Link sat down next to the fire, roasting four rabbits, thanks to Dameon. Link smiled as he bundled up in the warmth and looked over to his unconscious friends. They were starting to awaken finally.

Hoang was the first to awake. He seemed to have no memory at all.

“What happened?” He asked Link. Link frowned.

“Some sheikah boy came up,” Link replied. “I don’t know what happened exactly, I can tell you that.”

Hoang sighed. “We didn’t get any food did we?”

Link held up the four skinned rabbits. “At least Dameon provided us with something.”

Hoang smiled. “Thanks.”

Link shook it off. “No problem.”

“Where did you hide to?” Drake asked. Link put on a straight face.

“The crate behind the house. I saw him throw you out of the ranch and escaped when they went back inside.”

Hastin sighed. “Now what do we do?”

“This’ll definitely mean that Devlin will make us do a very big raid. He did it before. We actually had to burn Hyrule Castle Town, but that was seventeen years ago,” Dume replied.

Link frowned. He was born seventeen years ago. Did that have any influence on him? He decided not to question this and kept his mouth shut.

They all finished and left two cooked rabbits left for the others, although that wasn’t much for all of them, it was better than nothing.

They walked back out of Hyrule Field and into Kakariko. They all climbed down into the well, and in Dameon’s case, jumped down.

They all walked up to their leader and dreaded what might happen.

“You weren’t able to do it, were you?” Devlin guessed. They all shook their heads.

Devlin turned around and sighed in frustration. “Then you know what we’ll have to do.”

All of them frowned. The biggest of raids were harder to do and few lost their lives. But Devlin always joined in these groups, which always completed their success.

Link took a step up to Devlin in curiosity. “Where are we going for our raid?”

All of them expected to say Hyrule Castle Town, but he grinned evilly this time. “We’re going to the castle.”

They gasped, but made no protest. The castle was a big place for all sorts of riches. Devlin walked up to Link, but did not look in his eye.

“We’ll need all the help we can get. I will join this plan as will wolf, boar, bear, fox, dragon, bull, griffin, elephant, lion, coyote, cat, snake, cougar, phoenix, and raven.”

It was most of the group. Only Brock, Hart, Jubal, and Zuri remained. Of course, they weren’t exactly the best at stealing or fighting.

Devlin then patted Link on the shoulder, sending him a chill up his spine. “Now I can see how well you are at thieving with my own eyes.”

Link frowned. The castle… He remembered going there. How couldn’t he? After talking to Malon he couldn’t forget Zelda. He just hoped now that Zelda wouldn’t be caught up in these events.

Link still couldn’t get over the guilt of stealing her tiara. He didn’t know why he did it. It was just because he was worried about what Hoang would say if he found out where he was. He had total regret and couldn’t relieve himself of it.

He had this great feeling to go over there and tell her the truth, but he was afraid of what the consequences would be. The last thing he wanted was to end up locked up.

They left the well. Link followed the group with a frown. Devlin walked up to him, which gave Link a chill.

“You seem to be the first person who wants to stay away from the castle,” Devlin said. “Why is that?”

Link frowned. “I’m tired,” he said half-truthfully.

“Well don’t let that bother you when we head for the castle, or I’ll be very disappointed.”

He walked at a quicker pace to catch up with the others. Link looked up at the castle walls with great pain. He sighed and lowered his head. Dameon walked next to him, brushing his fur coat against his boots. He seemed happy to go to the castle. Link glared.

“You’re not helping,” he said to Dameon.

Dameon heard him and went into his emotionless state. This usually happened when the dog killed something.

They walked across the bridge. The guard, who became suspicious of this strange migration pointed his spear at them

“Halt! What brings you here?” the guard shouted. Hastin walked up to him.

He then suddenly and quickly grabbed the guard by the neck and bent it in an odd way. Link didn’t need a hint to know that Hastin broke his neck. Devlin smiled in glee.

They walked towards the castle, ignoring the desolation of the midnight town. Once they were near the path Devlin gathered them around.

“Okay,” Devlin said. “Listen up. We’ll go into two groups. One, including me, will sneak in and steal everything we can get our hands on. Those will be fox, griffin, cat, snake, and raven.”

Link’s heart sank at that. Devlin went on.

“Everyone else will distract the guards, so move out!”

So one group ran along the path, taking out their swords and started to kill the guards while Link and the others each climbed the tree that leaded into the garden outside the castle.

They climbed over the walls as some of the criminals distracted the guards by the gate. They immediately opened it and ran into the castle. Link and the others ran into their, shoving any piece of jewelry of money they could find in bags, pockets, and even their own boots.

Link dashed through the halls with Dameon at his side, biting guards at the neck each time one came near him.

He suddenly heard a scream coming from another room. Link became curious and barged into a room where the scream was coming from.

There he saw Crevan, a fellow thief, trying to pry a necklace from someone’s hands. What surprised him more was that the person who wouldn’t let go of the necklace was Princess Zelda.

“You will not take my mother’s necklace!” Zelda shouted. Crevan growled in frustration. Link almost driven by a new desire, kicked Crevan in the stomach.

Crevan retched in pain and released the necklace to recover from the blow, only to meet Link’s fist in the face. Crevan immediately fell over.

Zelda put the necklace around her neck again. Link was shocked.

Zelda, now with no headpiece around her head, had stunning blonde hair. Her face seemed perfect in every way as her violet eyes looked like beautiful tulips. She wore a simple and open pink dress with long gloves over her hands. She wore no crown over her head and the only piece of jewelry she carried was a necklace around her neck, which was a beautiful sapphire that sparkled just like her eyes.

Zelda looked up to see Link standing there in shock. She immediately grabbed a vase and held it up in rage.

“Don’t you dare come near me!” Zelda shouted. Link stood back in shock. Zelda did not recognize him.

Dameon ran into the room barking like mad. Zelda looked at the dog next to it. Link noticed the white dog next to Dameon and realized who it was.

Zelda did not recognize Link, but she did recognize Dameon. She gave Link a suspicious look.

“Who are you?” she asked. “What’s your name?”

Link stepped back. “Princess I mean no harm. My name is Link.”

Zelda dropped the vase so suddenly in shock. “Link! I can’t believe it!”

Link sighed in relief. “Yeah, I know it was long.”

Zelda snorted. “Seven years I believe. Where in the world have you been?”

Link smiled remembering that Malon asked the same question. “Well, I have been very busy.”

“Link!” shouted a voice. Link looked over as Zelda did too.

“Zelda,” Link said. “I have to go. Stay here.”

Link ran over to see Griffith, a fellow thief of his, trying to fight another woman.

This woman looked very dangerous, for she was well muscled with silver hair and red eyes, which meant she was a sheikah. She wore armor on her, which meant she was a great warrior.

Link knew not to toy with this woman. He took out his bow and aimed.

Zelda could not believe what had happened. Link, a boy she hadn’t seen for seven years had come back. She was shocked but looking at Michy and Dameon together, she believed.

Zelda also was amazed by how much Link had grown. He used to be the small boy who looked adorable. Now he had this strange demeanor to him. It was fierce and cold, yet kind and caring. She also blushed, for he looked like a very handsome man.

Zelda, being curious, knew she couldn’t stop herself from what was going on. She followed Link with the uttermost quietness.

She found out that Impa was fighting in rage to attack a man who was obviously a thief. She watched as Link took out his bow and aimed for…

He aimed for Impa. She had to stop him.

She grabbed a piece of wood from the ground and ran over to him. Link sensing her presence too late, she swung at him just as he turned around.

Everything went black for Link then.

The man looked over to Link in shock and back at Impa. He then quickly dashed away as Impa became unable to catch up with him. Zelda looked around. The castle looked like a bomb started off. Impa looked over to Zelda.

“Zelda! My goddesses! Are you all right? I saw you follow that man and I became so worried and I…”

“Impa,” Zelda interrupted. “Don’t worry. This is an old friend. I think he came here to save me.”

Impa searched the boy’s pockets and took out a couple rubies from his pocket.

“An old friend, huh? Just what do you think you’re doing trying to protect this stranger?”

Zelda opened her mouth in horror. “But Link… I know him!”

Impa sighed. “You must have mistaken him.”

Zelda frowned. “I know Link! Malon gave him a dog, named Dameon to remember him for. We played for a day in the gardens outside the castle. You remember Dameon.”

Dameon and Michy walked through the door, almost unaware by the look of the castle.

Impa sighed. “He’s still a criminal.”

Zelda frowned. “I won’t let him get sent to jail.”

Impa frowned. “Zelda that was seven years ago. People change. You saw him for a day.”

“But I can sense it in him,” Zelda pleaded. “Please! I demand that you do not bring him in jail! I beg of you.”

Impa crossed her arms. “Zelda, many times you have convinced me in many things, but this I will not cave.”

Zelda took off her necklace and showed it to her. “He stopped a man who tried to steal this from me.”

Impa looked into her eyes. “Are you sure?”

Zelda looked into her eyes with the most serious expression. “Link stopped a thief from taking my mother’s necklace.”

Impa then realized that she had caved. She looked over to the guard.

“Send this man to our physician.”

The guard nodded and picked up Link and carried him away. Zelda gave Impa a smile. Impa gave her a stern look, hoping that Link wasn’t what she expected.