A baby's wail was heard throughout the castle, signaling the maids and the servants that a new heir had been born. The King rushed to his wife's side, clutching her clammy hands.
The Queen had been going into labor for hours now, with each hour brought apprehension and fear for her declining state. Upon hearing the news of her state, nurses came to Queens aide at once. However, as time went by, a silent realization hovered in the room like a fog. Each one of them did the best of their abilities.
"Zelda! Hold on a little longer, please."
Queen Zelda's face was wet with tears, "Link... I want you to do something for me." She said.
Link looked at the baby in the nurse's looked back at his dying wife, staring into her cerulean eyes.
"T-the four swords have broken again, I- I feel its power grow strong, the bonds grow weaker. Our daughter, y-you must hide her, she cannot grow up here, within this castle." Zelda uttered.
Link looked at her in confusion, then in realization.
"She will hold power, t-the light force. You must take her somewhere else, s-somewhere she'll be safe."
Link held on to her hand, his heart filling with sadness. He cursed the Goddess for taking her so soon. "I will. Our daughter means everything to me."
Then, the Queen stopped moving, her head fell, and her eyes closed. Dozens of nurses rushed to her side, checking her pulse but to no avail. Link stood still, burrowing his head into the crook of her neck, mourning her death.
"I'm so sorry, your Majesty." The nursemaid lingered.
Link got up slowly and went over to the nurse named Elisa, who was carrying the child. He stared into the baby's eyes, which looked so much like her mother's.
"Elisa, I need you to take my daughter away from this castle. I give you my order, " Link stated.
Elisa, the nursemaid, looked down at the beautiful baby girl. "Yes, sir."
Suddenly, there was a loud train-like sound coming from the throne room. The King looked to Elisa with urgency.
"Hurry! You must go now; I fear the castle has been attacked." As he said that, they all braced themselves as a loud crash sounded from the distance.
Quickly as she could, she headed to the halls, making way for an exit. A giant black vortex had engulfed the throne room, guards running from all directions, trying to escape its suction. Elisa turned around and ran in another direction, remembering an escape window in the basement of the castle. Screams filled her ears as servants, guards, and councilmen ran past her in panic. Fleeing from the terrible unknown source. Elisia found a latter to a window that led outside. She opened it and held the babe in her hands with the utmost care. Among the chaos, the babe in her arms was still sound looked down at the sleeping child. "I'll name you...Lily." Wrapping a cloak around herself, she fled from the castle.
Since that fateful day, Elisa had made a vow to not tell another living soul about the princess. She was kept hidden and safe, away from the castle and growing up within the city. The King also vowed to keep it a royal family secret, a secret that kept the kingdom falling under conspiracy and rumor. The Queen's sudden death greatly impacted all of Hyrule, with everyone morning her death for years to come.
Eighteen years later...
"Elisa, I'm home!"
Lily called as she came home from the market, taking off her shoes and stretching. It had been a long day visiting the nearby shops that hosted weekly sales for fresh products.
She had been up the night before unable to sleep thinking about what lay ahead tommorow. Lily planned and made up scenarios in her head of what she would do come her eighteenth birthday. She had even dreamed of her upcoming birthday, after all, she's never once left Hyrule city. If only the day went by faster, Lily could hardly wait!
"Ah, this was just what I was looking for. Thank you so much, Lily. You know, these plants aren't as easy to come by anymore." Elisa remarked.
Lily sighed and plopped onto the wooden chair.
Elisa smiled and gently put a hand on her shoulder, "You don't have to cook today, love. I'll do that instead. You go upstairs and get some rest."
Lily shook her head and looked out the window, "No, it's not that. It's just that my eighteenth birthday is coming up, and I still haven't figured out how I wanted to celebrate it. I've never left Castle Town, and it's been my dream to leave and see what it's like outside the city."
Elisa sat down next to her, "I know, you haven't been able to because I've been very protective of you. You are turning eighteen, you should be able to explore as you've always wanted to. So, I will let you go. However, you must be back before nightfall."
Lily turned to her with a smile,
"Really? thank you, Elisa! you have my word."
She got up and gave her a hug. Elisa smiled.
"Also, before I forget, I'm going to visit a friend in town tomorrow. So, I won't be here when you wake up, I'll try not to be too long. I'm planning on baking a cake for you after I get back." Elisa called after as Lily bounded up the stairs.
Lily got to her room and closed the door behind her. She made her way to her vanity, where a notebook lay. In it stored drawings and doodles she drew as a child, pictures of the vast plains of Hyrule field she had always imagined. Lily traced the drawings with a finger and smiled. She would finally have that wish only hoped it would be just as she from the day, Lily climbed into bed and closed her eyes. Drifting into a deep sleep.
Birds chirped as the early morning sun peaked into the window of her room, engulfing it in sunlight. Lily awoke from her slumber and gazed at the ceiling, excitement replacing grogginess. She got out of bed and went over to the window. Staring outside with a grin on her face, today was the day.
After getting ready, Lily made her way downstairs and over to the table where she found a note, opening it, it read. 'Expect to come home to a cake made just for you. Happy birthday, Lily. Love Elisa.'
Smiling to herself, Lily exited the house and into the streets of Castletown. The spring air always carried the scent of freshly baked bread and pink petals throughout the town. This was her favorite time of year.
She made her way to the fountain in the middle of town and sat down, whistling her favorite tune Elisa had taught her since she was a had also used it to sing to her as a lullaby, something that always made Lily feel safe and secure. Gazing at the town above, she made note of the decorative flags that blew in the wind. What were they for? She wasn't aware that there was a holiday of some kind. Then, a postman came in the distance and handed her a letter.
"Excuse me, miss, here's a flyer for you." The postman offered.
Shifting away from her daydreaming, Lily took the flyer and read it.
'A ceremonious event hosted every ten years, the coronation of the knights of Hyrule. Held in the evening at the palace court, all are welcome.'
An annual event? Lily stared at the letter in thought. She stood up and looked down at herself. She wasn't in any way presentable enough to attend any celebration. However, this was her birthday, and she wanted to make the best of it. Initially, this wasn't what she had planned for her birthday, but there was no way she could miss an oppurtunity like this!
Deciding that she would attend, Lily made her way to the nearest crown and jewelry bazaar. One that had over a dozen options of ball gowns, shoes, and accessories. Entering inside, she saw a middle-aged woman behind the counter. She wore earrings that appeared to be made out of rubies and a necklace that adorned many pearls.
"Welcome, I haven't seen your face here before. I love having new customers. Please, help yourself around, and don't be shy to ask any questions." The woman greeted.
Lily looked over in awe at the extravagant items that the shop owned. She went over to have a look at the gowns, making a note of how she would be able to afford such a beautiful dress. "Excuse me, what is the price range for these?" She asked.
The saleswoman came over. "Oh darling, you stumbled upon one of our discount sales of the day! you're in luck. These are in the purple to silver rupee range. Now, is there one particular dress that catches your eye?"
There was one dress that looked suitable enough for the event, Lily pointed towards a sky blue and navy dress, with intricate designs down the middle. "That one."
The woman's eyes lit up when she saw it, "Exquisite taste dear, may I ask what the occasion is?"
Lily turned towards her, "It's for the knight's coronation tonight. It's my first time attending, it's also my birthday today too."
The saleswoman grabbed the dress and smiled, "How lovely, and you know what, this dress would look wonderful on you." She then turned around and was ushered to a room with draped covers. "Come, try it on. If you don't like it, then feel free to choose another selection."
Lily nodded her thanks and entered through the drapes, removing her simple clothes and trying on the delicate dress. She went over to a mirror and stared at her reflection. The dress contrasted nicely with her long golden hair. Her round, sapphire blue doe eyes matched well with the light blue accenting the darker color. She smiled, staring at her reflection, this was the dress she was going to get.
She stepped out of the room, and the woman nearly squealed in delight. "Oh honey, it looks perfect on you! and remember you picked one of our special prices, right this way."
She led her over to the counter, Lily almost felt bad for not taking the dress off, not wanting to dirty it before the ceremony. She brought up a silver rupee from her pocket.
"Transaction complete dear, thank you for your time and service. Oh, and happy birthday." The woman smiled.
Lily waved on her way out, "Thanks a lot!"
She stepped outside the bazaar and gazed at the castle not too far away. Castletown was always busy around this time of year, springtime. However, all of the townspeople were currently preparing for the event that would be held tonight. It was strange seeing Castletown nearly this empty.
Lily suddenly looked down at her feet, where she realized she had been so caught up in getting the dress that she completely forgot about buying shoes too."It wouldn't hurt to go to the local bazaar to get shoes, not to mention some jewelry." She decided, not to mention she had two red rupees left. Lily began to head over to the bazaar. It wasn't until she took three steps that she felt a sudden chill. A feeling of apprehension and a bit of dread filled her suddenly, perplexing her. She stared up at the castle looming in the distance. Something about the ceremony tonight filled her with unease. She wasn't sure where this was coming from. Breaking her head out of her stupor, she continued with her shopping.
"Oh, thank you, miss, come again anytime!" The salesman said behind the counter as Lily made her last had bought a pair of slippers, earrings, a necklace, and a bangle amulet made of silver. She winced. Maybe she overdid it a little with the spending. Elisa would disapprove.
Walking out of the bazaar shop, she decided that she was ready to attend the pre-ceremony party hosted in the palace. Elisa told her that she was well acquainted with people within the castle. She told her many stories of her misadventures and attending parties like these.
Seeing the castle like this up close gave her goosebumps. The pristine white cobblestone ground echoed as she surveyed the surroundings before her, taking in the view.
Two guards were stationed in front of a door that led to the main hall; she stopped in front of them. "Attending the knight's ceremony?" The guard asked, Lilly nodded.
"Right through here, the service maid will direct you if you get lost. Have a good evening."
With that, they opened the door and Lily made her way inside. The grand hall was a sight to behold, she held back an excited smile. Entering the hall, she was met with the sight of dozens of men and women, all in beautiful and expensive attire. They all looked to be in their late 30s to 60s. She did not see one person who seemed close to her age.
As she came into the center of the crowd, an older gentleman spotted her and smiled, "Good evening, but might I add you look like the very Goddess Hylia herself incarnate."
Lily flushed, haven't had been complimented in such a manner before. She laughed nervously, "Thank you, It's my first time here."
The gentleman's bushy eyebrows quirked up, "First time, you say? Well, it would be quite rude of me not to give you a little history of these very walls!" He straightened up and continued. "I've been attending the royal knight's ceremony since I was a boy. My very first time was when my mother took me. Back then, the kingdom was still grieving over the late Queens' death. I never got to see the majesty herself bless the knights. It was the king in her place. The people were saddened by this, of course. But the Kings strength encouraged the people to be strong as well. We all remained hopeful for the future." He continued, "The knight's coronation is a very special one, I've imagined my son up there a few times. It would be a parent's greatest honor."
Lily looked up at him, "To see the King would be an honor, I'm very grateful to be here tonight." She smiled, "My caretaker has been here quite a few times, I wish she could have joined me for this event."
The old gentleman chuckled, "It certainly is, I wish too that my son was here to accompany me. He's long since moved away from here. The city life was never quiet for him."
He turned to look among the crowd, "Ah, looks like the pre-ceremony is getting started."
It has? Lily peered through the crowd of people, trying to catch a glimpse of the starting ceremony. From the main entrance, knights on horseback made a queue outside of the doors that led to the throne room were opened, and everyone made their way inside.
Lily felt her heart quicken with anticipation as she stepped inside the extravagant room, staring at the empty chair on which the king would be seated. A trumpet sounded in the hall to let the crowd know the pre-ceremony was about to begin.
The people made way for the knights that came in, staring after in glee and awe. After a moment, a council member stood in front of the crowd, he bowed before speaking, "Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to the hall of commencement, in honor of our knights of Hyrule Now, I welcome the King of Hyrule, long live his Majesty."
Through the elegant blue drapes, entered the King, Link Harkinian. He looked a lot younger than she imagined, His dirty blond hair framed his face. His eyes held a stern yet gentle gaze. He stood about 5'10 feet tall, and his royal drapes flowed down his back.
The King stood in front of the throne seat, "People of Hyrule, all gathered here tonight. I am honored that you are all here. The knights of our land have long protected the legacy of this kingdom. What it means to protect one's life and fight for another, to those that serve under the knight academy. I thank you, for your integrity has shaped the hearts of men. I grant you this honor of official knighthood to the new decade of knights. To the older generation, look after them well."
With that speech, he unsheathed his sword. The knights formed a queue upon entering the throne room, each of them wearing the traditional Hylian armor. Some were young, and some were older. All of them wore stoic expressions as they made their way to the first knight kneeled before the King, holding his arm over his chest. Link Harkinian gently laid the sword on the knight's shoulder.
"By the Gods, I grant you your knightship."
The knight bowed in respect, then came the next knight.
Lily watched on as the King blessed each knight, one after the other. This continued for about an hour until a knight with shoulder-length black hair appeared. She saw the Kings face lit up with familiarity.
"By the Gods, I grant you, my dear friend, your knightship." The dark-haired knight bowed in respect, accepting the Kings courtship.
After him came the last few rounds of knights. By that time, it was late in the ceremony lasted for about two hours, and now the knight's celebration was about to begin.
The king bowed and made his exit out of the throne room, in his place the councilmen spoke.
"The knight's celebration will now commence, ladies and gentlemen, this way."
The crowd of men and women followed him into the celebration hall, where food and wine would be available.
As she entered the hall, Lily saw all the castle maids lined up with delicacies platters in each of their hands. Among the crowd, the knights joined in with their families reuniting and making toast to their husbands, sons, and uncles.
It warmed Lily's heart to see so many happy, joyous faces. She wished Elisa was here to enjoy this moment with her. Speaking of Elisa, she was going to be way past her curfew! She made a mental note to tell Elisa where she'd been when she got home.
In the distance, the king entered the room, and everyone began to quiet down. By his side stood the black-haired knight.
"Everyone, I introduce you to my most loyal knight. Not only has he served under the leadership of the knight academy. He has also become a close friend and confidant, I welcome you, Raymond of the knight's academy."
With a toast in their hands, they raised it to the crowd. A round of applause followed, and more toasts were made.
Lily felt a tap on her shoulder, "Would you like a toast, Miss?" A servant maid offered.
Not wanting to offend, Lily accepted the offered wine. She didn't want to be seen as a prude who turned down drinks out of modesty.
Holding the bubbly beverage in her hand, she stared at it briefly before taking a full sip. It was a sweet apple flavor that was slightly carbonated, Lily took another sip.
-
Hours passed by as the celebration continued, Lily had lost time chatting and conversing with a woman, slightly older than her caretaker. She had gone on about how much she reminded her of her niece and how wise and agile she had been.
Deciding she needed a moment of fresh air, Lily excused herself and made her way out of the crowd and onto the palace balcony. She breathed in the fresh air of the night wind that blew by, slightly buzzed from the wine. She had taken another toast after her first one.
She walked over to the railing and stared down at the city. It was a sight to lights that dotted below seemed like tiny fireflies in the vast land of Hyrule fields beyond the city. Lily's eyes perked up as one of the floating lanterns from below made it into the sky. Dozens more came after it, floating with the night air.
"Beautiful, is it?" A voice behind her spoke.
Half startled; Lily turned around. A man in a cloak that concealed his face was leaning against the entryway, arms crossed, and head down.
Lily observed him. She hadn't seen him around at the party. Since when did he show up?
"It is, I've never seen these before," Lily responded, looking at the cloaked man.
He seemed to chuckle. He straightened up and stepped forward, coming into the view of the light. His features under his hood were outlined in the moonlight. His skin looked very pale, and his features were soft yet masculine.
"That's strange for a girl like yourself to never have seen fly lanterns. Especially here." He stated.
Lily blinked, unsure of what to say. She wasn't sure if it was from the alcohol or seeing this strange man up close. Lily felt a slight chill go up her spine, something didn't seem right.
"I've never attended an event such as this, I was simply never allowed to..." She trailed off.
The clad man came near the railing, staring off into the distance, "Fair enough, though, what brings you here tonight?" He asked, looking directly at her.
She looked over at him and froze when she saw the color of his eyes. They were a ruby-red color.
Gathering her thoughts, she spoke, "It's my birthday."
Lily began to feel a little dizzy all of a sudden. She gripped the railing behind her for support and turned to him. What was going on? She felt completely fine before.
"I think I should...head inside." She said hurriedly, not knowing why she was gripped with fright.
She stumbled forward, determined to make her way back to the party and safety. However, her knees started to give out halfway, leaving her nearly falling to the ground.
An arm wrapped firmly around her, preventing her from hitting the ground. Through hazy eyes, she looked up at the clad man in confusion.
"I'm afraid you are in no condition to continue on." He said, staring down at the dazed girl.
The wind suddenly blew above them, tossing his hood and cape back. Revealing long, lilac-tinted hair that covered one eye.
A peculiar mark could be seen under his right eye.
"Who... Are you? " Lily asked, her vision slowly fading.
He must have spiked her drink somehow. She was sure of it.
The man softly chuckled, "That's of no importance, my dear. You will find out soon enough."
Lily barely heard him; her vision was going in and out. Finally giving into a coma, her head fell limp against him.
He laid her body down on the floor, smirking to himself before making his way back inside.
"Now, it's time I make my presence known."
A tornado formed behind him as he entered the celebration hall. It grew massive in seconds and caught everyone off guard.
Tables, chairs, and curtains flew everywhere as everyone screamed in windows shattered and broke all around, leaving shards of glass flying everywhere. Some people were caught in the wind funnel's grasp, and others were desperately hiding for cover as shards of glass cut their skin.
In the midst of the chaos, the King and a few of the knights that were left escorted the men and women out of the palace.
The King looked back at the monstrosity that had appeared out of nowhere with a sense of deja vu. This was just like the day his daughter had been born. They were attacked suddenly in this very manner.
Turning to face it head-on, Link Harkinian saw the man that was behind it. The strange man turned to face him with a smile.
"You won't get away with this!" Link exclaimed, drawing his sword.
"We meet again, Link." The mage said, his name rolling smoothly off his tongue.
"Your majesty!"
The King heard behind him. Raymond ran up next to him, his sword already drawn, "I've evacuated the last of the people to a safe place."
Link, still facing the mage, nodded his thanks, "Thank you, Raymond. I owe it to you." He glanced his way, "I need you to get to safety as well, it isn't safe for you here."
Raymond hesitated before nodding; he ran to go join the other tornado had vanished as quickly as it came, leaving behind the total destruction of the palace.
The mage stepped forward with a triumphant smirk.
"Feeling like you've seen this all before? take it all in. Just like you did eighteen years ago."
Link tightened his grip on the sword, "I don't want to hear another word, you monster. You will pay for all that you've done!"
The mage laughed, "Don't worry, I won't be here for long. Besides, I only came to obtain one thing." He stood still, his eyes closing,
"The Light force."
Links blood ran cold. But how could he? There was no way he could possibly have found...
The mage continued, "Your precious bloodline is within my grasp. The light force within her will be rightfully mine, just like how it was supposed to be eons ago."
To demonstrate, he snapped his fingers, and Lily's body appeared before them suspended in midair. The King looked on in horror, unable to do anything about it.
"You bastard." That was all Link could say, watching helplessly as Lily's unconscious body hovered over them. How was this possible?
Then the wind began to pick up around them, engulfing the whole palace in a vortex.
Link readied his sword before charging at the as he was about to hit his target, the mage disappeared. He appeared behind him, sending a flurry of wind that knocked Link off his feet. Though he was quick to recover and quickly got back up, slashing at the mage. His sword got caught between the mage's fingers.
The mage smirked, "You are powerless right now, admit it."He stared down at Link, he knew he couldn't stop him. Not in his pathetic state. Pah! he was growing bored, and it was time to end this little play fight.
Link yelled and was able to yank his sword free, but he was soon knocked down by another gust of wind. Slowly, he got back up, wincing as he did. "I will never let you get away with this. I'll never let you have her." He gritted through his teeth.
The vortex around them began to close in, making it hard to stand on his feet. Link balanced on one knee, glaring up at the mage.
Cackling, the mage threw his hands up in the air towards the unconscious girl, "I shall have what is mine. Until then, you can watch as I ruin the very foundation of this kingdom. So long, Link."
With that, the vortex completely engulfed them. Link braced himself for what seemed like hours until everything went back to normal again.
They were both gone from sight when he finally opened his eyes again.
He balled his fists and hung his head, tears falling from his eyes, "No, I've failed to protect you again...
"Is everyone Alright?" Raymond shouted.
There had been a few survivors left. Some had minor cuts and scrapes, while others were more severely injured. The knights tended to their families, treating the wounds as best as they could.
None of them could have prepared for what transpired, they did the best they could to ensure that everyone made it out safely and that there were no brought a towel and antiseptic to a woman's wound, "This is going to sting a bit, but not for long, I promise."
The woman nodded and shut her eyes as the towel was brought to her wound, slightly wincing when the antiseptic touched her open skin. In the distance, a few knights on horseback made their way into the clearing. They had brought blankets, water, and potions.
Raymond grabbed a blanket and gave it to the woman, "This is for you to keep for the road" He offered
The woman took it and gratefully thanked him. He politely bowed, then went to tend to the next victim. How could this have happened? He had seen the man that was behind all of this, but why? Who could do such a thing? He had no idea who that monster was, but he hoped to the Gods that the King was alright.
"Sire, I'll take it from here. You get some rest; you've been at it for hours." A knight said, coming up from behind.
Raymond reluctantly got up and sighed, "Alright, please watch over them for me."
With that, he made his way over to the stable and laid down on a patch of hay. He lay there in deep thought for a while, before finally drifting to sleep.
The next morning left a cold chill through the air. The castle that once stood proud among the city was now a former shell. With rubble and debris that littered the town below. Word had spread like wildfire of the incident that took place within the palace last night. There were rumors among the people that an unnatural accident befell the celebration, that a demon of the wind had caused it.
The knights that gathered the people to safety brought them back to their homes, where their loved ones thanked them profusely. The civilians all gathered around the town square, some whispering about the incident and some anxiously awaiting the Knight's order. Then, a black-haired knight came and stood in front of the awaiting crowd.
"I have returned everyone back safely. There were many injured, but no fatalities. As for the King's order, there will be a curfew from this point on in the city. We do not know where the wind demon came from, but we advise the people not to travel outside their homes past 7 pm." Raymond announced.
There was a nervous shift among the people. Among them, a man spoke up, "What of the King? Please tell me his Majesty is all right?!"
Nods and shouts of agreement echoed from the civilians. Raymond surveyed the crowd and cleared his throat, "His Majesty is alright, do not worry."
Even if he didn't know yet of his majesty's status, he must keep the people in a state of calm.
The crowd quieted down a little, shifting from worried glances to sighs of relief. Raymond let out a sigh himself.
He must report to the King at once.
"I have passed on the message; the curfew will be set in place starting tonight. There will be soldiers patrolling and making rounds until dusk. We value your patience." With that, he bowed.
After the people dispersed, he hopped on his horse and made his way for the castle.
-
Inside the palace, a court meeting was taking place. Dozens of councilmen were chatting amongst themselves about what occurred at the knight's coronation. The celebration hall had taken considerable damage during the incident, and preparations for rebuilding had already been made way.
"What happened last night was a disaster no one saw coming. The demon responsible for this is no ordinary enemy. He is an ancient threat." The King spoke. He continued, "On that night, eighteen years ago. The same event occurred, as you all know, it happened on the day of the late Queen's death."
One council member cleared his throat and spoke up, "If I'm not mistaken, Your Majesty, would these occurrences be possibly linked to her Majesty's passing? This all happened on her anniversary."
Link Harkinian paused, then shook his head, "No, I'm afraid not. It's true that this happened on her death anniversary, but that was not the demon's intention. It was for another reason. The heiress."
Quiet gasps sounded amongst the councilmen; some froze in disbelief.
"B-but, that's impossible. The heiress died along with the Queen; how can the demon be after the dead?" The councilmen exclaimed.
Link took a deep breath; this was a royal family secret that had not yet been shared with anyone else."The heiress never died. She lived on. The Queen's last wish was to have her raised as an ordinary citizen in hopes that the demon could never find her. You see, that child would hold a special power. One that the females of the direct descendant bear, the light force. That is what the demon is after."
The council member stood from his chair, "That is preposterous! if that's so, then how did that vile creature attack us last night? Surely, the lost heiress couldn't have been seen in the palace."
Next to him sat a younger man with a distinguished look and round glasses, "Counselor Chole, that's enough. Have a seat. His Majesty is not done talking."
Counselor Chole muttered under his breath and begrudgingly took a seat.
"Thank you, Shad." Link mentioned the young man with glasses, then continued, "The princess was here last night, that, I'm sure of. I saw that demon take her away in front of me."
He trailed off, his fist was a moment of silence, whether out of empathy or shock.
"It was the knight's celebration, everyone in the city, and people out of the city attended. If I'm not mistaken, the young princess should be eighteen right now. So, news must have reached out to her, leaving her vulnerable to the attack." Shad spoke.
Link considered his words for a moment. Images of last night flashed in his head, images of her. The blue dress she had been in looked a lot like the dress the Queen wore. Her golden blonde hair was nearly identical to her mother's, too, and her eyes... Link closed his eyes, his heart growing heavier by the minute. She looked so much like her; if only he could have known she had been there beforehand.
"Before I realized what was happening, it was too late. The demon was already gone, and so was she." Link said solemnly.
Counselor chole cleared his throat, "Excuse me if I may, your Majesty. If the heiress holds the power that the demon wants, then what does he want with Hyrule? "
The council members all began talking amongst each other. Meanwhile, Shad had his hands folded in front of him, lost in thought.
The tension in the room was high, and no one seemed to know what to do next.
"Well, if the demon has what he wants, there's no telling what he'd try next. He's invaded twice before already. He can strike once again."
"He must be a demon that preordained the Queen's death!"
"I don't believe so. The demon came that day because it sensed the power in the child. So, it came here to find the source." Shad countered, deciding he would chime in.
The council member stuttered on his words before speaking again, "Bless her Majesty, this is all terrible."
Another council member spoke up, "Do we know the whereabouts of this demon? Perhaps if we located where it originated, we can have a better chance at stopping it."
Link waved his hand, and the room quieted down.
"This demon, no, this man. Came from the four-sword sanctuary, where he lay in slumber for centuries. He is a long-awaited enemy, resting in the four-sword until the cycle repeats itself."
Shad propped his glasses up with a finger, "This is all making sense now. This mage has never been defeated before, only sealed away. Whoever had the power to wield such power...Well, we can assume they held a special power of their own."
Link stared down at his left palm, a faint remembrance coming to him, "When I looked into the mage's eyes, it all seemed so familiar for a moment. As if I had fought him another lifetime ago."
The young scholar's eyebrows perked up.
"Your Majesty, if it is your will, please allow me to do thorough research on this matter."
He then stood up and kneeled before the King.
"It would be most beneficial in all cases, your own, the princess, and for all of Hyrule."
Link stood up and gently raised a hand toward him, "You have my consent, Shad. Please, rise."
Shad rose to his feet and offered a determined smile, "Thank you, Your Majesty, I will do everything I can."
As he said that, the doors to the courtroom opened, and a black-haired soldier made their way over to the King and kneeled.
"Your Majesty, I have made orders in all parts of the city. All of the people made it back safely. There were no casualties."
Link smiled, his expression relaxing at the news, "Thank you, Raymond. I'm glad you've made it. We are discussing the events of last night and about the mage."
Raymond got to his feet, his face serious, "And what of the news, sire?"
Link sighed and began to slowly pace the room, "We were discussing the possible origins of this mage." He paused and turned around, "He also has the heiress."
The Knight stiffened a little, "the heiress? how can that be when she died along with the Queen?"
The room grew heavy with apprehension. It wasn't until Shad spoke up to address him.
"The Queen was able to foretell when the mage would attack. She also knew that the child carried a force in her that the mage wanted. Shortly after her death, she had the princess sent out from the castle and live somewhere else. In hopes that the demon would never find her."
"It was I that sent a nursemaid with her to look after her." Link stated, turning to Raymond.
Raymond stepped forward and put his right arm over his chest in respect, "I understand."
He looked up at the King, "We must find the Princess and capture the mage at once."
Link's eyes darkened a bit, "He is planning to take over Hyrule. He wants to make it a kingdom of his own. A dark world."
He then turned to address the room, "Gentlemen, what we face here is a malignant threat. As we've stated before, he is no ordinary threat. For the sake of Hyrule, I will defend this kingdom with my life. Tomorrow, at daybreak. I will hold a meeting among the knights to further discuss the next steps in capturing the mage."
The council members all made a round of agreement.
"With that being said, this meeting is adjourned." Link affirmed.
-
It did not take long for the news of what happened at the knight's ceremony to reach Elisa. That same day, she came home and started to bake immediately before Lily came home. It wasn't until after all the preparations were done, was when she heard that a curfew had been placed. Oh no, What of Lily? She didn't know what else to do but pray to the God's that Lily was alright and that she hadn't been at the palace during the attack. That next morning, she decided to set out and go to the palace herself to find answers. By the Gods, she knew it was a foolish idea, but she had no choice. She didn't know where Lily was, so this would be her first step in finding out. Elisa stared up at the castle before her, a feeling of dread coming over her as she remembered what happened the last time she was there. Releasing the breath she was holding in, she made her way to the palace for answers.
The giant vortex that swallowed the princess up had brought them to a floating castle in the sky. The clouds floated below them rather than above, and the moon shone bright with moonlight streaming down to illuminate the marble last of the funnel blew away to reveal the mage and the unconscious girl.
He held her as she slept. Not wanting to waste another moment, the mage carried her bridal style and entered the palace.
A wave of familiarity washed over him as he surveyed his palace, the place he once dwelled in for a short period before being sealed away. The palace itself was still as magnificent as it was in the past. The vast corridors held secrets that were long hidden and stored away, lost by time. The mage sneered as a certain memory came to him. There had been a hero long ago who obtained the four swords, and with the help of the sword, he was able to split into three. Each one held a fraction of his will and power. It was in this very throne room where the hero had confronted him, and where the mage himself transformed into his great demon form, to subdue the hero. It was also here, where he had brought the Princess along with the seven shrine maidens.
Staring down at the princess in his arms, he brushed away a lock of hair from her face. She was the spitting image of her ancestor from 2,000 years ago. Her lips were slightly open, which meant that the spell would be wearing off sat down on the throne seat, her body laying across his lap.
The young princess's expression remained peaceful and unaware, her chest slowly rising and falling. She looked like a marionette doll, with her golden hair strewn wildly. It wasn't until after a while that the princess began to stir. Her eyes fluttered open, looking dazed. Finally, her eyes settled on the mage's, realization flooding her.
"You, It's.." She slurred, trailing off.
"You're awake. Tell me, how do you feel?" He asked.
Lily tried to move her body, but her limbs felt heavy and a bit sore. She looked at the mage in confusion."What happened to me? where am I?"
"We are no longer in Hyrule, but rather above it. We're in the Palace of Winds, my home." He answered, watching as her eyes grew wide with panic.
Lily layed still, seemingly frozen, "N-no, you've taken me here against my will. s-stay back!"
She tried to scramble away from him, her hand pushing his chest. But the mage caught her hand, his eyes bored down at her, she almost felt like she were in a trance.
"I've brought you here, princess, because you have something that's very precious to me. Something that I've wanted for a long time."
He put a hand to her heart, and she was too frozen in fear to push it away."Your light force holds the key to unlocking God-like abilities within me. To hold such power, one can only imagine."
Snapping out of her trance, Lily managed to escape his grasp. She rolled off his lap and onto the floor. She got up quickly and ran, cursing as her legs felt like jelly.
It wasn't before long when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her neck and waist, completely stopping her in her tracks.
He chuckled behind her, amused at her attempts to flee, "You would be foolish to attempt that again, princess."
The mage began walking the both of them outside of the castle, much to Lily's protest. Once outside, He walked them over to the edge of a cliff where the sky blew below them.
"There is no place for you to go. You're stuck here. You are far beyond the reach of any help, and you would be wise to not run off again."
He stated over her shoulder. Lily wanted to close her eyes shut. She didn't want to see what was before her and what could be her grave.
"Please, you can not keep me here," She muttered.
The mage smiled a bit at her naivety before tutting, "Now, princess, do you not see what lay before you?"
He spun her around so that she was facing him, leaving little room between them."You are my captive, and as Lord of this palace. You will refer to me as such, do you understand?"
Lily found enough energy to nod her head, "Y-yes, I understand. My Lord."
Satisfied with that, the mage let her go.
He took a step back and outstreched his hand. "Come on, let's get you acquainted around here."
She observed the man before her. His expression did not seem threatening but rather playful, he was also without his cloak, she was able to see what he wore underneath.
His colors were a deep royal purple tunic, with a golden sash that held a strange gold encrusted, red eye in the center. A matching cap adonrned his head, with a ruby jewelry centered in it. He looked around 26 years old physically, but his real age, Lily could not even begin to guess.
She gingerly took his hand, and they made their way back inside the floating castle.