Owned

Chapter Three: Trapped

Link woke up on a cold stone floor, every muscle screaming in protest at the slightest hint of movement.

Not that he had expected it, but Ganondorf certainly hadn't been kind.

Over the past 24 hours, they had tried to beat the information out of him, and he discovered the hard way that he was right in assuming that he couldn't make a single violent move against Ghirahim.

Still, he hadn't given them the information. And so they had knocked him out and tossed him into a cell, where he would wait until the Hylian army discovered he had been captured and moved to rescue him.

Through a small window the former Hero noticed that night was falling. Had he been asleep that long? Last he knew, it was some ungodly hour of the morning. Now, crickets had started to chirp, although they were barely audible over the ruckus of the nocturnal monsters wandering the dungeons.

Link was about to get up onto his feet, if only to ease his tense muscles, when his back suddenly flared with such an intense pain that he let out a cry, curling into a fetal position when it continued to burn, more and more intensely.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" came the desperate cries of a voice other than his own, piercing his skull with its sharpness. "I won't fail you again. Please, my lord - "

Begging was interrupted with screaming, and Link covered his ears, gritting his teeth and making whimpering noises as his back attempted to burn itself off - but nothing silenced the sounds of agony that he realized belonged to his master.

And then it was quiet.

All sound had dissipated, and still Link laid in the corner, his breathing heavy, his heart pounding against his chest. He eventually sat up and rested his head on his knees, but he didn't move from his position. Ghirahim had been punished, he knew. Punished because he didn't know who had the Triforce.

The strangest thing was that Link felt kind of bad - but he imagined that was because he, too, was forced to experience the pain.

He leaned his head back against the wall and shut his eyes. Sleep. He wanted sleep. He didn't want to deal with any of this. He lightly shook his head as the darkness overtook him, warding off his senses.

Morning came, and judging by the silence, all of the monsters had been sent out to deal with the Hylian soldiers which had undoubtedly arrived by now.

Link valiantly hoped that Zelda had a backup plan if anything went wrong, as he knew it would, and that Ganondorf didn't.

"I see you're awake," Ghirahim greeted in a surprisingly cheerful manner. "Up the stairs you go! I have an escort awaiting your arrival."

Link discovered quickly that Volga was that escort. The dragon knight roughly grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him along the route, grumbling about not being out on the battlefield until he had guided Link to Ghirahim.

Finally they arrived at the demon's side, and without another word Volga took to the skies, burning down leagues of soldiers. Link winced just watching him, so instead turned to glance at Ghirahim. He pretended not to notice the cut on his cheek.

"I don't think I have to bind your hands," Ghirahim hummed. "In fact, I'm hoping I won't have to."

Ganondorf made a 'hmph' noise. "At least hold your blade to his throat. Don't make it too obvious that he can't do anything against you."

Ghirahim dipped his head, and Link let out a tiny sigh as the metal rested against his throat. He was so physically tired that he honestly didn't care what happened to him, as long as his allies made it out alive.

"Tell me who has the Triforce of Courage."

"It's - " He stopped. "I won't!"

Ghirahim sighed. "Determined little human."

"Try harder next time," Ganondorf insisted before leaving the battlefield.

Ghirahim fiddled with a lock of Link's hair absently. "And now we wait. How long do you think it's going to take them to get here?"

"A little less than ten minutes if Sheik and Impa are both on the front lines," Link replied automatically, letting out an exasperated sigh paired with a curse after he spoke.

"Who is Sheik?"

Link managed to alter the words he was going to say by telling Ghirahim the lie that Zelda had given him. "A member of the Sheikah tribe."

"Why are they so important?"

"Brilliant tactically and quick in battle."

"What weapon?"

"A harp."

"Who has the Triforce of Courage?"

"I'm not going to tell you."

Ghirahim cursed, allowing his blade to form a shallow cut on Link's neck. "Keep resisting, slave, but you can only last so long."

"I know," Link replied before growing silent once again.

Those ten minutes passed in a breeze, and before too long Ghirahim, Link, Sheik, and Impa were the only ones in the enemy base. Some Hylian guards awaited with trembling knees outside.

"I have your Hero," Ghirahim stated casually.

Sheik made a small, frustrated noise, his grip tightening around the harp he held. Impa drew her broadsword, prepared to battle.

"My guess is that you want him back, but I can't tell. Are all of you mute?"

Link locked gazes with Sheik and shook his head barely enough to notice, mouthing the words, 'run, please' to him.

"No, we're not mute," the disguised princess said foolishly. "We're here for Link, and we will get him. You can't kill him any more than we could. Without him, we have no reason not to kill you right now."

Ghirahim chuckled. "Without him, you have no Hero. You have no one to wield the Master Sword for you. You have far more at stake than we do."

Sheik said nothing in response, rolling his eyes and absently plucking at his harp, waiting for Ghirahim to lose his cool, Link was sure.

It wouldn't happen.

He lifted his hand to the sword, pushing it just a centimeter away from his throat. "Run," he told them, much to their surprise.

"Not so fast, Linky." Link shut his eyes and cursed as the sword was pulled away and sheathed. "The playdate has only just begun. Draw your sword."

"N-no." He clenched both hands into fists, but the left one was so close to the scabbard.

"I said draw your sword."

Link cried out as the script on his back started to burn, compelling him. Still he resisted, but his fingers had started to uncurl. Sheik and Impa took a few steps forward.

"Do as I say!" Ghirahim snarled, and the Master Sword came out of its scabbard, held shakily in a tired hand.

At this point, Impa took a step back instead, but Sheik stayed still.

"What have you done?" the princess demanded of Ghirahim.