LOZ: Succession: Chapter 1

Crack-a-boom! A peal of thunder broke across the dark sky. Gray clouds floated ominously overhead, hanging low with an imminent threat of rain. Rainstorms were common in the northern mountains of Hyrule, but Link knew that this was no ordinary rainstorm.

A light flashed briefly across the clouds, followed by another, smaller, rumble of thunder. A cold wind picked up, whistling harshly through the foggy mountains. The woods were silent in the path of the approaching storm, the local wildlife long having hidden themselves away in their burrows and nests.

Only one animal refused to take shelter just yet- an ordinary looking chestnut mare with a flaxen mane and tail. She stood quietly near the base of a tree, flicking her ears in annoyance. She knew of the coming storm, but duty kept her flight instincts from taking over.

A louder rumble of thunder sounded overhead, causing the horse to paw at the ground and whine softly. She stretched her head and neck up into the tree and lightly touched the boot of her master.

"Steady, girl," a low whisper emitted from the figure crouched in the tree. Link remained motionless except for his bright blue eyes, which were moving quickly and taking in the details of the scene before him.

Epona blew out her breath and pulled her head back down. She looked around, flaring her nostrils to better pick up the scents of the forest around her.

"Shhh…" he spoke even quieter, squinting his eyes to see through the fog. The tree in which he was perched in was dangerously growing on the side of a cliff overlooking a clearing down below. The activity in the clearing was what interested this silent watcher- an unusually large camp of moblins.

Instead of tying down their tents for the on-coming storm, the moblins were packing up and readying to move out.

So strange, Link noted with frustration. This whole situation is out of the ordinary… Moblins, in this territory, with such large numbers? Using the storm as a cover for their movements…

A sudden, shooting pain traveled up Link's left leg and he bit his lip hard to keep from crying out. A cramp from sitting in the tree too long, or a protest from the hastily bandaged gash on his thigh, he was not sure which.

It had been pretty stupid, trying to sneak into the moblin camp by himself. He had happened upon them by chance as he traveled back to Hyrule Castle. Link had never seen such a large group of moblins, ever, and spared the time to investigate. By spying on them he had found out that there was a clear chain of command, and that instead of the usual renegade bands of moblins, this was an established army of moblins. He had snuck into the camp last night and into the general's tent… and was spotted. He got out with his life, and a map.

The map was probably the most disturbing thing in this situation. It was a well-drawn map of northern Hyrule, detailing the mountains and the northern field. The artistry of the map was extraordinary, a real find for an explorer and adventurer such as Link. The map had but one flaw- a crude line pointing south towards a circled Hyrule Castle, a line that appeared to be drawn in blood.

Link's head swam as he leaned forward involuntarily, gasping from the pain. He gripped the branches of the tree with all his might, forcing himself back upright. In his momentary deliriousness he had misjudged the distance needed to regain his balance and slipped backwards. Luckily he slammed back onto the slanted trunk of the tree instead of the ground. His body spasmed from the shock of hitting the tree and his grip loosened on the branches. His arms fell on either side of him, sending another wave of pain through his body.

Faithful Epona bumped her nose against his left hand, letting out a quiet squeal of discomfort and worry.

"…'pona?" he mumbled, feeling her soft nose with his fingers. "Okay…" Link forced his eyes open and slowly sat up. "Gotta get home…" he spoke to himself, as if hearing his own voice would help him stay awake.

"Okay…" he muttered again, slowly crawling down out of the tree. Why had he thought that climbing up a tree in his condition was a good idea? It was a really high.

Link groaned as his vision swam again, squeezing his eyes shut. Don't look down don't look down don't look down, he chanted over and over in his head as he painstakingly lowered himself down. Epona had moved closer to the tree, turning her back towards her master so he could easily mount.

"Okay…" Link whispered again as he managed to swing his leg over the saddle. The movement made him groan in pain, and once he was settled in the saddle he reached into one of the numerous pouches. Feeling triumphant as he felt his fingers touch the cool glass of a bottle, he pulled it out only to find that there was barely a mouthful left. The pain potion he had rationed out so carefully was almost gone.

Nevertheless, he uncorked the bottle and swallowed down the contents. It would last for a few hours, which was just about the time it took for him to get to Hyrule Castle from way up here in the northern Himori Mountains. Or, it was the time that it took for him to get to Hyrule Castle. Knowing the right trails and tricks helped shave down time like you wouldn't believe.

Link picked up the reins and urged Epona on down the mountain. "Let's go home, girl," he whispered to her. "Got to warn them, tell Zelda…" He clutched one hand to his chest, making sure that stolen map inside his tunic was still there. It was still there, flattened from his repeated checks.

A large crash of lightning lit up the sky, causing both horse and rider to jump. Epona squealed in fear and started to run. Link looked around wildly, trying to gauge his position. He must have passed out, because he was now riding through a field instead of heading down the mountain. It was dark, and he was soaked. The rain poured down and the cold wind blew straight through him.

Panicking, Link felt for the map inside his tunic. It was dry, a feat only accomplished by the fact that he had been slumped over the saddle horn leaving his back exposed to the elements. Another flash of lightning lit up the sky, silhouetting Hyrule Castle against the dark clouds. Link turned Epona towards the ghostly image of his home, hoping for another flash of lightning to confirm his direction.

Epona's hooves beat the wet ground, sending jolts of pain through Link's body. The potion he had taken was starting to wear off, and he wasn't even home yet. "C'mon girl, just a little bit farther," he gasped, focusing everything on just staying in the saddle as his steed careened across Northern Hyrule Field.

An agonizing thirty minutes later brought Link up to one of the outer gates in the defensive wall surrounding the city and castle. Each of the four gates were identical, massive structures, reaching about fifty feet from the ground with walls as thick as six feet. Two huge braziers burned on either side of the thick wood doors with a fire that never went out. Above the gates, emblazoned in gold, was the Royal Family of Hyrule's eagle crest flying below the Triforce. It was an impressive sight during the day, but an intimidating one at night. Sentries were posted around the clock, but would they hear him? Epona slid to a stop at the gate under the alcove, spraying dirt everywhere.

Link took the opportunity to glance behind him. He had outridden the thunderstorm, but it was still on his heels, the thick, dark clouds crawling across the sky towards Castle Town. Underneath the clouds was a gray haze, thick rains that were drenching Hyrule Field and steadily advancing. Link shivered from the cold and wet, praying to the Goddesses that rain was the only thing steadily advancing across the plains.

"Hallo!" Link yelled up the wall before doubling over with a violent cough. Sweet Farore… they'd never hear that pitiful noise in this storm…

Thinking quickly, Link whipped out his Ocarina and played the highest note in three sharp blasts, trying to emulate a distress whistle. One minute passed, and he tried again.

Epona paced in front of the gate, exhausted from her journey. She neighed shrilly.

A few more silent minutes passed and Link almost gave up hope before he saw movement on the wall-walk. "Hey!" he tried yelling again, but it came out weak and strangled.

"Who's there?"

Link could barely make out the voice through the wind. Shielding his face from the wind, Link looked up and saw a lantern and a shadowy shape lean across the parapet.

"Sir Link, Free Knight of the Royal Family," he shouted back, his voice cracking off at the end. He doubled over coughing again, feeling lightheaded. There was no way he could continue shouting in these conditions, it felt like his throat would burst. "Goddesses, can you even hear me, man?"

Link nudged Epona closer to the door and unsheathed his sword. Struggling against the pain and weariness in his arms, he pounded the hilt against the door. Shouts echoed through the night on the other side of the door, and a slot opened in the door. Epona stuck her nose into the slot and whinnied as loud as she could.

The soldier jumped back with a yell, and then cautiously peeked through the hole as the equine's nose withdrew. "Who is it?" he asked.

"Link," he merely replied. Rattling off his title took too long to say. "I've got… urgent, bad news… need to get through…" he groaned in pain.

The soldier looked closer, peering through the dark at the man on the horse. He spotted the hilt of the sword in the man's hand with the Royal Family's crest glinting in the low light, then noticed that the hand holding it was covered in blood.

"Sweet merciful Din!" the man exclaimed. "Open the gates!" he slammed the slot shut and grabbed the long horizontal handle on the door. Five other soldiers stumbled out of the guard house and ran to help him. They struggled with the weight of the door for a moment, but finally managed to open one of the large doors to admit Link.

Epona stumbled through the gate with a snort and Link doubled over coughing again. He covered his mouth with his forearm and as he lowered it he spotted something glistening on his glove. Link tried not to dwell on the blood and sheathed his sword with some difficulty.

"Sir!" One of the soldiers ran up to him. "Are you alright, sir?"

Link tried to thank him, but it just came out as a cough. He kicked Epona forward and she broke straight into a canter up the slope towards the second gate.

"Sir, wait!" the soldier's cry was lost to the wind as Link stubbornly rode onward. He clutched the reins in his good hand, trying to focus on staying awake.

The clattering of hooves on cobble-stones jolted him out of his reverie as Epona started up one of the wide staircases to the third gate at the top of the outside garden. He twisted around to look behind him, catching a glimpse of the open second gate he had no memory of riding through. Link immediately regretted twisting around and grunted as another wave of pain wrenched through him. He tried to wipe away the blood on his gauntlet, but his arm vehemently opposed to that movement too.

The third gate was already open at the top of the stairs, but a soldier stood in the way. Epona snorted as she slid to a stop, almost hitting into him. "I'm terribly sorry, sir, but you cannot pass, the bridge beyond is under repair. The second gate shouldn't have let you in. You'll have to go back and around to either the east or west gate."

Link swore under his breath in utter frustration. Coming through the north gate was the fastest way to the castle. The other three gates led to the town and their routes took up time that he simply did not have.

"Out of the way," he gasped, nudging Epona forward.

The soldier scrambled out of the way from the horse, protesting, "Sir, you're mad! There's a big hole in the middle of that bridge!"

Epona snorted as if to say "No big deal."

Link held on tight, feeling Epona's steps clattering on the wooden bridge under him as she sped up and prepared to jump. One, two, three, and…

Link felt a rush of adrenaline as he felt both Epona and himself leave the ground and sail through the air. He braced for impact and yelled in pain as the jolt traveled up through Epona's legs and jostled him.

The fourth gate to the Castle Gardens hung open, as there was no need to close it to prevent people from invading since the bridge was out. There was a simple roped fence across the entrance, but Epona plowed straight through it, knocking it down and out of the way. She charged through the gardens, and Link tried to keep her on the straightest path possible. Ahead was the castle, his destination…

Zelda…



In the back of the castle was the large ballroom, used for parties, balls, and other formal events. The large stained-glass windows of the ballroom glowed and twinkled, only hinting at the splendor inside. The glass double-doors along the outside wall were all open to the outside veranda. A long, wide set of stairs led down to a large paved area in the garden which was decorated richly for tonight's party honoring the Princess's twenty-second birthday. Many elegantly dressed nobles milled about, sipping their fine drinks from crystal chalices and engaging in small talk.

"So then, Eric dismounts, sword drawn, and promptly charges into the stream to retrieve his hat!" a young noble laughed. The group of girls around him giggled, their fans daintily covering their mouths, and the group of young men around him laughed loudly.

"So he's flailing around, desperately grabbing for his hat while the fisherman keeps whisking it away with his pole, laughing his head off at him!" the young noble continued his story with the encouragement of his peers' laughter, then turned to a young woman near him. "Princess? Do you find this story amusing?" he asked, a little worried because she did not seem to be paying attention.

"Oh!" Princess Zelda blinked a little, re-engaging herself into the conversation. "Yes, I do, it is quite amusing. Please, continue," she smiled softly. The young noble nodded and continued in the epic tale of Eric versus the fisherman.

Zelda zoned out soon, not because of the story, but because of a nagging feeling in her gut and a worry in the back of her mind. Something was wrong… She glanced over the gardens and the walls toward Hyrule Field and the Northern Himori Mountains. The thunderhead had grown and was steadily approaching the castle, and she could not help but feel that it and the feeling in her gut were connected somehow.

"If you would excuse me, Mi'lords and Mi'ladies," a butler interrupted at an opportune moment in the tale, "Because of the approaching storm, we are moving the party to the inside. It shall be a few moments before things are fully set up, and we shall announce it shortly." He bowed and then went on to inform the next group.

The conversation among the youths shifted to surprise that the storm had advanced so quickly and without much warning. "It is a shame that we could not stay in the outdoors," one lamented.

"Oh, I rather hate the outdoors," another disagreed. "The wind is so harsh, and the sun is a complete ruiner of complexion… do you not agree, Princess?" she directed her question to Zelda.

"Actually, I rather like the outdoors. The wind feels wonderful, especially on horseback, and the sun is warm and full of energy. But it is not for everyone," she smiled, not wanting to put down the lady who had asked her agreement.

Her response elicited a chuckle from most of the group. "Our tomboy Princess," a young man laughed, and Zelda laughed back, only partially hiding it behind her fan. The nagging feeling hit her again harder, and she closed her eyes. It felt like…

"Milady? Are you alright?"

Zelda opened her eyes to a few curious looks. "Yes… I feel…"

The clattering of approaching hooves could be heard, louder and louder. Of course! How could she be so thick! She took in a sharp breath and looked towards the gate at the far end of the garden. A horse and rider galloped through them, headed straight for the palace. Even though both were dirty and covered in mud, she knew immediately who they were.

"Excuse me…" she said as more of an afterthought as she snapped her fan shut and wove her way through the crowd to meet up with the rider.

Epona slid to a rough stop at the edge of the paved veranda. Link groaned as the jolt sent another spasm of pain through him. The conversations of the nobles turned to shock and disgust that a petty, very dirty and disheveled horseman had crashed the party. A couple called for guards, and some were already making their way towards the disturbance.

Zelda hurried down the stairs from where she had been standing with her group, picking up the hem and a couple petticoats of her flowing gown lest she trip as she hurried towards the bottom.

Indignant shouts rose up around Link and Epona snorted, pawing the ground as she nervously skittered from side to side. Link reined her in, trying to keep her from going to close to the nobles.

"General!' he called out as he saw a man in a dark green dress uniform coming closer to him in the crowd.

"Link," the older man greeted him with a raised eyebrow. "I hope you have a good explanation for-"

"Link!" Zelda called out, finally making her way over to him. When she broke through the last line of the crowd her eyes widened as she took in Link and Epona's very muddy, and in Link's case, bloodied appearance.

Epona squealed, both of her front feet lifting off the ground a few inches as she sidestepped all over the place, growing more antsy with the closing crowd. Her eyes were wide and she was breathing hard, her flanks dripping with sweat.

"Alright! Everyone back!" a captain barked out, and a few guards forming a scant line to gently push back the crowd. The General and another guard tried to help Link rein in Epona to stand still so he could dismount.

Link gritted his teeth and quietly clucked to the excited Epona, trying to calm her down, his weak arms trying to hold her back. This was certainly not his night. An exhausted, adrenaline filled horse and a crowd of curious people were never a good mix, no matter how good the horse's training. He caught a few glimpses of Zelda as Epona circled, her hooves loud on the paved stone. She looked beautiful, as always. He felt a little stab of regret that he had been gone for so long to have missed tonight's gathering in honor of her birthday. Well, he didn't exactly miss it, but…

Zelda slipped past one of the guards keeping the crowd back and carefully approached Epona, gently talking to her, despite protests from the guards and crowd. The combination of both Link and Zelda reassuring her seemed to do the trick, and she calmed down enough for Zelda to hold her bridle. Link kicked his right foot out of the stirrup and dismounted awkwardly, leaning heavily on Epona and gripping the horn of the saddle tight.

"Link…" Zelda's worried eyes met his. "Are you…?"

"I…" he gasped, I'm fine, I…" he started forward and almost lost his balance. A guard stepped in to take Epona's reins and the General caught Link's arm as Zelda reached out to support him.

"I have him, Princess," he reassured her. "Link-"

"Not here… too… many people…" Link gasped as he fought for his balance. Epona was led away to the stables to be taken care of and the crowd was thinning a little. "I need… to talk to you… urgent…"

"Let us get you inside," the General nodded towards the palace, "Someone to clean and patch you up-"

Link shook his head. "Urgent…" he dissolved into coughs.

"General Fortin," Zelda started, moving to support Link's other side.

"Both of you, then, come on…" his shook his head at the stubbornness of young people, and lead them to the castle, more guards joining them.

They went into a side entrance so to not attract more attention from the rest of the party. Link's legs had given out from the pain and exhaustion, so a stretcher was brought and he was taken quickly to the healing hall. The healers and staff there quickly jumped to attention, preparing bandages and pulling out potions as Link was laid into a bed.

"General," Link wrestled the map out of his tunic, and explained about the huge Moblin camp in the mountains that was clearly headed this way. He gave as many details about them as he could before the healers insisted for him to rest as they worked on cleaning him up and bandaging his wounds. Fortin left with a nod to Link and a bow to the Princess. He gathered the guards that had come up with him and went out to raise the defenses. Zelda elected to stay behind, sitting in a chair out of the way of the healers. She sent a quick prayer to the Goddesses. Din, Farore, Nayru, please let him be okay…

An exhausted Link had fallen asleep as the healers finished bandaging his wounds, and they reported to Zelda that he would be alright, given that he rested. Zelda thanked them and they withdrew to complete their other duties. She leaned her head on her hand and watched him with a slight smile, glad that he was back in the castle and safe.

A clanking sound caught her attention outside and she peered out the window. Soldiers and guards marched past and she could hear General Fortin barking orders. A clap of thunder was heard and the rains started, pouring down on the city and sweeping up to the castle. Zelda reached forward and shut the window as the rain tinged upon the glass.

The storm continued throughout the night, ceaselessly pounding against the walls of the castle as if it was angry that its victim had escaped.