The Legend of Zelda: Zelda's Honor

Chapter 43 - The Crossroads

Night was descending on the open plains surrounding Yolland; the group stayed under the cover of the trailing shadows on the eastern side of the village. Link noticed several things that worried him, there were various plows, baskets, crops and other farming utensils set aside against various rocks and boulders as if their owners would be coming back to them any moment. Some of the harvest was even fruitful and was producing corn, cabbage and other appetizing yields. This all looked too fresh and time consuming to be the work of bandits.

They tethered their horses to a firm sapling boldly growing in the shade of a large stone. Kafei knelt down, peering around the rock to view the town from this vantage point. They were no further away than five minutes on foot. At the sound of the horn, Zelda pointed out the group of boys riding in from the south, their goal was to direct the town's attention to the west. Giving them a few more seconds to attract the guards, Kafei signaled them to follow as he surged ahead through the tall grass crouching low.

Quickly butting up against the hay bales Kafei confirmed would be there, he flipped himself up to the top of the wooden pikes. Peeking over the edge he spied only one sentry still manning this corner, but his gaze was directed towards the primary gate entrance. Kafei looked down and made a gesture indicating what he saw before slipping over the wall and landing softly on the elevated catwalk lining the interior of the fortification. Link, Zelda and Merin quickly followed suit.

Kafei unsheathed his dual swords and slinked up behind the unsuspecting sentry. Feeling something was amiss behind him, the guard spun around spear at the ready. Kafei flowed upwards with one sword impaling the man's chin with the hook. With a quick turn, he heaved the guard over his shoulder, slamming him to the wooden catwalk with a thud. In one smooth motion, Kafei set aside the second sword before reaching for a dagger at his belt and driving it hard into the man's heart.

It had all happened within a span of a few seconds, but Link caught the smooth lethality of Kafei's movements. They swiftly descended the plank stairs down to the dirt below, staying to the edge of the wall and in the shadows as best they could. Several cries from the town guards indicated that some of the arrows had hit their intended targets. Zelda grimaced as she could only imagine those poor men swelling up with blood cysts.

They rounded the corner of a building only to find two men surging out from the nearby doorway, each group stopped in their tracks momentarily before they galvanized into action. Link ducked under the swipe of one man's sword as he rammed his own deep into the ribs of the guard, he quickly slumped over the weapon before Link drew it back out. Zelda had quickly incapacitated her opponent, his body inert on the ground with multiple lacerations to the face and neck, the spiked rod firm in her hand.

Kafei nodded to them in appreciation of their skills before moving back along the outer wall. A low whistle from above caused them all to roll out of the way, looking aloft for the new threat. Apolloni and Aveil leaped down from the rooftops with feline grace as they surprised Kafei with their guile.

"Why aren't you burning them to ashes?" Apolloni hissed.

"Are these friends of yours?" Kafei asked the group, eyeing the new arrivals warily.

Merin nodded, "Yes, they are my sisters. They too, are Gerudo."

Seemingly relieved at that, he motioned for them to follow. "We will have time to burn their corpses later. We must first get to the gate to let in the cavalry. Only with their assistance can we overtake this town and drive the Nevachreans out!" Kafei explained with firm resolve.

Aveil reasoned that was a good plan as any. She looked out across the courtyard from between the buildings to see the vertical capstan that was adjoined to the primary gates. "Seems easy enough. Leave it to me."