Chapter Thirteen – Imprisoned

(Zelda's POV)

I am no weakling. See what I did for my people! I am buying them peace. I hope I am doing the right thing.

It is cold and damp and miserable. Water drips constantly from the ceiling, down the walls and across the floor. My cell is barely large enough for me to lie comfortably in. I have been cooped up in here for two days. The only people I see are the Zola warriors who captured me. I am frightened. Frightened for myself, frightened for Hyrule. Frightened for Link. He tried to protect me, I know, and what I saw in his eyes as they carried me off I will never forget. The way he screamed my name has burned it's place in my memory.

Yet I will be strong. Link cannot always protect me and save me. I am doing what I know is best for Hyrule. The Zora were once our allies and we need them. I do not want to come to the throne and be at war with people who were once our friends. Although at this rate I do not think I will come to the throne at all.

I am no weakling. Hah. I wish I were not!

I wish I could pretend that I am fine, that I am not frightened out of my wits in this dark, horrible place. I wish that I did not hope that somehow I would be spared my fate. I wish sometimes that I was not a princess - That this burden would not be mine; that I did not have to think of Hyrule at this moment and know that I must be strong. If the Zora demand my life as recompense for the loss of their leader, then I must acquiesce. I dread to think of what my father would say if he could see me now.

I wish I were not scared.

I have lost count of the days I have been trapped in this prison. I no longer care. I gave up watching the moon rising through the window that towers high above me. I gave up scoring the walls to note my days of confinement. I have given up my hope and my heart.

The Zora that cater to my needs are silent. Half will not even look me in the eye. I have had no sight or sound of Link or his so-called friend Rheyan since I was captured. Perhaps he had forgotten me. The thought of losing his friendship scares me more than my imprisonment does.

I wallow here day after day in my own filth. This is no way for the Princess of Hyrule to live. I wish they would just be done with it and have me executed. I would sooner face the sword than lie here hoping beyond all hope that somehow I will be spared. I will not be spared. How could my living recompense them for the loss of their beloved daughter?

The Royal Family may insist they have no argument with me, but surely they too must listen to the voice of their people. I just wish I knew who had given the order out to have Princess Ruaela murdered.

I cannot believe that my father would be so foolish.

It is very dark and very quiet. Occasionally I hear the scrape of feet and the murmur of voices from far, far away. I cannot understand what they are saying.

Smoke billows all around me. I feel a familiar sense of panic rising within me. My heart thuds painfully in my chest, and my breathing is rapid. What is happening? I do not smell fire, or hear screams. Perhaps this is how I am to be killed. Perhaps this is the end of my story.

Suddenly I see a light in the distance. I know my cell is small, yet the light is so far away. How could that be there? I step towards it. I realise as I move that my bonds have been loosened. Perhaps this is my chance to escape. I head towards the light. It pierces the black smoke like a beacon in the darkness.

I see Link standing there. His sword is drawn. He has come to rescue me after all. I feel strangely glad to see him and through my tears of relief, I feel myself smile. But he does not glance my way. He is entirely focused on something else. Something beyond the light. Something hiding in the shadows.

I edge closer and call his name softly. I do not wish to alert the guards to my presence. Then I realise that there are no guards here. I am standing in a huge room. Somehow I have been moved from my dungeon cell to the outside world. It is not a place I recognise, but I have not seen much of my homeland, so I am not altogether surprised by this. I call Link again and finally I catch his attention. He looks surprised to see me.

My hope and happiness die in an instant. Apparently, he is not my saviour after all. His surprise melts away into his familiar soft smile and I relax a little. He holds his free hand out to me and I accept his invitation without hesitation. He draws me to his side and I blush as I feel his arm encircling my waist again. Somehow I know that he wishes to protect me and, although I wish to be strong and learn to fight for myself, I am woman enough to desire the shelter of his arms. I can feel the heat of his body through the fabric of my clothes and I blush even more.

Goddesses, I really do like him then.

Yep. I do. Especially when he turns and smiles down at me, with that strange look in his eyes again. It is almost as if I am a dream to him and he cannot take his eyes off me. That is gratifying, of course, but what is quite alarming is the way I cannot take my eyes of him. His blue eyes are so intense, so beautiful, that I cannot but stare into them.

For a moment, I am lost in time – staring up at him, and thinking about him. Probably still blushing bright pink too, but I care not for that. Then I realise that black smoke still pours around us and the air is acrid.

"What is going on?" I ask him.

Link drags his attention from me and gazes into the darkness all around us. "Can't you sense it, my Princess? The darkness, the shadow just beyond my reach – it is coming…"

"What is coming?"

"Great evil." He responds. "Can you not feel it just before you wake up, do you not see it out of the corner of your eye – lurking in your shadow. There is something terrible coming and I don't think any of us will be able to hold it back."

As he speaks, I shiver. I realise how cold it is. I turn so that I am pressed more closely against him and to my surprise (and satisfaction) Link drops his sword and, for the first time in my life, he embraces me tightly. I hear his voice floating high above my head but I am not really concentrating on his words, or the darkness or anything but the novelty of being in the strong embrace of a man I lo-I mean-like. A lot.

"Zelda, are you listening?" He repeats.

How can he talk at a time like this? I always put Link on the list of 'strong, silent' types but here he is, talking for Hyrule. I wish he would hush. I raise my head to command his silence and as I do, his grip slackens. In fact, his arms drop to his side. I am confused now. And cold.

He smirks at me and tucks a piece of my hair behind my ears. "You really must learn to concentrate." He laughs.

"How can I concentrate when you behave like this?" I ask him, in a tone, which even to my ears is highly flirtatious.

Link smiles again and takes my right hand in his. "Princess, you must listen to me." He turns his hand in my grip so that I can see the back of it. It is his left hand and I remember, a long time ago, I saw a golden mark there. He closes his eyes and I jump in shock as the golden mark slowly begins to glow. And then my right hand starts to tingle. Painfully.

"You must learn to accept your past." He says calmly. He holds my hand tightly even though I am struggling for release. "Zelda, if you do not understand who you are, then Hyrule will not survive. Don't you understand that?"

"You cannot make me believe in the gods, Link." I answer quietly. "Release me at once."

"I cannot make you believe, no. But I can open your eyes, Princess." He turns my hand so that I can see it. I gasp as I see a matching golden triangle on the back of my hand. So that is the source of all this pain. Well if it is going to hurt me, it can go to hell! I shake my hand from Link's grasp and the mark disappears.

"Princess, please…"

"Enough, Link." I shout. A hurt look appears in his eyes and my heart goes out to him. "You have an admirable faith in your gods, but you cannot force me to believe in them. The mark on your hand, maybe it does set you apart. Maybe it does make you believe in them but it does not convince me. I do not believe in the legends of Ganondorf and Vaati and Zant and all the other 'evils' that have besieged this land before. I believe they are all fables. I am sorry."

"Do you deny your own heritage, Princess?" He asks quietly. I can still see the hurt in his eyes, but behind that, I can see a strange kind of anger. It unnerves me.

"I do not deny my heritage. I am the descendant of a long line of rulers, I…I think that maybe some of the stories were exaggerated. That's all. I mean, the Triforce, the gods, and everything - it is a little farfetched, Link." I smile sympathetically at him and to my surprise his anger deepens.

"Very well." He says and bows politely to me. "I see that I was mistaken in you. But know this, Princess. If you do not believe in yourself and trust the power bestowed on you by the gods, then Hyrule will fall."

"What?"

"You are Hyrule, Zelda." He says softly. "Without you, this country is nothing. If we lose you, we will lose our world. If you do not believe, then Hyrule is lost already."

He turns away and picks up his sword. All that closeness I felt a moment ago is lost. There is a huge barrier between us. But I cannot force myself to believe something just because he wants me to, although his words about my relation to the country are a little daunting. As he steps out of the light he turns back and smiles slightly.

"I will continue to fight, Princess." He says gently. "No matter how terrible the darkness and no matter what is thrown at me, I will keep fighting for you. I will always protect you. I will always protect Hyrule."

"Why?" I whisper as he walks away.

"Because…I love my country dearly." He replies.

A moment later he is gone and I am alone. I feel afraid again because I am lost and it is cold and all around me there are shadows. I dare not step out of the light into the darkness beyond, but already I can feel that its strength is fading.

"You know, if you were wise, you would listen to him." A voice comes from my right.

I jump and before I can turn around and identify the speaker, another voice comes from my left.

"If you do not believe in yourself, you will never find the courage within you to follow your heart, child."

A third voice comes from in front of me, "And without the courage to face what you fear, you'llnever have the strength to fight."

"W-who's there?" I call into the darkness.

The sound of giggles assails my ears but I cannot see anything. "You will never see us unless you see yourself." Comes the first voice again.

"Who are you?" I ask.

"We are the ones whom you deny… Princess Zelda." There is a laugh and then the light disappears completely. I scream. "We are your strength – your past, your present, and your future. You must learn to believe in us…"

"PRINCESS!"

The smoke becomes like a cloud billowing around me. In it I see all kinds of terrible imagines - demons and monsters and ghosts. I scream more and more.

"PRINCESS."

There is that voice again. It is muffled and distant. And it sounds like Link. Oh, thank the goddesses – he's come back to save me.

"Princess!"

"I am here, I am here!" I shout back as loud as I can.

I feel a touch on my shoulder. I jump almost out of my skin. My right hand tingles again. My fists are clenched. The smoke and that terrible acrid smell have disappeared. I can feel something cold around my wrists and ankles. Slowly, I see the warm glow of a torch just before me on the floor. My back is pressed tightly against the wall and I realise I am crouched in a ball.

"Princess?" I feel a warm hand touch my cheek gently and I lift my gaze.

Link smiles at me, a little wryly and says, "Are you alright?"

I look around the cell in some confusion. Where has all the smoke gone? Why are my hands still bound? Why is Link still here? I blink and look back up at him, hoping he will have the explanation. As usual, I am not disappointed. "You seemed to be having a nightmare." He tucks my hair behind my ear, just as he did in my 'dream' and smiles tenderly. "I was worried about you."

"I was dreaming?" I think I said that aloud. In fact, I must have said it aloud for Link nods and whispers, "It's alright. It is over now. I am here."

Thank the gods for that. I cannot remember ever having such a terrible dream before. I gaze up into his eyes and remember that some parts of my dream were not entirely terrible. I feel my cheeks beginning to glow and turn away. Link apparently has the same thought as me, for he stands and turns to somebody behind him. He clears his throat and says, "Anyway, Princess – I have good news…"

"You are to be released without charge, immediately." Comes another voice. I glance up and see a Zora standing there. I can tell from her finery and elegant bearing that she is important. "I am Queen Ruto, the fifth." She announces and holds a hand towards me. "I humbly apologise for the behaviour of my subjects and I beg that you will forgive them for their impudence."

This is Queen Ruto? She is very beautiful, for a fish-creature, and very stern-looking. Yet as she smiles at me, I see the humour in her face and the kindness in her soul. It wins an instant response from me. She kneels at my feet and quickly unlocks my shackles. "I came as soon as I knew what had happened." She explains as she helps me stand. "I would not wish for this to happen to you of, all people. I will ensure that the perpetrators of this crime are suitably punished."

"I offered myself." I explain hastily.

She turns her blue eyes on my and gives me a quizzical look. "You offered yourself, did you?"

"Yes. The life of a Princess for the life of a Princess." I smile. "I believe that is a fair trade."

"No." She answers surprisingly. She nods at Link who picks up the torch and she takes my arm to support me. "Nothing will bring my daughter back, I accept that."

"But I…"

"Peace." She interrupts me ruthlessly. "If you would please hear me out." I do not think that was a request. I catch Link's eye and I can see that he is as amused as I am. Unaware of our Hylian impudence, she continues, "As I said, nothing will bring my daughter back. I have long since accepted that and I am aware that it was not your father that ordered her execution. I cannot say that I entirely agreed with my daughter's actions either. Nonetheless, the reason for hostility between our people was not the actions of my daughter, or the price she paid for her treachery but that your father did not have the balls to…a-hem, I mean, your father did not have the spirit to take responsibility for the actions of his soldiers."

She is again oblivious to the look that passes between Link and I. I hide my smile and give her my polite attention. "I was a friend of your mothers." She announces. "You never knew her, did you? She was sheltered here with her children after her unfortunate affair." She smiles to herself and says, "I believe that is sufficient recompense for the loss of my dear Ruaela. It really pi-I mean-irritated your father to know that she had found a home here."

"But I thought the death of your daughter occurred after my mother ran away?"

"No." Ruto smiles again. "My daughters death coincided with the disappearance of your mother. Both incidents almost cost your father his throne. Afterwards we had a kind of truce that lasted for a few years, but things turned sour again when your father came to know about the second child born to his wife. Out of wedlock. He was of the opinion that we should not have allowed such an event to take place in our domain. When we disagreed and advised him that Queen Helena was happier living in sin with two illegitimate children than she had ever been living in the castle with a dimwit, he took offence and thus our hostilities started again."

She pauses to admire the ring on her finger. "Nevertheless, I am of the opinion that this stupid war has lasted for far too long. It is time to bury the hatchet. Many hurtful things were said and both sides did many foolish things. Do not think that you Hylians are innocent in this – my people have been ostracised and persecuted. However, I am prepared to try to make amends. We all must work together to stop the coming darkness destroying our world."

"Coming darkness? So you believe that too?"

"Of course I believe that." She replies almost scornfully. "Surely you can sense it too, Princess? There is a great evil lurking in the darkness and it will surely rise again. Why else have you been born bearing the mark of the Holy Triforce and why else would Link be at your side, protecting you?"

I remember my dream and shudder. Somehow I do not want to tell this magnificent Queen that I think she is mad. I do not want to admit to my lack of faith in the gods. I do not think that would go down well. She clearly expects a response. I glance at Link, who shrugs unhelpfully, and stare up at her. She seems enormous in the pale torchlight and she is glaring at me. "Um…"

"I expect you will visit the Shrine of Lord Jabun whilst you are here and offer your prayers to the Water Sage?" Ruto glares down at me. I think she can see through my silence. I have to admit, she is quite scary.

"O-of course." I agree.

She smiles. "I am glad. I would not want to think that Hyrule's only hope does not believe in the gods." She pushes a door open and we step out into the throne room. Suddenly I become conscious of my filthy state, greasy hair and dirty face. Everything here glistens with crystal clarity. I just want to crawl into a corner and hide. The Zora have all stopped swimming and are bowing to their queen. And casting glances in my direction.

"This is Princess Zelda." She announces, in her booming voice. I am sure that she will be heard even at Lake Hylia. "She is my guest and as such she will be treated with the utmost respect, dignity and diligence. If I find any of you have mistreated her, or have said a single thing against her, you will be punished. Is that clear?"

"Yes, ma'am." Agree the assembled Zora's.

"Good." She turns back to me. "Rheyan will be your personal servant." She raises one finger and on cue, Rheyan jumps out of the water and in one neat move, stands at her side and bows to me.

"I am sorry for what happened to you, Princess." He murmurs.

I actually do not blame him for my capture. I am just about to put these thoughts into words when Queen Ruto says, "Actually, it was Rheyan that alerted me to your presence here, Princess. You can trust him. Can't she, Rheyan?" She turns her glittering gaze onto him. I am amazed that he remains perfectly composed. I would have wilted under such intensity but he just smiles serenely and bows.

"Take her to the best guest chambers." She orders, "After she is washed, clothed and fed, she may meet her relatives."

Rheyan's eyes gleam with a hint of amusement at this but he merely bows again. "Anything else, my Queen?"

"Yes, after that, bring her back to me. I wish to talk with her some more. That is all."

"Yes, ma'am."

My future decided there is nothing I can do about it. There is no opinion I could voice to stop these competent plans. All I can do is thank the autocratic Queen for her kindness (who frowns at me), smile weakly at Link (who rolls his eyes), and follow Rheyan (who walks alarmingly fast).

What a welcome to the Zora's domain!

And I hope you all enjoyed your winter holiday, whatever you were doing and have a very happy new year! Remember to review!