Ashei stood silently in the shade of a tree, the dense black night casting a mourning veil over the scene. She was glued in her spot; from shock or terror, she did not know.
A corpse lay at her feet in two pieces.
On her left: the head. Eyes blank and unmoving, the neck caked in black blood where it'd been hacked.
On her right: the body. Headless. Slain. Dead.
The world was quiet around her. Not even a cricket stirred in the shadow the incident had cast. For a minute, Ashei was fearful. Fearful of discovery, fearful of punishment. She was only human.
But the human worries were soon washed out by the dominant part of her, the warrior part, and she picked up the head by the hair and held it gingerly up to the moonlight.
Ashei did not recognize the face, and was both relieved and disappointed. She would have marveled at the sighed of Rasire's severed head. But no; this man was foreign to her. He was merely an agent of Chancellor Crevan. Beyond that, he held no identity in Ashei's world.
She found herself back at Link's door moments later, knocking quietly.
"What?" he asked as soon as he saw her expression. Concern overtook him. "What's the matter?"
Ashei hesitated. Sighed. "You're going to hate this. You're really going to hate this."
Link's face darkened. "Ashei, just tell me."
Ashei sighed. No sense beating around the bush. "I have to dispose of a body."
Link's eyes widened. "You didn't..."
"Link, please," Ashei said. "Hear me out."
Link bit his lip. "Okay. Okay, let's hear it."
"The soldier was trying to- he almost- he had Ilia, she was kicking and screaming-"
Link's shoulders tensed. "Are you telling me what I think you're telling me? He tried to rape her?"
Ashei sighed. "Yes. But Link... Please, be considerate of her... Don't go telling people. It's none of their business. It's a... Private thing. Until she chooses to share it."
Link was on edge. "So what happened? You killed him?"
"I didn't have a choice."
"...I know. I understand that. He- he was asking for it. He deserved it."
Ashei was surprised. "I expected a lecture."
"No, what's done is done. You saved Ilia from a terrible thing. Thank you." But it was obvious that he was still very perturbed.
"Come on," Ashei said. "I need your help."
They found themselves back at the crime scene five minutes later. The body was just as Ashei had left it, and Link squatted down to inspect it. She could tell that he was greatly disturbed.
"Have you done this before?" he asked shakily. "Gotten rid of a body, I mean."
"I've dragged off animals before, from hunting."
"Hunting's different," Link said. "Hunting isn't a secret. We'll have to be smart about this... Are the soldiers still up?"
They listened intently. The soldiers were almost certainly asleep.
"I'll get a pail," Link answered. "Fill it up in the river, and once we've cleaned up, dump water on the spot and wash away the blood."
"But that comes afterwards. How do we move him?"
Link contemplated for a moment. "We'll have to carry him into the woods ourselves. Epona's all the way up at the ranch."
"And then?"
"The gorge," Link answered. "Dump him into the gorge. Um..." He pondered something for a second before suddenly grasping the legs of the corpse and pulling off the shoes.
"What the hell-" Ashei said as Link swapped his boots for the other man's shoes. He tossed his own boots into the clearing.
"Different footsteps," Link supplied. "It will make it look like the man walked off on his own if the shoe tracks are his."
"Good idea," Ashei said. "But he's to heavy to carry on his own. I'll have to help you. My tracks will still be there..."
"Which is why you're going to testify to walking to the woods with him. You're going to say he left of his own accord. If they ask, pretend you were with him when he said goodbye."
Ashei sighed. "This is all so ridiculous... Oh, gods," she said, glancing back to the severed body and feeling suddenly sick. "What have I done...?"
Link's hand landed heavily on her shoulder. "It couldn't be helped. He was a dangerous man and the world is better off without him."
Ashei looked Link dead in the eye. "Do you really believe that?"
Link didn't answer for a second. He just propped the head under his arm like a helmet and reached for the shoulders, Ashei grabbing the knees, and hoisting.
"No," Link finally answered once they'd started walking. "I don't believe that." He caught her eye. "But I want to."
...
A wooden mallot banged clearly against the mayor's desk as an indication of order.
"I've called you all here," Bo began, "to address a matter of dire importance. As you all know, our lives have been disrupted and even put in jeopardy due to the presence of these here soldiers."
He glanced around the small room, crammed with every current resident of Ordon Village that wasn't one of Crevan's soldiers.
"Now," Bo said, "something has to be done. There's no way about it! These soldiers will do everything they can to kick me out of office, and once they've done that, they'll throw whoever they like in my place. And then these soldiers will never leave! ...Rusl?"
Rusl stood up from his spot in the gathering and took the floor.
"Mister Mayor, if I may..." He turned to the townspeople, who were watching with wide eyes. "As you may or may not know,
my son, Colin, was cornered and almost beaten by Commander Rasire, who is in charge of the squadron that has set up camp in the center of the village. Not only have they taken advantage of our hospitality, but our safety is now at stake with them around."
"They made me kill my best goat!" cried Fado, who was still outraged. He hung his head. "Poor Nessa... I did love her."
"Exactly my point, Fado," Rusl said. "We cannot allow them to intrude upon us without any repercussions!"
"What kind of repercussions?!" argued Jaggle, getting to his feet. "Suppose we choose to fight them. What then?! We haven't got any weapons except what we use for hunting. And they've got swords, spears, shields, armor, horses - there's no chance in hell of beating them!"
"Thank you, Jaggle," said Rusl calmly, and Jaggle sat down in a fit. Rusl turned back to the crowd. "I understand that we are at a disadvantage. If we refuse the soldiers anything, they will take advantage of their weaponry to put us down. We are at their
disposal."
"What do you suggest we do, then?" asked Pergie. Rusl sighed.
"We would have to brainstorm," he answered. "That is why you have all been summoned. So that we can think of a way to save ourselves from these madmen!"
Everyone seemed to ponder for a second, and then Fado got to his feet. "I have an idea."
"And that is?"
"Well, they rely on us for all their food," he said. "S'pose we poison it all before we feed them."
Rusl raised his eyebrows. "That's an idea. Thank you for your input. Bo, write that down, won't you?"
The mayor obliged, and Ashei leaned over to Ilia, who was sitting next to her.
"You're not going to tell them about last night, are you?" She whispered skeptically. Ilia shook her head.
"No; that's too embarrassing."
"Because right now that man's corpse- uh, both pieces of it-is currently at the bottom of a chasm in Faron Woods. Our cover story is frail."
"Ashei," muttered Ilia firmly, "what that man did to me is my business alone."
Ashei nodded. "I understand, Ilia." She leaned back in her chair.
Sera stood up slowly. "Rusl..." She began, "What if we evacuated the women and children -" Ashei rolled her eyes "-sometime in the night? Then the soldiers wouldn't be able to hurt us, and the men could stay and fight."
"Women can fight if they want to," droned Ashei loudly.
"That might actually work," said Bo once he had finished writing Sera's idea down. "After all, we've got Rusl and Link. Jaggle's not bad with a hatchet, and I've done a spot of sumo wrestling in my time."
Link squirmed in discomfort. "I don't like that idea," he stated loudly, and Ashei rested a hand on his leg.
"Calm down, Link," she advised quietly, but Rusl had already heard.
"It's not up to you," Hanch hissed, and Rusl shushed him.
"It's merely an option," he said, and turned to Link. "To be honest, I agree with you," he noted. "Fighting is a terrible idea and will only end in sorrow."
Now Shad stood up. "What if we used the law?" he asked. "There must be a rule that spares our position if Bo loses his spot," he offered. "Like... With some leaders, when they lose their position, their son takes over."
Rusl smiled. "That's a brilliant observation, Shad," he said. "In fact, if worse comes to worst, that may be crucial. I will consult Rasire about it. Until then, what other ideas do we have?"
"We could burn the damn tents down, yeah?" Ashei mumbled.
Talo stood up suddenly. "I say we steal all their weapons and use them against them!"
Rusl's shoulders dropped. "As much as I'd like to endorse that idea, it's impossible. There's no way of handling weapons most of you have never been trained in."
There was collective agreement from around the room and Ilia raised a hand. "Suppose we call in for help. Like... We could send an ambassador to Princess Zelda and ask her to send all of the soldiers she disbanded."
"I like that idea," said Ashei in surprise.
"Are you writing all of this down, Bo?" asked Rusl, and Bo's second chin wagged as he nodded energetically.
"You bet I am," he said as his pen scribbled across the paper.
"Good, very good," Rusl encouraged. "Now, as we continue to consider offense, we should-"
The door slammed open suddenly.
"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!"
The villagers gasped collectively as Rasire and half a dozen other armed soldiers burst into the mayor's house,
Rusl remained tranquil.
"We are discussing the fall harvest," he answered calmly, and Link thanked the gods for the hundredth time that at least Rusl had his head screwed on right.
"Sure you are," Rasire scoffed, striding forward and sneering at the crowd. "I want to know what happened to Private Jarvid... Perhaps one of you would be privy to the exact nature of the spontaneity behind it?"
Nobody spoke.
Then, Rusl addressed Rasire. "I... I beg your pardon?"
Rasire took several strides forward with his men backing him. "Private Jexin Jarvid of my squadron hasn't been seen since last night. Nobody was aware that he had plans of leaving. His possessions are still here, along with his horse."
"Have you tried checking for a note?" asked Uli honestly.
"I can assure you there is no such thing," Rasire answered. "The entire contents of his tent have been examined."
"I am sorry to hear of it," Rusl said, glancing around at the townspeople for answers to unasked questions. "I'm afraid that I wouldn't know anything about it... And neither, I surmise, do the townspeople."
Rasire narrowed his eyes. "Begging your pardon, but I can't help but observe that you have instated yourself as the spokesperson of this village. Where is the mayor's word in all of this?"
Bo glanced up from his writing desk. "I-"
"What are you writing?" asked Rasire suddenly and quickly. Bo's eyes widened, betraying him.
"We are merely making a list of townships we will be shipping our crops to," Rusl insisted, but to no avail. Rasire strode forward, pulled out his knife, and demanded the list that Bo had penned.
"This is none of your concern," said Bo darkly, and Rasire smirked sinisterly.
"Then you shouldn't fuss over letting me have a look," he reasoned. Bo tugged at his collar nervously, his eyes glancing worriedly to the poniard in Rasire's tight grip.
"I am sorry, but it really-"
"GIVE IT TO ME!" Rasire demanded, and swiped it from Bo's sweaty grasp before anyone else could protest. He read it over once, his eyes widening as he scanned further down the paper.
"EVERYBODY AGAINST THAT WALL!" Rasire cried, finally crumpling up the list and drawing his sword. The other soldiers followed his example, and the villagers leapt to their feet in fright. They scrambled across the room, bumping into each other and overturning furniture in their mad rush to obey. Then, wide eyed and trembling, they lined up with their backs to the walls just as Rasire had directed. Shad ended up next to Link, and he grabbed his wrist nervously. Ilia was on the other side of Link and was grasping his arm furiously. And two away from Link was Ashei, who was standing ramrod straight, her own sword ready to be drawn at a moment's notice.
Link tensed as he noticed that every eye in the room was turned on him.
These people expect me to protect them, he realized, but stood rigidly with no intention of moving. Ilia and Shad's grips on his arms tightened as Rasire drew closer.
"I want to know," Rasire said through gritted teeth, "Exactly what is going on here." He scanned the crowd furiously. "WHICH ONE OF YOU KILLED JARVID?!" he boomed.
Silence.
Rasire charged forward in rage and the villagers screeched in terror, dispersing out to the side as the blade swooshed through the air. Back slumped and panting for breath, Rasire's eyes roamed the townspeople menacingly.
"You think that you have the power to stop us, to stop Crevan."
"We've got the stupidity to try, and that's more than anyone else has done!" Jaggle shouted suddenly, and the villagers hollered in agreement.
"SILENCE!" Rasire demanded, and order ensued just as before. His grip on the hilt of his sword tightened. With a flick of the fingers, the men behind him closed in on the villagers.
"Chancellor Crevan is in Hyrule's seat of power whether you like it or not. He can command armies without lifting a finger. Your princess is a figurehead. He will have order for the sake of order; possible tyrants will be put down without a prayer of looking like martyrs, and the rest of you will thank His Grace for an era of peace!"
"Our leaders are being disbanded, or culture disrupted, half of Castle Town is impoverished, and you call this peace?!" Rusl protested. Rasire turned on him.
"You defend a mayor who has sat quietly throughout this entire ordeal!" the commander cried, turning his gaze on Bo. The mayor shrunk in the limelight. "This man isn't worth your praise, and I would be damned if one of you would be willing to lay down your lives for him!"
Bo was silent, hanging his head in shame.
"And beyond that... I would be twice as shocked to see him make any sacrifice for a single one of you." Rasire gestured around the large building. "Look at the luxuries this man has indulged in while the rest of you work! His happiness is the fruit of your efforts. Honestly- a wrestling ring, Mister Mayor?! I've seen Royal councillors with fewer wealth-induced absurdities."
Bo was silent, and the villagers had grown infuriated.
"Who elected him?!" Rasire finally cried in mock-surprise. "Who decided that he should conduct affairs?"
Further silence. Finally, someone spoke up.
"No one elected him."
It was Ilia.
"Well well well... it would seem we are making progress," Rasire mused. "Tell me, girl, how did he come into power?!"
"It was his wife. She was elected, really. But since a woman can't be mayor, he was the figurehead. When the wife died, he was left to cope on his own..."
Rasire smirked and grabbed her suddenly by the shoulders, wrenching her out of Link's grasp. The villagers gasped as Rasire displayed her to his audience.
"Tell me more about the coward, why don't you?!"
Ilia narrowed her eyes. "Don't call my father a coward!"
Rasire's maniacal grin only spread. "I see..." He turned to face the mayor, crushing Ilia in his grasp.
"Tell me more about the affairs you're conducting."
"We are trying to-" Rusl began, but Rasire cut him off.
"I want to hear it from the mayor."
Bo swallowed nervously. "We were discussing ways to purge the town of your presence," he said, a tremor in his voice.
Rasire's grip tightened. "Tell me more."
"We considered poisoning your men, or evacuation, or calling in aid and taking up arms-"
"I've heard enough," Rasire decided. "I can guarantee that you've been deemed untrustworthy in accordance with the decrees and definitions set up by His Grace. You will be promptly removed from office."
The townspeople began to howl in protest, but became very quiet very quickly as Rasire's grasp tightened and Ilia screamed.
"One more question before I let her go," Rasire said darkly, his eyes flitting the crowd.
"...Which one of you killed Commander Jarvid?"
Nobody spoke. Ashei and Link kept their eyes firmly ahead, while some villagers glanced around in confusion. Those who knew didn't speak. Even Ilia kept quiet.
"Very well," Rasire sighed. And then, without warning, he began to squeeze. Ilia screamed and flailed as the pressure became too much for her frail frame.
"STOP! STOP IT, YOU MONSTERS!" Shad threw himself forward into Rasire, pulling at his armored limbs as if such a pathetic effort might actually aid the release of Ilia. Seconds later, he had six swords were pointed at him. Rasire's grip loosened in surprise, and Ilia gasped for air. Shad glared around the room.
"Which of you was it?!" he shouted. The villagers gaped at him in shock. "Well?!" he pressed. "Which of you did the deed?! Fess up, why don't you?! Or would you rather they hurt Ilia?! Would you rather they kill her?! Shame on you, shame on all of you for putting yourselves before her-"
"IT WAS ME!" Ashei yelled, bursting forward. Shad gaped at her in shock.
"You?!"
"Obviously," she continued, and she pushed Shad off to the side. Ashei drew her own sword, and the villagers gasped in collective apprehension.
"Let her go."
"Why, you little-"
Link was at Ashei's side instantly, freeing his own sword from his sheath as well.
"She said, let her go," Link repeated. Rasire just cocked an eyebrow.
"Two children against a select group of His Grace's army. You realize that you are but mice before lions. Why free the prey to the hands of the guilty party?"
"I am guilty of no crime!" Ashei finally cried. "What I did to Jarvid was punishment, yeah?!"
"Punishment for WHAT, girl?!"
"Never you mind what-"
"Tell me!"
"PUNISHMENT FOR THIS!" Ilia cried, and the villagers gasped as Ilia rolled up her sleeves to reveal rows of dark, heavy bruises. "That
man... Jarvid... He attacked me last night. It was dark, and there was nobody around, and he... he tried..." She gulped. "Private Jarvid tried to rape me after the rest of you had gone to sleep. Ashei killed him before he could go through with it and probably saved my life. The rest of you ought to be ashamed."
Shad, Link, and Ashei watched forlornly. Rusl's mouth was agape. Uli looked ready to faint. The other women were pink with surprise. The men, red with rage.
Bo stared at her from his desk in utter astonishment and terror.
The dumbstruck Rasire released Ilia, who stumbled immediately into Link's hold. He received her and held her there anxiously, her body trembling as she adjusted to the comfort of his arms.
"You are all dismissed," Rasire finally said, sheathing his sword. The skeptic soldiers were slow to act on Rasire's orders, but obliged. Rasire continued to address the villagers.
"The crimes of my men still do not account for the extent of your insubordination," he explained, and turned to Bo. "Mister Mayor, you have three days to pack up and leave. After your abdication has been assured, we will depart to Castle Town to find a new, more appropriate leader for this township."
Rusl cleared his throat. "Suppose we provide a new leader."
Rasire raised an eyebrow. "You are allowed to appoint a candidate," he scoffed, "and even then, I get to decide."
"There must be an exception," Rusl argued, and Rasire shook his head.
"The only exception would come in the form of the mayor's son. But as far as I can see, he has no son."
"What if he had a married daughter?" Ilia asked suddenly and quietly. Rasire turned to her. She was still shaking in Link's arms.
"You would have forty-eight hours to marry off, girl, and no prayer of a dowry in such a short time slot. I'd like to see you TRY to pull that off."
"Suppose she did marry," said Rusl quickly. "What then?"
"Then her husband would inherit the title... For now. A few months would pass before he, too, underwent inspection. I suggest you don't fret about it."
The commander turned quickly on his heel. "I suggest you cease to congregate in this fashion," he said loudly. "I've never seen such anticlimax."
And then, with a final flourish of a gloved hand, Rasire exited the household and slammed the door behind him.
Link watched as Ilia hovered into Uli's waiting arms.
"Let's have you lay down, you poor lamb..." she was saying. Link was startled when he felt Rusl's hand land heavily on his shoulder.
"May I have a word?" he asked, and Link nodded as he followed Rusl into a secluded part of the room.
"You heard that conversation back there," Rusl said. "You understand that we can save the village if Ilia marries off immediately..."
Link's stomach did a flip as he realized what Rusl was implying.
"...And you want me to consider it," Link said. Rusl nodded.
"I'm begging you. You're the hero, Link. We're all counting on you to save this village, and if you won't fight your way through it, then there will need to be an alternative."
Link's eyes flitted over to Ashei, who was speaking with a distressed Shad at Ilia's side, who was spread out atop the couch. He returned his eyes to Rusl, who was staring at him urgently.
"I can't- I can't agree to anything yet," he reasoned, thinking not of Ilia, but of Ashei, gorgeous, magnificent, radiant Ashei, and all that he was reluctant to lose in her.
Rusl was quiet. "I understand that it's sudden. You must be overwhelmed... Just give your emotions some time to settle. I know you'll make the right decision."
And then he gave him a pat on the shoulder and left, leaving Link to matter what on earth was "right" in times like these.
And after three weeks of nothing, the hermit emerges from the safety of silence and posts the update.
I... had writer's block? I just didn't feel like writing this chapter. I. Just. Didn't.
And I don't feel like writing the next chapter. Or the one after that. Or even after that.
But I will.
You know why?
Because you people are going to shout thiNGS IN THE BIGGEST LETTERS YOUR KEYBOARD CAN TYPE SO THAT I'LL ACTUALLY GET UP OFF OF MY LAZY ASS AND CONTINUE WITH THIS THING. DO YOU KNOW HOW SICK OF THIS STORY I AM. DO YOU REALLY. ARE YOU SURE.
But in all seriousness, I'm sorry for the delay. I've been trying to write quicker so that I can kind of update quicker so that I can kind of finish quicker and move on.
We are an estimated 10 chapters from the end. (The countdown begins soon?)
Thank you for dealing with me and my insane author's notes once again. When this thing is eventually finished I will all make you personal medals that say "I Survived MRMR And ColleenTJ Along With It."
-CTJ
P.S. I can assure you that I am no longer radioactive, and I am feeling well. Thanks for your concern.
