Ocarina of Time Chapter 17

 

Chapter 17

Written in Blood

Zelda leaned against a balustrade, watching the golden sun sink slowly into the west. Beside her, a smokey grey wolfhound whined for attention. Ewan called him Smudge. It was a silly name, or so Zelda thought. She had tried, in vain, to train the pup to answer to something else. That had been two summers ago and now Smudge, who was the size of a foal, answered to no other name. The thought made her smile and brought a brief relief from the unease roiling in the pit of her stomach.

Something is wrong, she thought.

At a call from her two handmaidens, Zelda composed herself and left the balcony. Striding back into her room, she resigned herself to the monotonous exercise of being dressed and fussed over. She tried not to let her gnawing fear show, but as a thick blanket of storm clouds blotted out the setting sun, her fear grew.

Something is terribly wrong.

"Must you go to this much trouble?" Zelda asked Lin as she accepted a necklace from her handmaiden.

"You have to look presentable for Prince Eugene, my lady," Lin said pleasantly. "It would not be proper for you to present yourself to the boy splattered in mud," Lin's accent marked her as a southerner, and unlike the Hylians, she did not have pointy ears. "Besides," she added, "As Hyrule's crown princess, you will be in the company of nobles who will someday serve you. You must present yourself as a lady of the court and let them see the queen you will become."

"You sound like Impa," Zelda complained mildly. It would not have surprised her if Impa had instructed Lin to say those exact words.

Lin smiled, "I shall take that as a compliment, my princess."

It wasn't just her appearance before the Royal Court that bothered Zelda. Prince Eugene of Mithira, the kingdom southeast of Hyrule, had come to Hyrule Castle to attend the late queen's funeral. It had only been one day since the service in the Temple of Time, and already the funeral tables were being laden with a lavish feast in honour of Prince Eugene's visit.

Once she had dreamed of marrying a handsome prince, tall and dashing like the knights of a tale. They had once been a favourite of minstrels and bards from across the Ten Kingdoms. Now the mere mention of them was enough to make anyone groan, and unpopular bards were likely to find themselves on the receiving end of a drunkard's fist.

"Ewan will change, Zelda. Give it time, and I'm sure he will come around," Impa had encouraged her. "His father is sending him to spend time on a relative's holdings for a year. Perhaps that is all he needs."

Zelda hoped Impa was right. For now, she knew she would have to put on her best face and try to look like she enjoyed Eugene's company.

"Is the dress too tight?" Harriet asked. Zelda looked up and saw the woman's reflection in the mirror. It was only then that she realised how tense she was and that she looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"No, it's perfect," Zelda said hastily. She was about to say that she'd eaten something off, and just had a sore stomach when she thought better of the idea. Not only was it a weak lie, but she also couldn't even say something like that without having the kitchen staff reprimanded. They wouldn't thank her for that, especially the three kitchen girls with who she sometimes attended lessons. That wasn't unusual, for it had been her mother's wish that all the children of the castle, no matter their status, be given a chance to learn their letters.

"Would you like some tea to settle your nerves?" Lin asked.

"That would be lovely, thank you."

Without another word, Lin stepped out of the room. Harriet began tsking over the appalling state of Zelda's hair, attacking it with a brush. Lin returned, commiserated with Harriet for a moment, and then began tidying the room.

The tea came soon enough, brought by a flustered looking servant who Zelda had no doubt was being kept on his toes by the visiting nobility. He set the tea set on the table and then hastened away with a bow. Soon the fragrant aroma of tea filled the room, dulling Zelda's anxiety before she'd even taken a sip.

When Lin and Harriet finished their ministrations, and were finally pleased with their work, Zelda walked over to her wardrobe and opened it. She peered inside a small oak chest that housed the last thing her mother had given her- the Ocarina of Time. For a reason she did not understand, she felt an overwhelming urge to take it with her. There had been a time when she'd often done that, feeling that as long as she had it, she still carried some small piece of her mother with her.

"Is all well, my lady?"

Harriet's voice drew her back from her somber thoughts. Before she could reply, she was distracted when there came a knock at the door and a guardsman entered.

"My lady, Prince Eugene is here to see you," he announced. "I told him to wait in the sitting room, but... he was rather insistent. Shall I tell him to wait a little longer?"

Zelda wished for once that her chambers were just a little more private. The prince followed her everywhere, much like Ewan.

"Please," she said politely. "I will be out in a moment."

She was quite sure the guard groaned as he left. Eugene probably hadn't forgotten the number of times she'd made him wait on her. Well, that was too bad. If he was going to be rude, she wouldn't hurry.

She looked again at the ocarina, still pondering on whether to take it with her or not. Then she heard raised voices from the other room as Prince Eugene demanded to be let into Zelda's room.

Trying to do her best to maintain a serene posture, Zelda locked the chest, and then dismissed Lin and Harriet with a courteous thanks. They curtsied and made to leave. Lin was almost out the door when Eugene nearly knocked her over as he barged into the room. The guard shuffled inside after him, apologizing profusely for the intrusion.

Eugene was a tall and lean boy, a few years older than Zelda, with dark red hair and tanned skin. His red coat bore a brooch in the shape of a griffin- the symbol of the Royal Family of Mithira.

"My sweet lady Zelda, I was beginning to think you would never emerge. Will you walk with me to the feast?" he asked. His attempts at formality did not sound entirely genuine, and Zelda was not impressed. He obviously didn't pay much attention to his tutors, or else he would have known how to conduct himself, even if it meant faking his sincerity.

Smudge saved her from an awkward silence when he stepped inside and growled upon seeing the prince.

Eugene wrinkled his face in disdain.

"What is that thing doing in here?" he demanded.

"He won't hurt you," Zelda said, quickly going to Smudge's side and offering him a gentle pat.

"That's what you said last time when it bit me!" Eugene retorted. "Do you always keep vicious dogs in your room?"

Zelda glowered. "You gave him a fright, that's all. He did not mean it, and besides, he only nipped you."

"He put a hole in my coat!" Eugene objected. "It was my best coat."

I'm sure you have plenty more, was what Zelda wanted to say, however she held her tongue.

Zelda's guard quickly intervened after a polite cough. "My Lady, perhaps I can take Smudge to Master Belon. Your father awaits you in the great hall."

Zelda was not entirely pleased. Smudge would constantly howl when she left him in the kennels, and he didn't bother anyone when he was in the hall, except to ask for treats. Seeing no alternative, she relented and allowed the guard to lead him away.

As both hound and guard left, Eugene extended a hand to her.

"Shall we?" he asked.

Reluctantly, Zelda accepted his hand. As she and Eugene wound their way through the corridors, Zelda could not help but notice the unusually large contingent of Gerudo guarding the halls. Still donned in their black turbans and red veils, they wore the livery of the Hylian Guard, minus the helm.

"Do they always wear those cloths about their neck?" Eugene asked quietly, sounding unnerved.

"I think so," Zelda whispered. She didn't want the Gerudo to catch the two of them staring; it was quite rude, and she doubted they'd respond kindly. Not that they could do much, or so Zelda kept trying to convince herself. Was it just her imagination or were they more stone-like than normal?

When they entered the great hall, Zelda noticed more Gerudo amongst the usual contingent of guards. Some of the Hyrule Royal Guard stood among them, young men and women whom Zelda did not recognize. They can't have been stationed at the castle for long, otherwise, Zelda was sure she would have recognized them. Captain Dragayne did not seem particularly pleased to see the Gerudo amongst the usual red and blue colors of the guards. The man was standing in the doorway, his brow furrowed and his expression dark.

"Is something wrong, sir?" Zelda's guard asked.

"These are not the guards I had placed on duty tonight," said Dragayne, surveying the hall with a critical eye. "I am supposed to be informed of any changes. If you will excuse me, I mean to have a word with whoever did this-"

Dragayne left. His words made Zelda feel very uncomfortable, but before she could ponder on this any longer, a herald announced her arrival. When he'd finished announcing Prince Eugene, Rowin greeted her, dressed in his black and white motley of a jester.

"Ah, princess, so good to see you," he said, beaming, the bells of his jester hat jingling as he bowed. "And you too, Prince Eugene!" he bowed again. "You both look lovely this evening. Do smile, my prince, it won't kill you."

Eugene scowled.

"You call that a smile?" Rowin asked, almost scoffing. "It's about as cheery as Lord Dragmire. He always looks like he just swallowed a peahat whole. Poor man, it must've been quite painful, wouldn't you agree?"

"Very," Zelda agreed, keeping her expression guarded; one of the Gerudo had overheard the jester and was looking affronted. Nobody else gave the man any mind; he was the king's fool, and insulting people was often part of his trade.

Maintaining his cheer, right up until they neared the king, Rolin led Zelda and Eugene to the high table which sat upon a dais at the far end of the room. The great hall was a beautiful room with fires dancing in enormous stone hearths and skilfully woven tapestries draped across the walls. Scenes of hunts and iconic moments from Hyrule's history were laid out across the walls for all to see. During the day, the children of the palace would gather by one of the hearths for their lessons.

Zelda's father sat at the center of the high table, and she was unsurprised that he did not so much as gaze at his daughter. Eugene was welcomed like a son, and Zelda glanced at the empty chair on the far side of the king, where two Gerudo stood guard. There was no sign of the occupant who Zelda was sure was Ganondorf.

There was no time to ponder this. Zelda was used to being one of the fixtures of the court's attention, which was just as well, for the moment she sat down, and all the guests entered the hall, she was besieged by nobles offering their sympathies on her step-mother's death. She stood, exchanging pleasantries and offering a polite nod. Ewan wasn't spared this attention, but young as he was, Impa sat next to him and did most of the talking.

When not engaged in conversation, Impa was casting occasional glances down the table at Ganondorf's empty chair, her expression furrowed.

"Where is Lord Dragmire?" someone asked.

"His lordship is not feeling well tonight," Rowin explained. "I think he took his lady's departure rather hard, poor man. Ah, but I scarcely blame her, he is most unpleasant."

The tables were arranged along the walls of the hall, leaving the center open for the musicians and the flurry of servants running to and fro with platters of food. A group of men sat at the table on Zelda's left, dressed in white and gray coats with the symbol of a griffin on them. These were the members of the Mithiran envoy that accompanied Eugene. After sparing them a brief glance, Zelda shifted her gaze to her father and was not surprised to find him drinking deeply from his goblet. The wine spilled down his chin and through his bushy white beard. Even for him, that seemed a little excessive. Many nobles were casting furtive glances at him and muttering to one another. They were not impressed, and while some hid their disapproval behind forced smiles and laughter, others dared to express it more openly with obvious scowls and thinly veiled jests. This wasn't a good sign. Even Rowin, who never seemed bothered by much, was staring at the crowd with a troubled expression, his earlier cheer all but gone. Zelda wondered if he suspected that something was wrong with her father.

She distracted herself by listening to the sound of the minstrel playing on a harp. Even that did nothing to ease her nerves. As she gazed around the crowded room, she could not shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong.

"My lady, why have you not touched your soup?" Eugene observed. "It will go cold."

Zelda looked down at her bowl of thick pumpkin soup but found she had no appetite. She took a few spoonfuls, but the creamy soup seemed tasteless. The tables had been piled with venison, roast chicken, duck, and mutton, which was accompanied by an array of soups and vegetables. Zelda's senses seemed deadened to the rich aromas that wafted through the room. She felt sick.

There is enough here to feed half of Hyrule, she thought. This is not right.

Impa seemed to be just as unamused at the overabundance of food. The Gerudo, Zelda noted, were barely touching their meals.

The music played long into the evening, and by then Eugene was trying Zelda's patience, making comments on just about everything being substandard to Mithira's capital.

"They can't even cook a decent feast-" making a determined effort to ignore her betrothed, Zelda stared at a pair of noble's children flicking pie at each other. They were a few years younger than Ewan. The boy squealed with laughter as the girl flung a spoonful of the pie that splattered upon his nose and dripped onto his coat. The girl joined in, laughing hysterically. Zelda smiled, wishing she could do something like that without causing an absolute riot. A taller girl sitting beside them, whom Zelda presumed was their sister, was pretending that she didn't know them. The food fight continued until a woman got up and strode over to them, her nostrils flaring. When the two children realized they'd been caught, Zelda almost laughed at their remorseful faces.

"You there," Zelda heard Eugene yell at a passing servant. "Bring me something better than this slop!"

She did not bother looking up but kept fixated on her own bowl, her lips a thin line. She cast a pitying look at the servant, but the young man was already scurrying away. Apparently, Eugene's disgraceful behavior hadn't gone unnoticed by his entourage, for one of his attendants came over, tapped him on the shoulder, and then beckoned him outside for a quiet word. Whatever was said, when the prince returned, his cheeks were red, and he looked suitably chagrined.

Serves him right, Zelda thought.

Then the dancing began. Seizing the chance to draw the room's attention away from her father, Zelda quickly stood up. She caught Impa's gaze and knew that she approved.

"Prince Eugene, will you dance with me?" It took a considerable amount of effort not to choke on those words. For a moment, he stared at her, and she feared he might refuse.

"Of course," he sounded taken aback. That wasn't surprising, as he should have been the one asking her.

To Zelda's relief, Eugene allowed her to take his hand. As the minstrels began a soft tune, he led her to the centre of the room. His grip was not exactly gentle and Zelda had to keep herself from wincing. They glided into motion, and Zelda felt the eyes of the various nobles on her. Impa gave her an approving nod and her father, well... he didn't seem to be aware of anything that wasn't two feet in front of him. Zelda put that out of her mind and focused on stepping gracefully to the music.

Other people were following her example and joining the dance. Eugene's steps were elegant and graceful. He too seemed to realize how much attention was on them, and for once, he rose to the occasion. As Zelda spun in a graceful swirl, she caught sight of Ewan out of the corner of her eye. He was left sitting alone, and Zelda longed to join him. The poor boy looked so lonely. She was so distracted that she nearly tripped.

"You're trembling," Eugene observed.

"It's cold," Zelda replied. It was a miserable lie. She'd have to learn to do better than that. "I'm sure I'll warm up soon enough."

She was quite sure Eugene didn't believe her, but before he could reply, the next song began. They changed partners, and Zelda dragged Ewan onto the middle of the floor. His look of relief and gratitude that someone had remembered he was even in the room tugged at her heart.

Then it was time for the next dance. She changed partners, and then when the next song began, she was back with Prince Eugene again. Unfortunately, he spoiled the moment by excusing himself to the privy.

Sweating and tired, Zelda looked around for Ewan again. The sister of the two children whose food fight she'd witnessed earlier was dancing with him. Zelda felt too tired for another dance, and she was feeling sick again. Politely, she accepted her next two partners, and was able to slowly steer herself towards the high table.

Politely declining her next partner, she collapsed back in her chair and waited for Eugene to return. She would at least bid him goodnight before she left.

She almost jumped when a hand tapped her on the shoulder. Twisting around, Zelda came face to face with Impa. The Sheikah's gaze was severe, and although Zelda was used to this, it seemed harder than usual.

"Are you all right, princess?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, of course... where are you going?" Zelda asked. She flicked a glance at Ganondorf's empty chair.

"To get some fresh air," Impa replied, before lowering her voice. "Stay here. I need to find out where Ganondorf has gone. I will be back soon."

Zelda nodded and watched as Impa left the hall.

~ 0 ~

It is time...

Ganondorf smiled a predatory grin that would have made most people flinch. He stood on his balcony, listening to the music and laughter drifting up from the hall below. Further afield, the city of Castletown slept.

Sleep on, Hylians, he thought. The hour of your doom approaches.

Tomorrow, the sun would rise to behold a smoldering ruin as ashes drifted on the wind like snow. The Hylians were so sure of their stone walls, of the protection it gave them. They ate, and they drank, so certain of the future and so confident that no power would dare rise up against them.

Ganondorf would prove them wrong.

The Kokiri boy had the three Spiritual Stones and was on his way to Hyrule Castle. Ganondorf's servants had confirmed it. All he needed to do was keep the custodians of the Temple of Time from interfering. He'd already dealt with most of their lot and only lamented that the leader of their order remained at large. Nobody had seen him since he'd fled the court.

That didn't matter now.

Foolish princess, he thought. Did you really think I wouldn't notice your little errand boy?

The boy didn't realize that the princess was using him.

Stupid whelp.

The Sheikah and their Hylian allies had often used children as spies in their chequered past.

Grabbing the Skull Mask from his desk, Ganondorf felt the warm wooden texture of its frame. He slipped it on, and the mask's power washed through him. Instantly, he felt a keener awareness of his surroundings. The flow of power coursing through his veins was invigorating. It also made him invisible to all but those most sensitive to the Flow, or magic, as it was more often called.

Ganondorf made his way to the dungeons. The deepest cells were pitch black, but the mask gave Ganondorf the ability to see as though it were daylight. He could hear the whispers and moans of several inmates in their cells, and the place reeked of refuse. Most of these wretched souls were thieves, murderers, traitors and worse. Several guards paced down the dark, damp corridors. They were oblivious to the Gerudo in their midst. Ganondorf sneered and would have relished slamming a knife into their throat there and then.

Patience, the mind of the beast within the mask cautioned him. Let them enjoy a few more precious breaths before you end their lives.

Ganondorf found himself in a room deep beneath the dungeons. It was a cavern of sorts constructed by the kings of old. At its centre stood a weathered stone archway atop a dais, its glyph work faded with age. The Hyrulean kings had built it to escape if their castle fell, but that had been eons ago. Of those few who possessed the knowledge of this archway's purpose, Ganondorf had made certain they could not interfere with his plans. Lifting a stone from a pocket of his long black robe, he walked up the steps of the dais and over to the archway. There was an alcove in the surface of the gateway, the perfect size for Ganondorf to fit his stone in place. As he did so, a surreal white light illuminated the runes upon the archway's surface. Ganondorf could sense the currents of magic rippling through the ancient rocks. Within seconds, a white wall of fire erupted within the arch. It was like a veil draped across a doorway, its ethereal light bathing the entire cavern and rippling off the damp walls.

A moment later, an armored figure stepped through the portal, followed by another and then another. These were stalfos- skeletons that had a skull resembling that of a pig, their armor was old and worn. As the stalfos filed into the large cavern, bipedal reptilian creatures with a humanoid appearance stepped from the archway.

Everything is going just according to plan.

As Gerudo with torches hopped through the portal, Ganondorf seized the mask's power again to make himself visible. None of them seemed to be too surprised to see Ganondorf appear in their midst. All he had to do now was touch the minds of all the Gerudo in the castle. A simple task for a mage. His people would know exactly what to do.

It is time to strike while they are stuffing themselves like pigs for the slaughter.

Ganondorf spoke to his gathering people and minions. "Today I will avenge the blood of my family. I will take the blood of those who cursed us and blighted our home as payment for their treachery. Let us show them just how much their beloved Goddesses really care about them. The history of Hyrule has always been written in blood and so shall it always be."

"My lord, if I may, what shall we do with the townsfolk?" one of the Gerudo asked, apparently not caring for elaborate speeches.

Ganondorf's eyes narrowed, and he regarded the woman. "Spare most of them if you can. Let them scatter far and wide with tales of Hyrule's fall. That will demoralize Hyrule and dash any thoughts of an uprising. Today, Hyrule will belong to the Gerudo."

"What of the Sheikah and the princess?" the Gerudo asked again.

Must you question everything, Aveil? Ganondorf thought wearily. Koume and Kotake clearly needed to polish their use of mind control magic.

"Leave them," he answered. "Once I have the Triforce in my possession, I want that Sheikah to watch as I slowly kill that little brat."

Everything was fitting into place. Ganondorf had sent several of his guards to search the princess's room and retrieve the Ocarina of Time. Now he just needed the Spiritual Stones.

With that final thought, he ordered the gathering Gerudo and his minions to march.

~ 0 ~

Ewan watched as Zelda dismissed herself from the high table. She spoke a few words with Eugene, who'd just reentered the hall, and then left. Eugene turned to follow her, seemed to think better of it, and then resumed his place at the table. Rowin, the Fool, was trying to dissuade the king from consuming another goblet of wine.

Ewan felt very alone without Impa or Zelda. Normally, he would have gone off to join the other children who sat by the hearths where they would watch the court entertainers or listen to a story. Ewan didn't feel like joining them. Besides, most of them had been ushered off to bed by now. He wished he could go too.

When the dancing had finished, most of the hall settled to listen to a minstrel's harp. A small group of children who'd not gone to bed sat huddled by a hearth, eagerly watching a puppeteer's performance.

A loud clap of thunder outside threatened to drown out the sound of the music. Ewan listened for a time. He was tired and longed to return to his chamber to sleep. His eyes drooped, the soft sighing notes of a harp drifting through the air. The noise of merriment became an incoherent babble of sound as his head sank to his chest.

In a heartbeat, everything changed.

A horrified scream cut a discordant note across the minstrel's gentle melody. Ewan gave a start, snapping out of his peaceful doze. The bard froze, her eyes wide and face white, her fingers on the now silent harp, its final humming notes swallowed by silence.

Following the harpist's gaze, Ewan quickly spotted the source of the disturbance. For a moment, he wasn't sure what he was seeing. A red liquid was running down the front of King Nohansen's coat. It wasn't wine.

Blood.

A knife was protruding from the king's throat. Rowin, the Fool, was staring at the king in mute shock.

The shock lasted an instant before the Hylian guards leaped to intercept the Gerudo nearest the king. The Gerudo were faster- withdrawing knives from their sleeves. Their blades flew and outraged cries turned to gurgling screams.

"My king, my king!" Rowin's voice was a wail. "You killed my king!"

"Hylians, to arms! To arms! The king is murdered!" another man hollered.

"You dare to shed blood in the king's own hall!" a third voice bellowed above the din.

Somebody else screamed for the royal guard. It was too late.

The noble nearest the king was lowering a leg of lamb from his face when a knife plunged into his plump belly. Rowin, the nimble jester, dodged the first blade that tried to strike him. He leaped onto the table, almost stumbled, and jumped away from his attackers.

Then Ewan screamed as someone's hand clenched his shoulder and he was shoved beneath the table. Regaining his panicked senses, he saw it was one of the servants. A moment later, the man fell, a knife protruding from his chest. A table to Ewan's left was overturned with a resounding crash. Crockery shattered. Goblets, flagons, and platters of food were splattered across the floor. Several people fleeing for the doors slipped in the mess, tumbling and screaming as the Gerudo slaughtered them too. The warriors of the desert were far more sure-footed and graceful than the drunken Hylians, and the guards were quickly being overwhelmed.

"Papa," Ewan screamed desperately. It was a useless cry, but he didn't know what else to do. "Papa!"

No one heard him. The terrible din of screaming was deafening, and there was blood pooling on the floor.

Hide, Ewan thought. It was all he could think of. He had to hide.

Where though? Nowhere in the hall was safe. One of the doors near the three great hearths stood ajar. He'd have to cross the hall. If he stayed close to the wall he could make it.

Seeing no alternative, Ewan scrambled from the shelter of the table. As he emerged, Ewan was not prepared for the sight that befell him. The Gerudo were slaughtering everyone. Those who were still standing, including servants, were running for the doors. Some people were crying, their sobs broke off into frantic screams as the Gerudo continued their gruesome dance. Ewan's eyes turned back to his father. The king's body had slid off the chair, and several of his own guards lay dead around him. Rowin hadn't fled far before a knife had taken him in the back. Poor Rowin, he had never hurt anyone. Why were they doing this? Ewan froze, his gaze turning back to the king's body.

So still.

No. He couldn't leave.

"Father?" Ewan called uncertainly, as a painful lump formed in his throat. He stumbled towards his father, not paying attention to the surrounding commotion. Then, somebody grabbed him roughly by the shoulder.

"Prince Ewan!"

Ewan looked up and recognized Captain Dragayne. The man pulled him away from the king even as Ewan struggled against him.

"Come on, boy, I'm getting you out of here!" Dragayne had to shout to be heard.

Ewan felt tears forming in his eyes then. A real prince never cries. Didn't they? Ewan didn't care what anyone thought. He wept now.

"No," he yelled, fighting against the man who gripped him. He wouldn't leave his father. "No, I have to help him!"

"There is nothing you can do for him," Dragayne told him severely. Ewan struggled against his grasp, still desperate to get back to his father.

He's not dead... just asleep... just asleep. Maybe he'd drunken too much wine.

He screamed harder until his throat felt raw. Dragayne hauled him off his feet and onto his shoulder.

"No!" Ewan screamed. Dragayne ignored him, running for the doors out of the hall.

Ewan called out to his father, but the king never stirred.

"Father! Wake up! You have to wake up!"

He saw Prince Eugene hiding beneath the high table. Creatures were pouring into the hall now. Creatures of nightmares and stories. Some resembled skeletons donned in armor, others looked like bipedal reptiles wielding long blades. The hall's trapped occupants fled in another direction. One of the reptilian creatures reached out to Eugene with its clawed hand, digging its claws into his leg as he tried to hide under the table.

Eugene was pulled screaming from his hiding place. Dragayne turned around with a loud oath as Eugene's blood-curdling screams were abruptly cut short. The lizard creature turned on Dragayne next with a frightful hiss. Ewan turned his head and yelled as its blade came slicing through the air towards him. Dragayne thrust his own sword into the beast. As he struck, Dragayne stumbled, and Ewan's weight sent him off balance. The cold marble slapped Ewan, knocking the wind out of him. Strangely, he didn't feel anything.

Dragayne got up quickly, grabbing Ewan before the boy could scramble to his feet.

Everything became a blur as tears flooded Ewan's vision. A real prince does not cry.

Ewan did not believe that now.

More beasts were spilling out through the doorway and charging towards Dragayne. A blade struck the man through the chest, and he dropped Ewan again. Ewan hit the cold marble with a thud. He glanced up at Dragayne in time to see his attacker wrench its blade free of the man's chest. Dragayne fell to his knees and, for an instant, his eyes met Ewan's.

"Run, boy!" he gasped.

A moment later, the strange lizard-beast's sword cleaved through Dragayne's neck. Ewan stared in mute shock as the headless body hit the ground beside him. A man appeared in the doorway then, and for one tiny instant, Ewan thought he might be rescued.

"Please help me," he said weakly. The man, tall and garbed in black, stepped towards him.

Ganondorf.

All hope of rescue died in an instant, snuffed out like a candle in a breeze. Ganondorf raised a blade of cold, dark steel.

Ewan never screamed.

A real prince is brave, he told himself.

The blade hesitated briefly and then came swinging down.

A real prince must be brave.

The sharp pain that slashed across his neck was like fire. It lasted a heartbeat, and then it was gone.

~ 0 ~

Minutes earlier...

Zelda's head was throbbing. As she ascended the steps to her room, she heard the loud crackling boom of thunder outside. When she reached the landing before the royal apartments, she noticed something odd. There was no one in the corridor.

Where are the guards?

There were always guards or servants in this corridor. Now, the hall was quiet except for the faint crackle of torches in their sconces along the wall. Another clap of thunder nearly made Zelda's heart leap in fright. She took a breath and approached the door to her room only to discover it was open. Perhaps one of the servants had gone inside to do some cleaning. That didn't seem likely; just about every servant in the keep would be either seeing to the feast or preparing rooms for the various lords and ladies who were visiting the palace.

Zelda stepped into the sitting room and her heart stopped. Just inside the doorway, two guards lay on the floor. Their unseeing eyes, wide with shock, stared up at the ceiling, and their mouths hung open in a scream silenced forever.

"Oh no," Zelda gasped. She should have run for help, but in that moment of panic, she didn't think.

She ran into her room. It looked like the aftermath of an earthquake. Sheets from the four poster bed were strewn across the room, the bed itself had been slashed, and pillow feathers lay scattered about the floor. The contents of her wardrobe, dresser, and trunk had been scattered throughout the room. Her jewelry lay in a muddled heap near the table they had been thrown from. Only the silver tea set seemed to remain untouched. Zelda desperately wanted to scream but could not.

Whoever did this was after something... the ocarina!

The chest housing the precious heirloom was open on the floor. They must have picked the lock. Zelda always kept it locked. Until recently, she'd never understood why Impa insisted on it. Heart hammering in desperation, Zelda clawed her way amongst sheets, clothes, broken ornaments, jewellery and a few small chests for the ocarina, yet it was nowhere to be seen. Zelda's hands were bleeding as she madly sifted through the broken ornaments and debris.

"I should have taken the ocarina with me," she whispered.

Just then, she heard screams and shouts drifting up from the floors below. Her heart raced as the festive sounds of music abruptly gave way to a horrendous chorus of screams. A bell tolled in the distance, a second followed it, and then others repeated their desperate call.

Zelda's heart sank. She tried to swallow, but it was nearly impossible. The bells only rang like that to announce the death of a monarch or an invasion.

Father. Thinking she knew what the bells meant, she raced down out of her room and nearly crashed headlong into somebody coming the other way. It was Impa.

"Zelda. Thank the Goddesses you weren't in the hall," Impa breathed with relief. Zelda burst into tears, trembling like a leaf. "There will be time to grieve later. We have to get out of here now!"

Despite the urgency, her voice was gentle.

"You don't understand," Zelda choked through her sobs. "They've taken the ocarina."

"The ocarina is safe, I grabbed it after you had gone," Impa said soothingly. "When Dragayne told me about the change of guards-" she paused and hugged Zelda tightly. Then she gasped as she saw Zelda's hands. "What happened?"

"I slipped on some glass," Zelda mumbled. Impa frowned, ushering her back into the room where she tore two strips off the bedsheet, before wrapping the numerous cuts.

Impa clicked her tongue, not impressed by the hurried bandaging. "I'm afraid that will have to do."

Zelda looked up, wiping the tears from her eyes with the back of the makeshift bandage.

"Where is the ocarina now?" she asked.

Impa held out the blue oblong shaped instrument, and Zelda took it.

"See? It's safe," Impa said gently. "Ganondorf has summoned an army within the walls. I do not know how he did it, but there is a secret passage in my chamber. One of the exits leads to the stables."

"What about Ewan, Eugene, and my father?" Zelda asked.

"I sent the guards to rescue them, they should be with us at the stables." Impa sounded strangely uncomfortable when she said this and Zelda was not sure whether Impa was telling her the truth.

"We have to go," Impa told her firmly. "I can carry you, but you must keep still and quiet. Do you understand?"

Zelda nodded and placed the ocarina in her satchel that lay discarded on the ground. She strapped the satchel over her shoulder and let Impa carry her.

Impa ran, and Zelda was jostled roughly like a rag doll. "I am sorry," Impa said breathlessly as they left the royal apartments. "This will not be comfortable."

Zelda doubted that would have made much of a difference. The corridors were filled with the bodies of dead guards, both Hylian and Gerudo. Other creatures that Zelda had never seen before lay amongst the dead. The entire castle seemed to tremble in dismay at the slaughter occurring within its walls. They were alone now; the attackers must have presumed everyone in this part of the castle was dead. One by one the bells went silent, never to sound again. As they entered a corridor just before Impa's study, a group of soldiers in the livery of the royal guard raced up to them.

"Sir Toru, have you seen Ewan or the king?" Impa demanded of them.

The black-haired guard standing before her bowed his head.

"I'm sorry, my lady. I saw the Gerudo king strike the boy down," the man said, the solemn tone in his voice gave way to anger. "Prince Eugene and his envoy didn't make it either. The king... they killed him."

Impa went rigid. So did Zelda.

This isn't happening, Zelda thought. Goddesses please, this can't be happening.

"Father, Ewan," Zelda wanted to scream, but her voice came out as a feeble whisper. "Eugene."

She might not have liked Eugene much, but he didn't deserve what happened to him.

"I need to get to the stables. Are they still secure?" Impa asked, holding Zelda tightly as she moaned weakly.

"Last I heard, yes, but there must be hundreds of Ganondorf's things swarming the castle. We won't be able to hold the palace grounds for long."

"There is a secret tunnel to the stables accessible through my study. Come, I will need you and your men to help me. I must get the princess to safety," Impa ordered them.

Zelda was hardly paying attention to this conversation. Nor did she pay much attention to Impa jostling her again as they moved down the corridor and into the Sheikah's study. Zelda's mind was reeling. Her father and Prince Ewan were dead? A part of her wanted to scream at Impa for not rescuing them. That was a Sheikah's duty, wasn't it? To protect the royal family. She stared in numb shock as Impa approached a statue on one side of her study. It sprung to life and stepped aside. Ordinarily, Zelda would have been surprised, but she was too horrified by what had just happened to be surprised now.

The walk through the tunnel seemed to take forever. At first, they crept along narrow corridors and down steep staircases that might have once been used by servants. At another time, Zelda might have been astonished, and slightly disconcerted, to discover that there was a hidden network of tunnels within the castle walls.

Cobwebs draped the passage like thin curtains and Zelda could feel tiny spider legs crawling through her hair. She tried to ignore them, but that was no easy task.

"Most of the old passages were blocked or destroyed over time," Impa explained quietly in answer to a question Zelda hadn't heard. "I am one of the few who still know of their existence."

The sound of pleading echoed between the walls and everyone fell silent. Then the desperate sobs were suddenly broken off, followed by more shouting. The words were muffled, but the accent was unmistakably Gerudic. Even then, Zelda was able to glean some pieces of what was said. Someone was unhappy about the cold-blooded slaughter and was now engaged in a heated argument with their superior.

The guards exchanged glances, and Impa motioned them forward. The sounds of battle were louder, echoing from somewhere outside. Then, they were descending another flight of stairs that seemed to go on forever.

At last, they reached a long passage and nobody said anything until they reached a ladder at the end, which led up to a trapdoor. Zelda found herself being handed to Toru. Zelda insisted she could stand and Impa climbed up to the trapdoor. She pushed, and for a horrible moment, Zelda feared there might be something on top of the heavy frame. Then, the door gave way, hinges creaking. Dust and strands of straw fell through the opening and Impa thrust the door aside. A pitchfork nearly skewered her, but Impa's quick reflexes caused her to recoil. A stableboy stood by the trapdoor, his eyes wide with fear.

"My Lady, forgive me I thought-" He stepped back as Impa pulled herself up out of the trapdoor without a word.

The guards went through next, followed by Toru and Zelda. She was relieved to see the stables appeared to be untouched so far. The horses were skittish however knowing full well from the screams echoing through the night that something was horribly wrong.

"What's happening?" the stable-hand asked, his voice shrill with terror. He hadn't dropped the pitchfork and the crude weapon shook in the boy's trembling hands. "Master Lon went to see what was going on. Nobody's seen him since."

"Use your eyes, kid," Toru growled. The boy flinched. "We're under attack. Help us saddle the horses."

"What about Master Lon?" the lad asked fearfully.

Impa exchanged a dismayed glance with Toru. "Master Lon is a resourceful man," Impa said. "I am certain he can take care of himself. Now, I need you to saddle our horses quickly. Time is not our ally tonight, and we must leave now."

It was not a good answer, but it seemed to settle the matter.

The frightened boy hastily obeyed while two other youths leapt from their hiding places to assist.

Impa threw a coat she had retrieved from her study over Zelda's shoulders and she watched as the guards and grooms saddled the horses. Half of Toru's company was guarding the stable while the others prepared to mount. The black horse in one of the last stalls was watching them, strangely calm despite the noise. Ganondorf's horse.

"Should we do something... you know... so he doesn't come after us?" one of Toru's men asked, gesturing towards the beast. The stable hands shot him a look of alarm but quickly returned to their tasks.

"No. He'd just steal another horse," Impa said gravely.

One of the groom's announced Silver was ready, and Impa helped Zelda into the saddle of the white mare.

"We will form a ring around you," Toru told Impa as his men mounted their own steeds. "Once we are outside of the castle, we will head straight to the southern gate; it's closest. If the messengers I sent to the wall guard got through, they should have rallied by now."

"Thank you, Captain Toru. Mount quickly, I want to be away before Ganondorf realizes we have escaped... Did you or anyone else send word to the other garrisons?"

"It was the first thing we did," Toru affirmed, looking troubled. "But we sent runners only. "Someone set fire to the coops. It may be days before any reinforcements reach the city."

"They'll be riding to a graveyard," Impa muttered. "Once we get out of here and regroup, we will need to send messengers to each of the forts. Coming to our aid may be a death trap, and just the kind Ganondorf wants."

"My lady?" Toru seemed alarmed. "There are thousands of people in Castletown..."

"I know," Impa replied. "The only course is for them to flee, and us to retreat. If Ganondorf has found a way to unleash an entire army within our walls, then what has been unleashed here is far beyond my power to stop, and even if I had the power of an entire Sheikan cadre at my disposal, I fear it would not be enough. We're abandoning Castletown."

A silence followed these words, so thick it was palpable, and all Zelda could hear was the creak of leather as the horses were saddled.

"You can't be serious!" one of the guards exclaimed.

"Have you ever known me to be anything but serious?" Impa said flatly, silencing the guard. "Our best chance is to buy everyone as much time to escape as we can. Toru send word to the city watch and the wall guard. Tell them they are to hold as long as they can and get everyone out."

Zelda could feel the simmering currents of tension in the air. Toru's men were facing a situation far beyond anything they'd been trained for, a situation that could not be remedied by someone shouting orders. They had families in Castletown. They would grieve too. If they survived. Just as Zelda knew she would.

"On whose orders?" another soldier asked, defiance clear in his tone.

"Mine."

Toru, who'd turned around to face the offending guard, paused and looked down at Zelda, surprise clear in his eyes. It took all the effort Zelda could muster, exhausted as she was, not to look startled at her own proclamation.

Everyone stared, even Impa.

Did I just say that out loud? Zelda wondered.

"On my orders," Zelda repeated, barely managing to keep her voice from shaking. "Impa is my father's advisor and mine as well. You will treat her with the same respect you would my father, and you will follow her orders as you would his."

She was her father's heir, and so Zelda realized, as the last of her family, that did make her in charge.

Sort of.

The silence that followed her proclamation was even thicker than the last, but it lasted for only a few heartbeats before Toru nodded.

"As you wish, my lady," Toru replied, offering her a polite nod. He stared at several of his kinsmen."You heard the princess. Get moving! We won't be beaten down like dogs. We hold the line as long as it takes to evacuate the city. I want the wall and city guards to move towards the castle and hold the damn Gerudo back."

The soldiers obeyed and ran out of the stables. Zelda was in half a mind to suggest they head for the docks. Then she realized that it would be swarming with people desperate to flee the city, and with not enough barges to carry them all downstream, their chances of survival would be remote.

"What about us?" The youth with the pitchfork asked. "You can't leave us to those things."

Impa regarded them sadly. Zelda knew she probably could not help them and make it out alive. It was doubtful they could ride as well as the guards and defend themselves.

"I'm sorry," Impa whispered. "Find your families and get out of here. Take a weapon and stay low. It's either that or you can ride with us."

Impa gestured to the guards, who unsheathed the smaller blades strapped to their hips and handed them to the youths.

So it was that the nine remaining guards mounted their horses and followed Impa's white mare into the night. Most of the stable hands had fled out another door of the stable, and only two had remained with Toru's men. They formed a protective ring around Impa and Zelda and with a shout they moved forward.

Zelda was unprepared for the sight that met her. Hyrule Castle was burning. Steam hissed from the fires as the pouring rain tried to quench the relentless flames.

"By the Goddesses, the Gerudo will burn the place to the ground!" Toru exclaimed.

"Don't look, just ride to the gates!" Impa ordered him.

Horns were already crying out, their alarms bellowing into the night. One sounded a single long rallying cry. Dim shapes moved along the wall, archers racing to their posts.

As Zelda's guards rode towards the gate, several lizard-men came charging out of the night only to be struck down by the archers above. One guard fell to a stalfos as it ran a sword through his horse's foreleg. The rider behind him quickly struck the skeleton down and rode on. A second stalfos jumped towards Toru.

"Die!" the creature snarled.

"You die!" Toru replied, swinging his sword which smacked into the stalfos' shield.

"Already have," the stalfos responded.

"Then shut up and die permanently this time!" Toru shouted, swinging his sword into its neck. The headless stalfos staggered for a moment, clawing at the air before it collapsed in a heap.

Finally, they reached the gates. A line of soldiers stood there, and they quickly parted to let Zelda's group through.

When they made it through the gate, Zelda found herself foolishly hoping the soldiers had managed to spare the town, but then she saw the path in front of them. Even before she could comprehend what she was seeing, Toru confirmed Zelda's worst fears.

"Bloody Goddesses and their bloody Triforce," Toru swore loudly. Impa didn't bother telling him off. "They're sacking the town!"

He was right. Fires lit the night and townsfolk were screaming as they tried to flee the destruction. Some had fled towards the castle, only to discover their error when they saw the flames. Normally, the castle would have been a place of refuge during an attack that breached the city's walls. Now it brought only death.

As per Impa's orders, a shield wall was forming on the path, the soldiers screaming for the people to go back the way they'd come.

Another one of the horsemen guarding Zelda fell as his horse stumbled on a body. Neither man nor horse got back up. A second guard screamed in pain as he took an arrow to his knee.

"We're being followed!" came a desperate yell.

Zelda could not see behind Impa, but a very rare and rather loud oath from her confirmed Zelda's worst fears. Ganondorf was coming after them.

"Impa, we will hold him off," Toru yelled. He turned his horse and took off in the direction of the castle. It was only then that Zelda realized that some of the town guards had rallied around her horse, hoping no doubt that someone could provide some order amidst this swirling sea of chaos.

Impa shouted for Toru to get back but he didn't heed her. He barked an order to several of his remaining guardsmen who turned their mounts back up the path. "You lot," Zelda wasn't sure if he was addressing his men or the ones who'd joined them. "Stay with Lady Impa! Protect the princess with your lives!"

And they did.

Toru charged with his remaining guard, disappearing into the night. Zelda watched them go, knowing that she'd most likely never see any of them alive again.

After that, all was confusion amidst an endless thunder of hooves. Soon, the southern gate was just in front of them. Zelda realized with horror that the drawbridge was raised. Either somebody had panicked when they heard the bells and shut the gate, assuming the attackers were outside the city, or someone had tried to cut off their escape.

"Impa, the drawbridge is closed!" Zelda wailed. Perhaps the Goddesses had abandoned them.

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Impa said, her voice resolute.

She gave a sharp whistle that nearly deafened Zelda who instinctively went to cover her ears. She felt the saddle move beneath her and then realized she was falling. Zelda gasped, Impa gripped her tightly, pushing her back into the saddle, and Zelda's heart missed several beats. Impa had reined in Silver, and they were now stopped just shy of the drawbridge.

"You three!" Impa barked as several guards formed up alongside Silver. "Get that drawbridge down!"

They nodded and left. Impa steered Silver into the shadow of a building and the last of their guard rallied around them. Somewhere an owl screeched and then Impa stiffened as she muttered something that Zelda didn't hear.

It seemed to take forever for the drawbridge to lower. When at last she heard the clinking of chains, Zelda watched the bridge lower, inch by painful inch.

At an order, the last of Zelda's guards charged with a rallying cry. Even before it was fully lowered, Silver began her desperate charge.

The bridge thudded into place, but Zelda's relief was short-lived. Through the thick steady stream of pouring rain, Zelda realized there was something, no, someone, standing in the middle of the path beyond the river's edge.

"Impa!" Zelda screamed. "Stop!"

Silver's hooves struck wood.

"I cannot, we will die if I do," Impa yelled back. She turned to scream at the figure as the horse rapidly bore down on them. "Get out of the way, kid! Move, now!"

As the gap between horse and child grew shorter, Zelda realized who it was. Link.

Next Chapter

Reviews

Lord Darth Yoda chapter 17 . Sep 6, 2014

Wow this was really good. To me there was almost a countdown to destruction going on here as you talked about the banquet. The guards being gone, the King drunk, all just ticks in the clock. I wonder how well things will go for Link, all hell has broken loose.

Michael chapter 18 . Oct 7, 2022 Looks like ganondorf placed the gerudo there and got the messager of the south leaving a shocked Nabooru to find the message and then after the party the king, Prince and poor Zelda’s brother are now dead leaving know and Zelda to evacuate. How will link feel now.

SunPraiser31 chapter 18 . Nov 23, 2016 ...well holy shit. That was some Red Wedding level shit right there. Not to say that they shouldn't have seen that coming, but they totally should have seen that coming. Even the little kids, though... Well, no quick ending for Link now, is there? Poor kid. Poor Zelda, too, having just lost her entire family...

Lin-Dragon-Dreyer chapter 18 . Oct 27, 2016 I know this chapter is supposed to be pretty serious but I can't help but giggle at the little argument between the Stalfos and Captain Toru.

Lord Darth Yoda chapter 18 . Sep 9, 2014 Not much to say here. Great job with this one, you captured the chaos of the situation perfectly. I wondered how you would corrupt Volvagia and enjoyed that whole scene odd as .it sounds