First off, thank you to I.K.A. Valian, QuinKilo1055, Booklover13, Super Goat Grl, la generala and Yuleen75 for your reviews. I am glad you are all enjoying this fiction and like my Crazy Link! I'm afraid he doesn't appear in this chapter but don't let it put you off… please do continue to review!
Chapter Eleven
The reaction to his news did not have quite the impact Mutoh had been hoping for. The only discernable trace of worry on the part of any of the three richly dressed judges before him was that the smallest of the three (who also wore bottle-top glasses and had a thatch of brilliant white hair), Judge Kru, made a slight attempt to flee back to the safety of the coach. Impa soon quashed this bid for freedom through the simple, rather effective method of grabbing him by the ear, as though he were a naughty school child, as he ran past.
"A wolf, you say?" She remarked, as perfectly calm and collected as always.
"Yes, m'lady." Replied Mutoh from the safety of his home.
"And it went into my home?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"And you did not attempt to prevent it from entering the sacred confines of my house?"
"Um…we were in a bit of a pickle…er…panic, madam."
"How pathetic. Remind me again why I chose to leave you in charge of my beloved Kakariko?"
"Um, I paid you two-thousand rupees…"
"What?" Exclaimed Rauru.
"Er, nothing." Said Impa hastily. "It clearly behoves us to see the wolf. And kill it. Who's with me?"
There was a deafening silence and a slight breeze whistled through the houses. Impa glared at her companions, making each of them shuffle nervously. "Cucco-brains." She sneered. "You're scared of a little dog?"
"It was a wolf." Muttered Kru.
Thinking back to the only wolf she had seen recently, Impa allowed a rare smile to pass across her face. She wondered if her suspicions about the animal were correct, and if they were, then where the heck was its doting owner? She was definitely anxious to meet with Link again. She wanted her money back.
"Pah – that is nothing. I have faced dragons and serpents and lizards in my time…" Began Impa, raising herself to her full height. She towered over her companions and continued, in her booming tone, "I have fought against rock monsters and Octorocs and…"
"Fled from Tekties and Skultullas." Rauru finished her sentence for her with a slight smile gracing his otherwise bland features. It was a well-known fact that Hyrule's highest-ranking female judge was terrified of bugs. She glowered at him.
"I do not quake at the thought of confronting a dog."
"Well I do," Said Kru, crossing his arms and stamping a foot. "And I'm not going."
"Children, please…" Began Rauru, feeling his eyes roll involuntarily.
"I will go." Came a soft voice that none of them recognised. The three swung around and came face to face with the most beautiful woman they had ever seen (at least that's what Kru and Rauru thought). Impa's glare just narrowed at the sight of her. She sat astride a large black horse with red eyes and a cropped mane. Her eyes were amber coloured and were partially covered by her heavy-drooping lids. Her flawless skin was dewy and richly tanned, and the long, very low cut dress of turquoise satin she wore seemed incapable of hiding much of it. Her sunset orange hair was pulled severely away from her face and piled high on her head. She allowed an indulgent smile to pass across her red-stained lips before gracefully jumping from her steed's back.
Impa only needed one glance at her companions to know that they had been effectively, and completely immobilised by the sight of such a goddess. It wasn't just that she was beautiful. Impa knew that her companions, being the shallow men they were, would find the sight of an impressive bosom, tiny waist and hips that swayed provocatively as she moved, a little too distracting.
"Who are you?" She snapped.
The woman's smile only deepened, and her strange amber eyes flashed under their heavy lids. "My name is Tassia." She replied, in her slow, rich voice. Impa heard the gasp of sheer joy from her companions as the newcomer bowed low and sighed. If it was not lunatics running off with her money, it was interfering, attractive hussies trying to muscle in on her 'most important woman in Hyrule' territory.
She nudged Rauru, who out of the two males was the most likely to recover from his lust-induced stupor with the least amount of embarrassment. "Pleasure." He murmured. "Sheer pleasure." Not even Impa's most formidable sneer could drag his attention, and mind, away from the vision before him. Kru was drooling. His sixth sense warned him that his companion's glare was upon him so he at least attempted to shut his mouth. The only word he could manage though was "pretty…"
Impa sighed again and knew that, yet again, she had to take control of the situation. She did not hold out much hope for this potential employee either. At least she looked sane, thought Impa as she hastily introduced herself and her companions. "And that coward hiding behind his doorway is Mutoh, the Mayor of Kakariko." She added.
Tassia cast a glance in the direction of the doorway and raised an eyebrow. There was the sound of a sigh coming from the doorway, immediately followed by the unmistakable sound of a slap. Mutoh's wife was evidently watching the goings on too.
"You were saying something about a wolf?" Tassia asked politely.
"Apparently there is one at large in my residence." Stated Impa coldly. "And these useless men will not aid me in removing it."
The 'useless men' stood to attention at this point, hoping to look less pathetic than they guessed they already appeared to be. The sight of Tassia's indulgent smile as they did, did not exactly reassure them. Her heavy lids only lowered, giving her a wickedly amused look and she returned her complete attention back to Impa.
"Ah, you cannot rely on men for anything." Said Tassia, a sentiment so in harmony with Impa's own thoughts that she almost smiled at the younger woman. Almost. In reality, her scowl only relaxed slightly, and the frown evaporated from her face.
Rauru and Kru took immediate exception to this, by puffing out their chests and attempting to look young, brave, handsome and reliable. Or as close to it as two fifty-something-year old, balding and over-indulged judges could get. Tassia smiled lazily at this and continued addressing Impa. "As I said, I might be of some assistance to you. Does the wolf have a golden coat and blue eyes perchance?"
"I wouldn't know, I am yet to see it." Snapped Impa.
Mutoh escaped from the confines of his house at this moment (and beyond the reach of his irritated wife) and scrambled down the stairs of his house to stand before the magnificent visitor. He bowed reverently to her. As he was a short man, and Tassia was rather tall, he found it very difficult to keep his eyes on hers as he stood up. "It is, ma'am. I seen it with me own eyes." He forced himself to look up at Tassia's face rather than her chest.
"Did you?" She asked, a strange smile lighting her eyes once more. "Will you take me to the wolf, friend?"
Mutoh nodded and in a show, either of manly defiance, or sheer cowardice, took Tassia's arm and began to lead her forward, towards Impa's surprisingly humble residence. Impa was not the only person to note the beads of sweat visible on his forehead, or the way he stared straight ahead, not venturing to look either at his wife or the judges.
"Wait." Called Impa. Tassia stopped and glanced behind. Impa heard the groans coming from her companions. How the situation had spiralled out of her control, she did not know. However she did know that Tassia was stealing her limelight, thunder and all the adoration that was rightfully hers, and she would stop her. She grabbed the fleshy parts of her companion's arms and dragged them forward, ignoring their squeals of pain and moans of protest.
"I refuse to let you into my home without my presence." Tassia only raised an eyebrow at this. Impa suddenly felt an overwhelming and unladylike urge to smack that smile from her adversary's sinfully pretty mouth. Of course, being a lady through-and-through, despite the sheikah training she had undergone in her youth, Impa had no intention of acting on those primal instincts. As a judge and noblewoman, there were much more discreet methods of revenge and counter-irritation available to her. With this in mind, she smiled sweetly.
Tassia knew this declaration of war well and responded to the initial skirmish by replying in the kindest manner possible, "Of course we could not enter into your home without your presence enlivening it - such a thing would not only be grossly impolite, but would also be impossible as I do not have the keys."
Impa smiled more sweetly.
Caught in between this new and confusing type of battle, Kru and Rauru exchange a glance of mutual discomfort. Neither attempted to intervene though. Long association with Impa had taught them to never, ever interrupt a cat-scrap - unless you actually wanted to be turned upon by both combatants.
"Of course, in normal circumstances I would not allow a mere stranger to cross the threshold of my humble abode." Impa rallied.
"Of course, in normal circumstances I would not want to." Instantly replied Tassia.
Round two to Tassia. Impa's smile became more fixed, her gaze more rigid. Tassia's eyes danced with amusement and the men accompanying them cringed. Tassia patted her hair with a slender hand and gazed at the large ring on her index finger, turning it to and fro, making it capture the light. To all intents and purposes she was incredibly bored.
"Why are you so interested in the wolf anyway, Miss?" Asked Mutoh, effectively breaking the ice and recalling Rauru and Kru's wandering thoughts. Although it could not be said that they were completely recovered from their stupor, they were at least not staring in open-mouthed lechery at the woman.
Tassia smiled lazily but did not look up from her study of her ring.
"Why?" Demanded Impa.
Tassia glanced up at Impa, her eyes betraying nothing but weary exasperation but Impa knew that there was more to this. Something was not quite right. Tassia thought quickly and debated whether or not she should pursue this new lead. Of course, she was hoping to find where that worm Aganhim was hiding, but it wouldn't hurt to find Zelda on the way, would it? According to all sources, the girl had transformed herself into a wolf's body, and where else would she hide but in the home of her guardian, Impa. She decided that Ganondorf would expect her to investigate this matter further. With that in mind, she stated, "It so happens that the wolf belongs to me."
"No it doesn't, it is Link's." Retorted Impa before she actually realised she had just let the one bit of information she had hoped to keep to herself slip from her mouth.
"Who is Link?" Asked Tassia looking adorably confused.
"Link?" Said Kru. "The name rings a bell…"
"It should do." Answered Rauru, his heavy white brows dropping over his eyes as he glared at Impa. "You met him and didn't tell me?!"
"Um…" For once Impa was at a loss for words. "I…it so happened that I…"
Distracted by their argument, none of the judges noticed that Tassia's eyes had narrowed, or that one of her hands was clenched slightly. So the wolf belonged to Link, did it? That was a name she had not heard in over two years and was one she had hoped never to hear again. And if Link had been at the castle when Ganondorf's precious Zelda had escaped, that would provide a more logical and reasonable explanation to her disappearance, rather than the foolish notion that she had transformed into a golden wolf and had fled. The girl could have run off with him. A reluctant smile appeared on Tassia's face, she felt a little sorry for Zelda if that was the case.
Nevertheless, the castle guards had been quite adamant that Zelda had indeed transformed into a wolf right in front of their eyes and King Ganondorf had believed the story. He had also said there was more to his captive than met the eye. He thought it plausible that she could have used magic to change her body, she could have swapped bodies with the wolf, reasoned Tassia. There was only one way to find out, she supposed. She would have to see the wolf for herself.
Really this detour to Kakariko had proved interesting.
"…and so I sent him to the castle to scout out what was happening. It was a perfectly reasonable decision." Stated Impa, her attitude and voice hinting that hers was the final say in the matter.
"So this "Link" was sent to the castle?" Asked Tassia. The three judges had forgotten her presence in the midst of their dispute. "For what purpose?" She asked the question in a perfectly level tone, just a hint of curiosity mixed with boredom in its slow depths. Rauru saw no reason not to trust such a pretty woman, so he answered,
"Well, my dear, it seems that Daphnes believed Zelda to be hidden in the castle, so naturally Judge Impa wanted to secure her release as quickly as possible.
"Actually I wanted to be rid of that monster Ganondorf for all time." Muttered Impa. Unfortunately, Tassia had excellent hearing. Her eyes flashed ever so slightly, but she responded in the same disinterested manner, "Why would you want to destroy Ganondorf? Is he not the rightful King of Hyrule? Is not power the fruit of conquest?"
"We do not recognise him as King." Stated Kru.
Tassia stroked her chin with a long finger; there was no sign of her thoughts on her passive face. "Who would you say is Hyrule's rightful King then?" She asked gently.
"Aganhim, of course." Snapped Impa. "He has all the right credentials."
Tassia smiled slightly. "Who is to say that King Ganondorf has not the right credentials too – he won the battle for this country, did he not? That does give him a certain advantage over Aganhim. However, you are the judges of this nation, so I am sure the people will accept whatever decision you make. In the end, the strongest will prevail."
"Pah, you would say that. You are a Gerudo yourself." Said Impa. "Of course you want a Gerudo King sitting on the Hylian throne."
"I may be a Gerudo," Said Tassia, her eyes glinting ever so slightly, "But that does not mean I cannot see the reasoning behind your choice. Aganhim is a powerful wizard, but a weak fool. A man easily led and often beguiled. As such, it would be a matter of relative ease for you judges to…persuade him to accept your viewpoints. King Ganondorf," Here she smiled slightly, "Is not. He is a determined, ruthless and single-minded man. You could not, and would not, manipulate him."
This earned her the glares of the three judges. She smiled back blankly at them. "And so I told Daphnes when we discussed the matter."
"D-daphnes?" Stammered Rauru. He glanced at Impa, who seemed as dumbfounded as he was. "Um, when did you speak to Daphnes?"
"Oh about a week ago. He asked me to find his granddaughter."
"You are the mercenary he hired?" Asked Rauru, completely bewildered.
"I am and that is why I am interested in this wolf of yours. You see - I have reason to suspect that the wolf is actually Zelda. My sources indicate that she was enchanted by someone…"
"Link." Muttered Impa coldly.
"Quite possibly, Link is an adept of sorts." Tassia had absolutely no idea if Link could or could not use magic but she reasoned that the Judges would not know that either. "It is a perfectly cunning plan if you think about it – nobody would suspect that his wolf companion is actually a kidnapped girl, would they?"
"He did not say anything of this to me." Mused Impa.
"Why would he? I certainly would not! No doubt you explained to him that Zelda had been kidnapped and I would imagine that this "Link" you hired is not stupid enough to declare himself a kidnapper." Tassia allowed this thought to take root in her companion's minds, all the while thinking quickly. If she could pin the blame on Zelda's disappearance on Link, then she could easily persuade the Judges to give her the task of finding him. And if she found him, she suspected she would find Zelda too. She was confident she could easily deal with Link – after all, she did know him well. Once Link was disposed of, Nabooru could get on with the important task of restoring Zelda to Ganondorf.
This plan depended on convincing the Judges that Zelda was indeed trapped in the body of a wolf. She glanced over at the judges and appraised them swiftly. Rauru was trusting but wary. Impa was just plain useless. Kru was…perfect, decided Tassia. He was torn between having his opinions heard and lusting after the perfect, mesmerising specimen of Gerudo flesh standing before his eyes. She smiled softly at him.
"It is absolutely ridiculous." Said Impa, "There is no way that wolf is Zelda. That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard in my life!"
"There is only one way to find out whether she is or not." Replied Rauru. "We have to see her, make her communicate with us."
"Surely you are not convinced are you?"
Rauru rubbed the back of his head nervously, "Well… it is plausible…"
"Fool."
Nabooru laced her fingers together and cracked them. "Judges, please, there is no need for this animosity." She said, laughing slightly. Instantly calm was restored. "I believe that the enchantment was a particularly strong one, I do not think that communication will be possible, however, it is telling that the beast-I mean-the girl, ran to your house, Judge Impa. Why select that one out of all the homes here? I cannot imagine it is the most inviting home in the village – however, Zelda would know it, would she not?"
Impa reluctantly agreed.
"Well then, if we can capture this beast-I mean-Girl, perhaps it would be best to seek the advice of Aganhim. He will be able to tell us, not only if we are correct in our presumption that this is indeed Zelda, but also he will be able to lift the enchantment. Thus my role is complete, and you have Daphnes' precious child back within your folds."
"I suppose." Said Impa. She didn't like to agree with the beautiful Gerudo woman, but what she said made sense. To her anyway.
"In that case, I will attempt to capture the wolf-I mean-Zelda. I imagine it-um-she is quite frightened and hungry by now, so I had better only take one other person with me." She looked pointedly at Kru, ignoring Impa. Kru saw her invitation and shuddered. He was torn between pure fear and the desire to impress this woman. Desire won.
They returned a few minutes later, Tassia leading a surprisingly docile looking massive golden wolf, Kru trailing behind, keeping a safe distance between himself and the creature.
Impa glanced at the blue-eyed animal and instantly recognised it as the one belonging to Link. Surely that Gerudo was not right – was this Zelda? She wondered. If was, then why had it been so happy in Link's presence? She didn't believe Tassia's theory for a second but had no way of disproving it either.
"I explained to the wolf what was happening." Said Tassia calmly, as she watched Impa exchanging a puzzled look with Rauru. "She seemed to understand, hence the reason for her docility. She was sleeping on your bed and had unfortunately ransacked a few of your cupboards, and chewed the wooden legs of your table, and shredded some of your clothes. Other than that, she is fine. She cannot speak, of course, and she is very tired, but we are convinced that this is Zelda, are we not Kru?"
Kru nodded. For once he declined to make any further comment. He seemed a little stunned. He had not been with Tassia when she found the wolf, but remembered hearing a low-pitched growl and then a slight yelp and the next moment Tassia had appeared, leading the wolf around as though it was a tame dog. She had managed to, with very few words but one big smile, convince him that she was correct. He hadn't really concentrated on her too much though, at that point. The sight ot that blunt nose, and large teeth unnerved him. He agreed with everything the Gerudo said, so long as she stood in between him and the monster.
Tassia smiled again. She had had another idea. She knew how to find Aganhim now - she would just accompany the judges. Plus that way she could keep feeding the dog sedatives to keep her quiet. Of course, the judges would not be made privy to the information that she had drugged the animal as soon as she had seen it.
"Is it really you, Zelda?" Stammered Rauru. Something seemed strange about the animal. It appeared to be listing to one side and its eyes were strangely lifeless. Amber's tail wagged slightly, probably in reaction to that kind-sounding voice. Rauru took it as a sign. "Good Gods, it is she!" He exclaimed, "How could that Link do this to her? What shall we do?"
"We must speak with Aganhim, of course." Replied Impa. She cast a quick glance at Tassia, who was again studying her fingers, and sighed. Somehow she knew that Rauru would invite the strange Gerudo woman along and nothing she could do or say would change his mind. She still felt uneasy. She saw a slight smile pass over Tassia's face and knew that the woman was up to something. But what? She decided that she would keep an eye on her. She looked back down at the wolf and grimaced. "I wonder where your owner is?"
Well you all know the answer to that last question!! We'll see what happens when the Kokiri meet Link in the next chapter. I feel sorry for them already...
