Hello and welcome! I'm getting pretty vigorous with all the updating I've been doing lately. I guess it's pretty obvious I'm on vacation.

Enjoy!

The Timeless Shadow

"Action speaks louder than words but not nearly as often." – Mark Twain

Chapter 08: Action

Two weeks had passed and in that time the young and slightly naïve Lilia had grown much. She had passed the day she was born with a little training and a much needed rest. But her small break didn't last long as she found herself training harder the next day. Link who had become her trainer was happy when he noticed that she was a natural with the bow and arrow, making him concentrate on perfecting her skills with what would be her new weapon of choice. Yet that fact made him think back to when he first arrived to this cursed place and met the woman who mothered Lilia. Yet for him both females looked so much alike, the only difference between the two women were that Lilia had lighter hair and was a few inches shorter on height.

"Lilia." Link said as he caught the attention of the quiet girl. It was early morning and she greeted him with an 'uh hum' as she continued preparing her breakfast. "Are you sure you are ready?" He asked her worry evident in his words, yet time was the sole responsible that was making him more attached to the young girl.

She stopped what she was doing to stare at him and then to move her sight towards her shoeless feet. She didn't know for sure if she was ready for what she might have to try and conquer, but that fact alone didn't stopped her. She felt that she didn't want to depend on him for everything, since she knew that both of them wouldn't last forever. The more she thought on what she had to do, the more she thought of how mortal she was. He might have been capable of deceiving time back in his days as a hero, and also deceive fifty years of his life in this curse, but she knew he probably couldn't do it a third time. And probably she will be fully alone for many years to come.

She was after all a descendant of her mother, she who lived past a hundred without aging, yet her mother was dead. And unlike the strong woman who had given birth to her, Lilia knew that she was born pretty weak. As a baby, Lilia would often get sick due to the low temperatures of the north. Some of those times being a worry to her parents as they suspected that she wouldn't reach to live to the year. She surpassed that probability and was alive today, probably her future as a semi immortal being what kept her alive even today.

"Tell me, Lily. Please." Link nearly pleaded as he stared into the green eyes of the young female. "I don't want you to do something you aren't prepared to do." He said as he moved closer to the teen.

"I..." She started only to pause when he lifted her chin so that she could stare directly into his blue eyes.

"I'm here." He said as he chuckled lightly at how he had shocked the girl for a slight second.

A small smile broke to her face as she looked up to the man that had fallen for her. She closed her eyes and allowed her chin to rest slightly on his hand for support as she tried her best to hold back a small fit of laughter. She succeeded lightly but he knew what she was doing with that action and found himself staring back to big and innocent green eyes. After a minute of staring into each others hearts, they recollected themselves and she remembered what he was pleading her to tell him.

"Link... I, I..." She started but was at a lost of words, what was she going to tell him? How egoist she wanted to be and not free him so that he could be at her side? Or how she only saw him like a close friend? She couldn't find herself to become someone she wasn't and choose her answer after an internal fight had concurred inside of her. "I don't want to do this." She told him sincerely as tears swelled in her eyes, her fear of being alone creating a deep pain in her chest.

Link stopped for a minute as he saw how much trouble she was having with this small decision that marked the future of Hyrule. Link knew that if he had to choose by his feelings he could care less of the kingdom he once served. But he knew that it would be wrong of him. He was called in dreams to once again save the princess, which he doubted there was any. He knew Zelda had three boys and that none of them had a child that was the extension of his knowledge since he had heard it from Lilia's father. Yet even if he had developed feelings for the young girl, the Goddesses spoke to him, his time of awakening coming close.

"Link, listen to me." Lilia said as she grasped his cheek with both hands. "I am prepared to do this, but I don't really want to lose you." She said as she looked down preparing herself to say what she might regret in a near future. "Even thought I don't want to, the people need you more than I do." She voiced her internal conflict as she wiped a tear away only for it to be replaced by another one. He was her friend, her only company, sometimes ever her protector. How could she turn her back on all of that?

Link smiled at her, she didn't know how much she had grown but he sure noticed. He pulled her hold on his face away and held both hands with one and used the free one to clear her face of tears. 'I don't like to see her cry, but I'm sure she will be alright. Her mother's spirit is always with her.' He though as he closed his eyes and hugged her allowing her to cry out her tortured mind. 'I wish I could tell her what I feel but then I wouldn't have the heart to leave her.'

On this day the more time proceeded, the more Zelda regretted having stayed in the new Kakariko. She was being egoistical due to the fact that she was using the people as a shield and this coming from her was going way low. Today she saw everything being on how it should have been since the beginning. Every street was deserted and most of the people had fled following the lead of her old friend and his family. The more she penetrated into the village the more lonely she felt, she knew of a small group that stayed, being brave enough to stay and protect what was left of the village and of the Queen herself.

As she walked around ignoring the calls she got from a group of men that was preparing weapons and all that short of things. She never once did stop her trek as she walked further away and into the solicitude of the graveyard. Here in the place were people rested she decided to rest under a tree, who observed the masses of tombstones. She didn't mind the sudden and intensified feeling of loneliness but she didn't give it too much thought.

As she sat in a comfortable position she thought of the men who were willingly to give their life to protect her. She knew it was wrong but if they had chosen their destiny she wasn't in the position to push them away from it. But the more she thought of it all the more she started to pray for their lives. As she accommodated her body so that she would stand on her knees she started to pray for the lives of the death. She wanted the dead to give her the energies to continue and for the living to be protected by the dead.

However she felt a small presence behind her and she turned over to see who it was. Her eyes landed on the young boy who hadn't left her side since he had helped her escape. He seemed determined to protect her and his eyes showed the markings of a future hero. She observed him, studying him and noticed something in him that the knights from her kingdom had started to lack. The more she looked at him studying his form the more she started to feel guilty about having him here and not away with the rest of the people.

"Why didn't you left with them?" She asked him with the tenderness she would have asked her grandchildren but by the looks of it she wouldn't live to see that day.

"I wouldn't be capable of living with the guilt." He said as he kneeled next to her and started to pray to the heavens for the aged woman who had given the orphan the love he never knew existed. But truth to be told, it was the young boy that was giving all the love.

The maddened oldest son of Zelda walked around the castle that stood quiet that morning. He knew that he had to lay low, before turning his gears into action, he decided that today could have never been a more perfect day for his plans. He laughed mentally as he prepared himself for the small talk that was about to happen. A few more minutes of him walking around the polished floors of the main hall and he found himself stopping in front of a door that looked the same as any other, but what it had inside was something with far more value.

He didn't bother to knock and entered the room as he would have entered his own room. The door closed with a loud bang behind him and it was meant for the person inside the room to notice his presence. Once inside the room all he had to do was pass the living area and glare. That way he could conceal his speechless face and hate to the person he didn't truly felt like betraying. However, as his light blue eyes tried their best to digest what was going on in the room, his face reddened. The same thing happened to someone with features similar to Markus, as true shock swept through both men in the room.

"Oh for the love of Din put some clothes on." The gruff tone of Markus said as he looked away and gave his youngest brother his back. That was due to the embarrassment of seeing his nude brother.

Yet not being afraid to look at a woman, Markus turned over and stared at the woman dressed in fishnets while glaring at her he said. "Get the fuck out of here... unless you want to meet your end." He threatened the woman who obliged and ran out without even picking her clothes up.

The man on the other side of the room didn't protest against the given order and quickly moved to cover himself with some slightly decent clothes. Once he was dressed in his high silk robe he walked out of his sleeping area and into the common area in which his older brother, and king of Hyrule, stood observing the painting he had in the room. Abusing of the fact that his back was to his younger brother, Markus closed his eyes as he thought of the day he had painted that scenery, all because Kain had wished for the beauty of it to be grasped eternally.

"Why you had to do that? I was having fun." The fake childish tone of Kain came from behind his eldest brother as he moved beside the older man, him also admiring the art Markus could easily create. It was strange to who knew that such a dark and mad person was capable of re-creating the most beautiful sceneries in a small portrait. That being one of the few things that allowed Kain to believe that there was still hope for his brother.

"You imbecile, is that your term of fun?" He said as he glared at the wall, before turning back to the painting, great memories were related to it. Memories, those were mostly dead to him.

"Well maybe, I mean I haven't seen you with a woman since your last wife." Kain said patting his brother on the back but making sure he wasn't mad at him for the comment.

"That is because I'm not a womanizer like you." Markus said with a smirk on his face. "Plus I don't do it everywhere."

Silence decided to rule the room as the two brothers took some time off their teasing time. They observed the paintings in the room and made a few comments of each one. However, once Markus stopped on his favorite painting again he didn't comment. He was having some slight trouble with doing what he was meant to do thanks to that painting. But his thoughts were decided to be interrupted by his youngest brother.

"I gotta' say you always loved that painting." Kain said as he observed his oldest brother cautiously.

"Of course I do, I made it myself." He said as he opened his eyes, those icy blue eyes that could swallow people whole after freezing them.

"If I don't forget I was less than three feet tall when you painted that... yup yet that day I had beaten in wrestling." Kain said as he came closer to his brother once he thought everything was safe, but his words didn't stop there. "I also remember that day... if I'm not wrong Nick had you beaten in chess."

The slightly cynical words from Kain had pushed the limit. Here was King Markus who was planning on forgiving his younger brother for the damage he had done, but now everything had fallen. Without looking for where to hit Markus twisted his torso over with his elbow to the air. The sudden move had Kain shocked and not prepared for the hit which came hard on his cheek. As the younger brother had trouble finding his balance, he could barely hear the scream Markus had released soon after the hit. It was the call of war.

Another hit came to Kain fast and had him sprawled on the floor wondering what was going on with him and why his body wasn't following his orders. As he tried to get up he found himself a helping hand, but in the most painful way possible. A ringed hand had found its way to his long blonde locks and pulled painfully on them so that he would get on his two feet faster. Kain yelled loudly and cringed as a hit was met to his face once more.

"You will never dare to betray me again!" Markus yelled in his face a few sparks of spit landing on Kain's bruised cheeks. "Do you get that?" He yelled once more and when he saw no response he smacked his brother once more, freeing his locks and allowing him to fall limp on the floor.

The King of Hyrule ordered a few knights around and walked off. The hurt and tired Kain lifted his head lightly as a few men entered the room and picked him up carefully, he saw something in one of them but he couldn't recollect what it was. He could barely listen to what they were speaking but it sounded serious. 'What's wrong with me? I could have taken him on... no.' Kain thought as he felt his feet slightly drag against an unpolished floor. 'He must have drugged me... impossible... that bastard.' He thought finally as he welcomed the darkness of the drug.

"Oh great… he fainted." One of the knights supporting the prince weight said.

"You picked the wrong straw bro; it's your turn to carry him." The other Knight said lightly as he joked of his partner's bad luck.

However the knight that had picked the wrong straw smiled as he positioned the prince upon his back. He didn't protest but thought back to when he was still a child and not a man. 'Father… you used to carry me back then, now it's my turn to carry you.'

"What does he have planned!" Nick demanded as he punched the advisor of his older brother a cracking sound coming to his ears as he found himself pleased. 'Must have broken his nose…´ Nick thought with a smirk as he stared at the man before him.

"I don't know my lord... p-ple-please don't kill me." The advisor of Markus shuttered as he felt the blood pour down from his broken nose.

"Don't you dare lie in my face, you mother..." One of the princes of Hyrule spoke lowly as he added many profanities on the advisor's family name.

The more time that passed, the more Nick wanted to draw his sword and chop the man's head off the more he had to hold back his urge. He let go of the man who was crying with pleas and allowed him to fall on the floor. As he looked at the man's face that had a combination of bruises combined with tears that mixed with the blood coming from his nose, he scuffed at his handy work and thought that he was becoming just like his brother. As he turned over to leave he thought back to all the plans that the advisor must have done and protected, he believed that he must have fallen short on the punishment.

The tall blonde reared back and brought his foot forward against the face of another madman behind the throne. The man's head responded like a ball and the back of his skull crashed against the wall he had used earlier as support. Due to the impact the man's body slumped against the floor in pure unconsciousness. Nick on the other hand found himself smiling at the fact that at least he had placed justice without any legal ways or forms; somehow satisfied by his sadistic way.

However his smile fell suddenly as he saw two knights standing at the entrance to the dungeons, blocking his escape. He knew that if he acted offensive they would of apply their many years of experience on him and he knew that being physical wasn't his strongest point. The more he thought of any forms of escape the less enthusiastic he became. However, his worst fear started to come true as the knights moved their heavily armored body over to him.

'I can't die here. They need me.' He thought aggressively as he moved his hand to pick up his dao resting on his hip. However, the knights didn't act as how they should have and once they saw him move his hand to his short sword they dropped to the floor in a pleading position. Nick's face was priceless during that moment and he grew closer with caution, not knowing what to expect of these men.

"State your business." He commanded once he was at a meter of distance.

"We came to help you our lord." One of the knight answered as both men stayed put on their kneeling position vulnerable to any short of attack.

"And what do you think you would help me with?" He asked as he starred them down, but they never returned their eyes to him, not even for a glimpse.

"King Markus had sent a group to assassinate Kain's family." The same man who answered before stated as he quivered upon his possible destiny.

"What?" Nick half yelled as his eyes widened at the thought that Markus had outsmarted him. "You two ran away from his club of assassins' right?" Nick said but no words were said by the men, they simply nodded and one of them whimpered lightly when the second in line moved. "If you two want freedom I suggest going back to the group and slowing them down." He commanded as he told them of his strategy knowing that it would be suicide if it didn't turned all right.

The men didn't wasted time upon their orders and ran away in the same direction they had come from. As Nick walked forward he felt a small pain on his chest, followed by the feeling of sadness taking over. He didn't know what was going on but it didn't felt good. Upon remembering what was meant to happen if he didn't interfered, he pushed himself forward and began to run. 'I have to stop them, those men aren't worth trusting. Mai, Kain, mom, little Zelda... please all of you be safe.' He thought as he turned a sharp corner, entering sewers bellow the busy city that was oblivious to what was going on deep in the castle.

The thumping of the carriage meant trouble. The small pup woke up from the hit and his owners scream. The few month old baby cried loudly as its closed eyes were still oblivious to the danger surrounding it. Another hit against the carriage and Nick's wife found herself clutching her baby in fear for her life. The cries of the kid weren't the only thing heard as she yelled loudly afraid of what was going on outside. Another thud and the last thing the prince's wife heard as she found herself falling into pools of darkness.

The darkness that surrounded her sight was interrupted as a man's hand grabbed hold of her shoulder and started shaking her. The shaking was interrupt when a baby's cries distracted the man and he proceeded to quiet the baby, but everything he did seemed to fail. The small pup started to lick the face of the woman to see if she would wake up and somehow that seemed to work lightly. She twisted lightly and moved her face away from the animal and soon enough she started giggling, once she had found herself to be fully conscious.

"Stop it." She commanded the dog but it didn't work since she was laughing all the way, the pups licking growing more vigorous the more she laughed.

"My lady, please stop playing and take care of your baby." The man who was rocking baby Zelda effortlessly said as he heard the woman being fully awake.

"Ok, ok." She said as she sat up and opened her eyes to see the man rocking her baby. "You know you could do it in the best way she still wouldn't quiet down." She told him as she laughed lightly, with her free spirited voice. "Here, let me show you." She said as she picked her baby from the man's arms.

Instantly once the baby was in her arms it quiet down, only leaving small hiccups. The tears she had gained were cleaned by her mother and she fell asleep once she was secured in her mother's caring arms. The man who did the same thing before but didn't work stared at the woman in wonder, as he asked how she did that. "She only stops crying with me, not even Nick is capable of doing this." She told him, at the same time she started to observe her surroundings.

"My lady I'm sorry but we will have to continue on foot." The man said politely as he remembered that she was a lady of the castle.

"Please stop the names; I'm no longer in the castle." She said with her kind blue eyes penetrating deep into the man's soul. "Call me Mai."

"Alright Lady Mai," he said trying it out but her eyes narrowed.

"Drop the Lady." She said harshly and once she saw him nod she dropped the act and smiled serenely. "Oh yeah, where are we headed?" She asked him once she noticed the broken carriage a few feet away, the two horses not too far off.

"Um... my lady-" He stopped by the glare he received. "I mean Mai, yeah Mai." He said testing it and making sure he wouldn't forget it, her glares were pretty nasty. "We got out of route; I guess we will have to stop by at Lake Hylia." He said as he wondered what they were going to do next.

"Then what are we waiting for?" She asked him with her energies on high, which seemed contagious since the dog started jumping up and down and running circles around the two of them.

Well this is the end for this chapter, but announcements... oh boy how I LOVE announcements. I'm still looking for a Beta for this story (and my others), plus I checked and found that the story will end soon at roughly fifteen chapters long. It's only a matter of time till I truly sit down to finish it.

So if anyone is interested send me a message, and don't forget to review as they make the author happy.

~~Adrianne