The Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction / Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction ❯ Tale of Beyond: Roses Teardrops, Hearts Broken ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter One: Hyrule. A land created eons ago by the Three Goddesses that descended upon a broken land. Din, Farore, and Nayru; three entities that held Power, Courage, and Wisdom in all of their purity. In a land that had been plagued by wars since the beginning of its time until the current king united the races of Hyrule under his command, did the Three Goddesses come down upon. They poured their powers into every crack and crevice that they could, until the land became what it is today and what it would turn into. A land that once held flaming wars and broken dreams that had carried over into the new era. The current king brought peace to these warring people and helped rebuild Hyrule out of what was left of it. The pieces were picked up, homes placed back together, and villages abandoned for memories and heartache still lay in the remains of things long since forgotten. Things that should have been remembered, mistakes that would repeat themselves until there was nothing left of them but troubles and worries that could not be erased. The ashes of old had been removed and placed under the old flames, or so the Court of the Royal Family claimed. Not everything is as it seems. A pact was formed between the four major races of Hyrule: Goron, Zora, Hylain, and Sheikah. The Goron are a rock-eating species, living inside Death Mountain that sits on the edge of the lonely mountain range along one side of the land. They keep guard over the ever-active mountain, looking down upon the land as though they were the unknown Gods that watched over Hyrule in all of its glory. The Zora are a fish-like species, thriving in the waters deep next to the Forest. They are the guardians of the rivers and streams, keeping the water pure for all to enjoy. The Sheikah an ancient race that, long ago, served the Royal Family to the end of their lives. With so few Sheikah now living inside Hyrule, the pacts of old wore thin and some have broken off to where so few now obey their ancestors ways. The other races inside Hyrule have not come to terms with those that dwelled inside the castle of Hyrule, two that were never given much thought to. The child-like Kokiri did not have an alliance with the Royal Family; at least, one that concerned the king and ones that slipped passed the watchful eye of the guards. He knew that this race existed, yet held no reason to go into the Forest that was forbidden to all but the Kokiri. They held no interest in the King himself, rather in the underlying forces that kept themselves hidden behind curtains of darkness. What the current ruler of Hyrule did not know would not hurt him – for the time being, perhaps. The Gerudo, the second race that held no ties to the Royal Family, the band of thieves that hailed from the desert Valley on the other side of the land. It was several days journey from the castle by foot, a days by horseback. If one was lucky, creatures that lurked in the corners or any other creature that wanted the taste of blood would not ambush them. This was, however, another region where the king did not venture, instead ignoring it as he had no intention of ever seeing what was beyond the rock formation that told countless adventurers of the presence of something that did not need to know about. The Gerudo weren't a race that seemed interested in the Throne of the land, keeping to themselves and going about their thievery as they had for a long time since the beginning. These same alliances did not seem to concern her at the present time, as Queen Kaya sat on the pillow that laid upon the top of her throne, her hands gripping the plush armrests of the seat as tightly as they could be. Her young face hard-pressed and rock solid as her features allowed it to become, her blue eyes devoid of emotions and anything else that gave way anything that she felt inside of her. There were a few beads of sweat that dripped down her face, the only thing that showed something was wrong and that there was any hints of panic inside of her. Her black hair, unusual for a Hylain and any attempts to dye it went unsuccessful, every strand in many braids, held on top of her head with a sapphire tiara hold them in place, with the ends of these same braids resting upon her shoulders. Her white dress, held at the waist with a purple belt with a Triforce buckle in the front, garnished her with royalty as she sat in near perfection on the throne. She did not allow her panic to swell to the surface to the extent that would have her thrown out of the Throne Room, the possible reaction that would come from her loathed husband whirled in her mind with her troubled thoughts. There were so many things that went inside of her mind that she could not sort out what was suppose to happen and what had happened, her eyes dropping down onto the ground below for a moment before they raised back up again. There was no denying that what she saw in front of her was reality, yet she wished it was a dream that had not come true as of yet. So many dreams that crossed over into reality that she felt she was in a walking sleep, her mind closed off to anything that could show her otherwise. Yet, the king beside her, the husband that she had been forced to marry in what seemed like decades ago, did not notice the posture that she held or the beads of sweat that came down her face as he watched a tall figure walk up the red carpet towards the thrones, his stride slow and graceful. His crimson eyes seemed to hold an evil tint in them, which seeped out into the pure floor in which he was walking on, a tint that was ignored by the guards and by the man that sat there with a forced smile on his lips and a nearly impossible look of forced interest on his face. His clothing was that of the Gerudo, the thieves that came from the desert and were looked down upon by the king himself, dark armor that had been created for him alone or had been taken off the body of a slain soldier. There was a smirk on his lips, a smirk that said what mere words could not express in a lifetime. It gave the king the impression that the two of them shared a mindset, that no one was above them, not even the Three Goddesses or the Sages themselves; that gave him some pleasure to know that there was another that did not grovel at anyone's feet nor showed any mercy to those that did not deserve it. For Kaya, it gave her a dreading that she did not like, something that made her stomach freeze her and heart stop in her chest. And, yet, both knew that this man was after something, more then what he was letting on. "Your Majesties, it is a pleasure and great honor to have an audience with you personally." He stopped only a foot away from the head of the Royal Family, dropping to one knee and bowing his upper body to the rules of Hyrule. It was a sign of respect towards the two, an outward appearance that masked other intentions. "I am Ganondorf of the Gerudo, who hail from the Gerudo Valley." "Yes, Ganondorf. I have heard of your name in passing," The King replied, his smile not faltering the slightest. "Certain rumors have managed to surface throughout the castle that I have not been able to ignore." "It is yet another honor to know that you have heard of my name, Your Highness," Ganondorf said, keeping his bowed position as best as he could. His own smirk faultered slightly, a wince of disgust going across his face for a split second. He was thankful, at least, that his face was not fully facing the king or he would have placed more doubt upon the damned Hylian's mind then there already was. "It is with more pleasure that you have answered my request to have an audience with you in your busy schedule." "Likewise," He muttered, silently and quickly stealing a glance over towards Kaya before returning his eyes back upon the man that kneeled before him. "I am most curious to know what brings you so far from your home. Gerudo Valley is more then a few miles away from the Hylia and the other side of this land. It is so far away for anyone to travel alone." "My home is far away, yes, but it is a journey that I was willing to take," Ganondorf said, his eyes narrowing into slits for a moment before they opened fully once again. A journey that has been in my favor, even before I had set foot into your damnable castle, he added silently to himself. The king nodded. "Understood, even if that time has been in vain. I do not see a reason why a Gerudo should be in my presence." Some would have used those last words as an insult, but Ganondorf only let it fuel a burning desire within him as his raised his upper body to look directly into the eyes of the king. He ignored the woman sitting next to him, a reminder of what he had left back in his own home in the desert and what awaited him in the courtyard of the castle. His intentions that day, were only to plant seeds in the minds of the castle and to come back to water them year after year before they eventually grew to a point that he was satisfied and ready to harvest those seeds. It was only the beginning of a long process, one that he did not want to take but had little choice. "Your Honor," Ganondorf started, spreading his arms out and opening his palms towards the ceiling as he did. "I have only come here to forge an alliance with the Royal Family. I have many allies in other lands that have information that you may desire, information that is vital to your lands." "Information?"' The king inquired, leaning forwards some. "What kind of information do you have?" If that had not intrigued him, then Ganondorf would have resolved into other tactics. A smile came to his lips, seeing the interest in the man's eyes and taking note of the hallowed look of uncertainty on his face. Surely any information that was not known to him, was information that he would pay for dearly. Many things that he did not know himself, would eventually be paid with by blood; even with the peace that was supposedly sprouting across Hyrule, there were some tools of the wars that were still being used to this very day. They were kept hidden beneath the corridors of the castle, along with prisoners that no one knew about and were kept well out of the public eye. "Yes, information. It is on other lands that will ensure your victory in battle. Information that will have more power to this Family then you can imagine." There was a short pause before the words continued. "There are several bordering lands in which would not mind overthrowing you and taking over the throne. Treaties have been forged, yes, but signed parchment can only hold for so long and it is only paper. From what my scouts have told me in the last several months, there are armies that are waiting for the opportune moment to strike.” "There have been armies and rulers that have been at Hyrule's doorstep before, so it is not as uncommon as you think it is," The king said, his voice dripping with irritation. If this was all the Gerudo had come because, then he was wasting more then just his time. The idealistic pact that he, the ruler of Hyrule, had forming in his mind with a man that seemed to hold such power, was beginning to fade and fade fast. "The boundaries of Hyrule have yet to be breached, as far as I am aware of. We are surrounded on all sides, by mountains, trees, and a desert waste. The borders are our protection and our prison. They keep us safe while also holding us in." "I understand that, but all prisons can be broken into. My clan has ways of doing just that. Your borders aren't as safe as you think they are." That was an implication that the king did not like to hear coming from Ganondorf, not when the words held true. Many a time there had been Gerudo prisoners in the cells of the dungeons below the castle and every one had escaped without so much as breaking a sweat. How those women managed to escape the security of the dungeons and lived to tell about it, was his only guess. "I know of several of your seemingly close allies are already rallying against Hyrule for war, in secret meetings and in the open courts of their harems." "I am not interested in engaging in a war, Ganondorf. I have kept the peace in Hyrule since I have became king, and I intend on keeping it that way," He insisted, his tone becoming lower and his voice louder. Most would have slowly started to back up and do their king's bidding, but there was nothing on Ganondorf's face that showed he was the least bit afraid. On the contrary, he was starting to look just as agitated as the man in front of him was. "I will not fight anymore unless it is to protect this land. Unless you have solid proof of these allies rallying against my land, then I see no reason why I should become alarmed. No harem girl will prove otherwise." "They are no mere harem girls, Your Majesty. My warriors can do the job well so no lives of yours will be lost in the areas of spying and the first lines of defense," Ganondorf said, holding back the snarl that was threatening to show itself. "I'll give you your proof, just as soon as I have your word in allegiance." "Band of warriors, you say? Allegiance?" The king began to laugh as though the court jester was entertaining him. The laugh only made the blood of a Gerudo boil, his eyes narrowing and teeth baring slightly. Only Kaya seemed to take notice of the sudden change in Ganondorf's once controlled demeanor and shifted uneasily in her seat. If her husband did not control himself soon, she feared that there would be more then a few angry words exchanged. "They have their own ways of fighting and have been able to prove themselves in more then a few battles," He said as calmly as he could, holding back the drive of blood back. It had been a week since he had smelled the sweet scent of someone close to death that the urge to hear the last breaths of life escape from the dying souls lips. “Do not underestimate the power of the Gerudo.” "The Gerudo are just mere thieves and nothing more," The king said after the last laugh had been done. "I will not allow such nonsense to reach my ears, about wars that are not even alive and bands of allies trying to overthrow me. I have no reason to believe what you say." "Sire, I only wish to interest you in such information just in case a war is an option you must take." There would be a war, that much Ganondorf knew, but it wouldn't come from any bordering lands. No, it would come from inside the very walls of the land that they shared. He would make sure of it. "When that time arises, I will take what I have into consideration and nothing more. I have more then enough resources to handle a full-fledged war without the help of the Gerudo." The king stood up from his throne and leaned forwards with a glint of anger in his eyes. "Leave the castle immediately or I will have the guards escort you out or put you into the dungeons. Your choice the way you want to live the rest of your life." "Very well, so be it," The Gerudo said calmly, raising himself from the kneeling position he had been in. "I will keep coming back, year after year, until I forge a pact with the Royal Family. Just remember, we are not as different as you may think we are." With those words being said, Ganondorf spun around quickly on his heels and paused for a moment to glare at the two guards that were beginning to come towards him. He put his hands up to stop them and started to walk towards the entrance of the throne room without much as a glance behind him to see the reactions of the king and queen of Hyrule. His true anger did not show on his face, more like the beginnings of what it meant to see a Gerudo even the slightest bit pushed to their limit. He would keep true to his words, both spoken and kept hidden from all that heard him, that much he would do. As long as he was able to cross the Field and walk into the castle grounds without having to shed his own blood, then he would keep coming back until he had what he truly wanted. His anger could be masked for the guards that stood watching him walk out of the throne room, but that same anger could not be hidden from a pair of eyes that had watched the entire meeting without even setting foot inside the throne room. Ganondorf had glanced over towards a small, glass window that overlooked a garden as he had walked by it, both sets of eyes piercing into each other before Ganondorf's darted back forwards with murder inside of them. There was no denying that his own intentions that day had been taken into consideration by the woman that did not need to hear what had been said between a king and a Gerudo, as long as she knew that there was something wrong. He knew someone was there, watching and waiting, and he didn't need to see her face to know who it was that watched. "Damn Sheikah," Ganondorf muttered to himself as he stepped out of the throne room and into the corridor. That much he knew from the few seconds that he had seen the woman standing behind the glass, watching the entire event fold in front of her as she kept herself half-hidden by shadows. The piercing gaze, the silver hair, the crimson eyes---all traits that were on every Sheikah he knew and every one that he had killed during raids. He couldn't let her get in the way of what he was planning, not even if he had to add her to the ever growing list of the Sheikah he had killed or seriously injured. If she knew anything, even by a single glance, then that was what he had to do. XXXX They had placed themselves all across the Market, many hiding behind veils and kept their swords sheathed in their scabbards. Some leaned against buildings, arms crossed over their chest and eyes staring blankly across the stalls and into the eyes of merchants that dared to look back. The meeting of gazes only lasted for a second, maybe two, before the merchants lowered their gazes and muttered things to all their customers within earshot. Some of the Hylains glanced in the direction of the Gerudo women that were watching them intently, shivers going down their spines as they held their purses closer to their body. They did not want to find any rupees missing, more then what they had already spent on goods and items that they needed to survive another week. There were some that wore normal Hylain clothing, disguising themselves among the people that frequented the Market and held themselves high above the rest. Their hands were quicker then the perceptions of their victims, rupees being pocketed into purses of the Gerudo and a soft smile faltering on their lips. This was how their goods were purchased, through stolen money and by ways of a quick hand and glancing eyes. Merchants would not immediately notice that their items were long since gone until it was too late and the thief was gone before they could be caught. It was the way of the Gerudo to get by like this, simply and as quickly as they could. No blood would be shed during these simple, yet effective, raids that few could see with their own quick eyes. Only two Gerudo women did not join in the watching of the Market, instead had placed themselves outside the castle gates and sat not even two feet away from the guard that stared as straight ahead as he possibly could. He was afraid, afraid of the two women that were watching him closely with one eye, the other trained perfectly upon the bend that lead up to the castle; they were making sure that the guard did not try anything towards them while also keeping lookout for their own leader. They had been trained since birth, to watch over their only male companion and to make sure that one of them fathered the next generation of male leaders. The other would become the sister-mother of the child, a second set of eyes to watch upon the child until it reached adulthood before she would be cast off into the Haunted Wasteland to die or to become the adoptive mother of the child if the blood mother did not wish to continue her duties to the next leader after a set number of years. Both women knew magic -- as it was in their blood to do so and had been bred for this type of duty -- and had been taught by Ganondorf's blood mothers themselves; one of them would take the two old crone's places at one point in time when the two of them eventually died. That was what awaited at least one of these two women, as they watched the guard squirm where he stood. He wanted to turn around and leave his post empty, so that he wouldn't have to look upon the women who were just as deadly as they were beautiful. The perfection upon these Gerudo were what made them valuable to Ganondorf, their flawlessness in battle and ease in the bedroom; as long as they could perform as both as a defense to him and as a way to release tension, then they would never have to risk their lives in raids or to lift a finger except when they acted as guards to him. Their duties were being used little on this day, even when he had left them to keep anyone else from entering the castle, even the milk caravans from Lon Lon Ranch. No one could enter the castle with Ganondorf present, not even the child Princess of Hyrule. They sensed him coming even before he walked down the dirt slope and around the bend by way of their magical bonds, standing up with ease and brushed off any dirt that was upon their pants. They remained as they were until Ganondorf was in their sight, their bodies becoming rigid and hands placed upon the hilts of their swords as he came around with a flair of anger about him. The gate to the castle opened without the Hylain guard even turning around to see who was coming from the castle, the iron bars moving half-way open to accommodate the Gerudo King and closed after he had left the confines of the castle's grounds. He did not need to say a word to the two women that were watching him with curiosity, moving quickly by them without word as they turned on their heels and walked just as quickly behind him. Ganondorf's steps were quicker then they had been when the small group of Gerudo had entered the Market and himself and his two guards went towards the castle; instead of looking around and seeing ways of placing his own guards in places that would benefit him, he kept his line of sight straight ahead. His steps were certainly longer and quicker, something in his walking that made him seem more imposing then they had been if he didn't give off the aura that something didn't go right inside the castle. The two women did not question what went wrong, as they surely would hear his ramblings in bed. The path from the castle to the Market wasn't long, just enough to allow commoners to walk to the edge of their homes to look up at the castle for a moment before turning around and going back to their duties. Ganondorf and his guards weren't ones that were merely glancing at the castle, their strides fast and simple as they made their way through the crowded Market. Most of the Hylains had gotten out of their way, to keep themselves distanced from the Gerudo. One of the guards let out a shrill whistle, which marked the passing of their leader and for all Gerudo that weren't passing themselves off as Hylains to follow suit. The women pushed their way through the crowds, giving glares back to those that had given them the same glares, as they joined their comrades on leaving the castle-town behind. The small handful of Gerudo that would be left behind would return in a weeks time, scouring places that they would not normally be able to get into if they were not clothed and acting like a Hylain. Ganondorf had given them instructions to steal little and gather information the most, his eyes meeting theirs for a brief moment before he was ushered out of the Market and onto a waiting horse; the beast would return him back to Gerudo Valley and to look back on the brief meeting with the king. It wasn't a total loss, not when the seeds had already been planted and everything would soon be as they may. XXXX "I will not do such a thing, Kaya," A scream echoed through the dining hall of the castle. Several maids jumped at the mere echo of the powerful voice, cringing at the tone and rolling their eyes at the flashing of heated anger that went through his royal eyes. They didn't have to see his face, or know what he was talking about, to know that he had been angered by someone or something and they had to leave before his wrath would be unleashed upon them. It had about nearly three hours after Ganondorf had left the throne room and headed out to parts unknown in Hyrule; where he went and why he was going there, the king did not know nor did he plan on knowing. As long as the Gerudo was out of his sight and out of his thoughts, then there was no need to worry about him. Other business had taken the spot of where he had once kneeled down upon, business of executing prisoners and taxes on goods more important than information on wars that were not even close to Hyrule's boundaries. He had gotten the wars to stop, somehow, whether he had taken the glory for himself or had gotten his own hands dirty; either way, he wasn't about to engage his own soldiers in wars that did not concern him. That was what the peasants were for, to become the first line of defense and offense for the land. That was a hidden requirement for those that lay beneath the soldiers feet, something that no one was willing to tell those that could only dream of living inside the castle. However, as soon as Queen Kaya and her husband had come into the dining room, the encounter with Ganondorf soon slipped from her tongue and onto the table in front of her. She had sat down on one of the red chairs, looking up at the king with a tranquil look upon her face and hands folded neatly upon her lap. The king himself paced at the head of the table, not even looking at her nor letting himself find the same peace that she did. Whereas she had been taught to hold back any emotions, he outwardly gave into those same emotions. They were opposites, brought together by a forced marriage that was bound together by royalty and tradition. "He is dangerous. I say we must act and act now, before he does anything that you'll regret later," Kaya said calmly, keeping her blue eyes upon him. She was more then different from him in appearance, more then in knowing what one who is lavished with royalty should and shouldn't do. An orphan from birth, she had grown up on the outer edges of Hyrule and brought to Kakariko Village as a young girl. There, she learned the proper way to hold herself and to become a bride into the Royal Family. Once married, she had a daughter and continued to hold onto the throne as if she had been born into royalty herself. "There is no danger in having him run free. There are no threats," He answered hotly, turning around on his toes and pausing at the chair he sat in every meal. Placing a hand upon the top, he stared across the room and out into the window that held the freedoms of the simple life beyond it. "I saw no harm in having one tiny visit with him." "I sensed a danger in him. That much I know." Kaya leaned forwards, staring at him more intently. "He needs to be get rid of and now." "How can he be dangerous?" He slammed his right hand onto the table and glared at his wife. "Tell me that much." "He is a thief and he is Gerudo. You said it yourself many times that Gerudo can't be trusted." Kaya lowered her gaze and fumbled with a seam on her dress. "I felt something in him, something that I don't like. He is the one that has been haunting my dreams." "Not this again, Kaya. Not that damnable dream nonsense. I think you stayed in that Sheikah hell for too long." He crossed his arms lightly across his chest and stared daggers of ice down upon her. "It is getting a tad bit old, don't you think?" "No, not until you accept the fact that there are things in this land that exist even if you can't see them." Her eyes rose defiantly up into his, the same look that had been seen in Ganondorf's eyes. The only difference was, there was a fear inside of them that made her hold back anything else that she wanted to say. "Our World was founded on the same ideals that you reject, ones that have brought us our prosperity." "I repeat: I do not believe in such nonsense." The king moved away from the table, his arms moving from his chest as he clasped them behind his back. Walking to the window that overlooked the back courtyard where the early evening patrol was inspecting every crack for those that were desperate enough to enter the grounds. "The so-called Triforce has been hidden in the Temple of Time since the beginning of this World. It was the creation of the Three Goddesses, Din, Farore, and Nayru, that had brought their powers to create this World. Or so says the ancient text." "If you look inside the library," Kaya started without even turning around to face him, "that none of the history books have been written before that period." "Our language wasn't adopted until the first readable texts were created," He continued on as though she had not said anything. "Stories have surfaced of the flaming Goddess, Din, the dancing water Goddess, Nayru, and the forest Goddess, Farore. They say that the early Hylains called the sun Din's Fire as it bore strange resemblance to one of Din's eyes. If the Goddesses are legends, why shouldn't the Triforce be? I doubt it exists, if it ever did." "It does exist. I know." Kaya turned around in her seat and stared at the back of her husband. There were shadows dancing around him, cold blue winds that circled him so that it looked like he was standing in the middle of a pool of water. She had seen these waves around him before, when she had first met him not even six years prior. From the old Sheikahs that had heard of the gift of Foresight, that meant he was going to die and die slow. They also said that while many Hylains had the ability to see things from the future, one would need the blood of Sheikah in their viens to see the dancing shadows and shafts of light like that and to understand what it meant. Kaya had a thin line of old Sheikah blood in her, that much she knew from what she had been told of her family, but that was all she knew of the little else she did. "Have you seen it with your own blind eyes?" The king asked without even turning around to face her. His voice was hot and irritated from having to deal with so many things at once and if he turned to face her again he might just slap her in the face with the pent-up anger swelling inside of her. Secretly, however, he was slightly scared of what she might do to him since she had been trained under Sheikah noses; she wouldn't dare for fear of what her husband would do to her. "No, but..." She started before she was cut off abruptly by the sounds of light footsteps walking along the edges of the dining hall. Her ears twitched slightly, her head moving ever so slightly to the right, and her lips moving into a thin line. She knew that someone else was there, watching from the darkness that the torches did not shed their light upon. It was apparent that the king had not heard the quietness of this entrance, as he continued talking as though he had been the one to interrupt her. "For once, Kaya, I wish you would not talk of this. It is just a dream, none other," He finished, finally turning around to face her and see what effect his words had upon her. Kaya looked back at him, holding her face as firm as she had when Ganondorf had been in her presence. If the defiance held, it meant that she either had not listened to what he had said or she would not hold back the telling of her dreams. Those same dreams that held a dark cloud coming from the direction of Gerudo Valley and lightening that crashed down without a storm brewing overhead. It was ominous and she wished she could only resort to the old Sheikahs that had taught her well. He did not wait for her to say anything more to him, turning towards the entrance way of the dining room and walking in long strides towards the double doors. The guards standing on either side of the doors, took notice of his approach long before he had even started moving towards them, opening the door enough to let him through. With their heads bowed down towards the ground, they waited a moment before raising their heads and closing the doors tightly. They did not even take notice that their queen was still in the dining room, the only remaining maid inside cleaning the corners giving Kaya a look of pure disbelief and a comforting smile. At least with some of the servants inside the castle, there was knowledge among them that no person was above a king. "He is stubborn, my Queen. More stubborn then Zelda, it seems," A cool voice said from behind her. Kaya stood, smoothing out her dress and turning towards the voice that spoke to her. A Sheikah woman stood where the king had once, her arms crossed tightly over her chest and her body towards the very entrance that had been opened only a few seconds before. Her eyes were upon the queen, crimson orbs that knew so much but held so little to be given in return. "He does not seem to care about the history of the land or the people in it. I still wonder how he ever became king." "From what he has said, the actual Royal bloodline ended with his adoptive grandfather, but that is more then one of his shares of lies," She responded with a shake of her head. "I have long since stopped believing a word of what he has said since we were married." "His credits do not go far, that much I can tell you. I have served this family since before you came to the castle, freshly wed to that bastard of a king." The Sheikah's voice did not waver from it's high tone, even with the guards present inside the room. They knew of her thoughts of the king and had been expressed more then once to him. And, still, she maintained the same mindset as before. "Did you see the Gerudo?" Kaya whispered. "Tell me you saw the same darkness around him as I did." "Yes, I did," The Sheikah said, nodding. "I was watching from the gardens where the king can not see me and does not know I was watching. There is something about him that I do not like, both this Gerudo and the king." "Then you sensed it as well?" There was a hopefull look in her eyes that was quickly masked by a inquired look as the last maid walked by them and towards the doorway that the servants used. "The darkness?" "The evil is strong within him and a hidden power as well that will only get stronger with time." There was a tone in her voice that called for urgency, even if it did not come as quickly as it should. "I fear that he is not after alliance but after the throne and possibly more." "It is true, then. The man from the desert." Kaya seemed to the point of becoming excited, her eyes darting around as though she had been told something truly wonderful. "I will station guards around the Temple of Time so that....." "No, " The Sheikah said quickly, raising a hand to hold any plans of the queens to rest. "That would only make the townsfolk wonder what is going on and raise suspicion among the people and in the Royal Court. Not all guards are willing to do the queen's bidding. There are also Gerudo in the market, more then you think there is and well hidden. That would give them something to think about, the guards in more force around the Temple then there should be, and more then what they could ever tell their own king. They might think that there is something hidden in there, when they have no other reason to believe that there isn't." "Is there?" She asked. "Is there something hidden in the Temple of Time?"" The silver-haired woman looked around, lowering her voice then she would if there was no one else around. "I won't say it here, not now. Not when there are ears that can speak." "Oh," She said with a light of understanding, her eyes flickering towards the guards for a moment. "Impa, what if it is true?" "What is?" The Sheikah asked wearily, her eyes shifting across the room without looking at the queen herself. "My dreams," Kaya asked in a soft voice, placing herself back upon the chair she had sat upon only moments before. "The ones with the man that hails from the valley." The Sheikah remained silent, her lips pressed into a thin line as she stared at the doorway across the dining hall. She was watching something that Kaya could not, something lurking just beyond her line of sight. It moved effortlessly across the hallways and down the stairs of the castle, into the dungeons and out of the range of the two voices that barely carried over the silent roar of the dining room. Small ears that weren't able to understand the strangled words between queen and Sheikah, ones that all knew too well. Those same words that were spoken carefully and were not ready to let the rest of the land know of what was yet to come. "I do not know, Your Majesty. We shall see in time," Was all that the Sheikah said, giving her one last look before shifting over and around the long table and towards the hallway that ran in front of the large room. Kaya did not follow the Sheikah with her eyes, instead stared down at the table in front of her. There was nothing of interest that was upon it, except that she kept her gaze away from the entrance as much as she could. The Sheikah was about to strike in her own way, strike with the passion that both knew had in her and the deadliness that was known to be in her blood. What she was going to do was not what was worrying her, but things that were well beyond her reach. Well beyond what she could do alone. Beyond Book series and all original characters © Ameera Mae Laramie Legend of Zelda games, characters, and places © Nintendo and their original creator