano in Blatchery Plain back the way you came in case the guardians make it this far." She eyed Link, "We may need you to help support them. Are you up for it?"
He looked at Zelda, not wanting to leave her side.
"We will make sure the princess is safe." Impa stated, seeing his expression.
Link hesitated then nodded.
Impa nodded back once, decisively, "We will send support as well if it comes to it. Rest up then head out."
"Wait!" Zelda grabbed Impa's arm, "What about the Citadel? Surely the soldiers there would – "
"The Citadel has fallen." Impa said flatly and Zelda's hand slowly fell back to her side as the weight of the news hit her.
Impa moved on to continue giving orders to prepare against the guardians.
Zelda dropped to the ground in exhaustion and shock and Link slumped against a tree.
"How?" Zelda stared at the ground without really seeing, "How could the Citadel fall so quickly? The cannons should have…"
Link moved in front of her and took her by the shoulders so she had to look up at him, "We can't save them now. We need to focus on what we can do and Hetano is something we can still save. Impa is right. We need to rest before we go on."
Zelda nodded after a moment and Link stood up, helping Zelda to her feet and they headed into Impa's house at the bottom of the hill. Someone brought them both some water to drink as they waited for their muscles to start working again and they gulped it down greedily. They watched the Sheikah bustle around gathering weapons and other supplies before they looked at each other and nodded in understanding. It was time to go.
Link helped Zelda up and they walked a few steps to loosen up the stiffness that was already starting to set in. He led the way down the path back the way they had come but before they reached the stable, they took the left fork towards Fort Hetano where they met a few soldiers and civilians set to protect the path.
"Your highness…" One of the soldiers said in awe, "We didn't know you would be coming. We are honoured that you are here to send us into battle."
Zelda looked at Link then back at the soldier, "I'm honoured to have you in our army."
The young man smiled at that.
"Who is in charge here?" Link asked, looking around for someone of rank.
"I am." An older knight said as he walked over. "Rusl. I fought you at the tournament."
Link smiled at the memory and put a hand on the other knight's shoulder in comradery. "I remember. I'm glad to see you here."
Rusl nodded in agreement, "Likewise. And the princess is safe. I'd expect no less from you, Link."
Zelda smiled, "Sir Rusl, we are indebted to you and your troops."
"Nonsense. It is our duty to protect Hyrule and the royal family." The older knight bowed to her.
Zelda indicated for him to rise, "Please, what can we do to help?"
Rusl looked around, "I think just seeing you is raising the spirits of the soldiers. If you wouldn't mind talking to them, a morale boost after everything we have all been through, would go a long way."
Zelda nodded and set out to talk to some of the soldiers.
Rusl looked at Link, "How is the castle?"
Link looked down in shame. "The castle has fallen. The king has fallen…"
Rusl frowned, "And the Divine Beasts?"
Link shook his head.
The older night took a deep breath and sighed, "Well… all is not lost yet. You and the princess are still alive. There is hope so long as you both stand."
Link looked the other knight in the eye, "Thank you. You have no idea how badly I needed to hear that."
Rusl nodded then went off to help the others prepare. Link looked around for Zelda and spotted her chatting with one of the younger soldiers. Even covered in mud as she was, she was still beautiful and the look of awe on the young man's face told Link that the boy now had one more thing to fight for.
You were born for this, Princess… He thought as he watched her.
"Is that the Master Sword?" A voice behind him caught his attention. Two other young soldiers were looking at his sword. They were younger than Link by a couple of years.
For once, that question didn't bring him any anxiety. He drew the sword and held it out toward them, "Yes it is."
The two boys gazed in awe at the fine craftsmanship before drawing their own swords and comparing. The steel of their swords seemed dull in comparison to the shining white blade Link held but that didn't seem to bother the boys.
"We can't possibly lose with this on our side." One of them said.
"And with the princess here too… We'll beat back those guardians and help you defeat Ganon too." The other said.
Link smiled at them. I wish I could be that certain… He thought.
He looked over his shoulder and saw Zelda watching him with an odd smile on her face.
The boys then asked him if he would show them some techniques so he looked back at them and showed them how to get into a good stance for fighting. When he glanced back at the princess, she was talking to another group of soldiers.
Their day continued like this until nightfall and the garrison grew quiet. The rain still fell as Zelda walked over to where Link was sitting and took a seat next to him.
"I keep thinking I'm going to wake up from this horrible nightmare…" She said quietly.
Link looked at her sympathetically. He'd had a few moments where he hadn't believed what was really happening either.
She sighed beside him, "I just feel so useless…"
Link shook his head, "You did a lot for the soldiers here. Many of them were terrified before you talked to them but you've given them hope and you've given them something to fight for."
She looked up at him and met his eyes, "I think you gave them more hope than I did. You have the Master Sword…"
"Don't sell yourself short." He replied. "You're still their princess-"
A horn interrupted what he was going to say and he stood up immediately and looked out over the wall at the field beyond.
"Guardians…" he said under his breath.
Zelda looked out over the walls and gasped at the number of them that poured through the Duelling Peaks. The people in the stable started running but the guardians' lasers struck them down one by one. The princess watched in horror with a hand over her mouth before turning into Link's chest, no longer able to watch. He held her and closed his own eyes as the last one fell.
"You need to go." He said quietly to her.
She looked up at him sharply, "I won't leave your side."
Five Sheikah approached them.
Link watched the Sheikah come closer, knowing they were here to take the princess to safety. "You have to. I can't fight them unless I know you're safe."
Zelda grabbed his tunic and shook her head, "No. Then don't fight them. I need you with me, Link. All hope is lost if you die fighting them!"
Rusl looked over at them, "We'll hold them off as long as we can. You both need to survive this."
Link frowned, not wanting to leave these men to die.
"We'll be ok. This is our duty." Rusl nodded once at Link and bowed to Zelda, "This battle will be the greatest honour of my life."
The princess bowed in return to the knight, "I shall carry your honour with me and be strengthened by it, sir knight. Be well…"
The knight showed a hint of a smile before heading down to the gate to lead the troops out.
They watched as the soldiers marched out to meet the guardians head on. The archers prepared their arrows but Link knew the arrows would have little effect on the metal exoskeletons of the guardians. Their spider-like legs moved them swiftly over the swamp and ever closer to the fort.
Soon the guardians in the front stopped and started aiming their lasers at the soldiers. Rusl led the charge and the soldiers started hacking away at the metal hulls with their swords. The cacophony of the assault was cut by the sounds of screams as lasers hit their marks and men died. Bodies flew and landed, lying scorched and limbs stopping at unnatural angles. Moans and groans broke through the rest of the sounds of combat.
Link watched as three guardians fell to the swords of the soldiers. Three fell but more were coming and already they had lost at least twenty men.
He looked at Zelda who had her hands over her ears to drown out the cries of dying men. Behind her were the Sheikah ready to take her away to safety.
He looked back at her, "You have to go now. Before it's too late."
"What about you?" She demanded.
"I have to help them retreat. I'll save as many as I can then I'll come find you." He said as calmly as he could.
She grabbed his tunic again, "No! You'll die if you go out there! That's a suicide mission!" She searched his eyes desperately but he took her hands and loosened their grip on his shirt.
"I need you to be safe." Link replied, set in his resolve to help the soldiers. He nodded to the Sheikah who stepped forward to take the princess by force if necessary then turned to walk towards the battle.
She lunged toward him again, "Stop, Link! No! You can't go!"
He turned and pressed his lips against hers. She stiffened then relaxed in his arms as he held her against him. Her eyes fluttered shut and her lips opened at his urging. He deepened the kiss, savouring all of it that he could, not knowing if he would ever get to do it again. His body and heart had yearned for this for so long and yet he had been denied his desire due to his position. Now, none of that mattered.
After a moment, they separated and Zelda looked up at him breathlessly with a perfect blush along her cheeks.
"I will come back for you." Link promised before turning and walking out onto the battlefield.