Well here it is! After 2 years of finishing up my own book, changing jobs, getting engaged (will be married in 3 months, whoohoo!), writing a few chapters only to lose them to a computer virus and wallowing in depression, this story is finally going again. I appreciate everyone's patience and love for this story. Life has changed a lot for me since I started this and it has been for the better, except that I wish I had more time to write like I used to. To be able to get this fanfic going again has been a wonderful feeling.
Anyone who has been following my stories knows that I've been trying to get my book published. It's been a long, hard road but I have had a great opportunity come up! I have entered the fiction novel I wrote in a contest. If I get the post pre-orders by the deadline, they will publish my book. It's only $10 to pre-order, so please do so!
www .inkshares projects/shifter-2120
Enjoy!
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Part II
Chapter Nine
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The rain was falling heavily on Hyrule Castle City. Even though it was mid-afternoon, the thick gray clouds made the streets dark. Banners hung limp from the castle battlements, and water cascaded down the towering stone walls.
Sahashrala observed this from the tall windows of the throne room, shielded from the noise and the wet. He stood awaiting the king's presence, leaning on his tall walking stick. He looked out over the city. He had been born here. Grew up the inquisitive son of a banker. His formal education took him in the direction of a scholar and advisor, learning all he could about the world. Not many took on such a trade - the skill of the mind - so he was able to easily get his first job working in the foreign relations circle of the castle before eventually working his way up to be a royal advisor.
As his age had matured, his hair turning gray and his skin wrinkled, he found that his council was requested less and less. Even his own son, a successful tradesman, asked him to come home and spend the rest of his days relaxing. But that just wasn't in Sahashrala's nature. He knew he was still useful to those who sought his council, like Princess Zelda. She had inquired about the criminal Link not long before she'd been kidnapped by him. Curiosity often led to dangerous situations. He was no stranger to that, particularly in his younger days. He used to travel Hyrule and the world quite often, keeping up on current affairs and situations. He found it was the best way to stay informed. The best way he could be useful. In his time he'd run into quite a few pirates, thieves, mobs, and sticky situations. But his last trek was ten years ago. Now, he knew he needed to go out again and update his knowledge. So here he was, awaiting the king to tell him of his journey.
The double doors swung open and the king walked in. The two months since Zelda had gone missing had changed him. His hair was unkempt, his face drawn, his eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep. "Sahashrala," he said in a weary tone, "it's good to see you. I was told you wanted to speak with me?"
"Yes, Your Highness. How are you feeling?"
The king crossed the room, his steps echoing on the marble, to stand beside the old man. "These days have been dark, as you know. I don't sleep well anymore. Do you think she's . . .?" He let the last unspoken word linger in the air.
Sahashrala shook his head. "If she is, it's not by Link's hands. He's many things, but never a killer. We must have faith, Your Highness. Zelda is a woman of destiny. I believe the goddesses have a plan for her life, and it's not being killed by robbers on the road."
The king was quiet, staring out at the rain.
"Anyway, My Lord," the old man continued, "I came to tell you that I will be taking leave of the castle for some months. It's been too long since I last travelled. If I am to be of continued assistance to you and Hyrule, I need to gather knowledge of the current state of the world and bring it back."
Daphnes look at him in concern. "Are you sure, Sahashrala? You are . . . well, you're not in your twenties anymore."
Too old, he means. He judges me by my age as well, Sahashrala thought. "I am more than able to, trust me. And if my time in your service is ending, then I want to leave the castle with the most complete and updated records of the land and its people."
The king smiled. "Then I wish you well, my friend. Your presence will be sorely missed. Perhaps in your travels you will . . . find her . . ."
The wise man nodded his head. "If I do, I promise I will keep her safe and bring her home."
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Fiveyear old Link hated bedtime. He stirred under his blanket fitfully, looking out across his room. So many toys to play with! He hadn't even finished painting his wooden sword yet. But he knew if he got up, his parents would hear him. And that would mean no cookies tomorrow.
He rolled over and propped himself up on his elbows, looking out his window. Kakariko Villagewas dark and quiet, everyone sleeping. He was born here; it had been the only home he'd ever known. One day, though, his parents had promised to take him to the castle to see real soldiers with real swords! He told them he wanted to be a knight, but his mom had just laughed and said, "All kids your age do."
Link flopped back down in his bed, closing his eyes. Maybe if he tried real hard, he'd have a dream he was a knight slaying a monster and saving the world. As he lied there his mind started to drift, his thoughts becoming foggy. He had just started to fall asleep, curled under the blanket, when flickering light woke him up. He opened his eyes, blinking in confusion. His room was lit by a red glow.
Coming fully awake, he slowly sat up, trying to figure out what was going on. Distant screams sounded outside. He whipped his head around to look out his window and saw buildings on fire and people running. Just then his parents burst into his room, his mother screaming, "Link, we have to go!"
He jumped from the bed. "My sword!" He grabbed his wooden sword just as his father swept him up in his arms. They raced from the house and out into the street. Chaos surrounded them. Flames leapt into the sky as buildings burned. The streets were clogged with smoke that people raced through, trying to get to safety. Link's ears rang with everyone's cries, shouts for help, and the noise of homes and shops crumbling.
"It'll be okay, Link," his mother panted, tears in her voice, "we'll be safe. Just close your eyes."
The boy did as he was told, too terrified to want to watch. He squeezed the wood sword in his hand, not wanting to let it go. His whole body was jostled as his father ran, and the heat made him sweat heavily. He didn't understand how his peaceful, quiet home town could suddenly be destroyed.
There was a crash directly overhead and his mother screamed. Link looked up to see a building they were passing start to collapse around them. A burning board fell a foot from his parents and so his father threw him forward and out of harm's way. Link cried out as he sailed through the air before landing roughly on his side. His sword was knocked from his hand as he rolled across the ground, coming to a stop several seconds later. He raised his head, blue eyes wide. He saw his sword laying a few feet away, and beyond that a massive pile of burning building. His parents were nowhere to be seen.
He gasped, struggling to his feet. "Mommy! Daddy!" He started to run towards the fire when an arm looped around his waist, sweeping him off the ground and carrying him towards the village border. "No!" he shouted. "They're still in there! My parents are in there!"
"Your parents aren't coming, honey," a woman's voice, heavy with sadness, said. "We have to get to safety."
Link sobbed and screamed as they exited the village and raced several yards from it. He was being carried through waist high grass and it slapped at his legs. Then the woman dropped to the ground, pushing him down next to her. She whispered, "Shhh, don't move and don't speak."
He got his first look at her. Dark skinned with red hair pulled back. She was a heavy set, curvy woman with friendly eyes that were peering suspiciously up ahead. Link looked. There was a black silhouette against the fire, watching it from a distance. A woman, but he couldn't tell more than that. She was watching the fires passively, arms loose at her sides. Then she turned from the village and casually walked away.
"Are you okay, sweetie?" the redheaded woman asked, sitting up in the grass. "Are you hurt?"
"I don't think so," Link said softly, sitting as well and looking over himself. "My parents . . ."
The woman gently touched his arm. "I'm sorry. What's your name?"
"Link."
"Link, my name is Telma." She smiled. "I think we're going to be good friends."
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"Are you looking for more work? . . . Link? Hello?"
"Hm?" Telma's voice snapped him from his daydream as he turned to look at her. She had a tray full of drinks balanced in one hand, the other on her hip.
"I asked if you're looking for more work, honey. I overheard a conversation at the corner table. These two guys want to hire someone to steal their father's will so they can change it."
"Ha!" Link laughed, reclining back on the wooden bench. "How petty. I don't do familial errands."
She arched her eyebrow. "If the will is successfully changed, they're going to inherit quite the fortune."
He nodded, pursing his lips. "Well, you know . . . I'm never completely opposed to any job."
"That what I thought. Back left table, dark hair." With that she took her leave.
He looked around the table at Zelda. They were in the back room of Telma's bar, eating a lunch of cold sandwiches and lemonade. The princess had already finished and was painting a circular pattern in blue around her upper arm.
"That's a terrible thing to do," she said, not looking up from her work. "Are you going to ask them to hire you?"
"I don't ask. I persuade," he responded. "I'll be right back." He headed towards the door.
"If you do get this job I want to come along," she said, still focusing on her body-paint.
That stopped him in his tracks. He paused, then looked back at her. "You . . . you do? I thought you were against stealing?"
At last she looked up at him, lowering her paintbrush. Her hair was loosely pulled back, her gray sleeves rolled up to her shoulders. "Well I am, but you are right. You're doing what you need to to survive. Maybe once Veran has been taken care of, you will be free to move into a more legitimate line of work."
He gave her a lopsided grin. "If you can help me stop Veran then I will do whatever line of work you'd like me to, Your Highness. I'll even scoop up horse dung for a living." With that he went out into the bar.
The room was crowded with round tables and noisy with chatter, even in the afternoon. Link made his way through the maze, spotting two men talking in the corner. As he reached them he sat himself down in an extra chair with a wide smile and said, "If you're going to steal your father's will, you'll need it to be done perfectly. Because if the thief is caught, you can be sure you won't be getting anything. In fact, you'll probably be cut out more than you already are. You'll be so broke and desolate you won't even be able to afford that drink in front of you. Which is why it's of upmost importance you hire the perfect thief. And, well, here I am. My name is Link, if you haven't heard of me you can ask around and easily get tales of my incredible skill. I've recently escaped the death penalty at the castle, which should give you a glimpse into my expertise." He leaned forward. "Gentlemen, trust me, if you don't hire me you won't get the will."
When the conversation was over he returned to the back room, sitting casually across from Zelda again. She was drying off her body-paint and admiring her work. "Did you get the job?" she asked, glancing up at him.
"Of course I did. For a nice amount, too. We'll go after sunset . . . Are you sure you want to come?"
She smiled up at him. "Someone has to make sure you don't get into too much trouble."
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Nightfall found Link and Zelda, garbed in black, overlooking a housing district from their perch atop a building. Then again, Zelda thought "housing" was a strong word for it. Ramshackle buildings were squeezed together off a grimy, lightless street. The stars were hazy overhead, a crescent moon glinting off the metal roofs.
Link pointed to a corner house. "That's the target. We'll sneak up the street, break in and get the will, then go out around the opposite street to make our escape. The will is in a bedroom cabinet. The parents are the only ones home."
She looked at him in surprise. "You're going to steal something while they're sleeping in the same room?"
"I have it under control," he assured. "But to be safe, I don't want you inside. You'll wait outside."
"Why? Do you think the parents are dangerous?"
"Oh, of course not. I think you will be too noisy."
She rolled her eyes but was actually pleased with the plan. She didn't want to break into a stranger's home.
"Please be careful, princess," he said with genuine concern. "This is a dangerous part of the island. Well, more dangerous than the rest. You stick to the shadows, stay hidden, don't make any noise."
She nodded. "I can do that."
He smiled. "It's nice having you here. These missions can get lonely."
A warm feeling spread through her chest. A feeling that she was making a difference in the difficult and dangerous life of this young man. A feeling that she was making it better. "Thank you for letting me come."
"Now follow me." He stood, heading for the side of the roof. "We're in the sneaky phase."
They climbed down a ladder to the street. Link stopped them at a building corner, looking up and down the street until he was certain they were alone. Grabbing her hand, he led her into a quick jog across and to the house. They dashed around the side to part of a yard that was fenced off with wire and overgrown with weeds. He deposited her next to a worn statue of what once was probably Din, the Goddess of Fire. Obviously whoever stole the statue to bring it to the island initially hadn't done a very good job, because there were chunks missing and cracks from where it had been knocked into things.
"Stay here," he whispered, and then vanished into the shadows.
Zelda crouched in the weeds, looking around in the darkness. The lopsided buildings and monstrous piles of trash that made up the island were dark humps against the sky. She worried about Link, but she supposed this wasn't the most dangerous thing he'd ever done. The real concern was Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows. Questions crowded the princess' mind, and she still had no answers. Why did Veran want to possess Link? What could she gain from that? Where did she come from? How could they stop her? And, most importantly, who was Link? The Triforce of Wisdom had made Zelda stop his execution, but she still didn't know why. She thought he was the Hero of Legend, but he adamantly refuted that. It did seem curious the goddesses would pick a criminal for the Hero. But, as Zelda was beginning to realize, there were so many things she didn't know. It was an overwhelming feeling, to be hunted by Veran and not know what to do.
The princess' legs were cramping, so she risked standing up to stretch out the muscles. Her shoulder-length hair caught a breeze, blowing it in front of her face. As she tucked it behind her ear she noticed two figures walking towards her from the street. She froze.
"Hey, girl!" one called, a man. "What are you doing out here?"
Zelda looked over at the house, but didn't want to shout. It could jeopardize Link's mission. So she drew herself up and squared her shoulders, gazing coolly at the men as they approached. They might not be dangerous at all. They could be residents of this area. Or related to the parents inside the house. Or just curious why a nineteen year old woman was hiding in someone's front yard.
The men got closer, one repeating, "Hey, I asked what you're doing out here?"
She crossed her arms, trying to look calm while inside her heart was pounding. "I live here, I'm walking home," she stated, the first excuse that came into her mind.
The men stopped a couple feet from her, dressed raggedly and smelling of alcohol. "You're obviously unarmed and outnumbered, girlie. So give us any rupees you have, and we'll let you go."
She took a half step back, glancing at the house. Where was Link? "I don't have any money with me," she said truthfully.
One laughed. "That's what they all say. Then show us your house and get the money from there."
Zelda stepped back again. "You leave me alone. I will give you nothing, and you need to go home and get sober."
They both shared a glance and charged her. She stumbled away and tripped on the weeds, falling on her back. One of her attackers grabbed her leg, dragging her towards him. Reflexively she kicked out with her other leg, breaking his nose. He shouted and fell back. Zelda twisted around and got to her feet, starting to run. But she was yanked back by the second man grabbing her arm. She twisted violently in his grasp, panic setting in, when the lights in the house came on.
An older couple came out, looking concerned and confused. But when they saw what was going on, the man held up a crossbow. "Let her go and get lost, you damn hooligans. Or I'll shoot holes in you." The woman held up a hatchet threateningly.
The man holding Zelda paused, and then let her go with an annoyed sigh. He and his friend jogged off into the darkness.
The princess felt light-headed as relief washed through her. The old couple came over, asking, "Are you okay, honey?"
"Yes, I'm fine, thank you," she replied. "I-I was just passing through here. I didn't mean to put you in any danger."
The woman laughed. "Oh, this isn't the nicest side of the island. We keep our home safe by force. We have a body count higher than most. Do you want to come inside for some tea to settle your nerves?"
Zelda glanced around before she saw Link crouched atop the roof, a rolled up paper in his hand. He gave her a brief nod.
"Yes," she replied. "Thank you."
It was a half hour before she thanked the elderly couple and left, assuring them she was safe. She knew Link was watching her as she walked down the street. He waited until she was a good distance from the house before joining her.
"Are you okay?" he asked, genuinely concerned. "Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm fine. Just shaken."
He stopped her and grabbed her shoulders, looking her over. "Are you sure? They could have killed you!"
She nodded. "I'm not hurt."
"Why didn't you scream? I had no idea you were being attacked!"
She gave a small shrug. "I didn't want you to get caught."
He paused, looking at her with wide eyes. Then he relaxed, softly smiling. "Oh, Zelda."
The princess realized this was the first time he'd ever called her by her name. The two started to walk together again and she asked, "So what happened? I see you have the will."
As they entered a safer area of Trash City he answered, "I was on my way out of the house when I heard a man shout. I had to exit out a window because the couple instantly jumped up, grabbed weapons, and ran outside. I climbed onto the roof and saw the old man scaring them off. I don't blame them. Crossbows are scary. Especially when wielded by senile old people."
She gave him a playful shove. "Be nice! They were really kind. I liked them. I feel awful now that we stole their will."
"Don't feel too awful. They are lifelong bank robbers that have never thought twice about killing those that get in their way. As stated in the will, the reason the father is cutting out his sons is because instead of following in the family trade they deal in the black market. And he's disappointed."
"Oh . . . well, they were kind to me . . ."
"They were," he agreed. "It's never black and white. People are more complicated than that. They are brutal robbers but they saved your life and took care of you."
It was strange to think that people could be both good and bad at the same time. But for Zelda, ever since she met Link she had encountered all too many situations like this one. And it was changing the way she thought of things.
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The next morning Link had wanted to go out bright and early, which was unlike him. Already Zelda was suspicious. The sky was dotted with clouds as he led her to the island coast. Once she had asked him what scheme he was planning, since he wouldn't tell her the destination. But he had just laughed and told her to be patient.
The coast was rocky, no sand to be seen. This area of Trash City was mostly clear, no buildings within 50 yards. The ground was a mix between gravel and dirt with some debris littered here and there. The breeze off the ocean was powerful, blowing their hair from their faces. Waves crashed against the rocks, sending spray into the air. In the far distance Zelda could see the silhouettes of mountains on Hyrule's mainland.
Zelda had rarely ever been to the beach except when she was a child. It had been many years since her last visit. Seeing the sun shine off the waves, the endless horizon, the salty smell . . . it was beautiful. "It's a lovely coast," she stated. "It's been so long since I've been to a beach."
Link frowned down at the rocky and trash-strewn ground. "Uh . . . I'm glad you feel that way. I've seen far more beautiful. Maybe one day I can show you the beach along Hyrule's southern coast. It's true beauty, with white sand and blue-green water."
"I would like that," she stated. "So, why have you taken me out here?"
Link grinned and gestured to a dark-skinned woman who pushed herself up from where she was leaning on a rock. Her black hair was tied back into a ponytail and she had bright red lips. It had been awhile since Zelda had seen Jolene, the owner of the night club where Link sang, so it took her a moment to recognize her. "Oh, Jolene! Hi."
"Hello, Mila," the woman stated.
Zelda had been going by that name for so long to hide her identity; it didn't even make her hesitate in confusion anymore. "Are the three of us doing something together?"
"You two are," the young man replied, still smiling. "See, you getting attacked last night made me worried. So I got to thinking. You need basic self-defense skills. And a weapon. The life I lead is dangerous and I don't want you getting hurt. Jolene is the one who trained me, and you know how great I am! She's a pirate, after all."
Jolene held out a long dagger. "I have already selected a weapon for you."
"Whoa, wait, wait!" the princess held up her hands. She turned to Link. "I can't learn to fight!"
"Of course you can. Don't be scared."
"No, I'm not scared. I truly can't. Royalty does not fight. It's unbecoming. You asking me to learn to fight is like me asking you to stop stealing."
He winked. "You did ask me that. C'mon, we're in a dangerous place. If you intend to stick around, you have to be armed. I'm not asking you to become a pirate or Sheikah or soldier. I'm just asking you to learn basic defensive skills so you don't die."
She sighed heavily. He had a point. She had been easy prey for the thugs last night. It could have jeopardized Link's mission, and cost her her life. If she was going to survive, and thrive, and stop Veran, then she needed to be stronger. Zelda held out her hand for the weapon. "Okay, okay. Teach me."
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Again, I have entered the fiction novel I wrote in a contest. If I get the post pre-orders by the deadline, they will publish my book. It's only $10 to pre-order, so please do so! www .inkshares projects/shifter-2120
And please review :)