A/N: I am so sorry this update took over three months. This is a big point in the story and I am sorry it took so long, but this scene was very hard for me to write. The next updates SHOULD be occurring every 3 weeks from now on.
Link barely caught two hours continuous hours of sleep. He didn't know how long it would be until the sun would rise again, but he had spent what time did pass sorting through memories in order to find some hint that he was actually a prince.
There were a few moments he could recall when Grandma would gather him and Aryll and tell them that they were "special and unique children". Link always assumed it was typical grandmother-like behavior, but now that he looked back on it, he wondered if Grandma had been hinting the truth to him all along.
The next memory was the most recent one of his grandmother, where she spoke her last words to him before he ran away. You're making a bigger mistake than you realize, she said.
Link regretted not listening to her. He felt terribly guilty, and he imagined how hard it was for Grandma to have to watch her beloved grandchildren leave her behind and go into a very dangerous world. He sighed and rolled over in the small, cozy bed that the cabin had.
"What's the matter, Brother? Can't sleep?" whispered Aryll from her own bed across the room.
"How can I? Tomorrow is a big day for us. I have so many thoughts running through my mind; it's amazing that I can remember to breathe right now!"
Aryll laughed nervously. "I'm pretty sure you can't just forget something important like that."
"It's a joke."
"Ha ha." She faked a laugh.
"Okay, all jokes aside, we haven't been told anything about our parents our whole lives. Then we're told that they're the king and queen? At first I didn't believe it... but then he brought in that painting and I couldn't not believe it."
"It still might not be true. I don't know about you, but something doesn't seem right about that 'investigator' person."
"I know what you mean. But I'm going to believe it until I'm given a reason not to."
"...Yeah, me too, I suppose. We should try to get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be life-changing."
"Yeah. Okay. Goodnight."
As nervous as they were for the upcoming day, both of them eventually did catch some sleep. It wasn't much, but it was something. Link slowly rose from the bed and brushed his hair out of his face. There was a thin film of light emanating from the single window in the room. At last, morning had come.
Not even a few minutes after the sun has risen, there was a knock at the door. "Come in, I guess," answered Link.
The "investigator" entered. "Good morning, your highnesses." Link frowned. He'd have to get used to that title. "Today is a very big day for the two of you. The King and Queen - er, your parents - would like to meet you immediately. I'm sure you have a lot to talk about."
"Do we have to change into nicer clothes or something like that?" asked Aryll.
The man laughed lightly. "No, that won't be necessary." He glanced at the clock on the wall of the cabin: it was nearly six-thirty in the morning. "Well, we should get going."
"This early?" asked Aryll.
"Yes. They're as anxious to meet you as you are to meet them. Now, come along, please."
The children shot each other panicked glances before scrambling out of their beds to follow the solider. Link tried to smooth out his hair to make it look as presentable as possible, while Aryll brushed off her dress to look neater. They wondered what their parents looked like, what they acted like, and most importantly, what they would think of them.
They stepped out onto the deck of the boat, and were met with a sight that they could barely imagine. They were still on the boat, and still in the water, but they were in the tower. The entire first floor of the tower was made up of water. The man noticed the children's awe and chuckled. "That was my reaction when I first saw in inside of the tower, too. It gets even more interesting, because nobody knows how this tower got here. Legend has it that one of your ancestors summoned it as a safe house for the royal family."
"This is so... surreal," remarked Aryll. She eyed up every corner of the building, from the ancient stone that made up the majority of them room to the golden-plated accents that sparkled in the water's reflection. She had to have been dreaming; it was all too beautiful to be real.
In the center of the room was a large golden door that has a face sculpted onto it. Interesting enough, the mouth on the face was open wide, and water was pouring out of it. It could be compared to a waterfall, but the water was gushing out at dangerous speeds. "Someone halt the water flow," the investigator called.
"Aye, Colonel!" someone shouted back.
"Colonel?" Link looked up at him and asked.
"Yes, that's my official rank. You can call me by my title if you'd like."
Link nodded and watched as the water flow quickly decreased until it stopped altogether. The source of the water showed to be a narrow hallway of stone with a bright golden door at the end of it. The Colonel climbed out of the boat into the mouth of the door. Link carefully climbed out as well, followed by Aryll (who was offered much help by the soldiers nearby).
"I would love to show you around the tower, but I have orders to bring you straight to the top. That's where you parents are," said the Colonel. "Please stay close to me, I do not want either of you to get lost in your new home... or worse.."
"Worse? What could be worse?" asked Aryll.
"Ah, well, as you would expect, this tower was designed to keep out any unwelcome guests. So it's a little bit dangerous."
Link was intrigued; after all, danger was right up his alley. "What is so dangerous about this place?" His sister angrily tugged on his shirt sleeve; shooting him a look that read "don't you dare try anything stupid".
"You'll see as we make our way to the top," responded the Colonel, chuckling.
Horrified, the siblings soon realized the Colonel was wrong. The tower was not "a little bit dangerous". Traversing the tower proved to be as safe as walking through a field of landmines. There were lasers shooting at them, levitating platforms that barely fit all of them, and large, and black chasms that seemed to have no end to them. It was unbelievable that they were supposedly born and raised in this terrifying tower.
The top of the tower was by far the scariest bit. It was so high up that you could not see the ocean below; all you could see were the hazy clouds clinging to the stone edges of the building. A long, narrow staircase wrapped around the tower was the only path. Stone lasers were set up every five feet, and they would have been difficult to get around had the Colonel and the other two soldiers been there to redirect the laser beams with special devices that looked like purple and red mirrors.
Both Link and Aryll felt their hearts beat faster with every step they took. Meeting your biological parents – the very people that are responsible for your existence – for the first time is usually always a very emotional time. For the siblings, it was about a million times worse, since their parents happened to be the king and queen of their country.
After five minutes that felt more like an eternity, they finally reached the top of the tower. Two large stone doors with ancient engravings were all that stood between the siblings and their parents. This was it.
"This is the very top of the tower. The room you stand in front of is supposedly very special, though I do not know why. All I know is that it is impossible to break into this room you stand in front of." The doors opened slightly, showing the large, dark room that seemed empty. "Good luck," he told the siblings. They took two steps in and the doors slammed shut behind them. There was no going back now.
They never even got to see the room. Before their eyes could adjust to the dark lighting, the two children were instantly smashed together in a tight hug. It was so sudden that neither of them thought to hug back.
"My children," whispered a teary voice. "We are finally reunited." It was their mother.
She pulled away from them and they got their first look at her. There was no doubt that she was the women they were shown in the painting the previous night. Everything was there: the tanned skin, the sun bleached hair, the ocean blue eyes. The siblings did not resemble this woman very much, but they could feel that she was indeed their mother. She had tears in her eyes and a large smile on her face as she stared at her treasured children.
Aryll began to feel herself tear up at the touching reunion. "It really is you... I was so doubtful. Now I know you are our mother. But why did you send us away? What made you do it?"
The queen - their mother – looked away dejectedly. "I suppose I can't blame you for being angry with me."
"I'm not angry. I'm confused. Very, very confused."
The queen hugged both of them separately and quickly. "I know, and I am very sorry. Your father and I will explain everything to you." The queen glanced behind her and scowled. "As soon as he arrives, of course."
The teenagers looked around at the room they were in. It was completely empty, like they were standing in a hollow cylinder. The only light came from a little glowing trench along the edge of the room, which was very creepy.
"What is this room?" Link asked. "It's different from the rest of the tower. Something feels off in here."
The queen smiled. "You're quite perceptive. Not that I should be surprised, because it runs in the family. This room was once blessed by the goddesses. Under their blessing, only those of royal blood could enter this room. Though it may appear frightening, is the safest room in the whole tower. Well, at least it used to be..."
This caught both of their attention. "What happened?" asked Aryll.
Her brother added onto her question, asking "Does this have anything to do with us being sent away?"
The queen nodded sadly. "This country is under great trouble right now. Things have been getting progressively worse ever since the country was risen up from the sea. To the general public things may seem great, but to the royal family, it is a secret we've been trying to hide. Our country is slowly crumbling."
She put her hand over her heart and looked at her beloved children sadly. "I am so sorry that I have to tell you two this. Today should be a joyous day; I have seen neither of you in over a decade. But, as the next generation to rule over this country, I must inform you of the problems you shall one day inherit."
She sat down on the stone floor of the room, and motioned for her children to sit as well. They obliged. "I do not know what is keeping your father; though this is honestly not surprising seeing as he is late for everything. Why don't you two tell me what you've been up to for the past year? Your caretaker - the one you call "Grandma" - has been raising you in our stead, and has been keeping us informed on your well-being through all of these years. That is, until, you two decided to cause trouble and run away!" The queen shook her head disapprovingly. "Honestly, how can two children elude the royal guards for nearly a year?"
The queen then smiled slightly. "You two truly are my children. Even though we have been separated, you have still inherited my nature. I am proud."
"You're proud that we ran away an worried you?" asked Link, completely in shock.
"Please, what you have done does not compare to what I did in my teen years," the queen said, smiling smugly. Link and Aryll were beginning to know this woman, their queen and mother. They were positive they liked her.
"Oh, please tell us!" said Aryll happily.
"I will surely tell you another day. Right now we have to focus on our country."
As if on cue, the door to the room opened, and in walked a man that could only be the King of Hyrule. He was a tall, muscular man with shaggy golden hair and deep green eyes. He had wrinkles above his thin mouth, suggesting that he spent a lot of time smiling. He wore a red tunic with gold trim with khaki tights and black boots. On his head he worse a large, ornate crown to signify his status.
"Well, if it isn't the little troublemakers," he said lightheartedly. This is the first thing he decided to say to his children he hadn't seen in over ten years." Apparently it was a good choice in words, since both Link an Aryll began to laugh, much to his pleasure. The children quickly stood up to receive a tight hug from their father. "Please tell how you've been able to not get caught by my best soldiers for so long?"
"Nohan, does it really surprise you?" said the queen mischievously, standing up to embrace him. "They're my children."
"Oh, Tetra, you're so full of yourself," the King joked.
"Okay, now I really want to hear about your teen years," said Link. "Were you a troublemaker, mother?"
"I was, but don't you want me to explain what has been going on to you two first?"
"Oh, come now!" exclaimed the King. "They've been gone for so long! I'm sure any bit of information about us or the situation would appease them. Besides, the story of our teen years has a lot to do with why they had to be sent away. The same group was responsible."
"Yes, I'm aware, Nohan." Queen Tetra rubbed her temples. "Okay, how about I tell you the story of our teen years, then I tell why you had to be sent away, and finally I tell you why all of this has been happening?"
"Sounds good," Link said.
"Oh, I love stories!" exclaimed the king as he sat down with his family, united for the first time in a decade.