I suck at writing action scenes, even if they are short - this chapter is proof of it. Anyway, I played some Assassin's Creed III this weekend, which made me inspired enough to review this chapter before posting it. It didn't turn out as good as I wanted it to, and I apologize for that. But hopefully the next chapters will be better! I have some parts already planned, but I still don't know how this story will end...

Well, anyway, enjoy!

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Chapter Three

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"Welcome to Dragon Roost, Your Majesty." The royal advisor of the kingdom, Medli, greeted sweetly as the Hyrulian princess stepped out of her carriage.

Bowing her head, she replied, "Thank you, Medli," and looked around her briefly, "it will be a pleasant stay." Though Zelda wished she could spend more time outdoors, being toured about the town she never got to meet.

Medli nodded her head and motioned for Zelda to walk through the open doors, "Prince Komali is waiting for your majesty in the dining room." Zelda didn't reply verbally, but nodded once and followed the Rito inside.

Not paying attention to her surroundings (consequently not seeing the amazed looks the servants were giving her) and finding the dead silence comforting, Zelda let her shoulders relax just a little and let her mind wander. She was away from her kingdom with her advisor's girlfriend as personal bodyguard and only company; Shad stayed to watch over Hyrule and maintain everything under control if anything bad was bound to happen. Zelda only hoped that none of the old men in the council would try to overthrow a revolution and steal her throne - the kingdom already had many problems to deal with.

Ashei followed Zelda closely, yet maintaining a respectful distance between them. In delicate times like this, she couldn't trust anyone, not even her guards, and although they accompanied her in this trip, Ashei was responsible to defend her and any other nobles standing too close to her; the other guards were ordered to attack their enemy and only help the knight when extremely necessary.

They entered the dining room after a long and silent walk, and Zelda noticed Prince Komali seated at the head of the table chatting with the other noble. He gracefully stood to greet his guest, "Princess Zelda," and gently picked her hand and kissed its back, "it is a pleasure to see you again."

"Likewise, Prince Komali." Giving him a small smile, she turned to the other prince in the room when Komali moved to greet Ashei. "Prince Ralis, what a wonderful surprise."

The young Zora stood from his seat and greeted the princess and her knight, and soon the three rulers were seated and chatting as their dinner was served. After a while, they left the dining room and headed to the meeting room, where they would properly discuss about Hyrule's fragile state and try to find solutions to help the princess.

Medli and Ashei, who were walking ahead of the three rulers, suddenly stopped and motioned for them to stay still. Komali instinctively stepped before his guests and Zelda gently pulled Ralis to stand partially behind her. She quickly asked herself why trouble was always surrounding her, and why it had to follow her out of Hyrule and all the way over to Dragon Roost.

Her knight touched the hilt of her sword and quietly tiptoed forward, eyes darting in every direction as she searched for any danger. Only when an arrow flew past her and barely missed Komali's arm by a few inches, she turned and ordered, "Run!"

They reacted instantly. Komali called out for his guards as he pushed both Zelda and Ralis in the opposite direction, leading them to somewhere away from trouble. He heard as Medli pulled one of the swords from the decorative armors in the hallway and started fighting the invaders alongside Ashei.

Zelda picked up her skirts and grabbed the young Zora's wrist, urging him to run faster. The guards that were coming their way ran along the walls to give them the space needed to escape easily while some turned around and followed them, ready to shed blood if needed.

Leaving the hallways and entering the ballroom in order to escape to the backyard, the group was ambushed by more invaders; Zelda's eyes widened by a fraction of seconds before they narrowed menacingly at the sight of her own guards attacking Komali's. Said prince grabbed her hand and pulled her and Ralis out of the room and up a set of stairs, leaving his guards to deal with hers. Only when they reached the top did they notice that her guards were chasing them and the fleeing group picked up their pace in order to lose them.

"Zelda," Komali called breathlessly but kept running, "take Ralis and run in the other direction in the next corner." He gasped out for air and added, "I'll take them to the third floor. Hide in the library." The princess nodded and felt his hand squeeze reassuringly around her own before Komali released it and pushed them to the right side of the hallway, and they parted ways.

The library was the only room in that part of the hallway and Zelda was quick enough to sprint inside and lock the door behind their backs. She pulled Ralis to the back of the room and opened a single door that led to a minuscule storage room that only one person could fit inside; after hastily moving the things inside, Zelda squeezed the Zora inside, "Stay here and don't leave until I tell you to," and closed the door in his face before he could protest.

Just as she turned and rushed to grab one of the decorative swords on the wall, the library door was kicked open by the men that had vowed to protect her and her people. Zelda faced the two guards and tightened her grip on the hilt of the sword; she would protect Ralis with her life, she'd rather die trying than let them take his life without a fight.

"Your Highness," one of them called out in a mocking tone, "the castle is under attack."

She narrowed her eyes and chuckled dryly, "You don't say..."

He stepped forward, closing the distance between them, and put his fingertip on the tip of her blade. "Surrender, you aren't capable of defending yourself. Just drop the s- AH!"

Zelda quickly swung her blade and sliced his finger off, and sent him staggering backwards with a well aimed punch to his nose. "I am the one who faced the Assassin! I am more capable of defending myself than you think!"

The guard slumped forward, torn between cradling his injured hand against his chest and tending to his broken nose. His partner then stepped forward and attacked the princess, but she blocked his attack just in time. The two engaged in a battle that was short, yet intense, but eventually when the guard smirked, her blood went cold; she slowly looked over shoulder when he paused, only to see the other guard raise a dagger above his head and prepare to swing it down and carve it in her back.

Blood spluttered from his mouth then he was jerked back and thrown to the wall behind him, and in the next moment Zelda had an arm securely holding her against a firm chest as the remaining guard let out a gurgled sound before hitting the ground.

She gripped the green material, knuckles turning white, and stared at dying guard with wide eyes as she breathed shallowly and rapidly. "My Princess," Zelda shot her eyes up and stared at the shadowed face of the Assassin, "it is over."

Link wrapped his other arm around her and held her in place as her body slumped back and her muscles completely relaxed. "You did well. It was noble of you to protect Prince Ralis with your life. But," he pulled her body against his own and pushed the sweaty locks away from her face, "I do not want you to get hurt. Let me protect you next time."

"You..." She gasped out before taking in a large gulp of air, "What are you-"

Zelda was gently lifted off the ground and placed in a cushioned divan nearby. "Questions later, My Princess." The Assassin walked away from her and towards the small storage room; he knocked twice on the door, "Prince Ralis," and opened it, "you are now safe."

The young Zora stared at him with wide eyes (the Assassin was standing before him for Hylia's sake!) before he noticed the princess slumped on the couch and rushed in her direction, wanting to scold and thank her at the same time. "Princess Zelda!" Ralis picked her hand with one hand and touched her shoulder with the other; he decided to care for her wellbeing now; he'd reprimand her later, "Are you alright?"

"She is unharmed, Your Majesty, just in shock." Link walked around the divan and picked her up in his arms, then nodded towards the door, "And so is Prince Komali. He is taking care of the guards now."

Ralis placed her hand with the other on her stomach and stepped back. "Right. Let us go now, then. She needs to be tended by medics."

It didn't take too long for them to meet with Prince Komali in the hallways of his castle. After sending her knights to his dungeon, he was quickly heading to the library when he found the three approaching the top of the stairs in a fast pace. The medics accompanying the Rito tried to take Zelda from Link's arms, but he wouldn't release her, so they guided him to the infirmary; the Assassin was kicked out of the room soon after the princess was comfortably lying on a bed and one of the nurses swore he growled at them just like a wild beast.

Link met with both princes in the hallway and bowed before the both of them, giving them the proper respect they deserved. "I am deeply sorry for the attack, Your Highness," his words were directed to Komali and he turned his head in his direction to emphasize. "I am sure Princess Zelda is as sorry as I am."

Komali raised his hand, silencing the hooded Hylian, and replied. "It was not her fault, and I do not blame any of you. I know of Hyrule's delicate state," he quickly glanced at the closed door of the infirmary, "it must be hard for Princess Zelda to handle such a situation."

"She is a sole ruler," Ralis started, eyes visibly saddening although his face remained the same, "she is carrying the weight of a whole kingdom on her shoulders and her council is doing little to help her. They might even be the ones behind this attack."

They remained in silence, the princes silently pondering about the matter while Link's muscles stiffened as a brief wave of guilt washed over him. "It is my fault that she is carrying it on her shoulders and that the kingdom is still unstable." Both Komali and Ralis shifted their gaze to him and said nothing; they knew the Assassin was the one responsible for Zelda's fiancé's death – they were there and witnessed it, after all. "I could have let him live until Hyrule was established."

"It is too late to go back now." Komali spoke up as he casually slipped his hands inside his pockets, something he usually didn't do near his guests. "Hyrule will establish on its own. Princess Zelda is a strong leader; she will save the kingdom, just like you saved us today."

Link nodded and immediately bowed low in farewell, "I must go, Your Highness," then he turned and quickly left without waiting for a reply.

Ralis watched him go and waited until he was far to speak. "And he will be secretly helping her restore Hyrule, will he not?"

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Komali said nothing and kept his eyes focused on the darkened corridor the Assassin had just walked through, and then silently pushed the Zora towards the infirmary.