It was raining outside. A heavy downpour the likes of which Hyrule hadn't seen in years. Hidden behind dark clouds, the sun descended upon the kingdom and the Eastern and Western drawbridges were raised as was the daily routine. While the wind continued to howl as it passed between the streets, the patrolling guards struggled to keep their footing on the wet pavement. Many were unfortunate and were swept off their feet as they made their rounds through the empty streets. As night set in, the city seemed strangely empty until candle light began to fill the many homes within the Blue District, and the capital was alive again.

The inclement weather had forced most shops and businesses to close early. Relieved of work or duties, many citizens made their way to the only place that didn't close--The taverns that seemed to lie on every other block. While the weather worsened the light and laughter coming from inside only grew. No doubt many hoped to wait out the storm over a pint, but it was becoming growingly apparent that the rain would not let up any time soon.

"Last I heard the queen was due any day now. Do you think the rain will delay the king?" A Hylian whispered at a table. "You'd think he'd want to be there for that." The rest of the table shrugged and went to their drinks.

It was true, the King hadn't been seen in the capital for several months. Following the peace treaty that ended the Gerudo-Hylian war, King Rolo turned from his Queen and returned home, in Hateno Village. After the announcement of the frail Zelda's pregnancy, many had expected the king's return, but he remained as silent as ever. It wasn't until the due date approached that any news of the King surfaced in the Castle-Town. Rolo was returning to his Queen, and he was accompanied by his veteran forces.

As the rain poured from the gutters and ran down the streets, a faint voice filled your head. As the message continued, the words became more clear, and it was as if you were sitting beside the speaker.

"Help me... my name is Zelda... I have gone into labor within the castle, and I fear I won't survive. My husband is not to be trusted. Please, come to me. There is an old well hidden behind Telma's Bar in the green district that passes beneath the castle's walls. Friends await you there." Not knowing if the voice was a dream or reality, you step into the rain and forbidding darkness...and the Legend of Zelda begins.

---

The rain was actually rather nice, if not just a little too rough for Dekkunda's liking. He had burrowed into a free grassy spot within the town after he fled across the bridge from the falling sun. The guards had picked and poked at him a bit, but the Deku were on the side of the Hylians; So they eventually let him pass as to not cause too much of an issue. The fields could be quite terrifying during the night, and the small scrub didn't want anything to do with potential monsters or threats that loomed outside the town walls.

He sighed, feeling the water soak into his wooden skin, and freshen the leaves that grew from him. More rain like this and he'd have to start falling: Falling being a more polite version of "Rub yourself against a hard surface like an idiot trying to get your leaves to fall off". Becoming too bushy would greatly harm his mobility, which was dangerous. It was times like this he wish he had arms: He could just pluck them off himself once he grew out too much, even if it hurt a little. But instead he had to do stupid, primitive things to solve his issues. Or wait until the weather was cold, which would take too long.

He'd been traveling for a few weeks now: It had been difficult getting this far on his own, but a quick skidaddle and a few well-placed shots from his natural deku-nut spitting talent he had managed to find his way to decent civilization: He was terrified hiding out in the fields each night, it was about time he had gotten a proper night in a safe haven. Most hid inside from the rain, which left it fairly quiet outside for him. He was kind of scared to interact with people after he'd been messed with at the bridge; Scrubs like him weren't meaningful to anybody, it seemed.

It made going inside anywhere not feel like an option, like he'd just find more trouble. While he didn't regret his choices, he did miss the safety of the Deku Palace. Sure he was treated as a runt, but at least they were his people: People who he had occasionally earned respect from for his intelligence and quick movement. He wasn't sure how the Princess was doing now, but figured the Deku King might have lightened his aggression towards her after the attempted 'kidnapping'. So she'd be safe until he was strong enough to come back.

But that strength was something he was still worried about, as finding it wasn't as simple as he thought weeks ago. He decided to try and focus on the positives: Such as the King not issuing any apparent hunt for him after what he had done: Deku tended to handle Deku matters, so at least he wouldn't have to panic about random people trying to snatch him up for some kind of reward.

As he rested, something began to ring in his head: At first, it wasn't clear enough for him to understand. But as it continued, it became ever so clear: As if whoever was speaking to him was underneath the earth like he was. The words he heard: About Zelda, the Princess of Hyrule, and how she had gone into labor, caused his yellow, glowing eyes to glow with life. He popped out of the ground as if someone had plucked him like a turnip; Glancing about in confusion.

"H-Hello?!" He called out, confused. He winced as the sky boomed, and the voice in his head kept going. The king wasn't to be trusted, and she could potentially die? Why was he hearing this? He was just some Deku Scrub planted in the ground, not a hero to stage such a rescue mission!

That being said, the voice had said he'd find friends at the well. Behind a bar in the green district, called... Telma's?

Dekkunda quickly waddled through the wet streets, glancing about in the storm. The water was deep enough that he left a little trail effect as he went along, his small legs trying their hardest to take him towards his destination. He hadn't much of a clue where he was going, until he saw a sign: Hylian wasn't his specialty by a long-shot, but for foreigners the signs were thankfully color-coded for convenience. This allowed him to dart along faster.

However, once he reached the Green District, the Deku had encountered a bit of an issue. The bar... Telma's. He was having difficulty finding it, going so fast he was thinking he might have passed it. He had wasted a bit of time, but the bar hadn't been as difficult to find as he had first expected.

Due to the amount of time he took, however, others coming towards the green district were probably already able to see him waddling along across the path, towards the backside of the bar. His reasoning not clear...

The Green District was located in the North East portion of Castle Town. In the slums the streets were even less lively than before. There were fewer guards, and the buildings weren't as well lit. If this wasn't the capital, one might of assumed the place was abandoned. It always seemed strange how the closer one got to the castle walls the worse off everything seemed to be, and Telma's Bar was in the least friendly neighborhood, built directly against the corner of Castle-Town's outer most wall.

While not unheard of, a lone Deku this hour of night was a rare sight in the green slums. As the moving vegetation scurried back and forth through the streets as if on a mission, it attracted the unwanted attention of the locals who peered at the creature from dark windows and crudely built shanties. Dekkunda would likely glimpse a few of these unfriendly faces as he looked for Telma's bar deep in the Green District. Odd enough, the bar wasn't lit up like the taverns in the other districts, and there were no signs of any business. If someone tried to open the door, they would find that it was tightly locked. Neighboring buildings appeared equally uninviting, but they created a dark alley for one to get behind the bar. Behind the bar was less exciting. There was a wooden back door that was also locked and a muddy ground surrounded by thick shrubbery. Though the rain was doing a good job of washing away any footprints, it was clear that someone had been sleeping out here, most likely a drunk or tramp. The proprietress of this bar wasn't doing much to maintain its grounds.

Due to the rain and lighting, Dekkuna was unaware of the tail he had picked up a few blocks back. Perhaps by fate, he was fortunate that the giant Turok was watching from the street after finding the business closed.

"What do we have here?" A cold voice spoke after Dekkuna trapped himself in the alley. Even in the storm, the Deku could tell that this 'friend' was filthy. And Hylian. Wasting no time, the man pulled a knife and began walking towards the little scrub. "Whatever you have, hand it all over. Now. And Scram before I kill you."

Lesina

Green District
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The armor she was so happy to wear lost its luster during the long hours of the night, especially in a drizzle like tonight. The Knight shifted her posture, adjusting her feet in the lightly armored boots she had grown accustomed too. Rainwater fled from the gutters in a frenzy; making their homes in every hidden crack and crevice of the brick paths until finally coalescing into inconvenient puddles. The giant of a woman found herself looking into the runoff at her reflection. Though disturbed by the constant feed of rain, the girl could make out her image clearly in her head. As if looking through the visor helmet that covered her face, she lifted the visor to reveal her amber eyes. Underneath her face-shield, she frowned long before flipping the helmet back into position and steadying her position. Suddenly, her ears picked up the sound of scurrying...."Short, stubby legs, but very fast." she thought to herself.

"Lesina?" another guard asked, looking in the direction that the scurrying had come from.

"I'm on it. Stay posted until either I return or orders from Gerald come to you. Surely you can handle guarding the gate at this hour of the night." The Knight replied, moving swiftly to follow the footsteps from before. "Probably just another thief." she muttered to herself. As she moved down the alleyway Lesina began to feel a ringing in her ears. It sounded like a whisper at first, but then became clear as day. Attempting to stay focused, Lesina stopped only briefly before continuing on her trail.

"Help me... my name is Zelda... I have gone into labor within the castle, and I fear I won't survive. My husband is not to be trusted. Please, come to me. There is an old well hidden behind Telma's Bar in the green district that passes beneath the castle's walls. Friends await you there."

It was definitely Zelda's voice. Lesina had heard it many times before, but the King...he couldn't be trusted? Impossible. The King was the one who wanted to exterminate the Gerudo! It was Zelda's softness that allowed the sand-dwellers to survive the war and cling to their wretched lives. Lesina balled her hands into fists as she moved down the alleyway. Before she could think anymore, she came across something common--a mugging from the sounds of it. The distant voices were somewhat muffled by the rain. She'd dealt with many before. Glancing her surroundings quickly, she realized that the location was none other than Telma's Bar. A Goron peered down the path leading behind the bar where the mugging was taking place. Deciding that the Goron wasn't a threat, Lesina moved into action.

"Halt!" Lesina commanded, entering the area. It appeared that a Hylian was robbing a much smaller, weaker Hylian from Lesina's point of view. She brandished her sword, catching it ablaze with Demon's Brand. The rain attempted to suffocate the flames, but they were so intense that they instead sizzled upon contact, creating a violent hissing noise.

As the thief stalked towards the Deku, he himself had become the unknowing target of another. An individual in travel clothes, hooded cloak concealing the majority of his features with the exception of his lower face revealing his perceived Hylian heritage. The appearance of a traveler, greatly contrasting the elegant cane he carried in his left hand. A tool not needed in assistance to aid in this man's nearly quiet walking. He moved quick and without notice through the rainy night, not even caring as the downpour drenched him. The darkness doing nothing to the man's perception at this late hour as he searched for the destination which he was summoned too.

"Oh how the quality of scum and villainy declines during times of peace."

Even in the Realm of Light, there were idiots who thought if they had a small blade they're invincible. Guess Zwei shouldn't be surprised as he watched the scene play out from nearby. It had been over a week since his exile from the Realm of Twilight, and he was already realizing the difference between both worlds while taking note of the similarities they shared.

Oh how he missed the simplicity of his life back home in the palace. Waking up first thing in the eve of perpetual twilight, reviewing his experiments brewing overnight, documenting the results, preparing the daily experiments, and finally attending the meetings throughout the day. They were always uninteresting affairs of politics, but the silver lining within made every meeting worth it. Just to be graced with the beauty of the Twilight Princess and her charming smile made it seem the land shinned with unnatural light.

Only made Zwei feel like scum when he caused her such anger and distress over his actions. He deserved this punishment, it was of his own doing and he deserved to be sent here in this land that was attempting to kill him every second with its painful light. He wanted to atone for his crime against her majesty, he needed to see her smile again. Maybe it was for that reason fate chose to give him an additional task. The queen of this land had summoned him, and others it would seem. This Zelda needed them to protect her child against her husband? Why would a mother/queen need the future heir protected from the father/king?

Oh this sounded like an interesting tale he would get the opportunity to partake in.

"So big guy?" Zwei made his presence to Turok known as he stood next to the Goron while leaning on his Cane of Twilight. "Did a voice in your head bring you this way as well?" he asked casually.

---

It's good to watch the rain from a dry standpoint.

A dark red umbrella, a bit rough around the edges but still sound, gave a steady pitter-patter under the watery onslaught of the sky. The slim reeds forming its frame spun in a circle as the man beneath it twirled the handle with a flick of his wrist. The man took a deep breath through his nose and enjoyed the scent of fresh rain and cold wind. The hem of his cloak and robes hung heavy with water and his boots splashed through the puddles, but he still had a cheerful spring to his step.

"Good evening!" The man turned his scruffy chin to call out as he passed a weary guard out on patrol. The guardsman's hood and poncho shed rivulets as he hunched his shoulders against the wind.

"Very funny, traveler. What business are you on that's got you in such a sunny mood?"

"If you believe sunshine brings happiness, good sir, you have never danced in the rain!" The traveler chuckled, then bowed. "But I'm merely a wanderer, sir. Came into town this evening shortly before the bridges went up."

"Be wantin' lodgings, then?" The soldier hugged himself to ward off the chill. "Most of the inns are in the Red District. Might find somethin' cheap in the Green District's dive bars, but watch your purse."

"Many thanks, my friend!"

"Welcome to it, friend drifter. I'll leave you to your dancing." The guardsman sneezed, then headed off down the street--but noticeably with a little less burden in his own step. "Dancing in the rain, huh? Maybe..."

The drifter turned to follow the signs towards the Green District...

"Help me... my name is Zelda... I have gone into labor within the castle, and I fear I won't survive. My husband is not to be trusted. Please, come to me. There is an old well hidden behind Telma's Bar in the green district that passes beneath the castle's walls. Friends await you there."

The drifter stopped dead in his tracks, one hand tightening its grip on the umbrella while the other immediately went under his cloak. But as he slowly exhaled, his amber-gold eyes canvassing the street, nothing save the wind and water moved. No mouth had carried that voice. Perhaps magic, then? Or perhaps his imagination? But no, the words were too clear, and how could he have ever known that a well behind this tavern of Telma's disguised a secret passage into the royal castle? Magic it was. So Zelda--the Queen--did not trust her lord husband, and had called him...for what? To save her? To go to her? Why? Did she think her husband posed her some threat for some reason?

Never say "no" to adventures.

But he did not need to go to Telma's, just to the well behind it. Perhaps it would be in a yard, or an alleyway. But going from street to street, following these signs, seemed it might be confusing and consuming of his time. The drifter ducked into an alleyway, and soon found a few barrels where someone kept their garbage. Testing the lid with one hand first, he then hopped atop it--and from there to the lip of the rooftop. He held his umbrella in one hand, still managing to keep himself dry, while his other supported his body weight. With a grunt and a flex of his core, he swung his legs up, then back and around again, before flipping himself up onto the fired clay shingles.

With a lighter, quieter, swifter step, the wanderer headed along rooftops and rafters, over beams and awnings. At one point, in the alleyway down below he spied quite the kerfuffle. It seemed someone had been attempting to mug...a child? A child in a play costume of leaves? No, wait. That was probably one the wooden creatures called a Deku Scrub. How interesting! But the Knights of Hyrule were on the case, doing their kingdom proud--or at least one of them was. She challenged the ne'er-do-well with a flashing sword. And there were two more people watching across the street. Thieves didn't like officers of the law or witnesses, so it seemed the fool would either spend the night in a cell, or take off running if he knew what was good for him. So the drifter didn't bother with that for the moment.

Under the shadows of the storm, he made his way over the roof of the buildings adjacent to Telma's Bar--which seemed like it had gone quite to the dogs as of late. He wondered if the place still did any actual business. But sure enough, a back yard full of untrimmed hedges and uncut grass sat in a small lot behind the dilapidated tavern. The swordsman hopped down off the lowest part of the wall, bending his knees to absorb the short fall.

"Now, if I were a well with a hidden passage, where might I be...?" He brushed one thumb across the stubby whiskers on his chin as he walked around the muddy ground, giving his umbrella a few more lazy spins...

"Another round over here!"


"Sorry Uncle Ingo!"

The Lon Lon Tavern was a hub of activity, even moreso given the heavy rains of the night. Music filled the air as musicians played their instruments in a small corner stage, while busy barmaids ran back and forth serving drinks and food to townsfolk and travelers alike- spilling drinks and celebrating loudly in equal parts. Candles and torches bore on overhead chandeliers hung well above the reach of most people to avoid accidents, and gave a dim but warm glow to the fine dark woods of the tavern itself.

As the people celebrated, a small head of hair bobbed as it weaved back and forth between the tables, spinning without much a care in the world. Malon had decided that the rain was too heavy and treacherous for them to return home in, so the sisters had decided to spend the night at their uncle Ingo's tavern. The Lon Lon Tavern had been opened by Ingo about a decade ago- Talon and Ingo, while close friends, did not get along when it came to how to run businesses, so for the sake of their friendship, Ingo had decided to leave for Castle Town and start his own business. With Talon's blessings, Ingo decided to name the tavern after the famed beauty of Talon's daughter Malon, and the name brought many a folk to its doors.

Malon herself sat at the corner of the bar, conversing with one of the barmaids as she ignored the attentions of some half-dozen suitors, While Ingo wiped at the bar, mugs, and his forehead with the same dirty rag. Phanna was technically helping, carrying plates full of drinks and food to the various tables around the tavern, but from her vantage point she could never tell which table was which, and ended up delivering food and drink to the wrong table more than half of the time, only for another barmaid to swoop in at the last minute and redirect the refreshments to its correct destination. No one seemed to care that much though- all the patrons were drunk and having a good time, and business was going so well that Ingo could entertain his nieces for at least a little while.

Phanna had just finished her 3rd fully successful delivery of food and drinks when Zelda's voice came ringing through her head. Or at least, she thought it was Zelda, the voice said it was Zelda didn't it? Skipping over to where her adoptive sister was, she tugged at Malon's hand, drawing her somewhat bored attention away from yet another suitor.

"Oh, Phanna, how are you little one?" Malon asked warmly. Since discovering that her adoptive sister was in fact a centuries old, Malon had opted to call her 'little one', referencing Phanna's size, as opposed to little sister, which just felt weird at this point. Though, despite Phanna's age, she definitely still acted like a little sister.

"Queen Zelda is a good person right?" Phanna asked, her head cocking slightly to the side.

"Oh, uh well of course she is!" Malon replied, her eyebrows arching in confusion and curiosity.

"So we should listen to what she says right?" Phanna said as a follow up question.

"Well yes, I should sure hope so. Phanna what- Ah, coming uncle!" Malon's attention wavered for a moment as she turned to look at her uncle. By the time she returned her gaze, Phanna had already left.

---

The Green district was Castle Town's slum- though Phanna was blissfully unaware of any potential dangers, skipping brazenly down the center of the street through the rain. Though her travel clothes had a hood, she didn't bother wearing it, enjoying the feeling of the rain against her skin. Long had she traded the signature green garb of the kokiri, for the red, blues and browns of typical hylian garb. Now, she appeared like any other Hylian child, as opposed to an ageless kokiri.

Not knowing where Telma's Bar was in the Green District, it wasn't long before Phanna was completely lost. Luckily, a bout of commotion nearby helped her find her way. There were already several people at or around the bar. A big ole goron and a skinny man stood across the street, while a lady with a flaming sword spoke to a bush. There was also a blonde hylian lady who also wore armor, but this one was emblazoned with the crest of Hyrule, marking her as a guard.

Trotting straight up to the guard lady, Phanna craned her neck upwards to get a look at the woman. "Hi miss! Queen Zelda told me to find the well behind Telma's bar. Do you know where that is?"

In a flurry, the mugger found himself surrounded. Turning to face the glowing knight behind him, the lowlife took a well trained defensive stance. For a brief moment, he looked prepared to fight his way out, but before he could strike he was interrupted by a stray crossbow bolt.

*Swoosh*

Under the heavy rain and wind combined with the commotion in the alley, it was doubtful anyone could hear the heavy bolt of the backdoor unlatch. Stepping into the rain, a tall, shapely figure emerged with a crossbow in hand. As she rounded the corner, the features of a middle-aged gerudo woman became apparent to the party before she fired a shot between the two. "The next shot won't miss." She warned everyone in her alley. Realizing he was outnumbered, and out classed the mugger dropped his knife. "You're interrupting our poker game. Now scram!"

Reluctantly, everyone had to let the man go through. There was an important mission to be had, and there was no time to go turn in this scum. Once the street was finally clear of any locals, Telma gave a big wink to the misfit party as she gestured for the group to follow her through the back door, nearly tripping over the shrub that seemed to have just sprouted up over night. And why did that magician summon a boulder in the alley? "C'mon, friends," She announced to everyone, barely noticing the dressed shadow that had just scaled the wall. "Lets get out of this rain."

"Was he trying to drop the boulder on him?" Telma muttered beneath her breath.

As the group began to pour in, the Barkeeper left the back door open, letting the cool air into the bar, and leaving the room inviting to anyone else who had heard the message from the Queen.

Durahans Bilko could hardly be considered a lucky man, but today so far had been excellent in these last days. He had found some decent shelter by the rain in the cobbled streets, thanks to a few broken barrels that sat outside one of the many seedy bars in the part of this city. It wasn't a bed, but at least the rats weren't too aggressive. Also he had found a big chunk of slightly mouldy bread! That was quite the finding for someone like him. He would be able to eat for a whole night and day with just that!

Just as he was about to have the first unsavoury bite of the the half rotten food, he had gotten a telepathic message from someone. Well, he assumed it was a telepathic message. It had all the right hallmarks of the right type of supernatural power. It made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

"Help me... my name is Zelda... I have gone into labor within the castle, and I fear I won't survive. My husband is not to be trusted. Please, come to me. There is an old well hidden behind Telma's Bar in the green district that passes beneath the castle's walls. Friends await you there."

Bilko waited for a few moments to process the message. Some powerful mage lady was giving birth. And she was asking him, Bilko, out of all people to help. He looked at his bread, his features scrunching up with dejection. "I can't even have dinner...i want to have my dinner first." He muttered to himself as he sighed. "Well, at least I wasn't mugged or stolen or eaten for rats. Also that Zelda name is familiar for some reason." He added, popping his head out of the barrel like a ferret pops his head out of its hole, looking left and right. So he wasn't the only one? Well, he felt slightly relieved. It was a varied group. That means everyone would be at fault when things went wrong and not just the silly self of Bilko.

He was even lucky in that regard. Telma's Bar was just right next to the refuse garbage he had taken as a residence, so he stepped into the light, trying to shake off some refuse bits that clung together. He addressed what was probably Telma or at least a gerudo worker of hers with the most dignified way he could. He failed miserably.

"Hi um, lady. I also got that message. I um, Ghost business is no good so I will help to get babies for food. That didn't sound right. I mean...uh". He paused for a second in hesitation. It was then when the hugest rat he had ever seen bolted like a black shadow from the deepest corners of the alley and snatched his ill-gotten mouldy bread.

"My dinner!" He squeaked. "How can I go adventuring without mouldy bread now?"

"I suppose it depends..." Zwei mused after a short silence, while the giant seemed friendly he had trouble understanding the figures of speech the Goron was using to express his views on the situation. This large rock of a fellow must be one of these 'friends' her majesty spoke of when she contacted him. That was valuable information to the Twili, because now he could further evaluate the situation. The Queen must have impressive magic abilities in comparison to the Twilight Princess if she was able to contact multiple individuals simultaneously. Regardless if it was by specific selection or random choice, it could be considered the child will inherit this same talent. Perhaps that was the reason she needed strangers to come to her aid? No, there had to be a process to isolate candidates to avoid any questionable people from doing her highness harm. If this hammer wielding giant of an individual, himself, and the others arriving on the scene were any indication...there had to be more to each of them than what met the average eye. As the scene defused with the dark skinned woman shooing the would be thief away, Zwei raised a brow as she ushered everyone present inside.

"I believe its about 'to hit the fan' fairly soon. However we shouldn't keep the lady waiting, else we may miss the chance to " Zwei said with a curious smile as he tapped the Goron on the arm with the back of his hand before lifting his cane up and waltzing towards the tavern.

"Evening ladies, gentlemen and humble plant man." He said casually strolling past the guards, Kokiri and the Deku Scrub as he walked. Due to his short time in the Realm of Light, he wasn't entirely sure what to call the little plant and hoped if it was offensive, his cheerful and friendly presentment would counter it. However as he was about to head in...

"My dinner! How can I go adventuring without moldy bread now?"

Zwei stopped and spun on the heels of his feet to Bilko, a puzzled look beneath his hood at the sight of the boy. He had the aura of a wizard, the Twili could sense the magic radiating off of him despite his dirty physical appearance. He was a curious little resoivor of this land's magic power and no doubt another odd misfit summoned by the royalty. By the sound of it, he hadn't eaten for some time either if he was resorting to such poor choice in sustenance. Parting his cloak to reveal his arms also coated in the illusion to make him appear as a Hylian, he grasped at the small pouch secured to his belt. Undoing the string to keep it bound, the opening stretched wider than what should have been for looked like an average coin purse. Reaching the entirety of his arm into the bag he pulled out a loaf of bread that was in far better condition than that which the rat had stolen.

"Here, now the rat can cry as he missed out on the better choice" Zwei said with a smile while handing it to Bilko. Zwei himself didn't have much in the way of rations, but it was clear he was not going to take no for an answer as he already tied his magic satchel shut. The first rule of magic was that you needed to provide energy to fuel the spell. Which almost always came from the caster's body. At least now this little guy wouldn't be trying to use his abilities on an empty stomach and tax himself further.

Not to mention it was also spreading that which the Twilight Princess always tried to instill into her subjects. Be kind to others and they may show you how kind in return they can be.

"Now if you will excuse me, mysterious voice in my head asked me to come here. The nice barkeep asked us all to come in, and it would be folly to upset a woman who offers her kindness." he said and with that twirled his cane and turned to enter the tavern.

SIbela turned, the voice of a child apparent in the current mess of a storm.

The blonde-haired hylian wasn’t sure what to make of it, but a child lost in the middle of the night was something she would’ve prioritized either way. When the small child spoke of Telma’s Bar a chill dropped down her back. Had the Queen requested help from a child as well as herself? Things were beginning to become too coincidental to shrug it off as her jumping to conclusions. What possible attributes or skills could the small child before her have to the Queen of Hyrule? To fight against the castle’s knights and the King’s personal retainers? But who was Sibela to question the queen?

“Yes. Follow me.” Sibela responded kindly, though she was unsure why she had. It wasn’t exactly her first instinct to do so.

Moments later, the two of them were ‘greeted’ by Telma and ushered into the building. Sibela crossed her arms as she entered, leaning back against the nearest wall, foot pressed against the stone and timber with a concerned expression on her face.

“Telma.” She uttered. “Why am I not surprised you have a stake in all of this?”

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

*Swoosh*

The sudden bolt caught Lesina off-guard. Her head turned to face the direction it'd come from...it was a Gerudo woman. Beneath her visor, the Knight's brow furrowed in frustration. Reluctantly, she sheathed her sword and watched momentarily as the Hylian mugger scurried away. It wasn't justice to let a criminal get off so easily, but more important matters were at hand. As Telma invited the assembling party into her shanty shack, Lesina noticed the group that had assembled, watching as they began to move for the door. A Goron, a sickly-looking robed man, a child, a Guard, and a strange, ragged-clothed boy were present. She heard murmurs from the others of Princess Zelda. Once she found an opportunity the giant of a woman also stepped inside.

"So it seems that not only has Zelda's softness allowed sand-dwellers to so freely operate in our Kingdom, but it's also allowed her to assemble a rag-tag group of Hylians and sub-humans to operate as her rescue?" Lesina scoffed, flipping her visor up to look long on Telma. Her amber eyes would likely reveal her Gerudo heritage, but the Knight thought of herself as only Hylian. "I suppose if this is all her majesty can assemble, then it will have to do." She said, turning her eyes to Sibela.

"At least there's another good Hylian here to aid us." the Knight finished, nodding her head forward to flip the visor back down.

---

The heavy bang of a wooden door made the drifter glance back towards the alleyway. A heavy set, but not entirely uncharming woman invited those who were gathering into the tavern. Was she just opening for business? A lot of those people didn't seem like regular clientele of a bar in this part of town...especially the knights and the ones who, like himself, were clearly from out of town. A Goron, and a man with a cane in traveler's garb--although something about that one rankled the swordsman's senses. His face...wasn't right. Or rather, it was too right? Something.

But ultimately, though curious, it was none of the drifter's business. And he had an adventure to go on. His umbrella still playing its pitter-patter against the backdrop of the storm, he turned back to the overgrown lot in the rear of the bar. He closed his eyes.

The smell of dark and dank, an enclosed space with dirt and moss that rarely went completely dry. The slight whistle of the storm's breeze passing over a narrow entrance, like a village band blowing over the lips of their moonshine jugs. The scrape of branches and leaves, grown cramped and close together, over stone and mortar. The sound of rain hitting water--but water that was far deeper, under the drifter's feet.

He tossed his umbrella straight up. It spun, slinging a ring of droplets, but the man below it remained dry even as he pushed aside his cloak and reached for a handle made of wood...



There was a wooden click as he pushed the handle flush against the rest of the scabbard. He reached up almost lazily and caught his umbrella as his cloak settled back into place. As he turned to face it, the woody shrub's branches fell apart, each one cut clean through to reveal a cracked well of stone bricks arranged in a rough circle. A runner of ivy emerged from the depths and crawled over the lip before its leaves became too heavy and it drooped to the ground. Drifter wasn't sure if the vine could support a person's weight or not, but the well's opening was certainly large enough to fit him. With one last glance back at the bar--as the now unlocked door shuddered somewhat against the wind--the wanderer decided to see where the rest of this adventure was going to take him. He closed his umbrella, and before the rain could soak him he hopped over the edge.

The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.

He didn't so much fear any caves or tunnels, though, as he feared the drop might be too long.

The castle town was nothing like Nadijah had imagined.

Ever since young, she'd pictured the capital of her enemy a thing of wonders, a terrifying sight that could strike fear in the hearts of any that bore it witness. She had imagined it ten times as big as it was, every inch carved of marble as pale as the faces of the Vai birthed there. In her mind, the people that walked the streets were all trained for war as her people were, with curiously straight blades hung from their hips and silver-studded arrows poking out from their quivers.

In truth, the city was big and bustling, and the castle was indeed big - but it wasn't grand, and though its walls stood sturdy and tall, they weren't unmountable. The rugged stone provided ample footing; a few skilled Gerudo warriors could have made quick work of the sentry on the walls and made their way within, Nadijah knew. If only the war hadn't been fought closer to the Valley than the Castle Town, perhaps today, there would be no king to sit on an ill-deserved tone.

If this is what the capital and its people looked like, there was no reason for the Gerudo not to have won.

Nadijah jabbed her fork into her table with a loud thunk. It sunk so deep she wasn't sure if she could could pull it out any longer, but she was finished with her meal anyhow. Horse. She'd eaten horse. She always ate horse at home, and though she could have opted for something new here, she did not. The rain was new enough for her, rapping at the windows like an uninvited guest. It made the town look even more bleak and grey.

And it was cold; so much so that Nadijah lacked the words to describe it. It felt like the coldest desert night, condensed into the tiniest droplet. She knew the night was young and that she was wasting time staring at an empty plate on an emptier table in a rundown tavern, choking on her own bitter shame. She should have been gathering intel. But no one could have forced her out into that downpour. She dared someone try.

And try someone did.

"--my name is Zelda."

Nadijah's hand moved like lightning. She swiped the knife she'd cut her meat with off the plate and slashed behind her, where she expected a familiar weight of flesh to meet her swing. It did not. All she found once her eyes adjusted was the back wall of the tavern, a hair's breadth from where her hand had stopped. There was no one there to whisper words into her ear, and yet--

"I have gone into labor within the castle, and I fear I won't survive---"

The words kept pouring into Nadijah’s mind as if the speaker resided in her very skull. No amount of looking around could pinpoint a culprit, even if one were to assume magical means. The tavern was as empty as they came, a few half-drunken voe its only patrons. They were all too engrossed in their little game of cards to attempt magic, and all too stupid to succeed.

The words didn't stop, and their implications had the young Gerudo reeling. The queen, seeking help from her enemy? Against… the king? What manner of a trap was this?!

And yet the words didn't leave her. An old well, leading into the castle. A way into the heart of the enemy's stronghold. The thought made Nadijah’s heart race fast - and her feet faster.

The rain wasn't as cold as she remembered when it hit her skin again.



... But after minutes of sitting underneath its relentless whip, it started to feel cold again.

The cloak she’s draped around herself meant little when soaked through and glued to her skin, and the roof she perched atop of offered little in the way of cover. From the rain, anyway; as far as she was aware, she hadn't been spotted by the people she’d observed until the rundown bar had swallowed them whole.

Unspotted and unknown; if she so wished, she could still turn around. Duty did not dictate she venture forth.

But curiosity, ultimately, did.

She waited for the voe with a strange hooded stick to disappear from sight, then made her move. The Gerudo descended between freshly formed puddles onto the unpaved ground between buildings, inching closer to the open door with every stilled inhale.

Though she hadn't been able to make out details from her spot on the roof, she had seen glimpses of the strangers that had gathered inside. Some had looked like nothing she'd seen before. The light and warmth that poured from within were half as enticing as whatever awaited inside, and it took all Nadijah had not to fall prey to its lure.

It's a trap, she thought once or twice, but the woman who'd guided everyone inside had been a sister. None of it made sense to her.

Nadijah pressed against the wall outside, away from the light that might give her away, and listened.

Phanna followed the guardswoman into the building, ushered in by a large, but nice looking lady of gerudo descent. Many hylians, like Talon and Ingo, had a fear, a mistrust of gerudo. It wasn't too hard to see why, the two races were just at war for several years. Animosity built fast, and was always slow to drain away. The collection of folk that had arrived inside the little tavern was surprising to say the least though. There was a big goron man, as well as a second lady in armor and a boy who was kind of smelly, but what stuck out the most to Phanna was the man with pale skin and auburn hair.

Phanna frowned as the second lady in armor spoke, previously holding flaming sword, she now resorted to a flaming tongue as she called their group rag-tag, and consisting of sub humans. She wasn't the nicest of people at the very least.

Phanna stuck to Sibela like glue. "Queen Zelda said we were supposed to find friends here, but she's not very friendly." Phanna murmured quietly, her large golden eyes glistening slightly as their gaze fell upon the more hot headed of the two soldiers.

"Hi um, lady. I also got that message. I um, Ghost business is no good so I will help to get babies for food. That didn't sound right. I mean...uh". He paused for a second in hesitation. It was then when the hugest rat he had ever seen bolted like a black shadow from the deepest corners of the alley and snatched his ill-gotten mouldy bread.

"Shhh," was all the tavern owner managed to get out before another member of the group kindly offered replacement bread for the trash wizard.

Inside, the group found they were in the Tavern's kitchen. There wasn't much light, save for a single candle that was burning on the table used to prepare meals. The kitchen was lacking in proper chairs, but a few crates and barrels had been pulled out for everyone to sit if they so chose. Taking a seat that provided a view of everyone entering the building, Telma leaned on an elbow as she waited for everyone to settle in.

One by one the rag tag group began to fill the kitchen. First, the gentleman with the cane and the dirty-looking wizard he had given bread. The pair were followed by the giant Goron who kindly introduced himself as Turok. Then came a familiar face, Sibela, who seemed to be watching over a young child. The last to enter was the Knight who seemed to deny her obvious Gerudo Heritage. Looking at them all, Telma took a head count. One, two. Six? Impa said there would be at least ten. Something's wrong.

“Telma.” She uttered. “Why am I not surprised you have a stake in all of this?”

"I've always been one to stop trouble, not start it, hun." She replied with a wink before the knight began to speak. "I'm glad you're here, Sibela."

"So it seems that not only has Zelda's softness allowed sand-dwellers to so freely operate in our Kingdom, but it's also allowed her to assemble a rag-tag group of Hylians and sub-humans to operate as her rescue?" Lesina scoffed, flipping her visor up to look long on Telma. Her amber eyes would likely reveal her Gerudo heritage, but the Knight thought of herself as only Hylian. "I suppose if this is all her majesty can assemble, then it will have to do." She said, turning her eyes to Sibela. "At least there's another good Hylian here to aid us."

"How fortunate we are." Telma held her tounge at the racist knight's comments. Whether she knew it or not, the 'Hylian' was painting a target on her back. After Lesina's comments, there was an awkward silence. You could practically cut the tension with a knife. Or a flaming sword.

Clearing her throat, Telma began to speak. She was quick and to the point. "If you haven't guessed, my name is Telma and I serve the royal family. Most of you are probably wondering why Zelda chose you," Taking another look at the lot that had gathered, the Gerudo woman was asking herself the same question. "I don't have that answer, but I do know that if the king gains control of the kingdom he will burn Hyrule to the ground to get his revenge. My people and your people will die by the thousands. There is a secret passage beneath the well outback. I'm going to lower a rope so you can sneak in. One of the Queen's men await you at the bottom of the well and will be your guide."

"There's still enough time to answer any questions. Or I can lower the rope now if you're all ready."

Bottom of the Well

After the drifter jumped over the ledge, he found that the trip down was unusually long. This was definitely not an ordinary well. As the bottom approached, the swordsman would find his fall cushioned by two feet of water, though he risked spraining his ankles if he didn't do something to slow his descent.

A highrise ran alongside the cistern, though the rain had put an inch of water over what was meant to be a dry path. While the Drifter took in his new surrounding, he found thick bars preventing travel south. He could attempt to climb back out, but it would be difficult in the rain. The only way to go was north where a light shone in the distance. If the Drifter approached the light source, he would find an unconscious man wearing the armor of a Castle Guard beneath a freshly lit torch burning in a scone. The water was cloudy with blood, and it was doubtful the man would survive the injury without experienced treatment.