Among the Ashes

I’ve put my trust in you
Pushed as far as I can go
And for all this
There’s only one thing you should know
I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn’t even matter
I had to fall
To lose it all
But in the end
It doesn’t even matter
~Linkin Park “In the End”


Chapter 3
Promises that Can’t be Kept

Elice awoke the next morning with the cool, grey light of a snowy sunshine on her face. For a moment she lay still, gathering her thoughts, then she sat up with a flash. Her head felt a little light and she was slightly groggy, but otherwise she felt as though she had simply been asleep. She knew she had not though. The last thing she remembered was screaming out into snowy night- then everything went blank. Glancing around the room she noticed Marth asleep on a chair in the corner and Roy kneeling on the floor beside her, his arms folded beneath him like a pillow resting on the foot of her bed.

“Roy,” she said urgently, touching his arm. Roy’s head shot up and he looked at her with bleary eyes.

“Oh, you’re awake!” Roy exclaimed through a yawn.

“What happened?” Elice asked, putting a hand to her head. “What did they do to me?”

“They hit you with a poisoned dart,” Roy said, inching closer to her. “It knocked you out, we brought you in here, you just woke up and here we are.”

“Well, who was it?” Elice asked urgently as Marth began to stir in the corner. “Did you catch them? Why did they do this to me? What about Chiki and Banut?”

“We don’t know who it was,” Roy replied. Marth had come to his senses, getting up quickly and hurrying over. “Or why they did any of this.”

“But we’re going to find out,” Marth said resolutely, putting a hand on Elice’s shoulder. “How do you feel?”

“I’m all right, I suppose,” Elice replied.

“The healers said they thought you were going to be fine, but I want them to check on you now that you’re awake,” Marth said. Elice nodded and Marth gave her an affectionate smile, then turned from the room.

Elice sat up strait, swinging her legs off the side of the bed. Roy stood up, stretching his extremely stiff knees, then took a seat on the edge of her bed beside her.

“You told him, didn’t you?” Elice asked, not angry but apprehensive.

“I had to.”

Elice nodded understandingly. She knew he’d have to find out at some point. They both fell silent, lost in their own thoughts. Elice absentmindedly stroked Roy’s hand that lay beside her, her finger tracing over his skin. His knuckles were slightly bruised and his skin torn up in a few places. She smiled at him lovingly, knowing he had probably hurt himself trying to protect her the night before. Her eyes finally came to rest on the silver ring he always wore. She studied the insignia for a moment, her wayward thoughts converging once more.

“Did you find anything about her?” she asked gently.

“I went back to Pherae,” Roy replied. “We didn’t have much time, but who knows when the next time I’ll be in that neighborhood will be. I finally tracked down Hector, an old friend of my father’s. I remember him a little from my childhood and my father talked about him all the time. I knew if anyone knew anything it would be him.”

Roy fell silent once more and Elice nudged him gently. “Did he know anything?”

“Yes. He knows everything. I know he does, even though he denies it,” Roy replied darkly, “He refused to tell me anything, saying there was nothing to tell and that if my father had wanted me to know he would have told me before he died. He could see I was desperate, probably because I was following him and screaming at him. I begged him for a name. Is that really too much to ask for? Just a name.

“Hector insisted that if my father hadn’t told me her name that there was probably a good reason for it and that I should just accept it. I wouldn’t let it go, though. I couldn’t. I need something- I’ve had nothing for twenty four years.” Roy cut off abruptly and Elice waited patiently for him to go on. “Ninian,” he said simply. “My mother’s name was Ninian.”

Elice could see how much this meant to Roy and she let him remain quiet, leaning against him gently and continuing to hold onto his hand. “Ninian… that’s beautiful,” she said softly.

“All this secrecy,” Roy looked at Elice in frustration. “My father never spoke of her- never let me speak of her. He wouldn’t even say her name. Why? Don’t you find that strange? I don’t understand it.”

Elice didn’t have any answers. It was just as mysterious to her as it was to Roy.

“I’m not going to find any answers here, that’s for sure,” Roy mused, “and apparently there aren’t any in Pherae either- not any that I’m going to get, anyway.”

“Do you miss Pherae?” Elice asked him.

“Not really,” Roy shrugged. “My father and I left so long ago, I don’t really remember it much. We went everywhere,” he said quietly. “All over Elibe…. I never knew why we were moving around so much, but I never cared as long as I had him.”

Elice understood the hurt lingering behind his eyes. Sometimes it was just easier to keep the memories at bay, because even the happiest ones were laced with pain. She pulled him closer, and her held onto her, both secure knowing that at least now they had each other- no words necessary.

Still, it was unsettling to see him this way: so somber and serious. It was very unlike him. He never spoke much of his parents and when he did he always seemed to shrink into a being Elice barely recognized. Resilient as always, though, Roy quickly snapped back. There was a physical change in him. She watched as his eyes sprung to life and in an instant he was himself again.

“This is my home,” Roy finally said. “So you’re stuck with me! Everything I love is right here.” He leaned towards her and pulling her into his kiss. Elice closed her eyes, kissing him back avidly, wrapping her arms around his neck.

The door burst opened with a creak and hit the wall with a resounding thud, revealing Marth and a throng of healers. Elice’s arms released Roy’s neck and in one swift movement hit him in the chest, thrusting him away from her so violently he nearly toppled over. They both shot to their feet, looking at Marth who was staring back at them with a shocked expression.

“Oh, you’re back,” Roy squeaked. “That’s good. That’s great! I was just- I’ll just be- I’m going now.“ He inched his way to the doorway, keeping as far away from Marth as possible, flattening himself against the wall and sidling out of the room as fast as he could.

Elice sat blushing as the healer’s made their way into the room, looking slightly embarrassed themselves. “Check her and make sure that she’s all right,” Marth said tensely, “though she seems to be doing just fine. I’ll be right back.”

Marth turned on his heel and stalked from the room. Elice called after him but he ignored her and slammed the door behind him.


******


“Roy!” Marth called, marching heavily down the hall, catching up with Roy quickly. Roy admitted defeat, stopping and turning to face Marth.

“What?” Roy asked calmly, facing Marth’s stony scowl.

“When are you going to marry her?” Marth asked bluntly, folding his arms and staring at Roy unflinchingly.

This was not what Roy had expected to hear for a moment he stood and puzzled, then all at once his hands shot up and he began shaking his head frantically, backing away from Marth slow. “Whoa! I don’t know what you think is going on, but you’ve got the wrong idea!”

“Relax, Roy,” Marth replied.

“Oh, okay…” Roy sighed with some relief. “What are you talking about then?”

“She loves you. I told you I am fine with the two of you as long as you don’t hurt her. I won’t see her go through this again. If you’re just dragging her on, Roy, I swear-“

“Hey, this is our business,” Roy replied tensely. “It’s between Elice and I, and we know what we’re doing.”

“You and I have been friends for a long time and she’s my sister- I think this is my business as well,” Marth was growing more agitated as well.

“Well, you’re just going to have to leave this up to us,” Roy replied with a note of finality. “Elice is an adult and you’re going to have to accept that. This is not your decision to make.”

“This is my Kingdom and it is my duty to protect that,” Marth growled back. “I don’t want to fight you two, but you aren’t giving me a choice! Why are you stringing her along?”

“I’m not stringing her along; we’re happy. You’re the one with the problem here, as usual,” Roy shouted back. “You think you have to be in control of everything all the time. Just give it a rest for a while!”

“You still haven’t answered my question- you’re being evasive, just like you are with Elice. If you’re too cowardly to be a man and marry her then you don’t deserve her!” Marth glowered down at Roy. Roy clenched his fists, his face growing flush, his teeth gritting.

“You want to know why she won’t marry me?” Roy barked. “That’s right- she’s the one who’s putting it off, not me. I want to marry her, but she won’t get married until you do. She refuses to put any more pressure on you. She doesn’t want to hurt you because she thinks you’ve gone through too much already. Your own sister doesn’t think you can handle it, and I’m beginning to think she’s right. That’s why the engagement’s been delayed. So, are you happy now?”

Marth’s shocked expression lingered for a moment. He was speechless: stunned, then confused, then slowly he began to grow angry. His eyes narrowed, his shoulder’s hunched and in an instant he turned and tromped back down the hall. Roy swore under his breath, cursing his own inability to keep his temper, and followed Marth back towards Elice’s room.

Marth threw the door open, causing Elice to jump. She had been smoothing her hair down in the mirror, but now she stood frozen, staring with wide eyes at her brother’s menacing figure in the doorway.

“I am not a child,” Marth said simply, his voice low and resolute as he made his way towards her. Roy poked his head into the doorway behind him, his eyes pleading with Elice for forgiveness.

“What are you talking about?” Elice asked in confusion.

“You do not need to protect me and shield me from reality. You need not insult me!”

“Marth, I don’t know what you’re going on about,” Elice tried to reply innocently but deep down she knew all too well where this was headed.

“If you and Roy wish to be married then you shall be married,” Elice shot Roy a dark look and Roy shrugged helplessly. “I will not have you putting your life on hold because my life is in shambles. I would have hoped you had a higher regard for me than this,” Marth’s furious façade was cracking and she could see that she had unwittingly offended his pride by trying to conserve it.

“Marth, I didn’t mean to-“ she started.

“I know what you meant,” Marth replied.

“Look, this is why I didn’t want to bring it up,” Elice sighed in exasperation. “All my life you’ve protected me but lately I feel like I have to protect you.”

“That’s nonsense!”

“Is it? You don’t seem to have taken the last few years very well and I’m worried about you,” she said with sincerity. “With everything that’s happened and this whole business with Malon- I just didn’t want to complicate things further.”

“I don’t need to you baby-sit me,” Marth replied obstinately, his voice growing louder. “If you want to sit and worry about someone worry about him- he’s the one with the mentality of a six year old!” Marth pointed sharply at Roy.

“Hey, what did I do?” Roy looked scandalized.

“I don’t want to sit and worry about either of you. I’m not your mother and I don’t want to have to act like I am!” Elice shouted back.

“Then don’t. I don’t need your patronizing concern. I’m fine. Everything’s fine!”

“That vein on your forehead would suggest otherwise,” Roy muttered.

“What did you say?” Marth burst.

“Leave him alone, Marth,” Elice demanded. “This is what I’m talking about. I know you’re upset about Malon, but-“

“No, Elice.” Marth put his foot down. “Stop it. I don’t want your pity. You’re right, this is your life. You two do whatever you want- I don’t care anymore.” With that turned and left, slamming the door shut once more.

“He took that rather well,” Roy said lightly.

“Ooh, he is so infuriating!” Elice screamed. She rushed over to the door, flung it open and screamed down the hall, “You are infuriating!” then she slammed it shut once more, just for the satisfaction of it.

Just when she thought she was finally a mature adult, in one moment an argument with her brother could send her back to feeling like a bickering child. “Why did you tell him?” Elice snapped at Roy. “I thought we agreed not to tell him because this would happen!”

“Look on the bright side, now we can do whatever we want,” Roy grinned slyly.

Elice growled and grabbed Roy by the collar and pushed him out the door then slammed it shut again. She stood with her back against the door for a moment before sliding to the ground, resting her arms on her knees and burying her head.

“Well, all right then. I’ll just be out here,” Roy called through the door sarcastically. When no reply came he stalked off down the hall.

Elice remained huddled on the floor, trying to shield herself from the world. It was times like these she wished she had someone to talk to. She had never been very good at making friends- whether intimidated by her character or position she had never gotten along very well with the girls her age. She had grown up in the castle surrounded by soldiers and men: she was strong, brash, and straightforward. She had found very few people who truly understood her and one of them had just stomped out of her room and the other had been forcefully ejected.

She wished Zelda were here, though she knew that would only cause further problems. Zelda was the only female she could ever call a true friend, but heaven only knew where she was now. Elice couldn’t count on that relationship to help her now, and without Roy and Marth Elice quite literally felt all alone in the world.

Marth stomped up to the roof, going where he knew he had the slightest chance of running into anyone else. He marched toward the parapets, but finding it nearly impossible to stand still he continued to pace back and forth. The longer he brooded the more aggravated he became.

He knew she was right. He was being ridiculous, and that knowledge only made him angrier. How had everything gotten to this point? It seemed that no matter how hard he tried he always ended up here: alone and frustrated. Now, more than ever, he had no one to turn to. He had pushed them all away.

All because of her. She had been the best and worse thing that ever happened to him, and now he was afraid the remainder of his life was doomed to be haunted by her.

Growling slightly he kicked a wayward helmet lying on the ground nearby. It hurtled over the cobbled stone, clattering all the way.

Every decision he had made seemed to be wrong. When he tried to commit himself to his country he would inevitably feel personally starved. He had tried to feed that hunger, but nothing he had found would fill it and anything that came close took him away from his people. He couldn’t lie to himself any longer and he refused to hurt any more innocent bystanders. His personal suffering need not affect anyone else.

Every path led back to solitude. Despite himself he felt despair creeping in. Maybe this was simply the way it was: the way his life was fated to be. As long as he continued to fight it he was only going to alienate himself further from the ones he did have: the only people he did love. Perhaps it would all just be easier if he gave in accepted the fact that he was alone, and might be destined to stay that way.



******

Tension grew in the castle over the coming days and it was wearing on Elice, driving sleep from her one night. She tossed and turned ceaselessly, laying in the silence alone with her thoughts. She was always amazed at the thick silence that filled the castle at night. That silence was broken, though, as she heard a small thump outside her door. She lifted her head, staring towards the door. In the silence even the tiniest noise seemed magnified a hundred fold. Trying to keep her calm she lay for a moment and listened intently, and then she heard it again. She slipped out of bed, picking up the candle she always kept burning at her bedside.

She made her way to her door and slowly she pressed her ear against the door, listening breathlessly.

Someone was on the other side of the door.

Heart pounding, she swiftly crossed her room, retrieving her small blade. She clutched it in her fist, concealing it in her robes. She made her way silently back to the door, placed her hand on the knob once more, held her breath, then thrust the door open as forcefully as possible.

The door swung open part way then struck something heavy. Her entire weight was thrown against it and when the door suddenly jarred she was thrown completely off balance. From behind the door a terrible rattling crash and a shocked scream could be heard and before she could catch herself Elice found herself shrieking and crashing to the floor. She landed with an ‘oof’, quickly realizing she was laying on top of someone. She could feel the person struggling beneath her and she quickly raised her knife, but suddenly the candle she had been holding bounced to the floor beside her, illuminating Roy’s befuddled face.

“Why, hello,” Roy smirked, “I didn’t realize you missed me so much.”

“Roy, what are you doing out here?” Elice gasped, both relieved and furious.

“Just sleeping by your door,” Roy replied with feigned casualness.

“Why?” she asked in confusion.

“Princess!” the call came from down the hall followed by the booming and clanging of heavy footsteps. Suddenly the darkness was shattered by flickering torchlight carried by two guards.

“Elice?” Elice looked up and spotted Marth tearing down the hall towards them at top speed, sword drawn.

The guards and Marth both stopped and stared down the surreal scene of Roy on the floor, sword drawn, entangled in a half broken wooden chair and Elice on top of the heap, knife drawn and pointed down at Roy. They all gaped at the odd sight for a moment, Elice feeling her face go red.

“Hey, guys,” Roy smiled and waved.

“What is going on here?” Marth managed to ask in utter bewilderment.

“Nothing,” Roy replied lightly as Elice hurtled to her feet, trying to regain at least some of her dignity.

“What were you doing sleeping on a chair outside of my bedroom?” Elice asked.

“I was worried about you,” Roy admitted finally, getting to his feet.

“What are you worried about me for?” Elice questioned.

“Are you kidding me? It doesn’t take a genius to see that someone’s after you and I wanted to make sure you were safe, all right?” Roy said flatly.

“Roy,” Elice replied quietly, “you don’t have to do that.”

“I can’t anymore. You broke my chair,” Roy said glumly picking up a fractured bit of wood. “I finally found one that was comfortable too.”

“You’ve done this before?”

“Every night since the attack,” Roy replied sheepishly.

Elice looked touched but reticent. “I appreciate it, but that’s not necessary. I’m fine, Roy.”

“You can go back to your posts,” Marth said to the guards. They nodded and made their way down the hall. “I’m glad you’re all right,” he muttered to Elice and then turned back towards his chamber.

Despite herself Elice couldn’t seem to keep the sarcasm from slipping out. “I’m surprised you came out to check at all. I haven’t seen you in so long I was beginning to wonder if you still lived here.”

“Charming, Elice,” Marth replied, not turning back to her.

“Well, I simply thought you didn’t care what I do anymore,” she replied, not knowing why she was purposefully provoking him.

Marth replied calmly. “Fine, if you don’t want me to worry about you anymore I won’t. You can take care of yourself. Good luck.”

“Well, thank you,” Elice replied with false sincerity. “I’m sure I will be fine.”

“I’m sure you will,” Marth called back, still refusing to turn.

“Well, fine!” Elice shot back.

Marth didn’t reply but went into his chamber and shut the door behind him. Elice glared down the hall after him for a minute.

“Boy, he really needs a girlfriend and you really need to get a grip,” Roy commented.

“Excuse me?” Elice asked. “He was fine until he got involved with all these girls, and I already have a grip.”

“You’ve completely lost it,” Roy informed her. “I know you’re upset but can’t you just deal with it and stop taking it out on him. Doesn’t he have enough problems?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Elice replied stubbornly.

“Yes, you do. You do this all the time. You get upset about one thing and take it out on something completely unrelated,” Roy said knowingly.

“Oh, do I?” Elice put her hand on her hip and looked scandalized.

“Yes,” Roy nodded.

Elice tried to retort but finally acceptance washed over her. “Yeah, I guess I do,” she replied in quiet defeat. She sat down, letting the realization sink in and looking suddenly shameful. “Since when did you become the voice of reason around here?” she asked with a weak smile.

“When you two lost your minds,” Roy retorted.

Elice sat looking cornered and guilty, knowing he was right. “I don’t mean to take it out on anyone,” she said half to herself.

“Can’t you just admit you need help and stop with this tough act?” Roy asked her.

“I don’t need any help!”

Roy’s eyes narrowed into an annoyed scowl. “Would you listen to yourself? You think you’ve got to save the world, but you can never admit that you might need help, even from someone who loves you,” he spoke to Elice in frustration. “I don’t want anything to happen to you. It’s not because I think you’re weak or incompetent or anything else. It’s because I love you, stupid! Can’t you just accept that?”

Elice stood looking sheepish for a moment.

“Why?” he asked, “Why won’t you let me help you?”

“Because if I admit I need help that means admitting that I’m afraid!” Elice burst. The instant she said it her face changed and instantly Roy could see her fear.

“I am afraid,” she confessed quietly. Roy put his arms around her and she let him hold her in silence for a moment.

“I know what’s going on,” she said fearfully. “Whoever that was, they didn’t want me dead. They wanted to take me- to take me away from here, to take me away from you. I don’t want it to happen again, Roy.”

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” he promised her.

Elice held him, trying to find comfort in his words. She wanted to believe him, but somewhere inside her fear continued to nag her: quiet but unrelenting.

Though Roy, characteristically, seemed to have forgotten anything had even happened by the next morning, both Marth and Elice were far more obstinate.

The brother and sister seldom fought, but when they did it seemed to drag on far beyond what it should. They both had a stubborn streak of pride that wouldn’t allow either of them to admit fault or apologize. Elice was fighting that now. Every so often she would decide that Roy was right, their argument was pointless. She would resolve to drop it she would spot Marth down the hall and he would turn the other way or ignore her as she passed and she would hold up a cold front, resolving that she would not acquiesce until he stopped acting childish.

Marth had withdrawn himself terribly, keeping almost completely isolated. He was rarely seen and he and Elice pointedly avoided speaking to each other. She couldn’t help but be furious with him, but only because she cared about him so much. She couldn’t stand what he was doing to himself and didn’t want to be a part of it. A little part of her was filled with resentment, watching him slip into isolation and spitefully thinking it was what he deserved because he had brought it on himself.

The greater part of her was filled with compassion for him because she knew this went far deeper than the final blowup between them. Thanks to Roy bringing her back to her senses she knew that her stubbornness had much more to do with her own fear and foolish pride than with anything Marth had said or done. She wanted to talk to him, to try to make him understand that he wasn’t alone and that she was still there for him.

For so long it had been the three of them: Marth, Roy and Elice, but over the last years it had changed. For years Marth had really been all Elice had had, her one pillar of strength and protection, her only family and her best friend. It had been that way for so long that it was hard to come to grips with this new reality. She no longer needed to lean on her brother with such singleness. She had Roy now. As she and Roy had grown closer she knew it only pushed Marth away, though she never meant it to. It was hard on him to feel like a third wheel, and it seemed easier for him, especially now, to simply stay away. She understood, but she wished it didn’t have to be this way. Marth had lost his best friend and his sister all at once. And now he no longer had Malon. She knew he was hurting and every time she saw him she was hit with a pang of pity for him.

In her heart she knew she should drop it, but she wasn’t sure how to do that now. It had been her attempt to show consideration for his feelings that angered him in the first place. She knew it was anger bred from his discomfort at feeling weak: she understood that now because she had done it herself. Marth and Elice were far more alike than either cared to admit at times, and it was their similarities that clashed, especially now. Once that realization hit her she knew he had been right. In her sensitivity she had neglected the fact that by shielding him she had inadvertently compromised his integrity. Now she didn’t know how to set things right.

As the days passed they were both beyond anger and their avoidance of each other was more due to shame than anything else. After a week of not speaking to each other at last Elice could take it no more and decided to yield to her better judgment. She would swallow her pride and talk to him.

She was waiting for him that afternoon as he came back from a meeting with a few of his top Captains. He saw her ahead and nearly changed direction, but something about her demeanor made him change his mind. He approached her slowly and then stopped beside her, looking up at her as she sat perched on the wall beside the path.

“Hi,” Elice said as casually as possible.

“Hi,” Marth replied.

“So,” she said awkwardly.

“I’m sorry,” Marth said simply.

“Hey,” Elice said with a crooked smile. “I was going to apologize, you can’t say it first!”

“Well, you were right, about a lot of things… and I’m sorry,” Marth went on. “You’re an adult and I shouldn’t try to run your life.”

“I should have given you more credit than I did,” Elice replied quietly now. “I was foolish to think I could make everything better by lying to you. You’re right; it isn’t up to me to protect you from reality. I owe you more than that, and I’m sorry.”

“Aw, isn’t this nice?” Roy suddenly appeared with an overly happy smile on his face. He drew them both into a tight hug. “We’re all sorry… except for me, because I didn’t do anything wrong, for once.”

“Enough of that,” Marth pushed him away, but he had a smile on his face for the first time in a long while. “Well, I have to say, with the way I reacted I only vindicated what you did, Elice.”

“Maybe a little,” Elice agreed with a grin, “but it doesn’t make what I did right. I was frustrated with the situation and I took it out on you. Apparently I have a habit of displacing my emotions.”

“Yeah, you do,” Marth nodded. “Where did you hear that from?”

“From me,” Roy said proudly.

“You said that?” Marth asked in amused disbelief.

“Well, not in so many words,” Roy replied casually, “but almost. I know a lot of things. I’m a lot smarter and sophisticated than people think.”

“Do you even know what ‘displace’ means?” Marth asked skeptically.

Roy looked flabbergasted for a moment but finally said defiantly, “That’s really not the point, now is it.”

“He’s right, Elice,” Marth went on, calmly and sincerely. “The point is that after all that’s happened it’s clear that you aren’t safe- obviously not even in the castle. I’ve posted guards everywhere, but if whoever it was got in once….”

“They can get in again,” Elice sighed resignedly.

“That’s not going to happen,” Roy said adamantly. “Why are you scaring her?”

“I’m not trying to scare her. I’m being candid about what we’re facing here,” Marth replied.

“That’s just it; we don’t know what we’re facing. So what are we supposed to do? We don’t know who it was or what they wanted,” Elice said.

“Then we’ll just have to find out. I’m not going to sit here and wait for you to be attacked again,” Marth said emphatically.

“What about you?” Roy raised his eyebrows. “They seem to want you too,” Roy pointed out.

“What?” Elice gasped. “When were you planning on telling me that little bit of information?”

“Right now, I suppose,” Marth shot Roy an irritated glance.

“Hey, I thought we were being honest with each other,” Roy shrugged.

“What do you think it’s all about?” Elice asked Marth, not able to hide the worry in her eyes.

“I don’t know, but we’ll find out,” Marth assured her. “In the mean time I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“You both say that, but you shouldn’t,” Elice said sadly. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”



******


Legault knew the consequences he would suffer if his instinct was wrong. Bringing an outsider into the innermost realm of the Black Fang headquarters could be considered treason. Even so, he was willing to take the chance. Something in his gut told him that this was one risk that would pay off.

“What is this?” the guard said, looking down at the low-hung face of the intruder that Legault was physically dragging towards the door.

“I need to see Kau,” Legault replied simply.

“You’re taking that into Kau?” the guard asked derisively.

“Yes,” Legault replied forcefully. “Now, let me through.”

“It’s your funeral,” the guard shrugged and allowed them passage.

Legault entered slowly, but kept his head held high. He knew that showing any signs of weakness to Kau would only make the situation worse. He dragged the half conscious man behind him, approached Kau and his wife, Kaliya, without hesitation. He stopped abruptly and thrust the man on the floor at their feet.

The man cringed and groaned, clutching his stomach and writhing in pain for a moment while Kau and Kaliya looked down at him in bewilderment.

“What is the meaning of this?” Kau asked finally. He was not a large man, but nonetheless there was a terrifying threat about him in everything that he did. His entire face was shielded by a shining silver mask fashioned like the face of a cobra with long, deadly fangs bared. Though his eyes could not be seen Legault could feel them on him: boring through him. The coldness in his voice, seemingly devoid of all emotion, sent a chill down the spine of all he spoke to, and when he spoke you listened. When he asked you a question you answered.

“I believe this man has some very pertinent information, Kau,” Legault explained quickly.

“Do you wish to die, Legault?” Kau asked calmly but terribly sincerely.

“No, Sir.”

“Your actions suggest otherwise.”

“This man was found lurking on our borders. We apprehended him but before we could dispose of him he started speaking of something very interesting- something I thought you might wish to hear,” Legault was trying to remain calm.

“There is no excuse for bringing an outsider here, Legault. I am disappointed in your carelessness. Unfortunately, his fate will now also be your own.”

“Kau, I implore you, I would not have broken the law so flippantly if I didn’t believe that there was an important reason to do so. I will admit I was skeptical at first, but he was questioned and stuck loyally to his story. I believe he is telling the truth. Just hear what he has to say and I promise that you will not regret it.”

Kau considered for a moment, then replied lowly, “Let him speak, then, and let you pray that he has something worthwhile to say.”

Legault felt a pang of relief. “Hey, you!” he shouted, kicking at the man who still lay squirming on the floor. “Get up!”

Legault grabbed the man by his long, blond hair and pulled him to his knees. “Speak! Tell him what you told me!”

The man stared up at Kau in silence for a moment, panting and trying to get his bearings. His entire face was beaten and covered in bruises and open sores. His eyes were black and blue, his cheek was split open on one side and he had a trickle of blood running from his lips.

“Speak!” Legault demanded, shaking the man violently.

“You haven’t found it yet, have you?” the prisoner asked through painful gasps of breath. “You’ve searched Aritia, you’ve even stolen into the Castle itself, but you haven’t found it. Marth doesn’t seem to have it, and his sister is empty-handed as well.”

“And just what am I looking for?” Kau asked impassively.

“Anri’s Emblem,” the man replied confidently, squinting up through is swollen eyes.

Legault’s eyes darted to Kau, hoping in vain for a reaction. Kau sat as stone-still as ever, making no sign of response.

“You have come here to tell me that I have not found something I already am aware I have not found,” Kau asked in aggravation. “You will have to do far better than that.”

“I came here to tell you that I know where it is, and I can get it for you,” the man said eagerly, a hungry look entering his ravaged countenance.

Kau looked down on him in an unnervingly tense silence that seemed to penetrate the captive man until he could bear it no longer.

Finally Kau spoke once more, “Where is it?” he asked.

“It is no longer in Aritia. The Prince of Aritia gave it away years ago, to a young woman who returned to her homeland with it. You are looking for the wrong person and you are searching in the wrong place,” the man teased.

“I am growing impatient with this. You will need to give me more than vague allusions,” Kau did not raise his voice but suddenly there was in it a terrible menace. “Tell me what you know now or you will find that all the information in the world will not save you from my wrath.”

“The Emblem is in Hyrule,” the man said quickly, “with the Hylian Princess, Zelda.”

“And how would you know this?” Kau questioned.

“I saw it with my own eyes. Marth gave the Emblem to the Hylian and I know that she returned to Hyrule soon after. If you have not yet found it in Aritia this would explain why.”

“And just why would the Aritian Prince give away something so invaluable to a girl of foreign origin and allow her to take it out of his borders?” Kau was skeptical but there was a hint of eagerness in his voice now.

“Because Marth is a great fool,” the man spat with open contempt, “and he has no idea what he had possession of or what he was doing when he so frivolously gave it away.”

“And I suppose you have an understanding of what it is,” Kau asked scornfully.

“I know what it is,” the man replied with quiet conviction.

“Why should I be expected to believe a word you say?” Kau asked.

“Because I am a desperate man,” he replied. “I know the penalty for invading the territory of the Black Fang. My desperation must give me some credence, for I would not have come here if unless I had nothing left to lose. My very life is all I have left with which to gamble, and so here I am. Kill me or not, what you seek is in Hyrule in the hands of their Princess.”

Kau was silent for a moment, mulling it over. “Who are you?” he asked.

“I once served Aritia as head of their army, rising in the ranks until I was once one step away from taking the throne before it was all taken away from me,” the beaten and ruined man said, looking up through strands of his matted, dirty hair. “My name is Alan.”

“You are Aritian, therefore you are our enemy,” Kau informed him.

“I am not Aritian,” Alan replied darkly. “But I was banished from my homeland. I am without loyalty to anyone but myself. I lost everything because of Marth and I would do anything to wreak vengeance upon him.” Alan was nearly shaking with fury. “He took everything from me, and I wish to repay the favor.”

“That is not our problem,” Kau replied lazily.

“I can be of great service to you,” Alan promised eagerly.

“I doubt that,” Kau replied.

“Nevertheless, his information may be of use to us,” Kaliya asked from beside him, her voice nearly as low as her husband’s.

“True. Guards!” he called. “Take him away,” Kau waved them off.

“What?” Alan gasped, struggling against his captors. “I have provided you with invaluable information. Give me another chance, Kau! I’m not what you think I am!”

“As of now you have no further use,” Kau replied. “If your information proves valuable we will reassess your worth, but for now you should be grateful I am allowing you to live. Believe me, if I find that you have wasted my time I will not hesitate to revoke my current leniency. Get him out of my sight.”

Two guards grabbed Alan roughly, dragging him once more from the room, Alan screaming and begging until the doors shut and his cries faded down the hall.

“Hyrule,” Kau sneered. “I might have known.”

“This news may be quite fortuitous,” Kaliya replied. “We may be able to kill two birds with one stone.”

“What do we know of their Princess?” Kau asked.

“That is the problem. She returned to her home for a time but our sources tell us that she fled Hyrule over a year ago and she has not been seen since,” Legault stepped in, glad that he had checked into the matter beforehand.

“Why, then, did she flee her own Kingdom?” Kaliya asked.

“Apparently she married a peasant and left the country with him,” Legault said. “There is absolutely no word on her current location. She seems to have disappeared.”

“No one disappears from the Black Fang,” Kau replied threateningly. “We have men in place in Hyrule?”

“Yes,” Legault nodded.

“Then we will move. Now,” Kau ordered. “We will simply take Hyrule sooner than we had originally planned.”

“But,” Legault couldn’t help but ask, “The Princess is not there and we have no word on her whereabouts.”

“Then it is time we persuaded the Princess of Hyrule to come out of hiding. I want to know everything there is to know about this girl. Find a weakness and exploit it,” Kau growled conclusively, and Legault knew better than to question further. “Call the Four Fangs. I want that Emblem now, and if it takes the Hylian Princess to get it then so be it. Find her now- and by any means necessary.”

******