Chapter 3
Impa's Spy

Eventually Zelda was able to compose herself and pulled away. She did not meet Link's eyes, however, when she addressed Brayden first, "I'm sorry, Brayden. Link's actually…a friend."

"Hmm…I forgive you, Princess. I can understand why you would want to test my worth as a proper protector."

Zelda did not have to look to know Link was rolling his eyes in disgust. She let Brayden's idea slide by as truth by not saying anything.

Link apparently was not going to interject anything on her behalf either. "I'm sure security's been heightened already. I think we'd better get inside before it gets any worse."

"And what do you propose we do? Sneak back in? You're the only one that would be getting in any serious trouble for what happened. Why can't the princess and I walk up to the main gates and explain the situation to the guards stationed there? You can sneak…Wait, do you know how to sneak into the castle?"

Link smiled at this, "I know many ways beyond the one you all took to get out here. And no, you will all follow me. For one, the guards will believe Zelda is reporting a safe return under threatened conditions and two, I don't think she'll be quite ready to explain all of this to her father."

Zelda emphatically nodded in agreement with this and as a result, Brayden pouted.

"Quit being pathetic. Our best option is to find Impa before anyone else can find us," Link explained. "Follow me."

As he prepared to ascend the vines, though, something massive and golden in color rammed into him from out of nowhere and sent him flying into the opposite cliff. The thing followed suit and crashed on top of him.

Zelda's eyes widened in shock and she ran to help him, but jumped back in surprise when an Iron Knuckle rose from the ground. Link lay immobile against the wall's base. "L-Link?" she asked, slowly backing away.

The Iron Knuckle ignored the unmoving target and stomped with a heavy slowness towards Brayden. The noble stood rooted to the spot in a dumb terror as he beheld the approaching monster with a gaping mouth. Zelda, meanwhile, crept around the creature and down to Link's side hoping the idiot would find his legs and move.

Link's chest rose and fell sharply in an exaggerated breath. She was relieved to find him alive, but blood pulsed from the gash in his head and there was no telling how many bones he had broken. She was taken aback when he opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Help me stand up," he gasped.

"No, there's no telling the extent of the damage; you need to be still," she said.

He struggled to sit up on his own anyway, "My right arm took most of the damage; I'll make it."

Zelda tried to gently push him back down, but even in a weakened state he was not that feeble. "Link, you aren't well enough to fight!"

"Well, if I don't, your guards certainly won't do the job and your boyfriend there is likely to have an identical twin here in just a second."

Link forced himself up with the use of his left arm and Zelda gasped in alarm at the sight of his right arm hanging limp and useless at his side. "Link--…"

The guards' attention had been aroused by the commotion, and their noisy arrival saved Brayden from the huge axe swing that had been about to cleave him in two.

Brayden hurried to Zelda's side as Link staggered a small step forward. The pain proved too much for the teenager and he collapsed. Brayden barely caught him before he could hit the ground, and Zelda was relieved when she saw Impa fast approaching. Behind her followed two men with a stretcher between them.

Wordlessly Impa helped Brayden lift Link's limp body onto the cloth, and Zelda followed as they bore him inside around the battle. At one point she winced when she heard a guard's scream of pain, but she dared not look. She knew Link could have taken care of a single monster had he not been taken out like that, and this made her feel uneasy leaving the guards to deal with it.

When they made it back inside, Brayden voluntarily went to his borrowed room and Zelda was allowed to follow. At the sight of blood and bruises with the removal of his shirt, however, she promptly departed in tears and sat outside the doorway.

None of it made sense, though. How in the world did an Iron Knuckle just randomly fly through the air to hit Link of all people? And what was wrong with her, losing control of her body like that?

Zelda retreated into herself. It was not like before when it had not been by choice, but it was merely a way to avoid overwhelming emotions that she did not want to feel: fear, worry, disgust…She allowed herself to be lost in a void somewhere between sleep and total consciousness, unmoving and unfeeling as the day's events replayed continuously across her mind. What could she have done against whatever it was that had possessed her?

xxxxx

A few hours later, Zelda's sleepless form was nudged and she looked up groggily to find Impa standing over her. "He's much better now if you would come see him. I think there is much that needs to be explained now." That last bit was emphasized in her direction and she cautiously stood and trooped into the room behind her caretaker.

Link sat propped up by pillows, his face was pale and drawn and huge purple shadows ringed the base of his eyes. A blanket covered his lower half and bandages wrapped firmly around his middle, especially focused to his right side, and his arm hung in a sling.

"H-how bad is it…?" Zelda asked quietly.

"The whole right side of his body has been severely damaged, but the healers are working on concocting a red potion. It would seem the potion maker is currently not at her residence and we had none in stock," Impa said nonchalantly.

Link met her eyes and Zelda could not hold their penetrating gaze. She felt so ashamed even though his current condition really was not her fault. "What…was that back in the marketplace? Why were you trying to get me in trouble and cause such a big scene?" he asked her. His voice was weak, but the strength of his conviction stood strong.

Zelda stared intently at the ground, unsure of how to answer. They would surely think her crazy if she mentioned even portions of the truth. Impa placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, sensing her charge's turmoil and a thought came to her.

"And just why were you following me to begin with?" she finally replied, wondering if she could get away with stalling and freeing herself from the main topic.

Impa answered instead, "I sent him. You've been behaving oddly lately and I thought it best to keep an eye on you. I, myself, have too many matters to attend to, so I asked Link to return and do this favor for me. And it's a good thing I did too. You were to stay on castle grounds today, what were you thinking? And then what, Link follows you to the marketplace only to be accused as some petty criminal? Is he not your friend?"

"He is-…"

"And just yesterday you tried to kill yourself. What is going on?" Impa's voice took a sharp tone to it and Zelda realized her attempt at a subtle topic change had failed.

"I…I don't know. Not the whole of the situation," Zelda eventually settled for this response, which really was the truth.

"Then tell us what you do know," Impa snapped impatiently. She was losing her cool and Zelda could feel Link's searching eyes boring into her with interest.

Zelda took a deep breath to calm her suddenly racing heart and said, "It's not me that is doing these things. There is something…inside me…I lose control and my body carries on without me."

An awkward silence filled the room as her audience mulled over her words. "This is not trickery? You would do well not to mock our intelligence, my dear. We are not stupid. You are telling me that some spirit possesses you?"

Zelda shrugged. "Maybe a spirit, I don't know. But…there have been other times. Before Lake Hylia. I wake up in the middle of the night and sometimes I am in the deserted marketplace, Hylia Field, or even Lon Lon Ranch without any recollection of how I arrived from my bed to these places. Today in the market…was the first I'd felt any real awareness during times my body performed in spite of me. Today…I watched as I said all those things in the marketplace…even kissed Brayden, but that was not me."

Link seemed to wince at some unpleasant memory, but said nothing. Impa forced Zelda to lift her head and searched her eyes for some truth in these words. "I have never doubted you before, Princess…but considering recent events, my trust in your words is no longer full proof."

Zelda nodded solemnly and looked to Link for his opinion.

"I believe you," he said simply, but fatigue laced his voice. "When I saved you from drowning…once the guards ran by…you seemed lost almost. Scared of something, but confused as to the source of your actions."

"Hmm…" Impa muttered. "If this is true…then why would such a thing be plaguing Hyrule's princess? And what could be behind this?"

"An Iron Knuckle does not fly of its own accord. And you…apparently, do not act according to your own wishes. There's some evil…here…but it's too soon…" his voice was fading and his eyes drifted closed. "I'll find out…some…how…"

Impa smiled faintly as sleep overtook Link's weary form and ushered Zelda from the room while shutting the door with a silent click. "Very well, Princess. You have his faith, so you shall have mine. One way or another we will get to the bottom of this, but for now you have your father to attend to. He's going to want answers and nothing satisfies one more than to hear the truth, well most of it anyways. He has been appeased so far by his guards that you are safe and that there was never any real danger to your person, but you must go to him now and I will let you earn back my trust depending upon what you tell him."

"Can I ask you something…first…?" Zelda hesitated at the end, surprised at the question herself though knowing full well what she intended, but she would be embarrassed if her mentor read too much into what was on her mind.

"Of course."

"Link didn't just come back because of me did he-to do a favor for you? Did he ever tell you what made him leave in the first place?" Zelda asked haltingly.

Impa smiled, "Yes, but that is not for me to share. You'll have to get that answer from him."

Zelda moved her mouth to speak again, but unprecedented exhaustion swept through her body with a vengeance and a massive yawn escaped her as she collapsed into the steady arms of her caretaker, blissfully lost to the realm of sleep.

xxxxx

"The boy is helpless, why not kill him now and be done with it?" Koume hissed; her strong desire for revenge formed an evil sneer across her haggard features.

"No, the last thing we need is to distract our creature from its mission. Tonight we set things in motion, while her will is weak. A kingdom lost to chaos can then be easily dealt with," Kotake cackled in response.

"Why not do it ourselves then?" Koume snapped.

"Soon, my dear sister we will be free, and then we shall do what we wish."

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I posted replies for last chapter through the homepage link, so be sure to check those out. Thank you again reviewers, your words are always appreciated! If you had any problems with this chapter feel free to beat up my sister, lol, just kidding. ;)

-blondie91