(A/N: What's this?! Another chapter in the same week!?

Ah, but it is nothing of true substance, sadly. It is pretty choppy... I really hate this one. It feels empty. Meh.

The next one will be better, I promise! :) )

Thanks to lagenerala ( u/889175/)

And Ribke D'Crazy ( u/2194602/ )

For the quick reviews of the last chapter! :) Ya'll are awesome! :D

Much love and I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! :) If you do not celebrate it then I hope you have a fantastic week! :)

-Q

It had all happened so fast... he was yanked up by his Father, thrown into a nearby room while the sounds of the Court screamed nearby, and even though Link knew that all Seven Layers of Din's Hell was about to break loose upon his head... all he could think about were those eyes.

Hot coal, golden, red eyes... colder than a Freezard's breath.

Navi was no where to be found... Link guessed she was probably napping somewhere as magick use drained her.

He wished she was here.

"That was brave."

It was Impa. "I am begining to think it is going to be fatal..." Link murmured, staring into the fireplace where no fire raged. It was dark inside and the boy could only guess that it was a meeting chamber though he was not sure. "Are you here to kill me?" He asked, more serious than he actually meant.

"Kill you?" She chuckled and appeared at his side like a shadow in sudden pale, white light. "I threatened you last night to show the severity of what was told." Impa's grasp was like that of a man's but it soothed him like a mother's embrace. "As for what just transpired... that was a work of genius."

"Hmph." Lincoln snorted air from his nose and buried his face into his arms which lay atop his drawn up knees.

After igniting a fire, Impa tucked her hands beneath the child's armpits and hefted him into a nearby couch. She actually smiled at his bewildered expression. "You see what I did there, Lincoln?"

"You threw me!"

"That is the action, yes, but the result, Dear Boy, was that I shocked you. Shocked you so very much that you had no time to think or react in any proper way... if I had told you that I was going to throw you then perhaps you could have fought back." Impa's hands moved as she spoke and Link could tell she was in a more relaxed state then when on duty. He wondered why she was not with Zelda but surmised the Princess was probably confined to her room until the fiasco blew over.

"And that pertains to the situatio-OW!" He grabbed the side of his head where the Sheikah's hand had clapped him and glared. "What the hell was that for?!"

"Watch your tongue." Impa smirked. "Now." The warmth danced through the chilly castle air and lifted some of the Lordling's spirit as the woman continued with her odd way of cheering him up. "You proposed a radical idea in front of the main Court. King Edric will have to answer to why he did not do such a thing before, and then when he calms down all the Lords and Ladies... he shall have to talk your Father into allowing you to do so. It appears to be a simple task, but, it is not." Impa turned her body so that she fully faced Link and cupped his face so that he stared into her crimson eyes. "We have had no contact with either Goron or Zora before the Great Deku Tree's death."

Link's eyes bulged. "That... means..."

"He approached them first." Impa nodded. "The question is whether he has their treasures... he has not attacked you or come for you so I do not believe he knows you have possession of the Emerald."

"How will we figure that out?"

Impa chuckled. "Ask the Leaders while you are there."

"Would it be wise to bring them all together... if he does not have them?" Lincoln sighed, running his fingers through his hair and appearing more frustrated than any boy of ten should. "I mean how am I going to convince Darunia and King Zora to just- Just HAND over their most prized possessions!?" He jumped up and drew closer to the flames in hopes that the heat would soothe his woes. It did not... and he longed for Navi's guidance. "Ganondorf- My brother... Rowan... said he thinks that Ganondorf is using Dark Magick..."

"I have heard similar reports from my Sisters." Impa's stoic expression returned but her gaze did not harden all the way. "The Princess' dreams are never wrong... and I do not believe in coincidences, Lordling. It is all too suspicious... too dangerous. Something must be done... and for some unknown reason..." He felt her behind him before he felt her hands grasp his shoulders and her presence gave him a different kind of strength... "You were Chosen. Just know, My Lord, that I stand behind you and offer you my sword."

She believed in him.

Zelda believed in him.

They did not view him as some boy who knew how to twirl a sword. He knew his family loved him and were proud but this was different...

And it solidified something in him. He could feel it break out... something fierce, feral, proud... like a lion.

Courage.

And as the door opened, revealing an angry Raven Hudson and an almost approving King Edric... the lion bared his fangs.

And roared.

The handsome red haired, green eyed Sir Rowan Hudson sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. Politics and how the Court viewed people never interested him... hence, why he had become a Knight. He had been taught, of course, because he was Raven's second son but, when he had taken up the cloak of the Realm, he forfeited his claim.

Thomas, the third son, had almost followed Rowan's direct footsteps but had elected not to take up the trails presented to those who wished to be a Knight of the Realm. The brown haired, sun burnt face, and brown eyed man had his fingers laced together with his elbows on the table that made him look as if he was praying. His shoulder length hair was pulled back and Rowan could see from the angle he had that Thomas was not praying... he was sleeping.

The room was silent.

It had been like the scene from a memory in Rowan's mind.

When Raven told the family that he was going to marry Evangeline... it had not been an easy thing for everyone to accept. They all loved Evie but to imagine his Father possibly having another child at fifty years was distrubing to everyone except Myra. Rowan had called his father selfish... told him that if he brought a babe into the world and died then that child would be scarred. Left with a hole in their heart where a father should have been.

Then... then, Rowan held Lincoln in his hands. That sickly looking child screamed louder than any healthy newborn Rowan had ever heard. That sound enstilled love and a fierce need to protect. Rowan vowed to be there for his brother no matter if he had to give up his cloak. Which is why he sat and sufffered in that exact room.

"You are not going, Lincoln." Raven growled, grey-blue eyes glaring into Edric's.

The King frowned. "That matter is no longer up to you, my friend." The seriousness in his voice issued a finality to the argument. "He forced my hand by requesting this of me in front of the Court-"

"Damn the Court!"

"Raven." Edric almost chastised his friend and leaned back into the uncomfortable wooden chair he was seated in then sighed. "He is going to go. My daughter and your son have made nothing but valid points through out this entire discussion."

Zelda and Link were seated on the couch in front of the fire, silent, with Impa. They were drinking an herbal tea for both were hoarse from shouting though the drink did little for their nerves.

Raven remained silent and turned away.

"Father... Link has shown he is a proven warrior and this would do well for him when he is King." Jason gestured to his littlest brother with exhaustion in his bones. "You have said that many times now!It is time we had faith in him."

"He is ten."

"Then you send an escourt." Rowan rolled his eyes and threw himself away from the table in frustration. "I understand that he is your last child, your last baby... no offence, Link," A hand waved from the couch in Rowan's general direction as if to say it was okay. "but you cannot coddle him to you. It would hurt his image and make everyone believe you have gone soft." His green eyes penetrated Raven's own. "And. That. Cannot. Happen. Not now."

He saw the final barrier in Raven give.

"We'll go with him if given leave by his Majesty." All eyes went to Thomas who sat in the exact same position he had been in the last hour. His brown eyes popped open and his fingers unraveled to reveal a smirk. "He will have perfectlly skilled Knights, of which are kin, and shall not have an entourage to make it look like a mini invasion."

King Edric chuckled, low, and nodded. "Leave is granted, Sir Thomas, and to you as well, Sir Rowan, if you choose to take up this task."

"I do."

"It is decided then." Edric stood and gave Raven a apologetic look before returned with a stern, leader-like expression. "Prepared yourselves. You leave at Dawn tomorrow. I grant you a week to complete these task and return." A pause. "Now, let us all go see how many hours we have wasted away."

Zelda dropped her head back as the adults left them alone, Raven's eyes lingering just a few moments more on his son, and sighed. "At least we do not have to wear those itchy wedding outfits."

Link turned his head toward the Princess and held up his cup of tea. "To us?"

"To us." Zelda laughed, clinking their drinks together.

Navi sat with her legs crossed ontop of a gold hand mirror and stared down into her reflection. She had just gotten up from her nap and was finishing tying her top about her neck. The outfit was a single piece called a ''jumpsuit'' which Navi thought was a silly name but, because it reminded her of Saria, she had decided to wear it. It was light blue and was just a few shades darker than her actual skin tone.

A knock rapped three times. "Are you asleep?" It was Link. They had not seen each other since earlier that morning and it was close to 3 o'clock. She hated sleeping late but she needed to regain her strength... she had been feeling weak already but the nap helped relieve some of stress on her tiny body.

"No... come in." She heard the door open, heard his footsteps, and heard him collapse onto the bed. Her white eyes scanned the room and found him with both his arms draped over the eyes she had so grown to adore. Navi stood and latched a woven belt around her hip that was made from Skullata silk. "Link...?"

"Hm?"

Navi smirked, crossed her arms, and rolled her eyes. "I heard about what happened."

"Do you hate me yet?" The boy asked with some humor to his voice though it was saturated with exhaustion. "I make a pretty lousy partner."

The Faerie stepped off the desk her mirror resided on and floated over to where the boy lay. "You haven't killed us yet." She sat on his chest, just a few inches below his chin, and watched a smile spread across his face. "Guess you have to start trying harder."

"Yeah," The ten year old popped on arm off his face and dropped it behind Navi's back so that she could rest against it. "guess so..."

"I heard you and your father go into a shouting match."

"There was a lot of screaming... Zelda, Me, Edric, Father, Jason, and a bit from Rowan." Lincoln shrugged, plopping the other arm at his side. "Thomas might have slept through the whole thing."

Navi rolled her eyes. "That doesn't surprise me." Biting her lip, she placed a hand on his arm and spoke in a low voice. "Are you okay... though? With everything going on?"

"I'm kind of excited, actually." Though Link did not sound anything more than tired. "I've met a few Gorons and a Zora before but I've never got to travel there... this is going to be... like something in a novel."

"If we're unlucky." Navi grinned.

Link laughed and winked at his Fae. "Keep your boring life to yourself. I want to travel."

"Fine." The Fae giggled. "I'll stick to reading the books, you stick to living them. Send a letter when its all over." His tongue stuck out and a laugh bubbled forth from his chest, bouncing Navi, but it was not long until Lincoln fell into a restful sleep. Navi got a servants to situate him better then left her charge to go find the Princess. She wanted to get more details on what happened earlier while he slept.

The halls of Hyrule Castle were bright and interesting to venture through during the day. Windows opened up and revealed the beautiful grounds of the Palace which offered a devastatingly powerful view of the Fields that spanned past the drawbridge protecting Castle Town. Navi fluttered with her face pressed against the cold glass and marveled for a while at the world at the edge of her fingertips.

They, her and Link, would travel that wide world upon the morning.

That thought scared and fueled her.

"So, you are the Fae traveling with Lord Raven's boy." A deep, unmistakenable voice rumbled from behind Navi and she felt her heart stop. "I do not believe we have met." She turned and faced the visage of the Gerudo King. "I am Ganondorf, Leader of the Gerudo."

Navi pressed her entire body against the pane of glass and averted her eyes to the ground. "Navi."

"A pleasure to meet you, Faerie." The man spoke with a forced sort of kindness that almost felt like a threat. "I cannot stay and talk but," He smiled and the sight sent shivered up the poor Fae's spine. "be sure to tell Lord Lincoln that I look forward to meeting the new brave Prince of Hyrule." He moved away but stopped. "Please, do inform him as well, that the road is a dangerous place." Navi wondered if she imagined the glint in his eye as she spoke the next few words. "Odd things happen in the wild."

She watched the darkness that had haunted Link's dreams walk away with a strong stride and shadows filling into his steps. Her heart started, softly, beneath the soft skin of her chest and she felt sick. Sick as if Death had sunk his teeth into her... a taste filled her mouth and the Fae fought the urge to puke.

It was Dark Magick, she was sure of that...

Navi gave up the task of finding the Princess in that moment and flew to find Rowan and Thomas. If she could help it, they would leave much earlier than dawn.

Just wondering... what would you like to see happen in the next chapter... or perhaps a future one? :)