Sanctuary, Ask First

[Lady Zelda]

Despite the seditious poison that drips from his silver tongue, Ludovic is, I must admit, not entirely bereft of intelligence. He would not have sought out this young man if he did not believe him incapable of obtaining mastery of the arcane. To adopt something inferior would besmirch his mansion, and such would indeed represent a grievous tragedy. Yet how did he encounter Kade? Surely it is not possible that this boy could have existed within the City prior to the wedding, unless of course his power had not yet manifested?

Drawing her horse to a halt within the grand gates of Hyrule Castle, Lady Zelda glanced over her shoulder at Kade Markard with a measure of concern. The youthful Hylian, a hood pulled low to obscure his features on the journey through the crowded streets, had tensed in the saddle of his mount, as though the effort of simply remaining in the saddle conscripted the entirety of his strength. In spite of his obvious rigorous physical conditioning, Kade clearly lacked stamina, and the matron found herself contemplating to what torture he had been subjected by Count Ludovic, or, more specifically, the nature of the regimen to which the noble had adhered.

Inhaling, for she now sorely wished that she had acted sooner, Zelda leaned forward slightly and carefully dismounted her horse. Dispensing the reins to one of the grooms, she turned to regard Kade, until she felt a spike in the magic contained within the Castle. In her periphery, she noticed Kade crumpling to the ground, as Caron hastened to assist him, but her priority at the moment centered on her irate granddaughter.

Her eyes dangerously alight, Princess Zelda descended the steps of the Castle in an infuriated rush, pursued several paces back by her mother. "What is that?!" Zelda demanded, gesturing in Kade's direction. "Grandmother, what is it?! Why have you let this demon into our house?!"

"Zelda," said the Matron of Hyrule sternly, ]"Return to your room and regain your composure."

"But-"

"Now." The Queen's tone left absolutely no life for any would-be argument, which the Princess recognized. Though she narrowed her eyes venomously at Kade, she nevertheless pivoted and stalked back into the Castle. Linnette's lingering look was one of disquiet, even sympathy for the stranger, yet she did not speak before following her daughter. Zelda watched them depart for a moment, as though to discern if the Princess would truly respect her order, before returning her focus to Kade. His obvious visceral reaction to someone possessed of considerable magical talent disturbed her, but the Queen refused to form any opinion whatsoever until she had accrued all possible information regarding the situation.

"Are you alright, Kade?" she asked.

The Hylian, his jaw set and his arms clenched around his torso, managed half of a nod, though of course Zelda gave its credence not even an ounce of credibility. Caron, as instructed, supported Kade beneath his shoulders, while another soldier had grasped the reins of the Hylian's horse that had skittered away. The reaction of the bay gelding did not escape the notice of the Hylian Matron, and her expression was pensive when she approached Kade.

"Instruction will not commence until you have recovered your health," she informed him, "Until then, you must obtain as much rest as you require." With a slight dip of her head, she signaled Caron to pick up Kade and carry him into the Castle. The Hylian weakly mumbled his gratitude, yet his consciousness did not endure, a fact which left Zelda standing in the courtyard with escalating solicitude.

[Kade Markard]

For Kade Markard, time seemed absolutely irrelevant. Each moment, each hour, each day, was tantamount to everything else and passed in the same, continuous instant. The only sensation that aroused him, the only impetus to extract himself from that which he desired beyond all else, to rise from that need which supersede everything else, was the natural summons of his body. Even then, the needs did not demand that he abandon his magnificent chambers in Hyrule Castle, for a vessel had been brought to him, once which the servants cleansed multiple times during the day, or, from Kade's prospective, the unnecessary, spiteful interruptions of his long-awaited slumber.

"Master Kade?"

It was Caron; it was always Caron. The Captain of the Castle Guard, when relieved of his duties as babysitter to the King, never failed to stand sentry outside of his door, never failed in his self-mandated oath to bulwark the only child of his good friend, Captain Koradin Markard of the Daast House Guard. Yet in each moment, after several refrains of the young Hylian's name, he would receive only one, laconic response.

"Go away, Caron."

His tone lacked vitality, but it harbored undoubted vehemence, though that of course did not deter Caron in the slightest. "Her Majesty, Queen Linnette, wishes to speak with you."

Kade's visceral, responsive grunt conveyed his annoyance, but he understood that Caron would not heed it, yet he did not immediately rise when the door to his elaborate bedchamber opened and two sets of feet, one distinctly lighter than the other, entered. On his right side, curled tight against the pain in his abdomen, Kade opened his grey eyes with great reluctance and finally pushed himself upwards to his elbows and faced the Queen Regent.

From the outset of the attention, Linnette found herself struck by his expression, the decay which surrounded the young man to whom, three days previous, her renowned mother-in-law had given sanctuary. Striking eyes, dulled and lifeless, stared back at her from sunken sockets, yet Linnette understood that their focus lay riveted upon some distant point, one which the Castle likely did not contain. At that moment, though, another matter held the Queen Regent's paramount attention.

"You have consumed nothing since you arrived, Kade," announced Linnette. "Surely this fasting does not bolster you."

Caron's eyes moved to the Queen for an instant, though Linnette, if she indeed noticed at all, gave the Captain’s indiscretion none of her attention.

Kade raised his gaze to stare at the temporary ruler of Hyrule, and Linnette found herself wanting to cower beneath his attenuating gaze. "I am not hungry."

Linnette's blonde brows furrowed. "Progress shall be alien to you until you improve your condition, so you will dine with us this night. Caron will make certain of it." The Guard Captain proclaimed his agreement and nodded to the Queen Regent. Linnette gave the young Hylian a slight smile and turned to leave the room, yet paused before she opened the door. "I am not your enemy, Kade," she reassured him, "I just intend to champion your health."

Linnette lingered a moment before departing, yet Kade offered no response, no recognition that he had absorbed what she had said. He felt Caron's gaze descend upon him, discerned the ubiquitous concern, but did not respond. The darkness beckoned him.

[Lady Zelda]

In that afternoon hour, her spectacles upon her nose and her mind riveted in the records of the nation's ailing economy, Lady Zelda found her patience waning. Her son's rapid footfalls crescendoed in a regular rhythm outside her door, and the monarch did not doubt that her mentally-altered child was chasing some imaginary target repeatedly down her hallway. Her jaw clenched, her wrinkled brow furrowed, and the renowned Hylian matron found it exceedingly arduous to entirely center her focus on the piles of parchment, sorted and yet untouched, stacked upon her mahogany desk.

"You may complete your studies later, Zelda."

The concession represented a slight surrender in the mind of the wizened queen, if only because her tolerance had nearly dissolved. Though her granddaughter had worked in silence, seated at another desk across from her namesake, her frustration, her annoyance over the current circumstances had altogether exasperated Lady Zelda.

The princess did not hesitate, and Lady Zelda was not altogether certain if her granddaughter had actually risen from her chair or simply been transported to the door, so celeritous was her movement. "Thank you!" She exclaimed fervently, and the princess even managed a slight dip of her blonde head before vanishing, pointedly taking the corridor to the left to avoid Aram and his entourage of hapless pursuers.

In her wake, Lady Zelda exhaled wearily and shifted in the chair, leaning the majority of her weight into its cushioned back. Her spectacles she removed from her thin nose as she shoved away the nearest stack of records, and Zelda exhaled heavily, massaging her temples with her left hand. Rest beckoned her, yet the matron understood that such a respite would not quiet her mind, would not mute, even for a moment, the premonitions that resounded in her thoughts, especially when she could still hear the screams of agony from Kade Markard even after sleep had finally claimed him.

She needed to think, needed to take some place of sanctuary and consider the implications of everything placed before her. Yet when she rose stiffly, she found the door opening to reveal the Queen Regent of Hyrule. "Yes, Linnette?"

Her hazel eyes seeking the floor, until she reflexively pulled them upwards to the matron's face, Linnette promptly responded. "I have invited my brother to dine with us this night," she announced, "As well as Prince Zverok, whom he now shelters."

Frowning, Lady Zelda surveyed the younger woman for a moment. Word had reached her, courtesy of Caron, of Linnette's intentions regarding Kade, and Zelda did not regard such an arrangement as completely sagacious. "Are you certain that is wise?"

Linnette hesitated. The pause was only ephemeral, yet Zelda discerned it nonetheless. "He needs sustenance," she declared, "He is wasting, yet he refuses to consume anything."

Zelda inhaled through her nose. Though she understood the truth behind the words of her daughter-in-law, trepidation commanded her thoughts, as inspired by what she had yet observed in Kade Markard. However, the matron at present did not harbor the adequate mindset to dispute Linnette's decision. "As you wish," she conceded, "But it would behoove you to forewarn Kiran."

A respectful nod was forthcoming from the Queen Regent. "Of course, Your Highness."

It entered the thoughts of Lady Zelda to berate Linnette for her inherent subservience, as it did not befit the ruler of Hyrule, but she obliterated the impulse. Striding past Linnette, she followed the same path as the Princess and sought out the seclusion she desired.

[Duke Kiran Tarik]

"Again, I apologize for the lack of notice, Zverok. My sister does not normally contrive such things on the fly."

His smile rueful, General Kiran led the exiled Gerudo Prince through the corridors of Hyrule Castle, as bidden by his sister, the Regent of Hyrule. It had been the intention of the Knight Grand Triforce to call upon Linnette and her daughter the following day, before he departed for his garrison forces in Faron, yet it seemed that she had anticipated him. Her motivations were understandable, as she and Kiran had always been close, but the Knight Grand Triforce could not help but harbor a slight feeling of irritation over this summons. According to his subordinates, the situation in Faron was deteriorating, via monsters and other wastrels, and Kiran felt that he could best serve Hyrule by returning there as expediently as possible.

I know that she wishes me to assume my place on the Council, but she should also remember that I abhor politics. Let other men debate in that hall; I will act where I am needed. Though he understood that Linnette required an ally, Kiran also knew that it would have to arise from another source, one whose disposition more befitted the duplicitous chicanery that abounded in Castle City. But now is not the time to dwell on such matters.

"General Kiran, Prince Zverok." The Captain of the Guards, Caron, met them at the entrance to the dining hall of the Castle and dipped his head to the head of the Thias household. "It is a pleasure to see you both again; Their Majesties have been expecting you."

"Thank you, Caron," replied Kiran graciously as the guards pushed open the ornate, wooden doors to where his sister, Queen Zelda, and the Princess sat, flanked by a retinue of both servers and bodyguards. As the Guard Captain announced them, Kiran bowed deeply to his superiors. "The invitation is greatly appreciated," he said dually to Linnette and the Queen Mother, "And is, as always, a singular honor."

"I only wished to see our family whole before duty summoned you," Linnette admitted, lifting her hazel eyes to her brother.

Kiran chuckled as he took his place across the table from her, on Lady Zelda's right. "That did not require such an elaborate affair, I am certain," he said, and then grinned wider when he caught the roll of his niece’s eyes. "You agree with me, Princess?"

Zelda did not hesitate. "Of course," she answered tersely, "As much as I understand why they have to be present."

Following the cut of her eyes, Kiran surveyed the two Sheikan bodyguards. "New additions?"

"Circumstances have necessitated it."

Lady Zelda, Kiran noticed, had directed her eyes towards the door, and before he could inquire about the reason, he sensed the magic. His brows furrowing, Kiran nearly reached for his blade, so unsettling was the sensation, until Caron's voice heralded the opening of the double doors.

"Announcing the ward of Her Majesty, Master Kade Markard."

[Tuhren Seviramp]

“You need not apologize, Kiran,” Zverok smirked back at the Knight Grand Triforce as they strode through the corridors. “It may be more entertaining this way; besides, you might could see it as a short reunion before you travel back to Faron.” He offered a soft chuckle.

The young man, because of the request to dine with the Royal Family, had opted to wear his formal grab which consisted of a satin black top, pants, and a long velvet cape that was secured with a silver clasps and draped over his right shoulder. He hadn’t worn it since before his escape from the Palace of Thieves and the smooth material felt extremely foreign against his body. He had grown so used to wearing the traveling gear that Valaina had given him years and years ago. Nevertheless, at least now he looked the part of a Prince again…even if the title was lost to him.

“A pleasure, Captain,” Zverok returned the greeting to Caron and then bent at the waist to the Queens and Princess. His eyes lingered on the young woman as he took his place beside Kiran—though he sorely wished to sit next to Princess Zelda.

“I feel you despise their presence almost as much as you do mine,” Zverok looked to the young royal with a smirk. “You could always dismiss them, Princess.” He gave a small wink to her before looking to her namesake. “There hasn’t been any more assassination attempts, have there?” The Gerudo voiced his concern, but his eyes then drifted toward the door. Frowning, he allowed his gaze to linger on the young man as he stepped through the door.

“Another charity project?” he whispered to Kiran as the air around him grew heavy with magic. “And here I thought I was the only exception.”

---------

Seated at the end of the table, Tuhren respected the semi-private dinner and kept his silence. His eyes wandered a few times from Jonah, to Zelda, and then to Zverok. “This is either going to end very well, or very poorly…”

The door opened behind him, and though he could sense the magic, and heard the Captain of the Guards announce the guest, the Sheikahn emissary refrained from allowing himself to give the young man much more than a glance. “At least he’s come to dinner…still doesn’t look well, however. I can’t help but wonder if taking the boy from my father’s house and bringing him here was the best choice… still, it was not mine to be made. Zelda has the Triforce of Wisdom after all—she knows what she’s doing.” He cut his blue-grey eyes toward the matriarch, and to the Sheikah behind her. “I hope.”

Zaknafein’s red eyes pierced the shadows as he peered from behind the Queen Mother’s chair toward the door. As the Chief Assassin, he had been ensuring that the two Queens remained safe. This boy that she had brought into the castle had attracted the Sheikah’s attention. Anyone with a background in magic could sense that there was something off about the boy—but it was hard to determine what. Regardless, his volatile condition may prove dangerous sooner or later, and Zak would ensure that his forces were prepared to react when they did.

“Stay your hand,” he called softly to a younger recruit in the tongue of his people. The young man, unnerved by Kade’s presence, had drawn his slender daggers. Dipping his head ashamedly, he returned them to his side and sank back into the shadows.

[Aoifre]

Jonah stood behind the Princess; he wasn’t sure what to do during this dinner so he was just going to make sure nothing happened to the princess. Jonah noticed a few different presences he has never sensed before. As he was about to pull out of his knives Caron escorted Zverok and General Kiran. Noticing that the Queen was expected them and the fact that Tuhren gave a look, Jonah put the knife away. As the General and Zverok entered the room they both made comments that made Jonah a little furious. Jonah really didn’t mind Kiran’s comment all too much so he decided to introduce himself.
“Greeting General Kiran, I am Jonah. I am the Princesses new bodyguard.”
Jonah wasn’t sure if he should introduce himself like this but he did not care all that much. He wanted him to know what his job was, especially Zverok. Jonah didn’t know what it was but he already despised Zverok. Jonah decided to speak up towards Zverok’s comment.
“I beg your pardon “Prince” Zverok but my job is to make sure the Princess is safe.”
Jonah knew he was out of line but he just couldn’t let this go. As much as Jonah knew he was suppose to act in an orderly manner he was not going to let Zverok have his way. It was weird for Jonah to voice his opinion like this he is usually shy unless he knows who he is speaking to. However, this is a different situation Zverok made Jonah’s blood boil.
Jonah tried to settle down. He looked over at Tuhren, then the Princess and then the Queen. He knew he was out of line just by looking at them. Jonah was going to try and not do or say anything. He remembered what the Fairy Queen told him…
“Be well mannered, follows orders, and most of all make sure you read the atmosphere.”
Jonah didn’t realize that it was very important to do all of these things. Hopefully he didn’t say anything to upsetting, even if he need, Jonah did not regret it. If Zverok said anything else, Jonah was sure he was going to say something back.

[Kade Markard]

"No, there have not been any more inane attempts to infiltrate the Castle; my grandmother prefers to have her enemies closer than that."

"Zelda!"

For Kade Markard, everything was surreal. He could feel the forward motion of his limbs, hear the scorn that frothed from the mouth of the Princess as if she was shouting it into one of his ears, and smell the revolting vittles that covered the table. Caron's steps mirrored his own, he could sense them, as though the Captain of the Royal Guard expected him to crumple at any moment. Some part of his mind welcomed the security of the soldier's presence, yet another was simultaneously offended that Caron would dare possess such gall. He should refute him, he knew, yet the Hylian found himself taking a seat two spaces to the left of the Princess, separated from her by the Captain himself.

"I am glad that you could join us, Kade," announced Queen Linnette, looking through her seething daughter to the rogue, "Please, eat."

Nausea consumed him, yet Kade saw himself reach for the spoon, stirring it aimlessly in the stew which the servants had just provided.

Across the table, General Kiran gave the Sheikah a nod of recognition. "Welcome to the Castle, Master Jonah," he greeted, "It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, and I thank you for your fervor in accepting this position."

Shadows surrounded them. Magic suffused them, he could sense it, could taste it. They teased him. They taunted him, mocking him with their existence under her protection.

"Markard...that is the surname of the Daast Guard Captain, is it not?"

He is watching you.

His hollowed grey eyes snapping upwards, Kade fleetingly met the gaze of the Knight Grand Triforce. Under the scrutiny of the noble man, Kade was aware of the prominence of his ribs, the chalky pallor of his skin, and the noxious fumes wafting from the food before him. The beating of his heart furious, the depth of his inhales shallow, Kade stared through the ornate table. "Yes," he responded, "I am...that is...Koradin Markard is my father."[ The condemning distinction, illegitimate, had risen in his thoughts, but Kade had refrained from voicing it.

"You hold every right to share this table, then," Kiran proclaimed, "For there are few men more honorable and possessed of more fidelity than Koradin Markard."

Kade knew he should accept the compliment, that he should bestow words of gratitude upon the Knight, yet they would not form.

He is watching you.

As Kade's eyes, an inhuman desire hinting in their depths, riveted upon Zverok, Linnette abruptly diverted the conversation. "Prince Zverok," she asked, "Thus far, have you found Castle City hospitable?"

[Zverok Suraj Nagensha Durai]

Tuhren groaned inwardly the moment he heard Jonah address the Gerudo. “…poorly it is…” The man’s slate grey eyes lifted only enough from the soup he had been served to ensure that the two did not lunge at one another from across the table.

Zverok’s dark eyes lifted to the Sheikah as his brows furrowed. Who was this guy? He didn’t look to be a seasoned warrior, but he looked like some sort of kid right out of boot camp—or whatever it was that Sheikahs went through. “I’m sorry, I do not believe I was speaking to you. Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t bodyguards—especially those of the Sheikahn race—most desired for their stealth; their silence?” Stressing the last word, he turned back to the Princess and gave let out a soft scoff as he nodded his head toward Kade. “So that’s his excuse…?”

The exiled royal allowed his gaze to return to the other guest. What was wrong with him? He seemed so spaced out…almost as if he moved only because it was required, not because he was consciously making an effort to do so.

For a brief moment, he met with Kade’s eyes and furrowed his eyebrows. There was definitely something unsettling about the young man…something inside him that Zelda didn’t know about. It glinted in Kade’s eyes for a second before Queen Linnette drew the young man’s attention elsewhere.

“I have,” his gaze lingered on Kade a bit longer before he turned to Linnette. “Your brother is an exceptional man for taking me in, and only a few of the inns have outright refused to serve me.” He gave a soft chuckle and added, “I do believe your city is finally warming up to me." He dipped his head to the Queen Mother and gave a small smile. "Again, I appreciate that you would provide me with such a sanctuary.”

[Kade Markard]

"It is not my prerogative to condemn those victimized by happenstance." Zelda's tone was cordial, yet blunt, as she stated that which had come to characterize her command of Hyrule, but her eyes had not left the Hylian seate3d across the table from the exiled Gerudo. Scrutinizing her guest, Zelda again spoke to Zverok. "My opponents would label it purely a political move, yet they lack any concept of how an inadequate childhood can alter a person."

He is watching you. He knows what you are. He is watching you.

Kade had not blinked, had not breathed, and was altogether removed from the conversation occurring around him.

"Thank you," Linnette answered Zverok, a genuine smile upon her Hylian features, "I am pleased that you find him so amiable."

"There are few men so chivalrous as General Kiran," contributed Caron.

He is taunting you. He is watching you. He is taunting you.

"Shame he refuses to take a wife. Then perhaps we could have some decent company in the Castle."

Lady Zelda's eyes narrowed dangerously at her granddaughter, but it was Linnette who chastised her. "Hold your tongue, Zelda," she rebuked, "At this moment, your uncle does not deem it feasible to enter into such a contract while his duties require his presence elsewhere. Or would you have his bride abandoned the day after the ceremony?"

The Princess rolled her eyes with annoyed acceptance and muttered to herself as she roughly grasped her goblet. Kade could hear it, could taste the slight exertion of magic she employed to pull the vessel from the table. In that moment, she flaunted her power, taunting him with that which he had not obliterated, and it made him seethe.

No! She has done nothing against me!! Yet even as the denial resounded his mind, the counterargument arose. She despised him; she would decapitate him without hesitation and spare Hyrule the potential threat which he represented. She fears power. No! She is merely being prudent! She knows what uncontrolled magic can do!

She wants it for herself. She would have your power.

No she wouldn't! No one wants this! It's mine and mine alone!

Breathe.

The Hylian did not hesitate. The need for air was reflexive, but when it suffused his nasal cavity and inflated his lungs, he tasted depthless magic. It could replenish his gaunt body, it could grant him what he lacked, and it could spare him.

Take him!

The resolve of Kade Markard disintegrated in an instant. With eyes darker than pitch, he leapt to his feet. Darkness exploded from his outstretched right hand and lunged for Zverok. It would ensnare his neck; it would immobilize him, unleash a hemorrhage of power, and devour that which entailed the danger of Zverok Durai.

"STOP!!"

In the same instant which light consumed the grand dining hall, the iniquitous night receded. Screaming his denial, Kade reined in the darkness just as the illumination raced towards it. Then he was on the ground, writhing, screaming, as the fires ignited, as the anger punished him.

Serene as water, Zelda walked from the head of the table to Kade Markard. "Take him to his quarters," she directed Caron and then, looking to one of the other soldiers who had burst into the room, she said, "Send for Driscoll." Her expression grim, yet unruffled, she faced Zverok. "Are you unharmed?"

[Zverok Suraj Nagensha Durai]

“Naturally, they would, Your Majesty,” Zverok nodded to the Queen Mother. Secretly, he wondered how much of his childhood she knew about. Undoubtedly, she knew of the more extravagant things—the harem, his mother, the acts of rage he performed in the desert—but what did she know? She didn’t need to know more. She didn’t need to know about the struggles he faced in the past and how his fractured mind affected him now. He tried to shrug the thoughts away and returned to the conversation at hand.

“I could always come back to the castle if you truly desired some decent company,” the Gerudo smirked at the princess and gave a soft chuckle.

A sudden chill rose up Zverok’s spine. Something was nearby and it wasn’t friendly…it seemed to emit from the Hylian boy Zelda had taken in. Zverok looked to the young man again. Whatever power he had was waxing and waning—it was like a battle was taking place inside the young man. Then it surged.

Zverok leapt back from the table, drawing one hand up and another down to create a barrier of fire against the darkness that had been sent toward him. Another magic illuminated the hall and within moments it was gone, as was the shadow magic that had tried to consume him. The exiled prince heard the boy call out, and once he had dismissed his wall of fire, could clearly see Kade writhing in agony. Though his heart pounded within his chest and a bit of sweat had formed on his brow, he remained statuesque as Zelda strode to the young man and calmly gave her orders.

“I’m fine…” Zverok replied with his gaze remaining on Kade as the young man departed. He was unsure why he was here…why such anger or hatred resided within him. But more importantly, why had he commanded himself to stop?

A slicing pain surged through the Gerudo’s skull as the voices began again.

“He seeks to kill you, just like all those other b*stards!! There’s no telling who he’s working for…you need to get rid of him before he gets rid of you. Zelda, that old fool…does she know what she’s doing keeping someone like him around?! Or maybe this is all part of a ploy. She wants you dead as well—she thinks you are him, the Evil One, or at least she can’t stand to chance it!”

“You’re not safe anymore…not here…”

“Then where…?”

“There is no place you will be safe…”

Zverok bit the inside of his cheek. “Please excuse me,” he began to start out the dining room with his fists clenched by his side. He felt as if he was about to explode.

Etrom, Humboldt clutched in one hand, had risen during the outburst and now dipped his head to the Royals. “Shall I attend them?” he inquired, referring to Kade. He wasn’t positive, but if the boy was from his father’s home, there was a chance that his body had become the container for some spirit that the Count was toying with….or it could have been placed there purposefully when he allowed the Queen to take him…