AUTHOR'S NOTE: Guess who finished the story… yup! ME! I still need to edit the remaining chapters, but it is done. The most important thing to tell you is there are not any spoilers for TotK. While I may end up unintentionally "borrowing" some minor elements, this story has always been an AU to BotW and its sequel, so the plots will not intersect.

Also, if you were curious, the voice I hear in my head for Prince Daphnes is Todd Haberkorn, specifically his portrayal of Prince Raj from the anime "Snow White with the Red Hair." If this helps, it's not all that far off from Revali's English voice from BotW.

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Title: Treasure of the Yiga

Chapter 10: The Lockup

Author: Sailor Song

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"This way, Zee. He's through here. He's been waiting for you."

Everything was a blur as I stumbled along behind the voice that pulled me along. My face was covered, and for some reason I couldn't talk. My clothing had been changed into something that felt like it was squeezing my entire body. I didn't know who was leading me or where we were, but in my confusion, I could only follow along with the group.

"Halt, trespassers. Surrender yourselves or face immediate execution."

There was a scurry of movement as people began to run or fight. In all of the chaos, I was knocked to the ground, too dizzy to try to right myself and try to stand. It didn't last long, and all I could recognize was the sound of heavy boots walking around.

"Here's another one for the cells," a voice said. "Night night, Yiga scum," was the last thing I heard before a sharp pain to the back of my neck caused everything to go dark.

… … …

When I came to, I was sitting on a hard stone floor, propped up against a hard stone wall. Beyond the covering over my head, the room was stifling hot and I could barely see anything with the multitude of people crammed into a small space. I tried to shift, only to find my ankles and wrists bound. Manacles again. I still couldn't speak for some reason, and the stench of blood mixed with sweaty, stinking bodies was so overwhelming that my sense of smell was dulled. On top of everything, the feeling of grogginess from that potion had not yet cleared up, so I could only make use of the one sense left to me and listened.

Everyone in the space with me was silent. I must be in some sort of prison. And while my cellmates neither spoke nor moved, there was plenty of commotion happening around us that I was able to pick up clues as to what was going on.

"They've got him chained up in the room with the Royal Guard test. Where did they end up finding him?" I heard a voice ask.

"Hyrule Cathedral, can you believe it? Running off during an attack on the castle to what… pray? That idiot is about as incompetent as his old man, if you ask me."

The cathedral? Why did I know that place? Was I supposed to go there?

"Don't go bringing up that failure. I heard the 'silent princess' plans to come down here to inspect the prisoners himself." There was a chuckle between the two men, although I had no idea what they found to be so funny.

"Speaking of, did you see his daintiness last night? He was positively outraged. Good that the Hero is in the lockup. He can take the punishment instead of us this time."

Hero? Link! They were talking about Link. Was I being held in the same lockup?

The pair started laughing again as a herald called out, "Make way for His Royal Highness, the Crowned Prince Daphnes."

There was a combination of banging and "Get back, scum," that echoed down what I assumed to be some sort of corridor. The bang came closer and closer until it was just outside my prison cell. The metallic noise clanged again and again, and it was so loud, it caused my ears to begin to ring.

"These are all the ones we rounded up from last night's invasion?" a snide, prickly sort of voice asked.

"Yes, Your Highness," one of the voices who had been laughing only moments ago replied. "We've been keeping an eye on them to make sure they don't try anything, but the Sheikah's anti-magic barrier seems to be keeping them put."

"Hm… well there would have been more if that halfwit hadn't run off. I shall make sure my father handsomely rewards you all for your brave defense of the castle."

"It's an honor to serve you, Your Highness."

"Yes, yes, I know," the prince said offhandedly. Even though I was barely able to see him from my current position, I could tell that he had one of those faces that was in need of a good punch. "Tell me, has the little rat given any excuse as to why he fled?"

"He hasn't said anything. The Hero just gives us a death glare whenever we go near him."

At the thought of him, my body gave an involuntary jerk, causing my chains to rattle.

"This one is still feisty. Maybe we should put it in the room with him. At the very least, it might provide us with a few minutes of entertainment."

A new and yet familiar voice spoke up. "My prince, it would probably be best to leave the prisoners for now. The Sheikah enchantments do not extend beyond these cells. Caution might be prudent in this instance."

Even though he looked different in his Hylian disguise, I knew it was Gee, that sneaky fucker. Last night he had drugged me and gotten me into this predicament. So what was he doing outside the cells, speaking with the Hylian Prince as a counselor?

It was then that I remembered Sooga's words. 'Things will soon be rapidly falling into place.' Is this what he'd meant? Had Gee and others been planted inside the castle, and was getting a group of Yiga captured part of some bigger plan? If so, the Hylians had all but opened the doors to their demise.

But why me? Sooga had to have known, and likely Gee as well, that I was no longer loyal to their cause. So why was I here?

The only thing I could figure was they planned to use me to control Link; to get him to stand down, or worse, betray his oath to his king and country to save me. I was determined to neither be a hostage nor a bargaining chip. I was no damsel in distress, so I had to find some way of freeing myself.

As I was pulled from my thoughts of escape, it seemed that Gee had successfully convinced the high-and-mighty prince to move along, only to have him shrieking back into my vicinity once more.

"WHY DID HE USE THAT NAME?!"

"You hit him rather hard in the head, Highness. I do not think he was addressing you."

A morbid part of me had to laugh. Gee may have believed himself to be on an important assignment for the Yiga, but from where I sat, this whole babysitting royalty thing seemed like a punishment.

"Gilbert, don't be a fool. He looked at me and said 'Zelda.' That was no accident."

I twitched, causing my chains to rattle again. He'd called for me.

The prince carried on as they walked down the corridor, and then there was only silence in the cells.

"You need to quit moving," a voice beside me whispered low and deep. "You're one of the desert clan members, right? These Hylians think the Sheikah are keeping us immobilized. Little do they know we have infiltrated the Sheikah, so don't blow our cover."

Yiga were hidden among the Hylians and Sheikahs?

"Don't go telling her anything," I heard Elle's voice hiss. "That's… her."

"Oh, shit, no way!" the voice next to me exclaimed.

"I suppose it doesn't matter though. She's not going to say anything, are you, Zee?" Elle asked with a laugh. "Gee dosed her with her medicine and bound her mouth up real good before putting her back in the uniform."

Ah, that explained why I couldn't speak. I could move though, but it was likely that the others could as well and were simply pretending, so even if I tried to attract the attention of the guards, I would be immobilized another way by the Yiga.

For now, I did as I was told, hoping my patience would be rewarded.

… … …

"That one," I heard Gee say and the door to the cell opened.

A Sheikah pulled me to my feet with a not so gentle grasp on my arm. I wasn't allowed to walk for myself, rather, I was dragged out into the corridor where I was fully able to see just how many Yiga were being held in the cells. All I could see was the red of the uniform before I was shoved towards Gee, still disguised as a Hylian noble. Immediately, I pushed him, trying to get away from him, but he was too strong.

"I'll bet you're wondering what's going on," he stated as though he was reading my mind. "Cooperate with me, and I'll tell you everything, ZeeZee." He leaned down close, so close that even wearing the uniform I could feel his breath on my neck. "If you promise to cooperate, I'll take you to see him."

I knew there could be nothing good in store if he was letting me see Link, but my curiosity got the better of me, and I relaxed in his grip. He and the Sheikah led me down the stone corridor, and the Hylian guards just let him do whatever he wanted. Either they were all in on it, or they had let the snake slither in willingly. Link had suspected something was wrong here, but I don't think even he knew it was this bad.

We passed through the first iron gate, and Gee stationed the Sheikah, who was possibly a Yiga in disguise, in the space between before pushing me through the second gate. Upon entering the large room, my eyes were immediately drawn to the center where a hulking black beast slept behind enchanted cell bars.

"Get any ideas of pulling something stupid, and that Hinox will be released," Gee said, and while he may have been addressing me, I realized there was someone else in the room.

Crumpled against the far wall with shackles binding his wrists and ankles, soaked in blood that was probably his own, was Link. Even when the Yiga had captured and tortured him, he hadn't looked this… this… broken. Seeing him in this state, I wanted to run to him, but I too was bound and still weak. I couldn't even call out to him.

His head lifted suddenly, and though his eyes were covered, I could see he was fully alerted to our presence. He was on his feet in a second, pulling at the limits of his chains, which included a fifth around his neck that I hadn't seen before.

"You know who I have here, don't you, Hero?" Gee asked.

"Zelda, are you okay? I went to the cathedral. I tried to get to you-"

My heart flip-flopped. He had gone after me. It was how they caught him.

"She cannot reply to you, but thank you for confirming our suspicions that you can sense her presence. That will make things easier."

"Gilbert? Why are you here? What have you done to her?" he raged.

"I did a lot more with her than you managed to," Gee laughed as Link pulled against his chains like a wild animal. "But our sexual escapades weren't what you were asking about were you?"

I was worried for him. His emotions were out of control. If he continued to strain against his bindings, he was going to do more harm to himself than whatever he had endured thus far. For my own part, it was taking every ounce of self-control to not turn and knee Gee in the balls.

Link's desperate actions succeeded in freeing the blindfold from his eyes, though his shock at seeing me did nothing to calm him. "Why is she in that?"

"I had to get her to you somehow," Gee said with a shrug. I'd never realized what an asshole he was. To think I had ever mourned his death. "I did take my time changing her though. I wanted to enjoy the view."

Before Link had a chance to react to what Gee had said, I felt myself pushed forward, catching us both off guard as I collided into him. While both of us were surprised by our sudden reunion, it was Link who recovered first, pulling off my mask and then the gag from my mouth.

"Zelda," he whispered. "Are you okay?"

I pressed my head against his chest and nodded against him, forgetting I had acquired the ability to speak.

"Did my mother turn you over to them?"

Answering him would only upset him more, but I didn't have to deliberate over a response because Gee answered for me. "She was willing to help when we took her husband and daughter. Your mother almost had a crisis of faith and told you before you left, but our agent reminded her what was at stake."

"Gilbert," Link growled. "What's your role in all of this? Does the prince know you're here?"

"You're so nice to her but so mean to me!" Gee exclaimed, feigning hurt. He snapped his fingers and with a *POOF* he shed his Hylian disguise, revealing his true self.

"Yiga…" Link whispered.

Gee nodded, pointing in my direction. "We are the same after all, she and I. Maybe in time, Hero, you'll fall for me too."

"We're not the same," I spat at him, suddenly finding my voice. "I'm not one of you. I've never been one of you."

Link held me closer.

"Your apparel says otherwise, ZeeZee." He snapped his fingers and *POOF* he was Gilbert again. "Ugh, why would you ever want to live as one of these Hylians?" he asked, looking down at his clothing.

"What is it you want?" Link asked.

"What makes you think I want anything?" Gee asked. "Can't I just bring a pair of star-crossed lovers together?"

"Gilbert?!" a shrieking voice from outside the room call. "Why did you come back in here?"

Gee laughed and threw up his hands. "Oh, my prince. I thought I'd get some more information from the Hero without you. You'll never believe what I've learned."

Link swore under his breath. He'd pieced it together faster than me, but the second the prince walked into the room and saw me in Link's arms, I figured it out too.

"Your Highness, you have to get out of here," but Link's warning was ignored as the flabbergasted prince walked towards us.

"Is that a Yiga in your arms, Hero? I always said you were a fool, but a traitor, I never imagined. You're working with them now?"

"Please go," I cried out, finally finding my voice. "Listen to him."

"Silence! I don't take orders from him or scum like you. Guards, Sheikah, get in here now!" There was a commotion as a few guards and Sheikah entered and surrounded the prince. "Do you see? Do you see what that lowlife has sunk to?"

And still, despite how it looked for him, Link did not release his hold on me. "Daphnes," Link tried again, "you're in grave danger. You have to go back to your father and the guards."

"How dare you address me by my name alone. You think I'm the one in danger?" the prince laughed. "Sword or no sword, I'm going to have you executed for this."

Gee let out a long, maniacal laugh. "This is too much," he said, putting his hand on the shoulder of one of the knights.

"Gilbert, what is wrong with you?"

"It's just… after everything you've done to torment him, he's still trying to save your life. It's quite funny if you really think about it." Gee snapped his fingers, and the iron gates slammed shut and glowed with a red energy. "Leave the prince alive. I want to play a little more; this is fun."

There was nothing to differentiate the guards and Sheikah under Gee's command until he gave the order and bodies started to fall to the ground. The prince let out a shriek and ran for the gate, but it did not budge and no one came to his aid when he called. The only person on his side was the one holding me like the world was about to end.

"Do you know, Daphnes, my favorite part of being around you these two years? How easy it was to convince you to torture the Hero," Gee said, continuing to laugh. "And not just the physical abuse when you knew he couldn't lift a finger to defend himself; no, the mental stuff was great too. Like destroying an entire plant species because I told you he gave you the nickname."

"Silent princess," one of the guards snickered.

"Silence!" Daphnes shrieked, seemingly out of reflex.

"That was me too, by the way, and it all served its purpose better than I could have imagined because even now, even when you are about to die, you doubt his ability to protect you. The irony is, if you hadn't chained him up this much, he might have been able to save your life." Gee drew his sword. "Maybe he still can."

The prince was completely deluded. "Whatever your game is, Gilbert, it isn't funny."

Gee turned to look in our direction, not caring about the prince's protests and cries for help. "Hero," he said, and I could feel Link's muscles tighten. "I'll let you decide whether he lives or dies. Surely you want revenge upon him for all he's done to you. You must hate him."

"I don't… don't hate anyone," Link managed. He'd told me this once before, and while I believed him, knowing only a fraction of what I did about his encounters with this horrid prince made me think there was one person he was less than fond of, even if hate was too strong a word. "I don't want anyone to die."

"Come now," Gee said, walking over to the prince who was still calling out for the guards. "Tell me you haven't imagined slicing open his throat with that blessed sword of yours. Seeing that ruby blood spill down his neck-"

"Stop it!" Link yelled.

Gee smirked. "Then make your choice, Hero: the prince or the girl. One of them will have their life cut short this day, and you get to choose who survives my blade."

It was an impossible decision. Link could never go against his oath as a knight, never betray his country, his king-

"I'm not playing your game. I will not choose…" Gee took a step forward, and Link added in a firm, yet threatening voice, "...but you will not touch her."

Gee's face betrayed him for a second. Even though Link was fully chained and essentially incapaticated, it was Gee who looked frightened. However, it was only for a second and it was gone, replaced with a sickening smirk. With a flick of his wrist, he produced a demon carver blade, and faster than the eye could see, he sliced it through the air.

For a moment, the room was silent and nothing seemed to have happened until a gasp and sputter could be heard from the prince. His high, white collar had suddenly become red as the fruit Link had given me what seemed so long ago now. Why that was where my mind went to, I do not know, but I would have given anything in that moment to be back in the wilds with a free and strategizing Link rather than the one chained up and holding me tightly as to prevent himself from shaking in his anger as he watched his tormenter bleed out.

"You're welcome, Hero," Gee said as the prince dropped first to his knees and then face down onto the stone floor. "But you already knew how unimportant his life was."

"No life is without value."

"You know what I mean."

Link hesitated. "Yes," he answered, his voice filled with defeat.

It was at that moment that I realized they were talking about something of which I was unaware.

"Glad to hear you say it," Gee said, putting his sword away and stepping forward. "Then if you want to keep her safe, if you want her to survive this day, you must swear to do exactly what I tell you."

… … …

Before Gee could begin detailing precisely what Link must do if he wanted a chance to get us both out of the castle alive, I was ripped from his grasp and led away. I could hear his chains rattle as he pulled against them and called out to me, but I didn't dare look back, not even when I slipped in the blood that had pooled on the floor. My orders were to not resist, to not look back, and to do only what I was told.

"Be a good girl, ZeeZee, and you'll be rewarded," Gee had promised. I had little confidence in his promises, but there was one thing I could be certain of: his devotion to seeing the return of the Dark Lord.

"You're not fooling me, Gee," I had said. "No matter what you told Link, I know you only have one real goal. I promise you now that if any harm comes to Link, I will take my revenge on you."

He had only laughed in response, but I could sense he was uncertain about his own chances for survival. The last time I saw him was when he put my gag and mask back in place and shoved me into my cell.