A/N Welcome to another chapter.
There are a couple of things that I wanted to mention.
Impaz is a character from Twilight Princess who lives in hidden village. I only used her because Impa is supposed to much younger in this fic. I'm thinking of perhaps making her Impaz's granddaughter.
Some references to TOTK
Thank you for the continued support.
Chapter Warning: Blood and injury.
Chapter Six
Link sat in the pouring rain, his breathing labored, his body exhausted. As he stared down at the princess, flashes came unbidden in his mind.
Golden hair slick with rain, blood plastered to her face. Pale hands clutching her shoulder, the red scarlet seeping through her fingers. Her white dress splattered with dirt and painted crimson.
Desperation, he could feel it in every pained, shallow breath she struggled to take.
As he took her in his arms, holding her tightly, his stomach clenched. She was so cold it stung his skin. He fumbled for her wrist, her pulse was sluggish and faint under his fingertips
He watched helplessly as her heavy eyes fell shut. Bloodied hands lay limp at her side.
Princess!
Link stared down at his bloodstained fingers, his heart twisted in his chest, the sound of his own heartbeat thumped loudly in his ears. Despite the pain and the exhaustion in both his arms and legs and his muscles protesting with even the smallest of movement, Link steeled himself as he clambered to his feet and gently lifted the princess up into his arms. "Hang in there," he muttered under his breath, his voice strained. "I'm going to get you out of here."
With seemingly no other way off the Plateau he was going to have to make it back to the Yiga base and access the cave system that connected to Hyrule Field. Unfortunately, in his current condition he wasn't even sure if he would make it that far. He closed his eyes. "Hylia," he prayed, his voice filled with desperation. "Please, I need your help, your guidance."
As if answering his prayers a familiar figure appeared before him, surrounding him with a strange warmth. Hylia hovered there, her eyes shining. Wordlessly, the goddess raised her finger, beckoning him. With renewed strength he began to make his way down several sets of steps and along the cobbled path. He passed a small fountain, before heading towards a series of pillars. Here the path began to slope quite steeply downwards towards one of the outer walls. Beneath the large arch was a metal gate which had now been partially raised giving him immediate access to an area of Hyrule Field just west of the Forest of Time.
Link realized his vision was becoming more hazy so he placed the princess down against a nearby tree. As he stared down at her limp, sodden form he had another opportunity to assess the situation. Fear set in his heart as he noticed the princess's wound was bleeding more profusely. He practically had to press his entire tunic against the wound in an attempt to staunch the bleeding, yet despite his best efforts it didn't seem to be slowing down. His expression remained stoic, masking the worry and concern within him. "Just hold on," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
The goddess spoke to him once more. "Take the princess to Kakariko village. Follow the path to the east, beyond the Duelling Peaks. Find the elder, Impaz. She is a healer, she'll know what to do."
Impaz? Could she be some kind of relation to Impa, that Sheikah girl from Hyrule Castle?
There was no time to think about that now. He whistled for Epona once more and immediately heard the clip-clopping sound of her hooves cantering up alongside them. "There you are, girl. Now listen, I'm really going to need your help."
Epona neighed, rearing her head as if acknowledging exactly what her master was saying.
"Okay, so the princess is hurt bad and I need to get her some help—" Before Link could utter another word the horse was already lowering her body down in order to make the transition easier.
Hoisting the unconscious princess onto the saddle one handed was near impossible. His wrist throbbed and he had to bite his tongue to curb the agony. It was worth it though when he finally got her positioned. Once he climbed up after her, Epona returned to her full height. Although the hard part was over he still found himself struggling to get Zelda situated on the horse's back. The rain was making everything much more difficult. Despite his efforts her limp form kept sliding and shifting making it difficult to keep his balance with a broken wrist whilst supporting Zelda's weight. He grunted in pain, his teeth clenched as he maneuvered her into a stable position. She was deathly cold, her wet clothes seeping into his skin.
With much perseverance, Link finally managed to securely seat her in front of him and then gathering the reins, he spurred his steed on. The rain continued to lash down around them, impeding Epona's movements, reducing visibility and causing the journey to become even more treacherous.
Once they had crossed the Proxim Bridge and headed into the Duelling Peaks region the rain appeared to settle and he was able to see that much further ahead of him. Turning north they soon reached the Kakariko bridge and from here the remainder of the journey was looking to be rather grueling. Link gritted his teeth as the mountainous terrain became rough and challenging, not to mention slow and exhausting. He pressed on, sheer determination fueling him to push forward. He would have an entire bag of apples ready for Epona after this.
As they reached Kakariko Village the first soft rays of sunlight began to peek over the horizon, casting the sky in hues of pink and gold. Link exhaled a sigh of relief as they entered the town. "Okay, Blondilocks, we're here."
Riding through the narrow streets, Link couldn't help but notice the decorative banners bore an unsettling resemblance to those of the Yiga Clan. Could this be one of the Sheikah settlements he had heard about? He felt a chill run down his spine and his grip on the reins of his horse tightened. Continuing on, he noted several houses along with an array of various shops. He scanned the area looking for Impaz's house although he had no clue which one belonged to her. However, if she was the elder of the village her house had to be really fancy, didn't it?
As they passed by, several of the citizens began staring at him with wide eyes. He could feel the heat of their gazes on him and he shifted uncomfortably in the saddle. They murmured amongst themselves. Some looked stunned, others clearly alarmed at the sight of their bloodied and unconscious princess.
"Anyone know where I can find the elder, Impaz," Link loudly questioned in a desperate tone.
More hushed whispers, until one of the older residents spoke up. "If you're looking for the elder, she resides in that large house at the southern end of the village. It's the one with the tall staircase."
Link nodded in appreciation as he headed for the elder's house. Once they came to a halt outside he carefully lifted Zelda down and made his way up the staircase before knocking on the door. Not receiving an answer the first time he knocked more urgently, his knuckles rapping against the wood.
As soon as the door creaked open, Link forced his way in.
Impaz's eyes widened in surprise as if taken aback by the sudden intrusion. "What in blazes do you think you're doing? This is my home!"
Link turned to face the elderly woman. She was very short in stature with a heavily wrinkled face and gray hair which was styled into two single braided buns positioned at each side of her head. "I need your help."
His desperation quickly registered as she saw the expression on his face and the princess unconscious in his arms. "What on earth..?" she gasped, her voice laced with shock and concern. "What happened?"
"The Yiga Clan," he choked out.
Impaz motioned him towards a nearby table. "Quickly, set her down here," she instructed, her voice taking on a commanding tone. Upon closer inspection she noticed the princess's pale skin was ice cold and she was shivering uncontrollably. She glanced back at Link. "Why don't you make yourself useful and light the fire over there."
Without hesitation, Link crossed the room and knelt down in front of the fireplace where he carefully lit the kindling. The flames flickered to life, their light dancing across his face, the smell of burning wood filling his nostrils. He immediately scooted back to Zelda's side. "So, can you help her?"
The elder nodded, although her expression was serious as she looked over Zelda's injury. She gently examined the wound, her touch careful and precise. "I'll do everything that I can to help her," she assured him. "However I'm not going to lie to you, her condition is rather serious. We need to stop the bleeding as soon as possible."
Fear in his stomach sharpened into something like dreadful uncertainty. Link sent a silent prayer to the goddess, before focusing all of his attention on Zelda.
"I'm going to have to apply pressure to stop the bleeding." Impaz explained. "Then I'm going to use a special herbal concoction to clean the wound and prevent infection. If all goes well this should stabilize her condition enough in order to tend to the injury further."
Link wasn't exactly expecting a play-by-play commentary. "Look, I really just need to know if she's going to be okay."
Impaz's expression was solemn. "It's hard to say. The loss of blood has been significant, however the princess is strong and has a resilient spirit. I believe that will certainly help aid her recovery."
Link seemed almost satisfied with that response...ALMOST!"
Impaz studied him closely, taking note of his broken wrist and the various other cuts and bruises he had sustained. She clicked her tongue in disapproval, shaking her head slightly. "Young hero, you need to take better care of yourself too," she reprimanded gently. She motioned for him to come closer, reaching for his injured wrist.
"I'm fine!" he snapped, wrenching it away.
She gave him a stern look. "Somehow I doubt that! But if you don't care for my assistance then I won't push you."
"As I said, I'll be fine. Just concentrate on taking care of the princess."
"Stubborn as always," she muttered under her breath. "Fine! I'll take care of the princess, however once she is stable you're letting me look at that wrist with no objections."
Link crossed his arms, huffing loudly. "Fine then!"
Happy that they had come to some kind of agreement, Impaz turned her attention back to Zelda, continuing to tend to her injury with meticulous care. "Alright then," she said, voice focused. "I'm going to need you to stay out of my way while I work. Why don't you go sit over there?" She pointed towards a chair in the corner.
"No way! I'm staying, no matter what," Link protested.
The elder sighed, clearly understanding his concern and desire to stay close. She relented. "Fine! But don't touch anything or get in my way, And if I tell you to leave, you listen. I need to be completely focused on the task."
Link gave an affirmative nod.
Impaz grimaced as she assessed the severity of the wound. "It's rather deep," she explained. "I'm going to have to sew it up." She then began to gather the necessary supplies.
Link remained by the princess's side. It was awful seeing her like this, as a matter of fact it was making him feel quite nauseous. He wanted to turn away, but he forced himself to look at the gut-wrenching scene.
As she stole a glance over at him, Impaz noticed the color slowly draining from Link's face. She chuckled softly, her demeanor gentle despite the severity of the situation. "You're not afraid of a little blood are you?" Impaz teased, as she laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I know it's hard to watch, hero, but you have to trust that I will do all that I can to help her."
"Do whatever you need to do," Link replied. He could feel his stomach churning and he had to inhale a series of deep breaths in order to keep his composure. He would not show weakness.
Impaz got to work, grabbing the needle and thread and then she began stitching Zelda up with quick and precise movements. When she was almost finished she asked Link to pass her the bandages, but received no response. She gazed up at him only to find Link had turned ghostly pale before he slumped to the floor. She shook her head in amusement. "Typical," she murmured under her breath, rolling her eyes. "What a hero."
Whilst he was unconscious, Impaz took this opportunity to tend to his broken wrist and clean up the other injuries which luckily were only superficial. She then managed to place him somewhere more comfortable and waited.
Link's eyelids fluttered slowly open. He groggily pushed himself up into to a sitting position, noticing the makeshift splint to his wrist. He still felt a dull ache, but at least the searing pain had dissipated. He glanced around, taking in his surroundings as he realized he was lying in a bed. Memories of what happened came flooding back to him and he searched around looking for any sign of Impaz.
"Oh, hero, you're finally awake," she announced brightly. "How about some breakfast?"
He still felt groggy and disorientated, but since his stomach was growling, how could he possibly refuse. "Breakfast would be good," he replied in a hoarse voice.
Impaz smiled. "I'll make you some eggs and honey crepes."
"Um...How is Zelda?" he choked out.
"The princess is resting now. It will take some time for her to fully heal."
He recalled the goddesses words. "Hylia said that she will...heal that is."
Impaz nodded sharply. "Is that so? Well the goddess has a way of working miracles."
"Thank you for fixing my wrist too."
She flashed him a genuine smile. "It was nothing, hero. I wasn't going to just leave it untreated."
His tone turned more serious. "You really shouldn't be this nice to me. I don't deserve it. I'm not a good person."
"Oh and why is that, hero?" Impaz asked gently.
Link let out a deep and frustrated sigh. "I'm not a hero, stop calling me that! I'm not worthy to... " He doesn't finish.
Impaz raised an eyebrow at his outburst, before offering him a crooked smile. "Nonsense!" she told him firmly. "I' would recognize the goddesses chosen hero anywhere."
"The goddess is mistaken," Link replied dryly, avoiding eye contact.
"The goddess does not make mistakes," Imaz exclaimed firmly, her red eyes meeting his.
"I have done terrible things," he admitted, sheepishly. "Things I'm not entirely proud of."
Impaz's gaze softened. "I see. So you think past deeds define who you are? You think you're not worthy of being the hero because you've made mistakes? The thing is that we all make mistakes. We all do things we regret."
Link's countenance darkened, his shoulders slumped slightly. "I'm sure you would't be saying that if you knew who I really was."
"Okay then, so tell me. Who are you?" Impaz questioned suspiciously.
"I'm an assassin. The Hylian Assassin."
A/N More to come...