(A/N): In this chapter, I used some Hylian words and common expressions so if you don't know what they mean, here they are:

kari- wow

Bagu vïnshas ont Hirule- I live in Hyrule

Aktajhá- "To hell" (insult)

Rusl da•ia Ordon- "Rusl from Ordon"

darshe- Ass (insult; vulgar way t cal the buttocks)

Fallo'kano•i- The term "Kano•i" is used when talking to an unknown person or someone that one highly respects (mostly by social status). "Fallo" is just the name of the person referred to.

Zelda'maji- The term "maji" is used when adressing a person of royalty but his/her status is lower than the King or Queen. Like a prince/princess. "Zelda" is (obviously )just the name of the person referred to.

Disclaimer: The characters mentioned here (except for Fallo) belong to Nintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto and by no means, I dare claim them as mine.

Auru

"His Highness wishes to speak with you sir!" Called a man covered in glimmering armor and whose face a silver mask protected. His tiny eyes could hardly be seen thanks to the excessive cover over his skin. They peered through two small holes on the mask's upper surface and studied the room the guard was in. His eyes darted across brick walls, other men wearing the same metal armors carrying huge shields and spears. These guys were chanting, joking around while carrying mugs dripping with ale. One could hardly believe that those men served as the Royal Family's soldiers and that they actually served and risked their lives for the commoners and noblemen who dwelled in Hyrule (specifically Castle Town). Looking at them in that deprived state, one could only pity their immaturity for falling under the clutches of alcohol and still be held higher above others just for sullying their title of servers of the ones of the blessed blood. The tiny-eyed guard scorned at another uniformed man. He was short, with not very long and flexible legs and arms, had a belly, and he was dancing on top of a wooden table surrounded by more soldiers or frequent clients of the bar. He chanted merrily as he sprung around the surface of the table, spilling cups of whine or forcing drinkers' faces against their beers. All the while he kicked his tiny feet in a "can-can" mode as he flailed his tiny arms around, arousing the excitement of the crowd that cheered and encouraged his dancing by clapping. They were too drunk to notice how stupid and childish they actually looked; men or women, soldiers or commoners. They looked so pathetic (and fun non-the less).

"All the way o'er the Provinces the Gods behest their Power upon! (kari!)" he chanted, taking a huge vase full of stinking beer and raised it above his head, "Across the hidden Skies of yore where their Wisdom poured like gold! (or beer!)" Another man joined the chubby guard on the table and arm-in-arm, they danced in circles. "Where the seed of their Courage sprung to life like wheat during Summer time! I'll tell ya traveler—" the guard stretched one arm toward the jeering crowd and they doubtless responded: "Bagu vïnshas ont Hirule!"

Everyone attending the little dance laughed and continued cheering for the singing, chubby guard. The tiny-eyed man shook his head ashamed that fellow was his partner in the work of helping the current peace in Hyrule to remain. And so, he dared not stay any longer to watch him sing more of those Hylian popular songs which would consequently lead him (taking in notice him being in that drunken state) to singing some more obscure and obscene melodies. Seriously! That guy was just one example of how many guards had fallen even lower than the thieves. No wonder the people believed on the rumors about the soldiers having a bad reputation. Rumors about them being weak, powerless, and cowardly. The tiny-eyed soldier huffed, "Aktajhá!

Sullying my role as defender of the Royal Family just for the sake of pleasure and entertainment! The lowly bastards...!"

"Now, if only we had more soldiers with that same mentality of yours son, then the skies would truly shine a golden color..."

The guard turned shocked toward the source of the voice, surprised that someone had answered him. He blushed slightly after noticing he had said those words out loud.

"I'm sorry you had to hear my ramblings sir..." he murmured through his emotionless mask.

An elderly man, well past his 50's bore a huge grin as his dark eyes peered through the cold surface of the tiny-eyed soldier and somehow, he could see his embarrassed blush.

"Ramblings be the chanting of that soldier," he said directing his eyes toward the singing crowd, "Now, your thoughts of what right and knowing your place is not rambling, but taking responsibility of your title."

The guard smiled, holding his spear proudly by his side and placing an arm over his waist, "As a protector of law and order I just can't abide to withstand that raucus, sir."

"It best be that way," mumbled the old man, nodding as he brought a mug of bitter ale to his lips.

"You know... Betcha ten rupees you forgot I was still here..."came a second, chuckling voice from across the table where the elderly male was sitting.

"Rusl da•ia Ordon..." greeted the guard staring down at the other, oddly clothed man, "What brings you to Castle Town?"

A blond fellow stared back at the tin-man before him and caressed his soft, dark beard. His blue eyes quickly inspected the armor of the guard as his body language seemed to tell him volumes of the way this shielded man had been educated and how he had meant to say: "Get this darshe out of my way and let me go on with my work and call Master Auru to the Castle where he's needed, instead of him being in this poorly constructed bar full of bohemians and other lowly scum such as you Rusl da•ia Ordon."

Ah... the guard seemed clever enough to know the difference of status between a highly ranked soldier such and peasant from the Southern Province of Ordona. The most lowly of countrymen as that guy might consider them Ordonians. Such racism... So much for "law and order" and "equality". The Royal Family was doing great in choosing its envoys.

"I applaud our King for selecting you as Commander of his troops Fallo'kano•i."

The third man, who sat across Rusl's place (and responded to the name Auru) chuckled slightly at his friend's statement. He knew the blond too well to understand the hidden message between his words.

"Rusl let's be kind to our Commander here." He turned his huge, dark eyes to Fallo, "What is it that brings you here? To this old coot's side? More work is it?"

Fallo, barely nodded as he didn't take his gaze off Rusl as the Ordonian drank some whine calmly and happy about his own joke, which hopefully, the tin-man didn't get. He seriously hoped not. Being sarcastic was a feature of him (having a pupil back at Ordon and all) and he was sure Fallo was starting to take notice of that.

The guard finally broke the silence (well, not real silence since the racket of the drunken people next to them continued), "The Princess requires your aid in spell casting, sir. She desires for your presence immediately."

Auru nodded nonchalantly as he took another sip of his drink, " So Zelda'maji it is..." he looked at the remaining, golden liquid inside his glass and sighed, "She grows so quickly and her Wisdom spurs wildly too... I doubt she needs any more tutoring from my part. And besides, didn't she have those ghastly Sages to teach her magics already?"

Fallo stood straighter, "Sir, the Princess seems to prefer your lessons. She mentioned them not being—"

"Boring?"

"You couldn't have make it any clearer soldier," chuckled Rusl through his whine.

"Well the point is that you must go to the Princess immediately!" scooted the guard obviously irked by the constant interruptions.

"Hmmm... Fallo, now I'm asking you to deliver a message from me to the Princess."

Fallo's muscles stiffened as soon as he heard that but he nodded non-the less, "Whatever is it you want me to tell her, sir?"

"Tell her that this old coot here wishes to spend some time away from the Castle. Tell her that he wishes to breathe the perfumes from Castle Town just for a while, and tell her that he wishes to spend some time with a good, old friend he's not seen in years." His gaze turned to meet Rusl's grin.

"But sir—!"

The elderly Auru placed a hand to stop Fallo from saying more. "She will understand, that lovely child. But these old bones are telling me that I have to try something new, something more that being the Royal Counselor..."