DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess or any of it's beloved characters. I do, however own Alfred and the plot to this story.

As a side note, I'd like to say that this story was born due to me listening to Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol and Holding Out for a Hero by Ella Mae Bowen. Enjoy :)

E is for Escape

The sleeping wolf was awakened by the overwhelming smell of smoke. His nostrils flared in displeasure before he started to whine and paw at his sleeping companion.

"Mng? Link? What is it?" She drowsily asked before quickly snapping awake due the surrounding scene. Flames were licking at the corners of the room and were quickly drawing closer to the bed. "What is this?!"

She leaped out of the bed and was going to make a dash for the door, but was stopped by Link grabbing the back of her gown and tugging. She flew backwards and landed on her bum. She gasped as a flaming beam fell where she was standing less than a second prior and blocking the door off from the rest of the room.

"We're trapped," She said in complete and utter disbelief.

Link barked at her and dashed towards the window.

Get on, She heard him say in her mind. Link had recently learned how to communicate with her telepathically while in his wolf form.

"You can't be serious."

Link gave her a look as if to ask if she had a better idea. She coughed due to the smoke starting to invade her lungs and climbed onto the massive wolf's back, tightly gripping his soft fur. Link backed up a couple of feet before running full speed towards the window. Colorful shards of stained glass flew everywhere when they burst through, littering the courtyard with their haphazardness beauty. Link landed on one of the shards, yelping as he flung his paw upwards. Zelda quickly got down and ripped a strip of cloth from the bottom of her nightgown and wrapped the wound.

"Zelda!" Impa shouted as she dashed across the courtyard. She blinked at the wolf. "Link?"

Link nodded in response and Impa sighed in relief. For a moment there she was worried that Link wasn't able to get out and that the queen was being attacked by a wild beast. She now realized how ridiculous that thought was.

"Impa, what in Nayru's name is going on?" Zelda asked despite already knowing the answer.

"Alfred has taken over the castle. Almost all the guards have been killed or locked up in the dungeon and have been replaced by Alfred's personal militia," she explained, her tone dark, "We need to leave before they realize you're alive. If we're found we won't stand a chance. I'm so sorry, Zelda. I underestimated him and now you've lost your home."

"This isn't your fault, Impa. I should've had him executed the second he walked in. Countless people have died because of my foolishness," Zelda murmured, her hair forming a curtain around her face as she hung her head in shame.

A black shadow covered Link as he morphed back into his original form.

"Like Impa said; we don't have time to dwaddle. I don't have my sword, so I've no way to protect you should we be attacked," Link said as he tried to ignore the fact that his skin felt as if it was being pricked by a thousand needles, a side effect to him resisting the urge to turn back into a wolf.

Zelda nodded in understanding. They fled the castle.

Telma's mouth hung open in shock. She couldn't believe it.

"Please tell me you're still okay with this, because we're seriously fucked if you changed your mind," Link said, curling his bare toes on the freezing floor. Goddesses, he wished he would've at least left his socks on.

"Of course I'm still okay with it. I just can't believe that ass actually did it!" Telma practically screamed, her hands on her hips. Technically one wasn't supposed to speak about royalty in such a way, but she figured the goddesses would make an exception for this particular incident.

"She'll need to change. Last time I checked it wasn't appropriate to run around in nightclothes," Shad commented. Resting his chin in his hand. He picked a carrot off his plate and flung it Ashei, who raised her eyebrows at him.

"You remember what happened the last time you tried to play this game with me, yeah?"

"Yeah, I remember," he sheepishly answered.

"If you two make a mess you're not only going to clean it up, but the entire bar," Telma warned before turning to Zelda a smiling. "As for you, I have just the thing." She grabbed Zelda by the wrist and dragged her into a room that Link had never noticed.

"Was that room always there?"

"Yeah, but it was hidden. There was originally a bookcase where the door is. Telma decided she wanted to move it and there it was. Apparently even she didn't know of it's existence until recently," Shad explained, "If I'm correct, she plans on renting it out."

"Ah..."

"What are you- EEP!"

"Hold still, dear. The more you squirm the longer it'll take.

"Y-yes, ma'am."

The door flew open and an overjoyed Telma waltzed out pulling a bashful Zelda behind her. She felt so out of place in her new clothes which consisted of a long sleeved burgundy dress with a white sleeveless overcoat that was bound closed with a navy blue wrap and a pink belt. Underneath the wrap hung a decorative length of cloth that matched her belt and stopped just before the hem of her dress.

"I wouldn't wear it, but it looks nice on you," Ashei told her.

"Elegance at it's finest," Shad grinned.

Link just stared, a faint blush spreading across his cheeks.

"Okay, okay. Enough with the staring," Telma ordered, "Link, Rusl left a pair of boots in the back room the last time he stopped by. Go put them on. It's too cold to running around barefoot. Change your shirt, too. A tunic with the royal crest embroidered on it is the last thing you want to wear if you're trying to avoid unwanted attention."

"Yes, ma'am."

"How is it these clothes are such a perfect fit?" Zelda asked, examining herself.

"Link gave me your dress size and some money and told me to get you some clothes just in case something were to go wrong," Telma explained before leaning close, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You're lucky to have such a sweet and caring hunk by your side."

"Eh?!" Zelda exclaimed, red faced, "How many times do I have to say that me and him aren't like that!"

Telma couldn't help but laugh. As a fellow woman Telma could easily see that the queen was in some serious denial, but she decided to leave the poor girl alone about it. "Whatever you say, dear."

"Zelda," Impa spoke up, earning everyone's immediate attention, "If you're to successfully escape, you're going to have to stick to the story Shad has fabricated for you."

"Escape? I can't escape. I have to stop Alfred before he does something even more stupid than kicking me out of my own castle. If I let him be, he'll turn Hyrule into a land of evil! Why do you think his father did everything in his power to keep him from ruling over Sunscorge?!" Zelda yelled at her protector.

"Remember what we discussed earlier? If we try to take the castle back now we'll be killed and Alfred will remain the king of Hyrule," Impa told her.

"But-"

"She right, you know," Auru said, "Just wait for things to calm down. If we wait long enough Alfred will either believe your dead or that you've given up. It's much smarter for us to wait until he drops his guard to try and reclaim the throne."

Zelda still looked unsure, so Link took it upon himself to try and convince her after he emerged from the backroom wearing Rusl's old boots and a long sleeved dark blue shirt. "They have a point, Zel. There's no sense in us getting impatient and doing something we'll regret later."

"Fine," she muttered after staring Link down for a good minute.

"Good," Impa said, sighing in relief. For a while there she was afraid she was going to have to drag Zelda away against her will. "As I was saying; if this is going to work you're going to have to stick to the story Shad had fabricated for you. You can't say nor do anything that will make people challenge you. Are we clear?"

"Yes..."

Shad stood up and cleared his voice. "You're new name is Tetra Creed. You're Telma's niece and you've been living with her as of recent due to your home getting destroyed by the storm that passed through here a couple months ago. If anyone asks why you left, I guess you can say you were tired of city life."

"Okay, but were am I going?"

"Ordon," Link pipped up.

"Ordon? Isn't that the village that brings me those gorgeous gifts every year during the harvest festival?" Zelda asked, joy sneaking it's way into her voice.

"I'm glad you like the idea of going there, because we leave at sun up," Telma announced.

"You're coming with us?" Zelda questioned, a little shocked.

"Of course I'm coming, but I'm not going to stay. I think it'll make the story sound a little more legit if I go with you. Plus, I think my cart will be much more comfortable to ride in than clinging onto Link for dear life. No offense, darling," she said when Link rose an eyebrow at her, "You're an excellent rider, but you're a little wild. Especially when you go a long way and start to get bored."

Link shrugged. "Touché."

"Shad, there's a comet showing itself right about now, yeah?" Ashei spoke up. The ginger haired man sitting beside her hastily jumped out of his seat.

"Oh no! I was so focused on the queen that I completely forgot! Um, ah... Good luck with the journey. I hope it all works out!" He yelled as he ran out the door.

"Hey! Wait for me! I want to see it, too!" Auru called as he chased after him.

"Those two are something else," Telma sighed before turning back to Link and Zelda, "As for you two, I suggest you get some sleep. We'll be leaving about an hour before the sun comes up and though It wont take too long to get there, it's still going to be one hell of a trip."

Damn, still way shorter than I'd like it to be, but oh well. Also, have you noticed that each chapter is a tiny bit long than the last? YAY! It's been so long since I wrote a decently long chapter in anything that I've kinda lost my touch with it, I guess. Oh well, I regain it soon enough.

ANYHOO... Review!

B/c lack of review is enough to make a person give up on a fanfiction, so yeah.

Once more: REVIEW!