Between Timelines: A Legend of Zelda Fanfic

Chapter 11

We stand in silence for a minute or two, processing what has just happened, before Yunobo pulls himself together, regaining some of the color in his face.

"We should get to somewhere safer," he says, shifting his attention to the knocked out Yiga woman on the passage floor, "and we need to deal with that."

While he's busy tying up the unconscious Yiga soldier with some old rope we found, I sit on a stone bench and assess the situation we're in. We have no food, no water, no way of contacting our friends, no idea where Link is, and on top of all of that, this city is swarming with people who want us dead. Great.

Wanting to think of something else, I shift my attention to the cavernous space we're in. There's a small fountain in the center of the room, but a crack in the sandstone floor reveals the wells that run underneath the town. A small goddess statue sits against one wall, serene in the light of the flickering torches. Rounded archways lead off into different parts of the emergency shelter, and carvings and murals paint the (slightly crumbling) walls.

Yunobo drags the soldier so she's sitting against the wall, her head lolling slightly to the side. Then he sits across from me, looking dejected and tired.

"So this is how I die," he says, matter of factly.

"No," I assure him, barely keeping the panic from creeping into my own voice, "no, it's not. Purah and Sidon- they know where we are. They'll find the kids and the others and come to get us. We'll be okay."

"Look," he says, standing up and beginning to pace frustratedly, "we have avoided death too many times to get lucky right now. This whole time, we've just... ignored how bad this really is. There are hundreds, maybe thousands of people being held hostage. Who knows how many have died? We have to realize: we are not going to be okay."

His face is stony, unwavering. He's right, of course. There's almost no probability I'll be alive after this is all over. I feel tears begin to gather in the corners of my eyes. I'm going to die.

Suddenly, I stand up, ignoring the pain jolting up my leg. Maybe I won't make it through this, but the others will. I'll make sure of it.

"Then let's stop relying on luck," I say firmly, turning towards the entrance to the shelter, "let's do something about it."

I march towards the exit of the cavern, feeling blood begin to run through the bandage on my leg. Those are going to need stitches. Yunobo appears by my side, huffing.

"Wait, Zelda!" he cries, "I know we need to do something, but maybe not this thing, okay? You're hurt. You're obviously the princess. You can't just go up there!"

"I can," I reply, grabbing a dusty brown cloak off of some storage crates, down here for who knows how long, and draping it over myself, "I can, and I will. I'm not letting my friends get hurt anymore."

He grabs my arm, stopping my forward momentum and sending me off balance for a second. I stumble a bit, before swaying and collapsing into his arms.

"For the love of Hylia, Zelda! You're bleeding again!" he groans, "why didn't you say anything? And what were you thinking?! You can't even make it out of this cave, let alone save everyone else in this state!" he huffs, taking in my condition and looking grim, "you're looking way too pale, that's going to need some more serious medical attention."

He turns to help me back towards a more secluded part of the shelter, where I could sit and rest, when we hear voices from above us, coming from the direction of the secret entrance.

I pale even more, fear making my heart beat quickly in my chest. I try not to breathe as Yunobo quietly leads us back to our tiny hiding space, the Yiga soldier still tied against the wall. Anni found reinforcements, I think to myself, and she's come back to finish us. Yunobo places a finger to his lips, and somehow I still my body even more, bleeding gash long forgotten.