Disclaimer: All rights to the Legend of Zelda Series and characters belong to Nintendo.
Chapter 7: The Princess of Destiny
"My Lady, it is time."
Princess Zelda's eyelids snapped open, her crystal blue eyes adjusting in focus as the last vestiges of sleep cleared from her mind. Lifting her head from her plump pillow, she glanced to the side where Impa was standing quite patiently at the side of her bed. "Has my father left his bedchamber yet?" The twelve year old asked her vigilant guardian, suppressing a yawn as she spoke.
"No, but he should be making his way to the throne room soon," replied the silver haired woman.
The Princess sat up and pivoted so that her legs were dangling over the mattress's side. "Alright, I'll go get ready then." A muted thud sounded as her feet impacted the thick woolen rug that covered the stone floor at the side of her bed. Impa nodded at her young charge and strode away to resume her customary position behind the chamber's door. Zelda quickly walked over to her gargantuan wardrobe and slid open one of the lower doors. Realizing that it was still too dark for her to be able to see properly, she muttered a hurried incantation, and the hanging lamps around the room came ablaze with life, their gentle red glow illuminating the Princess's private quarters. Zelda smiled to herself, grateful for the wealth of knowledge of magic that her guardian had bequeathed to her in the past few years. Sorcery was an outdated practice these days, with each successive generation of Hylians coming to rely upon it less and less. The Kingdom had steadily come to emulate the decidedly unmagical, human cultures of the surrounding nations. Personally Zelda felt this was a waste of the Hylian bloodlines. The gods had granted the Hylians the ability to utilize magic, so why shirk such a gift? There were even a select number of citizens who had begun to openly doubt the existence of magical creatures. Perhaps they should take a nighttime stroll in Hylian Field, away from the protection of the causeways, if they were so sure of the absence of magic in the world, she mused darkly. It was one thing to not believe in the Triforce, reflected Zelda in frustration, as she selected a long dress of white and purple from the wooden drawer, but it was entirely ridiculous to not even accept the existence ghosts or fairies!
Her eyes widened as the thought reverberated within the walls of her mind. Fairies…in her haste to seize upon this moment, and spy on the closely guarded negotiations that were to be held between her father and Ganondorf Dragmire, the young Princess had almost completely forgotten about that other matter. The dinner conversation conducted two nights previously had confirmed more than one of her suspicions, after all. And she could not afford to overlook the potential of such a factor as had been brought to her attention.
Zelda stepped away from the wardrobe, now garbed in her white and purple dress, and walked towards her bathroom, intent on fixing her hair after a restless night had disheveled it. Picking up her rich mahogany brush from the marble sink, the Princess began to recount the plan to herself. In all honesty, it was a very simple one, and the likelihood that it would fail was slim to none. But girlish anticipation constricted her lungs nonetheless. In a few minutes' time, she would exit her private chambers, accompanied by Impa as always, and descend from her upper level in the castle to the first floor. Once there, she would make her way to one of the several ground level courtyards, this one positioned directly adjacent to the King's Throne Room. The enclosure was the most beautiful of the castle's outdoor rooms, a lush patch of grass with meticulously trimmed rose and lily patches. An artificial, recirculating pond, characteristic of all the courtyards, was to be found there, and it had been adorned with large lily pads; several imported frogs took their residence within the manmade pool, travelling between the various courtyards as they pleased. Zelda found it the perfect place to relax and enjoy the bright summer air.
This particular courtyard also shared a slim, glass window with the Throne Room, and so would give the Princess an easy view into the chamber. So long as she avoided the sweeping glances of her father and Ganondorf—for no guards would be allowed to remain within the room while the negotiations were being made—it would not prove altogether too difficult for her to glean details from the meeting. Putting down her brush, Zelda observed herself in the expansive mirror. Her shoulder length blond hair framed her small face, and she noticed that her mouth was pinched with worry. She was right to worry, she thought, but it would not do for any physical sign of her inner anxiety to manifest upon her person. Relaxing her lips, the young Princess left the bathroom, and returned to Impa, who was still standing patiently by the door. "All ready?" The older woman asked her ward. Zelda nodded. Impa then opened the chamber's door slowly, holding it a crack open to peer outside and check that all was safe, before allowing it to swing wide and admit an exit for herself and the Princess. Zelda could not help but smile at Impa's caution. Predictably, the two guards stationed at all times at the entrance of her room peered inside as the door opened, and promptly saluted in attention at the pair of females. Impa saluted back, and then led the Princess out of the room and down the stone corridor.
Zelda saw that it was just as dark in the castle hallways as it had been in her room, and here torches mounted on the walls had been lit by the palace staff and illuminated the path ahead. Gazing out one of the castle windows, Zelda saw a distant reddish glow slip over the horizon, a prelude to the daily rising of the sun. Or, as the priests often called it, "Din's Eye". Zelda did not think that the priests actually believed that the sun was the literal "eye" of the great Goddess herself, but it held a certain metaphorical value that she could appreciate. And then a thought occurred to her. "Impa," spoke Zelda, coming to a halt in the winding corridor, "Wait here for a second, I forgot something back in the room." Before Impa could respond, the Princess had dashed back towards her soldier-guarded room, jogging beneath her dress and appearing quite ridiculous, she was sure. Then again, it was ridiculous to expect any sort of practical mobility when wearing such a garment, she thought irritably. She understood the aesthetic value of the dress, of course, but beyond looking adorable, she could see no real reason why anyone would wish to…
Reaching her room, Zelda hastily thanked the guards as they pushed the door open for her, and she reentered her chambers, the magically lit torches still casting their reddish glow on their surroundings. Zelda glanced around the room, her eyes scanning the surfaces of the various chairs and tables and…there! Zelda quickly strode over to one of her dressers and snatched up a worn, leather-bound book that was resting atop it. Once the volume was within her grasp, the Princess hurried back out of the room, where Impa was now standing with the guards with something of an air of impatience. "You went back for that, my Lady?" She asked exasperated.
"I want something to read in the courtyard," replied Zelda stubbornly. "I'm the Princess of Hyrule, I can bring a book with me if I want to." She realized she was being slightly ridiculous, but she did not care. The piece of literature that she was holding was of extreme importance to her, and even more so to the rest of the kingdom. Furthermore, it pertained directly to the day's upcoming events.
Impa sighed, and rolled her eyes at the guards. "Children." The two soldiers laughed at this, and Zelda saw the admiration in their eyes as they looked at her personal guardian. It hardly came as a surprise to her, for she knew that indeed all of the Hylian Imperial Guard held deep respect for Impa, who was easily the most capable and skilled fighter serving under the Hylian Royal Family. Many a time had she watched Impa down several Guardsmen at once in training exercises, employing a variety of Hylian weapons and ancient Sheikah fighting techniques to achieve the upper hand in virtually any combat situation. She was also a very hardy woman, able to match the Guardsmen drink for drink and pitch camp with them whenever they journeyed outside the castle for more extensive training.
Zelda wondered if her guardian's distinct abilities were unique unto herself, or if they were simply characteristic of the Sheikah race. She had done quite a bit of research into the mysterious bloodline, learning that they were the historic founders of Kakariko Village, currently the second most populous city in Hyrule after Hyrule Castle Town. Widely reputed for their immense martial prowess (and red eyes), the Sheikah were quickly hired by Zelda's family—then only a powerful Hylian clan and not as of yet anything resembling imperial royalty—as mercenaries, a role that they served for generations, especially throughout the Hyrulean Civil War. Sadly, the war had greatly depleted the Sheikah ranks, and the bloodline was commonly thought today to be near extinction, save for Impa, and possibly a scant few others. The future of the Sheikah tribe appeared a most bleak one, as Impa had no children, and all searches for other Sheikah descendants had turned up empty handed.
Impa appeared to be aware of this reality, and so for the past three years she had taken to passing on Sheikah teachings to her young ward. The King had instructed her to give Zelda martial training, and the silver haired woman had taken to it with gusto. In addition to imparting her knowledge of magic, Impa also conducted daily training sessions within the Guard's personal courtyard, where the Princess was put through all variety of agility courses and lessons in the use of multiple weapons. Within the last year or so, they had occasionally travelled out into the countryside, where Zelda was taught how to survive in the wilderness, and how to navigate unfamiliar terrain. The extent of her training was kept quiet around the King, for they both sensed that Zelda's father might object to its degree of intensity. Nonetheless, Zelda had found that she never felt more alive than when training with Impa, and privately felt that with a few more years of practice, she could become competent enough to rival the skill of even the most elite of the Imperial Guard.
"Well come on then, my Lady," Impa urged Zelda, the look in her eyes impressing upon her charge the urgency of their current task. Impa knew everything that Zelda did about Ganondorf, and what she suspected of his intentions. Therefore she must have been just as worried and anxious as the Princess, even if she did a better job of masking her emotions from the outside world.
"Okay," acquiesced Zelda, and once more the pair of them strode down the hallway and away from her room.
"Are you sure that it is wise to carry that with you?" Queried Impa, gesturing at the book that Zelda had retrieved from her room. "I would think, given the nature of your concerns about Lord Dragmire, you would find it more prudent to hide that book away somewhere."
"I'd thought about that," responded Zelda, instinctively tightening her grip upon the volume, "but I have also reasoned that if I keep it with me at all times, then I shall know that it will be safe at all times."
"That line of thinking rests upon the assumption that you are safe at all times, my Lady."
Zelda's girlish blue-eyes gaze turned upwards and to the side to rest upon her trusted guardian. "And so long as you are here to protect me, Impa, then I shall be safe at all times." Impa appeared touched by the Princess's apparently absolute trust in her abilities, but did not make a response. Rather, the pair of them continued in silence down the stone corridor, taking a right at a fork and then striding down another, to a spiraling stairwell. They descended to the lower floors of the castle, Zelda carefully hiking up her dress so as not to trip on it as she lowered herself from one step to the next.
Finally arriving on the ground floor, Impa opened the door that led out into another stone hallway, through which they now trekked. There were no windows on the castle's first floor, but Zelda had the distinct impression that dawn was fast approaching, and that soon Ganondorf and her father would commence their negotiations within the Throne Room. Moving quickly through the labyrinth that was the first floor, Zelda and her guardian passed by castle servants who were beginning extinguishing torches and cleaning the floors. After waving at some passing soldiers, the pair rounded a corner and opened another door to reveal their destination. The courtyard, flanked on all sides by stretching walls of stone bricks, had not yet been touched by the emerging sunlight, and so relative darkness blanketed the area.
"Okay, make sure to lock the door," Zelda told Impa, but the Sheikah had already done as such before the Princess had even spoken. Nodding at her guardian, Zelda then turned and entered further into the courtyard, the soft dew of the grass dampening the bottommost fringes of her dress. At the opposite end of the enclosure was constructed a marble platform with rails mounted on either side. A richly ornate bench had been placed against the wall, allowing those sitting in it to gaze out into the courtyard and take in its orchestrated beauty. A shade darker than the marble platform upon which it stood, the seat had been a favored resting place for the Princess for years. And just above the bench was the window, covered by metal grating on either side, which provided a view into the King's Throne Room.
Zelda quickly mounted the platform and leaned onto the bench, folding her legs at the knees onto the curved stone seat as she peered through the window. She set the book she was carrying down next to her. Unlike the courtyard, the King's Throne Room was lit with more torch fixtures. The result was that the image of the Throne Room was crystal clear from the courtyard, but the image of the courtyard was not at all visible form the Throne Room. It couldn't have been more perfect, thought Zelda. And as she leaned closer, she saw…yes! Ganondorf and her father were entering the Throne Room, and were by all appearances chatting amicably as they did so. Zelda felt her eyes narrow. Why didn't her father listen to her! How could he not see that this man had nothing but evil intentions for the Kingdom of Hyrule?
Just as the two men were sitting down at a circular table that had been brought to the room with an elaborate breakfast arranged upon it, however, a loud splash sounded from behind Zelda. Whirling around in fright, she saw with wide eyes that the courtyard's pond had erupted upwards as something surfaced from beneath. Not half a second later, Impa was standing at the edge of the artificial pool, twin daggers clutched in her calloused hands, her red eyes intent upon what had emerged from the water. "Stay back, Princess!" She shouted at Zelda. But Zelda was too curious to contentedly remain by the bench. Instead, she cautiously dismounted the platform and came within fifteen feet of the being that by now had dragged itself onto the grass.
It appeared to be a small child, around Zelda's age, with blond hair and clothes of green. Pointed ears distinguished it as a Hylian, and looking, closer, Zelda saw that the child was in fact a boy. The boy, whoever he was, was sopping wet, appearing much like a drowned rat. Impa kept her daggers raised, poised to strike, but she seemed to have sensed that the intruder posed no immediate threat. Then, suddenly, her ruby red eyes widened in shock, and she gasped, "Princess, look…" She pointed with one dagger at the space beside the Hylian boy. Zelda followed the gesture, and then she too gasped.
Fluttering at the boy's side a few inches off of the ground, looking equally as waterlogged, was a small, blue fairy.
Link had spent the night in Guards' quarters, billeted in a bed across from Malon's still unconscious father. He awoke early, far earlier than he would have preferred, but he forwent any vestiges of drowsiness to instead lift himself from the worn but comfortable mattress and pull on his boots. He then carefully tiptoed over to Randl's bed, trying not to rouse the other sleeping soldiers. Reaching Randl, who was similarly characterized by his lack of consciousness, the Kokiri boy lightly tapped him on the shoulder, whispering, "Randl, hey, Randl."
Years of intensive reflex training snapped Randl's eyes open as he immediately scanned his surroundings, his hand moving instinctively to his sheathed sword, which was propped up against the other side of his bed. Recognizing Link, he relaxed, and asked, "What is it Link?"
Link paused, mustering up what childlike innocence he could as he prepared his appeal. "Well," he began, attempting to appear simultaneously hesitant and eager, "do you think I could go to the training courtyard again? Master Talon is sure to wake up in an hour, and I wanted to see it one more time before we left."
Clearly the prospect of rising from his slumber to escort a 12-year-old child to the Guards' training courtyard did not appeal to Randl. But after a moment of staring sleepily at Link's nervous face, Randl let out a groaning grunt and replied, "Alright, let me get my boots on and we'll go."
Link let his excitement boil over into mild jubilance. "Thank you!" He whispered, again taking care not to awake any more of the Guard. Once Randl had swung himself from the bed, the mattress frame creaking under his shifting weight, he fitted his stocking-clad feet into his boots, grabbed his sheathed weapon, and led Link to the door. Together they exited the Guard chambers and once more navigated the twisting corridors until they reached the door leading to the open-air courtyard. Randl swung it open and walked inside, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Link followed him in.
Wet condensation blanketed the grass of the courtyard, and though it was summer, the early hour brought with it a chill in the air that would only be resolved once the sun had risen. Link's eyes immediately went to the artificial pond, its waters reflecting what little light there was to make it appear as a dark, shimmering mass. The Kokiri boy began to think of how he could get to it without arousing Randl's suspicion. "So what did you want to look at, Link?" Inquired the soldier, distinctly more awake and uncomfortable in the open air.
"Umm…." was Link's hesitant reply, as he thought furiously of what to do.
"Say you want to go look at the suits of armor," whispered Navi from beneath his hat.
"Oh," said Link in surprise. Randl looked at him expectantly. "I-I want to go look at the suits of armor," he finished, and at an acquiescing nod from the soldier, he strode over toward the suits and the pool. As Randl began to follow him, an idea alit in his head. "Oh, would you mind getting the crossbow again, please?" He asked, looking back at Randl with what he hoped was an innocent expression.
"You're not planning on trying to shoot the armor, are you?" Queried the soldier slowly, casting a gaze at the metal suits.
"U-Umm," stammered Link, his nerves beginning to get the better of him, "is that not allowed?"
Randl paused for a moment, before saying, "It's not that it's not allowed; we use those suits for dueling practice all the time. But if you want to try your hand at some archery practice, you should be aiming for those targets over there." He pointed to where several hay targets with bull's-eyes painted in red were mounted against the far wall. "Those would be more suited to archery practice, wouldn't you agree Link?"
Link flushed at his mistake. "Y-Yes," he replied, his voice once again breaking with nerves.
Randl frowned at him. "Are you alright Link?" He asked. "You seem a little anxious."
"I-I just want to practice with the crossbow before Master Talon wakes up," he said quickly.
Randl continued to stare at him, a strange look flashing from his eyes. Link's heart skipped a beat as he realized that he might have at last slipped up. But after one tense, seemingly endless moment, the soldier turned away, walking back towards the courtyard's entrance. As Link breathed an inward sigh of relief, Randl called back, "Just stay put right there, I'll be back with the crossbow in a minute." The Kokiri boy noticed that his tone carried a slight note of warning as he spoke, and did not need Navi whispering in his ear to know that he had indeed triggered some instinct of suspicion within the soldier.
"Liiiiiink," hissed Navi from beneath his cap, "he's onto us, you better dive into that pond before he gets back!"
Not needing to be told twice, Link quickly walked to the edge of the small body of water and peered down. In what little early morning light there was, he saw his dark reflection looking back at him, wavering in the water. Link had had some previous experience swimming; there was a cozy lagoon back in the Lost Woods that he and the other Kokiri children had often ventured to for fun. He distinctly recalled several instances when Mido had forcefully shoved him into the water, often amidst Saria's shrieks of protest. The first time it had happened he had nearly drowned, and had to be rescued by the other Kokiri children. But eventually, through a little private practice, Link had become a fairly strong and confident swimmer, aided in no small part by the strong arms and legs developed from working as a village groundskeeper. However, he had never had much experience staying underwater for long periods of time (despite Mido's many attempts to hold his head under), which was what he would have to do if he were he to dive in and traverse the pool's plumbing system. But then again, he didn't appear to have any other options, so….
"Hurry up Link!" Ordered Navi, and Link felt a burst of warmth on his head as her body flashed bright indigo in irritation and anxiety. "Randl will be back any minute!"
"I know, I know," Link mumbled through clenched teeth, as he steeled himself for what he had to do next. Well, he thought, no one ever said being a hero would be easy.
He took a step back from the pool, took a deep breath, and dived forward. As he did so, the door to the courtyard swung open. "Link, what are you doing!" Came Randl's bewildered shout, but then the Kokiri boy hit the water, head first, and all sound was blocked out.
The water was ice cold, and Link had to fight to keep himself moving downward, drawing himself closer to the bottom with each stroke of his arms, and each kick of his feet. In the dark water he could barely make out a small opening in the wall, and a few more kicks put him at the entrance. His lungs had already begun to scream for fresh air, but the Kokiri boy ignored the feeling of suffocation and reached inside the opening, planting a hand on either side of what, as Kaepora Gaebora had accurately described, was a rectangular passageway that led from the artificial pool. Hauling himself inside, Link felt a slight current drawing him forward, just strong enough to provide him with some support as he swam toward the other end of the passage. As he moved, a multitude of fearful thoughts began to pop into his head. Would he make it to the other end before he drowned? Would Randl have deduced his plan and be waiting to capture him in the next courtyard? Would the next courtyard be the Princess's, or would he have to pass through another underwater tunnel?
Suddenly Link's hands came to rest on dull edges, and he realized with a euphoric thrill that he had come to the other side of the plumbing. Hauling himself out of the tunnel, he kicked off the bottom of the new pond and shot upwards, erupting out of the water and opening his mouth wide to drawn in fresh, wonderful oxygen. As he gulped down new breaths, he wiped the water from his eyes and looked around, treading water as he did so. He was in a new courtyard, similar to the previous except that it was much smaller and lacked weaponry and obstacle courses. A gasp to his left alerted him to two individuals, a man and a woman, who until his arrival had apparently been lying on top of each other in the grass, although for what purpose Link could not discern. The woman, who had been on top of the man, had rolled off of him, and both were gazing at him with scared and confused expressions. They were garbed in what Link assumed was the clothing of the Castle Staff.
"Link, this-pttt-isn't the courtyard we're looking for," sputtered Navi from beneath his hat, evidently as waterlogged as he was. At that moment the door to the courtyard burst open, and Randl appeared, visibly out of breath from having sprinted from the previous courtyard.
"Stop!" He shouted at Link, but the Kokiri boy immediately sucked in a new breath of air and dropped back down into the water, turning upside down so that he could swim headfirst into the next underwater tunnel. He swam as quickly as he could, using both legs and feet to push himself along the passageway. If he didn't beat Randl to the next courtyard, he would be caught, and his attempts to get to Princess Zelda would in vain. His small body buckled under the strain of working with such little oxygen, and Link felt his vision begin to grow fuzzy as he exited the tunnel and once more pushed upwards toward the surface. This courtyard was empty and full of stone benches positioned in front of a raised platform, and Link supposed that it was used as a venue for live performers to entertain the Royal Family.
He barely had time to catch his breath before the handle of the courtyard's door began to turn, and he turned back into the water before Randl could enter. For a third time the Kokiri boy dove into icy cold water, and for a third time entered a dark tunnel, struggling to reach its exit before his lungs reached their limit. Link's hand caught on a protruding stone halfway through the tunnel, sending a sharp pain through his fingers. He gasped in surprise, inhaling liquid, and immediately began to cough, expelling plumes of precious air. He surged forward, but the water's icy grasp had finally begun to wear upon him, and his lungs continued to scream for oxygen. As his strength faded, in desperation Link made one last drive forward, only to find that he had propelled himself from the tunnel and into a third artificial pond. Weakly kicking off from the bottom, Link felt his head emerge from the water a few moments later, and greedily inhaled fresh air from his surroundings, no longer caring about being caught.
Too weak to even wipe the water from his eyes, the Kokiri boy reached around blindly, searching for dry land. At last his hands felt cool grass, and he pulled himself forward, and slowly and awkwardly dragged himself from the pond. As soon as he had cleared the water, he bent over on all fours, coughing. A sliding sensation from atop his head notified him that Navi had emerged from beneath his hat, falling ungracefully onto the ground. As his eyes cleared of water, Link noticed that she was weakly flapping her tiny wings in an attempt to gain flight upwards.
As he continued to cough and take deep, satisfying breaths, Link heard the sounds of approaching footsteps. Great, he thought, still trying to regain his strength, Randl caught me after all. But then he heard someone gasp, and then a hardened, but decidedly female voice spoke, "Princess, look…" A second individual gasped, and Link used what little energy he had to look up. Two women were standing near him, one tall and imposing, with twin daggers clenched in her hands and ruby red eyes eyeing him in suspicion. The other was further back, a child about his age, with long, wavy golden hair and bright blue eyes. She wore a white and purple dress and looked on as her companion moved closer.
Link knew who the she was the second he laid eyes upon her, although he couldn't be sure exactly how it was that he knew. His gaze fixed upon her, he reached out with one hand and let out a waterlogged plea, "Zelda….."
Zelda gasped as the boy uttered her name. Disregarding Impa's urges to caution, she rushed forward and helped the boy stand up. He was absolutely drenched from head to toe, and Zelda could only imagine what he had gone through to attain such soggy condition.
"Princess, please, you mustn't endanger yourself in this manner," Impa told her ward.
"Does he really look as if he's come here to attack me, Impa," replied Zelda, now propping the boy up on his feet. He had stopped breathing heavily, and appeared to have regained control of his faculties. Zelda stepped away from him, and asked in a tone simultaneously imperious and graceful, a tone befitting the Princess of Hyrule, "Boy, why is it that you have broken into Hyrule Castle and invaded my private courtyard? And what is that on your shoulder?"
Like the boy, the blue fairy had by this point managed to recover itself enough to fly up into the air and perch itself on his shoulder. Zelda of course realized that it was a fairy—she had read enough lore about them to know what they should look like, despite their growing rarity in Hyrule—but she wanted to hear it from the boy, just to be safe. She held her breath, awaiting his response. This could be it, she thought to herself, this could really be the one…
The boy, still dripping, took a moment to push his wet hair out of his eyes, which Zelda saw were as blue as the Hyrulean sky. When he spoke, she felt a ripple in her chest, and was taken aback by the boy's clear, assertive voice. "Princess Zelda of Hyrule," he said, "my name is Link. I am a Kokiri child from the Kokiri Forest, found deep within the Lost Woods. The Great Deku Tree sent me here to meet you. And this is my fairy partner, Navi."
"Nice to meet you, Princess!" shouted Navi, cupping her hands around her mouth to project her tiny voice.
Zelda stood shocked by the boy's pronouncement. Was this the real thing? Could this boy—Link, he said was his name—be the answer to her prayers? She couldn't imagine who this 'Great Deku Tree' was, but he had apparently sent Link and his fairy, Navi, to her with some specific purpose. But what precisely was that purpose? She had to ask Link a few more questions in order to confirm her suspicions.
As the Princess opened her mouth to speak, the door to the courtyard burst inwards, its lock no match for whatever unknown force was acting upon it. Impa immediately leapt towards the courtyard's entrance, her twin daggers once more poised to strike. Her ruby red eyes narrowed upon the form of a heavily panting Randl, who, sword drawn, was hastily looking around the courtyard. It appeared that he had sprinted a considerable distance from the previous courtyard to reach this newest location. "Where-Where is he? Oh, Lady Impa, good, I'm glad you're here. We have a security breach." The soldier's words came between hurried, gaping breaths.
"Randl," spoke Impa, her voice expressing some severity. "Why have you intruded upon the Princess's private courtyard?"
"Wh-What?" Asked Randl, his eyes still searching the courtyard. At last they alighted upon Link, barely visible as he stood behind Zelda. "There!" He shouted, pointing with his left hand and moving forward at the same time, only to find Impa's twin daggers crisscrossing his neck. "L-Lady Impa, what are you doing!" He gasped.
"What are you doing, Randl?" Inquired Impa, her eyes still narrowed threateningly.
"That boy!" Randl once more gestured to Link. "His name is Link. He claimed to be an assistant of Talon, the owner of Lon-Lon Ranch. I've been chasing him between courtyards for the past half hour!"
Impa paid the soldier's explanation no heed. "Randl," she said, her voice now deadly steel, "there is no one in this courtyard but the Princess and I, do you understand?"
"But I—" began Randl, but Impa cut him off.
"I said, do you understand?"
The soldier ceased his protests, and responded, "Yes, Lady Impa, I understand." However his expression had now shifted to one of confusion.
The silver haired woman removed her daggers from Randl's throat, and took a step backwards. "This assistant of Talon named Link whom you are searching for most likely has already left the castle."
"I-I," stammered Randl.
"I'll repeat this once more Randl, there is no boy named Link anywhere in the castle, and certainly not here in the courtyard. Go back to your quarters, and don't mention this to anyone else, it would only cause you further embarrassment."
"Yes-Yes, Lady Impa," responded Randl. He peered over her shoulder at Zelda. "Princess, I apologize for my disruptive behavior."
"It's quite alright Randl," said Zelda.
"Alright, well I'll go then," Randl told Impa. As he turned to leave, he glanced one more time at Link, who continued to stand quite still behind the Princess.
"Oh and Randl, do be sure to send for the Palace Locksmith at the beginning of your next shift," said Impa. "Yes, Lady Impa," the soldier replied, and then he walked back out of the courtyard and shut the door behind him.
Silence fell on the courtyard for a few moments, and then Zelda and Impa turned once more to look at Link. "Care to explain, Mister Link?" Inquired Impa, now striding closer to the other two.
"I-I…." began Link, trying to find words to describe his ordeal of the past half hour. Then Navi flew off his shoulder into the air and darted over to Impa, whereupon she explained what had happened to the Sheikah. Zelda looked on, still amazed that Navi was in fact a fairy. It was just like in her dream. Which reminded her…
"So you lied to the Imperial Guard to gain access to the castle, and then traveled through the circulatory system of the artificial ponds in order to gain access to the Princess's courtyard. Impressive," commended Impa, her eyes shifting from Navi to Link. "I'll have to advise the King to have metal grates installed in the ponds to guard against any such future intrusions. But how did you know that the Princess would be in this courtyard at this particular time, child?"
"An owl named Kaepora Gaebora told me," replied Link, Navi now flying back over to his shoulder. Impa looked as if she wished to interrogate him further, but Zelda cut in.
"Anyway," said the Princess, "You said before that the 'Great Deku Tree' sent you to see me. Why did he send you?"
Sudden recollection struck Link. "Oh yea, sorry, I was supposed to show this to you," he told Zelda, hurriedly opening one of the pouches on his belt. He took out the Kokiri's Emerald, which in the growing light of morning shimmered in his hand. He held it up for the Princess to see.
Zelda gasped. She took the gem out of Link's hands and stared at it, awestruck. Any doubts that she had held before had been wiped from her mind by this enormous green jewel, lined with thick, curling vines of pure gold. This boy was the real thing, she thought to herself, the answer to her prayers. He was the one…
Zelda's excitement burst out of her in a series of high-pitched giggles. "You're the boy from my dreams!" She told him. Her lips widened in a smile, and she glanced over at Impa. "He's the one Impa, the one I told you about!"
"It seems that way, Princess," responded Impa.
"What are you talking about?" Asked Link in confusion, reaching under his green hat to scratch his head. Most of the water from the pond had evaporated from his person, but he was still a little damp.
Zelda ceased her joyous giggling, and looked at the Kokiri boy thoughtfully. "For the past few weeks I've been having a recurring dream. In the dream, dark storm clouds sweep over the land of Hyrule. They blot out everything, and cast the realm into darkness. But then a ray of light shoots out from the Lost Woods, scattering the clouds and restoring light to Hyrule. And at the source of that light stands a figure holding a green emerald, with a fairy hovering by his side." She paused, continuing to look at Link glowingly. "I've come to realize that this dream is of a prophetic nature, and that the dark storm clouds represent a great evil that will come to terrorize Hyrule. And the only thing that can stop it is the figure who comes from the forest with a fairy and the Spiritual Stone of the Forest."
"The what?" Asked Link, bewildered.
"The Spiritual Stone of the Forest," repeated the Princess, gesturing at the Kokiri's Emerald in her hand. It's one of the keys to the Sacred Realm.
"That's what the Great Deku Tree told us, Link!" Navi whispered in his ear. "He said that the Kokiri's Emerald was one of the keys to the Sacred Realm, the resting place of the Triforce! The Spiritual Stone of the Forest must be the Kokiri's Emerald!"
Zelda continued to speak. "Link, most of Hyrule thinks that the Sacred Realm and the Triforce are nothing but a myth, but they're real. And while most of Hyrule has heard of the Triforce legend, there are parts of the story that have only been handed down within the Hylian Royal Family. I am going to share these secrets with you, but I need your word that you won't repeat them to anyone else, okay?"
"Okay," promised Link, listening attentively to every word the Princess said. "I won't tell anyone else about this."
Zelda smiled. "Good. Alright, so the three Goddesses hid the Triforce somewhere in Hyrule. The Triforce, containing divine power, grants the wish of whomsoever holds it in his hands. If a person with a pure heart makes a wish, then Hyrule will enter a period of true peace and prosperity. However, should an evil person make a wish with the Triforce, then all the world will be consumed by darkness. So as a precaution to protect against evil, the ancient Sages constructed a temple to guard the entrance to the Sacred Realm, the place where the Triforce is located. That temple resides within this very city, and is known as the Temple of Time. Within the Temple stands the Door of Time, a gate through which one can gain access to the Sacred Realm. In order to open the Door of Time, four items are required. The first three are known as the Spiritual Stones. And the last item is one that has been passed down through the Royal Family along with this legend: the Ocarina of Time, an enchanted instrument that has been kept secret from the world for generations." The Princess quickly strode over to the raised platform by the courtyard's sole window, mounted it, and picked up her book from the ornate bench. She waved it at Link. "Everything I have just told you is contained in this book. It is a collection of the various myths and legends of Hyrule, and while others have heard the part about the three Spiritual Stones, this is the only source that describes the Ocarina of Time."
As Link tried to comprehend all of this, a thought suddenly seized him. "Zelda," he said, "I know to whom the evil dark clouds are referring."
The Princess appeared surprised. "Do you?" She asked him.
"Yes," replied Link, gritting his teeth at the thought of the terrible man who had killed the Great Deku Tree. "He's from the desert, he came to the forest to try and steal the Kokiri's—uh, the Spiritual Stone of the Forest!"
Zelda gasped. "From the desert, you said?" Her eyes widened in shock. Even Impa, whose expression had remained passive this entire time, appeared rather perturbed. "Link," Zelda told him cautiously, "come over here for a moment." She beckoned him over, and Link quickly left the pond's edge and joined her on the platform. As he drew nearer, Zelda directed him at the grated window mounted above the bench. "Look through here."
Link did as he was told, climbing onto the bench and peering through the window and into the chamber beyond. He saw a torch lit room in which two men were seated at a circular table, upon which a splendid breakfast had been laid out. The men sat at opposite ends of the table, and appeared to be intensely engaged in conversation. One of them wore magnificent robes of scarlet, and a crown of gold topped his head. Link surmised that this was the King of Hyrule that he had heard so much about.
He then turned his attention to the other, a very large man dressed in gleaming, black armor with red hair and a prominent, hooked nose. His dark skin contrasted starkly with the fair complexion of the King. Link felt his heart skip a beat. He recalled the Great Deku Tree's dying warning: And always, beware the wicked man in black armor. This was that man, the one from the desert, the one who had killed his beloved guardian: Ganondorf Dragmire, King of the Gerudo. And here he was, eating breakfast with the King of Hyrule, smiling and laughing in conversation as an innocent man might.
The Kokiri boy felt a seething anger course through his body, and his hands clenched into shaking fists. He glared at Ganondorf through the window, and suddenly felt a bolt of shock as the man glanced his way. Their eyes connected, and in that moment Link knew that Ganondorf could see him. Terrified, he quickly backed away from the window. The Kokiri boy turned to Zelda, who was standing just beside him. "He saw me," he told her, "Ganondorf saw me."
Zelda nodded in understanding, and then said, "It's okay Link, he has no idea what we're up to. He'll just think you're one of the palace servants' sons playing in the courtyard." Then she paused, as if something had occurred to her. "How do you know his name?" She asked him.
"Randl told me yesterday."
"Ah," said Zelda. "Well anyway Link, at you may know, Ganondorf has come to Hyrule to negotiate an alliance with my father and our kingdom. That's what he claims he's here for, anyway. And as you saw, he and my father are discussing diplomatic terms even as we speak."
"But that's not his true intent, is it Zelda?" Interjected Link.
The Princess shook her head, her hair swirling around her as she did so. "No," she told him, and the Kokiri boy saw a desperate anxiousness flash in her blue eyes. "At first I thought he was here to spy on Hyrule, to try and learn about our kingdom and find its weaknesses. But two nights ago, at dinner, I realized that it was much worse than that." She held up her book again, and continued, "That night, at dinner, Ganondorf began to ask questions about the Temple of Time and the legends associated with it. This, along with my dream, and what you said about him trying to steal the Spiritual Stone of the Forest, proves that Ganondorf is after nothing less than the Triforce itself!"
Link stood in shock. It was just as the Great Deku Tree had told him. "Princess," he said, "You need to tell your father about this! You have to warn him!"
Zelda cast her eyes downward, and a grimace took hold of her face. "I've already tried talking to my father about it, but he thinks Ganondorf's intentions are benevolent. And he doesn't believe in the existence of the Triforce, and claims that it's nothing but a myth." She looked up at him, and now her expression was one of pleading. "Please Link, you and I are the only ones who can stop Ganondorf now! We need to get to the Triforce before Ganondorf can! Will you help me?"
Link looked into her deep, troubled eyes, and somehow felt compelled to aid this girl, despite having only just met her. And after all, the last wish of the Great Deku Tree had been that he stop Ganondorf and save Hyrule. The Kokiri boy nodded at the Princess. "Yes Zelda, I'll help you."
Zelda erupted in a series of happy giggles, and she hugged him tightly around the middle. "Oh thank you, Link!" She then stepped back away from him. "Alright," she said resolutely, "here's what we need to do. Ganondorf is staying here at the Castle for two more weeks, at the end of which time my father is throwing a huge party to celebrate the success of their negotiations. He's then going to journey to meet with the Goron and Zora tribes, ostensibly to establish diplomatic relations with them as well. But I think he's really going to meet with them because the legend says that those two tribes possess the other two Spiritual Stones. And after that he will probably go back to your forest to try and claim the last Stone, the one we have here. So we need to get the Goron and Zora tribes first and convince them to give us their Spiritual Stones."
Link nodded. The plan made sense. "Alright," continued Zelda. "Here, take the Spiritual Stone of the Forest back," she handed him the emerald jewel, "and go talk with the Gorons first. They live atop Death Mountain, at the foot of which is Kakariko Village, Impa's hometown. Once you get the Spiritual Stone of Fire from them, head upstream along Zora's River, and you'll eventually reach the Zora tribe. Once you have all three Spiritual Stones, come back here. As the Princess of Hyrule I have to remain at the Castle, but I'll be keeping an eye on Ganondorf and will closely guard both this book and the Ocarina of Time, which he doesn't know about. Then, together, we'll open the entrance to the Sacred Realm, get the Triforce, and stop Ganondorf before he even has a chance to realize what's happened!"
"My Lady, if I might interject?" Inquired Impa, who had been quietly standing a few feet from the platform.
Zelda turned to look at her personal guard. "Yes, what is it Impa?"
The silver haired woman looked at her charge, and then glanced at Link. "If you are going to send this boy to the far points of the kingdom, and especially if you are going to ask him to make contact with the other Hyrulean tribes, might I suggest we equip him with a means of identifying himself in connection with the Royal Family?"
"Oh," gasped the Princess, putting a small hand to her mouth. "Of course, good thinking Impa." She turned to Link. "Here, let me go get something real quick. Impa, stay here and teach Link my lullaby. No, it's fine, you don't have to escort me, I'll be back in a minute," she waved her guardian away as the latter began to follow her across the courtyard. Zelda hurried away from the pair and passed through the door at the other end of the enclosure.
"Where's she off to?" Asked Navi, crossing her legs as she leaned back on Link's shoulder.
Impa stared at the door through which the Princess had departed, and then shifted her gaze to Link. "Alright Link," she told him, her eyes narrowing as she looked down upon the Kokiri boy. Link instinctively took a step backward. It was no wonder that the woman was Zelda's personal bodyguard; she was extremely intimidating.
"Uh, yes?" He asked, timidly meeting the ruby red eyes with his blue ones.
Impa took a step forward and knelt down in front of Link. She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, and then asked, in an almost offhand manner, "Do you own an instrument?"
"What?" Link replied, taken aback.
"A musical instrument. Do you have one in your possession?"
Link was so thrown off by the seemingly random question that it took him a minute to fully comprehend what she was asking him. "Uh, yea, I do. Hold on." He fished out Saria's ocarina from one of the pouches on his belt. He also took the time to carefully stow the Kokiri's Emerald in a second pouch. Link held up the ocarina for Impa to see. "I have this," he told her.
He thought he saw Impa's mouth twitch, although it could have been his imagination. She stood up and walked a few paces away from him. As she did so, Link could have sworn he heard her mutter, "And his instrument just so happens to be an ocarina. Now that's irony for you." She turned around to face him, he eyes narrowed once more. "Alright Link," she said, "I'm about to teach you a song that has been passed down within the Princess Zelda's family since before the Civil War began. I used to play this tune for the Princess when she was a mere infant, and it is affectionately known as "Zelda's Lullaby". Alright, listen up." Impa put two fingers to her mouth, and began to whistle, altering the shape of her mouth to form new notes. It was a rather simple song, but as the melody filled the courtyard, it brought with it a haunting beauty that caused Link to feel relaxed and at peace. Once Impa had finished, she lowered her hands and looked to the Kokiri. "Alright Link, your turn," she told him.
Link slowly brought the ocarina to his lips, trying to think of the exact notes that Impa had played for him. He pressed his fingers over the holes of the ocarina and closed his lips around the mouthpiece. He inhaled a deep breath and began playing. After several attempts in which trial and error ensued, he finally found the correct notes, and played Zelda's Lullaby as perfectly as Impa had. Once more he found himself caught up in the music, his own efforts bringing soothing relief to his stressful body and mind. Even Navi appeared to become more relaxed, closing her eyes and tilting her small head up towards the sky.
He ended the song and looked at Impa, who was for once smiling with satisfaction. "Very good, Link," she told him. "You seem to be a natural with that ocarina. Now, playing this song will help to prove your connection with the Royal Family. It will almost certainly prove useful in the near future, but it may also alert nearby enemies, so be wary. Also, the song holds a strange power in its own right, so be mindful of that when playing it."
Link nodded at the woman. "Alright, thanks," he said.
Just then the courtyard door opened once more and Zelda strode in carrying a folded piece of parchment in her right hand. As she neared Impa and Link, she asked her ward, "Did you teach him my melody?"
"Yes, my Lady," responded the silver haired woman. "He plays an ocarina, interestingly enough."
Zelda's eyes widened at this. "You really are the perfect hero for us," she told Link, giggling. "Here." She held out the parchment for him to take, which he did. He unfolded it and looked at what had been written upon it.
This is Link. He is under my direct orders on a top secret mission for the Hylian Royal Family. You are to help him with whatever he needs in accomplishing this task. You are not to tell anyone else about Link or his mission.
Signed, Princess Zelda
Link saw that a strange symbol had been stamped in melted wax at the bottom of the page, next to Zelda's signature. It appeared to be some abstract image with wings. He supposed that it was the Hylian Royal Family Crest. "This, in addition to the song that Impa just taught you, should be enough to establish your credentials anywhere you go in Hyrule," Zelda told him.
"Now," she said, looking from Link to Impa, "we need to get Link out of here before anyone else finds him. Impa, could you escort him out of the castle?"
"Certainly, my Lady," responded Impa.
Zelda turned to Link. "Link," she said, and her clear blue eyes trembled with emotion as she clasped her hands over her heart, "hurry back as fast as you can, Hyrule is depending on you. Good luck!" After staring at each other for a moment, Link turned away and began following Impa out of the courtyard.
Link walked two steps behind Impa through the corridors of the castle, neither one of them speaking a word. The palace was now fully immersed in morning activities, and servants bustled here and there carrying papers and trays of food. They passed a few soldiers, who nodded at Impa out of respect and moved on their way. At last they reached the front gates, through which the silver haired woman guided Link. They then made their way down the hill upon which Hyrule Castle rested, stopping briefly at the guard gate so that Link could collect the weapons that he had given up the previous day.
"Talon's already stumbled back to town, Mister Link," stated the same soldier whom Link had talked to the last time he had passed through the gate. "He was a right bit hung over, and not at all in a mood to be bothered. He seemed to be headed back to the Tektite Inn to collect his daughter, I reckon you can catch up to him if you hurry."
"Alright, thanks!" Link told him.
"The Tektite Inn is down this main road and on your right at the third intersection," Impa whispered to him. "Good luck, Link!" And then she turned around and began making her way back up toward the castle.
"Come on Link, let's hurry!" Whispered Navi, who had slipped back beneath Link's hat the minute they had left Zelda's courtyard.
Link began walking quickly down the main road of Hyrule City, counting the intersections as he passed them so as not to miss his destination. Weaving through the usual crowds of Hylians, Link at last spotted a large building on the far right corner of the third intersection. A wide, stretching wooden sign with blue painting denoted it as "The Tektite Inn". Just outside the Inn, Link spotted Talon, who was slowly climbing into an enormous wagon pulled by oxen, similar to the one that he had ridden in with Ardo. And in the back of the wagon sat Malon, who was talking animatedly with her father. Link's heart leapt; maybe they could give him a ride out of the city.
As Link approached the wagon, Malon's cheerful voice came within earshot. "And they were all really intimidating and reeeally quiet—"
"Malon, please," groaned Talon, who was now fully seated in the front of the wagon, and had leaned forward and put his head in his hands. His voice was deep and strained. "I would love to hear about the Gerudo women when we get back to the ranch, but for now, how about some peace and quiet? I'm not feeling too well at the moment."
Malon's smiling expression turned to a pout, and she stood up, putting her hands on her hips. "Well maaaaybe if you hadn't gotten so drunk last night dad, then maaaaybe you wouldn't be feeling so bad right now!"
"You're right Malon, you're right," conceded a pained Talon, now leaning so far over that his black mustache was nearly touching his expansive belly.
Link decided that this was a good time to interject. "Hey, Malon!" He shouted, moving closer to the wagon.
The red headed girl glanced in the direction of the call, spotted Link, and immediately jumped up ecstatically. "Link!" She yelled back. "Link, you made it back! How'd it go!"
"It went really well," replied Link, now standing directly next to the wagon and looking up at her. "Hey, is there any way I can get a ride with you guys out of the city?"
Malon beamed at him. "Absolutely!" She shrieked. Talon, who was groaning even louder due to Malon's shouting, gave no indication of having recognized Link's presence. "Where are you headed to?" Malon asked Link.
"Kakariko Village," he told her.
"Oh! We're going there tomorrow morning!" She told him. "We're going back to Lon Lon Ranch for the night, but at dawn we're leaving to deliver milk to Kakariko! You can come along with us!"
"That's perfect!" Link felt a smile spread across his face. Then he remembered Talon. "I mean, is it okay if I come along with you, sir?" He asked.
Malon's father didn't even remove his hands from his face, but muttered, "Yea, sure, hop on in. Just please stop shouting…."
So Link climbed into the wagon, whereupon Malon seized him in a dancing hug. "Oh you'll love Lon Lon, Link!" She told him through excited squeals. "I'm going to show you the cows, the stables…..and wait 'til you see our horses! Come on dad, let's get going!"
Talon at last sat up, wincing at the morning sunlight, and taking the oxen's reins in hand, set the wagon off on its journey back through the city and to Lon Lon Ranch.
Princess Zelda sat on the bench in her courtyard, her back to the window that granted a view into the King's throne room. Inside the Ganondorf and her father were still negotiating. Zelda had her book clasped in her hands, and since Link's departure had been staring down at it, waiting for Impa to return. She reflected on her meeting with the young Kokiri boy. Looking back on it, she wished that she hadn't been quite so bossy and domineering, telling him where to go and what to do, while offering minimal help herself. But after all, she was the Princess of Hyrule, and what could a princess do if she wasn't able to leave the city without her father's express consent? In all actuality, she had done everything she could to help Link, and now he, as the young, brave hero, had to set out into the expansive world of Hyrule on his own, and face whatever dangers befell him. At least, thought Zelda, that was the only practical course available to them. But it was just so frustrating! She wanted to do more than just sit in the castle awaiting Link's return.
"What can I do to help him….." she said to herself, closing her eyes and leaning backwards, pointing her face at the sky, which by now had filled with sunlight.
It was at that moment that the Princess heard a flap of wings, and she felt a shadow fall across her face. She opened her eyes to see a large, dark shape perched on a ledge above her. Before she could react, the dark shape hooted softly, and then spoke, in a very distinct voice, "Now, now, there is something you can do to help Link, Your Highness."
Author's Note
Alright, first off, I would like to apologize for my five month hiatus. This fall was my first semester in college, and I took that time to adjust to the new lifestyle and workload that comes with it. Rest assured, my chapter updates will be far more frequent in the future, probably somewhere in the range of once every two weeks to once a month, depending on a variety of factors.
Secondly, after reading some of the reviews that I've received for my story, I have a few things that I want to say. I call this a novelization of "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" in the sense that I am taking the plot of the game and writing a novel with it. My purpose for doing this is one, to improve my prose and give me practice for writing a fiction novel, and two, to pay tribute to my favorite video game. Now you've probably realized this already, but I fully intend to incorporate creative license wherever and whenever I so choose. I'm treating the plot of the game as an outline, to which I am trying to follow as closely as possible. But there certainly is a lot of room for interpretation and for me to utilize my own creativity as a writer. One instance pointed out in a few reviews is my use of OC's. While I am maximizing the roles of all the canon Ocarina characters, it will still be necessary for Link to interact with others in my story. My vision of Hyrule is that of an expansive, populated place, and there are simply not enough characters in the game for me to make them the only ones that Link interacts with. Another thing that has been mentioned is the Hyrulean Civil War, which in this story is said to have ended 11 years previously. Scant detail is given about the war in the games, so I have made some interpretations, always with the mindset of using as much existing canon Zelda info as possible to try and make my interpretations that much more accurate. And furthermore, as the story progresses, there will be a lot of subplots that were in no way part of the game. Again, I cannot stress enough that I am using the plot of the game as an outline for my story; this is not a copy of the game put into text form, but rather an creative telling that delves into far more detail, and therefore necessarily adds noncanon elements.
I would like to thank everyone who has or is reading this story, especially to those of you who have given reviews. Please know that I take your feedback into the utmost consideration as I try to make myself a better writer, and that reading your reviews is almost as much fun for me as is actually writing this story.
Also, for future reference, I don't care how critical you are of any part of my writing, there is absolutely no excuse for telling me in a review that "it sucked ass". You can claim that your intentions are good and that you are just trying to be honest with me, but in the end you're still being rude and crass, and I won't tolerate it. I have no problem with negative feedback, but if you wish to be critical, find a more sophisticated way of expressing yourself. That is all.
Until next time!
