Title: Kingdom's Light

Author: Alex Foster

Feedback: I love to hear what you think so drop me a line or leave a review.

Category: Fantasy/Action

Rating: PG-13

Map: A map for this fic can be found at www DOT fanart-central DOT net/pic-626512 DOT html

Summary: Set just before Zelda's birth, her father must unravel a plot that threatens the entire world. Meanwhile, a young army officer stumbles on a crime syndicate with far reaching power. As the two men move toward their destinies, the world prepares for the birth of a hero.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Nintendo. No money is being made and no infringement is intended.

Author's Notes: This story is from an outline I wrote many years ago when I was working on Path of Sins. I kept the outline tucked away until the temptation to tell this story was just too great. I hope you have as much fun reading it as I did writing it. Thank you for your time.

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Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: You don't give up.

Anne Lamott

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Chapter One

Lieutenant Glenn Tarmag knew the two men were following him. Stepping up his pace, the young solider in the Hyrulian Guard spared a glance over his shoulder. The mission, he reflected, was not going as planned. Glenn, freshly scrubbed from his jaw to his new boots, had considered his first assignment with the Guard a dream come true.

Barely old enough to shave, Glenn had wanted to join the army since he was young enough to help his dad shine the silver seal on the elder Tarmag's palace issued sword. Now, he wore the same seal on the crossguard of his own sword.

Researching rumors of illegal activities committed by a new trade federation wasn't quite the glorious story making wars of the eastern badlands, but Glenn felt honored that the Captain of the Guard had selected him.

Because of that, Glenn Tarmag would find the truth behind the Iron Fist.

Pulling his cloak tighter about his strong frame, Glenn wished for a crowded street to lose his followers on. Light rain and low hanging fog covered the small town on the southern mouth of the Jidra River. Few people ventured out in the cold rain, and that meant the two men following him had a clear view.

Ducking down an alley, Glenn broke out into a run. Sweat joined the raindrops on his face. He didn't want to have to fight the two men. Not only would that confirm to the representatives of the Iron Fist in this town that he was investigating them, but seventeen year old Glenn wasn't sure if he could take on two men at once.

The Fist offered merchants armed security for their convoys and he was sure those two officers behind him were fully trained in combat. The trade group had grown quickly in the southwestern country of Calatia and started to spread into Hyrule by recruiting young teenage boys unfit for the army or looking to make money playing warrior.

His boots sliding through mud, Glenn rounded a corner and found himself faced with a brick wall. He looked back and saw the two men emerge from the alley. He couldn't see their faces underneath the cowls of their cloaks, but noticed that while he was breathing heavily from the run they looked clam and composed. How had they kept up with him?

The two men split apart and took up positions on either side of the alley mouth. Glenn pushed his hood back and drew his sword. The polished metal caught the defused daylight and Glenn was sure the men could tell he'd never drawn the blade battle before.

"I am a solider in the Palace Guard," he announced. "I have no wish to harm ya. Back away and let me be."

The two men exchanged a glance and one raised his hand. With a loud whoosh, fire ran down his sleeve and pooled in his hand. Glenn almost dropped his sword in shock. Magic! They were from the Tower of Magic? He backpedaled until he hit the brick wall. The other followed suit and the two spitting balls of fire filled the alley with light. Raindrops hissed as they touched the conjured flame.

"I've no business with ya!" Glenn cried. "Yer ain't who I thought."

"Yes we are," the first one said. "Acrudati."

The two balls of fire flew from their hands, rotated around each other in a wheel of flame, and howled toward the young guard. Glenn pulled back and braced himself to feel the fire race across his flesh. It never came. Inches from his face the balls came to a stop and fizzled out.

"Last time I checked," a new voice said, "it was a crime to kill an officer. Or anyone for that matter."

All eyes turned to see a short man about thirty years old standing behind the two wizards. He wore no cloak despite the rain and had thinning wispy blond hair. Light gray eyes that looked as though they held mirth more often than menace stared unwaveringly at the two men. A vest of thick leather armor with a gold symbol on the left breast covered a long sleeved black tunic. At his waist was a sword with a black winged crossguard that curved down over the bloodcatch.

Now the weapon in Glenn's hands did slip and hit the cobblestone street. No one noticed the noise. Only one type of person carried a sword like the one at the stranger's waist.

In his short life Glenn had only seen two Knights of the Triforce; the one at the end of the alley was the second.

Known around the world but rarely seen anymore, the Knights served no king or queen or emperor. They lived to protect the Triforce and keep it from misuse. When he was a little boy, Glenn had asked his father if he could join the Knights of the Triforce, and learned those Knights were born not selected. Their powers were unknown even to the masters at the Tower of Magic, the last school for spell casters and governors of all things magic.

The first wizard sent a blast toward the Knight before Glenn could fully register what was happening. Moving in a blur, the winged sword came free and touched the flash of power. It arced back toward the wizard, hitting him full in the chest. He flew back into the wall behind Glenn with a sickening crunch.

Glenn looked down at the attacker and saw a burnt skeleton covered in the smoldering remains of cloak and clothes.

The second wizard raised his hands and began to channel power. The Knight came forward, his sword arcing in the rain. Glenn heard two wet clops and saw the wizard's severed hands hit the ground in a bloody mess. Before he could scream, the Knight ran the wizard through the gut, grabbed his throat with his free hand, and lifted the wizard in the air like a child's doll.

"Who trained you?" the Knight asked. "Why are you working with the Fist?"

The wizard opened his mouth, drew a shaky breath, and spit blood at the Knight.

"Who trained you?" he asked again, undeterred. "The Tower?"

The bleeding man shook his head.

Amazingly, the Knight seemed to accept that as an answer. He twisted the sword sharply and let the dead wizard fall to the ground. He held the blade up to the rain, letting the water wash it clean. With that done, he sheathed the sword and turned to Glenn.

"Are you okay?"

Glenn found he had no moisture in his throat and could not swallow. He managed a nod.

The Knight smiled grimly. "You look a little green. I'm sorry if you aren't used to this, but spell casters make dangerous enemies. Sometimes you have to kill them before they kill you. I'm Jarn and I think you and I have been following the same leads."

"I-iron Fist?"

Jarn nodded. "Grab your sword and let's go. Best to get out of here." He took Glenn's arm and pulled the shocked guard past the two mangled bodies and deeper into the storm.

---

Prince Harkinian Genary rolled on the balls of his feet in anticipation. He stood in the inner courtyard of Hyrule Castle and watched as the unadorned carriage pulled through the front gates. It had been years since he last saw her, and suddenly the cares and worries that had been pressing on him felt lighter.

There were few people for her formal arrival, as per her request. To his side was the Hylian Minster of Sate, Chancellor Deverell. Behind him, almost lost in the shadows of a late cloudy day was his ever-present guard, Knight Leita.

The protection was not his idea but his father that cashed in favors deeper than Harkinian could imagine for the First Knight himself to assign Leita to him. So much for them not being political animals, he thought.

Clad in her dark leather armor with the Triforce symbol on her left breast, Leita was a slight woman that faded from view well. Far from unassuming, he knew, the sandy haired woman had received training at an early age on the use of her powers.

Harkinian cleared his throat and ran his hand back through his brown hair.

Chancellor Deverell noticed and said politely, "She will be most certainly happy to see you again, sir."

The carriage pulled to a stop in front of them and the side door popped open.

"I hope so." Harkinian came forward, swung wide the door, and extended a hand to help her out.

A soft hand touched his and Princess Seline of Calatia came into view. Blonde and delicate looking, the young woman carried herself with a power that came not from her rank but from a power that was decidedly supernatural. In the years since Harkinian completed his schooling at the Tower of Magic, Seline had stayed on there and embraced her heritage as a gifted witch.

As she stepped down from the carriage, he marveled at the fact that she hadn't aged a day in the almost ten years they'd been apart. He knew those gifted with magic aged differently than others, but to see it in his childhood friend was striking. Instead of a dress made of expensive silk as he was used to seeing on noblewomen, Seline wore only a simple green dress with parts for riding. Clothes favored by women that worked labor at the Tower.

Rising only to his shoulder, her blue eyes met his with the same keen intelligence and spark of humor he remembered. She held the moment for a beat and then threw her arms around him.

"Oh, Light, how I've missed you!" she said into his chest.

He laughed for what felt like the first time in months and lifted her from her feet. "I can't believe my Little Leany is a witch now."

Regretfully, he put her down and stepped back. "It is truly good to see you again, Seline."

Deverell bowed his tall frame at the waist. "Welcome to Hyrule, Princess. It has been too long since your last stay."

"Thank you, Chancellor. I wish my visit was purely for pleasure, but I carry news." She glanced at Harkinian. "I need to speak with your father."

"King Gareth has already ordered a dinner be prepared in your honor," Deverell said.

Harkinian took her arm and began leading her inside the castle. Seline shook her head. "Better make that a private dinner. I would rather people not know I'm here."

"Is it Hinart?"

"No, Harkinian," she said. "Daddy's fine. It's you I'm worried about. And"-she paused on her next words-"your wife."

---

"Calatian gossip was not a nice way to find out, Harkinian. You should have sent word to me."

The prince nodded and looked down. "I know."

After a small amount of diplomatic prattle with Deverell, Seline had requested a chance to rest after her long journey from Calatia. Instead of retiring to her guest quarters, though, she had selected Harkinian's apartments to recover in.

Presently, they were in his sitting room away from the aides and security personnel that always hovered about. A spread of cheeses and wine lay untouched between them.

"It happened very quickly," he said. "Deverell picked her and arranged the entire affair."

"Quickly in our world means months of parties," she said. "I was only a few weeks away."

Harkinian smiled. "It wasn't a proud time in my life, old friend. You had your training to see to, and I thought it best you weren't here to see me like that."

"Tell me about it," she said. "Please?"

He sighed. "Last year my father fell ill with a fever and the royal houses made a play for the throne. Apparently, I am viewed as somewhat weak." He smiled slightly. "Deverell knew how the handle it. Kilsa is the daughter of a powerful house, but she has no brothers. And with her mother too old for a chance of legitimate heirs, smaller houses threatened to swallow her family.

"Already, her sisters had been married off to weaker nobles, shortening their power and influence." Harkinian appeared to choose his next words carefully. "Kilsa is a very politically astute woman. Given the right power, she knows how to keep it by any means necessary."

"You don't approve." It was not a question. Seline knew her companion well. "But sometimes that is the game we must play."

"I know. House Genary is safer with Kilsa in it. Deverell served his house and crown well."

Seline reached over their table and touched his hand. "I'm sorry for you, Harkinian. But you should try to be happy with her. I'm sure she means well and only has what's best for you in mind."

"Who said I'm not happy?"

Seline gestured to the apartment around them. "This place looks the same as it did when we were thirteen. No woman has ever touched your decor. And, given lack of female items in your washroom, I would dare a guess that she hasn't spent much time here in any capacity.

"Plus, you aren't wearing a ring and you, Harkinian, are as traditional as men come."

He drew his hand back. "Did the Tower teach you to be that observant?"

"No, my family did. I have the same training as she does."

He regarded her for a long moment. "You are nothing like her. So, what about this news from the Tower? What was so important that you had to come all this way?"

"There are threats against you from very dangerous sources."

"That we know," he said. "My father has a private guard watching me at all times."

"This is much bigger than you might think. People coming to the Tower have spread word that the Outcasts, spell casters not trained by the Tower, are working with nobles within both our governments. To what end, I don't know. But my father and the Tower knew your father was not well and if an assassin reached you...the power vacuum would be enormous. A power cabal with rouge spell casters behind them would stand primed to seize control of Hyrule."

Harkinian was quiet for a full minute. He suddenly understood why the First Knight had assigned Leita to him without complaint. "Do you have any idea who these people are?"

"No." Seline shook her head. "But if we don't find them soon, I'm afraid they will find us."