The Medallion

By Midnight-Apple Blossom

Chapter One

"Get in a little closer!" I yelled over the roar of the plane's engine. The pilot steered the little craft downwards, and I had to grip onto the sides to keep from falling into the dense jungle below. Behind us flew five other planes identical to ours, each containing four men with parachutes. I saw the old, ruined castle and prepared myself to jump out of the plane.

Okay, before we get too much further, I have to introduce myself. My name is Zelda Harkinian. And yes, Harkinian is the name of the Royal Family of Hyrule.

Yes, I'm a princess. Yes, I'm about to jump out of a plane on a secret mission in order to retrieve some medallion. I don't actually know much about it, just that I'm supposed to get it. And no, it isn't that out of the ordinary. I'm the princess and therefore A Big Deal, but who is better suited to retrieve an artifact and keep quiet about it? I'd had special training since I was old enough to walk, first from my mom, the queen, but after she died I had had other tutors. I knew my stuff.

"Zel, you need to get this medallion," Sheik, my brother, had told me over last week's breakfast of cookies and cream Pop Tarts. Well, that was my breakfast. Sheik had had the traditional breakfast of bacon and eggs, as if that mattered. Just saying.

"Okay," I had responded, looking at the photograph, committing it to memory. It was fairly simple. The medallion was on a gleaming silver chain. The medallion itself was made of solid metal and twisted into the form of a phoenix, its wings outstretched, flames licking out from it. "Cool design."

No-nonsense Sheik had responded, "Just memorize it and retrieve. We know exactly where it is. This shouldn't be too hard."

"Okie doke," I'd responded, wolfing down my sugary meal. "What's so important about this medallion, anyway?"

"It critical that you retrieve it,. It is of the upmost secrecy."

"Yeah, I get that. But why is it so important?"

"It is a matter of national security. I can't tell you."

While it was annoying that Sheik was sending me on a mission that I knew virtually nothing about, it wasn't really that unusual. Even though I'm a princess, they don't always trust me with important stuff. Sheik gets to know because he's older and more mature than I am. He's also a Big Deal, because he's a prince and will inherit the throne when my father croaks. I think he'll do a good job, even if he is kind of… well, annoying in his superiority. He's really condescending sometimes.

Nevertheless.

"Ready, Princess?" the pilot called to me, snapping me out of my reverie.

"Yes!" I shouted back. I watched carefully until we were directly over the ruins before jumping out of the plane. My parachute exploded all around me. I carefully steered my way around the trees, narrowly avoiding them. I was feeling pretty proud of this, considering I had just managed to land in a forest without hitting any trees, when I suddenly jerked and looked up. "Ah, damn."

I had spoken too soon about the whole not-hitting-anything thing. I pulled my knife out of my thigh sheath (I'm a bad ass, I know) and cut the cords. The drop wasn't too high, only about five feet. I landed on my toes with catlike reflexes, keeping my dagger at the ready. I looked around, checking for all the signs of life. There was none. I was totally alone.

Moments after that thought ran through my head, one of the Royal Guard members dropped beside me. Then they all came out of nowhere, suddenly everywhere, like ants. There were at least twenty, probably more.

"Area secure," one of them reported.

"I could have said that," I muttered. "I did, actually."

"Everyone is clear on the mission, correct?" barked the leader, Agent Fox. He's also a bad ass, and happened to be in charge of this particular mission. "The Princess will go in and retrieve the medallion. We will follow and make sure nothing bad happens. We're the good guys, remember?"

At that, a few of them chuckled nervously. However good we were at what we did, one couldn't help but be nervous before occasions like this.

"Alright, move out!" shouted Fox. We obeyed.

One of my tutors had been Sheikah, and had tried to teach me their way. According to Sheikah law, she could only give away so many secrets, and I wasn't very adept at learning them because I had zero amount of Sheikah blood running through my veins. But I tried to keep with the principle.

I am a shadow. I am one of the shadows, flickering about, always following, but without being seen, I thought to myself. I tried to become a shadow as I scampered into the old ruins noiselessly.

It was very dark inside and it smelled like mold and blood. The blood smell was ominous, especially considering the Deku had inhabited this castle before it was destroyed in an earthquake a hundred years or so ago. The Deku were and always had been a peaceful race, and I did not know why it smelled like blood.

Maybe I was imagining things.

I crept along, willing my eyes to see through the dark. Was that a small patch of light over there? It couldn't hurt to check. I sneaked along towards where I had seen the white light, my hands in front of me like a blind person. When I touched the smooth, cool, stone wall, I did not jump or let myself be startled. I touched all around and realized I had come to a corner. I looked up and saw a tiny hole above my head, where the light was spilling in through. I touched my hands to the top of the rock and pulled myself up through the hole, landing on the ceiling above.

This room was easily illuminated because a large part of the wall had been knocked out, letting daylight fill the room. The floor was hand painted with foot-by-foot black and white squares. There were vines crawling on the walls, and I saw a snake disappear over the edge to the outside. There was a wooden door on the other side of the room. I stood up, seeing nothing else worth my time in the room. I silently walked to the door and opened it. It creaked loudly, and I jumped when it fell off of the hinges and landed on the ground with a bang. I looked around, but I hadn't appeared to scare anything but several spiders that had been hiding and were now skittering off in all directions.

I passed through the door and into another room similar to the last, but wider. I walked over to the open wall, placed my hands on the broken edges, and peered out into the forest.

I wouldn't mind living in the woods someday, when Sheik was king and I was free to do whatever I wanted. I loved trees. I always had. Unfortunately I'd grown up in the boisterous city of Hyrule Castle Town. I had always had cars and bicycles and people everywhere to turn, and sometimes solitude was nice. I was just thinking about how quiet and peaceful it was out here when I heard the first cry, followed by a gunshot.

Gunshot? This was supposed to be a simple mission!

I fought back the initial wave of panic before focusing. It was still my mission; it had just gotten a little more complicated. There were just some people here that didn't want us to be here.

But the Deku were a peaceful race. They didn't use guns. So who is it?

I could hear the gunfire going on beneath me, and shouts going on as well. I knew what I had to do. I had to find the medallion and get out.

I raced through another door, and found only another room identical to the others. I continued running from room to room, seeking and not finding. I started to get a little panicky when I came to a window, an actual window this time. The window overlooked a small courtyard with what looked like a trapdoor, several pillars, and vibrant flowers. The courtyard was well tended to, the flowers flourishing. Red and gold fish swam in a little pond with lilies on it. The longer and longer we stayed, the more and more I suspected that this place was not as abandoned as I had been led to believe.

I quickly scanned for a way to get down into the courtyard. I spotted an old rope ladder and quickly calculated my chances of making my way to it. Firstly, the ladder was far away, and I wasn't sure how to get there. I had no map or any way to know the layout of the place. Secondly, there was no telling how old the rope was. It could break instantly, sending me crashing into the ground.

Before I had time to think of another option, I heard the second door I had come to crash down, and the shouts and gunshots suddenly grew much louder. My heart jumped in my chest despite that I had been raised to not feel fear. I decided to spider monkey it.

To be honest, I don't really know what a spider monkey is, or what it does. I just know that's what Sheik and I called this particular Sheikah method that we had been taught. The Sheikah were known to be able to climb vertical walls without any handholds, amazing and stunning every witness to it. Truth be told, there was always a handhold, whether or not it was clearly visible. No wall was totally perfect. There was always a way. At least, that's what I had been taught.

I realized quickly that this was true for this particular situation. Not everyone would have been able to do it, but I managed. The wall was chipped and had pieces missing from age. I put my hands and feet in these small holds and spider monkeyed my way down the side of the wall, dropping gracefully in the beautiful courtyard.

There were fallen pillars and old trees lying about. I was able to more closely see the flowers that grew along the walls and on the edges of the pond. The flowers were a wide variety of pastels, along with a hot pink flower that I couldn't help but pluck and tuck in my ear.

This is why Sheik doesn't like to give me super-tough missions. I mean, he does, but it doesn't particularly thrill him to do it. He doesn't like how I characteristically "dink around". I think he just needs to take a chill pill. You only live once.

I did notice that there was an unusual grouping of flowers by the pond. They were all an ugly shade of brown, with wide petals that I hadn't seen in any botany class before. I curiously touched it, before realizing where I was and taking off sprinting again towards the trapdoor I had seen before. I threw it open and jumped down inside, closing the trapdoor over my head. I nearly screamed when I saw the lion.

I nearly screamed again when I realized someone had decapitated it and left its disembodied head lying on the ground away from it. Someone had already been here.

As disconcerting as this thought was, I kept my dagger at the ready and proceeded through a door.

The underground chamber was much more high-tech than the ruins above. As I entered the second room, I noticed a Dell computer sitting on a desk. I shuddered. My laptop at home happened to be a Mac, and as you know, once you go Mac, you never go back.

Like with the pink flower, I just couldn't help myself. I walked over to the computer and realized it was on. Someone had indeed been here, recently too. There was a glass of some kind of ominous pink liquid inside. I made a face and sniffed it. It smelled like strawberries. I took a tiny sip and realized that it was strawberry flavored soda. Putting the glass down, I moved the mouse around on the computer, waiting to uncover some kind of terrible secret that I had been trained for…

Instead, I found the home screen of Runescape.

What in the hell was going on around here?

Leaving the computer alone, I pressed on. I went through a couple more rooms without interest. It was totally silent down here. It was illuminated with normal, modern-day lights as well. I was just beginning to wonder if the medallion was even here when I came to a large wall with the Triforce engraved into it. Sighing, I knew exactly what I had to do.

Back in the old days, whenever there were secrets or clues buried, the Sheikah (who were usually the ones who hid them in order to provide aid to the Hero of Time or the Royal Family when they needed it) would put a Triforce over the entrance. It could only be opened if the opener had proof of a connection to the Royal Family. The famed Hero of Time would play the lullaby on his ocarina, and that would open the door. For those who were actually related, it was a lot easier.

"I, Princess Zelda of Hyrule, demand entrance," I said with my princess voice, which really isn't that different than my normal voice, except for it has a lot more power and confidence. When the door did nothing, I sighed again. Although some were just that easy to open, others required more proof. I took my dagger, bit my lip, and sliced across the meat of my palm. My scarlet blood began to seep out, first slowly, then more quickly. I stepped closer to the wall and smeared my blood all across it.

It worked. As soon as my royal blood touched the stone, it parted right down the middle, making an ancient groaning as it did so. When the dust settled, I peered into the room and walked in. I knew I was safe in here because no one but a Harkinian could get in, and I was clearly the first in centuries.

There was a small pedestal in the middle with a glass case resting on top. I hoped I wouldn't have to cut myself again and was pleased when I realized it was going to be simple. I merely took the lid off and set it on the ground by my feet before looking inside.

On a red velvet pillow sat the medallion that Sheik had showed me. The medallion was a dark golden color and had been molded to show a morphing phoenix. Flames jumped from it, and dotting the flames were tiny rubies and topazes. I touched the cool metal, my mouth slightly open. It was beautiful. I picked it up and the gold chain dangled from it. I realized it was much bigger than the photo had led me to believe. It was about the width of my hand and about an inch thick, though it felt strangely hollow. I hung the medallion around my neck and tucked it under my shirt so no one could see it. Victorious, I turned around so I could get the heck out of there. I made my way back through the room, letting my dagger lead the way. I climbed back up through the trapdoor, stealing away into the ruins. I sprinted, opening door after door, trying to find a way out.

I threw one open and plunged into the room, before realizing too late that it was a very bad idea. It was totally dark, and I had run around, feeling the walls for a little bit before I heard the door shut behind me.

"Drop your weapon, princess," said a deep voice from the shadows.

I turned around, my heart beating fast against the cold medallion. I kept my dagger at the ready until I heard a metallic clicking sound of a gun being cocked.

"I won't ask you again," the voice promised me. My dagger clattered to the floor and I cursed under my breath. "Thatta girl," assured the voice. "Come with me, now…"

I didn't move.

"I said, come with me…"

I gasped when I felt his hand on my shoulder, and my whole body tensed. I couldn't see him, but I felt him. When he touched me, it brought back a flood of memories. The voice, which had seemed vaguely familiar before, I suddenly placed. The touch was familiar and foreign at the same time. His breath, as he embraced me from behind lovingly instead of forcefully, smelled like peppermints. His cologne reminded me of home.

"Zelda," he whispered in my ear, sending goose bumps up and down my skin. I tipped my head back onto his shoulder, feeling his hands running through my hair. "You remember…"

"How could I forget?" I whispered back. More memories came back, and the fear and loathing came back as quickly as they had left. My head snapped up, but before I could get away, I felt the cold barrel of a gun against my chin. "I could never forget," I hissed at him. "Link."

Link laughed, grabbing my hand and pulling me out the door. "Come with me, or I'll be forced to shoot you myself."

"You wouldn't. I know you."

"You know I can, and will, if you don't come with me," he said, a nasty smile on his face. When had he gotten so evil?

Actually, I knew exactly when he had become so evil. Poor Link had crossed over to the dark side quite a while back. And I knew he most definitely would shoot me. He hated my family and me.

So, I found myself running behind him, my hand in his. Link seemed to know the layout of the ruins, and we suddenly found ourselves at a staircase, running up, up, up. We made it out onto the roof, where a helicopter was waiting for us. I desperately looked around, my blonde hair flying around me. I looked down and screamed, "FOX!" when I saw the man in charge of the mission in the courtyard. He looked up at me, and Link jerked me into the helicopter. The pilot took off, and we were in the air again.

"Sit still!" he commanded me. He pulled the seatbelt on over me, buckling me in beside him. I was pleased to notice that he didn't try to tie my hands up or anything. That won him some points. But not very many, because, you know. He'd kidnapped me, and all. Which had lost him way more than not tying me up had gained him. Why was everything so complicated when he involved himself? We flew higher and higher, and were speeding away and I was losing hope by the second.

"I'd say mission success, Oliver," Link said brightly to the pilot.

"Good to hear," said the man called Oliver. He had a thick accent that I couldn't quite place. He was rather handsome, and as I surveyed his features, I deduced he was Gerudo. As I was staring at him, the windshield suddenly shattered, and Oliver's head bowed down. Blood seeped from his head. I couldn't help it- I screamed.

"Looks like your pals are shooting us down!" Link said happily. Happily. This was the kind of thing he lived for. Faster, higher, more dangerous was his motto. "That's smart, considering I, the big bad wolf, have their princess kidnapped in the helicopter they are now trying to take down."

"LINK!" I shrieked.

"Alright, alright," he said, unbuckling me as the helicopter gave a violent lurch downward. He unbuckled himself, picked me up like a doll, hugging me to his chest, and jumped out of the helicopter.