Chapter: III

"Myths and Legends"

Silence hung over the throne room as the princess returned to her seat. Alfon and Impa both stared at her as she set her chin onto her hand and drifted in her thoughts. After a few moments, she realized the room was watching her and blushed deeply. "Continue, Impa." she muttered as she returned her hands to her lap. Impa's mind was whirling at a frantic pace. What had just happened? Had the princess made a connection with... that boy? What dangers could that bring in the future? "Thank you, Lord Alfon... the council notes your efforts and is appreciative. Please see to your men and carry out your orders." Impa said, still watching the princess intently. "Yes, my lady." answered Alfon with a further bow of his head. "You may go." murmured Zelda as her mind wandered back to Link.

The knight rose, bowed, and quickly departed the chamber. If he could catch Link, he would punish him severely for whatever just happened in the throne room. Alfon had no magical ability, but he could feel the tension between the princess and his squire and it was obvious that Impa had come across something between them. "My Lord, a moment!" called a voice behind him. Alfon turned, now only a few paces down the passage, as Impa trotted up behind him. "We need to speak... privately." she hissed, as she came close. "Indeed?" replied the Marshal, "I was just going to find my squire and... 'speak with him' about this." Impa waved her hand dismissively, "Forget the boy, come on." she urged as she stepped around the knight and made for the outside. Once they had reached the crowded streets and alleyways of Laketown, Impa began again, "We need to speak, my lord, of something... very important." The sheikahn minister was wringing her hands and staring down at the path before them. Alfon had never seen her so nervous before.

"I am at your disposal of course, my lady. How can I help you?" he offered politely. Impa continued to fold and tug at her own hands. Normally her mind was focused and razor sharp. In a crisis she moved deliberately and without hesitation; but she had never expected to be in such a position. She was acting reagent of a kingdom under attack, adopted mother and mentor to a frightened girl that someday would become Queen, and she was the sole bearer of the royal family's secrets. Many myths, legends, and ancient stories were kept as closely guarded secrets by the royal family and their sheikahn confidants. These secrets held the truth about the kingdom's origin, the beginning of the royal bloodline, the source of the princess' power, and... the fated bonds that would connect the princess to her beloved. Impa now found herself seriously considering making some of these secrets known to Lord Alfon. True, he was the Princess' right hand and a key figure in protecting the kingdom, but the sheikah's oaths of silence were sacred and not to be cast aside without grave need.

For several minutes, the two walked silently through Laketown. Several villagers and soldiers greeted them, but none approached them. Alfon would smile and nod to each of the faithful Hylians, while his companion struggled to make up her mind beside him. "Forgive me, my lady, but we are running out of road. Soon we shall be walking along the lake-bottom." whispered Alfon. Impa drew a deep breath, and made her decision. The master sword had permitted itself to be carried by him and he had been faithful and true ever since the loss of the capitol. "What do you know of Hyrule's beginning, my lord?" she asked. Alfon knew what his mother and father had taught him; what every Hylian was taught when they were young: The Goddess Hylia had fought a great evil and delivered the earth to the Hylian people. The royal family was chosen by her, and charged with governing justly and with compassion.

"That is true... but not complete." Impa replied as she and the marshal turned for a second walk through the town. Quietly, the sheikah explained how Hylia had fallen in battle. How a courageous human man had rushed to her side and helped her defeat the great demon. How generations later, Hylia was reincarnated as a mortal, and how her beloved knight had also been reborn and bound to her side. When the great demon attempted to escape once again, the two fought and defeated him, and founded the Kingdom of Hyrule. "The two were different from the other humans... they had long, pointed ears... like her grace, the goddess." whispered Impa. Confused, Alfon muttered back, "But, Impa, we all have long pointed ears. It is what shows we are the goddess' chosen amongst the other humans." "No, my lord." replied Impa, barely whispering, "It is what shows that we are descended from the goddess herself." Alfon halted and stared at her, "What?"

Impa tugged at his arm to return to their walk. "The first Zelda was the goddess reborn. Her blood, carried the legacy and the power of the goddess. She, and her beloved knight, were mother and father to the Hylian people. Each of us still carries a very distant, very remote connection to them; but, over time, many wandered away and the blood of the other humans was mingled with our own. By the power of her grace, the royal line is kept holy and pure." Impa explained. Alfon thought for a moment before answering, "So the princess carries a great legacy. We have all known that the royal family carries some magical ability. What does this have to do with me?" Again, Impa drew a deep breath and carefully considered her next move: she was now sure, but what would be the consequences of telling Alfon? "Her grace, the goddess. Bestowed a special gift upon her beloved knight." Impa began carefully, "His spirit... was made more than a mortal's spirit. For all time, their souls would be bound together... in love."

Alfon nodded, as if he understood, but he still had not made the connection. Frustrated, Impa said, "It is said that whomever the Blade of Evil's Bane accepts as its master, carries the spirit of the goddess' chosen knight. Which means..." her voice trailed off as she could not bring herself to say it. For a moment, the marshal looked stunned, then struggled to contain his laughter. "You mean... you suggest... you think that Link is... what? The princess' 'soul-mate' ?" Impa scowled at him and urged him to keep his voice down. "That is... that is really something minister." Alfon continued as he wiped a tear of laughter from his eye, "You treat my squire as lower than swine from the moment he arrives at the lake! You forbade him from doing or becoming anything more than a common soldier! You had him flogged for committing the only heroic action this army has seen since the fall of Aryn! And now, you tell me that there is some mystical bond between him and the princess? Rubbish! The boy hates the princess and you for that matter!" Alfon's anger, as well as his voice, were steadily rising. He had known many of the court's members to be haughty and arrogant, but he had always felt a particularly powerful loathing from Impa against his squire. He bitterly resented that she never gave the boy a chance, or ever tried to feel compassion for what he had endured.

Impa desperately urged him to keep his voice down. "You're right, my lord... I have detested the boy... but what was I to do? After he failed at the Temple of Time..." "FAILED?!" barked Alfon, cutting her off, "That boy stood against that sorcerer when most would have fled screaming! That boy nearly gave his life for all of Hyrule! He is alive today because his only friend in the world gave him her life! I held him, Impa, in my arms as his breathing slowed and his life ebbed away. There was no mortal power in Hyrule that could have saved him! If there is a failure here, minister, it is not Link's! You asked too much of a child, yet he did everything he could to serve his kingdom!" The sheikah lowered her arms, and let Alfon speak freely to her. They were now away from the civilians in the town, and stood near the lake's western edge. In her heart, she knew Alfon was right. She blamed Link because it had been the easy thing to do. She and the princess could not have made a mistake, it must have been the strange boy from the forest. Impa felt ashamed and, for the first time, really began to regret how she had treated the boy.

"The princess has fallen in love with him, Alfon." she muttered. The knight narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her, "More myths?" he asked. "No," answered the minister, "I know it is true. He is always on her mind and her heart aches to be beside him. I have felt it, during our... 'meditations' though I do not think she knows that I am aware." Alfon felt a small twinge of apprehension. If it was true... then they had a serious problem. He knew of Link's bitterness toward the princess and of how close he was starting to become to Malon. "The princess is at that age... when a young lady begins to take an interest in the young men... it is just a fancy, nothing more." he offered hopefully, but Impa shook her head. "It is the goddess' will. Though they themselves do not know it, their souls are bound to one another. She will fall hopelessly in love with him. She will need him to be by her side, especially through this war. He will strengthen her, and she him. There is no other way now." "And if he rejects her?" Alfon asked. Impa thought for a long time before answering, "I do not know for certain. But... it could mean the death of Hyrule. I had taken the events at the Temple as a sign that he was not the one, that some other hero would rise and make himself known to us. But Link drew the sword, and her soul is reaching out to him. It must be Link."

"What do you need me to do?" the knight asked solemnly. "Much." replied Impa, "We will need to calm his anger and develop his compassion for her. Once this mission is complete, I will appoint him as the Princess' personal guard. That will keep them together and allow the bond to form." The two began to slowly walk around the lake now as they discussed their plans for Link and Zelda. "He will need to be a master of arms..." said Impa. "He already is." replied Alfon. "His body will have to be honed to endure any trial..." "For his age, he is the very best, but I will continue to train him." "He will need to be disciplined and focused. His conduct around the princess must be perfect." "That may prove challenging," replied the knight, "but I am confident I can train him in that regard." Impa slowed her pace and looked up at him, "No, my lord, I don't think you understand. The boy... he..." for the first time, Alfon saw Impa's cheeks blush with embarrassment, "The princess'... 'purity' must remain intact."

The marshal raised a skeptical eyebrow at her, "You speak of souls being bound in eternal love. You want to push two youths together and hope that they fall for one another. But you insist that their passions not... 'blossom' in that way? Impa I know you have lived a solitary life, but that is not how love works! He is a man, a soldier. If a beautiful woman offers... he could not refuse even if he wanted to." Impa looked right up into the marshal's eyes with a very serious light, "The spirit of Hylia is with her, Alfon, but she cannot come into her own as the goddess reborn until she has performed a very ancient, very special ritual at the Goddess Springs. To perform that ritual, she must be absolutely pure. If she is not, the power of Hylia will leave her and will not return until a new daughter of the royal family is born. Right now, the goddess' power is the only thing keeping Ganon from passing through the Door of Time. Our lives depend upon it. The princess must remain absolutely pure until she has come of age and wed." Alfon winced down at the sheikah, "That would be a cruel trial for him. It may break him." Impa shook her head, "Actually, I am more concerned about the princess in that regard, than your squire." she answered.

As they began to walk back toward the Temple of Water's entrance, Alfon chuckled to himself. "It is like something out of a fairy-tale Impa: What the knight must endure to earn the hand of a princess." As the symbol of the temple came into view, above the entryway, Impa remembered one other item she wanted to discuss with the marshal. "Alfon, tell me again of the Forest Temple. What did the Kokiri children say about the monster there?" "Why do you ask, my lady?" he replied, puzzled. "Because I have not seen or heard from the Sage of Water in some time." the sheikah replied as they entered, "Until Link returns, I would like you to remain close to the princess, please."