Legend of Zelda:

Blood of the Holders

Prologue

The heavy rain signaled the end of winter in the port city of Nautalin on the Hyrulian coast. The streets lining docks were mostly empty with the regular people in their homes or at Inns seeking shelter from the rain. It was several hours after sunset and the rain made the night all the darker and lighting would flash illuminating the masts of ships moored at the docks. The cloaked horseman galloped down the wet cobblestone streets leading to the waterfront, spurring the horse through the driving rain. The rider held the reigns tight while trying to hold his cloak closed, spurring his horse to go faster. After several minutes the rider approached the waterfront and reined the horse to a stop, and after spying the waterfront buildings. The hooded head of the rider looked over the whole of the dock before spurring his horse into a slow trot towards a small shack attached to a dock. Another cloaked figure could be seen and as the rider approached he dismounted quickly and threw the reigns to the other cloaked man, almost effortlessly, and walked to the door of the shack without saying a word.

The sound of the door bursting open didn't startle the bent old man in the dusty brown cloak who stood in front of the fireplace.

"Always prompt, you honor me m'lord." He said not turning to look from the fire. The dark rider lowered the hood of his cloak, revealing the face of a strong and handsome man aged but still youthful looking with shoulder length white hair. His face would have been perfectly flawless except for the scar on the right side of his face; from his ear to his chin was a poorly healed battle scar.

"What do you want Halinic?" The man asked with a sense of annoyance. The old man named Halanic, turned from the fire holding a teapot, seemingly unaffected by the cloaked man's mood.

"Patience, m'lord, patience." Halanic said and then lifted the pot. "To warm you, there is still a chill in the air." A cold look from the cloaked man was the only answer that he got, but Halanic started to pour tea into the cups regardless. "Sit m'lord." Halanic said gesturing to the chair, at the table. He didn't move showing a dark stair to the old man as his anger started to grow, but again Halanic was not frightened.

"Surly the great Lord Halon Alromon, vanquisher of the Gerudo raiders, has time for tea, with an old man." He said, and with this the cloaked Lord Alromon sat at the table.

"I pay you well, Halanic for the information you give me, be worth the expense. Why am I here." He asked bringing the teacup to his lips.

Halanic staggered over to the fire and putting the teapot back as he made his way back to the table sitting down across from Lord Alromon.

"It is spring, the Princess will be eighteen before the next full moon." Halanic said settling into his chair. Lord Alromon was now very annoyed.

"The whole of Hyrule knows this, you wrinkled fool." He uttered slamming his fist table, but Halanic continued calmly.

"For her birthday, her father the King will bestow upon her a gift, and I do not mean a betrothal." Lord Alromon's eyes widened briefly showing his surprise. "He will give her a seat on the Council Of Lords." He finished seeing the surprise on his guest's face. "That is something the whole of Hyrule has yet to find out." Halanic added.

"Indeed" Lord Alromon said, knowing that only a few council Lords including him had been entrusted with the knowledge of the Princess's appointment. "Alright Halanic, I am listening, what is so important that I come alone?"

For the first time since the meeting started Halanic showed discomfort.

"I told you to come alone, because I didn't want that demon of a guardian who follows you coming." Halanic said spitting on the floor of the shack indicating his distaste. Lord Alromon laughed.

"Fear is the true motivator Halanic." After taking a large pull from his teacup he continued. "What is your price, old man?" The fear Halanic had felt now turned to anticipation.

"How much is in your purse m'lord?" The statement angered Lord Alromon, as veins stood out on his head and neck.

"You're fortunate I didn't bring my demon as you describe him, if I had your head would be rolling on the floor!" He yelled, but Halanic had returned to his unshaken state.

"The information I have is worth the price m'lord, I assure you." But Lord Alromon's anger still flared.

"What I carry in my purse could feed you well for the remainder of your impoverished existence. What information could you have that is worth that much?" Lord Alromon stood spilling his half empty teacup, and as turned to leave Halanic raised his teacup to his lips to cover the devious smile.

"The Triforce." He said pleasantly before taking a sip of his tea. Lord Alromon stopped and turned to look back at Halanic again.

"There are many rumors, about where it is, how could you know?" He said clenching his fists, but Halanic looked offended.

"Have I not provided you with accurate information, those Gerudo, you vanquished how did you know where the encampment was." He said in a playful tone, Lord Alromon brought his hand up to his face, it was a Gerudo blade that gave him the scar on his face, but he had been hailed a hero by the King, and used his prestige since then to rise to his seat on the Council.

"Alright you've proven your point. What do you know, of the Triforce?" He uttered still feeling his scar. Halanic smiled.

"My price?" He inquired, and his answer was the sound of the Lord's heavy purse hitting the table.

"Tell me old man." He said, as if in a trance. Halanic fidgeted in his seat as if telling a story to his grandkids.

"The Princess's celebration in less than three weeks, the invitations have already gone out, by royal courier." He said still in his playful tone, but Lord Alromon's anger only grew.

"I've got mine. Your point old man!" Halanic continued.

"One courier was sent weeks before the others, carrying an invitation drafted by the Princess herself." This again made Lord Alromon look at the old man with surprise. "They're looking for him." He finished.

"I shouldn't be surprised, those two were all but inseparable, until…" He started but did not finish more thinking aloud than speaking, and then turned toward Halanic. "What does he have to do with the Triforce?" He asked, and Halanic was ready with the answer.

"Him and the Princess, hold the key, so my source says. m'lord." He finished taking the purse from the table, as Lord Alromon processed the information he had received. "Was that not worth the rupees m'lord?" Halanic asked, but Lord Alromon waved him off and left the shack raising his hood. "Anytime you need information m'lord." Halanic said as Lord Alromon left.

The cloaked man who had taken Lord Alromon's horse quickly brought the animal back. He took the reigns and walked slowly to end of the cobblestone street along the dock. He pulled his cloak around him to fight off the chill in the air, as stood he next to a dark alley.

"Need I ask if you're there?" Lord Alromon asked, as he stood next to the alley and a dark shadow stepped forward. "You were listening?" Lord Alronom asked not looking up.

"I was my lord." The answer was a vaporous hiss. "Was it worth that many rupees?" The voice asked, and Lord Alronom nodded.

"It was?" Then he mounted his horse. "As little as it was I now know much more than I did." He said steadying himself in his saddle. "With that many rupees the old fool can retire." He said, setting his feet in the stirrups.

"Indeed." The Shadow replied.

"Retire, him." Lord Alromon said spurning his horse.

"As you wish, my lord." The shadow lunged across the street through the window of Halanic's shack, looking more like the dark alleyway had spit some of the darkness out of it. The old man did manage a brief shriek, but the rain made it unheard, even to the cloaked man outside.