Castle Town was bustling with life. People from all over Hyrule and lands beyond the borders had gathered to witness the crowning of the new queen.
Link watched as horses, wagons and even carriages pulled up to the East gate. Excitement flowed through the gate and over the field. However, he kept his distance. Epona shifted underneath him. Link moved into a more comfortable position in the saddle. He didn't want to be seen, at least not yet. He wanted his presence to be kept secret. Link took out his map and looked over it. He would have to back track a ways, but no one would know he was there.
Link folded the map up, placed it in his pack and steered Epona back down the trail they had come. They headed back to Kakariko Village. When they got to Hyrule Field Epona ran full force. Link looked around the field to make sure no Bulbins arrived. He wasn't fully equipped or in the mood for a fight.
When they got to the bridge Epona slowed to a trot. She headed for the drawbridge. Link pulled on the reigns and Epona came to a stop. The hero climbed out of the saddle and walked up the stairs. It felt strange heading into Castle Town again. He had come here many times throughout his quest to stop Zant and his evil master.
Before going through the gate, Link stopped. His heart began to race. Fear shot through him and he growled in frustration. What was wrong with him? Castle Town was home to many friends and allies. Telma had always welcomed him with open arms. She had told him that he would always be welcomed at her bar. And no doubt Ashei, Auru and Shad would be there, waiting for the ceremony to begin. It would be nice to see them again. They had all helped in the salvation of Hyrule.
Link was sure that without Ashei's sketch of Yeto holding a reekfish he wouldn't have been able to get the coral earring from Prince Ralis as easily as he had with it. And without that earring it would have been extremely difficult to catch a reekfish. The former hero cringed. Even though he wasn't a wolf, he could still smell the foul stench of the fish.
As he made his way through the gate, Link smiled as he remembered his other two companions. Auru had helped him get to the Gerudo Desert. It would be nice to see the old warrior and thank him for getting him passage through Fyer's cannon. And without Shad, Link never would have known the importance of the bird-like statues that lay around Hyrule or had been able to re-power the Dominion Rod. After all, it had been Shad who had read the spell that had re-powered the rod to begin with.
"Colin once said I could do anything. Seems like the only reason I was able to do so much was because of the knowledge of others I met along the way," Link mused as he walked down the West road.
He turned off into a side street and made his way through the less populated area of Castle Town. He came to the South road. He quickly stepped out into the open, ran a few feet and headed down the stairs that led to Telma's bar. He heard excited chatting on the other side of the door. Link opened the door and stepped in to the brightly lit bar. Link couldn't but smile. It was good to be in a place that didn't bring back bad memories.
Ashei, Auru and Shad were sitting at a table in the back room. A fourth man sat with them. Rusl sat back in the seat with his arms folded across his chest, listening to his old comrades talk.
"Well, lookie who it is."
Link was about to turn to see who had spoken when strong arms enveloped him. When he thought his lungs would burst, Rusl spoke up.
"Telma, let the poor boy go before you suffocate him," he joked.
"Where have you been, son?" Telma asked as she held a panting Link out at arm's length.
"Around," the young man gasped.
"How's Ilia?" Telma quizzed.
"She's fine. She's growing more beautiful everyday."
Satisfied, Telma walked back to the bar. Shad was the first to get up and walk over to the hero. He grasped Link's hand in a friendly handshake.
"Welcome back, Link. It's been a long time since we've seen you here."
"I've been travelling. What have you been up to?" Link asked.
"Studying that book you found. You know the one with the Sky Writing? And I have also been studying that cannon," Shad explained.
"Have you figured out how it works?"
"Not yet. But I will. I am determined to find out how to work that cannon."
Auru walked up. "Shad, you're going to bore the poor boy to death," he teased.
"Auru, we were both fascinated by the cannon," Shad proclaimed.
"It's fine, Auru. Shad's right. I'm interested to know if there is anyway to get that thing to work," Link explained.
Excitement coursed through his body. He knew the Sky Cannon worked. More than once he had used it to visit the Ooccoo city. He just wanted to know if Shad could figure out the secret to get the it to work. Being a hero had some advantages. You learned things no one else knew about.
"Excited about the ceremony?" Auru asked as the three men walked back to the table where Rusl and Ashei waited.
"A little," Link answered as he reached into the pouch and took out the wooden box.
"What's that?" Ashei asked.
"It's a gift from Ordon Village," Link replied.
"I think our future queen will like it," Rusl put in.
Link looked up at his mentor. "Rusl, why don't you give it to her?" he asked.
Rusl shook his head. "It would be more appropriate if you gave it to her."
"But..."
"Link. Seeing Princess Zelda is not going to kill you," Rusl interrupted.
That's what you think.
Link sighed. He put the box back in the pouch. He couldn't face Zelda, but he had to.
Some hero I turned out to be. I'm more of a coward than a hero.
"Do you have a place to stay, Link?" Telma inquired.
"No," Link replied. "I didn't think I would be coming."
"He can stay with me," Rusl offered. "I have a tent pitched in the Southern field. Castle Town is too noisy for my taste."
Link sat on the rock pillar and gazed at the full moon. He remembered battling a horde of skeleton hounds in this field when he was looking for Ilia's wooden statue. With his mind of wooden objects, Link reached into the pouch and took out the wooden box again. He opened the top and looked inside.
Lying in a purple, velvet blanket was a silver-blue ocarina. A gold band ran around the base of the mouth piece, and on the band was crafted the golden Triforce, the symbol of the Royal Family.
Link reached in and carefully picked up the instrument. It was beautiful. It looked like it came from a noble family instead of a quiet, almost invisible village in Ordona Province. Link looked from the ocarina to the tent where Rusl was fast asleep. The green clad warrior felt like playing. Something inside him told him to put the ocarina to his lips and just play. Feeling like he was going to be sick if he didn't do it, Link put his lips to the mouth piece and blew. A low, soft note filled the night air. Link's fingers moved over the holes on the instrument's body. It wasn't a song he was familiar with, but it sounded like a tune that everyone should have heard. As he played, Zelda's smiling face appeared in his mind's eye.
Within the tent, Rusl lay wide awake. He had woken up when Link had gotten up and left the tent. A smile crossed his face as he listened to the gentle lullaby. He had told Bo to ask Link to give Zelda the gift. If someone else gave it to her it wouldn't be the same. Link had been the natural choice. Now, Rusl was glad that he had made the suggestion.
Link's eyes opened as the last note drifted off into the wind. He pulled the instrument away from his mouth and gasped for air. His breathing was rapid as though he had run for miles without stopping. He looked down at the ocarina in his hands. It had to have been the instrument. The only thing he was good with was a sword. There was not a musical bone in his body. As he continued to stare at the ocarina, Link wondered if there was something magical about it.
I wouldn't be surprised. I've seen magic mirrors and magic shadows. After that a magic ocarina should be normal.
Link put the ocarina back in the box and put the box in the pouch. He climbed down the vines on the side of the pillar and headed back to the tent. Rusl turned over on his side, his back facing the entrance and pretended to be asleep. Link took off his boots, pouch and hat, and climbed into the bedroll. Rusl's smile grew when he heard Link begin to hum the tune he had just played.
You see, young swordsman. Now you are anxious to see Zelda and play her that lullaby.
Yes, I know there are no ocarinas in Twilight Princess, but I didn't have anything better. Besides, they should have brought back the ocarina in Twilight Princess, the tunes were catchy.
Anyway, let me know what you think.