-Link-

Link was given a collection of scrolls by Princess Zelda and Chancellor Impa, some money for his travels, and a guide to take him to Mutagi. The guide was important because Link could not read words nor understand maps due to his lack of an education.

He arrived at Mitagi and presented the first scroll to the guards, as he was told. The scroll bore the seal of the king. Despite Zelda not officially being king, due to her age, the seal of the king was still hers. The guards read the scroll. The words ordered them to take the boy (Link) to Ouki Mutagi. They guided Link to the inner mansion of Mutagi. The city-fortress was vast, eclipsing the capital in its size and grandness, but where the capital was beatiful and full of culture Mutagi was a war-machine. Everywhere Link looked he saw soldiers. Every corner had a blacksmith, armorsmith, swordsmith, or some kind of military purpose to it. Where the capital had three layers of walls in the form of rings, Mutagi was built in grids with dozens upon dozens of interlinked walls.

Link was awestruck in the fortress-city. He could not fathom a power that could build it, much less conquer it. Whoever this Ouki was, he was possibly as wealthy, and powerful, as Zelda! And she was the heir!

The idea of meeting Ouki terrified him, but also made him so excited he couldn't contain himself.

At last the guards presented him to Ouki. Ouki stood on a wall overlooking a regiment of soldiers being trained when the guards presented him. Link stood stiffly to the side, afraid even blinking wrong would be a sin. And the size of Ouki! Link thought Ganon was strong and musclebound, but compared to Ouki, Ganon was little more than a stick! Where did the muscles end on this man?! Link knew if Ouki took his armor off the guy would not have a six-pack on his stomach, he would have a sixteen pack! He had arms the size of tree trunks!

And the armor probably weighed a full ton!

Ouki blinked in surprise at seeing Link. He stared a moment at him, before shaking himself and extending a welcoming hand. "Oh-ho! Who is this?" Ouki wondered outloud as the guards bowed, and Link stiffly bowed. Sweat poured off him just from being under the man's gaze.

Beside Ouki was a blond-haired blue-eyed man with a funny mustache, armor unlike any design Link had ever seen, and a sword that was too plain to be from Qin. He was definitely a foreigner.

The foreigner was handed the rest of the scrolls in Link's possession, and after noticing the seals, opened the scrolls. His eyebrows lifted ever so slightly, in curiosity, and handed them to his master.

Ouki smirked as he read them. "So... 'Link' is it?"

"Yes, sir!" Link bellowed.

"The princess wishes for me to train you. My my... never thought she was the type to refer to anyone as a friend. You must mean a lot to her. What kind of relationship do you two have, I wonder? Hmm?"

Without thinking, Link said, "I hit her! No! I mean- I- we lived together! No... wait that's not right!"

"Wha?" Was about as far as Ouki got on that. Ouki was flabbergasted.

"I-I-I-"

"You beat her and slept with her?!" Ouki asked.

"NO!" Link exclaimed, panicking and raising his hands in surrender. "No! No! No, that's not it!"

"Calm down. Just say it." The foreigner said.

Link took a moment to try and calm down. "You see... She was hiding in my village as a slave... alongside me with my master, for a short time. I followed her to the palace after I learned who she truly was. I may have... shoved her... at one point. We were arguing and she was being cowardly and needed... a shove. It ended up helping, as it sort of shoved her to action. She forgave me and everything so it's nothing to worry about!" Link gulped. He squeaked. "Please, don't kill me..."

Ouki and his blond attendant looked at each other in amazement before Ouki burst out in laughter. Link chuckled nervously, wondering if he was truly about to die or not, and the guards stood silently, wondering what to do here or what was going on.

Ouki finally stopped laughing and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Oh, dear boy. Thank you. I needed that. She must love you for your stories."

"It's true..." Link pouted quietly.

"Now, which noble are you the son of? I can tell by your guise you are not highborn. A village mayor, perhaps?"

"Err... I'm just a peasant." Link answered. "I really was a slave."

"Oh. So you weren't jesting..." Ouki muttered. His energy seemed to evaporate in disappointment, and Link felt he had failed in some way. But what could he do? He was being honest. He really was born a slave. Was entering the army and being trained really this difficult that former slaves were not allowed? Just how big of an obstacle was he facing from his birth?

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"You're parents are also slaves, then?"

"No. At... at least I don't think so." Link replied. He hesitated. "I'm a war orphan. I don't know much but the soldier who dropped me off at the plantation as a babe but he said I was born to a great general."

Ouki nodded, his smile returning. "Good, good. I am sorry war took your family, lad, but if you really are born of a general, then it will show."

"Yo-you believe me?"

"Why not? Generals can bed as many woman as they want." Ouki shrugged. "Or men in my case."

"Now, then!" Ouki suddenly said more firmly. He straightened his posture and Link couldn't help but standing at attention on instinct. The man had an overpowering presence of authority. "Men, take the boy to a room in the lower mansion. The princess wants him to have special training, so special training is what he shall get!"

Link couldn't believe his ears. He smiled so wide it hurt. He wanted to hug Ouki, but wisely thought better of it. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Link bowed repeatedly punctuating his words.

"It is quite alright, lad. Get on your way and prepare, but make no mistake." Ouki's cheery attitude disappeared and he looked darkly on the boy. "I will send you to your breaking point every single day. Son of a noble! Son of a slave! No matter! Men stronger than you have died in the first week. The princess asked this as a favor, but how I choose to do it is my choice."

Link may have wet himself just a little.

The guards led Link away. Immediately Ouki's first-in-command, the Englishman, said, "My lord. Are you really going to train him? What of the scroll from the Chancellor?"

"What of it indeed." Ouki muttered darkly. He unfolded it and looked at its words again. "I think I need to have a quick chat with the Sheikah. You carry on here. Let me know if anything comes that needs my attention."

The Englishman bowed. Ouki departed.

He entered the lower mansion, and went lower. He entered the lower dungeons and went even lower. He reached a point that ended in a dead-end. A bit of light shined from the end of the hall onto the wall, and pulling a lenses from his possession, he shined the light through it, revealing the dead-end was actually a door.

He entered the sanctum of the Sheikah. It was musty and filled with passages leading to other areas. It was the Sheikah's home, and the few he passed by showed it as they were incredibly pale, having seen little sun. Everyone stepped aside as he entered. He was their host. They were living in his home freely. It was only right.

Ouki demanded to know where the Shadowmaster was, and after being guided, stepped in. The shadowmaster was resting, reading a scroll by candlelight.

"Ah, Ouki Mitagi." The man greeted. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"It is good to see you as well, Shadowmaster. I hope you are not overly burdened with your new position."

"It is difficult filling in shoes that have been worn by another for so long, but I will make do. Your hope is welcomed."

"Good to hear. I also apologize for my cander, but I am not here to visit. I am here on business. If you will but allow me a moment of your time, I promise I will leave you to your rest."

The shadowmaster nodded. "One thing I find myself disliking is perhaps that the hours of leadership never truly end... but alas, you know it well. Very well. What is your business, Lord Ouki Mitagi?"

"An explanation to this." Ouki handed him the scroll that had borne the mark of Chancellor Impa. "Why am I instructed to have some boy KILLED. What is so special about this boy, Link? You know the answer, do you not?"

"I do. Impa had passed information on to me of the danger the boy possess." The shadowmaster answered.

"And this danger is what?" Ouki raised an eyebrow. "Because Zelda's own words speak well of the boy. Even calling him friend. I spent a little time with the princess, and I judged her easily enough to not be the type to make friends. So that makes this a very special case. More than that, what damage would it do to her when her family is betraying her, only to hear that her own Chancellor has ordered the assassination of a 'friend'? Because I looked at him. He is genuine, frightened easily as a church mouse, and a little childish." Ouki crossed his arms. "Before I even consider committing such treason, I need a Din-damn good reason for it."

The shadowmaster stared into Ouki's defiant eyes for a long moment, considering what to say and what not to say, perhaps hoping Ouki would back down and not press the issue. Problem was he knew Ouki wouldn't back down until he was satisfied.

The man sighed. "I had hoped you wouldn't press the issue... You of all people are the last one who should know of this, yet also the only one in a position to do anything about it."

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"The boy claims to be the son of a great general." The Shadowmaster said.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaand?" Ouki pressed. "Lots of generals have lots of brats out there."

"A female general."

Three words. Three simple words. But it was enough to knock the wind from his lungs. His whole world spun. The candle light of the room danced as a beautifully violent woman. The world shook under his legs, or perhaps that was his legs shaking. He could not tell which was which anymore. He couldn't tell what was what anymore.

Ouki collapsed to a knee and placed a hand on the stone floor to steady himself. It was forever before he remembered how to so much as breathe.

"It seems you realize the implications of what this means." The shadowmaster concluded.

"Is it true?" Ouki asked breathlessly. "Is he..."

"We do not know, but the rumor alone is dangerous. The boy is dangerous. If his lineage truly is what he claims, and he learns of it, then he is a danger not only to you or I... but all of us. The Mitagi. The Sheikah. The Ki. The Royal Family. All of us are in danger if he really is HER son. If he seeks after his lineage..." The man shuddered. "He could overturn this entire kingdom on its head. There are some secrets buried for a reason. Secrets too dangerous to ever see the light of day. You know this. You swore to uphold the secret to your dying breath when you learned of it, even at the loss of your family, your house, and your reputation. Now is the time to prove if your conviction is as strong as you claim to finish it."

Ouki closed his eyes. He could see it. The fires burning. The woman and children dying. War ravaging the land. As much as war exhilarated him, he could not stand by and watch as everything he had sworn to protect was destroyed.

"He is dangerous if he searches for answers. Too dangerous." Ouki agreed.