*GASP* I HAVE RETURNED FROM THE DEAD! Excuse me, my left hand has just fallen off.
...
There we go.
Okay! So... Um... Hello, again! Um... I am very sorry. I'm... uh... school. AM I FORGIVEN YET?! You need to understand, I never intend to have these long absences, they just happen! Thank Collentj, she's the one who got me back from the dead and back on track. She also wrote the Castle Town part of this chapter, and she did an absolutely beautiful job. You can probably even tell where I jumped in, there's that much difference. So big props to Colleentj, everyone! She deserves it for putting up with all these delays.
In this rather laid-back chapter, we finally meet the Princess Zelda and end the Lullaby Arc.
Enjoy!
Crossing the fissure into Castle Town felt gradual; at the time, it had seemed like slow motion. Link's feet had been heavy beneath him, heart hammering, stomach churning, breath hitching in his throat as he took those first few steps, the world exploding suddenly into a beautiful pandemonium of color and music and life. This city embodied chaos, glorious chaos, as graceful ladies draped in velvet crossed paths with rough, weathered laborers, who smiled down at chortling children and coughing old hags alike. Animals that Link had never seen rocketed by, minstrels plucked strings and dancers stamped to the beating of drums. Music and laughter and melodic chatter all met Link's ears as the city rushed by around him, and he found himself almost immediately overwhelmed by it all.
Buildings, bigger and stronger than the hollowed forest trees, hewn entirely of stone- pavement, flat, precise, exact- water that burst forth from the ground, showering down around a beautiful centerpiece and landing in a stone pool- but what were they for? What were such beautiful structures called? Whose idea had they been? Link's eyes darted back and forth in disbelief, jaw unhinged.
He registered a glow of warmth at his neck as Navi made her presence known.
"It's... so... wow..."
Link was dragged to the side as a man leading a mule trudged by, a cart of goods close behind. Link peered over the top of the cart to glimpse a series of stalls and eager shouts of only ten rupees and limited time offer and get yours now!
"Never seen a city before, eh?" boomed Talon's voice from overhead, and Link glanced up at the enormous man, who was no more than a silhouette against the brilliance of the morning sun.
"Not quite," Link answered breathlessly, and he turned to glance behind him. Talon was standing beside a tall and muscular bay, a cart close behind with several wooden crates filled up with Talon's Lon-Lon Milk. A certain crop of crates were labeled as being destined for delivery straight to the Castle, and leaning on one of these crates and appearing rather bored of it all was Ingo, whose angled mustache had twinged in annoyance. Finally, perched on top of one of the crates and smiling in spite of herself was Malon, hair fluttering slightly in the morning breeze as her eyes drank in the festive sight before her.
Link took a few shaky steps forward, the wheels of the cart creaking as they began to proceed forward once more. He heard the patter of footsteps approaching from behind, and jumped slightly when he felt Malon's hand close around his shoulder.
"Follow me," she said quietly, and slipped away through the throng of city-goers. Link had some difficulty keeping up and taking in all of the sights at once- and not just sights, but smells- spices and colognes and tobacco smoke and floral arrangements- and the air, so cool, the ground, so rough, vibrations running up and down his legs and back and even his neck and shoulders, the wind running through his hair and his lungs as his breathing increased and his blood rushed hotly through his veins at the brilliance of it all-
And then suddenly everything stopped as Malon breathed against his ear, "Look."
His eyes followed the direction of her outstretched hand, and his thought process faltered substantially, for there, standing out against the stratosphere, was the most magnificent structure he'd ever seen.
"That's Hyrule Castle," Malon explained, but Link had known that even without the aid of her explanation. At the sight of the crisp, white steeple in the distance, his heart swelled, and there was a moment where the cogs in his mind stuttered, and all that he could register was a sense of total awe.
He found that somewhere along the line Malon's soft hand had wrapped around his wrist, and it was her touch that recalled him to the world. Even as he followed after her, he still could not shake the haunting beauty of that brilliant white castle, a castle that arched up into the heavens like a swan taking flight...
"I bet it's all very new to you, Fairy Boy," Malon mused softly as they withdrew under the canopy of a birch tree, the sunlight splattering through the branches and casting a halo around Malon's fiery hair. Link was reminded heavily of the sunlight in the forest, and his heart ached for half a second as he recalled the beloved guardian that had been lost there.
"Not all of it," he found himself answering, and he tried his best to swallow the homesickness that had festered suddenly within him.
They sauntered on, their steady pace eventually bringing them to the edge of a crowd. Malon, alight with childlike curiosity, pressed herself up against the warm wall of bodies. Link was close behind her, slightly uncomfortable at the proximity of those making up the crowd. He tripped on a loose cobblestone, only to end up using Malon as a crutch. She didn't bat an eye to this, and it was only once they'd broken into a clearing in the center of the crowd that her expression matched his in wonder.
"Street performers!" she exclaimed in a hushed tone, her face splitting into a grin. Two men were juggling before them, arching their costumed bodies and sending colored balls sailing into the sky. Rupees clinked at their feet as they moved gracefully before their spectators.
When the act had been concluded, the audience exploded into applause, and it was at that moment that time seemed to slow down and something caught Link's eye in the distance.
A line of silver-plated men were marching northward through the city, parting crowds as their patrol led them stiffly forward. Their helmets gleamed in the sunlight, armor clinking in the midst of their orderly shuffle. Link felt himself drawn to the procession, and yet he stood still as could be, heart hammering within his chest.
"Link, are you okay?" Malon's voice echoed against the rumble of the crowd. Link merely narrowed his eyes and gestured toward the metallic men.
"Malon, who are they?"
He heard a soft giggle. "Oh, they're the knights of Hyrule!"
Link could have sworn that he heard her sigh dreamily at the sound of their title. Link's gut squirmed as he watched the men proceed forth in the direction of their castle, their patrol apparently complete. And the voice that had been nagging at him from within the pit of his stomach took physical form as Navi emerged from the folds of Link's hat.
"Malon..." she said in that whispy tone of hers, "are you sure that we'll be able to sneak past them? They seem pretty... oh, I don't know, sharp-"
Malon's eyes were twinkling, a mischievous smile having planted itself on her features. Navi trailed off at the sight of this, and Malon just shook her head.
"I've already told you, I've got a plan! Link knows what it is, don't you, Link?"
Link shifted uncomfortably and offered a shy smile. "It is a pretty good plan."
Navi appeared quite bewildered. "Well?! The suspense is killing me! What is it?"
Link and Malon merely turned to face each other, and slow, matching smiles crept across their features.
"This is the dumbest plan ever planned!" Navi protested for the umpteenth time.
"Shhh!" Malon scolded. "Just go with it, before my dad and Ingo come back!"
Link glanced nervously at the empty milk crate balanced on the wagon, and then over to where Talon and Ingo were occupied at a stall selling vegetables, and then once more at the empty crate. Malon had removed the lid and was staring at him expectantly.
Finally, he took a hesitant step forward. He'd agreed to the plan already, but Navi's protests had not been without good reasoning, and he was beginning to feel very unsure of the whole thing. With one last glance at Talon and Ingo, Link swallowed his nerves and clambered into the dusty crate, landing in the bottom of it with an oomph and giving a small cough. With a role of the eyes, Navi fluttered in after him, perching on his shoulder and crossing her arms.
"I can't believe this..." she muttered.
"It's the only way to get you guys inside the castle!" Malon protested as she bent her head over the crate, her long hair spilling inside and tickling Link's nose. "We're only allowed in as far as the edge of the castle walls, and then the servants take the crates inside! You haven't got a prayer of making it in otherwise- ah, they're coming back! Quick- don't make a noise- good luck, Link!" With this last statement, Malon bent down and placed the smallest kiss on Link's forehead. He hardly had time to respond before she rocketed back and slammed the lid of the crate shut, leaving him in total darkness.
There came the sound of muffled footsteps, and then, similarly muffled, a voice:
"Malon? What in tarnation- what happened to Link?"
"He's gone off into the back alleys. He- erm- he said thanks for all the help, but he's got... a relative to visit-," Link heard her answer, and he prayed that the bluff, choppy as it was, would go undetected by Talon and Ingo alike. Sure enough, the reply, although hesitant, suited the plan perfectly.
"Darn shame, but then again, we oughtta get a move on. I liked that kid. Hope he finds the time to visit one o' these days..."
The cart shook as Talon led the horse on. The wheels clattered over cobblestones and Link was rattled about from within the crate, placing his palms on the dry wooden walls in an attempt to steady himself. His stomach lurched as he felt the cart turn a corner, and he nearly yelped aloud when the cart stumbled over a rock and he hit his head on the roof of the crate. In spite of all this, he somehow managed to keep his composure, sweaty palms curled into fists as he tried his very best not to freak out.
He overheard snippets of a conversation between Talon and another man, presumably some sort of gatekeeper for the castle.
"...Carry on... castle walls... past the moat... take it from there..."
Link made out the turning of gears and the sliding of a gate, and then the cart lurched forward once more, Link sliding to the back of the crate as the horse picked up the pace. He nearly tumbled to the side as the rickety cart turned yet another corner, sliding to the back as the cart angled upwards and began to trudge up a steep incline. Link closed his eyes and breathed deeply of the musty air, placing his palms on either side of the splintered wooden paneling and leaning his head back, eyes falling shut. He gulped yet again, and Navi's hand landed on his own comfortingly.
Calm down, she seemed to be saying, and yet Link knew that she knew more than anyone just how risky this entire endeavor was. But this was Malon's plan, after all, and she knew more about the castle than he did... right?
They hit another rut in the ground and Link's entire body tensed up, and his nerves were shaken immensely as he felt the cart come to a stop that felt like it was going to be the final one.
"We'll take it from here..." a man's voice sounded from directly outside the crate. Link cringed as he heard the other crates slide off of the cart and onto the earth below, and Link himself was soon to follow, forcing back all sound as he landed with athud amongst his crate-enclosed brethren.
"Thanks again, Mr. Talon," the man now said, and Link heard the axels of the cart creak once more as the wheels turned, but this time, the cart went without him. Holding his breath, he creaked the lid of the crate open just a hair, a ray of light streaming in and casting a golden band across his cerulean eyes. He squinted just a bit as the world came into focus, and the last thing he saw was Malon, who had turned to face him. He took in the sight of her, of the flutter of her hair and dress against the sun, of the slight parting of her lips, and of her eyes, which had locked onto his and seemed to say good luck and goodbye and you're welcome all at once. His heart gave a final stutter as she turned and he let the lid of the crate snap shut, withdrawing once more into the darkness and wondering with an unfamiliar swell of the heart whether he would ever see her again.
Without warning, Link's crate was lifted up into the air, and Link was barely able to stop a surprised yelp from escaping his lips at the sudden jolt. A deep voice sounded from just outside the crate.
"Huh," it said, "this crate feels a little lighter than normal…"
And with that, Link knew why Navi was so unsure of this plan: Link's crate would not be like the other milk crates. If he were dropped, his crate would land with a thud instead of a clink. If his crate were to be opened first, the ruse would be discovered immediately. And clearly, he did not weigh as much as the twenty-some bottles of Lon Lon Milk in each of the other crates. Link closed his eyes and silently prayed that his mission would go without a hitch.
The crates were brought across the drawbridge and into the courtyard of the castle. Link pressed his eye against a small hole in the wood and peeped out at it. He saw the servants rushing to and fro, a stable where a small number of horses were being groomed to perfection, and the soldiers who watched carefully over it all… though one was talking to a young servant girl. Link eyed the soldiers' spears warily – they looked very, very sharp and very, very painful.
Before long, the man carrying Link's crate reached the front doors of the castle, and he was brought into the castle proper. Link moved away from the peephole, as all he could see now was the dull gray of the stone walls ambling past. Without thinking, he adjusted his posture in an attempt to become more comfortable.
"What the...?" came the voice of Link's carrier. Link froze, silently cursing himself. Why, for the love of Nayru, why had he shifted his weight? His heart began to pound in his chest. What would the carrier do? Shake the crate? Put it down and open the lid to see the contents? He shot a panicked look at Navi, a single bead of sweat rolling slowly down his face.
"Somethin' wrong, Durek?" came another voice, presumably another crate-carrier.
"I could've sworn… nah… Just imagining things, I guess." With that, Link felt himself moving again. Slowly, as silently as he could, Link let out his breath.
"That was way too close," he breathed to Navi. Her small hand touched his cheek, and he took comfort from the contact. There's no one else I'd rather have with me right now, he thought. Navi dimmed her light a little so that he could see the nervous smile that had broken on her face. Link smiled back, partly from the mutual feeling of relief, but also because it was the first time Navi was showing her face to him.
He almond-shaped eyes were dark brown, the same color as her hair – a rare case for fairies, whose eyes most often matched the color of their light. Her ears were longer in proportion to her head than those of Hylian's and Kokiri's, but not so much as to be absurd. Her face was youthful and unblemished. Her wings were about two and a half times the size of her body and seemed to channel the light her skin gave off, making them look like they were glowing as well.
The moment was broken as the carrier of Link's crate shouted, "CHEF! Open the door, we got a few crates o' milk for ya!" A door creaked as it was opened, and a wondrous smell drifted into the box through the peephole. "Smells good, chef," said the carrier. "Any chance you need someone to taste that for ya?"
"No, no," said the chef. "I am quite confident that it tastes just fine, thank you. Ah, yes, put those down over there, will you? Thank you very much, sirs." There were many clinks as the servants all put their crates down, but the sounds were so close together that no one noticed the thud Link's crate made. With their jobs done, the servants walked out of the kitchen.
Link pushed up on the lid of the crate until he could see out through a hairline crack. The chef had his back turned to him as he sliced vegetables for a salad. As quietly as he could, Link climbed out of the crate and crouched behind a sack of flour. When he was sure the chef wasn't looking, he looked around for another exit from the kitchen. He spotted a door in the back and padded silently over to it, Navi at his side. Slowly, he eased it open a little and looked inside. The door led to the dining hall, which was deserted for the time being as there was nothing to dine upon. At least, not just yet. Link slipped out into the dining hall and closed the door quietly behind him.
"So," whispered Navi. "How are we going to find the princess?"
"I don't know," Link whispered back.
"Awesome."
"Mmhmm."
Link examined the dining hall, curious about the castle now that he had a break from hiding. The centerpiece of the room was the huge mahogany table that stretched easily fifty feet across the room. The room was well lit from a multitude of windows along one wall, and an equal number of unlit torches hung on the opposite wall for evening meals. There was only one other door in the room, and Link walked over to it, trying to keep his footsteps as quiet as possible on the stone floor. When he reached the door, he eased it open just enough to see what was outside. A pair of guards walked past, and Link jumped, somehow resisting the instinctive urge to slam the door.
"… still don't see why we have to guard the Princess' room if she's out in the gardens," one guard was saying.
"What if some scum broke in and wanted to steal the Royal Family's valuables, eh?" said the other. "I know for a fact that her Majesty has some very expensive jewelry in her room. If no one was there to guard it, it would be easy to…" The voices receded as the guards moved away. Link listened for a moment before peeking out of the door. The corridor was deserted.
"It would appear," said Navi, "that our destination is the gardens."
Link nodded and stepped out into the corridor, closing the door softly behind him. He set off in the opposite direction from which the guards had come, hoping that luck would guide him to the gardens with little trouble. A few turns later, he reached a fork and heard footsteps. Realizing that there was nowhere to hide, Link crouched and pressed himself up against the wall in an attempt to be as inconspicuous as possible. The man passed by without incident, and Link stole a quick glance at him before setting off in the opposite direction. The only thing he saw as the man rounded another corner was a shock of red hair.
Ganondorf stopped, sure that he had sensed someone at the fork he had just passed. He looked back over his shoulder and thought he saw something green disappear around the corner. No matter, he thought, continuing on his way. I have more important things to worry about.
He stopped to let a line of guards pass in front of him and stifled a yawn. He was on his way to the throne room for his practice ceremony with Torren, and that did not promise to be very exciting. He watched the guards as they went past, and noticed that some of them were grinning at him and giving him a small salute. He acknowledged each of them with a nod, though he wondered whether this new respect was genuine.
When the guards had passed, Ganondorf continued to the throne room. Reaching the grand oaken double-doors, he sighed. It was so annoying that he had to waste time with ceremonies and other such boring pleasantries. His patience was wearing thin; he wanted to strike, and soon. Nonetheless, he cleared his mind and pushed open the double doors.
The throne room was richly decorated and very large, about sixty feet in length and twenty-five in width. Portraits of the previous kings in the Nohansen Dynasty hung along the right-hand wall in ornate golden frames, and their swords hung beneath them. Some of the swords had plaques underneath them, noting the name of the blade and the smith who forged it. Along the opposite wall, many colorful tapestries depicting Hylian legends hung from burnished bronze rods. An ornate silk carpet stretched from the doors to the throne.
The throne seemed strange to Ganondorf. He expected it to be adorned with gold or cushions, but that was not so. It was a simple high-backed chair fashioned from elm, and the only thing to set it apart from any other chair were the detailed carvings that adorned every surface not occupied by King Torren, who rose as the door closed behind Ganondorf.
"Good afternoon, Ganondorf," the king said as Ganondorf began walking down the carpet. He too began to walk, meeting Ganondorf in the middle of the room. "I was told that you visited our gardens this morning. Did you find them to your liking?"
"Yes," said Ganondorf. "I found my visit… enlightening. I saw the true beauty of Hyrule there."
Torren nodded. "Many before you have said the same. The gardens are home to flora from all over the continent. The soil here seems to be able to support all kinds of plants, no matter where they have come from. Some say it is because the goddesses blessed our land. The same is attributed to our comfortable climate and short winters."
"You speak as though you do not share these beliefs," Ganondorf remarked.
The Hylian King let out a small sigh and walked to the most recent portrait. "I have always set more store in fact than in mysticism. I also learned a valuable lesson from my father." He touched the frame of the portrait gently. "My father was one of the greatest diplomats in our history, and it was because he did not mix his faith with his business. Religious disputes, he said, often lead to the longest and bloodiest wars. By keeping our religion out of our politics, we reduce the risk of war." Torren was silent for a moment as he gazed at his father. At last, he turned to Ganondorf and smiled. "But that was not so with you, was it my friend? You have embraced our precepts as though they were your own! I daresay you know more of our lore than do the bards at festivals!"
Ganondorf nodded. "Mythology has always been a hobby of mine, ever since I was very young."
"I see," Torren said, nodding. "We have business to attend to, Ganondorf. Let us begin."
Link dove behind a hedge just as a guard came around the corner and landed in a crouch, holding his breath. Peering through the leaves, he could just make out the guard blinking at the spot where Link's hat had flashed out of sight. After a moment, the guard scratched his head and moved on.
Link let out his breath as he sagged against the stone wall nearby. "Did we make it?" whispered Navi, peeking out from under his hat. "Are we safe?"
"I think so," Link whispered back. About five minutes ago, he had found a door that led into a garden area which was being patrolled by guards. A large stone archway in the far corner of the garden had caught his attention and he had snuck past the guards to it.
Link approached the archway and peeked around the corner. The archway led into a small, circular garden with an elegant platform built into the castle wall. A young, slender girl in a pink dress stood on the dais, appearing to stare intently at the wall. Link looked at Navi, who blinked encouragingly. He swallowed and stepped through the archway.
Link was not overly quiet as he crossed the garden, but the girl did not notice him as he climbed the steps onto the dais. He saw now that she was not staring at the wall, but through a window to a room inside the castle. He immediately felt very stupid. He leaned to one side, trying to see over the girl's shoulder to see what she was looking at. The girl's eyes snapped to his now visible reflection.
Whoops, Link thought.
The girl's skirts rustled as she whirled around with a gasp, but she did not scream as Link had expected. "Who are you?" she demanded, her slim fingers trembling in front of her lips. "How did you get past the guards?" Her crystal-blue eyes looked him up and down, lingering on the sword hilt protruding over his left shoulder. Her hand moved slowly to her waist and gripped something beneath the dress. "Speak!" the girl commanded, the initial shock seeming to have drained out of her system.
Link swallowed. "I… um… Well, y'see… Uh…" He had not thought this through at all.
"Hold on…" said the princess (for Link was sure that she was the princess by now). She leaned to one side to peer behind Link. "Is that… a fairy?!"
Shyly, Navi emerged from behind Link's head, where she had been hiding. Realization spread over the princess' face and excitement showed in her eyes. "But then… you're from the forest, aren't you!" she exclaimed. "Tell me, do you…" She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Do you have the Spiritual Stone of the Forest?"
"Oh!" Link said. Of course! he thought, I completely forgot about it! "Yeah, I do. It's right… here." He dug through his pillowcase and produced the Emerald from it. He held it out to her and watched as her eyes widened.
"I knew it," she muttered, gazing at the Stone in Link's hand. Her hand came up as though to take the Stone from him, but she did not touch it. "I had a dream," she said absently, "and in it, dark clouds covered Hyrule. But a light came from the Southern Forest, splitting the clouds and lighting the ground. The light turned into a figure with a fairy, and the figure was holding that Stone…" Her gaze moved slowly from the Emerald to Link's eyes. All was silent for a moment aside from the quiet gurgling of the garden's moat as they stared at each other.
"Oh!" the Princess said loudly, looking away and turning slightly pink. "I haven't even introduced myself, have I?" She curtsied. "I am Zelda IX, Princess of Hyrule."
Link, unfamiliar with Hylian greeting customs, attempted to emulate Zelda's curtsy using his tunic as he said, "I am Link…" He cast around for a title that would sound impressive, but none came easily to mind, and he was saved the trouble by Zelda's sudden outburst of laughter. "Hey!" Link protested. "What's that for, huh?"
"Oooh, boy!" the Princess said, managing to stifle her laughter to a giggle. "Sorry, what was your name?"
"Link," said Link.
"Link?" she repeated. Recognition showed in her eyes.
"Yes, and my fairy's name is Navi." The fairy blinked in greeting.
"I am curious," Link said, "as to why you were looking through that window."
"Oh, yeah… That also has to do with my dream. Here, take a look." She stood aside, allowing him to walk up to the window.
Link peered through it to see a room decorated with tapestries and a long carpet. A man entered his view, walking down the carpet with his head held high and with purpose in his gait. The man had short red hair and fierce features, and he sported black armor. He stopped almost exactly in the center of Link's vision and knelt, his lips beginning to form words Link could not hear. A chill ran down Link's spine as he recognized the man from his nightmare. Without warning, the man swung his head around to the window. Link gasped sharply and dropped into a crouch instinctively.
"Did you see him? The man in the black armor?" Zelda asked, kneeling down next to him.
"Yeah," Link gasped; his heart was pounding. "And he almost saw me!"
Zelda scooted backward a little and hugged her knees to her chest. "His name is Ganondorf. He is the king of the Gerudo tribe that lives to the west. My father is making him an earl in a few days." She looked at Link over her knees. "I'm convinced that the dark clouds from my dream represent him. I've been thinking about it all morning, trying to decipher all the details. If the dark clouds represent Ganondorf, then the fact that they covered Hyrule must mean that he's going to try to seize control."
"Did you tell your father about this?" Navi asked.
Zelda's gaze moved to Navi, who had settled on Link's head. "Yes… But my father has always been a little skeptical of my prescient abilities. And on top of that, Ganondorf has wormed his way into my father's confidence. My father won't hear a word against him."
"This Ganondorf sounds clever," Navi remarked.
Zelda nodded and rested her chin on her knees. "He's very clever. And he's a bookworm too, he spends half of his time in our library..." Zelda suddenly gasped and rose to her feet. "How could I have been so stupid?!" she grieved loudly. Link stood up as well, his face twisted into an expression of confusion. "He's obsessed with Hylian lore! There's only one thing he could be after: the Triforce!"
"The Triforce?!" Link repeated. The Deku Tree had of course told him about the Triforce and the creation of the world and the Sacred Realm, and these memories flooded back to him. "But how is he going to get that? There's no way to get to the Sacred Realm!"
He looked around at Zelda. She had closed her eyes and was clearly deep in thought. When at last she opened her eyes, she looked at Link and bit her lip. "I'm… I'm not really supposed to tell this to anyone. If the information gets into the wrong hands, there could be dire consequences. I'm trusting you with this information." She looked directly into his eyes. "You can't. Tell. Anyone! Do you understand?"
Link nodded slowly. "There is a legend passed down through the Royal Family that the goddesses had given the Triforce the power to grant the wish of the one who holds the Triforce, and that it would augment the wish according to the desires of the person's heart. Therefore, if someone with a righteous heart made a wish on the Triforce, the wish would lead Hyrule to prosperous golden age. By the same principle, a wish made by one with dark intentions, such as Ganondorf, would cover the world with darkness. The Ancient Sages knew this, and they built the Temple of Time to protect the Triforce."
"The Temple of Time?" Link asked. "Where's that?"
"You didn't see it as you came into town?" said Zelda, aghast.
"No. I was kind of busy getting smuggled into a milk crate."
"Oh. Well anyway, if that legend is true, then the Temple of Time is a way to enter the Sacred Realm from our world."
"If it's such an obvious location, how come nobody has taken the Triforce yet?" asked Navi.
"There's a large stone wall called the Door of Time which blocks the access to the Sacred Realm," Zelda explained. "The only way to open it is with the three Spiritual Stones of Forest, Fire, and Water, and with a treasure passed down through generations of the Royal Family. That treasure is called the Ocarina of Time, which is here in the castle." She closed her eyes once more. "I… I have an idea of how to stop Ganondorf. I'll find the Ocarina of Time and hide it from Ganondorf. I'll protect it with all my might. Meanwhile, I need you to go and find the other two Stones. And if we do that…"
"We can get the Triforce before Ganondorf does!" Link exclaimed, jumping to his feet with excitement.
Zelda smiled and rose to her feet as well. "Exactly," she said.
Navi sighed loudly and muttered, "Here we go again…"
Link ignored her. "I'll do my best, Princess," he said. He curtsied again (causing a renewed outbreak of giggles from Zelda) and started to leave. Just as he faced the archway, a woman wearing a dark purple jumpsuit with an eye emblazoned on it appeared to melt out of the shadow of the arch. Link stopped, slightly slack-jawed.
The Princess did not appear bothered, however. She waved to the woman and called, "Impa! Come here for a moment!" Impa crossed the garden quickly and bowed to Zelda and Link in turn. "Well met, young one," she said to Link. "I am Impa, of the Sheikah tribe. I am the Princess's guardian." She shared a smile with Zelda as Link shot a confused look at Navi. It was obvious that he had never been so formally addressed before.
Zelda cleared her throat. "Impa, this is the boy from my dream. You know what you must do. I," she added, walking hurriedly towards the archway, "need to find some stationery." And with that, she was gone.
Impa watched her go with a bemused expression. "The Princess can be… odd… sometimes." She looked back at Link and examined him. Her eyes stopped on the hilt of the Kokiri Sword. "Have you skill with that blade?" she asked, nodding at it.
"I like to think so," Link replied. "I've been practicing since I was little."
"Good. Your journey will be dangerous, and it would not do for you to get killed because you lack skill!" She chuckled, but Link did not see what was so funny about that. He exchanged confused looks with Navi again. "What is your name, child?" Impa asked suddenly. Link told her, and he saw once again that his name was met with surprise as Impa raised her eyebrows. "Who was your father?" Impa asked.
Link was silent for a moment as his gaze dropped to his boots. Then he answered in a quiet voice: "I don't know. I only found out about my Hylian heritage a few days ago. Whoever he was, he died long before I could remember him."
Impa saw that she had hit a sensitive spot. She walked over to him and lifted his chin so her scarlet eyes looked into his. They were blue, the purest blue Impa had ever seen. Like sapphires, Impa thought. There was strength in those eyes, untapped and hidden just beneath the surface.
"I can see you have courage," Impa said, releasing him and stepping way. "The journey ahead of you will be long and arduous, but as long as you have your courage, you will not fail." Her words had an immediate effect; Link's expression brightened and a small smile touched his lips.
"Thank you," he said.
Impa nodded. "Now," she said, "to business." She reached into a pocket on her jumpsuit and pulled out a small whistle. "My role in the Princess' dream was to teach the boy with the fairy a song. This is an ancient song, composed by the first Queen, and it has been passed down through generations of the Royal Family. I have played this song as a lullaby for the Princess since she was a baby. Its notes carry mysterious power. Listen…"
And Link listened as Impa raised the whistle to her mouth and played a soothing, gentle melody. He closed his eyes as the notes washed over him and felt a tingling warmth spread through his body; Impa had not been exaggerating when she said the song carried magic. Slowly, as though in a trance, he raised his ocarina to his lips and began to play along. It was a simple song, so he learned it quickly.
When they stopped, Impa said, "This song will identify you as a messenger of the Royal Family. Many places around Hyrule are sensitive to its magic. If you find yourself stuck or in need, this melody may act as a key or summon aid. Bear this in mind, for it may even save your life." Link nodded and replaced his ocarina in its loop on his belt.
"Hey!" called a voice. Link turned to see the Princess running through the archway. She stopped in front of Link and held out an envelope. "This is an official decree naming you as my emissary. Show this to the guard at Death Mountain and he'll let you in. It also gives you permission to enter the castle and meet with me at any time."
Link took the envelope and examined it. It was made of heavy parchment and sealed with red wax stamped by Zelda's signet ring. "Thanks," he said. He started to put it into his pillowcase, but Zelda stopped him.
"I also got you this," she said, producing a leather satchel embossed with the Hylian phoenix. "If you're going to be my emissary, you should look the part."
Link thanked the Princess once more as he took the satchel and slung it over his shoulder so it hung by his right thigh. He hastily removed his possessions from the pillowcase and stuffed them unceremoniously into the satchel; he was eager to get on his way.
Impa escorted him out of the castle and led him on back roads through Castle Town with Navi riding on his shoulder. She accompanied him all the way across the drawbridge, and there she stopped and pointed to the east.
"Look there, boy. See you the tallest mountain in the distance?" Link scanned the blue-tinged mountain range and nodded when he found the tallest. "That is Death Mountain, ancestral home of the Gorons. It is aptly named, for it is an active volcano." She lowered her arm, now pointing at a staircase across the River Zora. "If you climb that staircase, you will find yourself in Kakariko Village, where I was born and raised. I suggest you visit some of the shops there and talk with the townspeople before climbing the mountain. You may find something useful."
"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," said Link.
"I wish you well, Link. Remember that the Princess is counting on you." She backed away quietly as Link squinted at the stairs in an attempt to see them better. Then, in a single swift and well-practiced motion, she drew a Deku Nut from her pocket and cracked it open on the ground. By the time Link had turned around to see what had happened, she was gone.
"Well," chortled Navi, "that's certainly one way to say goodbye." Link laughed as he began sorting his belongings in the leather satchel. When he was finished, he let out a long sigh and set off towards the bridge.
OKAY ANNOUNCEMENT TIME!
First off, I want to thank you all for sticking with me through these delays. You're the best. Also, why haven'T YOU BEEN ReVIEWING!?
I jest of course.
Secondly, I want to make it known that my first priority right now is my first story, Majora's Revenge, which is nearing completion. I should probably also mention that while I consider this story to be a labor of love, it's also going to take a long time to write, even without long delays. As a result of this, I consider it more of a side project, and if I have another story like Majora's Revenge in the future, this story is going to be my second priority. While I have nothing going on though... WORK WORK WORK
Lastly, I want to say that Colleentj, the same person who betas this story, has begun a new work called "Kidnapping Zelda Harkinian." If you're like me, you try to stay as far away from high-school fics like they're the plague, but I ask you to give this one a try. It's pretty damn good, and it actually has an interesting plot as well. So go ahead over here to check it out: s/9812042/1/Kidnapping-Zelda-Harkinian
That's all for now.
Please review! It's a great way to let me know your thoughts and make me feel super-special-awesome!
-Norkix-