Hyrule Castle was not constructed for beauty. It was built to outlast Swan Castle. It was built for might and power. The stone towers stood tall and proud, decorated with the Hylian insignia so that no newcomers would ever be confused as to who was in charge.
The gardens outside the gates were tended by the poor who lived on the east side of town. The people living on the east side had nothing to do with the noble men and women who occupied the west side. The nobles always demanded the best, and the provinces supplied it. The west side ate the highest quality food, and dressed in the most ravishing clothes. They paid no mind to anything besides themselves. And they all lived under the shadow of the castle.
King Daphnes Nohansen had had trouble deciding whether or not to report his daughter's disappearance. Until recently, only he and the staff were informed. Not even the Republic knew.
The Republic was King Daphnes' creation. Years ago, he had elected twelve noblemen to positions of great power, almost equal to his. This Republic helped him in his decision making, and now that he had a team, it was easier to win. Nobody outside Castle Town knew the Republic existed, and King Daphnes intended on keeping it that way.
But when Princess Zelda went missing, Daphnes had kept it a secret from the Republic. He was not sure how they would react. It was possible that they would be totally disinterested, but it was also possible that they would see it as a real threat. Princess Zelda knew all about the Republic and their agenda, which was keeping the weak provinces weak, appeasing the more powerful ones, and trying their hardest to gain control of two prizes, Hillwind and the Zora Domain.
The Zora Domain appealed to the Republic because of their magic. With Zora magic, the Republic could be truly unstoppable, and they wouldn't have to worry about appeasing Kakariko. But the Zora Domain was out of reach, all the way on the other side of the kingdom, beyond dangerously uncharted territory.
They wanted Hillwind in order to regulate trade. Hillwind did not have to follow Hyrule's commercial terms, and therefore could conduct trade with the provinces any way they wanted. The Republic was sick of this. While they had no real interest in Hillwind or its people, too much of the goods from the provinces were being sent there.
Ever since her disappearance, there was nothing stopping Zelda from unveiling the secret agenda. Though he didn't know where she was or what had happened to her, Daphnes also found it concerning that her maidservant had gone missing along with her. Impa was completely loyal to Zelda, and would help her with anything she asked for. That was evidence enough to Daphnes that Princess Zelda had made her escape.
It didn't take long for the Republic to find out. And when they did, they were hysterical. They unanimously agreed that King Daphnes should print an announcement in the newspaper alerting the provinces of Zelda's disappearance.
There was only one problem with that. Nobody outside Castle Town had ever seen what the princess looked like. Daphnes didn't know what the Republic expected to achieve by printing the announcement, but he had done it anyway, thinking that it couldn't possibly do any harm.
One thing the Republic could not agree on was Zelda's punishment once she was found. Many of them said she should be confined to the dungeon. One pointed out that treason was punishable by death, and that if they had no problem killing Alfs who stole food, they most certainly shouldn't have a problem killing a traitor. After all, nobody had yet come up with a reason why Zelda was useful to them in the first place.
Daphnes had not been willing to go that far. But he did agree that a punishment was in order, depending on the conditions under which Zelda returned. If she turned herself in, the sentence would be lighter. If she had to be captured, it would be more severe. Everyone seemed happy with that.
00000
Rudolf took Link and Zelda just beyond the mountains, and then turned back, apologizing.
"This is as far as I go," he said. "But you can see Hyrule Castle, so if you just head in that direction you'll reach the Main Road."
"Thank you for everything, Rudolf," said Zelda.
"You're welcome, lass."
To their surprise, Rudolf dropped into a ball and rolled away towards the Goron Domain, leaving a trail of dust behind.
"Strange creatures," Zelda remarked. "But still, one of my favorite species."
The castle was clearly visible, no more than a mile or two away. They reached the gardens first, abundant with the town's food supply. The gardens were more expansive than Hillwind's, and the produce grew in uniform rows so that there would be enough for everybody.
Link never thought that he would ever go to Castle Town. While it had always interested him, he felt somewhat loyal to Jørn and never made a point of going there. Now that he was standing outside the gates at the bottom of a massive stone staircase, about to enter the most powerful city in Hyrule, he understood why Jørn was so afraid.
There was nothing welcoming about the castle. Even Zelda felt as though it was warning her not to enter. It was not a homecoming, but a surrender.
Still, she did not appear to be daunted. She stood tall, almost excited. She wore her bandana again, but her hair hung out, hiding her face.
"The peasants on the east side don't know what I look like," she assured Link. "All we have to do is keep on the lookout for soldiers and guards once we get to the west side."
"What if we get caught?" Link asked.
"We'll rent a room on the east side. If we're spotted, we can run back there and hide. We still have over two hundred rupees. Anyone who hides us would be happy to keep quiet for that amount of money." Zelda sounded so sure of herself. And while her confidence made Link feel a little better, he wished she wouldn't get her hopes up. King Daphnes didn't seem like an agreeable person, and he still wasn't quite sure what Zelda hoped to accomplish.
But he kept quiet. He still hadn't come up with a plan for saving Daegal, and as they got closer to the end of their mission, it was beginning to look more and more like Link would have to go through with killing him. He was glad for the extra time to think things through.
The overseer was too high up to see their faces, so he opened the huge doors to let them through, thinking they were peasants. Zelda led Link through the doors and across a stone bridge that led to an archway. On the other side, Link could see a busy town square.
"What's it like in there?" he asked Zelda, trying to brace himself.
"The first thing you'll notice is that it smells like a sewer," she replied.
"Does it get better from there?"
"I'm afraid not," said Zelda. "But you'll see for yourself."
She wasn't lying about the smell. But Link soon found out that it was an insignificant detail when compared to the other sights of the city. He noticed that the streets were better tended to than those in any of the provinces, and sharing the roads with people were chickens, stray dogs, and alley cats. Unattended children ran around, either playing or trying to escape supervision. Many people looked rather poor, but Link also saw fully-stocked shops and bazaars, street performers, and tourists who gladly gave up their coins for Hylian riches.
There were schools and storefronts, hotels, brothels, apartment buildings. As they walked further through the town square, smells from the street food wafted together. Pretzels, hot soup, candies, rice, tea, nuts, and spiced meat.
Link couldn't see anything bad about it. The townspeople seemed innocent enough, happily going about their business. They even apologized if they happened to bump into him, or if their children ran in his way. They carried no weapons, and didn't seem to be on their guard.
"Let's stop at that inn," Zelda suggested quietly, looking around to make sure no soldiers were in the area.
The sign hanging on the door said "Amélie's: 20 Rupees a Night." When they entered, they discovered that it doubled as a pub. It was dimly lit, but a warm fire glowed in the hearth, and a couple of musicians were sitting in a corner, playing fiddles, guitars and flutes. Amélie was tending the bar, which was fully stocked. She looked at them, and didn't seem at all deterred by their young age.
"Drinks?" she called out to them in a booming voice.
Link and Zelda exchanged glances, debating.
"We just need a room," Zelda said finally. She pulled a red rupee from their bag and slid it across the counter to Amélie.
Amélie snatched it up and dropped it into a cash register, which Link had never seen before. It startled him when she pressed a button, making the drawer pop open. She handed Zelda a key and gave her directions to their room.
"You're sure you don't want a drink?"
"Well," said Link, "Maybe."
A victorious smile spread across Amélie's face as Link and Zelda sat down at the bar next to an old man who wasn't drunk yet but was getting there.
"Don't order anything," he told them. "She knows exactly what you want."
The way Amélie moved suggested that she'd learned to dance before she'd learned to walk. Though she was a big woman, she seemingly took up no space, and moved about as lightly as a butterfly, glittering with makeup around muddy brown eyes and dark, plump lips. Her hair, long and red, was pulled into a waist-length braid. As she concocted their drinks, she started singing along with the band, and then the singing turned into a story about herself. She had been born in Castle Town, but her family had come from Vera, as her name implied. She still had some relatives there and wanted to visit someday.
Link took a sip of his drink when she finished. "This is what I wanted," he remarked. "I don't know what it is but I wanted it."
"So, where are you two from?" Amélie asked.
"Around," answered Zelda.
"Whereabouts?"
Zelda was about to hotly tell her to mind her own business, when the old man gave an inebriated grunt. "Leave 'em alone, Amélie. They're just here for the drinks."
Amélie giggled. "Of course. Enjoy."
They did enjoy, and when they were done, they retired to the room that Amélie had provided a key for. It was nothing fancy, but it had two neatly made beds and plenty of windows.
"I needed that," Zelda said. "Much better than the beer in the provinces." She untied her dirty hair and looked in the mirror, disgusted with her appearance.
"Yeah," Link agreed, sitting down on his bed. He looked out the window at the street and peered up the road. There was another archway that separated the east side from the west side, but he couldn't see beyond it.
"I'm going to find a washroom," Zelda announced.
While she was gone, Link also looked at his reflection in the mirror, noting that he needed to wash his hair as well. He had taken to wearing it in a ponytail ever since it had grown too long for his liking. And he needed a shave. He looked weary, but not as sick as he probably looked earlier in the journey.
Zelda returned, hair washed, legs shaved, wearing her green dress. To Link's surprise, her hair was already dry and soft.
"Amélie has a hairdryer," she elaborated happily. Link decided he would never get used to the new Hylian technology.
Zelda saw him glancing at his appearance once more. "Come here," she said. It wasn't an order. Her voice was gentle.
Link slowly made his way over to her. "Yeah?"
When he was close enough, Zelda took his hand. She pulled him closer, almost as close as she had when she hugged him in Gerulf's attic. Link paused, unsure of what she was going to do next. Still holding his hand, she leaned in to kiss him.
"But you've been drinking-"
His words were crushed by her lips. At first, Link didn't know what to do. He was frozen. But he had to do something, he couldn't just stand there. Mentally scolding himself, he took her into his arms and began kissing back. His mouth was dry, he noted with embarrassment He realized that his eyes were squeezed shut. When he opened them, beheld her softness, it wasn't right. It didn't fit. He stopped kissing her, because he was overwhelmed by her gracile being, like she would shatter or melt in his arms.
Zelda's mouth reached for his again, but he pulled away and looked down, not wanting to meet her disappointed gaze. His arms around her waist were beginning to shake.
"I'm sorry, but. . ." He couldn't find the right words. He quickly backed away from Zelda, who seemed to shrink, confused.
"He's not going to come back to you, you know."
"You mean. . .?"
"Take my advice. Please, Link. He will not love you again. You know what to expect this time. Move on."
"Move on," Link repeated with a scoff. "Move on to you? Because you love me?"
Zelda froze, silent and embarrassed.
"I love you," she whispered, as if she wished it weren't true. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to happen. And I'm sorry I kissed you. I should've asked."
"Well," mumbled Link. "I'm sorry I messed it up."
"It's okay," she replied. "We can forget it ever happened."
"Not after you've said you love me," said Link. He shook his head. "I need some air. I'm going for a walk."
Link didn't know what to feel. He hoped Castle Town would provide enough of a distraction. He felt bad for just leaving Zelda in their room, but the whole thing had shocked him. It was so out-of-the-blue. And it wasn't fair. Zelda knew how the entire Daegal situation was putting Link in an awkward spot. The anger was starting to well up in his chest, but he wasn't sure how much of the anger he blamed on Zelda and how much he blamed on the universe.
The city lit up in the evening. Street lights and lanterns had been placed decoratively along the roads, illuminating the town square with the help of the moonlight. The crowds had died down a bit, and the remaining townspeople were shadier and less lively. Back-alley transactions were taking place. Dogs scurried up to Link, sniffed him, and then ran off. Mothers were calling for their lost children. And Link got his first glimpse of prostitution.
It was unheard of in Hillwind, and he didn't know how to spot it in the provinces. But in Castle Town, it was glaringly obvious. The nighttime Hylians had the world all to themselves, and they let it show. A teenage girl was staring at him, following him with her eyes, as she leaned against an empty stall. Golden eyes and a mischievous look hid behind hundreds of freckles. Her hair, wild and tawny, was red. Link tried to avert his gaze, but she was good at getting him to look back again. He shuddered and hurried away, not wanting to make a bigger mess than he already had.
Link wasn't sure how long he was walking, but he made sure not to stray too far. Getting lost in Castle Town at night would be a nightmare. He found his way back to Amélie's before it got too late. The walk back to his room was filled with guilt and embarrassment, and he hoped sincerely that Zelda had fallen asleep already.
She was in bed, with the covers over her body. Her back was facing him. He closed the door quietly and stepped into the room, trying not to disturb her.
Zelda didn't stir as he got closer, nor even as he sat at the edge of her bed.
"I'm sorry," he whispered to her sleeping figure. "All this time, I've been thinking about how hard this mission is for me, I haven't stopped to think much about how it's affecting you. And you're right, I should move on." He sighed. "I should."
In sleep, Zelda's face was relaxed and calm. Her body rose and fell with each steady breath. Finally, Link confessed to himself that she was beautiful. And for the hundredth time that day, he thought of the bombs in his pocket.
00000
Link rose after a while and went to bed, after showering, which was new to him. It was strange sleeping in Zelda's hometown. It felt like the entire town knew a secret that he wasn't in on.
Zelda was awake before him. She stood at the mirror, trying to figure out something to do with her hair to hide her features. She didn't look at Link when he sat up in bed.
"I heard you talking to me last night," she said as she twisted her hair into braids, and then pulled them out again.
Link blushed. "Oh. I thought you were asleep."
"Well, you thought wrong," Zelda replied. She had given up on her hair. "Don't let it get in the way of things, Link. We still have a lot to do."
"I have a question for you," said Link.
"Yes?"
"Do you still love me now that you're sober?"
Zelda sighed and pulled him out of bed. "We'll talk about it after we're done with all of this. Okay?"
Satisfied, Link nodded.
They ate breakfast in the pub that morning and said goodbye to Amélie before they left. In case they needed to hastily return, they stayed checked into their room. For a while, Zelda thought they should leave behind the supply bag, since it was against the law to possess weapons in Castle Town, and there was a chance they would be searched before being allowed to see the king.
Link didn't know what to expect. Even if they did get in to see King Daphnes, they certainly wouldn't be allowed to leave. Zelda had been evading Daphnes for weeks, and now she was walking right back into his clutches.
He was growing more and more curious about Zelda's escape plan by the minute, and he was about to ask her about it, but she interrupted his thoughts.
"We have to be more careful here," she said. They were just about to enter the west side of Castle Town, where the nobles and soldiers lived. "There's a chance I'll be recognized. Just be quiet and don't draw any attention to us."
"What do you mean? We stand out here like we did in Kakariko. We look like a couple of vagabonds. You think the nobles aren't going to notice that?" Link asked.
Zelda quieted him. "All we need to do is get to the castle. Look, people mind their own business here. As long as we don't create a scene, we'll be fine."
Link wanted to believe her, but her plan was getting crazier by the second. He shook his head and followed her through the archway into the west side.
The biggest difference that Link noticed was the population. There were far fewer nobles than peasants, but even so, they seemed to take up more space. And most of the buildings were government-oriented; the post office, a library, hospitals, schools, and an armory that had a sign reading "Military Personnel Only - Violators Will Face Imprisonment." The west side was cleaner but somehow smelled worse than the east side. Link tried to hold his breath as Zelda led him down several narrow streets. Every so often, a soldier would march by, and Zelda would quickly look in the opposite direction. Link's heart nearly stopped every time, imagining the consequences of being discovered.
"Do you have any sort of plan?" he hissed.
Zelda remained confident. "I know a secret way into the castle. So we don't have to worry about getting by the guards. But once we're inside, we'll have to watch our step."
"What about after we talk to your father?"
"Oh," said Zelda. "Well, I'm guessing he'll try to confine me and he won't be so concerned with you, so once I'm captured you'll have to escape on your own, and then I'll meet you in the same spot we got in. I got away from him once, I can do it again."
It was a terrible plan. Too many things could go wrong. But at this point, Link wasn't so sure if he cared what went wrong.
"Okay," he answered.
"The secret entrance is down this alley. We'll have to cross a sewer in order to get to the courtyard, and then we'll sneak through a hidden door."
"A sewer?"
"You can handle it."
"Is that how you escaped before?" asked Link.
"Yes," replied Zelda. "And then I crossed the Lioinian Barrier, which, in hindsight, was not a smart decision. If I could do it over again, I would've just gone the long way, but I was short on time."
The alley they were travelling down was coming to an end. Link could tell by the stench that they were near the sewer that Zelda had mentioned. There were several bars blocking the tunnel, and the spaces were too small for them to fit through, but Zelda yanked on one of the bars, revealing that it was loose. It came off in a few seconds, creating a big enough space. When she and Link had stepped through, she fitted the bar back into place.
Inside the narrow sewer, grime was dripping from the walls, and it smelled worse than the Merk River. It was beginning to make Link's eyes water.
"How far does this thing go?" he demanded while trying not to breathe.
"Less than a mile," Zelda promised. "We should come to a ladder soon which will lead us up to an entrance to the castle courtyard."
They walked carefully as to not step in the waste-filled water, but it was hard to see in the dark.
"It should be around here," Zelda said after they had been walking for what seemed like forever. She felt her way around the darkness, and then grasped onto a ladder. It led up to a trapdoor.
"How will you know if anyone's coming?" Link asked when Zelda started climbing.
"I don't."
Gently, Zelda lifted the trapdoor, and rays of sunlight stung their eyes. After listening intently to make sure no footsteps were headed in their direction, Zelda lifted the door all the way and climbed out. Link followed her, looking around warily. He took in gulps of fresh air as quietly as he could.
The sewer had opened up to a fenced-in area in the courtyard filled with gardening tools. Zelda pointed to a shed off to the side. "That's the gardener's shed. But it doesn't seem like he's here now. Let's go."
She took his arm and led him through rows of bushes, trees and flowers, hiding suddenly whenever a guard walked by. They made their way around to the east gates and hurried through, trying not to rattle the chains of the gate.
"Here it is," whispered Zelda, moving aside a thick sheet of ivy, revealing a door camouflaged in the stone wall of the castle. The passageway inside was so narrow, Link nearly had to double over in order to fit. Zelda took the lead up a flight of stairs that spiraled to the top of the tower.
They ended up in what appeared to be a wardrobe. Zelda pushed away a barrier of dresses and overcoats, stepped over various high-heeled shoes, and unlatched the doors of the closet. Link stepped out into the largest bedroom he had ever seen. The huge bed had a canopy hanging over it, with curtains that could be pulled shut for privacy. The sheets and pillows looked like heaven. Sunlight shone in from the stained-glass windows, reflecting on the mirror of the boudoir, which was littered with beauty products; hair curlers, brushes, combs, makeup, and jewelry.
"Is this your bedroom?" Link asked incredulously, still looking around in awe.
Zelda nodded sheepishly. "Everything is how I left it." She walked over to the boudoir and gazed into the mirror, then picked up a thin, golden crown carved intricately and studded with crystals.
"Put it on," Link requested.
At first, Zelda shook her head. Then Link carefully took it from her hands and placed it on her head, brushing some of her hair back to show her face. It looked ridiculous, since she was skinny and worn from travelling, but Link smiled anyway.
Zelda snatched the crown from her head. "I never liked this thing," she said hastily. "We need to get to the throne room. Follow me, but be careful."
She led him out of her bedroom. Link began to follow her down the corridor, but something caught his eye. A framed canvas hanging high on the wall of the towering hallway. The light was dim and the colors faded, but Link could see that it was a portrait. Zelda's vacant face stared back at him. She looked unhappy, miserable, almost a captive. She was wearing a long, white dress, though it appeared gray and drab in the painting. She wore elaborate jewelry of gold and silver, decorated with blue gemstones, matching her clear eyes. Her hair, clean and brushed, fell daintily upon her shoulders. She appeared to be groomed and proper, but there was a certain pain behind her eyes. Link could see it clearly.
"That's you?" he asked incredulously.
"Was. A long time ago," Zelda replied.
"You look sad."
Zelda looked up at the painting. "You'd be sad too if you had to pose eight hours for a portrait. Come on, let's go."
They heard voices before they reached the end of the hallway. Zelda stopped and motioned for Link to be silent. The voices were coming from a doorway which wasn't closed all the way, so there was a crack big enough for Zelda to peer through. Link wanted to pull her back, but he stayed where he was, not making a sound. He could hear a group of men talking over each other, almost arguing.
"It is not necessary to take control. All we need to do is establish stricter regulations in the provinces. No trading with other regions. Forty percent of goods are our property, in return for payment," said one.
"And imprisonment if they don't comply," another shouted.
A third man banged his hands on a table. "No! No!" his voice boomed. "That would be suicide. If we threaten Kakariko and Vera any more, they will soon reach their breaking point. They have the money and the men to form an army, which is exactly what they will do if we give them a reason to attack us. We must take Hillwind and regulate their trade."
Link gasped, forgetting he was supposed to be quiet. Zelda threw him a glare.
The arguing didn't stop. It grew more and more horrifying.
"We could relocate the Hillwinds to the provinces and utilize the leftover resources. They have lumber, which we can take from the Faron Woods," someone suggested. "We will cut the forest down and take control once we get through. If Hillwind won't cooperate, we will burn it to the ground."
Link had had enough. He grabbed Zelda's arm and dragged her away from the door. When they had gotten far enough away, he started bombarding her with questions.
"Who are they? What do they need Hillwind for? Why are they going to attack us?"
Zelda tried to quiet him. "Link, keep your voice down. That was the Republic."
"What the Republic?" Link demanded.
"It's an organization that my father created many years ago. They make all the decisions concerning the rest of the kingdom, and my father has kept it quiet," Zelda replied.
"So, your father, he's not really a king? You're not really a princess?"
Zelda shrugged, unbothered. "You could say that. There is no monarchy anymore. The Republic does not follow bloodlines, it only follows power."
"But are they really going to attack Hillwind?" Link asked frantically.
"That's what we're going to make sure doesn't happen," answered Zelda.
Until that point, Link had thought very poorly of Zelda's plan to confront Daphnes, but it had gotten personal. He needed to protect his home and his family. He had already lost Daegal, he couldn't lose everything else.
Link's anger grew as they approached the throne room. He was undaunted even by the guards who stood outside. When they saw Zelda and recognized her face, they lifted their helmets to get a better look.
"It's the princess," one of them exclaimed. "Grab her!"
The two guards rushed over and pulled Link and Zelda apart. Zelda pulled back in protest.
"Let go of me!" she commanded. "I said let go! I am here to see my father. And you can unhand my companion as well."
The guards did not listen to her. Instead, they dragged them into the throne room, where Daphnes Nohansen, gray and stern, sat awaiting his next subject. He was surprised to see his daughter and a strange boy thrown in front of him. He jumped to his feet and grabbed Zelda's shoulders.
"Where have you been?" he roared, shaking her. It infuriated Link to see him being so rough with her, but he kept his distance.
"I'm sorry I ran away, Father," Zelda replied, though she didn't sound sorry. "But I'm back now. There's something I need to discuss with you."
"Hold your peace," Daphnes interrupted. "Who is this boy?" He gestured to Link with disgust, looking at him as if he were a piece of garbage.
Zelda finally broke away from her father's clutches. "He's my friend," she said. "Father, I really need to talk to you."
Scoffing, Daphnes sat down again. "You think I'm going to listen to anything you've got to say? While you were off gallivanting across Hyrule, I've had to keep the Republic assured that you weren't a traitor. Perhaps I should've just let them capture you and do with you what they wished."
"When was the last time you left Castle Town?" Zelda interrogated.
Daphnes was thrown off by the question, simple though it was.
"You haven't seen the rest of the kingdom in years. You don't know what it's like out there. You don't know how bad it is. People are dying, Father, and it's your job to stop it, but you're doing nothing. How can you just sit there and let your kingdom suffer?"
"How dare you try to tell me how to run my kingdom?" Daphnes growled. "The Republic has everything under control, and they will continue as is. Now, since you are my daughter, I am giving you one more chance to hold your tongue, or I will have to deal with you accordingly."
Zelda's face grew flushed, and Link was afraid of what she would do next.
"You're a coward," she shouted. "You've never cared about anyone but yourself. Every day, Hyrule becomes more and more like a wasteland. Soon there will be nothing left of the kingdom you want to control. You'd better rebuild all the homes you've destroyed, fix all the lives you've ruined, reunite all the families you've torn apart, and stay away from the people of Hillwind."
"Guards," Daphnes called. Immediately, every guard in the room, about ten, ran over to detain Link and Zelda. Their strong grip hurt Link's arms, and he winced as one of them pointed the tip of a sword at him. He looked over and saw that Zelda was in the same situation.
"Take the traitors to the dungeon," Daphnes instructed the guards. They obeyed, and began to escort Link and Zelda from the throne room. The king called to their backs, "And make sure every person in Hyrule who provided them with help of any sort is executed."
00000
Link's heart was racing and his limbs were numb. He couldn't even attempt to struggle. He could only stumble along as the guards led him and Zelda below grounds to the dungeons. With each flight of stairs they were dragged down, the temperature dropped, and the light filtered out. They were thrown into a dark, freezing cell lined with straw that gave off a putrid stench.
"Stand up," one of the guards ordered. They both obeyed. "Give me your bag."
Terrified, Link handed the guard the magic pouch, knowing there were many illegal items inside. The guard took the pouch, untied the strings, and looked inside. Confused, he turned the bag upside down. Nothing came out. He shrugged and tossed the bag in Link's face.
"Make yourself comfortable," he sneered, locking the iron doors of the cell.
Link and Zelda were left alone in the chill. The only light game through a tiny window near the ceiling. It cast rays upon the dirty straw.
Link slumped to the ground in shock.
"The Zoras cast a spell on the bag," Zelda thought aloud. "No enemies can see what's inside it." She checked to make sure everything was still there, and then crouched beside Link. "Okay. So, this isn't the best thing that could've happened."
"You can say that again."
"I guess now you see why I ran away," muttered Zelda. "No father should ever talk to his child like that. He's hardly a father, anyway. He has a problem with me and he just locks me away like some criminal."
Link's mind was overly cluttered with the new things he had learned that day; the fate of Hillwind, the existence of the Republic, and Daphnes' promise to murder everyone they had come into contact with on their journey.
"How serious do you think he was about killing everyone?" Link asked.
Zelda shook her head. "He's never serious. He was just bluffing. He has no way of finding out who helped us." She took a deep breath and gently touched his shoulder. "I'd like to answer your question from earlier."
"You really think this is the best place to do it?"
"Do you remember when we were in the marshes, and after I had seen the lives of the refugees for the first time, you kept making sure I knew that it wasn't my fault?" Zelda asked him.
"Yeah," answered Link.
"I think that's when it started. I hadn't ever felt anything like love before that. But you seemed so concerned with knowing that I was okay, which is something not a lot of people have done for me," she confessed.
Link almost chuckled. "Do you remember when we got the tools from Darchund, and you carried the arrows so I wouldn't have to, because you knew I would have trouble holding the weapon I'd have to use to kill Daegal?"
"I remember that."
"That touched me. Thank you for doing that."
"You're welcome," said Zelda. "So I guess the answer to your question is yes, I do still love you even when I'm not drunk. But I don't know what to do about it. And I don't know how it makes you feel."
Link thought for a moment. "When I saw you crying, I wanted to fix the world for you. And when I saw your father grab you like that, I wanted to kill him. I'm not an expert on love by any means. But if love doesn't make you want to fix the world for someone, I don't know what does."
His words almost made Zelda begin to cry again. "I know this is a bad time. But since we're being honest about things, I need to tell you something. And you're not going to like it."
Link looked at her with concern. "What is it?"
A look of shame was spreading across Zelda's face. "It's about the Triforce," she said. "Link, I knew I had one. All this time, I knew that we both had one. And the reason why I kept it a secret is terrible. It's selfish."
"Why did you?"
"A princess who is losing her kingdom is probably the most desperate person you'll meet," sighed Zelda. "I was so stupid. I was planning. . ." she cut herself short, embarrassed. "I wanted to set Hyrule on the right track. I was planning on collecting Daegal's shard, and then with yours and mine, I could take the kingdom back. I could restore its old customs and traditions." Zelda closed her eyes tightly. "I didn't count on the fact that we'd be friends."
Link's words froze in his throat. He had to breathe in and out a few times in order to set his mind straight. "You can still take your kingdom back, Zelda." He clutched his heart, as if he could physically extract the Triforce from within him. "I don't want it. The Triforce has brought me nothing but misery. You can take it. Just make sure they leave Hillwind alone."
His voice was exhausted and defeated. His mouth barely moved as he spoke, slumped against the cold wall of the cell.
"I can't use you like that, not now," Zelda said with a hand on his shoulder, trying to wake him from his depressed trance. "Back when I first met you, I probably could've, but not now. I wouldn't have minded getting Daegal out of the way for the sake of the kingdom, but I see how much he means to you. I don't know what to do now."
Link took her hand, the one that rested calmingly on his shoulder. He carefully kissed her fingers. "Neither do I," he said solemnly, but with a ghost of a smile on his lips. "Looks like we're stuck in here, unless you know of any ways out."
"I was only down here once," replied Zelda. "I was very young, not yet eight years old. My father brought me here, to a different cell, and had me look inside. He said, 'Do you see that man?' I looked, and saw a figure in the shadows, collapsed on the floor. He was skinny and dark, and looked disfigured. I asked my father who he was. 'It's an Alf,' he said. 'From the dirtiest Eldin Province. He was caught stealing supplies from our armory, which is reserved only for knights. How does that make you feel?'"
"What did you say?"
"I asked if he was going to kill him. My father looked down at me and said, 'What do you think?' I told him that the man had been through enough, and he should let him go home to Alfos. He nodded and said, 'So be it.'"
"He let him go?"
"Of course not. He brought the man back to Alfos as a prisoner and hanged him in front of his town, in front of his family. He made an example of him," Zelda spat with disgust.
"Oh," said Link, feeling much less reassured.
"He just wants to teach me a lesson," scowled Zelda. "I shouldn't have brought you here. I don't know how long this is going to last. I'm sorry, Link. I'm really sorry. I feel pathetic."
"It's kind of all right," Link replied, still holding her hand. "It's not so bad here. Just a little dark."
Zelda pulled her hand away. "Link, we still need to complete what we started. We can't give in here, we've come so far."
"I know," said Link, slipping back into his defeated state. "But I don't want to do it."
"We have to."
"Why can't we just leave him be?" Link asked. His rising voice began to break.
"Because that's not an option. This is the fate of Hyrule we're talking about," Zelda replied.
"I know that! I already-" Link's voice was cut short by a miserable, angry sob. He buried his face in his hands and ran his fingers through his hair. He brought his knees up to his chest and sat concealed from Zelda. "None of this should've happened," came his muffled voice, racked with the threat of tears.
Zelda couldn't find the words to apologize. She didn't want to touch him; she was afraid he would fall further into his isolation. She gingerly brushed a few strands of matted hair aside. To her surprise, Link melted into her arms, allowing himself to be enveloped by her body. He surrendered his strength and pride, and for the first time since Zelda had met him, showed undeniable reliance to her.
00000
It was better than Jørn had described, sleeping with another person. Just sleeping, being close to each other. The heat of their bodies together warmed the freezing cell. Link buried his nose in Zelda's shoulder, and sometimes she would do the same to him. They took turns holding and being held. They fell asleep to the scent of each other.
When Link woke, their noses were only centimeters apart. He gasped with surprise, waking Zelda, and the cell was cold again.
"Sorry, I just . . . forgot where I was," said Link, wiping sleep from his eyes.
"You've never woken up in a dungeon before?" asked Zelda.
Link shook his head.
"I have."
"I thought you said-"
"I mean a theoretical dungeon. Where I know I'll have to follow in the kingdom's footsteps and probably bring about the downfall of Hyrule by removing the resources of the provinces and further destroying the lifestyles of all the non-human species, and ignoring the pleas of help from those who need it." She sighed. "I thought that when I came back here, I could finally fix things."
Zelda stood up. "Courage and Wisdom will have to help us find a way out."
"Do you have a plan?" Link asked.
"My father will give up eventually. He can't keep me down here forever. When he sends the guards down, we can make a run for it—"
"That's not really what I meant," said Link. "I mean, do you have a plan for the kingdom? If you're not going to use the Triforce, how will you reclaim it?"
Zelda almost laughed. "I have no idea. I won't even be in charge when I'm older. Since Hyrule isn't a monarchy anymore, my father will appoint another member of the Republic to be the leader. Then I won't have any say in what goes on, who lives and who dies. The worst part is, everyone outside Hyrule will think that I'm making those decisions, because they don't know the Republic exists. I'll be seen as malevolent."
"For what it's worth, remember that I know you're a good person. And Athol does, too, regardless of her temper."
"Unfortunately, it's not worth much, because Hillwind isn't even under Hyrule's command, but thank you, Link," said Zelda. She hesitated. "What are your plans? After you go home?"
"I'm never leaving Hillwind again," Link replied. "I'm staying there with Jørn and living a completely normal life."
"Then we'll be seeing none of each other."
"Unless you run away again," Link reminded her.
"No," said Zelda. "I'd imagine I'll be kept under lock and key from now on."
Link thought of Zelda's portrait hanging in the castle. She had kept her head held high despite captivity. He hoped she would continue to do so, but Link could see her faltering. The Hyrule dungeons were enough to break anyone's spirits, even Zelda's.
"Zelda, what do you think would happen. . .if we died?" he asked slowly.
"What do you mean?"
"What would happen to the Triforce shards if we were dead? Would they just cease to exist, or would that make it easier for Daegal-"
"I don't like what you're suggesting," Zelda interjected. "Nor do I know the answer. Besides, Vaatican roots take hours to go into effect. And we'll be long gone by then, trust me."
They stopped talking when they heard loud footsteps coming down the stairs. A uniformed guard appeared, wearing a helmet that covered his face, carrying a package wrapped in cloth. He stopped outside Link and Zelda's cell and gazed in at them, clicking his tongue.
"Well, well, well," he crooned. "What have we got here? A couple of criminals? Thieves? Traitors?"
"What do you want?" Zelda spat.
"Easy, now," the guard said gently but with mischief. He lifted his helmet and Link gasped. The soldier was an Alf in disguise. "Need any help getting out of there?"
"Do you have the keys?" asked Zelda, rushing to the door of the cell.
The Alf shook his head. "They were too closely guarded. But I figured I could find something to pick the lock with."
Link frantically reached into the supply bag and pulled out Zelda's knife. "Would this work?"
Reaching through the bars, the Alf took the knife and fiddled with the lock until it clicked. He swung the door open and returned the knife. "We must be quick," he said, putting his helmet back on.
"But how did you know we were in here?" Link asked as the Alf rushed them up the stairs. "And how did you get in?"
"On occasion, I borrow a guard's uniform and sneak into the west side of Castle Town to collect food for my friends and family," the Alf replied, gesturing to the package in his hands. "I was in the courtyard this morning after I had stolen scraps from the castle's kitchen, and I heard your voices through that window in your cell. At first, I was only listening, but then I heard you mention a name. And I couldn't just leave you here after I heard that name."
"What are you talking about?" Link inquired. "Who are you?"
The Alf stopped and removed his helmet once more. "My name is Adam. My brother fled from Alfos when we were children. His name was-"
"Jørn!" Link exclaimed. "You're Jørn's brother."
Suddenly, Zelda stepped in. "We can sort this all out later. Let's go," she ordered. "Put your helmet back on, Adam. If you're seen, it's over."
"What about us?" Link asked. "How are we supposed to hide?"
Zelda thought for a moment, and then grabbed a pair of shackles from Adam's uniform. She fastened them around her wrists and then Link's. "Hold this," she said to Adam. "If anyone asks you what you're doing, tell them you're taking us to be executed."
Adam nodded. "We'll go out the way I came in, through the kitchen and out the stables."
He led them to the castle's kitchen, a gigantic, well-stocked room with food from all over the kingdom; Ilian honey, Veran wine, Kakari spices, Sarian salt, and Tinnish sugar. They exited through a door which led to the stables, where compost was thrown to the horses. When they saw Adam's disguise, the horses reared and snorted, afraid. Adam couldn't calm them with soothing words, so he hurried Link and Zelda along.
"We are drawing too much attention to ourselves," he muttered. A stable boy who had been feeding the animals was beginning to gaze at them suspiciously.
"Get back to work, boy," Adam gruffly exclaimed, pretending to be a soldier. The child jumped back to his chores.
Through the east gate, guards had been stationed amply. They blocked all entrances to the castle and exits to the courtyard. From their hiding place, Adam cursed.
"Keep up the act," Zelda instructed. "They won't question an order from the king."
Link shook his head. "It's too risky. He'll get caught."
"What do you suggest?" demanded Zelda.
"She's right," agreed Adam. "We don't have any other choice." Returning to his soldier facade, Adam grabbed Link and Zelda and yanked them in the direction of the east gate. The guard who was posted there stopped them.
"What are you doing with them?" he asked, his hand on his sword.
"Daphnes has given me orders to bring them to execution," Adam replied. He started to go through the gate, but the guard halted him again.
"Are you new?"
Adam froze. "Uh, yes," he said. "Why?"
"I don't recognize your voice. It sounds strange," said the guard.
"I, uh, have a speech impediment," Adam stuttered. "I was born with, uh, no front teeth."
The guard chuckled. "Can I see?" He reached for Adam's helmet. Adam stepped back quickly, almost knocking into Link and Zelda. The guard raised his hands in surrender. "I was just kidding. Now, go send those traitors to their deaths."
"Where are you taking us now?" whispered Zelda as they escaped the castle courtyard. "Once Daphnes finds out we've escaped, he'll have the entire military out looking for us. We can't stay in Castle Town."
"There's one place that even King Daphnes wouldn't set foot," Adam answered. "I'm taking you both back to Alfos with me."
Zelda gasped, stunned. "That's crazy," she disagreed. "We would have to cross the barrier. It's too dangerous. And your people, what do you think they will say when you show up with the princess of Hyrule?"
Adam ignored her worries. "Soon, the king will close off all exits in Castle Town so his soldiers can search for you. The only way out will be across the barrier. Chin up, girl. I cross it all the time."
It was a perilous run to the west gate. They kept glancing over their shoulders to make sure they weren't being followed. Eventually, a deafening bell began to toll, signaling that the prisoners had escaped. Fear rang through Link's heart each time it chimed, but it wasn't as great as the fear he felt when he laid eyes on the Lionian Barrier. It towered above their heads, daunting them. Made of concrete, it was designed to keep all unwanted things out, but the Alfs had still managed to find a way in.
"We have to cross that?" Link breathed.
"It's not as bad as it looks," responded Adam.
"But how are we supposed to climb to the top?"
Adam uncuffed Link and Zelda, and then handed Link the package of food, which was heavier than he expected it to be. "No one said anything about climbing, lad," he said.
"It's a tunnel that goes underneath," Zelda elaborated, following Adam to the far corner of the wall. "It'll be tight; just wide enough for us to get through."
The tunnel was hidden behind a large crate that Adam pushed out of the way. "No one knows who made the tunnel, whether it was a prisoner trying to escape or an outsider trying to get in. But we Alfs have been using it as an entryway to get food. Come on, hurry."
He rushed Link and Zelda into the tunnel before crawling in himself.
00000
"So how was your date last night?"
Benji blushed and smiled at his friend's question.
"That good?" Orion teased. "Atta boy, Benji. Atta boy."
The two uniformed men had been roaming the streets of Castle Town for several hours, stopping into stores, knocking on doors to people's homes, asking the same question. So far, they had made little progress, and they wouldn't get paid until the job was done. Discouraged, they decided to take a break.
"You're lucky, Benji. You still have the freedom to go on dates. Ever since I married Obrea, I've been bored as all hell. I can't even leave the house except for work; I have to take care of the baby," complained Orion.
Benji laughed. "That's what I want," he said. "I'd love to get married to someone, and raise children."
"So why don't you?" Orion asked.
"Being a soldier is a risky job," replied Benji, shrugging. "What if something happens to me?"
Orion nodded. "I can see your point. But look, I'm doing fine. A girl still wanted to marry me even though I'm a soldier. I don't think it matters, Benji. If a person loves you, they love you."
Again, Benji blushed. He kicked at a pebble on the ground.
"And besides," Orion continued. "The uniforms are very attractive to girls." He giggled mischievously. "So what was she like?"
"My date? Well, first of all, she was a he. He works for the postal service. He's the one who reads all the letters, you know, to make sure nobody's planning to assassinate Daphnes."
"I see," Orion said, smirking. "And what did you two do?"
Benji smiled. "We just took a walk. We talked the whole night about what we'd do if we had a million rupees, if we could go anywhere in Hyrule, things like that."
"Cute," remarked Orion. "And what would you do if you had a million rupees?"
"Buy lots of food," Benji replied.
"Speaking of which, I'm starving. Let's go grab a beer and something to eat."
Orion followed Benji into a quaint east-side pub playing loud, cheery music. Orion winced at the noise.
"What is this place?"
"Amélie's," answered Benji. "My friends and I go here sometimes. It may be east-side but it's decent. And we might as well ask around while we're here."
"Right," agreed Orion. He walked up to the owner, a large Veran woman, and pulled out a scroll of paper with a sketch of a girl's face on it.
"Excuse me," he said, getting the Veran's attention. "Have you seen this girl, accompanied by a young man, within the past few weeks?"
The Veran's eyes lit up. "Yes," she replied with a delighted smile. "They stayed at my inn the day before yesterday."
Orion nodded. "Benji," he ordered.
Benji immediately grabbed the Veran woman, pinned her arms behind her back and put her into shackles.
"What?" she exclaimed, confused. "What's happening?"
"You have aided traitors and are being charged with treason," Orion announced. "Your crime is punishable by death."
00000
A/N: So...haha. I know a lot of you are probably upset with a few of my decisions in this chapter. But the romance between Link and Zelda is something I've been developing since the beginning. Please forgive me. XD