Link gave Ilia one final squeeze with a warm smile. "Link you better hurry, or I'll leave without ya," Rusl warned, holding Epona by the reins at Ordon Village's front gate.
Ilia let go of Link and grinned up at him. "Stay out of trouble," she reminded.
Link let out a small appreciative chuckle. "I will if you will."
She gave him a light punch in the shoulder and began to back away. Waving behind her, Ilia then disappeared behind the hills that surrounded the village.
A surge of excitement went through Link like a shock. He was incomparably eager as he looked down the path that would lead him to the heart of Hyrule, near the beatiful palace where royalty dwelled in the extrodinary beauty. Or at least that's what he pictured Castle Town to feel like.
Rusl had walked a few feet ahead of Link. "Lad, quit yar daydreamin' and come along now," Rusl called. "It's going to take us six days to get there."
Scuttling up to fall into stride with his master and Epona, hand laid on his borrowed Ordon sword. As they walked toward the sun, Link felt exceeding that boredom he held for many years.
At the highest tower, the princess stood, completely picturesque, watching over her kingdom from a small balcony. Though she could see the people wandering around the square of Castle Town Market, the altitude she was at gave her the ability to stay hidden from her people. There was no reason for it, well, no reason that her people should be acknowledged of. If they knew, they'd live in fear. More fear than she could. They could not defend themselves as she could. The evil was shackled inside the walls, seemingly lifeless. But the triforce, being part of the princess in ways that most of her people weren't aware of, gave her the knowlege that evil was rising in a powerful appearance beyond imagination. The mark upon her hand came with a heavy burden.
"Your highness?" said an accented voice. The princess's handmaiden awaited with important news to share with her mistress.
The princess, not wanting to break her gaze, kept looking head. "What is it?" she inquired.
"It is Nila," the handmaiden informed. "She has returned."
The princess, blue eyes sparkling incredulously, finally turned around. "She is present? I thought she was eradicated by Ganondorf's men eighteen years ago as my father had told me once."
The handmaiden closed the door behind her without making an audible sound. It was clear that distcreetness was essential at the very time. "No my lady," the handmaiden whispered.
"Why are you being so secretive?" the princess inquired in a louder voice.
The handmaiden hushed her demandingly and looked regretful. "Sorry, mistress," she whispered in an apologetic tone of voice.
"It is nothing Lucinda," the princess ensured in a soft whisper. "Why was I informed that Nila was killed by Ganondorf's men when she has been alive? Was she not my father's most loyal handmaiden and valorous soldier?"
"She was, your highness," Lucinda said. "That is why she was accepted to be dead, so that it would suppress the need for Ganondorf's men to hunt her down."
"Why was she needed to be hunted? What importance was she of to them?" the princess inquired.
Lucinda's eyes fell to the floor, shamefully. "To ensure the protection of the bearer of the Triforce of Courage."
The princess's eyes widened, struck with incredibility. Her hand, trembling, touched covered her mouth. The myths and the legends she learned as a child for bedtime stories, were all true.
"Who is this person who bears the third power in the Triforce?" she asked, as she leisurely sat down into a nearby chair.
"Mistress, pardon me if this may seem abrupt, but I think you may know," Lucinda told her. Seeing her royal superior's perplexed expression she provided her with another piece of information. "Those dreams of yours, the ones you would mention to me about having every night."
"The Hero of Time," the princess whispered under her breath. Lucinda nodded. "But what may I ask is his name?"
"Forgive me your highness I do not have that knowledge," Lucinda said regretfully. "I was instructed to tell you this by your father's subjects before their decease. They told me that when evil begins to whisper in the halls then I must tell you of this. And I have heard it," she admitted. "I hear it every day and every moment I walk the palace walls. It is like a shadow, sometimes invisible but always there. Always speaking." Lucinda looked at her superior with fear in her eyes as each word came from her mouth. A dread that the princess had never seen from her handmaiden. "It is the same reason that the Triforce glows upon your hand consistently."
The princess brought her gloved delicate hand up to her eyes and saw the symbol shining bright enough to illuminate her face. She observed it and now having paid attention to it, she felt its divine power flood through her, but it came with a great deal of uncertainty and a premonition of horror.
The light frightened Lucinda, a gasp escaping her as she took a step back.
"What am I to do?" the princess inquired.
"The hero's presence is neary," Lucinda said. "'Tis why the evil is growing stronger, awakening. And it is likely that this chosen hero, this Hero of Time, does not know of his destiny. 'Twill be your responsibility to inform him of this...quest."
"How will I know who this hero is?" the princess asked, uncertainly.
"Find it inside yourself," Lucinda replied confidently. "The power of the Triforce is strong within the both of you. I imagine your meeting will be genuine and you will then know if not before."