---

As much as she disliked the thought, Lesina knew she would need the help of the group assembled to pull off the rescue of Zelda. Something about the entire situation didn't seem to make sense. If Zelda was harboring these feelings or had this knowledge of the King's betrayal to her politics, why did she wait until now, when it seemed she was about to leave this world during childbirth? Disregarding the thought, the Knight scanned the room. The Goron's natural strength and defense would come in handy, and perhaps the robed, pale and sickly looking man was a magician of some sort, but the child? Lesina cast her gaze to Phanna for a moment and then shrugged.

"Zelda isn't a stupid woman...she surely wouldn't call on these folks for aid if they were all helpless. I'll just have to wait and see." the giant thought to herself. Her ears piqued at Telma's mention of the King, and how if he gained control then her people would die by the thousands. "Perhaps that would be for the best, to rekindle the flames of war and finally eradicate the people that have plagued Hyrule for so long." Lesina pondered, a sly smirk forming beneath her helmet. "The King is a good man, but I will at least hear the Queen out before making my decision."

"I can set aside my prejudices on this one occasion." Lesina announced. "We've a Queen to save, let us be about it." she continued, her voice taking a less jagged tone than usual. She was genuinely requesting the aid of the people assembled.

---

Sure enough, as wind whistled past his ears, he realized he was falling too far and too fast. The drifter grimaced. He sucked in a deep breath, the cold air rushing up his nose, then thrust out with both feet. Being flexible was important for any kind of athlete. Warriors, too, but one didn't really need to be able to do the splits in order to absorb blows through plates of armor. The drifter, however, was not the usual type of warrior. He wasn't a gymnast, nor a contortionist, but he could certainly do the splits.

He still clenched his teeth and screwed one eye shut as the weight of his fall continued to drag him down the slippery walls of the well, his boots grinding against the stones on either side. With a pose that would have made Jean Claude Van Deku (a famous stage performer) proud, the drifter came to a stop with his groin just inches from the water.

"Oof!" He breathed out, and pushed now with his arms against the walls so that he could--very slowly--bring his legs back underneath him, and then lower himself to the water. It wasn't that deep, but he still had to wade through it onto the stone pathway, and did so like a man who has just ridden a horse for the first time, and for several hours at a stretch. That is to say, bowlegged, hunched, and considerably sore.

But when he saw the blood, he stood straight as a post. One hand tightening its grip on his closed umbrella, he slowly approached the crumpled figure. The man wore the armor and colors of the Castle Guard. The torch was fresh--had this man placed it there before he fell? Had he been coming down here to get something...or to get away from something?

Queen Zelda has gone into labor, and is in danger. She fears her husband. Friends await me at the bottom of the well...

Could this be the friend? But Zelda has used the plural. Had this man come down here to wait for him, then been butchered? Had he been wounded beforehand, but still struggled to meet those called by his Queen? Too many questions. The Drifter needed only a few answers.

He knelt next to the wounded man. It was just as dangerous to move someone this badly injured as it was to try and treat them without the proper tools. As much as he hated to let life slip away, Drifter did the only thing he could. He grabbed the man's hand in his own and held it firmly.

"Hear me first, Friend." the swordsman said in a low voice, looking towards the locked door at the end of the passage for a moment before he turned back to the guard. "By Queen Zelda, for an unborn heir, I am here." Speaking too much, asking too much, would aggravate the man's wounds. Queen Zelda had called him here. She wanted him to do something for her coming child. The King was not to be trusted, therefore an enemy. Therefore those he commanded, those loyal to him, could also be enemies. So the only answer the Drifter needed...

"To whom shall I entrust the child?" Who could he trust? Where did Zelda want him to take the baby, if anywhere--and if he wasn't supposed to take the child anywhere, who, at the least, could he trust as a fellow ally? Therefore, not just whom could he trust, but whom could he trust with the child, or to give him further information, if Zelda did not make it through her labors as she feared. This way, the Guard need say only one thing, and all their energy could be put into surviving this grave wound--though that, too, seemed too great a labor. But the drifter needed only one answer. A name.

He continued to hold the man's hand, and looked him in the eyes. At the least, the man would not die alone and forgotten.

"I suggest we be on our merry way as well. We can only assume we have little time to act if her highness is in labor." Zwei said breaking his silence as he leaned on his cane and looked at Telma from underneath his hood. There were a lot of details he didn't have in this situation and it was troublesome to say the least. The queen only stated she was unlikely to survive child birth and her husband was going to do something dangerous to illicit distrust from her. More than likely this was a plan to hide the baby away, but what about after that?

Details. Facts. Data. He needs more information to draw conclusions. For now he would provide his aid to this queen and determine his plans post mission.

"If we are to do this, I merely ask one of the more combat formidable of the group guard the rear as it seems we are a mixture of warriors and non combatants such as myself." He said

Roa's heart pounded as she fought her panic down for the third time in the last ten minutes. She was beginning to suspect that she was lost, navigation on land being much harder than navigation in the waters of her home. How can anyone find their way if they cannot see it from above?? She was having little luck staving off panic. Queen Zelda herself had called upon her for help, and she couldn't even follow directions right! She looked down at the hastily scribbled note, and squinted at the poorly written Hylian. Maybe she could be forgiven for that last bit...

She turned a corner and winced as the rain once again pelted her, the cold droplets like needles on her skin. "Why did it have to rain now, of all days?" Shielding her eyes from the rain, she pressed on down the street, even as the wind threatened to throw her to the street. A chill ran down her spine as a thought struck her, driving her forward as fast as she could manage. Is this is the Goddesses trying to keep King Rolo from the Queen?. Distracted as she was, she barely avoided missing the only darkened bar in what seemed like the entire city. She looked at the weather-worn sign, the same markings on the note. She whispered a prayer in thanks before turning the handle, and finding it locked.

Shock gave way to caution, and Roa cast her gaze back out to the street, ensuring she was alone. It seemed none buy her were foolish enough to weather a trip through the storm's rage. She knelt before the door, looking at the lock on the door. Like much of the Green District, it was badly worn and made cheaply. "Maybe..." Roa closed her eyes and concentrated. In the back of her mind she fondly remembered the contest of trickery she and her magical instructor had towards the final day of her training. A glowing key, as fragile as glass, formed in her hand and she pushed it into the lock and turned it as gently as she could, but it wouldn't budge. a little more forcefully, and she could feel it about to break when-

"Meaning in all things." Roa mumbled, staring at the fading, broken stub of a key and an open bar door. the Zora pushed her daydreams to the back of her mind as she quietly stepped into the darkened room. "Hello?" Roa could barely hear herself over the roar of the storm, it's icy needles repelled by the bar's roof. She shivered as she remembered her heat-sapped body. There was a dim light in the back, so the Priestess made her way towards the door, leaving behind a trail of wet footprints in the noise and darkness. She passed through the empty frame and froze, staring at a singular, massive silhouette obscuring the dim light source. Her heart in her throat, she couldn't keep the uncertainty out of her voice. "Telma?"

Phanna watched as the big people discussed their business around her. Telma helpfully explained the situation, and the others began to voice their opinions. It appeared that not much was certain- not even the motivations of the group around them. All they knew was Zelda was in trouble, and there was a baby on the way. The tone of the conversation slowly shifted to the idea that they should probably head off sharpish. As they were on their way out though, another seemed to enter the premises last minute.

"Lookit! A fish!" Phanna cried out excitedly as she pointed towards the Zora that had just entered the bar.

"If we are to do this, I merely ask one of the more combat formidable of the group guard the rear as it seems we are a mixture of warriors and non combatants such as myself."

Telma's gaze moved between the Goron and the 'Hylian' knight after the caned man's suggestion. The role would fall to one of those two, but who could trust the Gerudo to guard their backs after her outburst?

"You might need to curl up, but you should be able to squeeze through." Telma assured the Goron. "I don't think the rope will support your weight, but the fall should be no problem for a Goron."

Everyone seemed eager to begin the task at hand. The lack of questions concerned Telma, but there was no time to change plans. It was now or never. The Queen chose these champions, so there must be a good reason. Nodding to the group, Telma reached into a cabinet and removed a coiled rope and ushered the group out into the rain. "Let get star-"

"Hello? Telma?"

"Lookit! A fish!"

"A Zora." Telma corrected the child in a hushed tone. It was clear the bar owner was taken aback, but her concern was focused on the freshly cleared well. It was clear someone or someones had slipped by without Telma's notice. And how did this lone Zora woman manage to slip in through the front? "Hello, friend." She answered back as she removed the worry from her face and secured the rope. "I'm sorry, but you missed the introductions. Will you be joining everyone down the well?"

"It's ready." Telma said after testing her knot. "I'll be on lookout up here. We're counting on you all."




As the swordsman knelt beside the guard he could hear the dying man's strained breathing and feel the cold of his hand and something made of paper. "Not the Hidden Village." He managed to spit out before falling silent for a moment. "The guards...compromised. Warn Impa." After the last words, the guard fell silent again. The Drifter could feel the stranger's grip lessen, until he was holding a corpse's hand and a crumbled piece of paper.

Looking at the paper, the Drifter could tell it was a map of the secret passage ways. Some of the dead guard's blood obscured the paper, but the wax symbol of the royal family pressed in the upper left corner was untarnished.

Hidden Well

---

As Telma explained to the band what she knew and what they could do, Lesina listened closely to what the wretch had to say. When it came to the Knight's turn to lower herself down the rope she offered the Gerudo a nod of acknowledgement before descending into the darkness and wetness of the well.

Splash

Several splashes began to fill the immediate chamber as the group entered the well. It was dark, but a dim light coming from the next chamber seemed to beckon them forward. Lesina slowly drew her blade from the scabbard and the held it as if it were a torch. In an instant it was ablaze, providing light for the group. Acting as the Vanguard, she moved to the front of the group, wading through the standing water. It was raining, and this passage had acquired quite a bit of rainfall for the duration of the storm. She figured the party would do well if they passed through this area as quickly as possible.

"Come." Lesina commanded. The flames of her sword made her armor shine brilliantly. As soon as the party that entered the well began to follow the light coming from the Gerudo's blade, she moved forward as well. She found that there was a stone walkway above the channels for the water that they had been wading through at first. Lesina moved onto the dryer platform, leading herself to the torchlight she saw from before. It seemed that there was a figure kneeling beside what appeared to be a Guardsmen. She halted. Had this shade taken the Guard's life? Were they already surrounded?

"Who goes there?" She called out, slowly approaching the scene with her sword lowered to defend herself from an attack.

---

"I understand, my friend. I shall warn Impa, and save the child."

After the last words, the guard fell silent again. The Drifter could feel the stranger's grip lessen, until he was holding a corpse's hand and a crumbled piece of paper. The Drifter could tell it was a map of the secret passage ways. Some of the dead guard's blood obscured the paper, but the wax symbol of the royal family pressed in the upper left corner was untarnished.

He folded the map and tucked it safely into a pocket under his outer robes, then stood. He hated to leave the fallen man here for the rats, but perhaps there would be time or someone he could tell later on. For now, he had to get into the castle...Which he assumed meant getting through the locked door.

Did the guard have a key? If he did, surely he would have passed it on along with the notes. Perhaps, with this being a secret passage, the door was meant to open by some hidden mechanism instead? Hylians were known for their love of puzzles and interesting gadgets, after all. The Drifter considered his surroundings with a low hum. Where might there be a switch, or a pulley, or a lever...

The only thing he could conceive of at the moment was the torch. How often, really, would someone have to come to this secret passage? More than likely this was intended as an escape route or hideaway, a way to get the Royal Family out of the castle in case of invasion or assassination. Would they be worried about an infiltrator coming in from the opposite direction? Would they bother to post a guard? The dead man had probably come down here specifically to meet with Drifter, or whoever the Queen might call. If he were on a secret mission, would he have bothered with a torch, the light of which could give away his position?

All the speculation, however, wouldn't provide any answers. Only taking action would reveal the truth. Drifter walked to the torch ensconced upon the wall, and tried to pull it out of its bracing...

"Who goes there?"

The Drifter turned, pulling up part of his cloak to cover his eyes as an armored figure brandishing a brightly gleaming blade approached him. As he was nearly blinded, his thoughts raced even faster. Had he been found out? Was this an enemy? The hand that had been reaching for the torch now dropped to the handle of his umbrella leaning against the wall. His grip tightened imperceptibly.

"A friend awaiting one's arrival." he answered, remembering the Queen's own words. "Perhaps we should be careful that the light of justice not blind those who follow it?"

Roa had sheepishly followed the rest of what were clearly Queen Zelda's rescuers. She was glad Telma hadn't responded to her putting her fin in her mouth, mistaking the rotund Goron out of every one assembled for Telma. There were admittedly more important concerns at the moment, like climbing down a wet rope into a pitch-dark well. She was the second-to-last down the rope, and she couldn't help but nervously wave at the Goron. Was he really going to jump down the well?

As she reached the bottom of the rope, Roa winced. The air in the tunnel wasn't as cold as the rain above, but it reeked of mildew and standing water, and she could hardly keep herself from coughing in response. She was almost tempted to attempt to swim in the shallow water, but thought it best to avoid waters filled with whatever the people above leave on their streets. For a moment her demeanor slipped, "I almost miss the rain. This place is... horrible." Roa smiled apologetically to the rest of the group. "Sorry." No one had even been listening. She felt like a fool, being concerned with appearances now, of all times.

Being lead through the dark was unsettling to say the least. Outside the heated glow of the Knight's sword was a mix of dimly reflected light, or pitch-black. In her home, such dark was inhabited by all manor of dangerous beasts. Eels came to mind, and she wished they didn't. She was in a foreign land, and there would assuredly be no eels in a place like this. Regardless, she kept ready to use her magic, should something lash out.

While not as terrifying as a giant Zora-eating Eel, a swordsman standing over a slumped-over guard wasn't much better. Her duty was clear to her, and she would not falter in the face of danger. Her voice steady, though not as commanding as she would hope, Roa spoke. "If what you say is true, step back and keep your hands where they can be seen. Know that if you raise a hand against me, you do so to a Priestess of the Goddesses." As she passed the Knight wielding her flaming sword, her voice dropped to a whisper. "If I can get to the guardsman, I may be able to save him. Just keep the swordsman back. Please."

"The Queen chose peace." Telma answered before returning to her tavern. After reaching the doorway, the woman waved for the fellow Gerudo to follow. Once the pair were out of the rain Telma reclaimed her seat at the end of the table. "It's good to see my people in Hyrule once again. Will you sit with me, sister?"

"I only know what the queen's agents tell me." Telma began with a sigh as she leaned on an elbow. "Rolo has had control of Hyrule's armies for over a decade. His men will follow his orders without question. Zelda named Impa her regent, but Rolo will not honor her will. As we speak, the King and his army are marching to seize control of the capital. If he gains control of the heir there will be no one to contest his rule. Zelda doesn't want war with the Gerudo. Don't you think our people have bled enough?"

"If you can't trust Hyrule, there are other ways you can help the cause."




Try as she might, Roa's magic was ineffective on the guard. Darker magic was the only thing that could restore the Hylian to life at this point.

As everyone began to notice the door, it was clear the dead guard had locked it from their side, but none could say why with certainty. Judging by the blood on the lock he likely was escaping whomever gave the fatal wound. Hopefully the man's death wouldn't be in vain. Anyone in the party could open the way.

"Yes, if we can convince our people to support the child princess Zelda and Impa have promised to return control of the Valley to the Gerudo." Leaning closer, Telma whispered across the table. "I have terms signed by the queen herself secreted away."

"Sa'oten," Telma leaned back in her chair after Nadijah's suggestion. It could work. The king's men would be focused on storming the castle, and Rolo always lead from the rear. The slums are closest to the castle, and Telma knew these streets better than any Sheikah. "If two Gerudo are implicated in this, we're only bringing war to our Sisters."

Standing from her seat, Telma paced across the room and shut the bar door before taking a closer seat beside Nadijah. "I could round up a mob." She started to suggest. "We could make it look like he was killed by some rabble. What was your plan?"

Hidden Well

---

The strange man identified himself as a friend awaiting the arrival of others. He could be one of many allies Zelda had called upon. The Gerudo Knight decided that he wasn't a threat, and turned her blade away from him. Beneath her visor, her eyes scanned the immediate surroundings until she noticed the nearby door. The Zora that had joined them passed Lesina, attempting to heal the guard. There was something about the scales of a Zora that Lesina had always admired, and it seemed this one was a woman of the cloth. Unfortunately, her healing powers were unable to rouse the good Hylian who'd been slain.

"The blood looks fresh." Lesina noted, moving towards the door and gripping the handle. "Was he alive when you found him?" she finished, cracking open the door and peering into it. She assumed that Drifter would share any information he had with the group if there was any to be had.

---

"If what you say is true, step back and keep your hands where they can be seen. Know that if you raise a hand against me, you do so to a Priestess of the Goddesses."

"Does it count when I raise my hands for you to see them?" The Drifter smirked as the knight--a woman, now that he looked more closely, and rather sturdily built for one with an unusually red head of hair--lowered her sword and turned out the lights. But he stepped away from the guard and raised his hands. One was open, but the other still loosely held his umbrella--however, surely an umbrella wouldn't be threatening?

"The blood looks fresh." the Dame noted, moving towards the door and gripping the handle. "Was he alive when you found him?" she finished, cracking open the door and peering into it.

"Only just." The swordsman's smirk was replaced with a bitter frown. "He gave me a map of hidden passages. And..." He paused. He assumed they were here for the same reason he was. But did he really have a reason to trust any of them yet? "Are any of you familiar with the Queen's servant, Impa?"

He looked over the group, now that his eyes had readjusted to the gloom. The priestess was a Zora, with all the odd allure and charm of that species despite the uncanny aquatic nature. The Knight...the Drifter was starting to wonder if she was just an unusually large woman for Hylian standards, or if she was from one of the other races, or a kingdom outside of Hyrule. And the others...just what sorts were they?

Also, how had he missed that bloody deadbolt?

"Have you another blade, good knight? Perhaps one that shines not so brightly?" Feeling that the Zora had probably completed her inspection by now, he lowered his hands until he placed his umbrella's point upon the floor like a walking stick, both hands clasped overtop it. He lowered his voice. "For one thing, the greatest pleasure is to do good by stealth and have it found out by accident. For another, there is no such thing as defeat in non-violence."

After all, whether it was a King's man or not, the guards had been placed upon their duty to stop any and all intruders. And at the end of the day, they too were men with families and dreams...

"Does it count when I raise my hands for you to see them?" Roa couldn't help but return the swordsman's smile, even as she hurried. "So long as they are not grasping a sword, no it does not count, Mister wordsmith."

Roa's hopes for the guard were almost immediately dashed, though even as her expression fell her magic continued. She could not save his life, but she could protect his spirit and ensure he received his Rites. Her hands clasped and head bowed, the Priestess whispered a prayer woven with magic for the slain Guardsman. "Rest in peace, brave soul. Though you go to the Goddesses early, you will find yourself welcome." With her prayer complete, she gently moved the guard's lifeless body, laying him on his back, hands clasped over his middle in Eternal Repose.

His Rites and blessing complete, Roa slid herself back before standing slowly."We will have to inform someone of his death. This is no place for the dead to rest." Casting her gaze about the room, her attention was grabbed by the click of a door's lock, covered in blood. "wait-" The door was opening and fear gripped her heart like a vice. A man lay dead at their feet and no one knew what lay beyond the door, what was she thinking? she reached out a hand, even as she reached deep into herself for magic.

With a loud, rusty screech the door moved as Lesina's blade cut through the darkness. On the other side, the Knight found signs of the guard's last stand. A total of three bodies were scattered across the walkway, each wearing armor identical to the last dead man. The way the guards had died made it plain that they were fighting the guard with the map. If not for the fresh corpses, the rain water would have washed away all traces of the battle.

Aside from the corpses, the passage went three different directions. If someone checked the map that The Drifter had recovered, it would show that the path going straight would lead directly to the castle. The other two paths seemed to connect to different secret entrances and exits. Strangely, the stone pathway leading to the castle ended after a few yards. To go forward, everyone would have to brave the waist-high waters.

It was cold and wet, even in the tunnel. The heroes couldn't help shake the feeling that they were being watched. As water drained into the passage from the streets above, it sounded as though footsteps were wadding through the waters in every direction. In the darkness, Lesina's blade continued to shine with fire.





Telma sat in silence while she processed Nadijah's words. The king was a tested warrior and commander. Would such a simple plan even work? This could be the only chance to catch him in the streets, but would the two Gerudo be able to best him and his bodyguards? Would this even be something the Queen and Impa would approve, or were they starting more trouble? Telma rubbed the side of her head at the foolishness she was considering.

"Have you cleared the Training Ground back home, sister" Telma said after a long silence. "I'm a good shot with my crossbow. If you can engage Rolo while the crowd distracts his men, then just maybe this will work, but we'll need to move quick."

Standing up, Telma moved to a cabinet and produced a black cloak and quiver. "The King will come through the South Gate. He'll have to pass the slums to reach the castle. Find a spot to ambush the King while I get the riot started. We'll meet back here in half an hour."

Roa's worry was replaced with confusion. More bodies lay behind the door, Hylians wearing the colors of the Guard. "Why? Why would Guardsman turn on their own?" Roa shook her head, struggling to keep her frustration in check. "How anyone can justify slaying their own aside, how can they turn their backs on the Royal bloodline? Do they not understand that King Rolo is not-" Roa held her tongue as her training asserted itself. Better to remain silent than to succumb to frustration. Shaking her head, a chill ran down her spine as a familiar noise reached her ears.

Roa's voice was barely more than a whisper. "Do you hear that?" Roa stepped to the side, looking through the door and out into the poorly lit room beyond. She spoke softly to the Drifter beside her, even as the noise of movement through water became louder. "If we intend to go, we should do so immediately. We are not alone and the door has ensured we will be discovered." Roa shot a worried glance to the rest of the group before turning her gaze to the Drifter. "I am sorry for doubting you. It is clear that we have all been called upon to protect the bloodline of Hylia." She turned back to the doorway. "This is our only chance to avoid bloodshed. To run and fight only as necessary."