Author's Note: Hey guys! So this is the last chapter of my original 2009 story, and after this it will be my modern writing, which shouldn't be much different, if anything better. This is also the end of the beginning! :D After this the story will pick up and lead into an epic :D It will be long, but I won't let it drag on. I really cherish the ideas I have planned so it should only get better from here! Also! I'd like to stress that Adaeze has a very thick, Colombian accent! I know she's not Colombian or Spanish, but it's the accent I imagine her people to have. If you don't know what that sounds like, just listen to Sofia Vergara. I wanted to stress that because in times she might sound bitchy, if you put the accent behind it, it sounds more humorous or playful or fierce etc soooo yeah :D Enjoy!

-o0o0o-

Chapter 10: Castle Town

They arrived at Castle Town's west entrance a little before noon. Link halted Epona when they reached the wooden bridge, and hopped down, helping Adaeze down too. He blushed softly when she didn't release his left hand, and kept it firmly in hers. She looked down at their locked hands and raised them, curious.

"Your hands are so much bigger than mine." She released his hand and pressed their palms together, examining the size difference. "So weird, considering we're the same height."

"Well, I'm about two inches taller than you," Link said.

Ade rolled her eyes. "Wow, big difference." She walked forward, leaving Link standing dazed behind her. "Well, are you coming?"

He nodded, walking beside her. He subtly studied her expression, seeing her eyes light and happy. "You're excited, aren't you?"

She looked to him, her bright eyes shining with joy, a small tug on the edge of her cherubic lips. "Of course I am! I love traveling to new places, and I've never been anywhere but my land." She ran over to the side of the bridge, leaning over the wooden railing. A breeze came and swept her long hair side to side, her smoky scent of patachouli hitting him as the breeze tumbled through him.

Link walked over to the railing beside her, and looked down at the mote. The water was very still, so calm it appeared solid. It was surprisingly a deep blue, almost black. He expected it to be brown from the wastes in Castle Town, but was rather relieved when he discovered it wasn't.

Ade followed his gaze, and shivered when she saw the water below. "Ugh, that looks really deep."

Link curiously watched her expression and realized the water made her uncomfortable. He grinned evilly to her. "Are you afraid of water?!" he asked, tantalizing her.

Adaeze scoffed. "I'm not afraid of anything," she lied. "I mean...I used to love it, but...not anymore. I just don't like it." She didn't want to reveal too much of herself so soon. She thought mystery was part of her charm.

"Ah, so we found you a weakness!" Link teased.

Ade shrugged him off nonchalantly. "Whatever. Everyone is bound to have a weakness. No one is perfect." She sighed dramatically, closing her eyes. When she opened them again, they were full of glimmering excitement like before. "Come on! Let's go!" she exclaimed, smiling wide and grasping his hand, pulling him with her to the gate.

As Link held her hand in his, he felt rather uneasy with it. Usually, whenever he had to hold the hands of girls it was never an issue. It was never something he identified as 'uncomfortable', and had only ever contemplated about it with Zelda; Her hand was soft and warm, not exactly manicured, but not unbearably dirty either. He did notice a slight twinge in his gut holding her hand in his, and wondered briefly if she felt the same way too. That's not important. Remember your task. His realization struck him, he pushed the idea aside.

Adaeze on other hand, ignored the fluttering in her stomach and tried to take holding his hand as nothing more than dragging her friend along, only that the strange burning sensation in her chest only grew when she touched him. It wasn't painful, but it was certainly obtrusive. It would be best if he didn't know.

They passed the tall wooden gates that led into the town, greeted by a single guard. He wore a simple, metal knight's suit of armor. He nodded to the passing pair, then looked ahead again.

It must be boring to be a guard. Just stand there and nod to people as they pass through, Link thought. I'd need excitement in my life.

Castle Town was remarkably populated today. Hoards of people and tourists wandered the streets, more than usual. The markets were lined with customers, and restaurants had waiting tags. Artists swarmed the Hylian Fountain, replicating its' beautiful marble Triforce on canvas. In the center of town, there were even performers set up, eating flaming swords and doing magic acrobatic tricks. Not only was it crowded, but it was very noisy. There was chatter, playful screams, people singing and playing instruments, even the fountain had its' own soundtrack.

"I welcome you, your majesty, to the royal city of Castle Town!" Link said, bowing playfully.

Adaeze clapped her hands in excitement. "What a quaint town!"

"Quaint?" Link looked at her in astonishment. "Don't you mean busy, loud, big, fantastic?"

Adaeze shook her head. Link shrugged at her comment and motioned her to follow him, continuing along the cobblestone streets. They passed the hospital to their left, and a neighborhood to their right. Link walked on forward, towards the center of town. The smell of meat and bread wafted through the air, making both of the teenagers' mouths water.

"Hungry?" Link asked.

Ade nodded. "Famished would be a more appropriate word." She spotted a nice café from across the street, pink umbrellas hanging over customers, keeping them out of the sun. She noticed that most of the women here had lace dresses that stopped at the ankles, and held umbrellas over their fair skin. She found this strange considering it was not raining.

They arrived at the café moments later, and the hostess seated them. Ade watched everything in her chair: people, the fountain, fashion, food, houses, the castle. She'd always been an analyzer. What intrigued her most was the fashion trend in Hyrule. It was very different from Amazonia. Women here wore their hair big like beehives. Their dresses bound corsets, lace, and very bright colors, particularly yellow and red. Their shoes were mini-boots with a thick heel and laces.

Link meanwhile, was far more interested in the menu then the fashion trends. His eyes scanned the area labeled 'Meat'. Link was always a meat person. He favored steaks, ham, pork, turkey, bacon, whatever it was, as long as it was meat, he was a happy lad. His mouth watered when he came across steak and rosemary potatoes. However, the price was 340 rupees, hardly worth the price of one steak. He sighed, and set his menu down, eyeing Adaeze. She was watching the crowds closely, her eyes moving back and forth, and her lips pursed in thought. Link cocked his head to one side and waved the menu in her face.

Startled, Adaeze smacked his hand. "What?"

"The menu," he chuckled. "You've got to order something."

Ade waved him aside, turning her attention back to the Hylian citizens. "No, I'm fine with whatever you get."

"Aren't you hungry?" he said. "Or, a more appropriate word, famished?" She ignored him. "Well, I'm ordering meat, so tell me now if you'd prefer something else."

This caught her attention. "Meat? What kind of meat?"

"Preferably steak," he said. "Are you okay with that?"

Ade frowned. "Where does this steak come from? I only eat the finest of meats. If I just eat any random cow, I could get sick." She folded her arms. "I'll pass."

Link sighed. "Fine, we can order something else." He studied the menu a bit more. "How about Tomato Bread?"

Ade snorted, genuinely amused. "Tomato bread? That's for peasants."

Link narrowed his eyes. "Well, I'm sorry that we can't all be smug, royal pains in the-"

The waitress came over just then, interrupting him. "Are you ready to order?"

"Almost ma'am. I only eat the highest quality of foods, and I was wondering, where do you get your meats from?" Adaeze said politely. "I'm hoping the meat is fine enough that you'd be willing to serve it to her highness, Princess Zelda?"

The waitress stared at her, intimidated by her assertion and in seconds became icy pale. "Well, I can ask the owner for you-"

Link waved his hand. "That needn't be necessary ma'am. She's just making a fuss." He handed her the menu. "We'll take the Tomato Bread."

"Appetizer or meal?"

"Meal."

The waitress nodded and walked away, her red hair swinging behind her.

Link narrowed his blue eyes at Adaeze. "Will you stop being so bossy?"

Ade arched an eyebrow and rested a hand on her straw, twiddling with it. "Bossy? I was not aware of such behavior being shown."

"Yeah, well you're showing it," Link said, agitated. "Just stop acting all high and mighty. People will suspect things."

Adaeze glared at him with fiery eyes, but grew bored and sighed. "Sorry. I'm just very picky, that's all." She turned her head towards the crowds of people again, cocking her head. "Link, is this the royal city?"

Link stirred his water subconsciously, his eyes on the castle. "I guess you could call it that. Is it anything like yours?"

Ade crossed her legs and folded her arms, . "No actually. They're very different. Teoxchytul is much more…wild. " She winked at him.

They chatted until the waitress arrived at their table, placing two porcelain plates on either side of them, the meal in the middle. "Enjoy," she said and walked away.

The tomato bread was not actually tomato bread, as Ade had thought. It actually looked quite scrumptious, and smelled irresistible. It was a warm flatbread split in two with tomato sauce, melted cheese, and basil. Link licked his lips, and picked up one half, placing it neatly on his plate. "Looks good, huh?"

Adaeze smiled. "Yes, actually. It does." She picked one up, and sniffed it, feeling her mouth water. She tore a little piece of the cheese off, and ate it, testing it. If the cheese was this good, could you imagine it all together? She sloppily placed her entire half into her mouth and chewed.

Link cut his flatbread piece by piece, and nearly spit out his food from laughter when he saw Adaeze stick her half in her mouth. He laughed while he chewed, the same with her. Even when he swallowed he was still laughing, and had to drink his water to calm him down.

"What was that?" he laughed and said simultaneously.

She still had her meal in her mouth, and it consumed the whole space so it was impossible to speak. Instead, she held a hand over her mouth and wagged a finger at him, trying to mime she couldn't speak.

"What is that? Some kind of finger dance?" he asked, joking. She shook her head at him, laughing even harder. For a second Link became scared she might choke, but when she finally managed to swallow the whole thing, he sighed with relief.

Adaeze wiped her mouth with her napkin, and looked around to see if anyone had seen her embarrassing manners.

"You're a jerk, you know that?" she said. "I could've died."

Link ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, that worried me for a moment too. But Ade, why did you eat the entire thing? It was huge!"

Adaeze shrugged. "I didn't know you were supposed to eat it piece by piece!" she said, twirling her hair into a loose braid over her bare shoulder. "I'm used to tiny finger-foods." When looked back at him, she saw his doubtful expression and rolled her eyes. "Shut up."

"I don't eat peasant foods," Link mocked her voice. "But I swallow gigantic chunks of them instead!"

Ade snorted. "That wasn't even funny."

-o0o0o-

After they paid the waitress, Link followed Ade down the cobblestone street, feeling the warm sun burn his cheeks. His eyes watched the way Ade walked, her hips swaying from side to side, almost like a dance. He caught himself staring and came to realize her white dress had holes in it, exposing her right hip and midriff. He caught up with her and tugged on her hand. "Ade, I think you're a bit…underdressed."

Adaeze turned round on him, smiling. "Really?" she looked down at her torn dress. "Oh, I'd forgotten about that." She squinted at him through the blinding sun. "Don't worry about it. It's not as if any of these people know me anyway," and she cheerfully walked forward again.

Link paced himself beside her. "Yes, but we are visiting Hyrule Castle. You can't go in dressed like that."

Adaeze side-glanced at him. "Look at what you're wearing."

"What? What is the deal with my outfit?! Why is everyone always making fun of it?" he asked. "It looks normal to me."

"Maybe to you. Not to anyone else," she said, no regard for his feelings. She stopped. "Then again, you might be right. I'd be stupid to visit the princess like this."

Link reached into his money pouch, revealing lots of blue and red rupees. After he counted the majority of them, he set them back in his pocket. "I have an estimated 690 rupees left, so go find something you like."

"Wait, you're going to buy me a new outfit?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Really, it's fine. I can just get shoes or something. I mean, I'm sure the princess will understand."

"I thought you were a princess. Aren't you concerned about what you're wearing at all?"

"No, I could care less about what I wear, as long as it doesn't make me look like a clown... or fat," Ade declared.

"I don't think anything would make you look fat," Link said seriously, oblivious to her humor.

"I was joking."

"Riiiight."

Ade rolled her eyes and scanned the stone buildings. She pointed to the Malo Mart down the street. "What about in there?"

Link snorted. "Definitely not there. They don't have any shops here that sell clothing, but the vendors on South Street do," he said. "C'mon." He followed the stone path to the south side, leading to the markets.

The markets were extremely busy today, like the rest of Castle Town. Adaeze saw all kinds of vendors: clothing vendors, fruits and vegetables lay ripe in baskets, wooden toys handcrafted and freshly painted. Crystals of all colors hung from stands, and there was even hot spring water . A long, white dress caught her attention from the corner of her eye, and she stopped to study it.

Link followed her gaze. "Ah, you found something you like?" He noticed the plump woman behind the vendor and rang the bell that sat on the counter. She turned around in surprise, happy to see her new customers.

"Oh, hello! Welcome to Ravera's Boutique!" she said with a large, fake smile. "Have you found something you like?"

Link nodded to the white dress that Adaeze was admiring. "How much for that dress?"

The woman's eyes widened with anticipation. "Oh, that dress is of very fine silk! 700 thread count! Isn't it gorgeous?!" She stopped before the dress and held it before her, a cheesy smile egging them on. "I can sell it to you for only 600 rupees! How does that sound?"

Link tapped his chin in thought, contemplating the price. Adaeze noticed this and instantly felt guilty, which was rare for her. She typically loved fine gifts and things, but she felt... bad that the young hero was willing to spend all his money on her. She released the dress and stood before the woman firmly. "No, thank you. That is entirely out of our budget."

Link looked at her in disbelief. "Ade, it's fine, really."

She ignored him, not budging. "Do you sell any other clothing?"

The woman's face fell drastically and sighed. "I'm afraid I don't. I do have these traveling boots, however, if that interests you. They are 230 rupees," she said boldly, then muttering "you better buy something..." She lifted the leather boots from inside their drawer and held them out for the teenagers to see.

Adaeze nodded. "Those will do." She turned to Link. "Is that okay?"

Link nodded, surprised at her decision. "Are you sure?" He saw the gratitude her golden eyes carried, and it was pointless to argue.

Adaeze smiled genuinely to him. "Yes. You've done enough for me. Thank you."

-o0o0o-

After purchasing the boots, the pair finally arrived at the castle's front gates, nodding to the guards as they let Link through, instantly recognizing him. He attempted to look proper by linking arms with Ade, but each time she'd pull away and walk herself, her fingers clung nervously to her tattered clothing. She peered up at the stone buildings through the blinding sunlight.

They walked up some flights of stairs until they reached the secondary front gates, the guard stopping them with his hand.

"State your name."

"Link," Link replied.

"Link what?"

"I don't know. I didn't know my parents."

The guard sneered, then turned to Adaeze. "And you?"

"My name is Ilia. Ilia Mcburry," she lied through a weak Hylian accent.

Link turned to her, surprised. Adaeze was using Ilia as an alias? He'd only mentioned Ilia once. Maybe she doesn't want them to know who she is. Someone might recognize her name.

The guard set his hand down. "What business do you seek here?"

"I need to speak with the princess. It's urgent," Link said.

"Do you have an invitation?" the guard asked.

"No, but –"

"I'm sorry. You must request an appointment or be given an invitation to meet with the princess."

Adaeze stepped forward, feeling indignant. "Excuse me, sir, but do you know who you are speaking with? This is Link, the Hero of Light-"

"Twilight..." he muttered hopelessly.

"Hero of Twilight and Hero of Hyrule. He defeated the Great Ganondorf. You at least know who he is, I hope."

The guard groaned and straightened his posture. "Yes, I know who Ganondorf is. And I know this is our hero, but my duties entail-"

"I do not care what your duties entail! Those apply to simple civilians! He is not a simple civilian!" she chided in. "Link's responsibilities include protecting Princess Zelda. Are you really going to prevent him from doing his job? What would Your Highness have to say about that?"

The guard stood dumbfounded before them, the grip on his spear whitening his knuckles. "Please excuse me for a moment. I will speak with the other guards," he said, and slipped through the gate behind him.

Link, flushed, turned to the heated Adaeze. "Nice speech."

"Stupid guards, always acting like they are the law. De diaso bon de tsita teto!" she angrily shouted.

Her native language was alien to his ears, but he assumed she was cursing them. He brushed off his tunic, chuckling as he did so."You're not very ladylike, I hope you know."

Adaeze grinned. "Well, we're in dire circumstances, and that guard is acting like a freaking moron." She took in a deep breath, and exhaled, the flush leaving her cheeks. "Much better."

The guard reappeared at the gate, holding it open for them. "You may pass," he said, avoiding their gaze from embarrassment.

"Thank you," Ade and Link said simultaneously. They both passed through, and reappeared at one last set of gates, three guards standing before them. They waited in an orderly fashion, greeting the duo with nods. The guard in the middle Link recognized instantly. It was Lyrore, one of Rusl's friends that Link and Ilia had met in Castle Town previously.

Lyrore smiled when he recognized the hero. "Ah! Link, what brings you to Hyrule Castle?"

Link stepped forward, shaking hands with the man. "I am here to speak with the Princess about something urgent. You see, I received a letter from the Zoras' stating that Prince Ralis has disappeared. They have requested I find him, but I can't do it alone." He reached into his pocket, pulling the letter out and handing it to Lyrore. "See for yourself."

Lyrore read silently and quickly. When he finished, he handed the note back to Link. "How do you know it's not a fake?"

Link shook his head. "I don't know. That's why I'm here to see Zelda."

The guard to the right of Lyrore whispered something in his ear. Lyrore nodded and waved him aside. "Please wait patiently while we see what the princess is up to."

The guard on the right then rushed through the gate into the Royal Gardens. Lyrore turned back to the pair, eyeing Adaeze. "And who might you be?"

Before Link could answer, Adaeze butted in. "I am Ilia Mcburry, sir," she lied with a weak Hylian accent.

The guard raised an eyebrow. "Ilia Mcburry? You are not Ilia Mcburry. I've met her. She's from Ordon, the mayor's daughter." He turned to Link. "Am I correct?"

Link gulped, thinking fast. "Umm…no I think you are mistaken. The mayor's daughter is Ilia McDonald, not Mcburry."

"Oh, really? I apologize," Lyrore said. "I could've sworn it was Mcburry. Anywho, are you also from Ordon, Miss Mcburry? You don't look like you are from around here."

"No, I come from Kakariko Village. My father is Renado, the talisman," she lied again. "I am a cousin of Link's."

The guard widened his eyes. "Really? I had no idea Renado had an older daughter. And Link! I had no idea you were part Sheikah!"

Link rubbed the back of his neck and gave a weak smile. "Yup…heheh." He glared at Ade from the corner of his eyes. She glared back, telling him to hush up.

The other guard came back through the gate, looking exasperated. "The Princess cannot speak with you now. She is much too busy."

"But it's urgent. Did you tell her that?" Link said.

"Yes. She has told me to tell you that she is in a meeting with the King of Amazonia. She will send for you when she is finished."

Link froze. "King…King of Amazonia?" He widened his eyes. "PLEASE tell me you're joking."

The guard shook his head.

Link side glanced to Ade very slowly, sloth speed. He was afraid of what he would find. She was visibly shocked, her mouth hanging open and her eyes dark. Then slowly, her eyebrows narrowed down and she ground her teeth. She was pissed.

"The King of Amazonia? THE KING OF AMAZONIA?!" she exclaimed, her accent now apparent. She made a run for the gate, but Link caught her arms fast, holding them tightly behind her back. She bucked and groaned, but his strength overcame hers and held her still. The guards looked at them, confused.

"Is there a problem?"

"YES, THERE IS A PROBLEM! YOU HAVE A COLD-BLOODED KILLER INSIDE YOUR CASTLE!" she roared. "He will kill your princess!"

"Ade, calm down," Link whispered in her ear. "Screaming will only make things worse. Explain to them without being so wild."

Lyrore widened his brown eyes. "What are you talking about? How do you know this?"

Ade broke from Link's grip. She stood still, but her body shook in rage and her voice was shaken. "That man is a murderer. His name is Asai, correct?" The messenger guard nodded. Ade clenched her fists. "He killed the royal family of Teoxchytul. He was jealous of their power, and exterminated them so he could use my country to take over neighboring lands."

Fyrore held up his palm. "How do you know this?"

"I lied to you. My name is not Ilia Mcburry, but Adaeze Dragmiir," she said proudly. "I am the true Royal Princess of Teoxchytul of the Amazon."

-o0o0o-

They stood in silence, each and every one of them shocked. Finally, Lyrore broke the dead air. "If you lied to us before, how do we know we can trust you now?"

"I lied to protect my identity," Ade sneered. "And you have the Hero before you. Surely you can trust him."

Lyrore fixed his eyes on Link. "Does she speak the truth?" Link nodded, sad honesty filling his eyes. Lyrore nodded in disbelief, running a hand over his face. "So, you say this man is a royal family killer? If so, why would he be here to sign a peace treaty?"

"Don't you see? He wants you to think you are allies! Once he gains acceptance and trust from your princess, he will have access to Hyrule!" she exclaimed. "This is why it all started. He wants to take over other lands to make his own bigger. He wants to rule the world with his dark magic."

The guard on the left of Lyrore spoke. "So what do we do? Do we attack?"

Link butted in, shaking his head. "No. This man seems more dangerous than your average tyrant. It's too risky to attack. I think we should play along. Let me interrupt their session, and I'll speak to Zelda about it. I'll convince her to believe me, and she'll schedule a meeting with him another time, giving us time to think."

Ade poked him, impressed. "That sounds like a plan."

Lyrore nodded. "A rather good one at that." He turned back Ade. "Are you the only survivor of the Royal Family?"

She nodded. "And a witness to my mother's death."

"Well, we must keep you in hiding then." Lyrore turned to his guards, nodding to them. "Speak nothing of this encounter. Escort the princess to Telma's Bar. Tell the members of The Resistance to keep her safe." He turned to Link, standing proud. "You, come with me. We have some tyrant ass to kick."

Link and Adaeze embraced quickly, but firmly. Link whispered for her to behave and be safe. They broke the embrace, and took off their separate ways.

Link, please help Zelda. Keep her safe, just like you did me, Ade thought as she was led away. You kept your promise.