CHAPTER 4
As the sun was beginning to set over the horizon, the bright and airy marketplace square of Castle Town was filled with a great crowd of people. This evening was the Princess's coronation. The market was closed, as it had been for the past two days. The royal family had declared it a holiday for all Hyrulians in celebration of the princess's coronation. Thus, the crowd was much larger and people seemed to be enjoying themselves with the free food and drink provided by the Princess. Men and women laughed and joked at the outdoor tables creating a jovial air of celebration. The large fountain that centered in the middle of the square was lined with women gossiping and children playing with their dogs. The flowers bloomed along the paths releasing their sweet scent into the air.
One person in the crowd, however, was not celebrating. Ignoring the celebratory atmosphere, Vay weaved through the crowds gathering in the marketplace of Castle Town. He walked quickly through the crowds with a look of determination on his face. Turning a corner, the din of the crowd faded as he entered down a back alley of Castle Town. Walking quickly he avoided puddles of filth and dirt turning corners right and left winding himself down the confusing back streets of Castle Town. Here and there he saw people hunched over in the shadows and more than once a cat or two ran after him looking for some food.
Vay abruptly turned a corner and stopped for a minute adjusting his eyes to the darkness of the alley. The sun had nearly set and in these back alleys there were no torches to light in the evenings. As he glanced around looking for the door, a hand grabbed him and pushed him up against the wall. "Wanna take a look at my wares, pretty boy?" The woman was wearing a hideous bright red dress that displayed her "wares" prominently.
Vay sidestepped around her and kept walking without answering her.
"Too much for ya, kiddo!" she yelled at him laughing.
Vay turned one more corner and saw the indescript old wooden door, blackened over with age. He knocked once and the door opened a crack.
"I'm here to see Nix," Vay whispered into the crack.
An open palm shot out. Vay put the bag of rupees in the hand and the arm went back beyond the door and shut the door. Vay waited patiently and then the door re-opened and Vay walked in.
The light was dim and because of the darkened alleys he had been maneuvering, it took a minute for his eyes to adjust to dim light. Vay had walked into a relatively empty bar. A few empty tables and chairs were set up around the room. At the center of one of the walls was a barely lit fireplace. Vay noticed a few hooded figures seated either alone or in pairs at tables, their heads bent down over their drinks, silently conversing or sitting quietly. No one looked up when Vay walked in.
Vay walked through the tables and paused at the bar. The bartender glared at him for a moment and then nodded his head towards a door at the back. Vay didn't acknowledge him but walked across the room and opened the door.
The small room was practically pitch black. The only illumination came from two red candles on a table. Hunched over at the table was an old man, his beard yellow-white with age, tangled and dirty. He motioned to Vay to sit down at the table.
"Nix?" Vay whispered.
"That is me," the old man answered in a deep voice. Vay noticed his eyes were clouded over and he stared out into space. The old man was blind. He quickly and deftly moved his hands under the table and placed a package wrapped in an old oilskin cloth. "This is what you are searching for I believe."
Vay grabbed the package and slowly unwrapped it. Inside was an intricately in-laid dagger. Pulling it out of the small, leather scabbard, Vay could see it was made of a red, glistening metal. It was about the length of this forearm. In the dim light, Vay could see the candlelight dance on the red edge of the metal. He carefully ran his finger down the blade and felt the inlaid pearls and rubies in the hilt. The edge was sharp. He glanced down at the oilskin cloth and saw the markings. It was exactly what he had been searching for.
Vay silently placed another bag of rupees on the table. As he released the bag, the old man grabbed his wrist. "Be careful, young Gerudo. What you seek is not meant to be touched. This path will lead only to despair."
Vay wrestled his hands away and placed the dagger back in its hilt, wrapping it back up in the oilskin cloth. "Don't worry about me old man. I know what I am doing." Vay stood up and put the package inside his side satchel and walked out the door.
The old man whispered out loud to seemingly no one in the dark. "I'm afraid you don't."
Link was frustrated beyond belief. All of his security preparations were in order for the coronation. The guards had been placed at every entrance and on the roof of The Temple of Time. He had even placed disguised guards among the crowds and official audience for the coronation. Security was at an all time high. But Link's biggest problem seemed to be getting the official invited guests into the Temple of Time to see the actual coronation. There was a secure checkpoint for entering the Temple of Time and guests had to check their weapons. This had not gone over well for most of the foreign dignitaries, especially their armed guards who were denied access to the Temple of Time. By Hyrulian law, no weapons could enter the Temple. Except the Master Sword.
Thus, Link was dealing with increasingly angry and frustrated foreign diplomats, royalty and dignitaries who wanted their own guards in the Temple with them. Link did not handle diplomacy well to begin with and princes and princesses did not want to listen to a common young man telling them they could not enter with their personal body guards.
"Who are you young man to tell me who or what I can or cannot bring into the Temple?" the Prince of Megaloria demanded from Link when he asked the prince to relinquish his sword. "This sword has been in my family for 10 generations! It never leaves the side of the prince!"
Link sighed quietly. Another one. "Your majesty, I understand your frustration but it is by Hyrulian law that no weapons of any kind may enter the Temple of Time. Your sword will remain quite safe here with the rest of the arms we had taken from other guests." It was the same speech Link had recited over and over again.
The Prince's eyes blazed with anger. He tossed his hair back and threw his hand up in frustration. Link noticed his hand gripping the hilt of his sword. "This is ridiculous! I come to Hyrule as a personal friend of the Princess and Hyrule and I am treated as though I am a lowly commoner by a commoner himself! I demand to speak to someone of noble blood!"
Link's patience was nearly at an end. "Your majesty, please understand that I am acting on full authority of the Princess. I am her personal bodyguard and am charged with securing her safety. You will be the first to receive your weapons at the end of the ceremony."
The prince drew his sword and leveled it at Link. Link was caught off guard. He had placed the Master Sword inside the Temple as he knew if any of the guests saw him with a sword entering the Temple there would be even more trouble. In a low quiet voice filled with anger the Prince said, "Listen street rat. I am taking my sword into the Temple as well as my armed guards. If you try to stop me you will be charged with assaulting the Prince of Megaloria and condemned to death!"
Link didn't move. How in the gods was he going to get out of this one?
"Your majesty," a gentle voice beseeched the prince. "The gods beseech you to relinquish your frustration and anger on his man appointed by the Princess. He is merely doing his job, as we all do under the eyes of the Goddesses." High Priest Lohire reached a hand out to the Prince's arm. "It would be best in Their eyes to calm your anger and do as Link wishes. It is not his will you are bending to but Theirs."
The Prince glanced at the priest and back to Link. Slowly he lowered his sword and unbelted his scabbard. The rest of his men followed suit. Resheathing his sword, he thrusted it into Link's chest, forcibly pushing him backwards. "Link is your name? I won't forget it," he said as he walked away and into the Temple.
Link sighed audibly and handed the sword to one of the guards collecting arms. "Thank you, Your Grace. I was not sure how to I was going to manage that one."
The High Priest smiled and placed his hands back under his robe. The old man was clever and smart and most recently chosen by the Princess as her High Priest. "Prince Jace might be hot-headed but he is at heart a very spiritual man. He would not want to incur the wrath of the Goddesses."
"Yeah well, another minute and he might have incurred my wrath," Link muttered under his breath.
"Young Link," the old man said smiling and placing his hand on Link's shoulder, "I have no doubt your bravery and courage would have place Prince Jace in his proper place but I commend you for your restraint."
Link smiled meekly.
High Priest Lohire stepped back and watched the guests file into the Temple of Time. Link watched Lohire's gaze go up the façade of the building and saw the look of awe and reverence pass over his face. The Temple of Time was at the same time awe inspiring and intimidating. The three-door entrance dominated the width of the façade while the two towers that topped the temple seemed to reach into the heavens. With a wink from the old man, Lohire shuffled into the building.
Link turned back to the line of guests and wondered how long this day was going to last.
The final guest had entered the temple as Link was ordering guards to secure the exits of the building, he couldn't help but wonder where in the gods Vay was. Link glanced up at the sun and thought he was supposed to have met Link much sooner in the day.
Link glanced around and realized that the guests had all entered, the troops were stationed at their posts and there was nothing left for him to manage outside the Temple. He nodded at the lieutenant in charge and entered the Temple.
As Link stepped through the main portal, he immediately felt a sense of calmness and quiet that always came over him when he entered the Temple. The interior was filled with warm, golden light that filtered in through the lightly colored glass in the upper clerestory. The light softly illuminated the soaring columns and wide nave that bisected the main room of the Temple. Quiet choral music emanated from the upper balconies, which seemed to blanket the crowd easing their worries and pains. Link imagined that this was probably the most peaceful and serene moment most of the guests had experienced in long time.
Link walked quickly down one of the outer aisles preferring not to draw attention to him as he moved to take his place nearer to the main apse of the Temple where the princess would be crowned. Link glanced around noting his plains-clothed guards in the crowd and the inconspicuous guards placed up on the upper balconies and along the outer aisles. The guests seemed oblivious to armed protection and instead focused their attention on the half circular sculpture at the end of the nave. The curving white stone pedestal was nearly as wide as the fountain in Castle Town square. There were three deep impressions in the pedestal along the curving edge, which faced the crowd. No one knew what went into the impressions were for although Link suspected that Lohire had an idea.
At the back of the nave were steps leading to an elevated altar. One the altar today was situated an elaborate red velvet throne. Flanking the throne Link saw the King and Queen in resplendent robes standing next to Lohire, who was he in bright white robes of the Goddesses.
Link took his place standing just below the steps to the side of the nave. Link had been informed by the Queen herself not to show himself to Zelda or the guests but to be the quiet eyes and hears of the princess's security team. Link figured this was just a polite way of saying that no one wanted to see a dirty commoner among royalty but Link nodded his head and agreed to her wishes.
Suddenly the music stopped and Lohire stepped forward in front of the throne. With a power and booming voice Link did not realize the High Priest possessed, he announced, "This is a sacred place and a sacred time. The time when we welcome into our hearts and minds the next ruler of our beloved country. Princess Zelda."
Link, along with the rest of the attendants, looked to the entrance of the Temple. The music started again but with a swelling chorus and a sweet melody that seemed to capture the essence of the Princess, Zelda stepped forward out of the shadows and into the light. Zelda was clad in a sweeping gown of blue and white that seemed to shimmer as she passed through filtered light. Across her shoulders she bore a cape of Hyrulian blue trimmed in fur and her golden tresses were glittering as they flowed down her back highlighting her naked head. As she walked down the aisle Link became more and more overwhelmed by her beauty and for a moment forgot that she was his princess and ruler.
Zelda reached the dais and stepped slowly up to her throne turning around to face the crowd. Lohire stepped up next to her and she turned gingerly to face the kindly old man. Link could tell that she was struggling with the weight of her dress and cape but she bore it without a hint of emotion or smile. Lohire began the long recitation of prayers and oaths.
Suddenly, Link felt a presence besides him and quickly looked over. It was Vay, out of breath and filthy. He looked like he had been in a bar brawl.
"Where have you been!" Link angrily asked Vay under his breath.
Vay smirked up at Link. "Oh you, know, I had better things to do than attend this pomp and circumstance."
"You were supposed to have been here an hour ago!" Link said.
"Really? I guess I got the times wrong."
Link was growing tired of Vay's insolence. He shook his head and said, "We will discuss this later. Perhaps the Princess will not grant you that audience after all."
Vay's eyes flashed and his smile vanished. "That would not be wise for the Princess."
Link decided not to argue with him and turned his eyes back to the Princess. If he had continued to reprimand Vay, he would have seemed him fingering his ruby hilted dagger.