Please read the A/N at the end. Thanks!

Chapter 28: Bonds Forged through Fire

"I think it's time I told you a little bit more about your mother."

The words came as a surprise to Link, who found himself staring out of the cave's collapsed wall through stalagmites and stalactites at the canyon that separated the Gerudo Desert from a vast grassland that stretched as far as the eye could see.

However, whatever the hero had found so interesting in the depths of the canyon had immediately been forgotten as he turned his attention to Arryn. His father sat by a small pond of water that flowed from an underground aquifer disappearing further into the cave. He stared at it with little to no interest, showing his gaze may have been fixed on the pond, but his thoughts roamed elsewhere.

Link joined him, trying to hide the anticipation he felt at hearing about his mother again.

Arryn smirked. "You can be excited. After all, it's not every day you get to hear about your mother, right?"

The hero sat beside his father, allowing himself a smile. "Alright, I'm excited. It's been a while since you talked about her and I want to know more."

"That's why I offered. Where were we? Ah, when your mother and I first dueled.

"She beat me, I am not afraid to admit it. Once she swung my wakizashi out of my grasp, she pointed the tip of her rapier at my neck. It took her about a minute to disarm and earn a victory against a highly-trained Sheikah bodyguard. I found myself at a loss and knew my ego had received a hefty blow." Arryn chuckled hollowly at the memory. "Again, you fight like your mother, but there was something in her that gave her the desire to beat me – several times over, I might add."

Link scowled lightly like a child. "Hey, I've come close."

"Yes, but you have only some experience compared to me. And yes, you could probably give anyone in the Hylian Army a run for their money, even many Sheikah," his father admitted. "However, you are no match for me and therefore no match for that shadow that wanted me to kill you. But we will talk more about your lessons later."

"I'm sure we will," the hero replied half-heartedly, unable to say his piece before Arryn cut him off.

"Promise. Now, after that night, your mother and I started to open up to each other. It began with breakfast that next morning – some hard-breaded rations for me and warmed porridge for your mother, I believe. She always preferred to eat only enough to satisfy her hunger, she wanted to get back on the road as soon as we were able, barely giving us a break. Luckily, my endurance matched hers and gave me one of many answers to why she needed a Sheikah bodyguard. After all, a Hylian soldier in full armor would not be able to keep up with her pace. I knew that being her dueling partner was another reason her father allowed me to shadow her as she traveled across Hyrule.

"That is not to say that she did not find time to enjoy the smaller things in life. In fact, whenever we came to a new town, she would always ask to try their most famous dish, no matter the cost and no matter how low on funds we were. Then, she would travel to the most remote area of nature near the town – you name it, a canyon, forests, a lake, she would find it and explore it without pause. The first stop after our duel, she told me her reasoning behind this. She believed that, in order to fully understand this new region, she had to learn two things: learn what the people eat, and their environment.

"She would always say, 'You can learn much from how people survive and where they grew up.' An explorer down to her very soul. She would even write her experiences in a journal."

Arryn sighed wistfully upon mentioning the journal. He brought his hands into view after having rested them between his legs. There, his fingers held a slightly burned leather-bound journal that seemed to have seen many adventures. The Sheikah opened it. Pages hung loosely by their binding and the particular page he flipped to held a pressed and dried pale blue flower that Link had never seen. From where he sat, the hero could smell its pleasant aroma and the smell of ink and dusty pages.

"This was your mother's last journal. I found it amongst her things after everything had happened. I want you to have it."

Arryn closed the journal and extended it towards his son. Link's eyes flickered back-and-forth between the journal and his father, wondering if he could take it. The Sheikah nodded slowly.

Reaching his hands out, Link tentatively touched the journal with one of his fingers before slowly taking it from his father. The weight of it felt heavier in his hands than he expected from a leather-bound leaflet of paper. But the hero didn't know if that was because of its physical weight or the memories he knew it held between its closed pages.

"Your mother's adventurous spirit continued for years as we roamed Hyrule together and took brief periods of respite in Castle Town. After many of these trips, I found that my admiration towards her was more than it appeared. Slowly, I fell in love with her."

Arryn nodded towards the journal, stating one stipulation. "The only thing I ask is that you do not read the last page of that until I tell you to. I know you are curious, so was she. But... some things need to be explained before you finish it. Promise me that, will you?"

Link nodded subconsciously, only partially hearing the words his father had said, but understanding them. His attention had become too enraptured by his mother's journal. Taking a deep breath, he opened it and delved into the words, the life, of his late mother.

Felix and Link rushed into Renado's home. Their appearance earned the attention of all those who had gathered at the shaman's house. Everyone living in the village deciding the next move met there, ready to decide the village's future. The Zora's future. The Goron's future. Hyrule's future.

Everyone's serious appearance caused the gravity of the situation to land on Link's shoulders as soon as he entered. They all knew it and, while the hero knew it too, his opinions would serve as the driving force in how they proceeded. It didn't matter how much authority any one person in this single building had, they would likely fall in-line behind Link after all he had accomplished and saved in his time as the Hero of Twilight.

He knew it.

He readied himself for that responsibility.

He took a deep breath and straightened his posture.

The decision needed to be made now.

His eyes fell immediately on the person he needed to speak with first. "Prince Ralis, welcome back."

The prince bowed his head shortly as Felix and Link joined them. "It's good to be back in favorable weather, again. Snow covers a lot of Wolfkrone right now."

"But your journey was safe?"

The Zora nodded. "Yes. No casualties and we didn't run into anyone appearing to be with the usurper-general. As of now, our movements should be unknown to the enemy."

"Good."

"As for aid, however, that is another story."

The air in the room dropped in temperature immediately. Whether that was due to the weather outside or the foreboding words of Prince Ralis, no one knew. His unreadable expression remained, but an air of unsureness surrounded him. Link could sense it, smell it.

"Go on," the hero prodded easily, hoping the prince could explain what he meant.

"We met with King Lucius and his entourage shortly after we arrived. Our people in Lake Wolf, on the other side of Snowpeak, secured an audience with him for us. We went to the capital, Wolfkrone, and we noticed that something wasn't right."

"What do you mean?" Gor Coron interrupted, the suspense making him uneasy and antsy.

"Several men and women were readying for a war of some sorts. They rushed around preparing horses, delivering weapons, readying armor, you name it, they were doing it. None of us knew why. That is until we met the king.

"He was kind enough to allow us entry and didn't seem to have any trouble entertaining Zora from Hyrule. Shortly after he greeted us, he explained what was happening. Everyone in Wolfkrone prepared for war with Hyrule, ready to fight Usurper-General Hokam and liberate the kingdom."

A collective sigh of relief echoed throughout the single-roomed home.

"Then that's a good sign, right? Looks like we didn't need to send an envoy after all," Gor Coron stated assuredly.

Link sensed there was more, that something else had happened, whether it be good or bad. Renado must have sensed it, too, as he urged Prince Ralis to continue.

"However, they are preparing for war as a worst-case scenario right now," the prince continued, ending any sort of ease the room felt from his previous words. "As it stands, even after I explained our situation, we will not be receiving reinforcements from Wolfkrone."

Where everyone felt relief moments ago, now they felt a loss of hope. While they could all come together – the Hylian Army, the militia, the Bulblins, the Zora, the Goron, Kakariko Village – they still wouldn't stand a chance at meeting Usurper-General Hokam in a battle and hope to win without an inexcusable number of casualties. Even winning seemed a stretch now.

"The reason they are only preparing for war," Prince Ralis continued "is because King Lucius was invited to Hyrule by the usurper-general under the guise of peace talks. Many in Wolfkrone told the king to turn down the invitation, but he is taking it, hoping he can find some sort of peace between the two countries – however unlikely that may be."

"So, Prince Ralis, you are saying that Wolfkrone is looking to parlay with Usurper-General Hokam?" Felix surmised, his finger rising to his chin. "Then it is odd that he would let you and your entourage have an audience with him, especially if he hopes for peace. If word came out that he let you leave without trouble, then he may lose favor in his quest for peace. Unless..."

"Unless he doesn't believe Hokam wants peace," Link finished, now understanding where Prince Ralis was going with his message. He sighed. "So, he didn't want to antagonize us because he believes we can be of use to him, right?"

The prince nodded shortly. "Yes. He believes we can form a partnership with him and overcome Hokam together, but he wishes to attempt at peace with him first before siding with us."

"There will be no peace with him! Surely the king must know that!" Ghislain slammed his fist into the wall, his words coming out unbiddenly and angry. He collected himself quickly, brushing the long strands of white hair from his face. "My apologies, I let my emotions get the better of me."

"You are not in the wrong, Ghislain. It is a frustrating situation to be in, to say the least," Renado placated, gesturing for Prince Ralis to continue once more. "Yet, I feel there is one more thing Prince Ralis wishes to tell us about his meeting."

"While he didn't wish to discuss the plans with me directly, King Lucius wants to meet with all of us in the coming weeks when he travels to Hyrule to meet with Hokam. However, I don't know if we can wholly trust his plans. He did mention that, if he could choose, he would choose peace with Hokam over siding with us to retake Hyrule."

"So, what you're saying is that either we take him up on his offer to talk and possibly have allies months from now, or he lets us fight Hokam on our own? Neither option seems good for us..." Link's thoughts were shared by everyone else in the room. While it provided an opportunity for them to retake Hyrule, the likelihood that they would be betrayed by King Lucius for peace was just as much of a possibility.

Yet, despite everything, the Hero of Twilight couldn't blame the king. He only wanted peace for his people, after all.

The entire room fell into silence and thought upon King Lucius's message to Prince Ralis. It provided a possible end to their means, but how much would they be willing to sacrifice to ensure that end came to pass? Not to mention that no matter what move they made – even with Wolfkrone's aid – Princess Zelda and many others still remained hostages in Hyrule Castle. They had their backs to a corner and didn't know the right course of action. Even Link, despite his confidence in his allies, didn't know how to proceed.

He sighed. They could only make a long-winded gamble.

"Ralis, did King Lucius give any instructions for a response?" the hero inquired, trying to plan his next move.

"Yes. We are to meet him and his entourage near Old Kakariko by the end of the month with our response," the Zora prince answered. "What is your decision, Link?"

All eyes turned to him and he knew he needed to decide now. The responsibility of Hyrule's future weighed heavily on his shoulders once again. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he wondered how many more times his mind, body, and spirit could handle such a responsibility.

"Renado, how long would it take Barnes to remake the bridges?"

"Roughly two weeks to two months. We have the materials, but the manpower will decide the timeframe," the shaman replied, not even needing a moment to think about the logistics of such an undertaking.

"The Goron will make sure it takes only two weeks," Gor Coron interrupted. "As a sign of our unification, we will build these bridges."

"My soldiers will help, too," Ghislain added.

"Our knowledge will be able to better design and visualize the architecture," Felix assured as he gestured between him and Shad.

"And the Zora will carry their own weight, as well," Prince Ralis finished, creating the unification that, Link noted, Zelda had worked so hard towards.

Bonds forged through fire.

Despite the situation, Link smiled. He nodded proudly. "Alright, then we should get started on it as soon as possible. We have a month to decide our next plan, so I think I'll go talk to the militia and see if they found the army. Maybe they can help come up with some ideas."

"A safe course of action, Link," Renado approved. "Then we shall leave the delegation and planning to you. Let us know your decision and we will be ready to meet with King Lucius."

"Good. It might be a good idea to hold off on completing the bridges for as long as we can."

"Of course. We will tell everyone. Perhaps there is still hope, after all."

Renado's grin was knowing, as if he predicted this would be the step Link took. Or, possibly, he came up with the same plan. However, the shaman knew that, while many respected him, they wouldn't follow him as they would Link. He had to relay the plan and encourage everyone to take part in it. Doing so ensured unification now and further steps towards a fully-unified Hyrule later.

Link chuckled internally, once again having underestimated Renado.

"Then we'll meet here again in a week. It'll give me time to get everything else ready. Will that work?"

The Hero of Twilight waited for objections, but only received looks of approval from everyone. Satisfied, he finished, "Let's save Hyrule."

For such a small group of people, the cheering that rang within Renado's house shook the canyon walls protecting Kakariko Village.

Weeks had passed and night had fallen once more on Lake Hylia. Like a clock, the lone candle that lit up Jean's tent with a meager glow told him dinner had passed and soon he would eat. Even though his wrists were tied to gather behind his back, he still used his knees to shuffle himself to the small source of warmth the Hylian Militia gave him. It didn't provide much in terms of heat or light, two commodities the strategist had taken for granted.

Jean had also taken for granted knowing the time of day. Since he had been taken prisoner by Rusl and his crimes exposed, he had called this cold, cramped tent home. Yet, that was all he knew. Otherwise, he had no idea how time had passed, only how many meals he had and how many candles had burnt completely. It could have been weeks or months. But his sense of person and time had been stripped away from him.

For good reason.

As he sat there with his mistakes, only the rotating guards outside of his tent flaps serving as his company, his logic started to unravel. One day here, Jean felt guilt. A week – if he could call it that – and he started hating himself and crying himself to sleep, realizing how many lives he had thrown away. When time started to make little sense to him, his mind began to shatter, unable to rationalize his decisions up to that point.

If only time could be traversed as easily as any walkable distance. The breadth of the Gerudo Desert seemed exponentially smaller in comparison as Jean wished for the ability to turn back time and fix his decisions. Alas, nothing existed that could change what he had done.

Because of his crimes, and everything that stemmed from them, the outcomes, the guilt, the wonderings, he resigned himself peacefully to his fate as the Hylian Militia's prisoner. He would even go as far as to say that he wanted to return to their side and work to save his master. But, just like time travel, that seemed near impossible.

He stared at the candle's flickering flame, his eyes unblinking and entranced by how it danced. Little else could be done, so he just sat and watched and waited for his newly-acquired demons to take hold of his darkest thoughts once more.

He wondered off-handedly if the militia had contacted the Hylian Army. Perhaps they would have a chance, then, and Jean could receive his punishment.

His eyes stung from lack of sleep and his jaw itched from not shaving over a period of time, stubble dotting his chin and cheeks. The simple uses for his hands he now found he had missed. He chuckled self-deprecatingly.

"Just another thing to add to the list of things I am guilty of and things I miss," Jean mumbled quietly to himself, his voice croaking thanks to how dry his throat had become.

The former strategist licked his cracked lips and realized he needed water. "Water," he croaked. How long had it been since he last drank water?

"Water."

He knew that Rusl ordered the guards to provide him that and the ability to relieve himself outside of the tent. Jean took both opportunities as little as possible, punishing himself further.

"Water."

Could the guards have been crueler tonight than all of the rest? By now, they would have brought him one of their flasks. They might have been deliberating between themselves who would do it.

The former strategist's gaze grew misty and he sniffled away unshed tears, his bodily urges compelling him to press further. His head shot up.

"Wa-"

He couldn't even finish speaking his one word, his eyes widening in fearful disbelief as he saw a figure kneeling in front of him. How had he not heard the man enter?

It didn't matter.

Jean knew that Hylia if she would be so kind, would answer that question for him soon when he entered the afterlife.

A dark figure covered in black clothing had joined the former strategist in the small tent. Only a pair of steely blue orbs gazing at Jean curiously peeked out from his mask. Each of his hands held a dagger, one crookedly serrated and one gracefully sharp. Based on the appearance of those weapons alone, even just one of them, Jean knew who had entered the tent and what likely happened to the guards outside.

"My poor, poor strategist," Shi cooed mockingly with a deep voice, sounding on the verge of turning shrill at a moment's notice. "You have met with a terrible fate, haven't you? Join your master under your goddess's boot!"

"Whatever the reason for returning to us so soon, I'm glad it's with good news. Don't think any of us can handle another word of bad news right now."

Rusl walked briskly through the camp with Link and Arryn at either of his sides. The Ordona Rangers and Ashei followed closely behind him.

The Hero of Twilight had returned to the Hylian Militia camp just as the sun had set, making his presence known as soon as he swam from Kakariko Village. Greetings had been cut short as Link relayed to Rusl to gather the rangers and fill him in as they walked. The lieutenant had been doing just that as they made their way to Jean's tent. They needed a word with him after Link's news.

"So, we are planning a working alliance with King Lucius of Wolfkrone, but we're doing this knowing that he might betray us at any moment for the peace of his people. Does that about sum up what I heard?" Rusl summarized irritably, happy that Link had reconnected with Kakariko Village and found a way to bolster their ranks, but angry that their unknown fate now hung in the balance by a king whose country had been at war with Hyrule only a few years prior.

"Yes," Link answered simply.

The lieutenant sighed. "Just making sure we're on the same page. We reconnected with the Hylian Army, doing our part. However, they've had numerous instances of infighting, dwindling their numbers and making nearly any soldier, high or low, connected to nobility, royalty, or the Royal Guard possible traitors. They're as much a mess as we are, if not more."

"And how are we handling that?"

"Don't worry, cap, they have Ashei, Reina, and I on that job," Constantine answered proudly as he jumped to the front of the group. "We've been able to screen a lot of them and filter them out with some of the militia's and army's help. Interviews, inspections, that sort of thing. Most are willing to comply, and it seems a lot of the spies and infighters have been kicked out of camp already. We're just trying to find the stubborn ones."

"You're helping lead this, Stan? Goddess watch over us."

That earned a round of chuckles from the group.

"Remember, cap, I'm used to this sort of routine, you're lucky to have me."

"Just make sure Ashei and Reina are with you whenever you're interviewing."

"At all times, captain," Reina answered from behind, drawing Constantine to the back with her.

"Cap, why're we going to see that traitor, huh? He's done nothing but run us in circles and send some of our guys to an early grave," Hilde asked.

"Because, at one point, he was an apprentice to Grandmaster Orbin," Rusl answered, his voice leaving little room for discussion. "Link has briefed us on what King Lucius wants and how we can take Hyrule back. For now, I want to at least have some words with Jean. Maybe, just maybe, we can get some answers on Hokam and sway him to our side again. I don't trust him, not anymore, but while we have him here, let's make use of him."

"He is unable to leave our sights and he has not been privy to our plans since we left the Gerudo Desert, so we have the advantage here," Arryn added.

"Exactly."

"After that, we shall see."

They turned the corner of a tent, heading towards an isolated tent closer to the back of the militia's camp.

"But lieutenant, he could be lying," Krauss stated the truth. "How will we know whether he's lying or not?"

"Arryn's going to help me there."

"Right."

The single word came out sounding unfinished, as if the biggest member of the rangers wanted to say something else. They all knew why. Even now, after Link vouching for him and proving his loyalty to the militia, Arryn still had to earn the Ordona Rangers' trust. After nearly killing Link twice, they had to be cautious for their captain. For now, they would work with him, but not without a careful eye.

"Do not worry, Krauss, I will make sure he talks," the Sheikah spoke sternly, an edge of a threat to his voice, one directed at Jean.

"Makes you look like a ray of sunshine, Ashei," Constantine mumbled, earning a slap on the back of the head from the raven-haired woman.

"Two of them now. I'm sure you did something to deserve it," Krauss commented, chuckling.

As they broke through the line of tents and approached the single, small tent, the group quieted, not wanting Jean to hear anything they had to say until they stood in front of him. Yet, even before their eyes adjusted to the darkness, the group noticed something out-of-the-ordinary. The guards' torches around the tent were doused, stretching the shadows and covering the clearing far from the edge of Lake Hylia in darkness. It made everyone uneasy.

"Hold."

Arryn stopped them, halting in his tracks and drawing one of his wakizashis. His eyes squinted as he examined the tent flaps. He sighed seeing two lumps on the ground.

"The guards are dead. We need to get in there right now. Reina, Link, with me. Everyone else, follow behind us and surround the tent as we approach the entrance."

The Sheikah took charge of the situation, earning only nods of affirmation from everyone and no words against him, showing the trust he had earned so far.

Approaching the entrance to the tent, everyone except Rusl, Link, and Reina broke away from Arryn, surrounding the temporary structure. They spread out quickly and quietly, careful not to make any excess noise by stepping on a twig or loud piece of grass.

At the tent flaps, Rusl bent down to check on the men while Arryn prepped to enter. He nodded, knowing Link and Reina would see it. Not a second later, he threw open the tent flap, ready for whatever waited for them on the other side of the thin canvas.

"...join your master under your goddess's boot!"

They entered just as the dagger came down, Arryn making sure to create enough sound to garner the attention of the would-be assassin.

The figure turned, interrupted by the three soldiers, his dark clothing and exposed eyes slow to recognize them in the dim light of the single candle. Yet, they knew him.

It was the remaining Shi brother.

And he knew them.

He lowered his weapon before raising his deceased brother's jagged dagger and aiming it at the trio.

He uttered a single word with quiet insanity, a whisper of someone who had lost their mind.

"You."

Then the anger-fueled cackling began.

A/N:

So you guys aren't going to want to hear this, especially after I've come back so soon, but this is the last pre-written chapter I have for the time being. I know, I know, but don't worry! I have started writing chapter 29, so at least it is in the process of being written. Small blessings.

Anyway, hoped you liked this chapter! Glad to be diving back into the action again and seeing some old face. We'll see how this Shi acts, yeah? He is going to kill someone... when, who, where? Maybe next chapter, we'll see...

Random Author Fact #10:

I easily consider people friends. If you buy me a beer, then you and I are going to be great pals!

Peace,

nickdaman6