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The Mercenary (Beautiful_Disgrace and I)

She pouted a bit, though she did as he asked. She wouldn't disobey her Masters orders...even if she had JUST escaped that sheath. At least she could breathe better in it. "What else do we have to do, Master?"
 
"Stop something very bad from happening," Ike mumbled. And doing it while Zelda was resting would be the only way to get away with it. "You know, save the world, stop a great evil from corrupting everything and everyone we hold dear...that sort of thing." He had been gone too long from his friends, some of their personalities were starting to rub off on him, ugh...maybe a trip back when this is all over would do him some good.
 
"Wow, if it's that important we should be getting paid quite well then. Are we gonna find the little runt that hurt you? I wanna give him pay back. No one hurts my master and gets away with it. Plus he shot me with one of those dumb arrows. It didn't hurt though, really. But still." Ragnell hadn't sensed anyone around, so she wouldn't shut up until she did.
 
"Principle of the thing?" Ike added dryly. He really was going crazy, he was actually enjoying the discussion with the sword on his back...ugh. "At any rate, no...we're not doing that. Our job comes first, Ragnell...you know that, they're going to attempt to scout out what's going on. Better we're there to help then hear bad news." More importantly, Zelda not coming along. She could have her dreams of wunderlust all she wanted, but she was a Queen. And that unfortunately meant a gilded cage.
 
"Oh. So we're gonna go scout? Sounds boring. I hope we run into him again." Ragnell responded, though she quickly shut herself up when she sensed others were near. She knew Ike didn't want anyone to know about her, and obviously he didn't want to be seen talking to a sword. So she made an effort to stay quiet until they were alone again. "So..you're not gonna tell anyone what Palutena said?"
 
"...I don't know," Ike admitted. "But it's worth a shot, especially if it stops people from riding to their death." The words of a Goddess they didn't know, barely understood and from a foreigner whose only validation was the Queen seemed to trust him. He had been stuck in this corner before, that didn't make it any easier to keep crawling out of it. But if she thought it was bad, it was worth bringing up.

Assuming that he could stop them in time from doing anything rash. Which didn't seem too likely, considering they were already assembling their horses. Only five of them, light and fast...ugh. He had to go with them, he didn't trust this by itself. He hoped he didn't regret it, either.
 
"You should have just let Palutena keep talking through me. I'm sure she can do a bunch of convincing tricks. If she's anything like the Goddess who made me, anyway." Ragnell suddenly hushed herself when they came upon the scouting team. Ugh, she really wished she could just walk around.
 
"I know," Ike murmured gently in return. But that felt...dishonest, these people had a goal. Interfering in it felt wrong, maybe that was his moral compass showing up where it shouldn't again. Still, the affairs of mortals were best left to mortals...the affairs of Gods, well...Ike would burn that bridge when he got there, as contradictory as it sounded. Nonetheless, Ike came across the group that Link was part of, and he frowned a moment.

"...Ike?" Link said, glancing at him as he brushed down Epona. "What are you doing here?"

"...I thought I'd come along," he said, glancing back at the castle. "...Preferably while Zelda isn't awake enough to follow."

"...Good choice," Link smiled. "Grab a horse, it's good to have you."

This felt like such a bad idea, but...Ike mounted up anyway. He felt like something bad was going to happen, and the only thing that he needed was to make sure it didn't. However well that would work...
 
"Link..we're ready to go. Is Sir Ike coming along with us?" A woman with long blonde hair tied back in a loose pony tail approached them on horseback. She was the only woman out of the group, so she stuck out more than any other. Except one of the soldiers who elected to shield his face for whatever the reasons he had. He definitely looked to be one of Impa's disciples from the outfit he wore. His gaze was settled on Death Mountain, not paying attention to anyone or anything else around him. "Glad to have you. I'm Ernya, second in command of this group...but I might have to settle with third. I've seen your combat prowess on the battlefield...you're much better than I am."
 
Ike tilted his head a fraction. "Don't mind me," he murmured, hands on his reigns. "I'm out of the chain of command, Ernya. I'll follow your orders." Assuming, of course...she could keep order if something bad happened. But he wasn't here to make waves, just do his job. Hylian women were apparently never ugly, what sort of crazy place was this? Ugh, he really needed a drink when he got done today...maybe Ragnell's offer to relax would be taken...this was getting ridiculous, before he barely noticed women...now he paid too much attention.

He rubbed his face a moment, letting out a small sigh. Focus, Ike.

"We need to hit Death Mountain before nightfall," Link said, turning to face his men. He didn't immediately recognize the man wearing Sheikah robes, but Impa's tribe was a secretive group anyway. No doubt one of Impa's people she decided to send. "We can't slow down for anything, the sooner we get there, the faster we can see what's going on. Do not risk yourselves for heroics," Link murmured. "We're there to see what's going on, and nothing more."
 
Everyone but the masked man acknowledged Link's orders. With that, they began make their way towards Death Mountain. Ernya rode up further with Link and Ike. "Sir, once we get there and scout, will we immediately return back to the castle? I'm not sure if our horses are as resilient as we would have to be to make a trip there and back in one evening." She stated, her voice raised so it would travel over the sounds of hooves hitting the dirt. She was honored to ride with Link, and Ike. Two brave and strong warriors.
 
"We'll see, Ernya," Link said, Epona was a rare sort of horse...the kind that could run from one end of the field to the other without so much as getting a heavy breath. She was bred to perfection at Lon-Lon Ranch, and suited someone like the Hero of Time. Still, his expression darkened somewhat in thought. They possibly might not have the chance to do that, instead...

"We'll take the bridge and go through Kokiri, up to the Lost Woods." he decided after a moment. "It may allow us to get closer without being spotted, it's the only chance we have of this working." he decided. They'd go east to come down the mountain range west, then...it was a sound strategy, even if Link seemed mildly unsure. Still, Ike nodded his head in faint agreement.

"It's better than rushing the front doors," Ike said. "Even if it does take a little longer, it'll be worth the safety."
 
Ernya nodded and then pulled her reigns a bit, having her horse slow down so she could talk to her men and let them know what Link was planning. Though she was a little peeved about how uninterested the hooded man was. "You there, what is your name?" Ernya asked. She recognized everyone here except for him. He was..different. Definitely from Impa's tribe, yet Impa made no mention of him when she tasked her with assisting Link.

The hooded figure looked at Ernya for a moment, a silence falling upon them as if he were thinking of something. "...Sheik."
 
Ike glanced back a moment, taking in the masked man. Something about him seemed just a little bit familiar, but he couldn't place why. He supposed it didn't matter as he hung back to meet the man.

"You must be of Impa's tribe?" Ike asked idly. "I've seen very little of them, besides her..." He was familiar with their garb, a little. It spoke of assassins and other shadowy people, some things were just universal, he supposed.
 
Behind that hood was not a man, but rather a woman who was not supposed to be with the group. No, she was supposed to be back at the castle, protected inside of the walls. But she refused to just stand back and do nothing. Instead, she'd fight. Hearing Ike address her made her look away, turning her head and revealing a long braid to him. "I am." That was all she said. The less she talked, the better.
 
"...I see," he said after a moment, head tilted as he regarded him. He had a feeling that was about as much as he'd get from him, so he left it alone. But something still nagged at him about Sheik, he just wasn't sure what. In any case, the trip to the Kokiri Woods was a brisk one, not many were interested in prolonging it...but there wasn't much they could do. It was an interesting forest, there were sounds all around them...the wildlife seemed unafraid of them, actually.

Camp was set up in short order, as Ike looked over the surroundings. Tomorrow, they'd cut into something called 'The Lost Woods', and then they'd be at Death Mountain. The entire forest...it just felt alive. It was the strangest feeling he had ever had.

"...and I once thought a talking sword was strange," Ike mumbled to Ragnell as he glanced around. "This place...really tops that."
 
He was talking to her? Well she could talk back, and she had been wanting to tell him something important. For a moment, Ragnell was silent before she spoke very very softly. "Master, you know I've been sensing Zelda ever since we left. At first I wasn't sure, it feels funny but...I feel like she's around here somewhere. I think I'm getting sick. Or maybe I just miss her." As much as Ragnell didn't take a liking to her at first, ever since she had saved her master from certain peril, Ragnell felt attached to the Queen. Even though she was in a rush to hurry up and get paid so they could leave. At any rate, she sensed but did not see her.
 
"Really," Ike mused, rubbing his chin in thought. "Typical...she seems to be the type to rush into danger, maybe because she's tired of being pampered." She certainly didn't fight like she was, at any rate. "I suppose we can't blame her for coming along," Ike could, absolutely...but it did no good. It was better to find out who that was, to localize the problem. But...the only woman in the group was most assuredly not Zelda.

That complicated matters, somewhat.
 
"You really think she's here because I sense her? None of these people look like Zelda." Ragnell told him before letting out an exasperated sigh. "Can I please change into my other form? I'm tired of just sitting here. I wanna move around." She whined, completely changing the subject. Seems like she still had to work on her attention span.
 
Ike chuckled a little, casting a casual glance around before letting out a faint sigh. "...Alright," Ike mumbled. It was risky, but even riskier was an impatient sword as he sat down on a nearby stump. "You've been quiet all day, I think you deserve it." He still wasn't sure how he felt about his sword talking, but...he would admit, the road wouldn't be as lonely anymore.
 
"Thank the Gods!" Ragnell cried out as she immediately shifted into her human form. "Why can't I just ride with you, Master? I think I'm starting to enjoy this form more than my other one. I can't feel anything, or smell anything..I can't move, I can't do anything in my original form.." She pulled herself into his lap, wrapping his arms around his muscular body as she dug her head into neck. It seemed like if Ike was too warm, she'd be cool to the touch, and if he was too cold, she'd radiate heat. Almost as if she was programmed to be comfortable in his embrace. "Well...except be your weapon. Which I'm okay with...it's just...I like being with you like this. You make me feel good..."
 
Ike was a little surprised, to say the least. He felt cold, but...that was simply rectified, the harder problem? Her naked embrace caused a slowly forming erection to press between her legs as Ike slid his arms around her to embrace her back, nuzzled against her dark hair. "...It's complicated, Ragnell," Ike admitted. "...For starters, you need clothes, or something to cover you."
 
For a moment, she was quiet as she thought about it. "I..I will wear clothes if that's what it takes. Thought that's not it, right? It's because I'm..strange. Not normal...I'm not human." Her voice was downcast, though she continued holding onto him, her fingers grabbing the folds of his cape. "I'm sorry. I probably complicate things for you a lot, but I try really hard to be normal for you..."
 
Ike rested his head against hers a moment, hands casual down her back. "...And what is normal, when we're fighting against gods, mad kings, demons..." he murmured. "There is no normal, Ragnell...but people won't so readily accept a naked girl following a man around, people will assume things." Ike grimaced. "...Very bad things, about me, and you." This really did bother her, didn't it? He didn't know what to say.
 
She breathed in softly and then closed her eyes. "I don't want anyone to think bad things about you, Master. If they do, I'll want to beat the up. Then they will really think bad of us. So..." She pulled back from him for a minute and smiled a bit. "I'll do whatever you think is best. I still don't understand how having a body works, but I'll figure it out eventually." She caressed his cheek and then felt the urge to kiss him, just as they had done last night. Acting on pure impulse, she pressed her lips against his gently.
 
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