She Bears A Triforce

Sorry this one took so long, I been freaking busy lately! There's some Coen Bros. stuff in this chapter and those who know there work will be able to spot it easily. LOL I just couldn't help myself! As always, all revies are welcome and all flamer are encouraged to do so at their own risk.
Speaking of Flames, I got a couple, I'm so proud of myself! Here they are as follows:

ANyone But Mary 2005-05-26 id # 2035259193
You might want to look up what a MarySue is, because you've got a huge stinker of one here.


taie 2005-05-27 id # 2035260544
" M/F Link/OC Pathetic I know."

Admission is the first step towards correction. Mebbe you should keep your fantasies of having sex with Link to yourself. If you still want to share them, please bone up on your grammar and spelling first. Otherwise reading this story is a waste of time.

To: ANyone But Mary
... Is that all? Fucking A! You lack creativity! If you're gonna insult me at least make it interesting!

To: taie
I give you what little credit there is for creative use of language. But I gotta wonder if you even read the story. If you did you might've noticed a little detail called a PLOTLINE. Or is that just so far over the top that you missed it? As for grammar and spelling; hell, I'm doing the best with what I've got and frankly some of this is another creative writing technique.

To: The two above and any future flamers
1. Since these two neglected to put down something I could trace on this site, I have to assume that they don't do much if any creative writing. I therefore officially discredit all that they have said, and will not pay it any mind in the future.
2. I recognize that this is just a couple of people exercising their rights to freedom of speach and I will therefore KEEP THEI REVEIWS POSTED. "One expect poetry, if it is poetry, to offend. It is the right of art." - Wicked; The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West-By Gregory MaGuire
3. Would it kill you guys to kow what constructive criticsm is? LOOK IT UP!
4. I should like to emphasize again that no power in this world will make anyone read this story, so don't bitch and complain if you don't like it. Reread numbers 1 through 3 and think about it will you?

Now that that's off my chest, on with the story.

Chapter 6

Returning to consciousness after a pained sleep, is never fun, and for Aurea it would have been all the worse; except that she was curled under warm covers and snuggled against something equally warm, though clearly more solid. Her eyes stayed shut though, a sign of denial, had there been anyone to see it. Memories of the previous night played liked muted television in her mind. And brought up the sorrow again, the pain, the loneliness. Being in a totally different society was definitely something she could handle, but being cut off completely from her family and friends was something she could not deal with easily. As much as she complained that nobody ever left her alone at home for more than five minutes, to be suddenly all alone with no contact at all was enough to scare the living hell out of her; not to mention this was probably harming her psychologically if she thought about it. There was a good chance this while experience had warped her mind completely. True she had always been catty, sarcastic, cynical and more besides, but now it had become more that just normal attitude wit her; now it was armor, the kind that refused to come loose.

Aurea’s hand became a fist in some material, though she was not aware of the action until the fabric twisted in her hand enough to feel a tad painful. One bleary green eye peaked open, but there was little to see. The morning still had minutes to go before the first real light of dawn. Right now there was still the lingering haze of deep gray, which afforded little light. So of course it took a few moments to refocus and get used to the light, or lack thereof. She wasn’t sure what she was looking at, but the feeling of her own breath bouncing back against her face told her that she was too close to whatever it was to see properly anyway. Trying to ease away proved useless as well, because when she tried to do so, something curled around her ribs and back tightened like a band of warm steel, though somehow gentler at the same time. Aurea tried to move again, and the same thing happened, though this time there was also a sleepy kind of grunt from somewhere near the top of her head, and whatever she was looking at shifted slightly.

Aww Jesus H Christ, it’s too early for this. She mentally grumbled, now knowing what was lying next to her and hugging her so hard. Link, clearly, had fallen asleep still holding her. Although she was partially irritated at this, Aurea couldn’t help the other side of it. In a way, she did feel comforted, like he may actually care. It wasn’t a bad thing to think this every once in a while she just had to make sure not to put to much stock in it. Passing thoughts and fleeting sentiments, that’s all they were. Besides, She reminded herself. He’s still in pieces over Zelda. And she felt guilty at even entertaining the thought that he would consider a real relationship with another woman, let alone someone like herself. Two years was most likely not enough time for him to cope with it, and certainly not with the arrival of this new person in his life. But he did sort of come to me… She reasoned as her mind drifted again. But some incoherent mumbling from the male next to her kept her from drifting off to sleep again. Making a face, Aurea brought up both hands from beneath her face and planted them against his chest, trying to gently push away. It didn’t work of course and in fact had the opposite effect as his arm around her tensed again, drawing her closer. “Gonna bean you elf-boy.” She grumbled, one hand in a parody of a threatening fist; loose, unwilling and unable to do damage.

A slow grim spread across his face and one still-sleepy blue eye peeked open.

“Little cranky this morning?” He said, and made as though he might kiss her.

“Try it and you’ll be singing soprano for-MPH!?” Aurea’s mind blanked temporarily as Link’s lips med hers firmly, though not so rough as she’d have thought. But almost as quickly as it started, it stopped, and Link backed off, probably knowing she would do just as she warned the moment she was in her right mind again. He’d learned that much about her if nothing else in the short times they spent in each other’s company. Aurea was still clearly stunned, because she just lay there with her fingers drifting to her lips. The young man next to her could only smile even wider as he sat up- CRACK! - And had to lay back down again with one hand to his forehead, which had connected sharply with the edge of the windowsill only moments before. That seemed to snap the young woman out of her daze, as she stared at him with a half-smile, the kind that is impeccably wry.

“You know,” Aurea said while supporting her self with one elbow in the mattress. “It’s a good thing we aren’t married or anything.” Her remark came seemingly out of the blue.

Arching one eyebrow at this, the blonde could only ask, “Why’s that?” Through a voice, roughened with pain.

“You’d be permanently concussed.” She said, smiling as widely as he had been only minutes ago and shaking with restrained mirth. For his own part, Link found nothing funny about being constantly smacked around while in her company. Even so, a small smile touched his face at the idea that she was probably right. Maybe, just maybe, it was funny, sort of…


After getting up and out of the bed without further injury, the two of them took some time to straighten themselves out before braving the outside world for the day.

“So, what’re you up to today?” Aurea asked, breaking the silence.

“Why do I have to be up to something?” Link asked in the kind of tone that says the user is making a pathetic play for innocence.

“Because you’re you and because you’re breathing, ‘nough said.” Aurea answered calmly, thought still grinning, as she retied her long hair.

Link paused in the act of pulling his boots back on to watch her flip her hair forward and braid it that way. It was hard to not stare openly at her form. He knew he was becoming more attracted to her. That much was obvious from how his body reacted to her, despite what he wanted to tell himself. He just shook his head and went back to putting on his boots and then to his cap. There was no point thinking about her like that anyways. She was most likely not interested in him the way he sometimes wished, and besides, he was a broken man and could not really love again; not after that…

“What’s with the long face?” Her voice brought him back from another bout of guilt. Link looked up in time to see that her face was maybe six inches away from his own, and blinked.

“It’s nothing.” He said, reverting back to the habit of near silence when he was depressed.

“You really suck at lying, do you know that?” Aurea’s tone had sharpened, but not as though she was entirely angry. This was a different thing, as if she were irritated, and a little hurt, though he couldn’t think why. When he looked up again, her back was to him and she was tying the laces on her own peculiar footwear. Before he was entirely sure he could get away with it, Link pounced on her and they both tumbled to the floor, Aurea making half-baked threats, Link just grinning like an idiot. “Will you get OFF me?” She finally burst out.

“No.” Link said calmly looking like the proverbial cat that ate the equally proverbial canary. Aurea was about to say something, but he headed her off. “Not until you smile.” A ringing silence followed for about five seconds.

“Okay, now I know you’re nuts.” She said almost placidly.

“C’mon.” He said, his voice sort of lower than when he spoke normally. “Just, smile, alright?”

This is just fucking weird. Aurea thought, for lack of any better description. “You’re crazy.” She finally stated; her voice could have passed for that of a robot.

“Probably.” Link replied, just as strangely.

“And you’re gonna have you ass handed to you for this.” She added, with an irate half-smile.

“I know.” He said, and his voice had not changed. It was more than a little creepy. With a heavy sigh and much effort, Aurea hitched a smile onto her face, and Link smiled back. “Thanks, I needed that.” It hadn’t struck him until he’d said so, but it was true; he had needed that smile, that warm look. Putting his arms around her he picked her up and set her back on her feet. Backing off a bit, he noticed that she was staring at him with the oddest possible expression. “What?” He asked.

“Just contemplating your lack of sanity.” She said quietly, then added in a much more fiendish tone. “Than and how I’m gonna tie you up with something fuzzy and pink.” That made them both laugh as they walked down the stairs to the bar for some breakfast.


But of course given the political mess this world was now in, it would not be so simple as that.

Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs they were immediately within the sights of not three but five Imperial Guards, and one petrified barkeep. All six stared at the two of them.

“And now we come to the dining room where everyone leaves their manners at the door.” Aurea remarked pointedly. The barkeep reddened a bit, and maybe half the guards smirked. She turned to Link who was looking as though he might like to beat the living snot out of more than half of them right about now. “So anyway like I was saying,” She started again. When he looked at her with confusion, she winded the eye that was out of their range of vision, since she was looking at him instead. “That wasn’t her toe.” She said, finishing her sentence. He had no idea where this was going but knew it was probably best to play along for now. So he just followed her as she shoved past the guards and closer to the kitchen.

“Then whose toe was it?” He asked, as if they had been having a real conversation the whole time about some woman’s toe.

“The fuck should I know?” Aurea replied casually as they entered the kitchen, leaving the door wide open. “I do know that nothing about it indicates that it was her toe.”

“Uh, the polish?” Link suggested amid a few curious and skeptical stares from beyond the door as he took his usual seat at the rough wooden table.

“Fine. As if it’s impossible to get apply nail-polsih to someone else’s toe.” There were a few sounds of sickened stomachs outside as she said this while cracking eggs into a bowl. “Cheese omelet this morning?” she asked over her shoulder.

“Sure, thanks.” Link replied, wondering is his friend really was crazy. If she is, she’s crazy like a fox. He had to smile at that thought. If he was being honest, he knew she was as sane as the next person, give or take a good sense of humor. But what she was doing now definitely bordered on madness. The power of suggestion was a strong ally when one knew how to use it, and Aurea certainly did. Making the guards think that they were talking about something, quite possibly something rather gruesome, without so much as batting an eye was a brilliant move; it threw them off balance.

“Someone else’s-?” Came an astonished voice from the doorway. Apparently she’d said just enough to unnerve at least one of them.

“Yeah why not?” She asked as she went on with her cooking.

“Where the fuck would you-?”

“You want a toe? I can get you a toe. Believe me.” She said as though this were a business negotiation, while stirring the mixture of eggs, bacon, cheese and fine-chopped green onions. “There’re ways man, you don’t even want to know.” She added with a smile and a kind of smirk.

“The-?”

“Hell I can get you a toe by 3 o’clock this afternoon, with nail-polish.” She said as he poured the bowl’s contents into a hot skillet. “Fucking amateurs.” She added grinning like a lunatic again as she looked back at Link. “They send us a toes and we’re supposed to shit ourselves with fear.” And she laughed at that. “Oh and you guys, stay the hell outta my kitchen.” She snapped suddenly at one of the guards who was about to set foot on the stone floor, then reconsidered the wisdom of doing so. Link could only smirk and feel slightly too proud of himself, since he was obviously allowed in and they weren’t.

One of them however did not seem so intimidated, or else felt that being ordered around by a woman was a slam against his masculinity.

“Look Missy-.”

“Don’t call me Missy. Let’s try and keep some measure of fucking courtesy shall we?” Aurea said sharply, and doubtless making them all wonder what the hell she might’ve been inhaling recently.

“Um, Miss?” said another one, working at manners, as if it were really an issue here of all places. Still…

“Yes?” Link knew the false calm she was playing was about as stable as a house of cards.

“We have a warrant for your arrest, sent down from the Emperor himself.” Said the guard in question. There was maybe three or four seconds of dead silence, broken only by the sizzling in the skillet on the stove.

“Which means… what to me?” She said finally.

“Weren’t you paying attention woman? We just said the Emperor-.” A ruder guard started and then had to abruptly stop.

“THE EMPEROR IS NOT THE ISSUE HERE!” Aurea shouted loud enough to jolt all present. “Do you idiots even know what Probable Cause is?”

“Listen Miss, we understand how you feel, but we’ve got our orders.” Said yet another, clearly working to keep his cool and the composure of his comrades.

“Fuck sympathy,” She said coolly now, and at least Link marveled at her ability to command her voice like that. “I don’t need your fucking sympathy, and if you take one more step inside this kitchen your entering a world of pain.” The group of guards paused again, not sure what she would do if she were really provoked. Link was enjoying his breakfast and doing his best not to choke from forcing down the laughter he so wanted to let loose. There was a good possibility that he’d get a double hernia or something from trying to hold it in. One of them tried to speak and was easily cut off. “A world of pain.” She repeated about three times. It took some time, but after a few more cold words and shipped threats, they left. Aurea sat down at the table and put her head in her hands for a minute.

“So, how’s the uh, world of pain?” Link was smirking.

“Not funny.” She grumbled, and he could hold it in no longer.

“By the Goddesses, you’re mad!” he laughed heartily enough for both of them. “And what was all that stuff about the toe?”

“Forget about the fucking toe!” She snapped, still not looking at him but at the burn mark on the table. Link calmed down enough to be a bit worried but still smiling at her. He reached his hand across the table and put his fingers under her chin, making her look up at him again.

“Look, stop worrying. You scared them off, that at least buys us some time right?” Aurea only heaved a sigh at this, and Link adopted a more serious attitude at last.

“Link, if I have to keep taking and acting like I’m nutty as a fruit cake, I really AM gonna go insane.” And because she sounded almost tearful, he came around the table and put his arms around her.

So that’s it. He thought as one hand stroked the back of her head. That’s why she’s so worried. She scared. This knowledge hit him harder than he had quite realized. And it was a bizarre feeling to see someone so strong finally starting to break. It made him wonder in some vague way if the Goddesses were trying to show him what had really happened to himself over the past two years. “Aurea?” He said softly as he looked down at her. She looked up, her eyes shining with tears that she refused to let fall, even in his presence. “We’ll get out of here now, alright?”

She gave a hollow little laugh, which he had expected. “What for? They’ll find me no matter where I go.”

“It makes no difference if they find you.” He said sternly, even fiercely. “Not if they can’t get near you.”

And that wasn’t fucking cryptic at all. She thought, but would not say, because it wouldn’t help her now.

Getting irritated, Link placed his fingers under her chin again and made eye contact, not entirely aware of the look on his own face. “Listen to me!” He said in a harsh hiss. “I’ll take you where you’ll be safe, but you have GOT to trust me! Now tell me the truth, can you do that?” He didn’t like the fact that she had to think a moment before she gave an answer, but he understood it even if it rubbed him the wrong way. It seemed that words did not want to work for her just now, so she nodded firmly, decisively. He returned the gesture. “We’ll leave tonight, be ready to go by sunset, and listen,” he caught her again as she nearly out the door to the bar again. Pulling her back towards himself again, he gave her a bear hug and breathed deeply. “Don’t worry alright? Everything will be just fine.” It was harder to let her go than it should have been, and that simple truth bothered him. It was enough for now that she was a friend, he could admit that to himself at least. And if he had been anyone else, his actions would have been a good deal overdramatic, to say nothing of crazy. But Link was one of those rare people who knew the value of friendship, honor, and integrity. That had been nearly the whole basis for going on that mad-headed quest all those years ago anyway. Besides that, it was his personality and he couldn’t change it now, nor would he if it were even possible to do so.

Having guessed where Aurea had gone and what she had intended to do for the time being, Link decided to go into town and stock up on a few necessities. He had some thoughts about where she could hide, but the one he liked least seemed to be the best option. The forest would have been a good enough place to hide, but the Kokiri were not warriors and if Aurea were found there, it would be a massacre. And both Lake Hylia and Death Mountain were out of the question due to the extreme temperatures. That and Link seriously doubted Princess Ruto would be any too happy if he asked her to help a friend of his who just happened to also be female. A wry smile crept onto his face at the thought. Ruto would probably take my head off. He figured. By all that was sacred, if his world had turned upside-down when Zelda died, then all these recent events had certainly thrown it for another loop.

And as the distinct sound of an enraged female met his pointed ears, he felt a mental groan coming on, knowing it wouldn’t get any easier. Before he had even reached the knot of people standing and staring, he knew by the voice who it was that some guards were attempting to arrest.

“I said, get your stinking paws OFF me you damn dirty-!” The rest of Aurea’s words were lost in the noise of the scuffle. Link would’ve smirked if the situation hadn’t been so serious; She was putting up a good fight, using anything she could, including those long nails of hers. Apparently they were sharp enough to cut skin, if the bright red lines that dripped from the faces of some of the guards were any indication.

“Stubborn bitch!” One of them growled and was silenced again when her foot connected with his jaw. But even though she fought tooth and nail, there was really nothing she could do, they had the upper hand in both strength and numbers. For one wild moment, Link felt the urge to pull his sword and start taking them apart. But at the same time he knew he couldn’t. If he attempted something so rash, the consequences would see no end. Trying to stop an arrest, even an unlawful one, was as good as declaring war on the Emperor himself; everyone knew it. Then again, he wasn’t about to just sit back and do nothing. As the offending guards hoisted her off the ground again and carried her inside, he slipped in at the last second just as the formidable gates closed. He had to dive out of sight again behind some shrubbery and lie still, listening for anything. Aurea was still putting up a fight and managed a few more scratches, judging by the verbalizations from her captors. Link smiled slightly to himself. At least the idiots would pay for treating her like this. He wanted to follow more closely but he couldn’t, since they would almost definitely spot him. For now, he kept low to the ground and just at the edge of hearing range. There was a terrifying moment when he could have sworn that Aurea had seen him and would scream for help, but after the pause in her tirade, she just went on trying to rip their faces off.

Eventually, they reached a place that Link had to stop and could not dare to follow as he had been doing. Aurea had been practically dragged into what had once been the throne room of the palace. Now it was the “Emperor’s Main Audience Chamber” in an effort to sound more official or something. Again he’d had to hide in the bushes, lying on his stomach and observe what was going on between the leaves. If anyone looked his way, they would only see a mass of greenery. Aside from looking cool, his clothes also served a real purpose, and not just to keep him clothed either. But once they were inside and the huge heavy doors banged shut again, Link eased up slightly to get a better look at his surroundings. If he was careful, he could maybe use his hookshot to gain entrance through a higher, wood-framed window. He’d have to be as quick and quiet as possible. Link groaned inwardly, this was going to be damn near impossible. But then, he reasoned, he’d done the impossible once before hadn’t he? He could do it again. Still crouched low, just to be on the safe side, he pulled out his hookshot and took careful aim. There was no way in hell he’d get another chance at this if he failed. He fired and it hit home, the exact mark he needed. Grinning like mad and praising the Goddesses, he soared up to the window before anyone could have guessed he was there. But his landing was none too graceful, as he had to scramble up through the window and literally fell into the room.

“Why’s it always me?” The young blond grumbled as he sat up with one hand to the back of his head where a knot would probably form soon. He hat no time to worry about this though, there were more important things.


Aurea was at her wits end and about ready to snap and start pulling some badass shit on these bastards. All matters of rank, prestige, and authority be damned, nobody handled her like this and got away with it. When they passed through the massive doors into the palace, she had lost sight of Link completely and hoped to god that he would help her out of this. After all, he’d been crazy enough to follow her in past the gate.

All this was driven from her mind as she was dumped unceremoniously on the floor and had to pick herself up again.

“So what have I been sent today? Another ‘gift’ I wonder?” Said the man sitting on the throne before her. To say that he wasn’t at all what she had expected would have been an understatement. She had pictured the self-proclaimed Emperor simply as short, fat, aged around his mid forties if not older, and every bit the opposite of what she found here. This man was maybe five years her senior at the most, with a toned lean body and a sculpted face to match. His ears, she noticed, were of the same general shape as nearly everyone else's in this world, long and pointed. He was perhaps rather paler than one normally found and the mix of red hair dark enough to look black sometimes and eyes of a shocking neon yellow all combined to make him both good-looking, and way more than just fucking creepy. Aurea’s initial instinct told her to run like hell, but there was no point. She knew she’d just be caught and dragged back again. So rather than cowering like a scared little mouse, which she really would have liked to do, if only to avoid those weird eyes, she stood straight and tall, and glared. The Emperor merely smirked as he lounged on his throne, a few scantily clothed women either lolling about him, or else holding fans or trays of food. Aurea merely folded her arms and stood steady in her place, now remembering her irritation. “Hm,” he said while sipping from a crystal class of what looked to be red wine. “A very pretty ‘gift’ too.” He added thoughtfully, the corners of his mouth turning upwards.

The only answer he got from Aurea was a derisive little sound in her throat, and she kept glaring at him, trying to convey all the hate and disgust she felt.

“Your majesty,” One of the guards spoke up, though tremulously, which made Aurea glance at him with utter contempt. “This is the strange woman that-.” He stopped when the Emperor threw him a look that said shut the fuck up.

“This? This is the woman I’ve heard so much about?” He said snidely, as if he’d expected something more. Still she said nothing and looked defiant. “Interesting.” He said after a minute, then decided to get up, much to the obvious disappointment of the women milling around him. They sent murderous looks towards Aurea who ignored the gesture. She was not so easily put down, and certainly not by women who really seemed no better than whores as far as she was concerned. The Emperor meanwhile, walked right up to her and was too close for her to be comfortable. Fighting down the urge to either pop him one or step away wasn’t easy, but her pride and stubborn ways kept her from doing either. He looked her squarely in the face, and her only reaction was to arch one eyebrow irritably. “Heh.” Was all he said, still smiling that weird smile of his. Still, Aurea did not move or say a word, but just stood there as she had been doing for the past five minutes. The Emperor started to circle her slowly, like a vulture picking the right moment to dive in and strike. When her arms folded themselves across her chest, he stopped and his grin spread a bit. “Ah, do I offend?” He asked condescendingly.

“No, it’s just fucking annoying.” Aurea bit out. A few of the women gasped and others looked gleeful. Clearly no one dared speak to the Emperor in such a way. And once of them had even been heard to bluster quietly, “Such language!” This made Aurea smile, though she forced it down again, not wanting him to know that she was pleased with herself. It did so much more to an opponent's nerves if they thought their enemy had no sense of humor.

The Emperor however, seemed rather amused. “The rabbit thinks she’s a lioness!” He laughed openly, as did everyone else except the woman in front of him who remained silent again. When he calmed down again he said, “Well I know you’re ruffled, and I feel somewhat responsible.” He paused for another grin and laugh at the fury in her face. “But really, there is no need for you to feel so. You should feel honored.” He added placing his hand on her shoulder, a gesture of chumminess lost on no one. The woman’s glass-green eyes suddenly narrowed and she shrugged his hand away.

“Maybe by your logic.” She remarked acidly, and still did not step back. Again a few people made sounds of shock at her blatant disregard for the power he held, and again, she ignored them. The Emperor sat back down on his throne with a sigh that seemed more contented than heavy, and snapped his fingers at one of the women next to him. She bowed as she held up a fresh crystal glass of wine and backed away hurriedly once he had taken it from her.

“You know why you’re here.” He said calmly and now as if he were some pompous high school principal verbally smacking around some arrogant little punk he’d just nailed.

“Actually, no, I don’t.” Aurea cut in sharply. He looked at her now with irritation as she went on. “The Goon Squad didn’t tell me a bloody thing.” She said jabbing her thumb over her shoulder to indicate whom she meant. There was no change in the Emperor’s demeanor, or at least none that anyone could detect. “All anyone said is that you wanted to see me.” She concluded, folding her arms again.

Now he sat up straight in a position of authority. “You are charged with disrupting the peace by means of treasonable utterances.” He told her, his voice flat with anger. One or two of the women beside him smiled maliciously, as if they’d just won a particularly wonderful prize.

Aurea’s reaction however was somewhat different from what they had expected. She cocked her head to one side and said, “Utterances?” The remark emphasized with a skeptical arch to her eyebrows.

“What drives the emperorship into disrepute? Undermined the foundations of the state?” He snapped rhetorically. There was a moment of hard silence.

“Okay, let me make a few things PERFECTLY CLEAR.” Aurea said, leaving no room for negotiation on the matter. “First of all, you can’t police whatever I think. If I don’t say anything, then you’ve got nothing to go on.” He opened his mouth to say something but she just plowed on. “Secondly, talking about politics and why things are the way they are is essential for society. It’s how the people keep those in power accountable for their actions.” She only paused to draw breath and the Emperor seemed to recognize that until she was finished, there was no point trying to stop her. “And thirdly, you’re not my ruler.” Now this had a profound effect on all since everyone straightened up a good deal, and even he the Emperor looked surprised. “I have no,” she paused to conjure the right words. “No kinship to this land, and therefore none to you. As far as I’m concerned, you have no power over me!” She snapped out and for a few seconds all was dead quiet again.

“Have you finished?” He finally said.

“One more thing,” A few people slumped in frustration having hoped her little speech was over. “You have the right to remain silent, anything you say will be misquoted and used against you. Thank you.” She had finished at last and no one was quite sure what to make of her closing remarks.

“Is that all?” The Emperor sneered resting his chin on his fist.

“Yeah, pretty much.” Aurea said with a shrug.

“Good.” And he snapped his fingers and two guards came swiftly up and seized her by the wrists. Aurea only scowled at him, willing her eyes to pierce more than just his snipefish attitude. “Foolishly rebellious as you are,” The Emperor said again walking right up to her. “That lone-wolf spit and spirit can be harnessed, oh yes it can.” He added as her eyes narrowed further. The cold tips of his fingers touched just under her chin and Aurea snapped her head away to avoid the contact. “You’re so predictable.” He stated with a kind of amusement. “That’s what makes my work so easy.” And when he touched her face again, she actually snapped her jaws at him, and opened her mouth releasing an angry hiss as if she were some wild feline thing. The Emperor merely chuckled and nodded to the guards. “Bind her, and take her down to the lowest level.” Aurea of course didn’t know what this meant, but was smart enough to know it was probably nothing she’d like. Bu just then the Emperor gripped the guard’s shoulder hard enough to make the man wince and said in a low snarl, “No one is to touch her. I want her handled with velvet gloves or it will be your hide.” The guard nodded vigorously and when the other man let him go, Aurea had to jog to keep from being dragged along behind them.


Elsewhere, Link was sure he was lost. Had it really been so long since he’d been in this castle that he’d forgotten how things were laid out? So two years really was a long time, even if it didn’t feel like it. It didn’t help matters that he had to sneak around like a spy to avoid being caught. This made the task of navigation all the more difficult since he’d always been allowed to come and go during Zelda’s time here.

Focus you dummy! The young blond mentally snapped at himself as he ducked behind a pillar just in time. Someone, he didn’t see whom, was walking down the hall and getting closer by the second. Link was worried that he’d be caught, but at this moment, he knew he could not move. If he did move, then he would be caught; and then goodbye to all chances of helping his friend. Silence and stillness was all he could afford right now, so he took it. He would not realize until much later just how such action, or lack there of, would pay off.

“…Is a mouthy little thing though.” Said a female voice a few meters away. Then something else, a sigh of exasperation was heard.

“Really Anya,” Said the male voice Link was certain he knew. “One might think you were jealous of the little strumpet.” Peaking ever so carefully around the pillar, Link’s assumptions were confirmed. There was the Emperor, bold as brass, strutting around as if he’d earned this life of opulence he now had.

“I’m not jealous of HER.” The whining female voice protested as Link carefully slid back to his proper hidi8ng place and listened. “I just don’t see why she should be allowed in the Imperial Palace at all. Even the rats in the lowest dungeons know their place here.” There was something familiar about that voice, but the exact memory seemed fuzzy to Link.

“It isn’t any of your concern what her place here is.” Said the Emperor warningly as Link peered around the column again. “The fact remains that that girl is a necessary evil, if my line is to continue.”

“And what can she do that’s so important?” The woman was pouting and clearly being a pain in the Imperial ass. The Emperor rounded on the woman and smacked her hard across the face. She fell to the floor and one hand flew to the offended cheek, her eyes wide and startled, like a bird that has dashed its head against a window and then cowers in fear and pain.

“I need her for the ritual, as you well know!” He growled at her, and Link would have fallen over from the shock if his muscles hadn’t been holding up so rigidly. And in a rush, something occurred to him. Was it possible that they meant Aurea?

Please no. He silently begged. By all that is good and holy…

“She’s not even fit for that!” Cried the woman through dry sobs. “She’s not even from this land.” Link’s heart disappeared from where it had been thumping like mad in his throat, only to reappear as heavy as lead in his stomach. Well that was that, they had to have meant Aurea. How many people with those characteristics did one meet?

“I will decide what she is fit for.” The Emperor snapped again, and Link listened just in case there was something more important to hear. “Question me again, and it will be the last time you do so.” There was the sound of scuffling, and the young blond guessed that the woman had moved into a low bow or a cowering position on the floor.

“Forgive me, my Emperor.” She begged, and Link rolled his eyes because they could not see him.

“Go to your room and wait for me there.” The Emperor ordered. There was more scuffling, then the sound of one pair of feet beating a speedy retreat from the hall. The young man still in hiding swore to himself that the very beating of his heart would give him away. But after a minute or so, the Emperor chuckled at something he must’ve found amusing and walked off, leaving the hall empty except for the one person he had not seen. Link breathed easy again. But he had little time to waste on composing himself again. There was new urgency in his movements now. He had to find Aurea and get her out before anything could be done to her. Link’s mind recoiled at the thought of what that might mean.

If any of them dares to harm her, I’ll…His mind trailed off into images so violent that, if he had been in his right mind, they might’ve made him ill.


That's all for now. Let me know what you think and don't make me repeat my notes vefore the next chapter like I did in this one okay? Thanks for reading!