Chapter 16
King Ganondorf, Lord Ghirahim, Aveil, Chancellor Cole, and several guards gathered in the throne room. Several feet from the throne was bruised & dirt-covered Vaati, who was on his knees, staring at the ground, trying to maintain his dignity. Towering over him was a very unhappy Ganondorf.
"Do you know why you're here, Vaati?"
"Y-yes." Vaati's eyes still remained on the ground.
"Do you really?" Vaati didn't answer, which made Ganondrof give sneer. "Lord Ghirahim, could you perhaps refresh Vaati's memory?"
"With pleasure." Ghirahim stepped forward, smirking. "Lord Vaati, in less than an hour, you lost many of our soldiers, let the production of our weapons be destroyed, lost many slaves, and our control over the Lake Hylia region to the rebels. Should I also bring up your humiliating arrival here? Being tied to a horse and gagged isn't exactly what I call a grand entrance."
"That's enough of that." Ganondorf's voice bellowed out before getting colder towards the kneeling man. "Now, Vaati, I gave you one job. To oversee the production of the weapons that YOU designed. They were so close to being ready to use in battle, yet you lost months of work to the rebels in minutes. Care to explain how?"
"They-They caught me off-guard!"
"Caught you off guard, you say?"
"Yes, and I am dearly sorry for this failure."
"Your apologies won't fix the consequences of your actions. You set yourself up for your humiliating defeat with your incompetence. And when you're humiliated, I'm humiliated." Ganondorf glared at Vaati, making the man shudder at those familiar words. "And that has severe consequences."
"I could've held them off, I swear! I had cannons ready! Somehow...she destroyed them!"
"Who?"
"A girl dressed in blue shot an arrow at my cannons and blew them up."
"Preposterous! No arrow could do such a thing, not even with a bomb attached to it," Chancellor Cole protested.
"I know what I saw. Happen right in front of me! I watched her shoot that arrow into a cannon, and it blew up. Took out some soldiers in the process. And she wasn't the only one to do that. A boy in green managed to slice my other cannons with his sword-!"
A dark aura of magic wrapped around Vaati as he was lifted from the ground and flew right into Ganondorf's grasp. His massive hand squeezes the man's throat, causing him to gag. Everyone in the throne room, even Ghirahim, jumped at this sudden action by their king. They did not oppose as they watched the scene play out.
"What boy in green?" Ganondorf gritted through his teeth.
Vaati clawed his throat as he struggled to answer. "He-ack-he had a green tunic and a triangular stock cap of the same color. Maybe he's the green man who kept robbing our troops!"
Ganondorf released his grip on the man's neck, letting him drop to the floor. The sound of Vaati desperately breathing in air and coughing was the only thing heard in the now quiet room.
"Are you certain of this?"
"Yes, I'm certain!" Vaati soothed his neck. "They both ruined everything at the camp!"
"What did they look like?"
"They wore masks, so I couldn't get a good look at their faces. From what I saw, the girl was a brunette with blue eyes and wore blue. She was about late teens at least and a Hylian."
"And what of the boy?"
"I did get a better look at him. A Hylian like the girl, probably the same age as her. His hair color is blonde, but his eyes stood out the most. They were blue, like sapphires."
"Sapphire eyes...blonde hair...dressed in green..." Aveil's quiet voice landed on Ganondorf's ears.
"What are you mumbling about, Aveil?" Ganondorf intently brought his attention to her.
"In my mission in the Ordon...province, the person who knocked me out shared the same features Vaati mentioned."
Stunned silence lingered in the air save for several hushed whispers from the guards. Eyes widen with shock at this revelation. Ganondorf casts aside all his attention on Vaati and puts it straight on Aveil.
"Are you certain of this?"
"I am."
"And the reason you didn't share that information before?"
"I didn't think it was vital at the time."
"Well, it looks like it is now," Ghirahim retorted.
"How can we be certain they're the same person? For all we know, it's just one big coincidence," Cole argued.
"I think she may be right." All eyes were brought back to Vaati. "I mentioned using the cannons in the raid on Ordon to the green one when I confronted him, and he got defensive. I even jokingly stated that he wasn't there to see it, but after hearing all this...It makes sense."
"There is no other explanation, but we at least know where he came from now..." Ganondorf concluded.
"And we pretty much hand-delivered him to Impa since we did destroy his village," Aveil said dryly.
The Gerudo man gave a stern glare to her. "Ordon's destruction, as regrettable as it was, was for the benefit of Hyrule's future. You know that, right?"
"O-of course, my king. I do not mean any disrespect. I was simply stating the fact." Aveil stated, her eyes downcast.
"What's done is done. What we can do is to stop this menace. We're not dealing with a simple bandit. The Resistance has gained a powerful ally. If he could liberate the camp, this may encourage the rebels to step up their strategy. They may become bolder and more successful. It might inspire the citizens to do the same as well.
"Then he must be stopped! We can't have this hooligan running around disturbing what we have built!" Cole exclaimed angrily.
"I agree with the Chancellor." Ghirahim glances over to Ganondorf. "What do you plan to do about this, your majesty?"
It had only taken Ganondorf several long seconds before he had his answer. "I want the troops to keep their eyes and ears open around. I want EVERY lead to be looked into, no matter how obscure they sound."
"It will be done, sire," Ghirahim promised.
"Aveil, have Nabooru order commissions on wanted posters on the man in green. Let the reward be fifty thousand rupees. Dead or alive."
"Should we do the same for his female accomplice as well?"
Ganondorf took a moment to think that over. "Yes. Offer the same reward for her as well. Anyone with any information is to come forward. If they withhold it, they will be put under arrest. They both may be the link to take down The Resistance once and for all."
"We will get everything in order, your majesty," Ghirahim brought his attention to Vaati, who was still on the floor. "What about him? Shall I carry it out?" He partially unsheathed his sword.
"No." Ganondorf looks over to Vaati. "Fortunately for you, Vaati, I will let you live due to your previous track record."
"Oh, thank you. Thank you so much, your majesty!" Vaati said with relief.
"However, that doesn't mean I will let this failure go unpunished. Until you have redeemed yourself for your incompetence, you will be put in charge of overseeing all of Castle Town's affairs. That includes tax collection, managing the Castle Town guard, and even putting drunks in jail cells. You will also remain within the walls of Castle Town. Any attempt to leave without my knowledge will have serious consequences. Do I make myself clear?"
"But my king, I-"
"Do I make myself clear?!" Ganondorf repeated in a more threatening matter.
"Yes, your majesty." Vaati bowed his head, bracing himself for whatever the king had next.
Ganondorf looked at the guards in the throne room. "Escort Vaati to his chambers. He needs time to rest before he starts his new duties tomorrow."
The guards followed Ganondorf's command, went to Vaati's side, and attempted to help him. "I can still walk, you morons!" Vaati hastily got his feet and promptly left the throne. Once that was done, those who had remained in the throne room started to discuss their next course of action.
Ganondorf brought his eyes to the rest of his followers. "The rest of you, you know what to do."
"What about you?" Aveil asked.
"I'm gonna pay a little visit to our old 'friend' in the dungeons." The Gerudo man simply stated before exiting, his large cape flowing behind.
In a different part of the castle, Nabooru was in her chambers cleaning her ax. She had spent most of the morning training by herself and figured it was time for her to clean it. She treats it with care, as the ax once belonged to her mother until her sudden death years ago. Once she finished, she placed it against the table where a picture of her mother, Neanatu, was displayed.
A knock on her door snapped her out of her thoughts. Nabooru went to her door and opened it to see a familiar face. "Aveil?"
"Sav'aaq, Nabooru. I hope I'm not disturbing you."
"Not at all. I just finished cleaning my mother's old axe. What brings you here?"
"You have been given a new assignment by King Ganondorf." Aveil gave the slip of paper to Nabooru.
Nabooru took the paper and took several moments to read it. "A commission on wanted posters?"
"The perpetrators stealing from the guards for several weeks had just struck a serious blow on our weapon productions in Lake Hylia. I'm sure you've heard about that."
"Who hasn't heard, especially with the way Vaati arrived."
"Everything you need to know is on there. His Majesty expects the job to be done within the week. Can you handle it?"
"Of course, I can."
"I'll leave you to it then."
"Wait!" Nabooru shouted before Aveil could walk away.
"Is there something else you need?"
"I just want to ask how you've been. We haven't spent time together in a while."
"We haven't? I swore we did several months ago."
"Actually...it's been over a year now."
Aveil seemed genuinely surprised by that statement. "Oh. Guess I've been so busy, I lost track of time."
"Maybe later we could hang out."
"I would like to, Nabooru, but King Ganondorf wants me to look into any leads I can find. Maybe another time?"
"Sure...we can."
"Okay. I'll see you around. Sav'orq."
Nabooru stood as she watched Aveil walk down the hallway and out of her view.
"It would be so easy to believe that if only you hadn't said that so many times before."
This wasn't the first time Aveil had promised to spend time with Nabooru on a later date, only for that promise to be broken. So many times, Nabooru had tried to reignite the friendship she once had with Aveil. But each time, like the last, always had the same result, with Aveil giving a promise she never kept up with.
Nabooru still clings with the hope that they will one day reconnect. But as the days went on, it had become harder to keep it close.
Several days later…
Since Ganondorf became king, the castle has seen many changes. The royal gardens were the only place that remained the same since Daphne's time. It was also the one relic of the previous royal family that Ganondorf truly admired. The gardens served as a great place to clear his mind. Growing up in the desert, the only plants he had ever seen were cacti and some oasis trees. Before arriving in Hyrule many years ago, Ganondorf had never seen a grass field.
As a boy, he was told stories of the land by the Gerudo Elders, who were also his mother figure, Koume & Kotake. They told tales of the extraordinary exploits between the Gerudo and Hyrule, which made pride fill the Gerudo's man's chest.
Only to be filled with the bitter reminder of the Hylians turning against his people over a century ago in his tongue.
The stories of the horrible betrayal the Gerudo went through will always stick with him. Koume & Kotake made sure he remembered that fact vigorously. Ganondorf had his mothers to thank for helping him lead the path which led him to become the man he is today. Had they not died many years back, he would've undoubtedly given them a high position in his court as a token of thanks.
Ganondorf brought his mind back to the present. Gripped in his hands were two wanted posters. They were shipped in just this morning. Ganondorf had ordered them to be set up around town and to the nearby villages almost immediately. The two posters he had kept for himself could not leave his eyes. One had the man in green, and the other was the blue maiden with him.
Nothing could be said about the girl in blue other than what Vaati had told. She's a seemingly skilled archer who wears clothes resembling Sheikah's attire. Ganondorf doesn't believe that she's a member of the Sheikah tribe, seeing that there were no tribe marks on her. Perhaps it was just someone who took inspiration from them. Aside from Impa and her rumored protégé, most of the Sheikah that he knew of was gone be it dead or frightened them enough into hiding. Ganondorf made sure of that. Her hairstyle seen in the picture was also an exciting thing to note. Ganondorf has studied enough Hyrule history to know it was the same hairstyle the first monarch of the land & alleged former goddess (a statement which Ganondorf scoffs at), Queen Hylia, used to favor in her time. While it was unusual, Ganondorf figured there was no significance to it, merely thinking it was just mere inspiration for the girl's aesthetic.
On the other hand, the boy in green is who Ganondorf was the most concerned with. Since the day he obtained the throne, every so often, he would see dreams. These dreams consist of the same thing: A boy dressed in a green tunic locked in battle with him. Every outcome resulted in the boy emerging victorious. For a long time, he thought of nothing up until the first account several weeks back. Of course, his 'guest' in the dungeons had said nothing, but Ganondorf will not stop there, but it does not ease his worries.
Could this boy be his downfall?
Leaves rustling from nearby bushes had startled him. This alarmed Ganondorf because he was sure no one else was in the gardens. "Hello?" Nothing responded. Wanting to ease down the paranoia, Ganondorf went in the direction of the noise. He saw nothing when he looked on the other side of the hedge to where he believed the noise came from. A footstep was heard directly behind Ganondorf, so he pulled out a hidden knife and pointed at the perp.
"Your majesty!" Nabooru raised her arms, and Ganondorf's knife tip hovered near her torso.
"My apologies. You must not sneak around like that." Ganondorf sheathed his weapon. "What are you doing out here?"
"I was just taking a walk. I didn't know you were out here. I apologize for disturbing you. I'll leave you be."
"No need. I actually wanted to talk to you about the posters. Did you get them all shipped out?"
"As you ordered. Already we have been getting short reports of where they have been spotted, but that's been pretty much it."
"It is better than nothing.
"I'm sure the perps will be found soon."
The man let out a soft 'Hmm' as his gaze was returned to the posters. His eyes quickly glance up several seconds later to see Nabooru with an expression on her face indicating there was something on her mind.
"Do you wish to speak your mind, Nabooru?"
"Well...I just wish I could do more to help."
"Help out how?"
"Maybe I should join your elite Gerudo guards?"
The Gerudo man breathed an air of annoyance as if he were a parent whose child asked if they could have something they knew they couldn't have for the hundredth time. "Nabooru, we've had this conversation before."
"Yes, you think I'm not strong enough to handle myself-
"I don't think, I know."
"I have been practicing with my mother's ax."
"That doesn't mean anything."
"I've been improving that some of the soldiers took notice-"
"Enough!" Ganondorf yelled loud enough to hear it echo across the garden. "You and I both know what you're asking is simply impossible. You're not as physically capable as the other Gerudo due to the nature of how you were born. You wouldn't last a day out there by yourself."
The air around the gardens grew quiet save for the birds chirping. Ganondorf decides to speak more softly.
"I don't like playing the villain, but I do this for your own good. You're the daughter of the woman who was a sister to me. May Neanatu rest in peace, and I consider you my family. I care for you as much as I care for all of Hyrule. As your family, I need you here where your support matters the most. Your place is not out there. You're too weak for that. Do you understand?"
"I do…" Nabooru said with a sad grimace.
"Good. Now I must go on my weekly carriage ride into town. Please tell Aveil to prep the carriage for me. I wish to ask Lord Ghirahim to join me."
"I will do so at once."
"Thank you. Run along now."
The Gerudo curtseyed before she and the king both parted ways. Unbeknownst to them, one of the patrol guards had been listening in on their conversation. That guard is Karane.
The streets of Castle Town bustled with life as the citizens carried on with their life. People strolled down the road, a small group of children was playing, and vendors argued about what price to agree on with their customers. That is soon briefly put to a halt as a large group of at most thirty soldiers came marching down the road surrounding a large, exquisite carriage pulled by two large horses. The citizens stood by as the carriage and its entourage marched through the town.
Ganondorf sits comfortably in the carriage, with Ghirahim directly across from him relaxed, whose gaze is glued to the outside.
"Quite a lovely day, isn't it, your majesty."
"Yes, it is…."
The lord's eyes grew puzzled as he brought his attention to the Gerudo man. "You sound troubled."
"My thoughts still linger on the loss of Lake Hylia."
"It is quite unfortunate to lose a place like that. Still can't believe that fool Vaati managed to lose it. I would've killed that moron."
"Even a brilliant person can make mistakes from time to time. My mothers used to tell me: 'Don't think you're too brilliant. Otherwise, your brilliance will lead to cockiness.' Vaati's problem is that he needed to be more confident over the years. He just needed to be humbled."
"You are such a wise and compassionate man, my king."
"I still don't know how we strike back against the rebels."
"May I make a suggestion?"
"Of course." Listen with interest.
"Let the rebels enjoy their victory. Right now, they will have their guard up. We show no signs of retaliation, they will lose their guard. That's when we'll strike back."
A soft hmm escaped from Ganondorf as he stroked his beard. "Not a bad idea. I'll have to consider that."
Before Ghirahim could respond, the carriage suddenly stopped as they heard a shout from one of the guards.
"What is going on out there?" Ganondorf questioned as Ghirahim stared out the carriage window.
"Nothing that you should be worried about. Looks like some sort of accident ahead. I will go and clear it."
The lord exited the carriage and surveyed the scene ahead. A large wagon with an overabundance of crates scattered across the road ahead, blocking the path. Frustration grew in him when he saw the soldiers gawking at the wagon.
"Don't just stand around! Get those crates out of the way!" Ghirahim commanded irritably.
As several soldiers started to remove the crates from the road, Pipit stood on the sidelines observing the area. A hooded figure in an alley sat against the wall, hunched over, and caught his sight. A tied breath escaped from him. It was a sight he had grown accustomed to in the year he had spent in Castle Town as a soldier. Growing up in his small village, he had heard stories about how Hyrule's capital is a great place filled with great opportunities. When he & Karane first stepped into the capital last year, it was a surprise, to say the least, to see it as the opposite of what he was told. The best way he could describe this place is as a high-class slum.
Regardless of the disappointments, Pipit remembers his purpose in joining the guard. His late father had taught him to stand up for those in need and to always do the right thing. It inspired him to become a soldier. Pipit's belief in always doing the right thing inspired Karane to join the guard.
Eyeing the figure in the alley, Pipit fumbled his hand in his pocket. Pulling it out and opening his hand revealed two blue and three green rupees. It's a small act, but Pipit figures one small act of kindness is better than none.
"Hey," Pipit greeted the person as he approached them. The figure looked up, the hood still covering his head, but Pipit could still feel their eyes looking at him as he crouched down, giving him the rupees. "It's not much, but it should be enough for some food."
"Thank you," the figure muttered quietly.
Pipit gave a small smile. "May the goddesses be with you." He stood up and walked back to the other soldiers. Karane quickly spotted him.
"Where did you go?"
"Giving some rupees to someone who needs them more than I do."
"You and that big heart of yours," Karane shook her head as she smiled. "I swear it's gonna get you into trouble one of these days."
"Well, I'm still standing and not attracting any trouble." That earned a chuckle from the redhead.
"You two! What do you think you're doing standing there! Help the others out!" Ghirahim's voice brought the pair to reality.
"We better do as Lord Ghirahim says before he kills us," Karane suggested.
"Now that I can agree on," Pipit said.
The figure back in the alley remains in his spot with their gaze on the rupees. Taking a quick glance around the area, the figure stood on its feet, revealing its tall & broad structure. They walked down the alley before entering a nearby abandoned building. Once inside, the figure removed the hood, revealing a young Hylian male with amber skin & eyes and red hair in a pompadour style.
The Hylian glances at the rupees in his hands, lightheartedly chuckling before placing them into his pocket. He walks up a flight of stairs to a ceiling door. Sunlight greeted him as he entered the roof, along with the sight of two individuals. One is a young Hylian male with poofy midnight blue hair, and his build is short & stubby. His companion is a tanned human male that is very tall & lean and has blonde hair in a bowl-cut style.
"There you are, Groose! Where've ya been?" The short & stubby Hylain immediately called out.
"Just wanted a close-up look before the show begins, Cawlin," Groose replied as he walked to the edge of the building that oversaw the street below with the soldiers scrambling to move the crates. He looked over at the tall human. "You did make sure the guy who hassled us to do this paid, Strich?"
"Don't worry, boss, he did." Strich pulled out a reasonably large rupee bag.
"Good. Now we'll see if it'll pay off."
"Look at those soldiers down there," Cawlin said mockingly. "Serves them right for how they normally treat people like us. Buncha losers if you ask me."
"I wouldn't say all of those soldiers are losers. One gave me some rupees while I sat in that alley."
"You're kidding, right?"
"I'm serious. I think it was that one right there." Groose pointed to the brown hair Hylian soldier with freckles, who was moving a crate with a redhead wearing a round green hat. "Yep, that's him, alright."
"Yeah, he looks like the type," Strich agreed casually.
"Kinda feel bad for him. Poor guy probably doesn't know what he got himself into."
"That girl with him is cute, though," Cawlin eyed the redhead with the round green hat. "Kinda reminds me of those Gerudo chicks. Just as pretty as well."
"Like you have a chance with any of them," Strich scoffed.
"I can dream, can't I?" Strich laughed in response. Cawlin ignored him and turned his attention back to the street. "You think the guy who paid us can do it? Kill Ganondorf?"
"That man has escaped so many assassination attempts. I doubt this time will be different."
"You never know. Today could finally be the day," Groose cut in.
"See, Strich. Groose shares my optimism," Cawlin bragged.
"I'll bet you a red rupee that Ganondorf gets out of this."
"You're on, bug boy."
"Alright, enough, you two," Groose chided them. "Regardless of how this ends, we still got paid and walked away."
"You sure they won't trace this back to us?" Strich asked with concern.
"To them, they were just a few of the hundreds homeless without family in this city. I doubt they'll put their attention on the likes of us."
Ganondorf had remained in his carriage. A scowl grew across his face. It had been half an hour since their ride had been put to a stop due to the roadblock. His legs and posterior were starting to feel stiff & sore. After self-deliberation, he left the carriage box to stretch his legs. The roadblock up ahead was still up. The sight of it made the Gerudo Man let out an irritable breath. Then, his whole demeanor suddenly changed. An uneasy feeling crept upon his spine. He darted his eyes around the street. Nothing unusual was seen anywhere, yet the feeling still lingers. Quickly, Ganondorf marched his way toward Ghirahim.
"King Ganondorf. I apologize for this. Clearly, this is taking longer than I originally hoped."
"Tell them to move quicker!" Ganondorf demanded with such urgency.
"Is something wrong?" Ghirahim grew a concerned look at the Gerudo's man's behavior.
A sudden pain spurred in Ganondorf's back before he could answer. A scream burst out of his mouth as a new force hit him hard enough to push him on one knee. Placing his hand to where the pain was, he felt the structure of an arrow lodged in his back.
Ghirahim rush to his side, sword in hand, ready to defend his king. "YOUR MAJESTY! Are you alright?!"
"I'm fine." Ganondorf slowly got to his feet and pulled out the arrow without even so much as flinching.
"The King's been attacked! Protect your King!" Ghirahim commanded loudly to the soldiers, who quickly came to their side.
"I want this whole area swept and this block put on lockdown! No one leaves this scene until they're questioned. Find who did this!" Ganondorf's voice bellowed out for the whole block to hear.
On the sidelines, Pipit had his guard up as he glanced at the crowd of stunned bystanders. As Ganondorf gave his commands, he noticed a hooded figure hurriedly moving his way through the crowd.
"Excuse me! You can't leave!" Pipit shouted in their direction. The figure dashes through the crowd, shoving some of the onlookers. "Hey! Stop!"
Pipit gave chase as the figure darted into a nearby alley. Karane took notice and followed him. Pipit noticed the alley had a dead end with no one in sight. Then he saw the figure climbing up the walls and reaching the roof.
"This guy is determined to get away."
Pipit carefully started climbing the walls. After a near slip, he finally reached the top, thankful the would-be assassin remained on the roof.
"I only want to talk!"
The assassin, who Pipit now knows is a male, shoots an arrow at him. Pipit dodges it in the nick of time. More arrows were fired at him until Pipit was forced to duck down. The assassin took that moment to run away, only to stop when he saw Karane emerging from a door on the roof, blocking his path. She pointed her sword at him.
"Stay right where you are!"
The assassin reached for another arrow but realized he was out of them. Pipit and Karane slowly closed in on him as he backed away.
"Don't make this harder on you than it already is," Pipit suggested firmly.
"Drop your weapon," Karane commanded.
"I'm not the enemy here!" The assassin spewed as he slowly backed towards the ledge.
"You just attempted to murder the King!" Karane pointed out.
"Ganondorf is no king! He's a liar who stole the throne by spilling Hylian Royal Family's blood!"
"I don't know where you get those stories, but that's certainly not true! The royal family was killed by rouge sheikah."
"Lies! It was Ganondorf who killed them! He sits on their throne, exploits the kingdom, and destroys innocent families!" The assassin stopped when he realized there was no more ground behind him to walk on.
"Look, whatever beef you have with the king, I'm sure there's a peaceful way to resolve this if you surrender," Pipit insisted to the Assassin.
The assassin knew he was trapped. There was only one other way to escape, and he knew this. It didn't take a second for Pipit and Karane to realize what the assassin intended when he stood on the ledge. They were only five stories above Castle Town streets. High enough to be fatal if someone falls.
"Don't do it!" Karane frantically urged.
"You both are clearly blind to the truth. I pray that you both learn of it before it is too late. I, for one, was not so fortunate." The assassin spread his arms out before his body tipped backward. "LONG LIVE THE ROYAL FAMILY!"
"NO!" Pipit yelled as he ran towards him, but it was too late.
He and Karane could only watch as the man landed on the ground with a loud thump and saw a splatter of blood exit around his head. They stood frozen as they watched soldiers rush over to where the body was while the civilians screamed in shock at the horrible scene. One guard leaned down to check the body. When he looked up at them, his expression made it clear that the man was dead.
Just down the street, Groose and his group watch the crowd gather around the assassin's body. They had watched the whole thing unfold.
"Poor guy. Guess today wasn't the day, huh," Groose commented glumly.
"Not the way I want to go out," Strich shuddered.
"No kidding," Cawlin retorted.
"Kinda feel bad for those two up there," Groose glace to the roof from which the assassin fell off where the two soldiers that chased him remained. More footsteps echoed off the street. A bigger group of soldiers made their way down the road. "We better head back to the hideout. Don't want to keep the boss waiting."
The trio quickly darted back into the streets, hiding deep within the city.
The hours since the assassination attempt of Ganondorf and the Assassin's suicide had been somewhat chaotic. While the royal guard had dealt with their investigation, Pipit and Karane had been taken aside for questioning since they both pursued the chase. They both stood outside the throne room, waiting to give their statement to the royal court. They were still shaken up from the suicide earlier. Until now, they had never witnessed anything like what happened earlier.
"Pipit? Karane?" They looked up to see a guard heading down their way heading towards them in a hurry. They recognize that guard known as Shiro. "Are you guys okay? I heard some tried to kill the king."
"We're both fine. So is King Ganondorf," Karane stated with a level tone.
"What happened?"
"Someone shot an arrow at the king. We both try to catch him, but…." Pipit paused briefly. "He committed suicide."
"Dear Farore..." Shiro's eyes widened at the revelation. "You guys going to be okay?"
"We're still shaken up, but we'll be fine," Karane assured him.
"I should've been there to help you guys."
"I don't think that would've changed anything, but we appreciate the sentiment."
The large doors to the throne opened with Nabooru's head sticking out. "They're ready for you two."
"Good luck in there, guys."
"Thanks, Shiro. You take care," Pipit smiled at him.
Shiro walked away. Pipit and Karane stood still as the doors opened and revealed the throne room.
The pair entered the throne room with Nabooru leading them. Ganondorf sat imposing on the throne as always. A bandage was around his torso, but look unfazed otherwise. Ghirahim and Aveil stood on one side of the throne, and Chancellor Cole was standing near the base with a writing pad. The two guards and Gerudo bowed once they reached their spot.
"You may all rise," Ganondorf instructed calmly. "Step aside Nabooru."
"Yes, your majesty," Nabooru moved away from the aisle.
"Now then, on to the matter at hand." Ganondorf glances over to his followers
Ghirahim and Aveil descended the throne steps and towards the two knights. In events such as these, Pipit and Karane know the drill. Stand still, arms behind their back, speak only when spoken to, and give complete direct eye contact.
"State your names and occupation for the record, please," Aveil instructed with authority.
"Pipit Erhard of the Royal Guard."
"Karane Bellamy, also of the Royal Guard."
Aveil started pacing in front of them, arms behind her back. "You are both here to your account of what transpired this afternoon. Any information you do not mention will be considered withholding evidence, which will have consequences." Aveil looks at them. "Do you understand?"
"Yes, ma'am." They both said with total confidence.
With that done, Aveil stepped back and let Ghirahim do his part.
"Now, you both were with the escort of his majesty's carriage this afternoon, correct?"
"Yes, Lord Ghirahim," Pipit replied.
"Before the attempt on the king's life, did you see anything suspicious beforehand?"
"No, sir. I was surveying the area before you called Knight Karane and me to assist with moving the roadblock until the arrow was shot at King Ganondorf."
"You also then abandoned your post soon after. Why is that?"
"While everyone was tending to the King, I saw someone trying to leave as his majesty commanded him not to let anyone do so. When I called out to him, he ran, and I gave chase. People don't run if they're not guilty or at least somewhat involved."
"I see. And you, Knight Karane, also decided to pursue the chase?"
"Yes. I figure Pipit needed backup."
"Very well. What happened next?" Ghirahim was now looking at both of them.
"We both caught up and had him cornered on the rooftop. We attempted to talk him down to get him to surrender, but...he chose to take his own life rather than submit to questioning," Karane concluded.
"Is that all?"
Karane was hesitant to say her following statement. "Before he died, the assassin said some...interesting words."
"What words, exactly?" Ganondorf leaned in, interested in what she had to say.
"He said that you took the throne with the old royal family's blood. That you exploit the kingdom and destroy families."
A thoughtful look came across Ganondorf's. The way he stared down at Pipit and Karane made them feel intimidated. They did not show it, however.
"Do you believe his words?" Ganondorf pressed.
"No, of course not," Karane answered without hesitation. "What reason do we have to believe him?"
"Very well. Is there anything else to note?" Ganondorf probed.
"No, your majesty."
"Alright then. Chancellor Cole, write a statement to the public that a member of The Resistance made an attempt on my life but failed, and the assassin paid with his own."
Pipit, without thinking, immediately protested. "Your majesty, that's not exactly true-!"
"You do not speak unless your king speaks to you!" Ghirahim hissed at Pipit, which made him stop in his tracks.
"Is there something else you want to say?" Ganondorf stared at the now petrified Pipit. Karane came to her friend's defense.
"What I believe Pipit was trying to say is that we looked over the evidence brought by those involved with the investigation of the assassin. Nothing indicates that he was a member of The Resistance. All evidence pointed that he acted alone."
Ganondorf's eyes hardened as he began to speak. "Let me tell you both something. What do The Resistance want?"
"...They want you off the throne," Karane answered quietly.
"And what did that assassin want?"
"You dead," Pipit added.
"Exactly. The Assassin does not want me to be king. Anyone who wants me off the throne is a traitor like The Resistance. All traitors are members of The Resistance and will be treated the same. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sire," Pipit agreed, hiding the disagreement in his voice.
"We do. We apologize, your majesty," Karane spoke with a similar tone.
"Very well. You both are free to go if there's nothing to bring up. I believe you've been through enough for today."
"Thank you, your majesty," Pipit and Karane bowed before exiting the throne room.
"You may leave too, Nabooru. We have important matters to discuss."
"Are you sure-"
"I am!" Ganondorf cut in.
"Alright...Sav'saaba," Nabooru quickly bowed and made her way to the doors.
"Do you believe those soldiers when they say they didn't believe the assassin's words?" Ghirahim pondered to his king.
"They seem truthful enough," Ganondorf stated.
"They questioned your decision-"
"Which they accepted once I gave my explanation. Their job is to follow my orders, not question them. They better stick to that, for their own sakes. We know what happens to people who oppose us." Ganondorf had his eyes right on Nabooru as she left the throne room.
Nabooru stood still as the throne room doors closed behind her. A breath escaped from her as she placed her hand on her temple. This has been a troubling day.
"You okay?" Nabooru turned her head to the side to see Karane with a concerned expression.
"Oh, I'm fine. I just need to lie down. You should rest too. Have a good evening."
Karane stood where she was as she watched Nabooru go down the hall. After the Gerudo leaves her view, Karane walks down the opposite hallway to the barracks. A few minutes later, she caught up to Pipit. He was leaning against the wall with a distraught expression on her friend's face. She touched his arm to get his attention.
"You alright, Pipit?"
"Of course I am. It's just...I'm not sure if I can agree with King Ganondorf telling the public that the assassin was a member of The Resistance."
Karane looked at her friend with understatement. She knew Pipit was the type of person who really cared about what was right. She guessed that he might have a more challenging time letting it go. True, The Resistance group has caused issues with the king for as long as he's been in power. Nothing more would be better for them to be quelled, but even they didn't deserve to be blamed for something they didn't do. Everyone had the right to be treated fairly. But King orders are orders.
"I disagree with it too, but it is the king's orders. I'm sure he knows what he's doing.
"Maybe...But I can't stop thinking about what the assassin said, though. Where on earth did he get those words from?"
"He probably only said those words to let our guard down."
Pipit took a deep breath as he placed his palm on his face. "Why am I even considering the possibility of the assassin being right about something?"
"It's been a difficult day. Your head is probably not thinking straight."
"You're probably right. A good night's sleep might help that."
Karane smiled at her friend as they continued to walk to the barracks. Pipit mentally scolded himself for questioning the king, yet he still couldn't shake away Ganondorf's decision. But who are he and Karane to challenge it? They're soldiers, after all. Soldiers are supposed to do what they are ordered to do.
And good soldiers follow orders.
So we deal with the aftermath of Lake Hylia from Ganondorf's side. Seems to be they weren't having a grand time as our heroes.
If any of you watch "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" I apologize if I gave you some flash backs with that last line, along with suicide scene. Poor Pipit & Karane just don't know what's in store for them. I'm so sorry for Nabs as well.
In other other news Age of Calamity was alright story wise.
Just a reminder that this fic takes place in its own universe. Meaning it's not connected to any of the timelines. There may be a reference now and again, but that's it. I know some of the lore here may be different from the main games, so just though I remind you. It may also explain why some characters act differently from their canon counterparts. If they appear to be out of character.
Some things to note about the last names I've given Pipit and Karane.
Pipit's last name 'Erhard' originated from German (I think) which means 'honorable'. I thought it would be fitting since his character in Skyward Sword is said to have a strong sense of honor. I thought it would be nice to bring that aspect in this fic.
Karane's last name 'Bellamy' originates from French that means 'beautiful friend'. Originally I was going to use a last name that meant traditional since Canon!Karane is said to be a conservative, but I couldn't find anything related to that. So I went with this option since she's very popular among her male peers in Skyward Sword. Plus, she is pretty.
Thanks for the favs, follows, and reviews. Happy Reading.