Power of the Triforce: Sequel to The Princess and Her Knight

XV: Wanted Alive

Link's POV:

"Resist, Link!..."

"You want this calamity..."

"If Ganon were to be resurrected, it would cause unimaginable damage to a barely recovered kingdom..."

"You may be their ruler, but the way I see it, you don't owe them anything..."

"I'm giving you the opportunity to be on our side this time..."

I gasped as my eyes struggled to open. My head ached and I rolled sluggishly to my side and spit blood on the ground. My vision was blurry and I felt bile in my throat. I groaned as I forced myself to sit up. My ears rang and my head pounded furiously.

As my vision focused, I knew immediately that I was locked in the Yiga's prison cell. I had been knocked out and dragged here. I placed my hand on my forehead, trying to distract the pain. I heard clansmen outside muttering.

I lied against the cold wall as an undisguised Yiga brought me a tray of food. With his grimy hands, he grabbed the food and threw it through the bars. The stale bread hit the floor and dust dispersed underneath it. Following the bread was a browned banana that bounced around on the dirty floor.

"Eat," he said.

I was starving, but I refused to pick the food up. I couldn't eat, I could only think of what must be going on in Hyrule. I did not know whether the clan had killed more people, and I did not know if I would ever escape. My wife must be worried sick and my royal council must be apprehensive. All of Hyrule might be wondering where their king went.

I slumped over, too weak to hold myself up. My mind went blank for a moment before I felt the slightest feeling of... relief? I was relieved... they didn't kill me. But why?

They should have killed me. I murdered enough of their clansmen to qualify for far more than a minor offense... The second they realized it was me, they ceased fire?

I could not stop thinking. My pride and anger brought me into the hideout... and Hyrule was going to suffer for it. I could not help anyone locked up in here. I was leaving possibly all the village elders to die, for people to be brutally murdered. Their blood would be on my hands.

My mind continued to race. If they weren't going to kill me, they are going to keep me locked up in here. But what on earth would they need me alive for? I couldn't stop them if I was dead.

My thinking ceased. Instantly, I remembered Impa's words:

"This realm's connection to Ganon dies with you, Link."

They did need me alive to be able to resurrect Ganon. They could beat me within an inch of my life, but they could never kill me. They needed me.

I cleared my throat. A Yiga guard outside my cell turned to look at me.

"I will not eat this," I mumbled.

"Yes you will, or you will starve to death," he responded. An empty threat.

I picked up the food and threw it outside of my cell. The Yiga groaned and threw his head back. He bent over to pick up the food and aggressively threw it back into the cell. "Eat the food," he demanded.

"No," I responded, throwing the food back outside the cell.

"Gah!" he yelled. "What will you eat?!"

"I will eat this if... you let me speak to Elrohir."

He scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous."

"I will not eat if you do not bring him to me."